Trending News
Tumbler Ridge draft community recovery plan presented, 6 months after tragedy
According to a presentation before district officials, the plan was made in consultation with the community over the past six months and will serve as a framework for short, medium and long-term recovery after the mass shooting on Feb. 10.
Lawyers seek to block Texas man's execution, citing failed execution of Christa Pike
Lawyers for a Texas man who fatally shot a convenience store clerk are asking a judge to stay his execution by lethal injection set for Wednesday, citing the failed execution of Christa Pike in Tennessee last week.This would be the first execution scheduled in the U.S. since Pike.Because the same drug used in her attempted execution — pentobarbital — would be used in Texas for Jamaal Howard, his attorneys argued that the drug poses the same risks, and said they believe the state’s supply had become degraded.Pike’s lawyers are seeking more information about what went wrong after the 50-year-old survived two doses of pentobarbital. She was hospitalized and, as of Tuesday, was awake and speaking.Her attorneys have alleged her execution was marred by blown veins, where a needle goes all the way through a vein and causes a leak of blood and fluid, as well as Tennessee’s deteriorated pentobarbital and a lack of emergency medical care."There is a similar risk," Howard's attorneys wrote, "that Texas's execution drugs are likewise degraded, as they are far past the original beyond-use dates that the pharmacopeia allows for drugs of this kind."Texas has executed six people so far this year, with two more scheduled after Howard, which would be the 30th execution nationwide in 2026. Death Penalty 21 hours ago Christa Pike is conscious and speaking after failed execution, her attorneys say Death Penalty Oct 1 The drug used in Tennessee's failed execution has come under past scrutiny A killing caught on surveillance videoHoward, 46, was found guilty of capital murder in the 2000 killing of Vickie Swartout, 42, who was shot once in the chest during a robbery. Evidence presented at the trial included the store's surveillance video, which showed Howard shooting Swartout.Howard, who was 20 at the time, took $114 and a carton of cigarettes from the store in the small, rural town of Silsbee, located about 100 miles northeast of Houston, according to court records.His attorneys have argued that Howard is intellectually disabled and his execution should be halted. The state said that he has not presented evidence that would show he meets the requirements for a claim of intellectual disability.He has an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court pending to stop the execution.The Supreme Court in 2002 had barred the execution of intellectually disabled people. But it has given states some discretion in how they determine such disabilities.Motion to stay because of drugsThe motion filed in the Court of Criminal Appeals in Texas early Wednesday said Howard’s attorneys had filed requests for information about the lethal dose of pentobarbital the Texas Department of Criminal Justice planned to use. They say the department asked for a state attorney general opinion about whether they would have to disclose that information, despite a "years-long practice of disclosing information."The Texas attorney general opinion is not expected to be returned until after Wednesday, meaning Howard can’t litigate whatever decision the state might make on releasing that information, they say. Texas officials did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday morning. Executions in the U.S. this yearFlorida has carried out 16 executions so far this year, the most of any state. Most states that allow executions use lethal injection as their primary method.Tennessee’s Republican Gov. Bill Lee has halted the one remaining execution for the rest of the year.
Tropical Storm Isaias forms; forecast to become hurricane, hit U.S. Gulf Coast soon
Tropical Storm Isaias formed early Wednesday in the warm waters off eastern Mexico, and forecasters said it was expected to strengthen into the first hurricane of the Atlantic season before hitting the U.S. Gulf Coast later in the week.Isaias was centered about 285 miles (460 kilometers) west of Progreso, Mexico, and about 580 miles (935 kilometers) southwest of the Mississippi River's mouth, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center. It had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) and was moving east-northeast at 8 mph (13 kph).It was not immediately known where the storm might make landfall on the Gulf Coast. The hurricane center's initial projections said the center of Isaias could come onshore late Friday or early Saturday somewhere between eastern Louisiana and the western Florida Panhandle. People in those areas were urged to prepare for the storm."There is an increasing risk of dangerous wind and storm surge impacts along portions of the northern Gulf Coast," the hurricane center said. "Residents from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle should closely monitor the latest forecast updates and ensure they have their hurricane plan in place."Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 25 counties in the Panhandle and Big Bend regions. The declaration activates the state's emergency management plan to prepare for hurricanes and other potential natural disasters, allowing actions including the deployment of personnel and equipment to respond.Isaias, pronounced ees-ah-EE-ahs according to the hurricane center, is expected to bring areas of heavy rain to portions of the Gulf Coast and much of the U.S. Southeast on Friday and into the weekend, forecasters said.The storm comes as the Atlantic hurricane season has been unusually quiet this year due to a strong El Niño, which disrupts storm formation over that ocean. Storm activity in the Pacific has been above average.This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.
Opal Lee celebrates 100th birthday as Fort Worth clears way for National Juneteenth Museum
Fort Worth activist and civil rights leader Dr. Opal Lee celebrates her 100th birthday on Wednesday. To mark the occasion, one of the projects most closely tied to her legacy is taking a major step forward.Leaders, supporters and community members are gathering Wednesday morning for the National Juneteenth Museum’s “Clearing the Way” ceremony, marking the beginning of demolition of the Southside Community Center on Rosedale Street and the start of construction on the long-awaited museum in Fort Worth’s Historic Southside.The milestone comes on Lee’s actual 100th birthday, giving special significance to a project supporters describe as a living tribute to the woman known nationwide as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth.”“For Dr. Opal Lee, this isn’t just a birthday celebration. It’s the realization of a vision she has worked toward for years,” the museum said in a statement. “This long-awaited milestone is more than a gift to Dr. Opal Lee; it is a powerful reflection of her perseverance, resilience, and steadfast commitment to the recognition of Juneteenth as a federal holiday.”Lee became one of the nation’s most recognizable advocates for Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston to announce and enforce the freedom of enslaved people in Texas.Her years of activism, including her longtime Walk for Freedom campaign and a national petition effort, helped build momentum for federal recognition of Juneteenth. In June 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, officially making Juneteenth a federal holiday.Despite becoming a national figure, Lee has often downplayed her accomplishments in the humblest of ways.When asked in an interview with NBC 5 two years ago what she would say to the many people celebrating her 100th birthday, Lee responded with characteristic humility.“Well, bless their hearts. I hope they make it to this hundred, too, because I just think it’s important that people live in such a way that they make it to a hundred,” Lee said. “I don’t know that I’ve done anything different than anybody else, but … there have been some rough spots.”Even after helping secure federal recognition for Juneteenth, Lee said she believes there is still more work ahead.“I hadn’t even thought about that, yeah, but there’s so much else that needs to be done, so much, if people will just catch a hold of it and see that and share with everybody, you know?” Lee said. “The federal holiday, I’m going to enjoy it as much as anybody. I can think of a lot of other things that we need to be doing, and maybe somebody will catch it and do something with it.”The National Juneteenth Museum aims to expand that work through education, historical preservation and community development.According to project leaders, the museum is strategically designed to honor the history of Juneteenth while creating new opportunities in one of Fort Worth’s historically underserved neighborhoods.The museum is planned for the intersection of East Rosedale Street and New York Avenue in the Historic Southside, roughly two miles south of downtown Fort Worth.The area was once considered a thriving center of Black business and culture, sometimes referred to as the “Black Wall Street of the South.” It was also home to Texas’ first Black millionaire, William Madison McDonald, known as “Gooseneck Bill.”Supporters hope the museum will serve as both a cultural destination and an economic catalyst for the neighborhood, which declined after the construction of Interstate 35W divided the community in the 1960s.The City of Fort Worth has pledged up to $15 million toward construction of the 50,000-square-foot facility. City leaders estimate it could attract approximately 35,000 visitors annually.Museum organizers say the facility will focus not only on the history of Juneteenth but also on issues including education, workforce development, entrepreneurship and professional advancement.Lee has previously said she hopes the museum becomes a place where people of all backgrounds can come together to learn.“Listen, “Children need all that we can give them. They’re the most important people in the world, and they need to be raised up to a point where they know right from wrong,” Lee told NBC 5. “I think every adult should be responsible for children. Not just yours, the neighbor’s children and all.”The celebrations honoring Lee’s centennial continue Wednesday evening at the Fort Worth Convention Center, where former First Lady Michelle Obama is scheduled to participate in a special conversation as part of the National Juneteenth Museum’s Uniting Voices Speaker Series.
Can $1 billion buy victory in the midterm elections? Some Republicans fear the answer is no
Republicans are entering the final month of the midterm campaign increasingly anxious that the $1 billion at their disposal may not be enough to fend off sweeping losses as the party reckons with President Donald Trump‘s unpopularity, persistent cost concerns and the fallout from the war in Iran.The cash advantage, spread out across a half-dozen groups, is driven largely by the Trump-aligned MAGA Inc., which had nearly $416 million in cash on hand at the end of August and began stepping up its spending on critical races in September.But that money may have come too late, forcing the president’s group to pay much higher rates because of the shrinking availability of air time. Four Republican Senate campaign officials said groups that reserved advertising time last spring paid much lower rates than MAGA Inc. and its affiliated groups. Instead, by waiting until September, Trump-connected organizations are sometimes paying more than five times what they would have spent if they acted earlier. A representative of MAGA Inc. familiar with the group’s strategy said its spending has allowed Republicans to keep races more competitive than they would have been otherwise. In some cases, the group has been the only one on the air criticizing Democratic candidates.The MAGA Inc. representative and the Republican Senate campaign officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal strategy.The challenge is acute in places like Texas, where Trump will travel on Wednesday for the second time in a week to stump for Republican Ken Paxton’s Senate campaign. The state hasn’t elected a Democratic senator since 1988, yet MAGA Inc. has spent more than $22 million in the past month, according to the ad tracking firm AdImpact.Another group, Texas PAC, which is aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, has spent more than $83 million on advertising in the past month, an extraordinary amount to protect what’s normally a safe Republican seat.One of those advertisements, which featured Paxton’s estranged wife saying she’s supporting the full Republican ticket, aired across the United States last weekend during a football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans.Candidates are charged a lower advertising rate than outside groups, so the late infusion of super PAC cash has come at a steep price. MAGA Inc., which is running ads primarily on streaming services, has been charged roughly $894 per airing, according to AdImpact, while Texas PAC has been charged roughly $809 for a mix of broadcast and streaming. That compares with about $290 for Talarico’s campaign, also on broadcast and streaming. Those averages mask some of the more glaring disparities. For example, during a football game last month, Texas PAC was charged $450,000 to air a single spot in the Austin market. Talarico’s campaign paid $50,000 for a spot during the same game in the same market, according to AdImpact.Elections are a referendum on the power of moneyThe 2026 campaign is shaping up as a referendum on the power of money in American politics. Democrats freely acknowledge their disadvantage, relying instead on anti-Trump sentiment among voters and targeted messaging on issues like corruption. Some Republicans, meanwhile, are open about the challenge of trying to spend their way out of a tough campaign at this late stage.Neil Newhouse, a longtime Republican pollster, echoed concerns that his party was deploying its cash too late. "After the votes are counted, I think we’re going to find the most effective advertising in terms of communicating message and moving voters and poll numbers, the most effective time was advertising that happened well before Labor Day, not after it," he said. "A million dollars of advertising in October is a drop in the bucket.”Thune’s group began pulling back in North Carolina last week, a sign of the party’s challenge in the Senate race there. The state’s outgoing Sen. Thom Tillis has been increasingly vocal about his party’s vulnerabilities and recently said that, even with a strong cash advantage, "in the last month, you pretty much have to place your bets.""If we have endless resources, then we should spend endlessly in every state," he said. "Absent endless resources, you’ve got to make data-driven decisions about where you can win." The midterms mark the first national election since the Supreme Court in June erased limits on how much political parties can spend in coordination with candidates for Congress and president, injecting even more money into a political system already awash in cash.Money alone doesn’t translate into victoryThere’s plenty of evidence that money alone doesn’t translate into victory.Democrat Kamala Harris entered the final stretch of the 2024 campaign with significantly more money than Trump but went on to lose every critical swing state and the White House. Elon Musk’s $25 million didn’t lift his preferred candidate to a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat last year. And Tom Steyer didn’t advance to the general election in the California governor’s race despite pumping $216 million of his own money into the campaign.The $1 billion that Republicans have amassed compares to at least roughly $579 million held by a comparable collection of major Democratic groups.Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said his party is facing an "obscene" amount of spending that could swamp them in the midterms."We’re never going to have as much money as them," he said in an interview. "I sum up the election in this sentence: Can a massive Republican advantage in money beat a massive Democratic advantage in better candidates and political climate? I bet it can."In addition to Texas, Democrats have mounted competitive Senate campaigns in states like Ohio, Maine, Iowa and Michigan. A similar dynamic has emerged in governors’ races from Florida and Georgia to Wisconsin, Ohio and Nevada. Former President Barack Obama is stepping up his involvement in the midterms and will headline a fundraiser for Senate candidates on Wednesday. In the House, Democrats are growing so confident they can retake the majority that they’re expanding their targets deeper into traditionally Republican districts in Arkansas and Tennessee. But a lack of money could limit their gains. "We absolutely need to spend enough to get our message out," said Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington, who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "And district by district, we are."Trump turns to his bond with supporters From his earliest days as an unlikely political figure, Trump has consistently overcome expectations. Facing daunting prospects heading into the final weeks of his last midterm, he’s betting he can again outwit political gravity, relying in large part on the deep bond he’s built with supporters.He has stepped up his campaign rallies in recent weeks, traveling to deep red territory to galvanize the party faithful. At events like the one this past weekend in Vandalia, Ohio, the crowd was enthusiastic and cheered at the lines that have become Trump staples over the years, particularly when he dips into profanity. The high school gymnasium that held the event was packed, though crowds began emptying out about halfway through the 90-minute rally. In the closing minutes of a speech Monday in Grand Island, Nebraska, the president revived his plea that supporters who have stood so fervently by him pretend as if he is on the ballot one more time."In a true way, I am running," he said. "We have to keep it going."___Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa. Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim in Vandalia, Ohio, and Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington contributed to this report.
Lionel Messi's Argentina career turned football into a sacred mystery | Marcela Mora y Araujo
Jorge Messi wanted his country to fall in love with his son. That ambition was fulfilled during a brilliant international career that ended this week"What Argentina is doing in this World Cup is of a sacred order," Brazilian writer Milly Lacombe posted at the height of the tide of anti-Argentinian sentiment during this year's tournament. She was exploring the contradiction she felt around her support of Lionel Messi: "a player who is a God and a man who shakes Trump's hand".Lacombe highlighted the importance of acknowledging the complexities around Messi and the Argentinian team. How is it possible that Messi was not speaking out against the racist incidents we all saw around the Argentina team, she asked. "That's why it hurts so much to see someone with Messi's power choosing to make himself small," she wrote. Continue reading...
USMNT closes international window with 1-0 win over Canada – as it happened
Justin Ellis scored in the first half to cap a perfect elongated international window for Mauricio Pochettino's side. Jeff is at the game.Meanwhile, Pablo Maurer is following the Messi farewell:Goalkeeper feels like a re-opened competition after shaky halves from World Cup incumbents Matt Freese and Chris Brady, while Diego Kochen shone bright in his first start against Mexico. Brian Schwake will try to make his case from the opening whistle, looking to carry his fine form with Nashville into his second appearance.I was hoping to see Auston Trusty partner with Chris Richards, as he seems like the best partner in a post-Tim Ream US side, but he looks set to deploy at left-back. That said, Alex Freeman will likely advance further up the right, and Trusty could deputize as a wide center-back in build-up phases.Mathis Albert may not yet be a regular with Dortmund's B-team, much less the senior side, but his dynamism throughout this camp earned him a surprise start over the more polished and proven Zavier Gozo. A fascinating chance to get a long look at another star of the program's future. Continue reading...
Christa Pike is conscious and speaking after botched execution attempt, lawyers say
Lawyers seek preservation of evidence after prisoner received two doses of pentobarbital on 30 SeptemberChrista Pike, a Tennessee prisoner who survived the state's attempt to execute her, is awake and speaking as she receives treatment at a hospital, her attorneys said, as they head to court on Wednesday seeking a court order requiring preservation of all evidence relating to the botched exercise by the state.Pike, 50, survived two doses of pentobarbital, a sedative, as Tennessee officials attempted to put her to death last Wednesday in a case that shocked many in America and created headlines around the world. She was set to be the first woman executed in Tennessee in more than 200 years. Continue reading...
'Not exactly his favorite senator': Susan Collins distances herself from Trump in Maine debate
Republican challenged by Democrat Troy Jackson in critical Senate race says she opposes Iran war and Canada tariffsSusan Collins, the Republican senator for Maine, pointedly distanced herself from Donald Trump in a televised debate with Democratic challenger Troy Jackson on Tuesday, as she sought to present an image of independence in a state that has voted against Trump three times.Proclaiming herself as not the US president's "favorite senator", Collins made the highly unusual boast for a Republican that she had voted with Joe Biden, a Democrat, more than 90% of the time when he was president. She also emphasized her differences with her fellow Republicans, saying she voted against her own party more than any other senator. Continue reading...
Deleted in SIR, four Bengal men now locked at Chhattisgarh detention centre for over a month
The family members of these four persons have now filed a petition at the Calcutta High Court, pleading to direct the Chhattisgarh State to release the detainees; the High Court asked the Chhattisgarh govt. 'if the authorities were saying that some persons were not Indian citizens, then what would the appellate authority (tribunal) do?'
On TV
Ted Lasso — 4x10: "The Departing Lass" (Apple TV)
Season finale. Big changes in bunches.
Slow Horses — 6x4: "Lost and Found" (Apple TV)
Lamb tries figuring out who Frank is working for. Sid, River, and Coe do everything to evade the hit squad.
Abbott Elementary — 6x1: "Jungle Classroom" (ABC)
Gregory and Ava adjust to a new dynamic, while Barbara turns to Jacob for help. Meanwhile, Janine gives her classroom a makeover, and Melissa works to win hers back.
NOVA — 53x12: "Space Wars" (PBS)
Exploring the technology and strategy of a rapidly developing arms race in which global military powers vie to weaponize space.
New Music

No new drops today. Go rediscover something in your old playlists.

In theaters
Other Mommy (93 minutes)
Young Bela forms a relationship with a sinister entity in her home that looks uncannily like her own mother, drawing her into a terrifying and increasingly dark world.
The Social Reckoning (112 minutes)
Frances Haugen, a young Facebook engineer, enlists the help of Jeff Horwitz, a Wall Street Journal reporter, to go on a dangerous journey that ends up blowing the whistle on the social network's most guarded secrets.
Launching today

Nothing launching today. Every rocket is staying grounded and behaving.

Useless Fact

"Evaluation and Parameterization of Stability and Safety Performance Characteristics of Two and Three Wheeled Vehicular Toys for Riding." Title of a $230,000 research project proposed by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, to study the various ways children fall off bicycles.

The loonie
CAD → USD
0.7029
▲ 0.0014
CAD → EUR
0.6243
▼ 0.0017
Today In History
2023 — 2023 Israel-Hamas War in Gaza
The Israel-Hamas War began when Hamas launched an attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip, sparking a conflict that resulted in more than 1,200 deaths. The event highlights the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has roots dating back decades.
2022 — Ales Bialiatski, Center for Civil Liberties, and Memorial awarded 2022 Nobel Peace Prize
Ales Bialiatski, the Center for Civil Liberties, and Memorial were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace, months after Russia invaded Ukraine. Anders Wiklund–AFP/Getty Images
2001 — U.S. and British Invasion of Afghanistan
Triggered by the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, the Afghanistan War began as U.S. and British warplanes started bombing Taliban targets in Afghanistan.
1996 — Launch of Fox News Channel in the United States
Fox News Channel, a satellite and cable news network created by Roger Ailesfor Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, was launched in the United States.Matt Gagnon
1985 — Hijacking of the Achille Lauro Cruise Ship by PLO
Members of the Palestine Liberation Front, a small faction headed by Abu Abbas within the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), hijacked the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro in 1985.
1971 — The French Connection Premieres and Wins Best Picture
The American crime thriller The French Connection, directed by William Friedkin and starring Gene Hackman, had its world premieres in New York City and Los Angeles; the movie, which won the Oscar for best picture, is especially known for featuring one of the most exciting and iconic car chases in cinematic history
1959 — Release of Romantic Comedy Pillow Talk
The romantic comedy Pillow Talk was released nationwide in the United States; it was the first of several on-screen pairings of actors Rock Hudson and Doris Day
1955 — Cellist Yo-Yo Ma Born in Paris
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma, widely acclaimed for his extraordinary technique and rich tone, was born in Paris in 1955.
1952 — Vladimir Putin Born in Moscow
Vladimir Putin, a prominent Russian politician, was born in 1952 in Moscow, Russia. He went on to serve as both President and Prime Minister of Russia.
1949 — German Democratic Republic proclaimed
On this day in 1949, a constitution went into effect in the Soviet occupation zone of Germany that formed the country of East Germany, which existed alongside West Germany until 1990, when the two Germanys reunited
1944 — Dumbarton Oaks Conference Lays Groundwork for UN
The Dumbarton Oaks Conference, in which the United States, China, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom formulated proposals for a world organization that became the basis for the United Nations, concluded in Washington, D.C.
1934 — Birth of Influential African American Writer Amiri Baraka
Playwright, poet, novelist, and essayist Amiri Baraka, who wrote of the experiences and anger of African Americans, was born
1849 — Edgar Allan Poe's Death in Baltimore
American short-story writer, poet, and critic Edgar Allan Poedied in Baltimore, Maryland
1826 — First Chartered Railroad in the United States Begins Service
The Granite Railway, the first chartered railroad in the United States, began service in 1826. It was a 3-mile freight railroad that connected the quarries in Quincy, Massachusetts to the Neponset River, allowing for the transportation of granite for construction projects.
1780 — American Forces Defeat British Loyalists at Kings Mountain
American forces defeated British loyalists at the Battle of Kings Mountain during the American Revolution. How much do you know about the American Revolution?
1765 — Stamp Act Congress Convenes in New York
The Stamp Act Congress convened in New York City to frame resolutions of "rights and grievances" of the American colonies against the Stamp Act imposed by the British government.
1571 — Christian Victory at the Battle of Lepanto
Allied Christian forces defeated the Ottoman Turks during a naval engagement at the Battle of Lepanto

This is today, boiled down to the essentials. The full stash lives at logicalchaos.ca. Go get lost in it.