Analysis: On the eve of the 2022 midterms, Republicans had everything a party out of power could ask for. Democratic President Joe Biden's approval was deep underwater. Inflation was at a 40-year high. The disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal was fresh in voters' minds. Pollsters and pundits predicted a red wave.
U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Saturday that a memorandum of understanding on a peace deal with Iran is "largely negotiated," as both countries and mediators in Pakistan reported progress. read more
One line tucked into a federal highway bill would strip funds from cities and states unless they kill their automated plate tracking programs -- effectively banning the tech for all but toll collection. read more
Republican lawmakers are publicly criticizing White House proposals to scrap federal programs that help build and rehabilitate housing for low-income Americans ahead of a midterm election dominated by affordability frustrations. read more
"This capability is not common for satellites conducting typical missions." read more
Related ...
Lavrov warns Rubio of planned strikes on Kyiv's 'decision-making centers,' urges US embassy evacuation as EU vows to stay
kyivindependent.com
... Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a phone call on May 25 that Moscow would begin strikes on Ukrainian "decision-making centers" and urged Washington to evacuate the embassy, according to a Russian Foreign Ministry readout.
The call came after Russia's Foreign Ministry earlier announced plans for a new wave of mass long-range strikes on Kyiv, including attacks targeting military facilities and what Moscow described as "decision-making centers." ...
@#21 ... when illegal Aline's get bussed in by the thousands. ...
If that is actually occurring ( and I doubt it), why might those ~thousands~ of illegal aliens be comig into the US?
Maybe the focus should be more upon the wealthy executives and the companies who hire them?
But Pres Trump seems to be more focused upon the symptom than the root problem.
An excerpt from the Border Patrol Union webpage that was deleted during fmr Pres Trump's first term:
web.archive.org
Walls and fences are temporary solutions that focus on the symptom (illegal immigration) rather than the problem (employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens).
Walls and fences are only a speed bump. People who want to come to the United States to obtain employment will continue to go over, under, and around the walls and fences that are constructed.
Walls and fences will undoubtedly result in an increase in fraudulent documents and smuggling through the Ports of Entry.
Walls and fences do not solve the issue of people entering the country legally and staying beyond the date they are required to leave the country, a problem which will undoubtedly increase as more walls and fences are constructed.
Welcome to DeFlock
An open-source project mapping license plate readers.
deflock.org
... What are ALPRs
Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs or LPRs) are AI-powered cameras that capture and analyze images of all passing vehicles, storing details like your car's location, date, and time. They also capture your car's make, model, color, and identifying features such as dents, roof racks, and bumper stickers, often turning these into searchable data points.
These cameras collect data on millions of vehicles regardless of whether the driver is suspected of a crime. These systems are marketed as indispensable tools to fight crime, but they ignore the powerful tools police already have to track criminals, such as cell phone location data, creating a loophole that doesn't require a warrant. ...
Another view ...
When Flock Cameras Appear: Everything You Need to Know About This Surveillance Tech (April 2026)
www.cnet.com
... I have up-close experience with Flock, as my current city, Bend, Oregon, ended its contract with surveillance company Flock Safety earlier this year, after a public campaign protesting the cams -- and some very active city council meetings. Flock's controversial AI-powered license plate cameras were shut down, and its partnership with local law enforcement ended over privacy concerns.
We weren't the only city to reject Flock cameras: In the past two years, dozens of towns have suspended or deactivated contracts with Flock over concerns about how the cameras could be used, as well as weak contract language. But you might not even know if Flock has come to your town: Sometimes these automated license plate readers, or ALPRs, appear in neighborhoods without warning. ...
@#11 ... Where does the human mind comes from when the human body is made? ...
I wish I knew.
Where does life come from?