u/skippybosco

I will be traveling for a few weeks and won't be bringing my Fitbit air with me.

Is there a way to power it off? Or what should I do about storing it for 3 weeks so that it doesn't deplete the zero and impact the lifespan of the battery?

Uber’s one-month “short-range cultural experience” program to offer free, short-distance motorcycle rides in Beitou District (北投) is against the law and faces penalties if carried out, the Taipei City Government said yesterday.

The pilot program began yesterday afternoon.

Taiwan’s laws do not permit that type of motorcycle passenger transportation service, Taipei Transportation Commissioner Hsieh Ming-hong (謝銘鴻) said, adding that even if they did, Uber had not applied to the city for approval.

Regulations do not provide a framework governing insurance, liability and passenger protections related to this type of service, and accidents could therefore lead to disputes over insurance claims, legal liability and passenger rights, the office said.

Matching passengers with motorcycle riders constitutes an unauthorized transportation business and may be punishable by fines of up to NT$25 million (US$784,338), the statement cited the Ministry of Transportation and Communications as saying.

Major scandal at Taipei American School (TAS)

A U.S. teacher at the prestigious Taipei American School, James Cruz (詹姆斯·克魯斯), who teaches high school robotics & computer science, has been arrested and charged for attempting to smuggle ~500ml of liquid ketamine (K) into Taiwan.

He allegedly partnered with a local woman () to order the drugs from overseas, hiding the liquid K inside a Spree Gin bottle disguised as alcohol, shipped via air cargo from Germany. The package was intercepted by German authorities at Leipzig airport in March via X-ray. Taiwanese police later arrested him at Taoyuan Airport as he tried to leave the country.

Searches turned up drug residue, scales, and other items at their residences in Shilin. Both have admitted to ketamine use and parties. Cruz, who has permanent residency and called Taiwan "my home," was denied bail and remains detained.

Some info on the guy

James Cruz (詹姆斯・克魯斯) is the American teacher involved. He taught high school robotics and computer science at Taipei American School (TAS). Additional background: He has a science/robotics/computer science teaching background. Before TAS, he taught at Weige International School (葳格國際學校), where he guided students in science/creative competitions (winning awards like “Creativity King” and top placements around 2016–2017).67f0ee ettoday.net He has lived in Taiwan for about 10 years, holds permanent residency, and was arrested while trying to leave the country.

According to Taiwan News, the system will be tested at the intersection of Heping West Road and Chongqing South Road. Testing begins in July, with actual fines issued from October.

This is part of Taipei’s broader push to use tech (AI cameras, etc.) for better traffic compliance, fewer accidents, and smoother flow.

Is AI enforcement a good idea, or are there privacy/accuracy concerns?

U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled that the USDA overstepped its authority. She noted that Congress, via the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, broadly defines eligible “food” as “any food or food product for home consumption” (with clear exclusions like alcohol, tobacco, and hot foods ready to eat), and did not authorize the agency to carve out categories like soda through these waivers. The waivers were intended for testing program efficiency, not broad nutritional restrictions.

From the USDA site on eligible items:

>Any food for the household, such as: Fruits and vegetables; Meat, poultry, and fish; Dairy products; Breads and cereals; Other foods such as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages.

The ruling blocks restrictions in the five plaintiff states (and affects broader approvals in ~23 states), with the administration (including HHS Secretary RFK Jr. under the MAHA push) signaling it will continue pursuing healthier SNAP options.

Judge Amy Berman Jackson is an Obama appointed judge, but that doesn't seem to be a factor in this ruling. This seems more about letter of the law of not allowing a redefinition of what is "food" without going through the proper process. This seems like the correct ruling, despite me not agreeing with the outcome.

The judge explicitly acknowledged good intentions on health but said the executive branch can’t unilaterally rewrite congressional definitions.

I don't agree soda should be eligible for SNAP, but carving out nuances for sugar and processed food becomes very complicated.

SNAP's name and stated purpose emphasize:

>nutrition assistance” and supplementing budgets for nutritious food to support health, but the statutory definition is broad and includes “snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages.

Should the legal definition of “food” for taxpayer-funded benefits need congressional review and updating to better align with public health goals (e.g., evidence on sugary drinks and obesity/diabetes rates), or is the current broad approach better to avoid administrative complexity, stigma, or unintended limits on access?

RelayFX shared a great link, soft drinks are the #1 SNAP spending making up 5.44% of all spending

https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/ops/SNAPFoodsTypicallyPurchased-Appendices.pdf

Doesn't change the fact it was a good ruling, but overhaul does need to happen to SNAP by Congress.

~1.5 billion (~23%) are essentially junk food or sugar:

Sweetened Beverages: $608.7 million (9.3% of total) — includes soft drinks/soda (the #1 or #2 overall commodity), plus other sugary drinks.

Prepared Desserts: $453.8 million (6.9%) — cakes, cookies, sweet goods, etc.

Salty Snacks: $225.6 million (3.4%) — chips, bag snacks, etc.

Candy: $138.2 million (2.1%) — packaged and checklane candy.

Sugars: $60.9 million (0.9%) — sugars & sweeteners.

Public Integrity Project just filed a lawsuit on behalf of two Virginia residents trying to block the use of White House grounds to host the upcoming UFC fight on June 14.

Specifically they indicate it is unlawful because:

* Approval violates National Park Service regulations prohibiting sporting events on federal parklands,

* Congress did not consent to the towering arch overlooking the event space

* No environmental review was conducted before the construction.

Brendan Ballou was quoted as saying

>"This is fundamentally a private, commercial, corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain"

CNN goes into a bit more detail on that part:

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/07/politics/ufc-fight-white-house-lawsuit

specifically:

>"It also argues the use of the White House grounds “to stage a private, for-profit sports event, with all the promotional and branding opportunities that accompany such access” will financially benefit UFC President Dana White and Trump himself, citing a report in the spring that Trump bought $50,000 in stock in UFC’s parent company."

The CNN article also goes into the Congressional approval aspect as well:

>"The lawsuit pushes back on the assertion from the administration that the Ultimate Fighting Championship match falls under the authorization from Congress for events to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, saying the event “is not in any material sense a ‘celebration of the 250th anniversary of American Independence’—it is, instead, a celebration of the UFC’s brand and the 80th anniversary of Donald Trump’s birth.”

Apparenly UFC is selling VIP packages for between $1 million and $1.5 million.

This is obviously unprecedented. The closest I could find of any comparison would be President George W. Bush hosting T-ball games on the South Lawn, Dwight Eisenhower's setting up a putting green, Richard Nixon's bowling alley, and Obama's basketball hoop on the tennis court.

President's have historically hosted championship-winning sports teams for celebratory events, but that's usually a press op, not a commercial competition event, unless we're reclassifying the easter egg hunts?

I did find some non sporting events like the Country Fair in 1967

https://www.whitehousehistory.org/photos/country-fair-on-the-south-lawn-in-1967

South by South Lawn in 2016

https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/node/357821/

Solar Eclipse Festival in 2024

https://airandspace.si.edu/whats-on/events/solar-eclipse-festival-national-mall

The closest to a commercial event was the outdoor concert at the national mall which hosted 6,500 VIP guests and 1,500 public attendees for the travel industry.

https://www.hello-dmc.com/case-study/outdoor-concert-washington-dc/

Questions:

1. Do those prior events compare at all?

2. Any consideration that they are giving away the majority of tickets for free?

>Free Tickets (Military & VIPs): The majority of the seats are being given away for free, with the primary target audience being active U.S. military personnel. President Donald Trump was allotted 1,000 tickets to distribute, while UFC CEO Dana White and TKO Group Holdings CEO Ari Emanuel each received 200 tickets to hand out. At least 1,200 seats are specifically designated for active military members.

>Because the South Lawn event is mostly closed to the public, the UFC has organized the "UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest" on the adjacent Ellipse park.

>Capacity: This outdoor viewing experience is designed to accommodate 85,000 people (with some estimates up to 100,000).

>Cost: All tickets for the Fan Fest on the Ellipse are entirely free. The UFC opened registration for these tickets to the general public to claim the complimentary passes.

3. Does that offset the profit side of things which is likely to generate ~$300 million in profits?

>VIP "High Roller" Packages: For those not invited, a very limited number of "high roller" or "partner investment" VIP packages have been made available. According to prominent MMA reporters and industry sources, these exclusive packages, which include ringside seats, are priced between $1 million and $1.5 million each.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/articles/cglp08jglpwo