OpEd: No, Russia will not invade Ukraine (2022)
www.aljazeera.com

... Over the past year, as Russia amassed troops along its border with Ukraine, there have been growing fears of an imminent invasion. A number of Western leaders have repeatedly warned of this possibility.

Moscow has denied that it is making such plans, although it has not withdrawn its troops. Some observers have interpreted these Russian statements as untruthful and even accused the Russian authorities of preparing a false-flag operation.

Over the past year, as Russia amassed troops along its border with Ukraine, there have been growing fears of an imminent invasion. A number of Western leaders have repeatedly warned of this possibility.

Moscow has denied that it is making such plans, although it has not withdrawn its troops. Some observers have interpreted these Russian statements as untruthful and even accused the Russian authorities of preparing a false-flag operation. ...

Putin residence drone attack dismissed as implausible as Ukraine accusations mount
www.foxnews.com

... Escalating claims by Russia that Ukraine tried to hit a residence used by President Vladimir Putin with drones have been dismissed by a top military drone expert, who called the alleged attack "hard to fathom" and tactically implausible.

Cameron Chell's comments came as Moscow doubled down on accusations Kyiv has flatly denied, with the drone industry leader arguing the alleged strike announced Monday runs counter to Ukraine's drone tactics.

Chell, the CEO and co-founder of Draganfly, a drone manufacturer that supplies to the U.S. Department of Defense and allied militaries, including Ukraine, said Russia's claims lack credibility.

What makes things usually very signature about Ukraine is that they are always incredibly clever about how they use drones," Chell told Fox News Digital.

"They are clever from a cost perspective " let's call it an efficiency perspective " but also very clever in their tactics," he added.

"I find it hard to fathom that this drone attack even happened on Putin's residence or that it was something that Ukraine orchestrated for a number of reasons," Chell said.

"Based on the description of the alleged attack over the top of Putin's residence, the drones would not have been launched from a very long distance away," he said.

"This would have avoided up to 1000 km of air defense systems and then likely attacking one of the most heavily fortified air defense networks surrounding Putin's Valdai residence.

"The cost benefit analysis, not to mention the political analysis, also does not make sense," he added. ...

QAnon Shaman' and other Jan. 6 rioters from Arizona celebrate Trump pardons that many denounce as a slap to democracy and police (January 2025)
cronkitenews.azpbs.org

... The "QAnon Shaman" called President Donald Trump's pardons for him and other Jan. 6 rioters "a brilliant political move." ...

Peru shamans foretell illness for Trump, Maduro's exile in 2026
www.reuters.com

... Shamans in Peru gathered for an annual New Year's ritual on Monday where they made predictions for the year to come, including illness for U.S. President Donald Trump and the downfall of Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro.

"The United States should prepare itself because Donald Trump will fall seriously ill," Juan de Dios Garcia proclaimed as he gathered with other shamans on a beach in southern Lima, wearing colorful ponchos and sprinkling flowers on the sand. ...

Joni Mitchell - The Circle Game (1970)
www.youtube.com

genius.com

...
[Verse 1]
Yesterday a child came out to wonder
Caught a dragonfly inside a jar
Fearful when the sky was full of thunder
And tearful at the falling of a star

[Chorus]
And the seasons, they go 'round and 'round
And the painted ponies go up and down

We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return, we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game

[Verse 2]
Then the child moved ten times 'round the seasons
Skated over ten clear frozen streams
Words like "when you're older" must appease him
And promises of someday make his dreams
...

They don't write lyrics like that anymore...

Happy New Year to you also.

...
Commander Op At Large CA Gregory K. Bovino
x.com
@CMDROpAtLargeCA

... If you think we're done with Chicago, you'd better check yourself before you wreck yourself.

Don't call it a comeback; we're gonna be here for years. ...

OK, my first question is ...

Is that a real message?

Oh, Cmdr Bovino.

Yeah, he's been in the headlines. And he seems to enjoy that spotlight.

But, seriously, is that how we want our law enforcement officials to act? Striving for social media acclaim, instead of boasting about following the Constitution?

10 things to know about Border Patrol boss Gregory Bovino
www.wbez.org

...
- - - Bovino's great-grandfather was an immigrant from Italy who was in the United States for 15 years when he put in his papers indicating his interest in becoming an American. It was the same month in 1924 that the Border Patrol was established " and the number of Italian arrivals was curtailed.

- - - As the public face of President Donald Trump's mass deportation campaign, Bovino has vowed to arrest the "worst of the worst" of immigrants in this country without legal status -- including people who drive under the influence of alcohol. His own father went to prison after killing a 26-year-old woman in a drunk-driving accident in his North Carolina town.

- - - People who knew him growing up remember he was into snakes and knew where to find venomous ones.

- - - His inspiration to become a Border Patrol agent came early. That was when he was 11 and saw the1982 movie "The Border," starring Jack Nicholson. He didn't like that the agents were the bad guys in the movie.

- - - He wasn't a particularly good wrestler at Watauga High School in Boone, N.C. But his teammates voted him "most improved" senior year.

- - - He got a bachelor's degree in natural resource conservation from Western Carolina University and a master's in public administration from Appalachian State University.

- - - In 2020, he became chief of the Border Patrol sector in El Centro, Calif. " one of the agency's nine geographic divisions.

- - - This year, beside Chicago, he has led agents on deportation missions in the country's interior, including Sacramento, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C.; and New Orleans.

- - - As Trump's man on that mission, Bovino answers directly to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. His title -- a new one -- is commander-at-large.

- - - He's 55 years old -- which puts him two years away from mandatory retirement. No word on what he'll do then.

...

The worst good-paying job in America (November 2025)
www.axios.com

... Death threats and infighting are spurring House Republicans to contemplate whether they want to stay in Congress -- or even leave early. ...

Threats against lawmakers have surged, and after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, members say the atmosphere feels even more volatile.

- - - Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) told Axios on Monday the threats have been a factor in members' decision to leave. "It takes a toll on people," he said.

- - - Retiring Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Greene both said the uptick in political violence was part of their decisions to leave Congress.

...

Train in Vain
en.wikipedia.org

... "Train in Vain" is a song by the English punk rock band the Clash. It was released as the third and final single from their third studio album, London Calling (1979).

The song was not originally listed on the album's track listing,[7][8] appearing as a hidden track at the end of the album.

This was because the track was added to the record at the last minute, when the sleeve was already in production. ...

Chinese New Year
en.wikipedia.org

... Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival (see also Names), marks the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. It is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture and was placed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in 2024.

Marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring, this festival takes place from Chinese New Year's Eve (the evening preceding the first day of the year) to the Lantern Festival, held on the 15th day of the year.

The first day of the Chinese New Year falls on the new moon that appears between 21 January and 20 February.[a] ...

Zohran Mamdani will be first mayor to be sworn in on Quran during New York City inauguration
www.foxnews.com

... New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's campaign confirmed on Wednesday he will make a historical move on New Year's Day, using the Quran during his swearing-in ceremony.

Mamdani, a 34-year-old Ugandan-born socialist, will be the first Muslim mayor of New York City and the first mayor to be sworn in using the Quran, the central religious text of Islam.

New York Attorney General Letitia James will host a private midnight ceremony at Old City Hall Station, a historical decommissioned subway station, before he is sworn in during a public inauguration on the steps of City Hall by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Thursday afternoon.

He will use two family Qurans, as well as one that belonged to writer and Puerto Rican activist Arturo Schomburg, who built the foundation for Harlem's Schomburg Center for research in Black culture. ...

U2 - New Year's Day (1983)
www.youtube.com

Lyrics excerpt ...

genius.com

...
The lyric had its origins in a love song from Bono to his wife, but was subsequently reshaped and inspired by the Polish Solidarity movement.

[Verse 1]
All is quiet on New Year's Day
A world in white gets underway
I want to be with you, be with you night and day
Nothing changes on New Year's Day
On New Year's Day

[Chorus]
I will be with you again
I will be with you again

[Verse 2]
Under a blood red sky
A crowd has gathered in black and white
Arms entwined, the chosen few
The newspaper says, says

[Pre-Chorus]
Say it's true, it's true
And we can break through
Though torn in two
We can be one

[Chorus]
I, I will begin again
I, I will begin again

...

[Verse 3]
And so we're told this is the golden age
And gold is the reason for the wars we wage
Though I want to be with you, be with you night and day
Nothing changes New Year's Day
...

Bobby Fuller Four- I Fought the Law (And The Law Won) (1966)
www.youtube.com

Lyrics excerpt ...

genius.com

...
Popularized by Texas rockers the Bobby Fuller Four in 1965 and covered by countless artists in the decades since, "I Fought the Law" is one of rock's most enduring anti-authority anthems. The song is sung from the perspective of a prison inmate serving time for armed robbery, and while he cops to his crime and accepts his punishment, he offers nothing in the way of apology.

[Verse 1]
I'm breakin' rocks in the hot sun
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
I needed money 'cause I had none
I fought the law and the law won
I fought the law and the law won
...

'We're serving the children' | A look inside a Minneapolis child care center accused of fraud in now-viral video
www.kare11.com

... Hasin shared surveillance video of Shirley's visit to the center, saying Shirley was there for only a few minutes. According to Hasin, Shirley arrived a little after noon and was accompanied by masked men driving a vehicle with no license plates.

"A lot of people are not feeling safe," Hasin said. "Some people believe him. The viral video was shared everywhere." ...

According to the state, ABC Learning Center has been open for about six years and is licensed to serve up to 40 children. Hasin said the center operates seven days a week and was open at the time of Shirley's visit two weeks ago.

"The center is running. There are children here. We're serving the children," Hasin said.

"DHS just came three months ago.

They also came yesterday, so this is a regular business that's running."

Hasin said he and other employees have been receiving threatening phone calls from people across the country since the video went viral. ...

Elon Musk's AI chatbot is suddenly posting antisemitic tropes (July 2025)
www.cnn.com

... Grok, the AI-powered chatbot created by Elon Musk's xAI, has begun pushing antisemitic tropes in its responses to some users' queries, weeks after Musk said he would rebuild the chatbot because he was unsatisfied with some of its replies that he viewed as too politically correct.

On Tuesday, Grok connected several antisemitic tropes to an X account with a name it identified as being "Ashkenazi Jewish" that caused controversy with offensive comments posted online about the victims of the recent Texas floods.

"[T]hat surname? Every damn time," Grok said in response to a user who asked the bot to identify a woman in an unrelated image. When a user asked the chatbot to elaborate, Grok responded that, "'the type' in that meme often points to surnames like Goldstein, Rosenberg, Silverman, Cohen, or Shapiro -- frequently popping up among vocal radicals cheering tragedies or pushing anti-white narratives. Pattern's anecdotal but persistent; not every one fits, but damn if it doesn't recur."

When asked by another user "who is controlling the government," the bot replied with an answer with more anti-Jewish tropes. ...

Just the start': X's new AI software driving online racist abuse, experts warn (January 2025)
www.theguardian.com

... A rise in online racism driven by fake images is "just the start of a coming problem" after the latest release of X's AI software, online abuse experts have warned.

Concerns were raised after computer-generated images created using Grok, X's generative artificial intelligence chatbot, flooded the social media site in December last year.

Signify, an organisation that works with prominent groups and clubs in sports to track and report online hate, said it has seen an increase in reports of abuse since Grok's latest update, and believes the introduction of photorealistic AI will make it far more prevalent.

"It is a problem now, but it's really just the start of a coming problem. It is going to get so much worse and we're just at the start, I expect over the next 12 months it will become incredibly serious." ...