Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, January 11, 2025

Newsom Cracks Down as Looters Exploit LA Evacuations, ‘It has turned into the wild wild west here’

The Los Angeles Times reports this morning — confirming a conspiracy theory that people have been spreading online as social media disinformation, of course — that the major local reservoir at the heart of Pacific Palisades was dry when the fire started, due to a torn liner (floating cover). The newspaper quotes a city DWP official as saying that the reservoir has been out of service for repairs for “a while.” They’re not sure about an actual date.

The LA Fire Department went woke. Now the LAFD is Run by Three Lesbians Named ‘Kirsten’

Misinformation Expert’s “Citation to Fake, AI-Generated Sources in His Declaration … Shatters His Credibility with This Court”

In 1929, New Yorkers paid almost 40% of the total federal income tax revenue despite having barely 10% of our population

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, January 10, 2025

India’s Refiners Brace For Major Disruption to Russian Oil Supply

Iran’s population aging fast, bucking government efforts

Starlink is now cheaper than leading internet provider in some African countries

10 Dead, 10,000 Structures Burned In Los Angeles Area Inferno As Fire Damage Could Exceed $150 Billion

High severity fire in chaparral has been normal as far back as we can look. These fires are recurrent with short intervals. There has recently been high fuel loading due to a lack of mechanical thinning and prescribed burns, the latter of which was employed with some frequency by native tribes of many areas in California up until recently.

One Of Just Two CL-415 Super Scooper Planes Taken Out Of Palisades Fire Fight By Drone

In February 2022, the USS Essex sailed from Hawaii to California using only celestial navigation methods. This is what the navigation team learned and why all ships should make similar voyages.

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, January 9, 2025

Ukraine Situation Report: Plans for future aid to Kyiv were unveiled, but all that could change with the new U.S. administrations.

‘We expected the war to end’ How Russian political elites feel about the full-scale invasion of Ukraine dragging into 2025

US Believes Only 20 Hostages Still Alive in Gaza

Los Angeles Fire Threatens Mt. Wilson Communication Transmitters

When the Forest Service identifies high-risk forests needing prescribed burns, it takes an average of 4.7 YEARS just to get through environmental reviews. For complex projects, it’s 7.2 years – longer than many fire cycles.

This could be the beginning of the end for fire insurance in California

My Mom Was Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Then She Got Better.

Archaeologists just mapped a Bronze Age megafortress in Georgia

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, January 8, 2025

Russian authorities have declared a state of emergency in the Volga River port city of Engels as a huge fire, caused by a “massive” Ukrainian drone attack, rages unchecked. The strike was on the strategically important fuel storage tank farm for Engels Air Base

IDF soldier who escaped war crimes investigation in Brazil arrives in Israel

UK Gilt Yields Hit 16 Year High, Stocks & Cable Tumble

Not as dumb as the headline makes it sound. More of a coming soon to a country near you type situation. Italian village forbids residents from becoming ill

Young, single men are leaving traditional churches. They found a more ‘masculine’ alternative

China is having standard flu season despite widespread HMPV fears

How I program with LLMs

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, January 7, 2025

Ukraine says it has destroyed three Russian air defense systems in some of the first successful FPV drone strikes launched from drone boats at sea.

Not even half of the $177 billion the US has promised to Ukraine has arrived nearly three years since the Russian invasion began, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed. In an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman, Zelensky suggested that “lobbying” and “corruption” could be key reasons for the delays in delivering the promised military aid.

Gazan ‘human shield’ for IDF shot dead in error by officer. Palestinian was said to be assisting troops in Nahal Brigade’s 931st Battalion in Rafah area over summer; army has said the practice is forbidden, but does not deny it took place

China’s Hospitals Report Surge in HMVP Respiratory Virus that Causes Cold-Like Symptoms in Most People

Some Postal Service workers stealing mail. Criminal organizations recruiting workers to infiltrate USPS system.

Wholesale Egg Prices Hit Record, Shortages Reported At Supermarkets

Trump refuses to rule out using military force to take Greenland and Panama Canal

Putting AI’s Insatiable Electricity Demand in Perspective

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, January 6, 2025

Ukraine Launches New Offensive In Russia’s Kursk Region

Chechen special forces commander sits down with Russian neo-Nazi paramilitary leader for friendly chat to smooth over ethnic tensions

Israeli soldier flees Brazil amid investigation into Gaza war crimes

EU natural gas storage levels are below average, and Goldman Sachs predicts prices could reach oil-switching levels if the cold weather persists.

Taiwan Accuses Chinese Vessel of Sabotaging Undersea Cable

After nine years we are left with a country in an affordability crisis where food banks are being used in record numbers (two million people in March 2024) and scurvy, thought banished with 18th century sailors, is affecting malnourished Canadians.

Windows 10 still accounts for between one-half and two-thirds of all Windows usage worldwide and in the US, according to admittedly noisy data from sources like Statcounter and the Steam Hardware Survey. Leaving that many Windows PCs potentially unprotected from security threats has the potential to cause big problems, which probably at least partially explains why Microsoft would really like to see lots of upgrades this year. But even if 2025 does become “the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh,” it’s hard to see how it could possibly happen fast enough to get most of those Windows 10 PCs out of circulation.

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, January 5, 2025

Blinken Admits Hamas Hardened Hostage Position Due to U.S. Public Pressure on Israel

Trudeau expected to announce resignation before national caucus meeting Wednesday

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, January 4, 2025

The Darién Gap between South and Central America is exceedingly dangerous, but hundreds of thousands of migrants try their luck every year in an effort to reach the U.S. Now, a drug cartel has turned the jungle crossing into big business – and the refugees profit as well.

Greenland’s Leader Now Calling for Independence from Denmark

How the grooming gangs scandal was covered up

Biden Quietly Bans Most Gas Powered Tankless Water Heaters

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, January 2, 2025

U.S. Reportedly Setting Up New Base In Northern Syria

New estimates gauge that Hamas’s forces are up to between 12,000-23,000.

The raid is old news. What is just coming out is some imagines and videos of what they did. Inside Israel’s Commando Raid On Iran’s Underground Missile Factory In Syria

New Year’s chaos in Berlin: Over 400 arrested, 36 apartments destroyed with ‘ball bomb’ firework mortars

Honda and Nissan in Merger Discussions Amid EV Upheaval

FBI Believes Jabbar Acted Alone in New Orleans Terror Attack