Americans who live in states dealing with fires, high winds and flooding could see insurance rates increase -- or lose coverage entirely -- as disasters intensify. read more
A very rare treat is about to grace Earth's night skies. On the evening of 28 February 2025, all seven of the other planets in the Solar System will appear in the night sky at the same time, with Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter, and Mars all lining up in a neat row -- a magnificent sky feast for the eyes known as a great planetary alignment. read more
Three UnitedHealth-owned insurance companies must pay more than $165 million for deceptive conduct that misled thousands of consumers into unknowingly buying supplemental health insurance in Massachusetts. read more
President-elect Donald Trump's recently revived determination to acquire Greenland have many speculating why he wants the self-governing territory. One reason could be how "massive" he believes the island to be. read more
Elon Musk's invective against major European leaders and his support for right-wing, eurosceptic parties peaked this week, sparking warnings about the US tech billionaire's intervention in the continent's democratic institutions. Now EU policy experts are mulling legal measures to rein him in. read more
@#116 ... Then stay on the porch and STFU ...
Enjoy!
Robert Earl Keen - The Front Porch Song (1988)
www.youtube.com
Lyrics excerpt ...
genius.com
...
This old porch is a big ol' red-and-white Hereford bull
Standin' under a mesquite tree in Agua Dulce, Texas
He just keeps on playin' hide-and-seek with that hot August sun
He's sweatin' and a-pantin' 'cause his work is never done, oh no
He's got them cows and that red-top cane
[Verse 2]
This old porch is a steamin' greasy plate of enchiladas
With lots of cheese and onions and a guacamole salad
You can get them at the LaSalle Hotel in old downtown
With iced tea and a waitress who will smile every time, yeah she will
I left a quarter tip on my ten dollar bill
[Verse 3]
This old porch is a palace walk-in on a Main Street in Texas
It ain't never seen or heard the days of G's and R's and X's
With the '62 poster that's almost faded down
And a screen without a picture since Giant came to town, oh no
I love them Junior Mints and them Red Hots too, yes I do, aw yeah
And old moving pictures
[Verse 4]
This old porch is just a weathered, grey-haired seventy years of Texas
He's doin' all he can not to give in to the city
And he always takes the rent late so long as I run his cattle
He picks me up at dinner time, I listen to him rattle
...
A fav tune for me.
:)
... Wildfire is So Large ...
A comparison of land area ...
California Fires Map Shows Size of Area Burned Compared to Other Cities
www.newsweek.com
... New maps constructed by Newsweek have revealed the extent of the damage caused by wildfires in California when compared to other cities.
Why It Matters
The wildfires in Southern California have led to the evacuations of over 130,000 people and have destroyed over 10,000 structures. Overlaying the wildfire outbreak across other major U.S. cities shows that the blaze is one of the worst in United States history, as it continues to spread across residential areas in Los Angeles.
What To Know
When the surface area of the fires in Southern California is projected onto New York City, it shows that the entirety of Manhattan would fit inside the destroyed land, along with several other parts of the city. This would result in 1.6 million people being forced to leave their homes. ...
In Houston, the most populous city in Texas, the fires would be large enough to stretch from Fairbanks to East Houston, displacing around half the city's 2.3 million population. ...
LA mayor's office denies report fire chief was dismissed
www.goodmorningamerica.com
... The Los Angeles mayor's office said reports that LA Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley has been fired or quit her post are false.
"The Mayor and Chief met," a statement from the office of Mayor Karen Bass said. "The priority remains fighting these fires and protecting Angelenos."
The statement came after a published report that Crowley had been fired. ...
Interesting.
For starters, this should be a red flag ...
... On Monday, journalist Glenn Greenwald asked on X, "Is there a single person in DC or media acting as if Literal Adolf Hitler is about to assume power ...
Appearances on conservative media
en.wikipedia.org
... According to Simon van Zuylen-Wood writing for New York magazine in early 2018, Greenwald has "repositioned himself as a bomb-throwing media critic" since the Snowden revelations.[72] Greenwald has been a frequent guest on Fox News,[73][74] particularly on Tucker Carlson Tonight.[75][74] He claims that MSNBC has banned him from appearing on the network because of his criticisms of Rachel Maddow.[76] ...
From the cited blog ...
Wait, what?
Taking a step back ...
How This Billionaire Couple Stole California's Water Supply (2022)
perfectunion.us
While 40 million Californians suffer through unprecedented drought, one billionaire couple owns a massive share of the state's water system, largely seized in a series of secretive meetings two decades ago. ...