Did rising sea levels cause the Miami condo collapse? – National & International News – THU 17Feb2022

Did rising sea levels cause the Miami condo collapse? DOJ probes firms exploiting supply chain woes for record profits. “Freedom Convoy”: Four arrested in plot to kill Canadian police.

NATIONAL NEWS

Did rising sea levels cause the Miami condo collapse?

On June 24, 2021, the 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building partially collapsed, killing 98 people. Since then, investigators and researchers have grappled with two key questions: why did it happen?; and could it happen again? In the weeks that followed the collapse, reports came to light of structural deficiencies in the building. A civil engineer’s report cited significant “spalling” of the complex’s concrete pillars. Spalling is concrete degradation, in this case likely caused by corrosion of the re-bar. 

Though the condo board knew of this for years, they failed to take timely action, and the problem worsened. Some residents believed that nearby construction had hastened the damage. But some Florida researchers believe the underlying cause of the corrosion could be attributed to sea level rise.

The researchers believe that increasing saltwater intrusion in the surrounding area contributed to the corrosion, and that other nearby properties could also be vulnerable. Saltwater intrusion could in fact be endangering many of our coastal cities by undermining structural integrity.

In the Surfside area, scientists’ data on saltwater intrusion is limited. More research will need to be undertaken to determine what role the saltwater played in the Champlain Towers collapse, and whether other nearby buildings are in danger. These questions are becoming more urgent, as a new report predicts sea levels will rise over the next 30 years as much as they did in the previous century.

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DOJ to probe corporations exploiting supply chain woes for record profits

Last month, the inflation rate set yet another 40-year high, up 7.5% from where it was in January 2021. Rising prices are evident everywhere from the supermarket to the gas pump. Some of this is down to supply chain problems and labor shortages. But despite these drawbacks, corporate profit margins are the greatest they’ve been in 70 years. This suggests there is more than simple market forces at work.

Today, the Department of Justice announced a probe to identify companies that are exploiting supply chain issues to price-gouge consumers.

DOJ officials say companies may “seek to exploit supply chain disruptions for their own illicit gain”. Any companies found to be doing so will be prosecuted under antitrust laws. Possible antitrust violations could include collusion between entities to fix prices or wages or to rig bids.

Today’s press release did not specify which industries the DOJ is targeting. But there is one industry with recent price fixing scandals that has an outsized impact on consumers’ wallets.

Meat and poultry processors

About 80% of the beef and poultry in our grocery stores comes from a cartel of three meat processors. JBS, Cargill and Tyson foods have long had a virtual stranglehold on America’s meat supply. The lack of competition allows them to pay the lowest possible price to livestock farmers while charging a premium to retailers. Recently, JBS settled a price fixing suit by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) with a payout of $52 million. The NCBA had urged the DOJ to investigate JBS, but had not heard back before JBS announced the settlement earlier this month. JBS likely hoped the settlement would head off further DOJ scrutiny.

Currently, Pilgrim’s Pride (a JBS subsidiary) is fighting allegations in court that its leadership conspired with several other poultry plants to rig bids and fix prices of broiler chickens.

Last year, Mississippi-based Sanderson Farms was sold to Cargill for for $4.5 billion. The sale is not yet complete, but would merge Sanderson with a subsidiary of Continental Grain to create a new poultry production company. Several members of Congress are calling on the DOJ to investigate the merger for potential antitrust issues before the sale goes through.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

“Freedom Convoy”: Four arrested in plot to kill Canadian police

Four men have been arrested for their part in a conspiracy to assassinate members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), commonly known as “Mounties”. These four were among 13 people arrested at a “Freedom Convoy” blockade at the U.S.-Canada border crossing at Coutts, Alberta. The Mounties also confiscated a cache of weapons at the blockade site.

Southern Alberta RCMP deputy commissioner, Curtis Zablocki told reporters, “The dangerous criminal activity occurring away from the TV cameras and social-media posts was real and organized. It could have been deadly for citizens, protesters and officers”. Despite tensions, the RCMP was successful in reopening the Coutts crossing.

MyPillow guy’s “pillows for truckers” convoy turned back at border

Mike Lindell, CEO of MyPillow and election conspiracist, launched a campaign last week to send trucks full of his pillows to the “Freedom Convoy” protesters in Ottawa and other places in Canada. Lindell’s trucks were turned back at the border because his truckers were not vaccinated. Ironically, this is exactly the issue that sparked the “Freedom Convoy” in the first place.

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