Free Chat Friday
Free Chat Friday, Week 24
Hey News Viewers, fellow insomniacs and early risers. . . . Welcome to Friday’s Free Chat and OH how I wish there were something to talk about! IF ONLY…. (Two of the most miserable words MORE
Articles by Rachel Kennedy
Updates
RFK Jr announces new panel of vaccine advisers after firing entire previous team
“All of these individuals are committed to evidence-based medicine, gold-standard science, and common sense,” Kennedy said in a post on X. The panel is part of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). MORE
Russia/Ukraine Conflict
Ukraine – Russia Prisoner Exchange starts despite stalled peace process
Our people are home,” Zelensky wrote. “Ukrainians are returning home from Russian captivity. The exchange began today and will continue in several stages over the next few days.” The exchange, which had been agreed upon MORE
Live Discussions
Live: Pete Hegseth testifies before Congress today about Marines deployed in LA, about Signal leaks, about spending
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is scheduled to testify Tuesday before a House Oversight subcommittee, where lawmakers are expected to question his first five months in office. Pete Hegseth will testify before Congress today. It will be lawmakers’ MORE
Mass Deportation
Erik Prince wants to help Trump build his civilian army. Trump is not opposed to the idea.
Over the past few months, Erik Prince, former head of the private military company Blackwater, has pitched multiple proposals to the White House to help with mass deportations. From The Hill: “Over the past few MORE
crime
Still at large: The manhunt for Travis Decker, father accused of killing his 3 daughters, continues
“As the manhunt continues, the sheriff’s office has advised residents in neighboring counties to lock their doors, including on outbuildings and sheds, and leave their outdoor lights on and their blinds open.” CNN The manhunt continues for MORE
Free Chat Friday
Free Chat Friday, Week 23
Happy Friday News Viewers on this anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 1944. This is our Friday Free Chat, an open forum where we can talk about our own D-Day, actually our own D Year — MORE
Climate Change
Harbingers of Disaster: Two Rare“Doomsday” Oarfish wash up on separate beaches
King of herrings’ is one of ocean’s longest fish and can grow to eight metres long, living at depths up to 500m in the open sea From The Guardian: Oarfish, one of the ocean’s longest MORE
Health
Salmonella outbreak expands to 18 states as cucumbers and tomatoes and many prepared foods are recalled
So much for MAHA and the gutting of the FDA, CDC and the study of Food Science. According to the CDC: “CDC and public health officials in several states are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella infections MORE
Environment
Mt. Etna erupts sending tourists fleeing, no injuries reported
Footage shared on social media shows huge clouds of black smoke after the eruption Mount Etna erupted on Monday, sending a cloud of smoke and ash several kilometers (yards miles) into the air, but officials MORE
Russia/Ukraine Conflict
Two Russian Bridges collapse ahead of another set of alleged peace talks with Ukraine
Russia says blasts led to deadly train crashes in regions bordering Ukraine. Investigators say ‘explosions’ caused two bridges to collapse, triggering derailments and at least seven deaths. The Guardian According to NBC two bridges collapsed MORE
The Worst People in the World
Diddy’s Defenders. What is it they’re defending?
The writer asks, “Was #MeToo a movement or a moment?” From The Atlantic: Diddy—whose legal name is Sean Combs—has pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Many Americans have taken to MORE
News
Free Chat Friday, Week 22
Welcome to free chat; you’ve been here before, so you know what to do. Let’s talk….
Trump Misadministration
Marco Rubio testifies under oath that no one has died due to U.S. aid cuts
In testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on May 21, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared: “No one has died because of USAID [cuts]” — the cutoff of billions of dollars of U.S. support MORE
Space
SpaceX’s Starship, the core of Musk’s Mars program, spins out of control
The Starship separated successfully from the booster which was meant to be reusable. However the booster exploded after separation; The Starship later began spiraling. Reuters Summary: Context is all. CBS reporting includes the booster issues. MORE
F*** Trump
Trump visits Arlington National Cemetery after lashing out at political opponents in Memorial Day post
“In the United States, Memorial Day honors those who died while serving in the armed forces; due to the holiday’s grave significance, it’s largely considered taboo to wish someone a “Happy Memorial Day. Trump Post first thing MORE
Opinion
Memorial Day 2025
We Remember. Memorial Day 2025 is not like any other Memorial Day. In the past, we’ve remembered those who’ve died while serving in the military. We have used words, emotional and lofty, like freedom, like MORE
Coronavirus
A new COVID Variant is now in US after spreading in China
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention‘s airport screening program has detected multiple cases of the new COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1, which has been linked to a large surge of the virus in China. CBS News is reporting that MORE
Free Chat Friday
Free Chat Friday, Week 21
Hi News Viewers and happy Friday; this is Friday Free Chat……self explanatory, yeah. . . .I’m late because the universe is fighting me every step of the way. . . .the moon must be backwards MORE
News
Two dead after private plane crashes in San Diego neighborhood
Two dead after private plane crashed into homes in San Diego, authorities say The Cessna 550 was flying in an area of dense fog with an unknown number of people on board. NOTE: This case MORE
News
Judge blocks Trump EO calling for Department of Education Closure and employee layoffs
In a blow to Trump’s imperialist decree and Education Secretary’s Linda McMahon’s quick action to carry it out, a district judge has blocked the call to close the Department of Education and fire half its MORE
DOGE
Where’s FEMA? The NWS? St. Louis Mayor Begs for Federal Help after lethal tornado rips through North St. Louis
“This is where FEMA and the federal government have got to step in; Our city cannot shoulder this alone, the state of Missouri cannot shoulder this alone; this is what the Federal Government is for. MORE
Russia/Ukraine Conflict
Putin, aided by Trump, delays the peace process again by pretending to advance it.
The last 10 days have been a vivid reminder of how little Putin really needs POTUS or his approval. After more than three years of stalled diplomacy, the past few days have brought a flurry MORE
Congress
Update: House votes on Big Beautiful Bill again in tense Sunday night vote
Speaker Mike Johnson met with Republican lawmakers shortly before a weekend meeting and told reporters that some changes had been agreed to, but he did not offer specifics. He described them as “just some minor MORE
Science
NASA’s Apollo 13 Engineer Ed Smylie, who helped save the crew with duct tape, dies at 95
From the Seattle Times, “Robert “Ed” Smylie, the NASA official who led a team of engineers that cobbled together an apparatus made of cardboard, plastic bags and duct tape that saved the Apollo 13 crew MORE