Idiot of the Week: Former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice who led 2020 election probe agrees to surrender law license

This week's idiot is another corrupt white, straight conservative who tried pushing Trump's election conspiracy theory. This bag of trash surrendered his law license after multiple counts of misconduct were found.No surprise there.  That's today's blog.

(Photo: Former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Michael Gableman. Photo: AP) 

Former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice who led 2020 election probe agrees to surrender law license 

By TODD RICHMOND, AP, April 7, 2025

A former Wisconsin state Supreme Court justice who spread election conspiracies and led an investigation into President Donald Trump’s 2020 loss in the swing state agreed Monday to surrender his law license to settle multiple misconduct violations.

The state Office of Lawyer Regulation filed a 10-count complaint in November against Michael Gableman, accusing him of misconduct during the probe. The state Supreme Court ultimately could revoke Gableman’s law license, although the court rarely administers such a harsh punishment against wayward attorneys.

The OLR and Gableman filed a stipulation with the Supreme Court on Monday (April 7, 2025) in which they agreed an appropriate sanction would be suspending Gableman’s license for three years. A referee overseeing the case and the Supreme Court must approve the agreement before it can take effect.

Gableman acknowledged in the filing that the complaint provides “an adequate factual basis” and that he couldn’t successfully defend himself against the allegations.

Complaint linked to fruitless election probe

The complaint stems from Gableman’s investigation into allegations of fraud related to the 2020 election that Trump narrowly lost in Wisconsin. Under pressure from Trump, Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos hired Gableman to lead the probe.

Heroes of the Week: Hampton Beach, NH lifeguards save 144 in one week!!

Lifeguards are heroes, helping people in crisis - and in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire over the week of August 10th, 144 people were rescued from rip currents in the ocean. Today's blog is about those heroes.

 

(Photo:  Lifeguard watching beachgoers at Hampton Beach.   Matt Parker, Seacoast Online)

Hampton Beach lifeguards save 144 in one week: What to know about flash rip currents 

Max Sullivan, Portsmouth Herald/ Seacoast Online Aug 15, 2025

HAMPTON — Hampton Beach lifeguards rushed into the water to make 144 rescues in the last week in response to a sudden flurry of flash rip currents.

The summer had been slow up until two weeks ago, at which point only 51 rescues had been made, Hampton Beach Lifeguard Chief Patrick Murphy said. That has changed in the wake of Tropical Storm Dexter, which Murphy believes may have sent waves to the coast after 24 months of calm, flat water.

A Hampton Beach lifeguard keeps watch over swimmers and beachgoers on a warm August afternoon at Hampton Beach. A rip current is a strong, narrow channel of fast-moving water that flows directly away from the shore. The current is formed as water coming into shore is redirected out to sea.

“We had consistent 3-5 foot surf for basically the entire week,” Murphy said. “When it comes in, it needs to go back out.”

(Photo: Sixth year Hampton Beach lifeguard Kevin Kelsey (left) and Alex Cross (right) of Hampton Fire and Rescue, sprint from the surf during a rescue demonstration at Hampton Beach. Credit Matt Parker, seacoast Online)

Rip currents are common at beaches, including in Hampton. Murphy said lifeguards typically know where to look for them after following patterns in the ocean.

In the last two summers, Murphy said calm waters may have allowed sand underneath to smooth out, allowing new locations for currents to form. He said lifeguards are not oceanographers, but they have observed the sand flattened out at low tide.

“At low tide, the beach looks all the same from Boar’s Head to Haverhill Avenue,” Murphy said. “It’s all flat. Normally, you get the bumps of the sand deposit.”

Murphy believes this has contributed to the potential for flash rip currents occurring in new locations along the beach, unlike fixed rip currents that occur in the same location over time. He said guards have seen many instances in which beachgoers are standing in knee to chest deep water and suddenly notice a flash rip current appear nearby.

Sand kicking up from the water is a clue as to where the flash rip currents occur, as the strength of the current digs into the sand below. “You can see it kick up, it makes a brownish color,” Murphy said while on the beach. He noticed one as he spoke. “I can see it in the area where it just happened,” Murphy said.

How to stay safe in a flash rip current

Spotting color changes in the ocean isn’t the most reliable way for beachgoers to detect rip currents, Murphy said, since most people may not recognize what they’re seeing. Recently, he said, seaweed has created the illusion of sand in flash rip currents, making them even harder to identify.

Instead, Murphy urges beachgoers to enter the water only near a lifeguard, where they’re visible and can be quickly assisted if needed. If caught in a rip current — whether fixed or flash — swimmers should move sideways, not toward shore. Rip currents flow powerfully between sandbars, and fighting against them can lead to exhaustion. By swimming parallel to the beach, a person can reach a sandbar, stand safely, and return to shore outside the current’s pull.

The impending hurricane season is expected to bring more surf to the East Coast. Jon Palmer, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine, said Hurricane Erin is projected to move around Bermuda and move offshore, sending waves to the Gulf of Maine.

Book of the Week: A UK Mystery: "In at the Death" by Francis Duncan

 This week's book of the week is a great one in the "Mordecai Tremaine Mystery" series from the United Kingdom. It's called "In at the Death" by author Francis Duncan (that's his pen name). I thought the title was Odd, so I looked up the phrase and it means: "to be present at the end or climax of something, often an event that is either disastrous or significant."  I had never heard of the author or the series, and just happened to find this book at a dollar store. It sounded good, and it was great! 

"In at the Death" by Francis Duncan

ABOUT THE BOOK: Amateur sleuth Mordecai Tremaine is back in another classic mystery from the author of Murder for Christmas Mordecai Tremaine and Chief Inspector Jonathan Boyce are never pleased to have a promising game of chess interrupted – though when murder is the disrupting force, they are persuaded to make an exception.

A quick stop at Scotland Yard to collect any detective’s most trusted piece of equipment – the murder bag – the pair are spirited away to Bridgton.

No sooner have they arrived than it becomes clear that the city harbours more than its fair share of passions and motives…and one question echoes loudly throughout the cobbled streets: why did Dr Hardene, the local GP of impeccable reputation, bring a revolver with him on a routine visit to a patient?

FOUND: Archaeologists discover 1,800-year-old Roman watchtower

Archaeologists are currently excavating a Roman-era watchtower in Croatia that was "built in a strategic location" on the banks of the Danube River.That's today's discovery!

(PHOTO: Archaeologists in Croatia have excavated a rare Roman-era watchtower near the Danube River. (Image credit: © Institute of Archaeology, Zagreb, Croatia, photo by S. Stingl and H. Jambrek)

 Archaeologists discover 1,800-year-old Roman watchtower built to protect the empire during Marcus Aurelius' reign 

 By Laura GeggelLIVESCIENCE, July 30, 2025

Archaeologists in Croatia have unearthed the remains of a 1,800-year-old watchtower that was erected to help the Romans defend the "limes" — the border along the Danube River in Croatia that marked the frontier of the Roman Empire.

Roman artifacts revealed at the site, including military equipment, brooches and ceramic vessels, indicate that the watchtower was constructed in the late second century A.D. and used in the third century A.D., the team reported.

"This is also the period of pressure on the Limes and the time of the Marcomannic War, when it was necessary to additionally protect the border on the Danube," Marko Dizdar, from the Institute of Archaeology in Zagreb and the research leader of the excavation, told Live Science in an email.

During the Marcomannic Wars (circa A.D. 166 to 180), Roman soldiers under the rule of emperor Marcus Aurelius fought several peoples — including the Germanic Marcomanni who lived north of the Danube, and the Sarmatians, a nomadic people from what is now southern Russia who later spread to Central and Eastern Europe.

The Marcomannic Wars prompted the Romans to build camps, or garrisons, in Sotin and Ilok, in what is now eastern Croatia. The newly excavated watchtower, in the village of Mohovo, was likely part of an effort to defend the Danubian Limes.

"The watchtower was built in a strategic location, at one of the crossings over the Danube River," Dizdar said. "From this position, there was excellent visual control of a large area, and it was also naturally protected on three sides by deep natural ravines."

Archaeologists initially discovered the watchtower site, along with about 10 other sites, during field surveys in eastern Croatia in 2003, 2013 and 2020 to 2023. These were dated from the second to the end of the fourth century A.D., and their location along the elevated banks of the Danube River suggested they were fortifications — though this wasn't known for certain initially.

In 2020, geomagnetic surveys — a noninvasive technique that maps magnetic anomalies to "see" structures underground — revealed that the sites likely held the remains of watchtowers and smaller fortifications. Finally, in 2024, trial excavations at Mohovo confirmed this, and in April 2025, a larger excavation at Mohovo took place.

"This is the first systematically researched watchtower on the Limes in Croatia," Dizdar said. "Until now, they were unknown, although it was assumed that they existed."

The Mohovo watchtower was about 130 by 100 feet (40 by 30 meters) and well defended. "It was protected by a system of deep ditches and a wooden fence-palisade, and in the center there was a wooden building," Dizdar explained. "Crossing such ditches from the attacker's side was very demanding and gave Roman soldiers enough time for a more successful defense."

The watchtower went through at least three different phases of construction, suggesting that it needed repairs and upgrades. In the fourth century A.D., it was likely replaced by a smaller fort with a tower., and excavations next year will investigate this transition, Dizdar said.

At that time in Roman history, the Romans generally maintained trade with the Sarmatians. But "with the arrival of Germanic tribes to the Danube, the situation changed and it was necessary to provide stronger border protection" Dizdar said. "Because of this, from the 4th century, larger forts were built and the number of soldiers increased."

The excavation is part of a push to protect and include Roman sites on the limes in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Dizdar said that the team also found structures from the Copper, Early Bronze, Iron and even Middle ages, "which shows that this is a site that was inhabited for several millennia.

Quick Dog Visit to York Beach to see the Big Waves

During the week of August 17, 2025, Hurricane Erin moved along the northeastern U.S. seaboard creating large waves and rip currents.  The storm wasn't close enough to bring wind or rain to the U.S, but the rough ocean conditions it generated were hazardous to people and craft in the water along the coast. People were warned not to swim, but you could watch the waves from the shoreline. So, we drove to the town of York Beach, Maine for an on-shore view at "Long Beach" with Cody and Dash. Today's blog is about that visit.

(Pic: Cody and Tom, Dash and Rob) 

OUR SHORT VISIT - The temperature outside was in the 60s, and at the beach there was a good sustained wind keeping the feel-like temperatures in the low 60s, so it was sweatshirt weather. Despite the wind and the temperature there were quite a few people in bathing suits on the beach. We sat with the dogs on the rocky upper part of a beach to see the waves and admire the view of the nearby Cape Neddick lighthouse (known as Nubble Light). It was a nice change of pace, and it was only 30 minutes away.

(Photo: Cody (left) and Dash (right) posed for a picture on the rocky part of Long Beach)

NO SWIMMING, RED FLAG WARNINGS - Despite the warnings and double Red Flag Warnings posted over the week of Aug 17-24, 2025 there were several people who ventured in the ocean on Long Beach at York Beach, Maine. Hurricane Erin was 500 miles off the coast, but churning up waves and rip tides. During the previous week, lifeguards at Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, about 27 miles south had to rescue 144 people caught in deadly rip tides. 

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ABOUT YORK BEACH, MAINE - The village of York Beach is made up of the Long Sands and Short Sands beaches along the Atlantic Ocean coast. On the north shore of Cape Neddick, Short Sands Beach features a promenade with souvenir shops, restaurants, and a classic amusement arcade, while nearby York’s Wild Kingdom has a zoo and theme park. On the south shore, the 1.5-mile Long Sands Beach offers a more laid-back vibe and tide pools.  

(Photo: Cape Neddick Lighthouse in the distance) 

CAPE NEDDICK OR NUBBLE LIGHTHOUSE - We could see the lighthouse from the beach. The Cape Neddick Light stands on Nubble Island about 100 yards (91 m) off Cape Neddick Point. It is commonly known as "Nubble Light" or simply "the Nubble." Cape Neddick Point is at the north end of Long Sands Beach in the village of York Beach. The lighthouse is inaccessible to the general public, but the nearby mainland is occupied by Sohier Park which offers many locations from which to view the lighthouse and a gift shop with a "Nubble" theme.

(Photo: We sat on the rocky part of the beach, far from the shore)

 

Ballroom Blitz: Trump’s White House Expansion Plan Sparks Preservation Concerns

Today's blog makes you wonder if anything is sacred. After bulldozing the White House Rose Garden and laying pavers on it, the orange felon is now planning to build on the White House and create a 200 million dollar ballroom, decorated in gold, like kings and tyrants would have- Think Saddam Hussein's gold palaces (Click here for info about them). Saddam Hussein's palaces were designed to convey his absolute authority and wealth. The use of gold, along with other opulent materials, was intended to impress and intimidate.  The felon will also be destroying a national icon. 

Ballroom Blitz: Trump’s White House Expansion Plan Sparks Preservation Concerns 

Framed as a legacy project and long-overdue upgrade, President Trump’s proposed State Ballroom faces sharp criticism from the AIA over transparency, scale, and historical risk.

By Paul Makovsky, Architect Magazine, American Institute for Architects, August 6, 2025

A monumental change may be coming to America’s most iconic address. The Trump White House has unveiled plans for a $200 million, 90,000-square-foot State Ballroom addition to the White House complex—one of the most significant proposed structural changes to the presidential residence in modern history.

A Grand Vision for State Functions

Announced this week, the new ballroom is being pitched as both a practical improvement and a historic architectural achievement. Currently, the White House can host only 200 seated guests in the East Room, often forcing administrations to erect what the White House called “large and unsightly tents” nearly 100 yards away. The new State Ballroom would triple that capacity to 650 and provide a permanent, ornately crafted space for high-profile state functions.

Design and Construction Teams Revealed

Trump, who has reportedly convened recent meetings with the National Park Service, the Secret Service, and the White House Military Office to coordinate design and security logistics, selected Washington-based McCrery Architects to lead the design effort. “Presidents in the modern era have faced challenges hosting major events at the White House because it has been untouched since President Harry Truman,” said firm CEO Jim McCrery. “I am honored that President Trump has entrusted me to help bring this beautiful and necessary renovation to The People’s House.”

Architecture with a Nod to History

The ballroom will be constructed on the site of the East Wing, which has undergone numerous renovations since its original construction in 1902. The new structure will be “substantially separated from the main building of the White House,” the administration states, but its theme and architectural language will remain “almost identical” to the original. Construction will be led by Clark Construction, with AECOM providing engineering services. The project is expected to begin in September 2025 and be completed before the end of Trump’s term.

Privately Funded, Publicly Contested

Trump and a coalition of “patriot donors” have pledged to fully fund the structure, while the Secret Service will oversee required security enhancements.

(ED NOTE: - These quotes from his administration- Blah, Blah. What a load) “President Trump is a builder at heart,” said White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, adding that the president is “fully committed to working with the appropriate organizations to preserve the special history of the White House while building a beautiful ballroom that can be enjoyed by future administrations and generations of Americans to come.”

AIA Sounds the Alarm on Preservation

But the American Institute of Architects (AIA) isn’t celebrating yet. In a sharply worded formal recommendation sent to the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, the AIA expressed “grave concern” about the lack of transparency and the risk to the White House’s architectural and symbolic legacy. The organization—which has advised on White House preservation since the days of Theodore Roosevelt—called for a more accountable and preservation-first process.

Visits with Friends from Out of State - Seeing Old Port & a Cookout

 Earlier this month, two good friends from different states visited the area on different days, and we got to enjoy time with them. 

(Photo: Rob, Dave, Tom) 

DAVE FROM MD- Our friend Dave from Maryland loves the band Guster, and there was a three day festival in Portland, Maine that featured the band. The band played all three days so Dave was in his glory. When Dave flew into the Portland airport, we picked him up and had lunch at Rosie's cafe in downtown Portland, Maine. We like that restaurant because they have a lighter, albeit short, lunch menu.. and we like their 1/2 sandwich and fries. 

NICE WATERFRONT PARKING GARAGE VIEW- The garage we parked in had 6 levels and it was one of the tallest structures between that street and the Casco Bay, so as soon as we got out of the car in our parking space, we had a nice view of the Customs House with the bay behind it. 

(Photos; Views of the Old Port, Portland, Maine) 

We walked Dave around the "Old Port" area afterward, taking in various shops facing the water.

(Photo: Dave finds the statute of three monkeys doing the "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil," gestures).

PORTLAND'S OLD PORT WATERFRONT - The body of water surrounding Portland's Old Port is Casco Bay, a large bay connected to the Gulf of Maine and the Atlantic Ocean. The Old Port itself is situated on a peninsula within Casco Bay. The waterfront area of the Old Port features wharves, piers, and ferry terminals that provide access to Casco Bay and its islands.

WHAT IS THE "OLD PORT"? - The Old Port is a quaint historic district with cobblestone streets and brick buildings housing clothing boutiques, gourmet food stores, and souvenir shops. It’s also a nightlife hot spot where pubs, breweries, and cocktail bars.

(Photo: Rob, Laureen and Tom on the back deck)

LAUREEN FROM NC - I've known Laureen for 4 decades. That's the mark of a great friendship. Recently she relocated from up north to North Carolina, but came back for several days to visit friends and family. So, she stayed with us one night, and we had a nice cookout on our grill. Dash and Cody were happy to see her again, and Cody barked until he got attention!

(Photo: Cody begging Laureen for attention)

(Photo: Dash telling Cody to cut it out!)

2nd Idiot of the Week: Newsmax - Conservative network to pay $67M in defamation case

 This weekend there are two idiots of the week, because, well, I'd be posting them into December. NewsMax, the conservative network, who knowingly broadcast lies about the 2020  presidential election being stolen. These companies, people and organizations that bought into all of those lies from the felon, like Fox News - have successfully been sued and lost millions once the truth was known. But, they don't learn.  Think about all of the people who worked in the felon's first administration - where are  they now? Either in prison, sued, or not supporting him. Again, all these idiots. This story is about Newsmax, though- Idiot #2 of the week.

Conservative network Newsmax agrees to pay $67M in defamation case over bogus 2020 election claims

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI , AP August 18, 2025

DENVER (AP) — The conservative network Newsmax will pay $67 million to settle a lawsuit accusing it of defaming a voting equipment company by spreading lies about President Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss, according to documents filed Monday.

The settlement comes after Fox News Channel paid $787.5 million to settle a similar lawsuit in 2023 and Newsmax paid what court papers describe as $40 million to settle a libel lawsuit from a different voting machine manufacturer, Smartmatic, which also was a target of pro-Trump conspiracy theories on the network.

Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis had ruled earlier that Newsmax did indeed defame Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems by airing false information about the company and its equipment. But Davis left it to a jury to eventually decide whether that was done with malice, and, if so, how much Dominion deserved from Newsmax in damages. Newsmax and Dominion reached the settlement before the trial could take place.

The settlement was disclosed by Newsmax in a new filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. It said the deal was reached Friday.

Idiot of the week Mass. driver charged with speeding 120 mph

Another weekend, another idiot speeding. This moron was doing TWICE the speed limit on a well-traveled state highway in New Hampshire. He also drove north from Massachusetts to share his stupidity.

Mass. BMW driver charged with speeding 120 mph 

The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester, Mon, May 26, 2025 at 6:51 PM EDT

A Massachusetts man was arrested after he drove more than double the speed limit on Route 16 in Ossipee.

At 2:49 p.m. on Sunday, a state trooper was patrolling Route 16 in Ossipee when he observed a BMW traveling at 120 mph.

The trooper conducted a traffic stop and identified the driver as Jacob Driscoll, 28, of Peabody, Mass.

Driscoll was arrested and charged with reckless operation. He was released on personal recognizance bail and is scheduled to appear in Ossipee District Court on July 30, 2025.

Heroes of the Week: Phoenix, AZ Firefighters use Fido bag used to save cats after house fire

This week's heroes are Arizona Firefighters who rescued several cats while fighting a house fire in west Phoenix and had to use a "Fido bag" to help resuscitate them.

(Photo: Fido bag used to save cats after house fire in Phoenix. Credit: News 12)

Firefighters rescue 3 cats and a woman from west Phoenix house fire

Fido bag used to save cats after house fire in Phoenix

Author: Jolyn Hannah, August 10, 2025 12 News, Phoenix, AZ

PHOENIX — Firefighters rescued one person and three cats from an early morning house fire in the West Valley, Phoenix, Arizona, according to authorities.

The Phoenix Fire Department said the fire broke out just after 6 a.m. at a home near 59th Avenue and McDowell Road.  "On arrival crews had smoke coming from the front of the house, pulled handlines inside to fight the blaze," the fire department said.

Once firefighters made their way into the house, they found a person and three cats.

"All were rescued safely out of the house," the fire department said.

VIDEO REPORT: https://youtu.be/4MCDqnkCQA4?si=cPKkhJhORZD0J-qg

 

But the cats needed help with their breathing. "Firefighters used the Fido bag on three cats, successfully resuscitating them," the fire department said.

The person was evaluated at the scene and chose not to go to the hospital.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Book of the Week: Tombstone by J.M. Thompson & Fred Bean (5 Stars!)

Several weeks ago the book of the week was Hangman's Legacy by Frederic Bean. This week's book is another by Fred Bean with a collaborator named J.M. Thompson (who happens to be a doctor in Maine of all places!). It's called "Tombstone" and its about Dr. Leo LeMat, a doctor turned portrait artist and gun for hire and his sharpshooter friend, Jacques, who travel to Tombstone to paint Wyatt Earp's portrait after the infamous "Shootout near the O.K. Corral."  5 of 5 stars! 

As someone who has always liked westerns, and I have a fascination with Wyatt Earp (since the film Tombstone in 1993), and the town of Tombstone, Arizona (where I had a past life experience), I LOVED this book. It was so hard to take reading breaks! The way the authors weaved the characters of Dr. Leo and Jacques into the events that followed the O.K. Corral shootout was creative, believeable and awesome. I could picture everything that was happening (of course, having been to Tombstone several times helped).

This book was awesome, and Frederic Bean has become one of my favorite authors. Now to find all his other out-of-print westerns!!

ABOUT THE BOOK: Leo LeMat heads to Tombstone, Arizona, to paint a portrait of infamous lawman Wyatt Earp only to find the town overrun with desperadoes, and he discovers that to complete his painting he will have to perfect the art of the quick draw. Published 2001.

Discovery! 8 ancient Roman shoes of 'exceptional size' discovered at Roman fort in England

How many men do you know with a size 14 sneaker? Recently archaeologists excavating near Hadrian's Wall in England (the site of an ancient Roman settlement) found footwear from soldiers that large!  Here's the story.

 

(Photo: The largest Roman shoe ever discovered has been found at Magna fort in the U.K.   Image credit: The Vindolanda Trust)

8 ancient Roman shoes of 'exceptional size' discovered at Roman fort near Hadrian's Wall

By Kristina Killgrove Live Science, July 3, 2025

Eight XXL leather shoes have been recovered from Magna, a Roman-era fort along Hadrian's Wall.

Archaeologists excavating a Roman-era fort in northern England have unearthed several enormous ancient leather soles that measure more than 11.8 inches (30 centimeters) long. Hadrian's Wall is a former defensive fortification of the Roman province of Britannia, begun in AD 122 in the reign of the Emperor Hadrian.

The finds add to the archaeologists' growing collection of supersized ancient footwear found at the ancient fort, known as Magna. The researchers now have eight of these extra-extra-large shoes — a quarter of the total found at the site.

Hadrian's Wall is located in England and identifies where Roman settlements were located. It spans 73 miles from coast to coast. Hadrian’s Wall was built to guard the wild north-west frontier of the Roman Empire. Discover the remains of the forts, and towns that once kept watch over the Wall.

"I think there is something very different going on here at Magna," Elizabeth Greene, an archaeologist at Western University in Ontario, Canada and a specialist in ancient shoes, said in a statement. "Even from this small sample uncovered, it is clear that these shoes are much larger on average than most of the Vindolanda collection."

The shoes were discovered at Magna — also known as Carvoran — a fort along Hadrian's Wall, which was built around A.D. 122 to demarcate the northern extent of the Roman Empire. Magna is situated about 7 miles (11 kilometers) west of Vindolanda, the large Roman auxiliary fort that's well known for the remarkable preservation of writing tablets, military medals and leather shoes.

In May, 2025, archaeologists unearthed an enormous leather shoe while digging at the bottom of one of Magna's "ankle-breaker" defensive ditches — narrow, deep trenches that, when full of water, could cause an enemy soldier to trip and snap their ankle. The waterlogged conditions in the ditch created an oxygen-free environment that preserved the leather shoe. 

The sole of the giant shoe measured 12.6 inches (32 cm) long, which is the equivalent of a men's U.S. 14 or U.K. size 13 shoe today. For context, the average U.S. men's shoe size is around 10.5, while basketball player LeBron James wears a size U.S. 15 and Michael Jordan wears a U.S. 13.5.

Further excavations revealed the Magna ditch contained a total of 32 shoes in a range of sizes, from children's to adults', which adds to the collection of more than 5,000 ancient leather shoes found at the nearby fort of Vindolanda, according to the statement.

Architecture: Why Old New England Homes Had 2 Front Doors

If you live in New England or have ever visited, you'll notice some older homes have 2 doors side by side. We've seen them in southern New Hampshire and southern Maine. Today's blog shares a story about various reasons why homes were built that way. 

(Photo: Home in Somersworth, NH built in 1900. Credit: Zillow) 

Six Intriguing Reasons Why New England Homes Originally Had Two Doors 

 Jolana Miller, May 12, 2025, Theshark105.3 Radio 

When you see houses with two front doors, do you assume they're duplexes or two-family homes? We have so many around New England, and while they're duplexes now, or have several apartments inside, historically speaking, two front doors had literal reasons behind them.

Living in the oldest part of the country, there's also a good chance that some of those two-door homes you see in Maine or Massachusetts just kept the aesthetic while being a single-family home.

Let's go back to the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, where, according to Family Handyman and The Spruce, there are six reasons homes originally were built with two doors.

DEATH DOOR

In some cases, one door was reserved for the dead, lying in repose in the front parlor, and was only used when someone passed away.

SYMMETRY 

Two Doors Made the Exterior Symmetrical According to an article on Taste of Home.com, symmetry was in style. Georgian-style homes (which were trendy at the time) were designed around balance, order and classical symmetry, often achieved through the use of many windows, two chimneys and a front entry hallway that ran straight through the middle of the house. If a home, for whatever reason, didn’t have this centered hallway, a centrally-placed front door threw things off. The easy fix? Add another door to keep things balanced.

APPEARANCES

Simply put, more than one door looked like you had a home with more rooms.

(Photo: Credit: https://hellofarmhouse.com/) 

HOUSEHOLD FUNCTION

Each door was a separate entrance into the home, with one of the doors being the entrance to the more formal side of the house for parties or important meetings. The other was used for day-to-day living.

Also, if the family had servants, the owners of the home used the right side while servants used the left door.

TEMPERATURE REGULATION

Most homes had one single hallway that stretched the length of the house. However, if you opened the front door, you could send a wind tunnel of hot air or cold air through the house, so two doors helped keep homes temperature-friendly no matter what time of year.

BUDGETARY

Many single-family homes with two front doors did it for budgetary reasons.

Glass was quite expensive, and having it shipped from Europe or literally made onsite in America was not doable, especially since making glass was a specialty trade. That second door was the cheaper alternative since doors don't use nearly as much glass as windows. 

 

DISCOVERY: Changes to the polar vortex that are plunging parts of US into deep freeze

If you live in the U.S. you've noticed more and stronger Polar Vortexes (and hotter summers, more extreme storms, etc.). Science is CRITICAL to explain what's happening on our planet and around the Universe. Sadly, in the U.S., the Republican Party doesn't understand that, and have Defunded Government Science agencies and fired many scientists. Ignorance doesn't help anyone. We need to understand the changing climate, and fortunately MIT Scientists have been studying how global warming (Yes, it's a reality and has been for 100 years) is affecting the Polar Vortex in Winter and bringing brutally cold temperatures to parts of the U.S. Here's the study:

(Image: Credit: NOAA) 

Scientists discover changes to the polar vortex that are plunging parts of US into deep freeze

By Stephanie Pappas Live Science, July 18, 2025

When the polar vortex stretches, North America feels the chill. New research reveals some of the stratospheric patterns controlling these cold snaps.

Though global temperatures are warming, winters in the Northern Hemisphere are still marked by cold snaps and extreme snowfall events — sometimes to an unprecedented extent, such as the 2021 deep freeze in Texas and Oklahoma that caused over $1 billion in damage.

Now, a new study suggests that these cold extremes are due to an increasingly common pattern in the polar vortex, the zone of low pressure that usually circulates over the Arctic. Disruptions to this vortex cause it to deform and stretch, spewing cold air into Canada and the U.S. These disruptions are becoming more common as the Arctic warms.

"Overwhelmingly, extreme cold and severe winter weather, heavy snowstorms and deep snow, are associated with these stretched events," study co-author Judah Cohen, the director of seasonal forecasting at Atmospheric and Environmental Research and a visiting scientist at MIT, told Live Science.

Cohen and his team looked at how these events evolve in the stratosphere, the middle layer of the atmosphere that starts about 12 miles (19 kilometers) up. Understanding how these patterns shift could help meteorologists make longer-range forecasts, said Andrea Lopez Lang, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Wisconsin—Madison who was not involved in the research.

"Knowing this information is useful for a lot of applications in energy [and] applications in insurance or reinsurance," Lang told Live Science. "How cold is it going to get? Are pipes going to burst? Are insurance claims going to spike this winter?"

Usually, the polar vortex circulates around the North Pole like a spinning top. Occasionally, it collapses dramatically, which usually leads to polar air rushing toward northern Europe and Asia. These collapses can sometimes cause cold snaps in North America — but not always.

"There's been this big question mark over what happens in North America," Lang said.

Dash's Respiratory Distress Hospitalization- He's okay now

Dash is our 17 year old Dachshund/Chihuahua mix who followed Tyler (our Dachshund who passed on July 29, 2025) everywhere. Dash has been under tremendous stress trying to figure out life without Tyler, and he's been prone to bronchitis and asthma issues. On Thursday, August 14th the stress finally took a toll on him and he was gasping for breath, so I called our vet's emergency line and they said to rush him to the Vet Emergency Room.That's today's blog.

RESPIRATORY DISTRESS - Dash went into respiratory distress on August 14th around 5:30p. He was bonded to Tyler who passed just 2 weeks before and I understood that was the catalyst of his labored breathing. Dash had been showing signs of depression by not eating and had become increasingly stressed out without Tyler to follow around the house. He wouldn't eat his dinner and then he started breathing heavily. He pulled his stomach in with deep gasping breaths, and I could tell he was struggling. I called the local vet who said to get him to an ER quickly, so I did. 

 VIDEO OF HIS LABORED BREATHING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tthUk7nYdSs

A NIGHT IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM -     I  drove Dash to the Veterinary Emergency Critical Care in Newington, NH.  The doctor on staff the evening of August 14th was wonderful. Dash, was still very much in respiratory distress. Xrays were taken at 2 different times, and bronchitis with poss. pneumonia was the diagnosis. I also think he has asthma, because he sounds like me when I have an asthma attack. 

I waited for the radiologist to provide an xray report. The in-house doctor looks at it and they also email it a radiologist on call who reviews it. During that time (it was 5 hours), the doctor explained about the likelihood of what was going on, and his plan for medications, and recommended keeping Dash overnight in oxygen to help his breathing. 

OVERNIGHT AND OXYGEN -  Dash stayed overnight on oxygen and he received prednisone and antibiotics through IV.  Dash received great care overnight, and his breathing returned to near normal the next morning when we picked him up at 10 a.m.

I'm so grateful the the doctor and staff of the hospital. It was the right thing to do to rush him to the ER.  His new meds are working, and he's finally eating his meals and treats again. He's also showing energy and went on a walk on day two.

If you see your dog breathing heavily and their stomach goes in and out your dog is in respiratory distress and needs to go to an ER immediately. 

Idiot of the Week: Another Jan. 6er Imprisoned for Life. He plotted to kill FBI special agents who investigated him

 There's a reason why the criminals who participated in Jan. 6th were imprisoned. Since the felon pardoned them all earlier this year, quite a few have committed more crimes and have been imprisoned again. This week's idiot got life for plotting to kill 2 FBI agents who investigated him. And his co-conspirator's trial is next. Sigh.

(Photo: Edward Kelley at the Peace Monument across from the United States Capitol Building using a cell phone and wearing a red MAGA on Jan. 6, 2021.FBI)

Jan. 6 defendant sentenced to life in prison for plotting to kill FBI special agents who investigated him

President Donald Trump's mass pardon of Jan. 6 rioters did not apply to Edward Kelley's separate plot to murder law enforcement officials, the Justice Department said.

Edward Kelley at the Peace Monument across from the United States Capitol Building using a cell phone and wearing a red MAGA on Jan. 6, 2021.

July 2, 2025 MSNBC, By Ryan J. Reilly

WASHINGTON — A Jan. 6 defendant who plotted to murder FBI special agents who investigated him over his actions at the Capitol was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday.

Edward Kelley was convicted in November of conspiracy to murder employees of the United States; solicitation to commit a crime of violence; and influencing or retaliating against federal officials by threat. President Donald Trump pardoned Kelley, alongside roughly 1,500 other Jan. 6 defendants, in January.

U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan imposed the sentence on Wednesday, July 2, 2025 during a hearing in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Kelley's team argued that Trump's pardon should apply to his conduct in the murder plot. While the Justice Department had argued that the pardons should apply to separate gun cases against other Jan. 6 defendants, they said the pardon did not apply to Kelley's conduct. A federal judge ruled that Trump's pardon did not apply to the murder plot.

Federal prosecutors sought life in prison for Kelley, calling him “remorseless" and writing that he had "shown neither a capacity nor desire" to rehabilitate.

"On the contrary, Kelley not only believes the actions for which he was convicted were justified but that his duty as a self-styled ‘patriot’ compelled him to target East Tennessee law enforcement for assassination,” federal prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memo.

Kelley, prosecutors wrote, "committed crimes that are serious, violent, and all designed to achieve the same end: the murder of federal, state, and local law enforcement."

Kelley "formed a self-styled militia to attack the FBI," and "conducted combat drills to realize his plan," they wrote. He "strategized ways to bomb the FBI Knoxville office" and "identified a 'hornet’s nest' at which to store his various weapons at 'arms’ reach.'" Kelley also "devised a kill list of individual agents to be targeted" and then "gave the go-ahead command — 'start it' — to his confederates, noting that 'every hit has to hurt.'"

Kelley's lawyer wrote that "no individual was directly threatened with harm or violence by Kelley, and no one was injured" and that "Kelley does not deserve the same sentence as an actual 'terrorist' who injured or killed hundreds or thousands" of Americans.

Austin Carter, who admitted that he conspired with Kelley in the murder plot and pleaded guilty, is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

Heroes of the Week: Firefighters Rescue Dog in W. Virginia House Kitchen Fire

 This week's heroes are firefighters in West Virginia who were called to the scene of a house fire, and broke in, rescuing a dog inside. 

Photo: Fireman from the Nutter Fort Volunteer Fire Department carries a dog out of a burning home. Credit: WBOY TV)

Firefighters rescue dog from house fire in Nutter Fort, W. VA

by: McKenna Galloway, WBOY TV, Aug 10, 2025 / 01:38 PM EDT

NUTTER FORT, W.Va. (WBOY) — Officials have given more information on the house fire that occured in Nutter Fort Sunday afternoon, August 10, 2025.

A 12 News reporter at the scene stated that it was a house on fire next to Roosevelt-Wilson High School. While there, the reporter observed a dog being carried out of the residence.

12 News spoke with Chief of the Nutter Fort Volunteer Fire Department Jeremy Haddix who confirmed that it was a kitchen fire.

“Got the fire knocked, saved a dog, the crews are working with it right now,” Chief Haddix said. “It was awesome just to look down and see that it was still alive and we were able to get it out and get some oxygen and save its life.”

Haddix also confirmed that no individuals were injured as a result of the fire and that the fire will be investigated.

Nutter Fort, Stonewood, Anmoore and Bridgeport fire departments, along with the Nutter Fort City Administration and EMS has responded to this incident.

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Book of the Week: Bookmarked for Death by Lorna Barrett (Booktown Mystery series)

 I recently enjoyed the second book in Lorna Barrett's Booktown Mystery series called "Bookmarked for Death."  Last month I read the first in the series and wanted more. This second book in the series was also 5 of 5 stars!!

The small New Hampshire town of Stoneham has reinvented itself as a vacation spot for bibliophiles. Tricia Miles, the owner of the mystery bookshop, frequently finds herself mixed up in murder. There are a lot of great supporting characters. These books will keep you wanting to read until to finish them! I absolutely loved the second book in the series. The first one was a fantastic introduction (see below). The second one developed the characters further and really made you guess until the end! LOVE this author! I plan on reading all of these. If you like Cozy mysteries, you should consider them, too.- Rob

SOME MAIN CHARACTERS -  Like any small town, Stoneham, New Hampshire is populated with shop owners, business people, and residents. 

 1) Tricia Miles owns the mystery bookstore, Haven’t Got a Clue. Along with her employee, Ginny Wilson, and her cat, (scene stealer) Miss Marple, Tricia’s store caters to mystery lovers looking to complete their collection of their favorite authors. Tricia sells rare and out-of-print editions, as well as some new titles, and lives above her store. 

2) Angelica Miles, Tricia’s older sister, who arrived in Stoneham for what Tricia hoped will be a short visit, but stayed on to open the Cookery and Booked for Lunch. Angelica also writes cookbooks. (Try her recipes - in the back of each book) 

3) Bob Kelly: President of the local chamber of commerce and the mastermind behind changing Stoneham from a dying village into Booktown, a tourist destination. Bob also owns Kelly Real Estate. 

4) Mr. Everett, works for Tricia at Haven’t Got a Clue. 

5) Ginny Wilson, works for Tricia at Haven’t Got a Clue. **AND THERE ARE SEVERAL MORE:

**Booktown Mystery: A series by Lorna Barrett The series in order**

1 Murder is Binding (2008) 5 Stars!! Read this in 2025

2 Bookmarked For Death (2009) 5 Stars!! Read this in 2025

3 Bookplate Special (2009) **Have this- On the reading list!**

4 Chapter and Hearse (2010) **Have this- On the reading list!**

5 Sentenced to Death (2011)

6 Murder on the Half Shelf (2012)

7 Not the Killing Type (2013)

8 Book Clubbed (2014)

9 A Fatal Chapter (2015)

10 Title Wave (2016)

11 A Just Clause (2017)

12 Poisoned Pages (2018)

13 A Killer Edition (2019)

14 Handbook for Homicide (2020)

15 A Deadly Deletion (2021)

16 Clause of Death (2022)

17 A Questionable Character (2023)

18 A Controversial Cover (2024)

19 A Perilous Plot (2025)

FOUND: 600-year-old amethyst found in medieval castle moat in Poland

Imagine finding a 600 year old piece of royal jewelry in a moat! That's what one archaeological team did in Poland at Castle Kolno. 600 years ago in the 1400s, Castle Kolno was no longer a ducal or royal residence after being sold by the Duke of Brzeg in the early 14th century. Once sold, it lost its strategic importance as a customs house. It was owned by various knights throughout the 1400s, and was destroyed in 1443. Today's blog is about the jeweled brooch discovered there.

(Photo: An amethyst set in silver was discovered in a castle moat in Poland. (Image credit: Lech Marek; CC BY 4.0)

600-year-old amethyst 'worthy of a duke' found in medieval castle moat in Poland

By Kristina Killgrove Live Science, July 17, 2025

Around 600 years ago, an aristocrat visiting a medieval castle lost an ornate piece of jewelry. But archaeologists recently dredged the unique amethyst set in fire-gilded silver from the muck of the old moat. The amethyst was set in high-quality silver and probably once formed part of a brooch.

"I believe the item was originally part of a brooch or, less likely, a coronet or a crown," Lech Marek, an archaeologist at the University of Wrocław in Poland, told Live Science in an email, "which makes it so unique in a medieval settlement context."

Medieval jewelry is often found in hoards or in tombs, Marek and Beata Miazga, another archaeologist at the University of Wrocław, wrote in a study published online July 11 in the journal Antiquity. But this one was discovered in a more "everyday" situation, they wrote, having presumably been lost by someone traveling to or from Castle Kolno.

Castle Kolno was founded in the early 13th century as a fortress and duke's palace that also served as a customs house controlling the transport of wood. The original owner, Duke Bolesław III of Brzeg, eventually sold the property to some wealthy knights. In 1443, Castle Kolno was burned and destroyed during the civil wars in Silesia. And in 2010, Marek and his team began archaeological excavation at the ruined castle, discovering military artifacts, cavalry items and ceramics typical of the 14th and 15th centuries.

Using Raman spectroscopic analysis, which measures the light emitted from lasers bombarding a substance to determine its molecular composition, the gemstone was identified as an amethyst, and X-ray fluorescence analysis revealed the metal parts were silver and fire-gilded, which involved considerable amounts of mercury, Marek and Miazga wrote in the study.

"Because of their symbolic meaning, availability and aesthetic qualities, amethysts were popular in the medieval period," Marek said.

Medieval folklore suggests that amethysts could protect their wearer from intoxication, venom, gout, bad dreams, treason, deceit, captivity, blindness, enchantment and strangulation, the researchers wrote, and they could also represent faith, modesty and martyrdom.

"In the sophisticated medieval play of symbols, the choice of gems for jewelry always had a deeper reason," Marek said, and "if a jewel was believed to be charged with supernatural powers, its value increased rapidly."

It is unknown who lost this semiprecious gem or how they lost it, but the researchers have no doubt the person lived an aristocratic lifestyle. Similar jewels in similar settings have been found on high-end jewelry of the period, Marek said. But the Castle Kolno amethyst is unusual because it is a high-status jewel worthy of a duke that was likely lost in a very mundane activity several centuries ago.