Reports that North Korean troops are no longer being seen on the front lines in Russia's Kursk region have led to questions over whether they have been withdrawn from fighting against Ukrainian forces. Unnamed Ukrainian and U.S. officials quoted by The New York Times said North Korean soldiers have been withdrawn after suffering heavy casualties.
The unexpected jump in global temperatures since 2023 has helped fuel a relentless assault of associated disasters around the world, including the still-burning LA fires and the deadly Valencia floods, leaving researchers scrambling for explanations. read more
Elon Musk abruptly canceled "The Don Lemon Show" on his social media network X ... read more
In his first nine days in office, President Trump unleashed a flurry of executive orders unlike anything in modern presidential history, according to an analysis by Axios' Erin Davis. read more
Back in September, Donald Trump raised eyebrows when he called for opening a "very large faucet" in the Pacific Northwest to alleviate drought and wildfire conditions in California. read more
Yeah, the lithium batteries of EV's (and other things) are not to be trifled with.
Queens townhouse fire that injured 4 people sparked by lithium-ion battery: officials
abc7ny.com
Power tools with lithium-ion batteries sparked fire in Queens, commissioner says
abc7ny.com
Battery inside children's book sparks car fire in North Carolina: officials
abc7ny.com
etc., etc, etc.
The problem with a lithium battery fire in, say, a car is that it burns so intensely that it is difficult to put out.
Collateral Damages of Hard-to-extinguish Electric Cars
fireisolator.com
... With the rise of electric vehicles all over the world, comes a great risk as well. Driving a car that is better for the environment is obviously great, but what happens when an electric vehicle catches fire? And why are EV car fires so dangerous to their surroundings? In this article, we tell you all about the collateral damages of EV fires.
Why are Electric Vehicle fires so hard to extinguish?
Even though EVs are less likely to catch fire than regular cars, when they do, the fire will be much more intense and very hard to extinguish. The key difference between extinguishing a traditional car fire and an EV fire lies in the lithium-ion battery. Most electric vehicle fires emerge when this battery is getting charged.
When a cell of the battery overheats, it can enter a process that is called Thermal Runaway'. The cells in the battery will keep overheating themselves very quickly, causing a fire and in some cases, an explosion.
Because the battery cells keep accelerating, the EV car fire cannot simply be put out with water.
It will take hours, maybe even days, to put out a fire like this with just water. And how longer it takes to put out the EV car fire, the more chance of collateral damage. ...
Is it the likelihood of a fire or the extent of the possible cost resulting from that fire that needs to be considered?
Another view ...
Mark Robinson drops CNN lawsuit, vows not to run for office again
thehill.com
... North Carolina's former Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R) said he would terminate his lawsuit against CNN on Friday following its report released during his gubernatorial run last year about inflammatory comments he made on a pornographic website.
"The fact of the matter is this: the price we have paid in entering the political arena will never be recognized. There is no dollar amount high enough. While it has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of North Carolina, the continued political persecution of my family and loved ones is a cost I am unwilling to continue to bear," Robinson wrote in a statement on social platform X.
"I give great thanks to Jesse Binnall and his team of investigators for their countless hours of work, dedication, and compassion. The investigation of CNN and their sources' yielded tremendous results and brought closure to our family during what has been an unimaginably dark situation."
Robinson faced pressure to drop out of the governor's race after the CNN report. He filed a case against CNN in October seeking $50 million in damages but decided to drop the lawsuit after losing the governorship to Democrat Josh Stein.
Robinson said his political ambitions are now botched.
"I will continue to utilize my platform to promote and support many of the issues we are all so passionate about; however, at this time, I will do so from the sidelines. I will not run next year, nor do I have plans to seek elected office in the future," he wrote on X. ...
Wow,.
... Robinson said his political ambitions are now botched. ...
Because of what it was reported he may have done?
His dropping out seems to me to be an open admission that the CNN report may be correct.
@#6 ... The Rolling Stones Pay Tribute to Marianne Faithfull With Throwback As Tears Go By' Performance ...
Yeah, she rocked that tune.
Something more recent ...
Marianne Faithful - Wherever I Go (feat. Billy Corgan) (2002)
www.youtube.com
@#3
Speaking of flagpoles, this is one I always enjoy seeing as I drive around the area ...
[image]
townsquare.media
That flagpole is right in the middle of an intersection of a state highway.
It has a curious history ...
A Brief History of Newtown [LL - yes, that Newtown]
www.newtownhistory.org
... There is no more precious landmark in Newtown that its flagpole. Anyone who doubts this only has to review the furor which surrounded the recent attempt of the Department of Transportation to remove it from the intersection where it has stood for over 130 years. This pole has become a symbol of Newtown and has even found its way onto the seal emblazoned on the sides of our police cars. It has also become famous across the state. All directions for places in the center of Fairfield County begin "at the flagpole in the middle of the street" But why would any town put a 100 foot steel flagpole in the middle of one of the county's busiest intersections? ...
Colonial New England had a penchant for putting large structures, such as meeting houses in the middle of their main streets. Newtown was no exception. From the time that it was first laid out in 1709 until 1792, the Congregational meeting house stood in the middle of the Church Hill Rd, West St., Main St. intersection, where the flagpole presently stands. In this position it dominated the village, which was fitting for the town's most important building. By being in the middle of the intersection, it was also located on town common land and therefore did not deprive one of the town's proprietors of a section of his house lot.
Even after the building was moved in 1792 to make room for the new Episcopal church, the meeting house was only moved westward few yards to stand in the center of West Street where it continues today. The Episcopal church was then placed in the middle of Church Hill Road, directly across from the meeting house. There it too stood until 1870 when the new stone church was erected just to the south and the old wooden church was dismantled.
A church in the middle of the street is understandably strange. A flag pole, on the other hand, does not appear to have the same justification for its intrusive placement in the middle of the town's major traffic flow. The reason for its placement has its origins in the very history of flag display. Although personal banners or flags had been used since the Middle Ages, national flags only begin to be used as the concept of the nation and the emotion of nationalism emerged in 18th century Europe. For the United States, the familiar stares and stripes was adopted in June of 1777 by the Continental Congress and was subsequently flown as a battle pennant. Public display of the flag developed slowly in the late 18th century but became a virtual passion in the 19th century, as American nationalism grew and developed into the patriotism of the early 20th century. In this 19th century atmosphere, public display of the flag demanded the most prominent place in the town, and for Newtown the intersection at the center of the village is such a spot. ...
imo, a good article to read about the early history of the Country, if you are interested.
All that aside, when I drive along rt25 in Newtown, and see that flagpole, I always am in awe of its significance.
Air traffic controllers union responds to Trump's DEI attacks
thehill.com
... The air traffic controllers union responded Friday to claims by President Trump this week that diversity programs contributed to the fatal crash in Washington Wednesday night.
"Air traffic controllers earn the prestigious and elite status of being a fully certified professional controller after successfully completing a series of rigorous training milestones. The standards to achieve certifications are not based on race or gender," Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), said in a statement.
"The proud men and women that comprise the national aviation safety professionals bear the immense responsibility of ensuring the safety and efficiency of the national airspace system, while working short-staffed, often 6 days a week, and in facilities long overdue for modernization." ...
@#4 ... Republican solution? Defund NOAA. No more climate change! ...
Defund? Maybe not as the first volley.
The first volley might be similar to what happened to the CDC.
The organization can no longer issue reports. ( drudge.com )
Back to the topic ...
Bird Flu Studies Delayed as White House Halts CDC Reports
hwww.usnews.com
... As a bird flu outbreak escalates across the U.S., the Trump administration has paused the release of key public health studies, stalling research that could provide insight into how the virus spreads to animals and people.
The blocked studies were supposed to be published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), a respected journal that has reported on health threats since 1952.
One of the studies examines whether veterinarians working with cattle have unknowingly been infected, and another explores whether people may have passed the virus to pet cats, according to CNN.
These reports could help scientists track and prevent future infections.
But a new memo from the Department of Health and Human Services has placed an "immediate pause" on communications. Approval is now required from a presidential appointee before publishing, according to the memo. ...
A "Presidential appointee?"
In other words someone who kisses the amble derriere of Pres Trump to have gotten the appointment?
And this is beneficial for the health of the Country, how?
@#35 ... Deportation is not prosecution. ...
In a way, it might be considered as such.
But that aside.
Returner-in-Chief': Biden era deportations surpass Trump's first term totals
www.aa.com.tr
... President Donald Trump's first-term deportation numbers fell short compared to Barack Obama and Joe Biden's administrations, despite his reputation for emphasizing immigration enforcement.
US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) statistics show Biden oversaw 1.3 million more deportations during his first two years in office than Trump achieved during his entire first term. Obama also deported 30,000 more than Trump during his first four years. ...
Plane crash in Northeast Philly; what is an air ambulance?
www.phillyburbs.com
... A Mexican-registered air ambulance crashed Friday evening near Roosevelt Boulevard in Northeast Philadelphia.
The aircraft, a Bombardier Learjet 55 operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, had just taken off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport when it went down.
What is an air ambulance?
Air ambulances are specially equipped planes or helicopters used for medical emergencies, critical patient transfers, and disaster evacuations.
They are essentially flying ICUs, carrying life-support equipment and supplies while being staffed by trained medical teams.
Jet Rescue Air Ambulance is Mexico's largest private air ambulance service, transporting patients throughout North America and beyond.
The crashed aircraft was an adapted Learjet 55, designed for high-speed, long-distance medical transport.
Typical flight crews include two pilots. If the jet is in use for medical transport, patients and family might be on board and the crew could also include paramedics or critical care nurses and a flight doctor.
According to publicly available flight tracking, the jet had flown earlier in the day from Florida to Philadelphia and left an airport in Northeast Philadelphia for Missouri when it suffered an apparent emergency. Witnesses reported an orange flash before impact. ...
@#1 ... Most electric vehicle fires emerge when this battery is getting charged. ...
So, the EV is in your garage being charged.
Do you have a detached garage that is ~disposable~ to you?
Or is that garage a integral part of your house, your house that goes up in flames if the garage goes up in flames?