Democrats are banking on backlash to Republicans' Medicaid cuts to boost them in next year's midterms. There's just one problem: The cuts haven't happened yet. Republicans delayed work requirements until 2027 and financing changes until 2028. They also frontloaded their One Big Beautiful Bill Act with tax breaks that voters are likely to see sooner.
Disaster victims trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed building or mine may one day be rescued by a tiny and unlikely savior: a beetle with a backpack.
Jim Carroll Band - City Drops into the Night (1980)
www.youtube.com
Lyrics excerpt ...
... It's when Billy's whores are workin'
They're workin' with the skeleton crew
It's when the sky over Jersey
That sky starts to drain from view
It's when my woman pawns her voice so
So she can make her old excuses sound new
But I just want one clue
'Cause when the city drops into the night
Before the darkness there's one moment of light
When everything seems clear
The other side, it seems so near
What seemed wrong?
I think it's gonna be just about right
Before the city drops, the city drops
Into the night
...
@#11 ... Define "cups." ...
More to the core of this issue ...
Define how much coffee is used per cup.
For me, and I do admit, I am not a coffee connoisseur, I prefer a good strong ground coffee.
But Arabica or Rosbusta?
Coffee Bean
en.wikipedia.org
... The two most economically important varieties of coffee plants are the Arabica and the Robusta; approximately 60% of the coffee produced worldwide is Arabica and ~40% is Robusta.[5]
Arabica beans consist of 0.8-1.4% caffeine and Robusta beans consist of 1.7-4.0% caffeine.[6] ...
What that Wiki article does not state is that caffeine is a bitter taste.
Caffeine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine
... Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline purine, ...
So, when you go to Starbucks, you are likely to get a cup of Arabica coffee, because it is more flavorful. But, if you are looking for a caffeine boost, well, maybe dream on ...
On the other hand, if you are a fan of mass-produced commercial ground coffee, you are more likely to be experiencing the higher level of caffeine from Robusta coffee.
@#5
Yup.
Trends, not instances.
That's why I prefer RCP polls. Yeah, they may take a week or two to "catch up" with most recent polls, but that's A Good Thing,, a single poll may not have sway.
OK, that aside, let's dive into the Gallup poll ...
Surge in U.S. Concern About Immigration Has Abated
news.gallup.com
... These findings are based on a June 2-26 Gallup poll of 1,402 U.S. adults, including oversamples of Hispanic and Black Americans, weighted to match national demographics. ...
So, registered voters?
Or, likely voters?
Or just a random adjusted sample?
At this point, it seems to be the latter.
OK, lemme go to a source I have a good opinion of ...
President Trump Job Approval - Immigration
www.realclearpolling.com
...
RCP Average 5/28 - 7/7
Approve: 47.2
Disappove: 50.2
Spread: -3.0
...
@#1 ... Trump is, as usual, the last one in the room to understand what's going on. ...
But there seems to be a ~major Russian address~ tomorrow.
Found this ...
Trump to make major Russia address Monday
www.yahoo.com
Attorney: Epstein's black book and secret tapes hold powerful names
www.wpbf.com
... Victims' lawyer Spencer Kuvin says there's no "client list," but phone records and thousands of hours of surveillance video could expose high-profile men still shielded from public view.
As the administration insists there's nothing left to reveal in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, a Florida attorney who has represented Epstein's victims since 2007 says otherwise.
"I know firsthand they haven't disclosed everything," said Spencer Kuvin, Esq., Goldlaw's chief legal officer. "I can tell you that with 100 percent certainty that not everything has been disclosed."
Kuvin said there's no so-called "client list" of people who used Epstein to set up meetings with underage girls. But he says there was something else.
"So, is there a 'list' of these people? No, it doesn't exist. There's no list, but there's a phonebook," Kuvin said. "And Epstein knew who he knew, and so did (Ghislaine) Maxwell. So when these high-profile individuals would make the call because they happened to be in town for the winter and say, Hey, I need somebody today,' then Maxwell would round up the girls and send someone over."
Kuvin added that his clients shared names of some of those so-called customers " names that remain hidden because of attorney-client privilege and non-disclosure agreements signed as part of their settlements.
"I'm aware because of the work that I did on the cases of numerous high-profile individuals, which I am unfortunately not allowed to disclose, that exist that were utilizing the services of Epstein and Maxwell to obtain girls while they were on the island," he said.
Thousands of hours of videotapes unreleased
Kuvin said even more evidence remains unseen -- videotapes taken from multiple surveillance cameras inside Epstein's homes.
"There are thousands of hours of videotapes taken from inside the homes of Jeffrey Epstein that have, I have no doubt, video of people on them," Kuvin said. "People that have never been named before. Never identified before. Let's see the tapes." ...
Budanov: North Korea Covers 40% of Russian Army's Need for Artillery Shells
militarnyi.com
... The head of Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, said that up to 40% of all ammunition used by Russia in the war against Ukraine came from North Korea.
He said this in an interview with Bloomberg.
According to him, North Korea has set up mass production of ammunition, which continues around the clock. In addition to artillery shells, the DPRK also supplies Russia with multiple launch rocket systems and ballistic missiles.
Pyongyang has thus become one of the main suppliers for the Russian army, allowing it to continue intensive combat operations on the front lines.
The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine believes that without North Korean supplies, the Russians would have long since experienced a critical shortage of ammunition, and their offensive capabilities would have been significantly reduced. According to Budanov, it is precisely the support from the DPRK that is currently one of the key factors enabling Russia to wage a protracted war.
In addition to military aid, Russia and North Korea have a strategic partnership agreement, signed in the summer of 2024. In exchange for ammunition, the Kremlin provides the DPRK with financial assistance, equipment, and support in overcoming international isolation.
For example, Militarnyi recently reported that Russia had transferred Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missile systems to North Korea, which were used to protect the capital. ...
... But it's pretty dangerous territory when you think of all the times they've had this problem." ...
Do You Lve In Flash Flood Alley?
twri.tamu.edu
... For many Texans, the Hill Country is not just a region but a way of life: beautiful vistas of rocky hillsides, small towns with live music and quaint festivals, and, of course, hot summer days spent diving into spring-fed swimming holes or floating down iconic rivers.
Those same rivers can tell another story about the Hill Country, however. Those rivers run through Flash Flood Alley, one of the most flood-prone regions on the continent. Following the curve of the Balcones Escarpment through Texas' middle -- from Waco south to Uvalde -- Flash Flood Alley's weather and landscape distinctively work together to produce rapid flood events.
A unique phenomenon
Major flash floods are common along the Balcones Escarpment because of two factors prevalent in the region, according to experts: intense rainfall events and efficient drainage off the landscape. ...
@#38 ... I mean, Pres Trump got "ratioed" on Truth Social....
OK, I posted this link a number of hours ago ...
Trump Gets 'Ratioed' on Truth Social for First Time Amid Epstein Backlash
www.newsweek.com
Read it. I won't quote it again ...