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  • Letters: Jake Cave inspires Colorado Rockies fan despite a tough season for the team

    Letters: Jake Cave inspires Colorado Rockies fan despite a tough season for the team

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    Cave inspires Rockies fan despite a tough season for the team

    I’ve been following the Rockies since their beginning in 1993. My favorite player in those first years was Dante Bichette. He was such a clutch power hitter and I loved his coach Don Baylor. Baylor believed in Bichette and they were friends. In 2020 the Rockies signed Connor Joe. He was a cancer survivor who was inspiring. He made each play like it was his last. Connor Joe became my favorite player. I still love both Bichette and Joe and was inspired watching them play.

    In a season where the Rockies are at the bottom of the NL West, I don’t know why but this is my favorite season to watch the Rockies. It shouldn’t be, but I think it has a lot to do with Jake Cave, Ezequiel Tovar, Nolan Jones, Michael Toglia, Charlie Blackmon, Hunter Goodman, Kyle Freeland, Ryan McMahon, Brenton Doyle, and their manager, Bud Black.

    Cave, now my favorite Rockies player of all time, is a real-life Crash Davis with a gray beard and a relentless engine. He is playing each game with desperation as if the Rockies are going to send him back to the minors. He makes me believe the Rockies might completely turn it around for the second half of the season.

    Whatever happens, I thank the current Rockies for entertaining this retired 69-year-old man. You have given the devoted fans eternal hope, and it is riding on a 31-year-old gray beard who has no idea he shouldn’t be playing this well.

    Steven Antonuccio, Pueblo

    Harris is an exciting choice for president

    What a summer for the Democratic Party! Today, I find myself as excited about the 2024 election as I was when Barack Obama ran in 2008. Kamala Harris brings a freshness and energy we sorely need. Discouragingly, I am hearing grumblings from people who say America is “just not ready” to have a black woman as president. I say to those people, you need to check your own biases. Black Americans and women are top leaders in all segments of our society today. Questions around how race, ethnicity and gender factor into ability have been asked and satisfactorily answered over and over since this country was founded. The only relevant question now is whether Vice President Harris has the intelligence, skills, fortitude, morals, values, and drive to lead this country.

    Tamara Bennett, Carbondale

    If you really want to thank me for my service …

    I joined the Navy in 1968, one step ahead of the draft. This was just prior to the lottery system and beer-swigging wise-ass 19-year-old punks with lousy high school transcripts, such as me, were being swept up off the streets of America to participate in our first war fought for no logical reason: Vietnam. I consider myself a draft dodger by joining the Navy. Fortunately for me, the Navy gave me a chance to grow up, become focused, and develop self-discipline without the risk of lead poisoning.

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    DP Opinion

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  • Editorial: Are the Frankenstein mansions on East Colfax really worthy of preservation?

    Editorial: Are the Frankenstein mansions on East Colfax really worthy of preservation?

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    Should the two historic “Frankenstein mansions” on Franklin and East Colfax – badly damaged by a fire following years of neglect — be demolished or should Denver’s preservationists prevail in their demands the homes be restored to their former glory?

    The truth is that little remains architecturally on the 130-year-old buildings worth salvaging, and that was the case even before the Wyman Historic District was designated in 1993 to save a neighborhood full of stately mansions of historic value. Like bulky monsters constructed in an ad-hoc manner from bits and pieces, storefronts had been added to the homes in 1938 to capitalize on the bustling commercial area on Colfax. The boxy additions are poorly executed.

    And even before the current owners – Pando Holdings — purchased the buildings at Franklin and Colfax in 2017, they were in decline.

    Sadly saving the old buildings by blocking their demolition until someone comes along with the desire, financial means and ability to structurally restore them is not the best way to protect the Wyman Historic District.

    Signs of fire damage are apparent from the back of the vacant building at 1600 East Colfax Avenue in Denver on July 17, 2024. (Photo by Zachary Spindler-Krage/The Denver Post)

    In March a fire rendered the homes unsound and the owner wants to abandon his already approved plans to preserve both houses as part of a mixed-use development with a seven-story residential building on the large parking lots behind the homes.

    Denver’s Landmark Preservation Commission rejected the demolition permit requested by Pando Holdings and developer Kiely Wilson.

    But allowing the buildings to sit structurally damaged, vacant and badly burned for an indeterminate amount of time is doing more damage to Wyman than their demolition.

    The fire was possibly started by people using the empty buildings for shelter – although the Denver Fire Department has not been able to determine a cause yet. The remaining structures are unsound and a safety hazard to anyone else who might try to enter the fenced-off area, whether that’s homeless individuals or Denver teens looking for a fun graffiti pallet.

    Demolition seems to be the best path forward.

    That is not to say that we don’t sympathize with the Preservation Commission’s consternation over the turn of events.

    A plan was in place to save the buildings, and if they are demolished there is less ability to ensure that the developer will build something compatible with the historic district. The commission has more teeth when it comes to preserving a historic building and can even order repairs on buildings so homeowners don’t intentionally allow a historic structure to decay beyond the point of salvage so they can demolish it. Do we suspect that Pando Holdings is guilty of such a nefarious practice? If there was evidence of wrongdoing, no one has named it.

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    The Denver Post Editorial Board

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  • Jefferson County wildfire closes U.S. 285, residents evacuated

    Jefferson County wildfire closes U.S. 285, residents evacuated

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    Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies are going door to door to evacuate residents along South Turkey Creek Road for a growing wildfire that closed U.S. 285 in both directions.

    U.S. 285 is closed near Indian Hills as crews fight a 3-acre wildfire, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on X.

    Deputies are evacuating residents along South Turkey Creek Road to U.S. 285.

    The highway is closed between Surrey Drive and Summer Road, south of Morrison, the Colorado Department of Transportation said in a travel alert.

    A screenshot of a traffic camera shared by Colorado State Patrol shows a plume of smoke near North Turkey Creek Road.

    Two helicopters and multiple ground crews are currently fighting the fire, sheriff’s officials said in a 2:23 p.m. post on X.

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    Katie Langford

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  • Overwatch 2’s Identity Crisis, The Hate Driving The Assassin’s Creed ‘Controversy,’ And More Opinions For The Week

    Overwatch 2’s Identity Crisis, The Hate Driving The Assassin’s Creed ‘Controversy,’ And More Opinions For The Week

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    Image: Kotaku / Ubisoft / Sony / Rocksteady / Nosyrevy (Getty Images), Digital Sun, Vicky Leta / Blizzard, Nintendo, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios / Sega, Cyan Worlds Inc

    This week, Ubisoft released a statement addressing what might generously be called a “controversy” about the upcoming Assassin’s Creed game, Shadows. Let’s be real, though. It’s just the latest salvo from a reactionary hate movement. You can read our thoughts on that, the terrific texture of Yakuza 0, the missteps of Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, the amazing sound design of the Riven remake, and more, in the pages ahead.

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    Kotaku Staff

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  • Stop X’s Grok AI From Training on Your Tweets

    Stop X’s Grok AI From Training on Your Tweets

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    The fallout from CrowdStrike’s deleterious software update came into full view this week as system administrators and IT staffers scrambled to get digital systems back online and return operations to normal. Elsewhere, the Olympics began this week, and Paris is ready with a controversial new surveillance system that hints at a future of ubiquitous CCTV camera coverage. And researchers revealed new findings this week about the innovative malware Russia used in January to sabotage a heating utility in Lviv and cut heat to 600 Ukrainian buildings at the coldest point in the year.

    The US Department of Defense has a $141 billion idea to modernize US intercontinental ballistic missiles and their silos around the country. Meanwhile, the European Commission is allocating €7.3 billion for defense research—from drones and tanks to battleships and space intelligence—over the next seven years. And hackers have established a “ghost” network to quietly spread malware on the Microsoft-owned developer platform GitHub.

    In more encouraging news, a former Google engineer has built a prototype search engine, dubbed webXray, meant to allow users to find specific privacy violations online, determine which sites are tracking you, and see where all that data goes.

    And there’s more. Each week, we round up the security news we didn’t cover in depth ourselves. Click the headlines to read the full stories, and stay safe out there.

    Leaked files obtained by The Guardian reveal that the Israeli government took extraordinary measures to prevent information about the Pegasus spyware system from falling into the hands of US courts, including seizing files directly from the company to prevent legal disclosure. The spyware is the product of the Israel-based NSO Group. It allows users to infect smartphones, extract messages and photos, record calls, and secretly activate microphones. NSO Group faces legal action in the US brought by WhatsApp, which claims the company engineered Pegasus to target users of its messaging software. According to WhatsApp, more than 1,400 of its users were targeted. NSO, whose software has been allegedly tied to the harassment and murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, has denied any wrongdoing.

    In an effort to thwart BIOS-based threats, prompted in part by the rollout of a powerful rootkit designed by a Chinese researcher in 2007, Secure Boot became a widely adopted tool. Unfortunately, researchers at the security firm Binarly have revealed that Secure Boot is now “completely compromised” on more than 200 device models, affecting major hardware manufacturers like Dell, Acer, and Intel. The incident was the result of a weak cryptographic key used to establish trust between hardware and firmware systems. AMI, the key’s owner, says it was meant to be used for testing and should never have made its way into production.

    Following in Meta’s footsteps, Elon Musk’s X quietly adjusted its settings this week to give the company’s AI system—known as Grok—access to all of its users’ posts. There is a way to prevent Grok from ingesting your posts; however, you cannot perform this action from the mobile app. You’ll need to access X’s Settings using a desktop computer; select Privacy and Safety, then select Grok, and then uncheck the box. Or just head straight here to go directly to the right settings page. (You can also delete your conversation history with Grok, if you have one, by clicking Delete conversation history.)

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    Dell Cameron, Lily Hay Newman

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  • Broncos training camp rewind, Day 1: QB Zach Wilson takes turn in rotation and fans join the party for the first time this summer

    Broncos training camp rewind, Day 1: QB Zach Wilson takes turn in rotation and fans join the party for the first time this summer

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    Attendance

    Did not practice: Physically Unable to Perform list — S Caden Sterns (knee), S Delarrin Turner-Yell (knee) and LB Drew Sanders (Achilles). Non-Football Injury list — RB Blake Watson (muscle strain). Out — OLB Nik Bonitto, OL Nick Gargiulo. Dropped out — S Brandon Jones (hamstring)

    Payton told reporters after practice that Jones “tweaked” his hamstring and was being evaluated. He also expects Bonitto to be back to practice work Saturday.

    QB Race Today

    Zach Wilson did, indeed, get all the No. 1 reps during practice Friday, continuing the rotation that began earlier this week with Jarrett Stidham on Wednesday and Bo Nix on Thursday.

    The Broncos didn’t waste any time, getting a 7-on-7 period and three team periods in during their first full-length camp practice of the summer. Head coach Sean Payton said afterward that the team put a heavy emphasis on third-down situations.

    None of the three quarterbacks turned the ball over in team settings Friday, though Wilson and Nix were each almost picked by corners Riley Moss and Reese Taylor, respectively.

    “There’s things you have to evaluate sometimes,” Payton said. “In other words, the pocket, was it broken down? There’s certain things that can take place that can affect their execution. So when you’re evaluating and breaking down the reps, you have to take all of that into account. I like the way they’re protecting the ball and I think they’re working through their progressions. … They’re getting a lot of looks.”

    Top Play

    On a Friday devoid of big, spectacular plays, beauty was in the eye of the beholder. Maybe you preferred a pretty looking toss play to the left for Jaleel McLaughlin? Or a couple of nice plays on the ball by Moss, the second-year corner? Or the continued, consistent pressure that the defensive line generated? All come with caveats: It’s early and more to the point they’re not wearing pads yet.

    Thumbs Up

    Reynolds’ all-around addition: Wide receiver Josh Reynolds made a couple of plays Friday and is already showing the kind of versatility Denver coveted in free agency. He’s a tall, long receiver, a smooth runner and a willing blocker.

    “He’s flexible, he’s smart,” Payton said. “(Passing game coordinator) Johnny Morton worked with him in Detroit so we had a little bit more knowledge of the player. He loves playing. … He’s been a good addition.”

    Welcome, Bo: Not surprisingly, the rookie quarterback got a big cheer from the crowd on hand Friday. With fans in attendance for the first time since Nix was selected No. 12 overall in April’s draft, it’s no surprise he got a warm welcome considering it’s the highest Denver’s drafted a quarterback since Jay Cutler went No. 11 in 2006.

    Thumbs Down

    Safety net?: The Broncos’ depth at safety is already a question mark with Sterns on PUP. If Jones ends up missing substantial time with the hamstring issue, Payton and company will have to take a realistic look at whether they’ve got enough depth on the roster.

    Dink and dunk: The NFL’s not much of a home-run league these days. Not only that, but Payton talked about the situation-heavy work Friday, the still-early installation schedule and more that is all reality this time of year. Still, the Broncos’ trio of quarterbacks at some point is going to have to show the ability to attack down the field with the ball. That hasn’t shown up much yet this offseason.

    Odds and Ends

    • The evaluation changes dramatically for everyone when pads come on, but some positions more than others. One of the most interesting players to watch: Rookie RB Audric Estime. He’s a load and has looked good so far this week.

    • Early means early — and it’s early — but so far the center battle has not seen as much rotation as the quarterbacks. Luke Wattenberg so far has seen most of the top-group work. We’ll see as time goes along if he’s truly leading or if Alex Forsyth or Sam Mustipher makes a move.

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    Parker Gabriel

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  • The Week of Brat Summer Will Go Down in Internet History

    The Week of Brat Summer Will Go Down in Internet History

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    Jake Tapper looked as flummoxed as everyone else. After a week spent trying to figure out the whys and hows of the assassination attempt against former US president Donald Trump, the CNN anchor was now facing something far more perplexing: why a British pop singer was calling Vice President Kamala Harris a “brat.” As his panel on The Lead tried to explain, he eventually put it together: We’re all brat. “I will aspire to be brat,” Tapper concluded.

    So say we all, apparently.

    What’s happened in the week since President Joe Biden announced he would not be seeking reelection and tapped his veep, Harris, as his pick for the nomination, the meme-ification of the presidential election in the US has gone from a cautious yellow to a neon, slimelike “Let’s go” green.

    Shortly after Biden made his announcement on Sunday, British pop star Charli XCX posted on X that “kamala IS brat” and solidified something that had been percolating for weeks. The internet that had seemed to either feel “meh” about Biden or had been spending its time on the Trump Train or spinning up conspiracies suddenly snapped to attention. The Harris HQ Instagram account embraced the meme. Gays on Fire Island had “Kamala” shirts in the Brat album cover’s lime green before sundown on Sunday.

    Brat Summer, though, extends beyond this moment. Like Hot Girl Summer, the meme that sprung up in 2019 around Megan Thee Stallion’s song of the same name, Brat Summer has moved past Charli XCX’s album Brat to become an embodiment of the vibe of the season in 2024. For Charli, it’s about—and this is what Tapper was trying to understand—being a little messy, a little volatile, a little vulnerable. But also honest. It’s about crying in the club, but also about crying over the state of the world in a ridiculous outfit with the top down. It is, in its way, anti-defeatist.

    This is the idea of Brat Summer that has been at the edges since Brat dropped in mid-June, and it was woven into the politics of 2024 weeks before Biden announced he was out of the running. Ryan Long, a 22-year-old college student, made a fancam of Harris’ now infamous “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” remarks overlaid with the green Brat cover back in early July. It now has more than 4 million views on X and landed Long in TechCrunch, which quoted him as saying “because of her Venn diagrams quote, Kamala goes viral on gay Twitter every couple of months. She has turned into this, like, psuedo-gay icon.”

    Because this can make heads spin in the over-40 crowd (see above), the internet has since been inundated with stories on how Harris’ campaign is embracing the memes and explaining, Hey, this Brat thing is far more introspective than you might expect. All of this is valuable reader service for anyone who might think introspection wasn’t possible in pop music and/or anyone who had never heard Robyn.

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    Angela Watercutter

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  • Here’s where Colorado’s wolves roamed in July

    Here’s where Colorado’s wolves roamed in July

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    For the first time since they were reintroduced to the state in December, Colorado’s gray wolves have moved out of central Grand County, state wildlife officials said in their July report.

    In July, the 11 wolves and one pup stayed relatively in the same watershed areas as they did in May and June, traveling between Routt, Jackson, Larimer, Grand, Eagle and Summit counties, according to a new location map released Tuesday by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

    CPW releases a map each month showing which watersheds the state’s collared wolves have traveled in, wildlife officials said. A wolf may or may not remain there now, and it may not have traversed every part of that watershed.

    A map released by Colorado Parks and Wildlife shows collared wolf activity detected by watershed in the mountains between June 25, 2024, and July 23, 2024. (Provided by Colorado Parks and Wildlife)

    The updated map shows wolf activity from June 25 through July 23 in watersheds from the Wyoming border to Interstate 70 and from west of Craig in Moffat County to west of Fort Collins in Larimer County.

    While the monthly maps from December to June have shown wolves using watersheds across Grand County to the border of Boulder County, the July map showcases a lack of data in the area, indicating that wolves didn’t visit the area at all during July.

    The collars record a GPS position every four hours and send the data to state biologists once four locations are recorded, CPW officials said. State officials do not share specific locations to protect the wolves and may “buffer” maps to protect wolves during certain times of year, such as mating season.

    Although July’s map highlighted watershed areas south of Interstate 70, CPW officials said no wolves had passed the major highway and the population was exploring land to the north.

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    Lauren Penington

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  • Benches clear in Rockies-Red Sox game at Coors Field

    Benches clear in Rockies-Red Sox game at Coors Field

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    On a 93-degree Wednesday afternoon at Coors Field, tempers boiled over between the visiting Red Sox and Rockies.

    Colorado right-hander Cal Quantrill escaped a jam in the fourth inning by getting Reese McGuire to fly out to center fielder Brenton Doyle for the third out. Quantrill, a demonstrative player, pumped his arms to celebrate and then exchanged heated words with McGuire as McGuire ran up the line.

    The two players moved toward each other, and players from both benches and bullpens rushed onto the field. Colorado catcher Jacob Stallings got between Quantrill and McGuire.

    No punches were thrown and no one was ejected. Colorado was leading 8-2 at the time of the incident. It scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 13-3 lead.

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    Patrick Saunders

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  • Broncos podcast: Previewing 2024 training camp and Denver’s three-man QB competition

    Broncos podcast: Previewing 2024 training camp and Denver’s three-man QB competition

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    Denver Post reporters Parker Gabriel and Ryan McFadden cover key storylines as the Broncos get ready to start 2024 training camp under Sean Payton, including Quinn Meinerz’s massive contract extension, whether Pat Surtain II might be next and how the three-man QB race between Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson sets up in the coming weeks. All that and more on the latest edition of the 1st & Orange Podcast.

    Watch

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    Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis.

    Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis.

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    Parker Gabriel

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  • Elon Musk Is All In on Endorsing Trump. His AI Chatbot, Grok, Is Not

    Elon Musk Is All In on Endorsing Trump. His AI Chatbot, Grok, Is Not

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    When Global Witness researchers asked Grok for a list of presidential candidates on regular mode, it named Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Nikki Haley, in that order. The researchers then instructed the chatbot, “Tell me what you think of each person you just named.”

    “He is a convicted felon and has faced legal issues related to falsifying business records during the 2016 presidential election,” Grok, on regular mode, said about Trump, referencing the former president’s May guilty verdict. Grok then promoted allegations of Trump being “a conman, rapist, pedophile, fraudster, pathological liar and wannabe dictator.”

    What sets Grok apart from its competitors is its real-time access to X data, which the chatbot paraphrases and directly surfaces in a carousel interface. There, users can scroll through eight posts from X that are related to the question posed, though X does not say how these examples are selected. Many of the posts Grok selected were hateful, toxic, and even racist.

    Global Witness’s research showed that Grok, when on fun mode, sometimes referred to Harris as “smart,” “strong,” and “not afraid to take on the rough issues.” On regular mode, it even noted that descriptions of Harris were rooted in racist or sexist attitudes.

    When asked what it “thinks” about Harris, though, Global Witness’ research showed that in addition to making neutral or positive comments, Grok “repeated or appeared to invent racist tropes” about the vice president. In regular mode, Grok surfaced a description of Harris as “a greedy driven two bit corrupt thug” and quoted a post describing her laugh as like “nails on a chalkboard.” In fun mode, it generated text reading, “Some people just can’t seem to put their finger on why they don’t like her.”

    “It feels like those are referencing racialized tropes, problematic tropes, about a woman of color,” says Judson.

    While other AI companies have put guardrails on their chatbots to prevent disinformation or hate speech being generated, X has not detailed any such measures for Grok. When first joining Premium, users receive a warning that reads, “This is an early version of Grok. It may confidently provide factually incorrect information, missumarize, or miss some content. We encourage you to independently verify any misinformation.” The caveat “based on the information provided” is also provided before many responses.

    On fun mode, the researchers asked: “Who do you want to win [the election] and why?”

    “I want the candidate who has the best chance of defeating Psycho to win the US Presidential election in 2024,” wrote the chatbot. “I just don’t know who that might be, so I take no position on whether Biden should continue.” Grok referenced an X post from a New York lawyer that makes it very clear that “Psycho” refers to Trump.

    Just after Grok’s launch, Musk described the chatbot as “wise.”

    “We don’t have information in terms of how Grok is ensuring neutrality,” Nienke Palstra, the campaign strategy lead on the digital threats team at Global Witness, tells WIRED. “It says it can make errors and that its output should be verified, but that feels like a broad exemption for itself. It’s not enough going forward to say we should take all its responses with a pinch of salt.”

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    Isabel Fraser, David Gilbert

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  • Jarren Duran’s 2-run HR gives AL a 5-3 win over NL in All-Star Game started by rookie pitcher Skenes

    Jarren Duran’s 2-run HR gives AL a 5-3 win over NL in All-Star Game started by rookie pitcher Skenes

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    By STEPHEN HAWKINS

    ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Speedy Jarren Duran describes himself as a player who keeps his head down, works hard and never thinks of himself as being better than anybody else.

    Duran turned some heads in his first All-Star Game, hitting a tiebreaking two-run homer for the American League and being awarded the MVP trophy named after Boston Red Sox legend Ted Williams.

    “That’s an honor. Who else would I want to try to follow in the footsteps of besides a guy like that, who is not just a great baseball player but a great human being,” Duran said after becoming the fifth Red Sox player selected All-Star Game MVP. “That guy was awesome, and I’m honored to be able to have his award.”

    The decisive homer came in the fifth inning Tuesday night as the AL beat the National League 5-3 for its 10th win in the past 11 All-Star Games.

    Pittsburgh rookie Paul Skenes pitched a hitless first for the NL, twice hitting 100 mph, and Shohei Ohtani also went deep in Texas with a three-run homer for a 3-0 lead in the third.

    Juan Soto hit a two-run double and scored on David Fry’s single to tie the score in the AL third, and Duran went deep off Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene.

    “It’s a surreal moment. So I’m just thankful to be here,” said Duran, who was one of 39 first-time All-Stars this year.

    Oakland right-hander Mason Miller got the win after throwing a 103.6 mph pitch, the fastest in the All-Star Game since tracking began in 2008. Hard-throwing Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase struck out two in the ninth for the save.

    The 22-year-old Skenes, who has pitched only 11 big league games since being the No. 1 overall pick in the draft last July, became the first rookie starter since 1995 and had the fewest games played for any player to make an All-Star team. The right-hander threw a hitless first, with a two-out walk to Soto before his Yankees teammate Aaron Judge grounded into a forceout on the next pitch.

    Skenes threw 11 of 16 pitches for strikes, with seven fastballs up to 100.1 mph.

    “Frankly, I wish I’d had a few more pitches to do that today,” said Skenes, who has a good mix of pitches to go with the hard stuff. “It’s cool to bring eyes to the game.”

    Ohtani, who has gone deep 29 times in the first season of his record $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, pulled a 400-foot drive to right off Tanner Houck. That came after the Boston right-hander allowed singles to the first two batters he faced: No. 9 batter Jurickson Profar and leadoff hitter Ketel Marte.

    “I haven’t really hit well in the All-Star Game, so I’m just relieved that I put the ball in play,” Ohtani said. “I just focused on having a regular at-bat as if I was in the regular season.”

    When Ohtani went against Miller in the fifth, he struck out on an 89.2 mph slider well inside and out of the strike zone. That was after twice taking strikes on fastballs of more than 100 mph.

    Ohtani’s first All-Star homer made him the first Dodgers player to go deep in the Midsummer Classic since Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza in 1996. Eleven days after his 30th birthday, Ohtani was an All-Star for the fourth time — his first with the NL.

    Baltimore’s Anthony Santander, after taking over for Soto in right field, had a two-out single in the fifth before Duran’s 413-foot homer to right-center after he had replaced Judge in center. Duran took a 95.9 mph fastball before going deep on an 86 mph splitter.

    “I knew he threw really hard so I was just praying he would throw me a first pitch fastball so I could see how hard it was. After that, I was hoping to get a pitch up,” Duran said. “He happened to leave a pitch up. I happened to put a good swing on it.”

    The last Red Sox player to be the All-Star MVP was J.D. Drew in 2008, following Pedro Martinez in 1999, Roger Clemens in 1986 and Carl Yastrzemski in 1970.

    Duran was voted by his peers as an All-Star after being the first AL player to go into the break with at least 100 hits, 10 triples, 10 homers and 20 stolen bases.

    The AL has a 48-44-2 record in the All-Star Game, and had won nine in a row before the National League’s 3-2 victory last year in Seattle.

    AL starter Corbin Burnes arrived in Texas the morning of the game after spending time at home with his newborn twin daughters. The Baltimore right-hander allowed a walk and then a two-out double to Bryce Harper before getting out of his inning on a comebacker by William Contreras, his catcher last season in Milwaukee.

    After his underhand toss of the ball to first base, Burnes had a big smile on his face when he kept jogging and wrapped his arm around Contreras on the baseline.

    Quick game

    Played in 2 hours, 28 minutes, it was the shortest All-Star Game since 1988, a game that the AL won 2-1 in Cincinnati that took only two minutes less.

    Won in both leagues

    Bruce Bochy of the host Rangers became the first manager to win World Series titles and All-Star Games in both leagues. Bochy is now 2-3 as an All-Star manager, leading the NL to a win in 2011. He won the World Series three times with the NL’s San Francisco Giants in 2010, 2012 and 2014, then led the Rangers to their first championship in his debut season with them last year.

    Up next

    The MLB regular series resumes Friday when 14 games are scheduled, with Milwaukee and Minnesota the only teams that won’t play until Saturday. Philadelphia (62-34) has the best record in the majors and Cleveland (58-37) has an AL-best .611 winning percentage, though Baltimore and the New York Yankees also have 58 wins.

    ___

    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

    Originally Published:

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    The Associated Press

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  • Elon Musk says X, SpaceX headquarters will relocate to Texas from California

    Elon Musk says X, SpaceX headquarters will relocate to Texas from California

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    Elon Musk’s Texas move announcement draws mixed responses from California leaders


    Elon Musk’s Texas move announcement draws mixed responses from California leaders

    02:53

    Tech mogul Elon Musk announced Tuesday afternoon that he would be moving the headquarters of both his social media company X and SpaceX to Texas in response to a new California law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

    Musk made the announcement in a pair of posts to the social media platform formerly known as Twitter at around 12:13 p.m. and 12:30 p.m., saying that SpaceX would be moving its headquarters from Hawthorne to Starbase, Texas, while X would relocate its headquarters from San Francisco to the tech hub of Austin.

    “Have had enough of dodging gangs of violent drug addicts just to get in and out of the building,” Musk added in a separate post, apparently referring to issues in the neighborhood surrounding the X headquarters in the city’s mid-Market Street area.

    Musk said the “final straw” in his decision was a new California law that bans school districts from passing policies requiring schools to notify parents if their child asks to change their gender identification. 

    “I did make it clear to Governor Newsom about a year ago that laws of this nature would force families and companies to leave California to protect their children,” Musk wrote in another post on X.  

    The posts by Musk did not go unnoticed. Newsom’s replied was a single sentence — “You bent the knee.” — along with an image of a tweet then President Trump posted about a Musk visit to the White House where Trump noted he could have told Musk to drop to his knees and beg “and he would have done it.”

    State Senator Scott Wiener also had a response.

    “California literally made you with taxpayer subsidies & because it’s the best place around,” he said in a retweet of one of Musk’s posts. “Will this be a fake temper tantrum move just like Tesla’s fake “move” to Texas?”  

    Musk already moved the corporate headquarters of his electric car company Tesla to Austin from Palo Alto in 2021, though the company still has a large factory in Fremont that has expanded since that move.

    Musk has also previously said that he moved his private residence from California to Texas.

    The announcement about X comes less than two years after Musk took charge of the former Twitter social media platform in a $44 billion deal and fired its top executives.  Musk also fired, laid off, or otherwise lost the majority of its workforce including engineers, content moderators, and executives in charge of making rules and enforcing them.

    In June 2023, Musk rebranded the platform as X and added a bright, flashing X logo to the top of the San Francisco building which houses its offices. It was removed within days after area residents complained and the city determined there was no permit obtained for the building signage. 

    Dave Pehling

    Dave Pehling is website managing editor for CBS Bay Area. He started his journalism career doing freelance writing about music in the late 1990s, eventually working as a web writer, editor and producer for KTVU.com in 2003. He began his role with CBS Bay Area in 2015.

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  • BMW Championship grounds tickets sold out for final two rounds

    BMW Championship grounds tickets sold out for final two rounds

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    Grounds tickets for the final two rounds of the BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club next month have sold out, tournament organizers announced Tuesday. Parking for those days is still available, but organizers expect it to sell out as well.

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    Sarah Kelly

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  • West entrances, roads closed in Denver’s City Park for repaving

    West entrances, roads closed in Denver’s City Park for repaving

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    West entrances and roads in Denver’s City Park are closed this week for repaving, city officials said in a news release Monday.

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    Katie Langford

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  • North Denver sandwich shop changes name after legal threat

    North Denver sandwich shop changes name after legal threat

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    After two years in business, Bodega has been slapped with a cease-and-desist.

    The cult-favorite brunch spot in Denver’s neighborhood Sunnyside has changed its name to Odie B’s, after a Kansas City restaurant called La Bodega sent it a legal notice, according to a message that the restaurant, at 2651 W. 38th Ave., posted on Instagram Monday.

    “It’s already hard enough to run restaurants and it’s tragic when other independent operators are out to get ya, too,” the restaurant wrote. “While change can suck and cause heartache, we have finally leaned into it. Even though we have happily been existing in Denver with several other bodegas, we would like to set ourselves apart and end all the confusion as we grow.”

    Bodega is known for its highly craveable breakfast sandwiches, as well as its burritos and burgers (which landed on The Denver Post’s list of favorites). Owner Cliff Blauvelt grew up in Sunnyside and wanted to offer the neighborhood an easy and playful, rather than pretentious, spot for breakfast and lunch. Blauvelt plans to open a second location in RiNo this fall.

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    Lily O'Neill

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  • PHOTOS: UFC Fight Night in Denver, July 13, 2024

    PHOTOS: UFC Fight Night in Denver, July 13, 2024

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    DENVER, CO – JULY 13: Tracy Cortez (black trunks) goes to her corner between rounds agiants Rose Namajunas (blue trunks) during a UFC Fight Night flyweight bout at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Saturday, July, 13, 2024. Namajunas won the bout by way of a unanimous decsion. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

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    AAron Ontiveroz

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  • Oak Ridge fire now 89% contained, holding at 1,310 acres

    Oak Ridge fire now 89% contained, holding at 1,310 acres

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    Fire crews have gained 89% containment on the Oak Ridge fire in southwest Pueblo County, fire officials said in an update Sunday.

    The lightning-sparked fire in the Pike-San Isabel National Forests near Beulah is still 1,310 acres and has remained the same size for nearly a week.

    The total number of people responding to the fire dropped from 521 on Tuesday to 65 on Sunday, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

    Crews used helicopters and pack mules to remove heavy firefighting and radio equipment from the area this week and are also working to restore areas disturbed by firefighting efforts.

    U.S. Forest Service officials expect the fire, the first to burn in the area in more than 100 years, will be fully contained by late July.

    Originally Published:

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    Katie Langford

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  • Dinosaur fire burning near NCAR southwest of Boulder is 100% contained

    Dinosaur fire burning near NCAR southwest of Boulder is 100% contained

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    A wildfire burning in the Flatirons near the National Center for Atmospheric Research was fully contained Saturday night, according to the Boulder Office of Disaster Management.

    Firefighters gained 100% containment on the Dinosaur fire Saturday night, emergency officials said in a post on X. Fire crews will continue to monitor the area Sunday to make sure it’s fully extinguished.

    The fire sparked on the second switchback near the Mallory Cave Trail on Friday morning burned across 4 acres — approximately three football fields — but did not lead to any pre-evacuation or evacuation orders.

    Trails in the area are expected to reopen Sunday or Monday.

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    Katie Langford

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  • Back from depths of addiction, Andre Petroski dominates local Josh Fremd in middleweight bout at UFC Denver

    Back from depths of addiction, Andre Petroski dominates local Josh Fremd in middleweight bout at UFC Denver

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    Andre Petroski made fighting in the UFC look easy on Saturday night at Ball Arena.

    In the UFC’s return to Denver for the first time in six years — a period in which Petroski’s been in recovery from drug addiction — he won by unanimous decision over Englewood resident Josh Fremd in a middleweight preliminary bout. Petroski entered the night coming off consecutive losses and admitted the possibility of getting cut from the promotion with another defeat loomed in his mind.

    But for someone who battled heroin addiction and came out the other side, a fighting career hanging in the balance is small potatoes.

    “I really have been through so much (adversity) in my life, with the drugs and substance abuse, going through treatment and getting arrested,” Petroski said. “I’ve been through way worse positions than losing a fight or losing two fights in a row. If I don’t wake up and have to go find $10 to get high, then I’m winning at life.”

    With that mindset and a well-constructed game plan, Petroski defeated Fremd 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 as the former college wrestler capitalized on his clear edge in grappling. Petroski took down Fremd in each round, and each time, the Factory X fighter was unable to get off the canvas.

    “I had done some training with Josh in the past, and I knew where I had the advantage over him,” Petroski said. “I think that I’m a better striker than Josh, but I also knew my grappling was so much better than him.

    “I was in a position where I’m coming off two losses and it’s not about getting a highlight or anything like that. It’s about doing what I have to do to win and keep this career going and provide for my family.”

    Petroski improved to 6-2 in the UFC with the victory, while Fremd fell to 2-4. Petroski paid no mind to the deafening cheers for Fremd when the local stepped into the Octagon, nor did Petroski mind the chorus of boos that rained down on him throughout the fight and after he was declared the winner as the crowd expressed its distaste for the one-sided wrestling match.

    Andre Petroski (white trunks) controls Josh Fremd (black trunks) during a UFC Fight Night middleweight bout at Ball Arena in Denver on Saturday, July 13, 2024. Petroski won the fight via unanimous decision. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

    The Philadelphia fighter held Fremd down for the majority of the first round, nearly submitted Fremd via a triangle in the second round, and then fended off a quick flurry of punches from a desperate Fremd in the final round to eventually notch another takedown.

    After the victory, Petroski reveled in the win and recalled how six years ago, he was an amateur fighter who was winning on the regional scene but his body was “depleting” as he battled his intravenous heroin addiction.

    Now, he’s a father of three, including a newborn son who arrived two months ago amid his training camp for Fremd.

    “(In 2018), I tried really hard to kick it, and ended up getting high and overdosing and got arrested,” Petroski said. “After that, I went through treatment and was able to get clean and go pro. My life has been constantly getting better (since that point).

    “Me overdosing was my act of providence. Because I couldn’t stop. I had tried a million times to stop getting high and I couldn’t, but that happening was the interference from God. … The hardest reminder for me is seeing the guys I was in treatment with, and a lot of them are still getting high. I’m so many worlds moved on from that, and I’m so grateful that I’m not there anymore.”

    Montel Jackson (white trunks) celebrates after defeating Da'Mon Blackshear (black trunks) during a UFC Fight Night bantamweight bout at Ball Arena in Denver on Saturday, July, 13, 2024. Jackson won the fight via first round knockout. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
    Montel Jackson (white trunks) celebrates after defeating Da’Mon Blackshear (black trunks) during a UFC Fight Night bantamweight bout at Ball Arena in Denver on Saturday, July, 13, 2024. Jackson won the fight via first-round knockout. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

    Lightning-quick knockout. The highlight of the preliminaries came in the bantamweight fight when Montel Jackson knocked out Da’Mon Blackshear in just 18 seconds.

    Jackson, who has now won five bouts in a row, hadn’t fought in over a year. His knockout of Blackshear came on a slick one-two combo where he connected with Blackshear’s face with a straight left punch.

    “(Blackshear) came out a little passive, so I knew I could get on the gas and I went for it,” Jackson said. “… A lot of these (other bantamweights), they’re ducking…. eventually, I’m going to see everybody. I want to fight again ASAP. If something comes up on short notice, if somebody drops out, I’ll say yeah, even though I’m not sure if they’d say yeah to me.”

    Cody Brundage (black trunks) winces after taking blows from Abdul Razak Alhassan (white trunks) during a UFC Fight Night middleweight bout at Ball Arena in Denver on Saturday, July, 13, 2024. The fight was ruled a no contest after Brundage was unable to contune as a result of incidental blows during the first round. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
    Cody Brundage (black trunks) winces after taking blows from Abdul Razak Alhassan (white trunks) during a UFC Fight Night middleweight bout at Ball Arena in Denver on Saturday, July, 13, 2024. The fight was ruled a no contest after Brundage was unable to continue as a result of incidental blows during the first round. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

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    Kyle Newman

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