Wright wants to up domestic energy production, 'there isn't dirty energy and clean energy'

 Chris Wright, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to be secretary of the Department of Energy, laid out his key priorities, including restoring "energy dominance," increasing technological innovation and cutting regulatory red tape, during a nearly three-hour confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

"I see three immediate tasks where I will focus my attention if I get the privilege of being confirmed. The first is to unleash American energy at home and abroad to restore our energy dominance," Wright said. "Second, we must lead the world in innovation and technology breakthroughs."

"Third, we must build things in America again and remove barriers to progress," he added. "Federal policies today make it too easy to stop projects and very hard, hard to start and complete projects."

Wright, currently the CEO of fracking company Liberty Energy, has long been a proponent of expanding domestic oil and gas production and has been openly critical of policies aimed at curbing the impacts of climate change.

Chris Wright, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be Secretary of Energy, testifies during a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing for his pending confirmation, on Capitol Hill, Jan. 15, 2025, in Washington.

Rod Lamkey/AP

In his testimony before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Wright expressed support for a range of energy technologies, saying during an exchange with Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, "I am for improving all energy technologies that can better human lives and reduce emissions. They go together."

He particularly emphasized the roles of commercial nuclear energy, liquefied natural gas and geothermal energy in his envisioned expansion of domestic energy production.

Natural gas accounts for about a third of domestic energy, according to the DOE. For domestic use, it is typically delivered as a gas -- its super-chilled liquefied form LNG has become a major U.S. export. The United States is already the world's largest LNG exporter. The incoming Trump administration has said it will undo the Biden administration's pause on new export facility approvals and expand LNG exports further.

Nuclear power currently provides about 20% of U.S. domestic electricity production, according to the DOE.

Geothermal energy is heat energy harnessed from reservoirs, either existing or man-made, within the earth's crust. It is considered a renewable energy source but only accounted for 0.4% of U.S. energy in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

"Energy is the essential agent of change that enables everything that we do, everything," Wright said Wednesday. "A low energy society is poor. A highly energized society can bring health, wealth and opportunity for all."

"The stated mission of the company that I founded, Liberty Energy, is to better human lives through energy," he added. "Liberty works directly in oil, natural gas, next-generation geothermal and has partnerships in next-generation nuclear energy and new battery technology."

Wright's stated energy priorities represent a shift from the Biden administration's focus on clean energy manufacturing, particularly wind and solar energy, and reflect what Republicans have called an "all-of-the-above energy policy" that includes increased production of oil and gas products.

The anticipated policy shift has caused concerns in climate advocacy circles. Those concerns emerged in the hearing room as 10 protesters from youth-led climate advocacy organization Sunrise Movement were arrested after disrupting the hearing, the group told ABC News.

A protestor interrupts Chris Wright, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be Secretary of Energy, as he testifies during a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing for his pending confirmation, Jan. 15, 2025, in Washington.

Rod Lamkey/AP

Wright acknowledged the protesters, saying, "You have to understand that there isn't dirty energy and clean energy. All energies are different, and they all have different trade-offs. Different people have different weights or valuations of trade-offs. Different geographies or locations have climates more favorable to this energy versus that energy. So it's a complicated dialog, which means it's not easy to get people to share this broader perspective on it. I think we're seeing a little bit of that in passionate, well-meaning, wonderful people that have been sitting in the hearing room today."

The shift is being celebrated by Republicans, including Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Mike Lee, R-Utah, who said during the hearing that Wright's nomination "really couldn't be coming at a more urgent time," heavily criticizing the Biden administration's energy policies.

"On his very first day in office, President Biden halted new oil and natural gas leases on public lands and waters, effectively cutting off access to resources that could have powered our economy and benefited the lives of ordinary Americans," Lee added. "Over the past four years, the same administration has dismantled domestic energy production, canceled leases and weaponized regulations to discourage investment in pipelines and critical energy infrastructure."

Some Democrats on the committee questioned Wright's views around climate change, including whether it contributes to disasters like the wildfires in Los Angeles -- a connection he stopped short of making, though he did call climate change "a real and global phenomenon."

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wright-increase-domestic-energy-production-dirty-energy-clean/story

AI Facial Recognition Software Is Fueling A Rise In False Arrests

 "Orwell is here, and he's living large, man!" 

Police nationwide are misusing facial recognition software, relying on it to arrest suspects without additional evidence, according to a new investigation by the Washington Post.

Most departments aren’t required to disclose or document its use. Among 23 departments with available records, 15 across 12 states arrested suspects based solely on AI matches, often violating internal policies requiring corroboration.

One report called an unverified AI match a “100% match,” while another claimed the technology “unquestionably” identified a suspect. At least eight people have been wrongfully arrested in the U.S. due to AI matches, two of which were previously unreported.

All cases were dismissed, but basic police work—such as checking alibis or comparing physical evidence—could have prevented these arrests. The true scale of AI-fueled false arrests remains unknown, as most departments lack disclosure requirements and rarely reveal AI use.

The Post identified 75 departments using facial recognition, with records from 40 showing arrests tied to AI matches. Of these, 23 provided sufficient detail, revealing that nearly two-thirds made arrests without corroborating evidence. Departments often refused to discuss their practices or claimed officers relied on visual judgment to confirm matches.

In Florence, Kentucky, police used uncorroborated AI matches in at least four cases, with mixed outcomes. Local prosecutor Louis Kelly defended officers' judgment in identifying suspects, including those flagged by AI.

For its report, the Washington Post reviewed facial recognition use by 75 police departments, with detailed records from 23. It found 15 departments, including Austin, Detroit, and Miami, made arrests based solely on AI matches without independent evidence.

Some lacked records or transparency, while others relied on questionable practices like showing AI-identified photos to witnesses. Interviews clarified some cases, but reliance on uncorroborated AI remains widespread.

You can read the full investigation here. 

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/ai-facial-recognition-software-fueling-rise-false-arrests

Walgreens CEO: anti-theft measures hurt sales: ‘When you lock things up, you don’t sell as many’

 The top executive at Walgreens lamented the loss of sales from putting items like toothpaste behind lock and key to crack down on rampant shoplifting that has plagued pharmacy chains around the country.

“When you lock things up…you don’t sell as many of them. We’ve kind of proven that pretty conclusively,” Tim Wentworth, CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, told investors during a recent earnings call.

Wentworth said that Walgreens saw a 52% increase in “shrink” — an industry term which means a loss of inventory that cannot be accounted for through sales or other legitimate means — after reporting earnings last Friday.

He went on to say that grappling with retail theft was akin to a “hand-to-hand combat battle.”

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The CEO of Walgreens said that efforts to prevent shoplifting by locking up products is resulting in fewer sales.Helayne Seidman

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Tim Wentworth, CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, made the comments last Friday.Business Wire
Walgreens is now exploring creative solutions to combat shrink without compromising the shopping experience, though Wentworth was vague about specifics.

This approach aims to balance security needs with consumer convenience, signaling a shift from past practices.

Retailers have used various strategies to combat rising shoplifting rates, including enhanced security measures like surveillance cameras, smart gates and electronic tags as well as locked display cases for frequently stolen items.

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Walgreens has seen its share price fall by more than 77% in the last five years.AP

Companies have also undertaken employee training, put into use body-worn cameras and have engaged in closer collaboration with law enforcement.

While these measures aim to reduce losses and improve safety, they sometimes lead to customer dissatisfaction, underscoring the challenge of balancing security with a positive shopping experience.

Walgreens Boots Alliance exceeded expectations in its first-quarter fiscal 2025 results, posting adjusted earnings per share of 51 cents compared to analysts’ projections of 37 cents, alongside a 7.5% rise in sales to $39.5 billion.

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Retailers like Walgreens have taken measures in an effort to crack down on retail theft.James Messerschmidt for NY Post

The better-than-expected earnings have been attributed to moves by Wentworth and his management team, including plans to shutter approximately 1,200 underperforming US stores over three years and implement a $1 billion cost-reduction initiative to boost profitability and cash flow.

The positive results sparked a significant increase in the company’s stock price, signaling investor confidence in the ongoing restructuring efforts.

Since Jan. 1, the stock price has risen by more than 32%. WBA’s share price is down by more than 77% in the last five years as consumers have made the transition to e-commerce.

https://nypost.com/2025/01/15/business/walgreens-ceo-admits-anti-theft-measures-largely-ineffective/