Watch this! Ron DeSantis: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

John Oliver does a great job as he discusses Ron DeSantis, the idiot governor of Florida, his track record , the pitfalls of comparing him to Donald Trump, and the supposed dangers of “woke math.” Ron DeSantis: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) Video: https://youtu.be/M81-GM0mTc4

What is the Cosmati pavement in Westminster Abbey? (seen in Coronation of Charles III)

If you watched the coronation of King Charles III of England, you may have seen a rounded mosaic area in which he sat (a throne was placed on it) in Westminster Abbey, London. Here's a story from Euronews that explains the significance of the rounded area.

(Image: Conservation work being performed on the 13th century Cosmati pavement, constructed from medieval coloured tile and gemstone, at Westminster Abbey. Photograph: Graham Turner)

 Royal coronation: What is the Cosmati pavement King Charles III was crowned on?

The Cosmati pavement was on show during King Charles III's coronation and available for visitors to stand on later this month... Provided they take off their shoes

By David Mouriquand EURONEWS 06/05/2023

The intricate mosaic floor where King Charles III was crowned on 6 May will be opened to visitors this summer.

Westminster Abbey has announced that following the coronation of King Charles III, the church’s famous Cosmati pavement – an intricate mosaic which lies in the sanctuary in front of the high altar – will be opened up to the public.

It was the first time in living memory that the abbey has invited visitors to walk on the Cosmati pavement, where the Coronation Chair was placed.

While many will relish the idea of being able to stand in the same spot as past and current rulers, there is one caveat: people will have to remove their shoes to step on it, in order to protect its surface.

Still, socks beats viewing it from the bottom of the High Altar steps, and medieval coronation rituals often involved rulers going barefoot as a sign of humility. So visitors will be in good company.

What is the Cosmati pavement? The Cosmati pavement is a 7-metre, 58cm intricate mosaic floor of rare marbles and gemstones, glass and metal.

It was commissioned by Henry III and completed in 1268 as the adornment of his abbey. It is where coronations have taken place for more than 700 years.

During the coronation ritual, the king-to-be would lie on the ground in prayer – an example of how certain floor surfaces were considered of great significance in terms of identity and forging associations between rulers.

Indeed, the flooring’s design reflects more international connections, as it is one of the best examples outside Italy of a rare type of mosaic stonework known as Cosmati, named after the Italian family that created it.

The marble workers from the Cosmati workshops in Rome used precious stones of various colours imported from Italy and beyond. The design features roundels within interlaced circles, which in turn encompass a variety of smaller-scale geometric patterns. It’s essentially a gorgeous (and sacred) jigsaw puzzle.

There is even a riddle on it that adds together the life spans of different animals including dogs, horses, ravens and whales, as well as a cryptic inscription that reportedly predicts the end of the world.

By the mid-19th century, the pavement was in poor condition and thus hidden away from public view. Extensive conservation work was undertaken between 2008 and 2010 to clean and repair it.

It was covered with special carpet at previous coronations, including that of Elizabeth II in 1953. However, the late Queen was depicted standing on the spot where she was crowned in Australian-born artist Ralph Heimans’ portrait for her Diamond Jubilee in 2012, with the Cosmati pavement in full view.

The Prince and Princess of Wales were married on the Cosmati pavement in 2011 and it will be on display today for his coronation. The tours of the Abbey and the Cosmati pav

Texas Republicans want power to overturn Harris County elections over mishaps at the polls

 If you live in Harris County, Texas, (where Houston is located)  your vote may not count if you're a Democrat - if Republicans in the state have their way. Here's the latest scheme by the Republican Party to defraud voters of their votes. It's hard to believe that one party is trying everything they can to rig elections to stay in power, but it's true. How can you stop this? Vote republicans OUT. Here's the story from the Houston Chronicle. 

Texas Republicans want power to overturn Harris County elections over mishaps at the polls 

HOUSTON CHRONICLE, May 2, 2023

Legislation advanced by the Texas Senate on Tuesday would give a governor-appointed official authority to toss results and call a new election.

The GOP-controlled Texas Senate on Tuesday passed a proposal allowing the state to overturn elections in Harris County, home to the state’s most populous city Houston.

The legislation penalizes county officials for running out of ballot paper at some voting sites in the 2022 election, the Houston Chronicle reported. Still, more importantly, it gives Republican Gov. Greg Abbott “precedent-setting” power to undo election results.

“There is no reason, there is no excuse why we can’t competently run our elections and have adequate ballot paper,” said state Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, a co-author of the bill whose district includes part of southeast Harris County.

The measure provoked outrage from outnumbered Democrats in the Texas Senate who blasted Middleton for trying to give the governor new authority to toss election results as President Donald Trump sought to do after he lost in 2020.

“You want to vest in a political appointee the ability to make a decision as to whether or not an election should be overturned and reheld?” asked state Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, during a debate in the Senate on Monday.

Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston, took offense to Middleton’s bill for only giving Abbott’s appointee the power to overturn an election in Harris County, the most populous of the state’s 254 counties. The cost of that new election would also be the responsibility of taxpayers in Harris County, which would cost millions of dollars.

"Does that seem kind of biased to you?" Miles said. "We're just going to pick on my county?" FULL ARTICLE: https://web.archive.org/web/20230502231219/https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/texas-republicans-seek-overturn-elections-mishaps-18073334.php

Idiot of the week: Nevada man gets 6 years for assault during Capitol riots

 Last week, it was a retired firefighter from Pennsylvania - This week, it's a Nevada man who was arrested and jailed for assaulting the Capitol. Here's the story of this week's idiot.

Nevada man gets 6 years for assault during Capitol riots

Kenyon was arrested in Reno on Dec. 1, 2021

By Kevin Sheridan, KOLO-TV Published: Apr. 11, 2023 at 4:03 PM EDT

WASHINGTON D.C., Virginia (KOLO) - A Nevada man was sentenced to 72 months in prison for assaulting law enforcement officers during the Jan. 6 Capitol Riots.

35-year-old Josiah Kenyon of Winnemucca will serve 36 months of parole following his release and will pay more than $43,000 in restitution as well.

He pleaded guilty to two felonies; assaulting a law enforcement officer with a dangerous weapon and assaulting a law enforcement officer with a dangerous weapon resulting in bodily injury.

Court documents show Kenyon was unlawfully inside the capitol building from approximately 2:53 p.m. to 3:18 p.m. on the day of the riot. Those documents place Kenyon near a Senate Wing door and the Crypt.

The court also found he and others damaged an exterior window, causing $40,000 in damage. He first attempted to break the window with a closed fist before using a flagpole to hit the window.

Between approximately 4:54 p.m. and 5:04 p.m., Kenyon was outside in the Lower West Terrace area. While he was there, he used a variety of objects to assault officers in the tunnel leading into the Capitol.

He threw a large plastic pylon towards the officers, striking an officer’s riot shield. He also struck officers with what appeared to be a table leg.

Kenyon hit one officer in the leg, causing them to fall to the ground. That officer suffered pain and swelling to his right ankle. He then hit another officer in the head with the table leg, lodging it between his helmet and face shield.

Kenyon was arrested in Reno on Dec. 1, 2021.

Hero of the Week: NYC Metro-North Employees Rescued Child who Fell on Train Tracks

 This week's Hero of the week are several employees from New York City's Metro North railroad who saved an autistic child who fell on the tracks. Here's the story from the Metro North website.

(Photo: Assistant Conductor Marcus Higgins jumped down to the track, ran 40 yards in front of the train, picked up the child. Credit: Metro-North Railway)

Metro-North Employees Receive Commendations for Rescuing Child who Fell on Train Tracks

Metro-North Railroad, Updated April 25, 2023 12:15 a.m

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Metro-North President and Long Island Rail Road Interim President Catherine Rinaldi awarded commendations to five employees involved in a daring rescue of a three-year-old boy who had gotten onto the train tracks near the Tarrytown station.

On Thursday, April 6, at approximately 3:15 p.m., Locomotive Engineer William Kennedy was operating a southbound Hudson Line train north of Tarrytown when he noticed an object and soon realized a young child was on the northbound track, so he sent out an emergency radio communication to all nearby train crews.

 Locomotive Engineer Shawn Loughran and an engineer trainee who were aboard northbound Train 737 approaching the scene proceeded at slow speed until the child was spotted on a track near — and then on top of — an electrified third rail. Once the train came to a stop, Assistant Conductor Marcus Higgins jumped down to the track, ran 40 yards in front of the train, picked up the child and brought him onboard the train. The crew then traveled back to Tarrytown Station, where they were met by MTAPD officers and Tarrytown EMS.

At the same time, Signal Maintainers Max Chong and Christopher Fraina were heading to the area to help and came upon the child’s mother and sister who were observed sobbing on a street corner, who explained the three-year-old was missing. 

When a Sleepy Hollow police officer pulled up and mentioned a missing child report, the group realized they were all looking for the same child. Meanwhile, the Metro-North signal maintainers heard a report on their radios of a found child at Tarrytown station. The group drove to Tarrytown, where the railroad employees and police officers took the family to the platform, where mother and son were reunited. The boy’s mother says her son has autism.

VIDEO: The train approaches the child at around 6:28 minutes and a railroad employee is with the child. MTA Video Release: Electric Bus B-Roll: Metro-North Employees Rescue Child From Tracks LINK TO VIDEO: https://youtu.be/3_cqy2jBPzA

“Heading south towards Tarrytown when I noticed something on the tracks, and when I realized it was a child I immediately called in an emergency,” Locomotive Engineer William Kennedy said. “Everybody’s quick thinking and the perfect timing allowed us to get this child off the tracks and back to his family.”

“In the heat of the moment when you see a child in this situation, your first instinct is to make sure they’re safe,” Assistant Conductor Marcus Higgins said. “I’m glad our crew was there and able to help.”

“I’m just so happy it all worked out and everything fell into place,” Locomotive Engineer Shawn Loughran said.

“It’s a great feeling knowing that we were able to help reunite this family,” Signal Maintainer Christopher Fraina said. “In those minutes that must have felt like hours to them, I’m so glad we were in the right place at the right time.”

In the News: Vermont allows nonresidents to use its assisted suicide law

Vermont is one of the 10 states that allow medically assisted end of life procedures. Euthanization is allowed for gravelly ill animals, and so many people seek it, too. Vermont is now allowing terminally ill people from out of state to come there and get that peace at the end of their lives. Here's the story from Associated Press.

 

Vermont allows nonresidents to use its assisted suicide law

Vermont is one of 10 states that allow medically assisted suicide.

By LISA RATHKE, Associated Press May 2, 2023

Vermont on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, became the first state in the country to change its medically assisted suicide law to allow terminally ill people from out of state to take advantage of it to end their lives.

Republican Gov. Phil Scott signed the bill that removes the residency requirement for the decades-old law.

Last year in a court settlement, Oregon agreed to stop enforcing the residency requirement of its law allowing terminally ill people to receive lethal medication. It also agreed to ask the Legislature to remove it from the law.

Conn. woman 1st non-Vermonter granted assisted suicide right

Before Vermont removed the residency requirement Tuesday, it had reached a settlement with a Connecticut woman who has terminal cancer to allow her to take advantage of its law, provided she complies with other aspects of it.

“We are grateful to Vermont lawmakers for recognizing that a state border shouldn’t determine if you die peacefully or in agony,” said Kim Callinan, president and CEO of Compassion & Choices, a nonprofit advocacy organization, in a statement. “Patients routinely travel to other states to utilize the best healthcare options. There is no rational reason they shouldn’t be able to travel to another state to access medical aid in dying if the state they live in doesn’t offer it.”

Vermont is one of 10 states that allow medically assisted suicide. Critics of such laws say without the residency requirements states risk becoming assisted suicide tourism destinations.

Rathke reported from Marshfield, Vt.

Double hoard of Viking treasure discovered !

 Today's blog is about a large find of Viking coins and treasure found in Denmark!  Love these discoveries. Here's the story from LIVESCIENCE.

(Photo: One of the Arabic silver coins from the Viking hoards found near Hobro. The two hoards comprised more than 300 pieces of silver, including about 50 coins and cut-up jewelry. (Image credit: Nordjyske Museer, Denmark))

Double hoard of Viking treasure discovered near Harald Bluetooth's fort in Denmark 

By Tom Metcalfe LIVE Science May 2, 2023

A metal detectorist has unearthed two hoards of Viking silver in a field in Denmark, including coins made during the reign of the powerful Danish king Harald Bluetooth.

Silver coins and jewelry unearthed from a field on the Jutland peninsula in Denmark are revealing new insight into the reign and religious ambitions of the powerful Viking king Harald Bluetooth, according to archaeologists.

The objects — around 300 pieces of silver, including about 50 coins and cut-up jewelry — were discovered late last year by a local archaeology group surveying a farm northeast of the town of Hobro and near Fyrkat, a ring fort built by Harald Bluetooth in about A.D. 980.

Excavations show that the valuables were originally buried in two hoards about 100 feet (30 meters) apart, probably beneath two now long-gone buildings. Since then, these hoards have been spread around by farm machinery.

It seems that whoever buried the treasure was deliberately splitting it up in case one hoard was lost, said Torben Trier Christiansen , an archaeologist involved with the find and curator at the Museums of North Jutland.

Although some news outlets have reported that the finder was a young girl, the first of the treasures were in fact located by an adult woman with a metal detector. "But she is very flattered," Trier told Live Science. King's coinage A silver piece that has a ball-shape at the right and a curved piece above it. It was likely part of jewelry and cut up for hack silver. It is against a black background.

Many of the pieces are "hack silver" or "hacksilber," which was often silver jewelry cut into pieces and traded by weight. But a few are silver coins, which archaeologists determined were from Arabic and Germanic countries, as well as from Denmark itself.

The Danish coins are exciting to archaeologists because they include "cross coins" struck during Harald’s Bluetooth’s reign in the 970s and 980s. Harald had converted from pagan Norse beliefs to Christianity, and spreading his new religion was part of his plan to unify the warring Viking tribes of Denmark.

"Putting crosses on his coins was part of his strategy," Trier said. "He paid the local aristocracy with these coins, to set a precedent during a transitional period when people cherished the old gods as well."

Both hoards also contain parts of a very large silver brooch that would have been worn by a king or nobleman and was probably seized in a Viking raid. But this style of brooch wasn't worn in Harald Bluetooth's lands, and so it was cut up into several pieces of hack silver instead, he said.

Archaeologists will return to the site later this year, Trier added, hopefully to learn more about the Viking Age (A.D. 793 to 1066) buildings that stood there.

Archaeologists aren't sure why Harald gained the nickname "Bluetooth"; some historians suggest he may have had a prominent bad tooth, as the Norse word for "blue tooth" translates to "blue-black tooth."

 Harald unified Denmark and, for a time, was also king of part of Norway; he reigned until 985 or 986, when he died fighting off a rebellion led by his son, Sweyn Forkbeard, who succeeded him as king of Denmark.

Part 10: Ukrainian in Maine Helps Refugees - Emmy Award Nominated- Maine News Now

There are some pretty interesting stories from the state of Maine. Recently NEWS CENTER Maine earned 18 Emmy Award nominations for the 46th Boston/New England Emmy Awards for 2022 standout stories and efforts. This is part 10: Ukraine native living in Maine rescues refugees escaping Russian invasion with free apartments   

Oleg Opalnyk grew up in Ukraine when it was under Soviet rule and is now finding apartments for refugees of the Russian invasion.

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/I4E_OtIKWqs

Part 9: Lewiston company hand makes Olympic boots : Emmy Award nominated - from News Center Maine

  There are some pretty interesting stories from the state of Maine. Recently NEWS CENTER Maine earned 18 Emmy Award nominations for the 46th Boston/New England Emmy Awards for 2022 standout stories and efforts. This is part 9: Third time's the charm: Lewiston company hand makes Team USA's Olympic winter boots for opening ceremony

Rancourt & Co. hand made all the pairs of boots in Lewiston. Polo Ralph Lauren asked the company to make the shoes in 2018 and 2022 as well.

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/88GieiHflxs

Part 8: Maine kids lack basic swimming skills - Emmy Award nominated: News Center Maine

 There are some pretty interesting stories from the state of Maine. Recently NEWS CENTER Maine earned 18 Emmy Award nominations for the 46th Boston/New England Emmy Awards for 2022 standout stories and efforts. This is part 8: Many Maine kids lack basic swimming skills, lifeguards observe 

The pandemic forced many pools to drop their availability of swimming lessons for kids.

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/0YHTKNJWdfY

Idiot of the Week: Ex-firefighter gets prison for Jan. 6 extinguisher attack

 Here's another idiot of the week from the Capitol Insurrection. Sadly, this guy is a retired fireman who fell for the brainwashing of the Ex-Idiot in Chief. Here's this idiot's story

Ex-firefighter gets prison for Jan. 6 extinguisher attack 

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN, Associated Press, April 12, 2023

A retired firefighter who threw a fire extinguisher at police officers during the U.S. Capitol riot was sentenced on Tuesday to more than four years in prison.

Robert Sanford struck two police officers in the head with the fire extinguisher that he threw as he stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, with a mob of Donald Trump supporters. He also threw an orange traffic cone at a Capitol police sergeant.

“Sanford also hurled obscenities and insults at the law enforcement officers on the Lower West Terrace, calling them ‘traitors,’” a prosecutor, Janani Iyengar, wrote in a court filing.

One of the officers struck by the fire extinguisher had a bump and swelling on his head; the other had a headache and went to a hospital for a medical exam, prosecutors said.

U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman sentenced Sanford to four years and four months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, according to an online court record. Federal prosecutors had recommended a prison sentence of five years and 11 months.

Sanford, 57, of Boothwyn, Pennsylvania, worked as a firefighter for 26 years before retiring in 2020. A fire extinguisher is “an instrument that he was uniquely familiar with and should have known how much damage it could cause,” the prosecutor wrote.

Sanford traveled to Washington, D.C., with friends from Pennsylvania on bus trip organized by the conservative activist group Turning Point USA. He listened to speeches at Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally before joining the crowd that marched over to the Capitol and disrupted the joint session of Congress for certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s electoral victory over Trump.

Sanford was arrested on Jan. 14, 2021. He has been jailed since he pleaded guilty last September to assaulting, resisting or impeding police officers using a dangerous weapon — a felony punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison. He wasn’t accused of entering the Capitol building on Jan. 6.

Sanford began to work with a specialist in cult deprogramming in August 2022 and was confronted with “facts” about the baseless conspiracy theory that Democrats stole the 2020 presidential election from Trump, according to defense attorney Andrew Stewart.

“Even after he was incarcerated, he participated in regular discussions designed to challenge his ideology and belief structure, then help him understand how and why he developed the beliefs that led him to make the decisions that he did on January 6,” Stewart wrote in a court filing.

Sanford believed that police had attacked him and others without provocation when he picked up and threw what felt like an empty fire extinguisher, his lawyer said.

“Certainly, this is not a justification for his action nor is it intended to be,” Stewart wrote.

More than 1,000 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Jan. 6 riot. Over 600 of them have pleaded guilty or been convicted after trials decided by a jury or judge. Over 450 of them have been sentenced, with over half getting terms of imprisonment ranging from seven days to 10 years.

Good News of the Week: Really Great Economic Numbers

 This week's Good News is about the U.S. Economy!  Here's the story-

US economy adds 253,000 jobs in April, unemployment falls.

May 5, 2023 CNBC

The nonfarm payroll growth is up from a revised growth of 165,000 in March and beats economist estimates of 180,000. The unemployment rate fell to 3.4%, down from 3.5% in March and below expectations of 3.6%. The unemployment rate is tied for the lowest level since 1969. Average hourly earnings rose 0.5% month-over-month and 4.4% year-over-year—both higher than expected.

KEY POINTS

1. Nonfarm payrolls increased 253,000 for April, beating Wall Street estimates for growth of 180,000.
2. The unemployment rate was 3.4% against an estimate for 3.6% and tied for the lowest level since 1969.
3. Average hourly earnings rose 0.5% for the month and increased 4.4% from a year ago, both higher than expected.

The unemployment rate was 3.4% against an estimate for 3.6% and tied for the lowest level since 1969. A more encompassing number that includes discouraged workers and those holding part-time jobs for economic reasons edged lower to 6.6%.

Average hourly earnings, a key inflation barometer, rose 0.5% for the month, more than the 0.3% estimate and the biggest monthly gain in a year. 

On an annual basis, wages increased 4.4%, higher than the expectation for a 4.2% gain. Both numbers raise the chances that the Federal Reserve could decide to raise interest rates again in June, though markets were only pricing in a small probability following the jobs report.

Part 7: Brunswick Can Collector: Emmy Award nominated News Center Maine

There are some pretty interesting stories from the state of Maine. Recently NEWS CENTER Maine earned 18 Emmy Award nominations for the 46th Boston/New England Emmy Awards for 2022 standout stories and efforts. This is part 7: Brunswick man walks miles each day collecting cans and bottles 

Tom has a whole town of supporters who make sure his can-collecting mission stays on track all year long.

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/x1C1uqiW8_8

Part 6: Lombard's Inventor Genius!: Emmy Award nominations from News Center Maine

   There are some pretty interesting stories from the state of Maine. Recently NEWS CENTER Maine earned 18 Emmy Award nominations for the 46th Boston/New England Emmy Awards for 2022 standout stories and efforts. This is part 6: Maine inventor’s legacy rolls on while the world works  

In the process, the Waterville inventor created a new piece of equipment that would change the world of construction and the world of warfare.

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/u3p1KKgDqdo

Part 5: Maine's trophy arctic char - Emmy award Nomimated from News Center Maine

  There are some pretty interesting stories from the state of Maine. Recently NEWS CENTER Maine earned 18 Emmy Award nominations for the 46th Boston/New England Emmy Awards for 2022 standout stories and efforts. This is part 5: Maine's trophy arctic char may hold a climate change key

UMaine and University of New Hampshire researchers are looking at arctic char as a bellwether to how other cold water fish will adapt amid climate change.

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/_VILgPIle0k

Part 4: old guys with chainsaws: Emmy Award Nominmated from News Center Maine

 There are some pretty interesting stories from the state of Maine. Recently NEWS CENTER Maine earned 18 Emmy Award nominations for the 46th Boston/New England Emmy Awards for 2022 standout stories and efforts. This is part 4: They’re old guys with chainsaws. The people they’re helping couldn’t be more grateful.    

 The Woodchucks provide firewood—free—to get neighbors through cold Maine winters.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/a5NzEywCx4c

Part 3: An 80-Year Old Sawyer: Emmy Award Nomination from News Center Maine

 There are some pretty interesting stories from the state of Maine. Recently NEWS CENTER Maine earned 18 Emmy Award nominations for the 46th Boston/New England Emmy Awards for 2022 standout stories and efforts. This is part 3: Meet the 80-year-old Sawyer in Hancock still making art with his chainsaw

Ray Murphy first picked up a saw when he was 9 years old and claims he was the one who invented ‘chainsaw art’ back in 1952.

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/roxwW80k85M

Idiot of the Week: An Ex-Police Officer Insurrectionist Arrested

 It's a great day when idiots who break the law and partake in an insurrection, go to prison. This idiot from Massachusetts was arrested on March 30. He's the Idiot of the Week, now rotting in jail where he belongs. Here's the story.

(Photo: Courtesy: FBI via NBC News)

Plymouth resident, a former Boston police officer, arrested in connection with Jan. 6 riot Charges include assaulting a Capitol officer.

David R. Smith, wickedlocal.com, Mar 30, 2023

BOSTON - Plymouth resident Joseph R. Fisher, a former Boston Police officer, was arrested by the FBI Thursday, March 30, on felony and misdemeanor charges, including assaulting a law enforcement officer, in connection with the Jan 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

His arrest brings the total number of people arrested by the FBI Boston office in connected with Jan. 6 to 22, according to the agency.

The FBI took Fisher, 52, safely into custody at his home. He is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with a long list of offenses.

The FBI provided stills of who they claim is Plymouth resident Joseph Fisher inside the Capitol Building during the Jan. 6, 2021, riots.

They include the felony offenses of assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers, obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, the misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, acts of physical violence on the Capitol grounds or building and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.

He is expected to make his initial appearance later today (March 30) in Massachusetts federal court.

The search for suspects: After Jan. 6 riot, hundreds of identifiable people remain free. FBI arrests could take years

Where on in the Capitol was Joseph R. Fisher pictured

According to the FBI, Fisher entered the Capitol Building at approximately 2:24 p.m. the day of the riots via the Senate Wing Door on the North side of the Capitol.

Fisher was in the Capitol Visitor Center’s Orientation Lobby about 15 minutes later, where an altercation began between a Capitol police officer and other rioters.

As an officer pursued a rioter who had deployed pepper spray, Fisher pushed a chair into the officer, according to the FBI. Fisher then engaged in a physical altercation with the officer. Shortly afterwards, he exited the building.

Hero of the Week: 7th grader jumps into action to save bus driver and other students

This week's hero is a kid who isn't old enough to drive, but had the wherewithal to notice his bus driver passed out and he needed to stop the bus full of students before it crashed! Here's the story:

(Photo:  Dillon Reeves stops school bus crash :  IMAGE SOURCE,REEVES FAMILY)

Young Michigan Student steers school bus to safety after driver passes out

By Chloe Kim, BBC News, London April 29, 2023 

Sixty-six Michigan school students are all safe thanks to one quick-thinking 13-year-old who steered the school bus to safety after the driver lost consciousness, officials said.

Dillon Reeves of Carter Middle School in Warren leapt to the front from his seat about five rows back before taking control of the wheel.

A video shows the bus driver messaging officials that she is not feeling well. The town is hailing the schoolboy as a hero.

"We are very proud of you for your heroic actions!" Warren Councilman Jonathan Lafferty wrote in a Facebook post.

Students were returning home from Carter Middle school on Wednesday when the bus driver "became lightheaded and lost consciousness", according to the school's superintendent Robert Livernois.

Video of the incident, released on Thursday, shows the bus driver radio messaging officials that she is not feeling well and might need to pull over.

Shortly after, the driver loses grip of the steering wheel, falling limp, and students are heard screaming as the bus starts to veer from its lane.

Mr. Livernois said Dillon saw the "driver in distress" and "stepped to the front of the bus and helped bring it to a stop".

After stopping the bus. Dillon shouts out for someone to call the emergency line 911 "now".

The cause of the bus driver's illness is not yet known. She does not have a history of any other incident while driving. 

 When police called Dillon's parents, his father, Steve Reeves, first asked "what the heck did he do?" Officers said, "no, your son is a hero", according to local media. 

 A councilman for the town, about 30 minutes north of Detroit, praised Dillon for "bringing the bus to a stop and avoiding what could have been a very tragic accident". After the incident, his proud stepmother, Ireta Reeves, wrote on Facebook: "He is home and everyone is okay all thanks to Dillon!!!" "To Dillon, it's just another day," she continued to say, "He has no idea the amount of people who are so proud of him today."

Part 2: Roadside Bakery: Emmy Award Nominated Story from News Center Maine

There are some pretty interesting stories from the state of Maine. Recently NEWS CENTER Maine earned 18 Emmy Award nominations for the 46th Boston/New England Emmy Awards for 2022 standout stories and efforts. This is part 2: Roadside bakery maintains honor system amid inflation and theft

The owners work long days to keep the outdoor shelves stocked with classic Maine treats.

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/Et4sBb4hdaE

Part 1: El FARO: Emmy Award Nominated Story from News Center Maine

There are some pretty interesting stories from the state of Maine. Recently NEWS CENTER Maine earned 18 Emmy Award nominations for the 46th Boston/New England Emmy Awards for 2022 standout stories and efforts. This is part 1 : El Faro salute transforms tragedy and grief into art A sculpture in Rockland, Maine honors the 33 who lost their lives aboard El Faro.

VIDEO LINK https://youtu.be/FGfF1Q9J-Os

Did you Know? The History of the Pretzel

In celebration of National Pretzel Day (April 26), explore the history of this popular snack food, from the seventh century to today.

(Photo: Tom and Rob inside the Sturgis Pretzel Factory in Lititz, PA in 2011) 

The Pretzel: A Twisted History

BY: SARAH PRUITT. History.com MARCH 28, 2023

The Catholic Church played a leading role in the early history of the pretzel. In the seventh century, the church dictated stricter rules governing fasting and abstinence during Lent than it does today. Pretzels, made of a simple mixture of water, flour and salt, were an ideal food to consume during Lent, when all types of meat, dairy and eggs were prohibited.

The first pretzels were baked as a soft, squishy bread, like the soft pretzels of today. Some say they were originally called “bracellae,” the Latin term for “little arms,” from which Germans later derived the word “bretzel.” According to others, the earliest pretzels were dubbed “pretiolas,” meaning “little rewards,” and handed out by the monks when their young pupils recited their prayers correctly. Whatever they may have been called, the popularity of these twisty treats spread across Europe during the Middle Ages. Seen as a symbol of good luck, prosperity and spiritual fulfillment, pretzels were also commonly distributed to the poor, as a way of providing them with both spiritual and literal sustenance.

Pretzels—or those who made them—took a particularly dramatic turn in the spotlight in 1510, when Ottoman Turks attempted to invade Vienna, Austria, by digging tunnels underneath the city’s walls. Monks baking pretzels in the basement of a monastery heard the enemy’s progress and alerted the rest of the city, then helped defeat the Turkish attack. As a reward, the Austrian emperor gave the pretzel bakers their own coat of arms.

By the 17th century, the interlocking loops of the pretzel had come to symbolize undying love as well. Pretzel legend has it that in 1614 in Switzerland, royal couples used a pretzel in their wedding ceremonies (similar to how a wishbone might be used today) to seal the bond of matrimony, and that this custom may have been the origin of the phrase “tying the knot.” In Germany—the country and people most associated with the pretzel throughout history—17th-century children wore pretzel necklaces on New Year’s to symbolize good luck and prosperity for the coming year.

When did pretzels make their way to America? One rumor has it that the doughy knots came over on the Mayflower, and were used by the Pilgrims for trade with the Native Americans they met in the New World. German immigrants certainly brought pretzels with them when they began settling in Pennsylvania around 1710. 

(Photo: Tom outside of the Sturgis Pretzel Factory in Lititz, PA. Credit: R.G.)

In 1861, Julius Sturgis founded one of the first commercial pretzel bakeries in the town of Lititz in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Sturgis also claimed credit for developing the first hard pretzels—or at least, for being the first to intentionally bake hard pretzels (rather than leave the soft ones in the oven too long by accident). The crispy snacks lasted longer in an airtight container, allowing them to be sold further away from the bakery itself and to stay on shelves longer. Eventually, hard pretzels would come to be arguably even more popular than their soft counterparts.

Until the 1930s, pretzels were still manufactured by hand. But in 1935, the Reading Pretzel Machinery Company introduced the first automated pretzel maker, which enabled bakers to put out some 245 pretzels per minute, compared with the 40 per minute an individual worker could make by hand. Today, Pennsylvania remains the American pretzel-making capital, as a full 80 percent of U.S.-made pretzels come from the Keystone State.

DISCOVERY: Newly discovered jellyfish is a 24-eyed weirdo

There's a new species of "box" Jellyfish that was discovered recently near Hong Kong. Here's the story of this bizarre creature.

(Photo: Like other box jellyfish, the newfound species has 24 eyes arranged in clusters of six around its cubic body. (Image credit: Hong Kong Baptist University (screenshot from hongkongbaptistu on YouTube))

Newly discovered jellyfish is a 24-eyed weirdo related to the world's most venomous marine creature News

By Sascha Pare LIVESCIENCE,April 25, 2023

Researchers named the newfound species Tripedalia maipoensis, after Mai Po Nature Reserve in Hong Kong, where they discovered the transparent critter.

A juvenile box jellyfish of the newfound species has a transparent and colorless body, as well as 12 tentacles ending in small, paddle-like structures.

Like other box jellyfish, the newfound species has 24 eyes arranged in clusters of six around its cubic body.  Scientists in Hong Kong have discovered tiny, cube-shaped box jellyfish in a brackish shrimp pond that are completely unknown to science.

The diminutive jellies have a completely transparent and colorless body, or bell, as well as 12 tentacles ending in small, paddle-like structures that enable the critters to speed through water faster than most other jellyfish species.

Like other box jellies — a group of Cnidarians that includes the Australian box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri), the world’s most venomous marine animal, according to the National Ocean Service — the newly described jellies have 24 eyes arranged in clusters of six around its cubic bell.

"This box jellyfish connects the base of its tentacles and its bell with a flat base that looks like a boat paddle, making it distinct from other common jellyfish," Qiu Jianwen(opens in new tab), a professor in the Department of Biology at Hong Kong Baptist University who led the research, said in a video. "Another feature of the box jellyfish is that it has six eyes located on each side of its body."

Researchers named the newfound species Tripedalia maipoensis after Mai Po Nature Reserve  in Hong Kong, where they found it. They describe its features and relationship to other box jellies in a study published March 20 in the journal Zoological Studies.

T. maipoensis is the first-ever box jelly to be found in Chinese waters. It is unclear whether the half-inch-long (1.5 centimeters) animal can sting humans, but it may be venomous enough to stun tiny shrimp called Artemia. "It seemed to paralyze Artemia offered in the lab," Qiu told Live Science in an email. "But we did not touch the animal to feel the sting."

Just Another Day in Florida Politics: Gutting History, Wages, Education (All on April 26, 2023)

Back on April 20th, I posted about 1 day in Florida politics (April 4th) where the Republican controlled legislature passed a 6 week abortion limit, limited abortion drugs, working on a drag show ban, and signed a law to enable permit-less gun carry. Now, on April 26th, Florida politicians continue to destroy the state. This time, it's about Gutting History, Wages, Education. In just ONE DAY on April 26th, here's the news from the Miami Herald. Just look at all the stupid happening:

1)  GUTTING HISTORIC PRESERVATION

AS FLORIDA LEGISLATURE LOOKS TO GUT HISTORIC PRESERVATION, OCEAN DRIVE DEMOLITION POSSIBLE -  Controversial bills would expose up to 2,600 Miami Beach historic buildings to demolition with no appeal. 

2) CUTTING WORKER WAGES

THOUSANDS OF WORKERS COULD SEE CUT IN PAY UNDER FLORIDA HOUSE PLAN FOR UNIFORM WAGES -  The proposal would prohibit local “living wage” ordinances like the one passed by Miami-Dade County that has benefited about 28,000 workers.

3) CUTTING HIGHER EDUCATION

UM ‘CAN’T WAIT UNTIL WE’RE THE TARGETS’: FACULTY SPEAK OUT AGAINST FLORIDA HIGHER ED BILLS - “It would be a mistake to think this legislation doesn’t affect us at a private university, because these bills undermine intellectual freedom in the entire state ... “ Marina Magloire, an assistant professor of English at the UM

4)  IDIOTS

MIAMI COMMISSIONER CAROLLO A NO-SHOW AT HIS OWN TRIAL, DESPITE BEING ON WITNESS LIST -Tuesday in Miami federal courtroom 13-4 was remarkable for who wasn’t there: Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo, being sued for millions over allegations that he used his office to try to destroy the businesses of two local property owners, was a no-show.

Idiot of the Week: Man arrested after fentanyl falls out of folded $10 bill at drive-thru

 This week's idiot folded an illegal drug in a $10 bill, and was of course, arrested. Who puts drugs folded in money? Who keeps rolled up money in their wallet (or maybe he doesn't use one)?  Who is dumb enough to show it to anyone? Who doesn't know how to correctly spell "Eric"?   Answer: This week's idiot!  Here's the story.

(Photo:  Erric Stack was charged with aggravated assault, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon/substance, and possession of a schedule W drug. (Oxford County Jail)) 

Maine man arrested after fentanyl falls out of folded $10 bill at drive-thru

by Ariana St Pierre, WGME March 23rd 2023

OXFORD (WGME) -- Police say they arrested a Maine man after fentanyl fell out of a folded $10 bill that he handed a worker at a restaurant drive-thru in Oxford on Wednesday.

The Oxford Police Department says they got a call about a customer nodding off in the drive-thru of a restaurant. The man, later identified as 42-year-old Erric Stack, eventually pulled up to the drive-thru window and paid for his order with a rolled up $10 bill.

Police say the caller reported that when the employee was handed the bill and unfolded it, white powder fell out onto the counter and onto her hands.

According to police, the powder was tested and identified as fentanyl.

Stack was reportedly given his order and left. Shortly after, the employee who was handed the money began feeling ill.

“This was especially concerning since she was pregnant,” Oxford Police Chief Rickie Jack said. The employee was evaluated by medical personnel and was found to have no lasting health concerns, according to police.

Police say they found Stack and arrested him. He was charged with aggravated assault, reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon/substance, and possession of a schedule W drug.

Stack is being held at the Oxford County Jail on $1,000 bail.

Hero of the Week: Connecticut nursing student helps save man’s life at JFK airport

This week's hero is a nursing student who was at the right place at the right time to save a man's life... in the airport! Here's the story:

 

(Photo: Natalie Davies was waiting for her flight to New Orleans for spring break when she was called to put her CPR skills to good use. (Photo courtesy Sacred Heart University)

Connecticut nursing student helps save man’s life at JFK airport 

by: Olivia Perreault , Fox 59, CT, Updated: Apr 25, 2023 / 11:15 AM EDT

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (WTNH) — A nursing student from Sacred Heart University in Connecticut submitted a paper on the importance of training the public in CPR before leaving for spring break. Just 12 hours later, she was administering CPR at an airport to help save a man’s life.

Senior nursing major Natalie Davies was waiting for her flight at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, where she was set to head to New Orleans to begin her spring break trip, when she heard someone scream.

SHU school officials said Davies saw a man lying on the ground, and her instincts took over. Along with another passenger, whom she later learned was a cardiologist, Davies began to respond to the unconscious man.

“With my clinical experience, plus my work in the emergency room at Yale New Haven Hospital, I just reacted,” Davies said.

Davies and the cardiologist couldn’t find a pulse, so she began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) compressions. Someone nearby brought the pair an automated external defibrillator (AED), and the cardiologist administered the shock, but a pulse was still not found.

After three more rounds of CPR compressions and AED administration, the man’s pulse returned.

SHU officials said when emergency medical services arrived, the man was awake and talking. Davies expressed her gratitude that the AED was so easily accessible.

“It was the first time I felt like a real nurse,” Davies continued. “I didn’t think; I just knew what to do and concentrated on the patient. I wasn’t even aware people were watching until after EMS arrived.”

Heather Ferrillo, the undergraduate nursing program chair for the Dr. Susan L. Davis, R.N., & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing (DHCON), applauded Davies’ quick turn to action.

Brand New Podcast talks w/Rob about ghosts! Were You Still Talking?

I had the pleasure of joining Joel, the hose of the podcast "Were You Still Talking?   Rob  talks ghosts, hauntings, past-life experiences, pets and more!  It's a fun hour and you can listen on a bunch of platforms (see below).

• PODCAST- APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1460064725
• GOOGLE PODCAST  https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93ZXJleW91c3RpbGx0YWxraW5nLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz
• IHEART PODCAST   https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-were-you-still-talking-93105113/?sc=plink
• POCKETCAST: https://pca.st/32Vi
• CASTRO PODCAST: https://castro.fm/podcast/4e291c72-f7cd-4016-94ef-e4ff2aaffe2a
• RADIO PUBLIC PODCAST: https://radiopublic.com/https%3A%2F%2Fwereyoustilltalking.libsyn.com%2Frss 

Another 5 Star Mystery! "Final Exam" by Carol J. Perry (book 8 - Witch City Mysteries)

 I recently finished reading and thoroughly enjoying the 8th book in the "Witch City Mystery" series by Carol J. Perry called "Final Exam."  She's created such wonderful characters- with a tinge of supernatural in them. They all take place in Salem, Massachusetts (home of the infamous, horrible witch trials of the 1600s). I LOVE the characters: Maralee, the main character who is a reporter with WICH-TV can see visions in mirrors, that help solve mysteries that her cop boyfriend, Pete is working on. Maralee's lovable librarian aunt, Ibby lives in the same house and their cat, O'Ryan, former cat to a witch found murdered in book 1, adds a paw to the mysteries.   "Final Exam" kept me guessing throughout the book, the author brings the characters to life, so much that you can see them in your mind as you read. I couldn't wait find out "who did it!" - 5 of 5 stars.

ABOUT THE BOOK: A cold case update in Salem, Massachusetts . . .

Life at the house on Winter Street is abuzz with preparations for Aunt Ibby's 45th high school reunion, and Lee Barrett is happy to pitch in, tracking down addresses and licking envelopes. But as a field reporter for Salem's WICH-TV, her priority is to be on top of the town's latest news before for anyone else.

When the local police dredge up a vintage sports car containing human remains, Lee is thrilled to be the first reporter on the scene. Once she learns the car is connected to the cold case her boyfriend Pete happens to be investigating, her powers of investigation are quickly alerted. But it's her Aunt Libby's emotional reaction to Lee's TV report that puts her on the case. With the help of O'Ryan, her psychic feline sidekick, she'll have to unravel a tangled past of secrets and promises to stop a killer from making history again . . . 

Keeping Coffee Fresh for the Best Cup!

 As an avid Dunkin' Donuts coffee drinker for several decades, I can tell when coffee has been sitting on the burner too long (At Dunkin' they make a fresh pot every 18 minutes, so I heard). But keeping the Coffee Beans fresh is another thing. Here's an article on freshness that explains about natural oils, how they vary in darker roasts, whole beans vs. ground and keeping it fresh. All  courtesy of the HuffPost.

Are Your Coffee Beans Stale? Here's An Easy Way To Tell  

Huff Post, April 21, 2023 

How to Determine if your Coffee Beans are Stale 

 There’s a simple way to find out if your whole beans are really fresh. 

Put a half-cup of beans into a zip-close bag, squeeze out the air, seal the bag and leave it overnight. Fresh beans will release carbon dioxide and make the bag puff up. Stale beans will leave the bag flat.

Oil plays a role in coffee’s freshness

A bean’s journey from unroasted to stale has some steps along the way.  As the beans age, there’s a loss of aromatic compounds. And once they’ve escaped, you won’t be able enjoy them in your cup. Then there are negative flavors created by oxidation from oil in the coffee bean, which will turn rancid over time. 

The darkness of the roast plays a big part in how much of that oil will be forced to the surface of the bean.

You’ll see that darker roasts generally have an oily sheen to them.  This oil tends to oxidize much faster, and the roasting process actually makes the whole bean more porous and less dense, so all the staling chemistry happens faster with darker roasts. 

Whole beans, not ground, stay fresh longer 

In addition to the roast, experts highlighted another factor that’s important for how coffee ages.

“Once coffee is ground, staling happens very rapidly,” Hoffmann said. “Most people can spot the difference between freshly ground coffee and coffee that was ground even just a day or two before.”  Cheon pointed out that quicker staling with ground coffee isn’t always a bad thing.

“If you’re going camping and don’t have access to a grinder, or if your coffee is particularly fresh, you can artificially accelerate the resting process by pre-grinding your coffee 30 minutes before brewing, instead of waiting a week for that coffee to rest,” he said.

For those wanting the freshest coffee possible, Hoffmann had a tip: “A good coffee grinder for your mornings is the best investment you can make.”

Here’s how to store coffee to preserve freshness.

Official word on proper storage comes from Mark Corey, the head of science and policy for the National Coffee Association, an industry group.

“We generally recommend storing coffee beans in a cool, dark location, ideally in an opaque, airtight container,” he said.

Vonie, the independent consultant, suggested keeping coffee in the same packaging it came in. “If you want to transfer it to a different container, make sure it blocks light and has an airtight seal,” she said.