Appeal to Judge Veal

12/07/2025

Taxpayers will not be paying for President Trump's ongoing appeal of the $83 million defamation case brought by E. Jean Carroll, an appeals court has ruled.

12/07/2025

ANU scientists unveil a greener, low-cost method to extract lithium from brine—40x more output, less energy, and no corrosion. https://bit.ly/4nOgFpu

12/07/2025

🔗: https://wapo.st/3HbpyII
"Republicans need to ask whether they’ll do any better than Democrats if the president shows signs of serious impairment," Megan McArdle writes.

"It’s easy to proclaim what other families should do when it’s time to take Dad’s car keys away. But as generation after generation discovers, it’s also easy to put it off when it’s your dad who needs the intervention."

12/07/2025

Switzerland has a vast bunker system capable of sheltering 114% of its population. Built during the Cold War, these bunkers are still maintained today, hidden beneath schools, hospitals, and mountains, making Switzerland one of the most prepared countries on Earth.

12/07/2025

On this day, 56 years ago, on July 11, 1969, Sergeant Gordon Ray Roberts, age 19, was serving as a rifleman with Company B, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), in Thua Thien Province, Republic of Vietnam. His unit was participating in Operation Montgomery Rendezvous, a search-and-clear mission focused on removing North Vietnamese Army forces from the area.

Roberts' platoon was advancing along a narrow ridgeline to support a neighboring company that had become pinned down by intense automatic weapons fire coming from entrenched enemy positions. As the platoon moved forward, it was suddenly caught in a lethal crossfire from multiple camouflaged North Vietnamese bunkers located on the slope above. The ambush stalled the advance. American forces began taking heavy casualties and were at risk of being overrun.

Roberts took immediate action. He crawled forward under sustained enemy fire and, when within close range, sprang to his feet and assaulted the first bunker alone. He fired his weapon while moving, reaching the bunker and killing both enemy soldiers inside. Without pause, Roberts turned and charged a second bunker. A burst of enemy fire struck his rifle, rendering it inoperable. He picked up a fallen comrade’s weapon and continued the attack, successfully neutralizing the second position.

Still under heavy fire and acting alone, Roberts pressed forward toward a third enemy emplacement. He used hand grenades to destroy the bunker and eliminate its occupants. Despite now being isolated from his unit, Roberts crossed open ground and located elements of the trapped company. He joined their line and, while exposed to fire, began evacuating wounded men from the battlefield, dragging and carrying them to safer ground for treatment and extraction.

After completing these actions, Roberts returned to his platoon and continued the fight until the enemy force had been broken and the mission was secured.

Gordon Ray Roberts was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 11, 1969. President Richard Nixon presented the medal on March 2, 1971, at the White House. At the time of the action, Roberts was 19 years old, making him one of the youngest Medal of Honor recipients of the Vietnam War. He remained in the Army after the war, eventually rising to the rank of colonel before retiring in 2012. He is still with us, living at the age of 75.

11/07/2025

Tucked in the alpine heart of Schwyz, Switzerland, the House of Bethlehem is believed to be Europe’s oldest surviving wooden house, built in 1287 without using a single metal nail. Instead, it relied entirely on medieval wood joinery techniques, using notched beams and wooden pegs—a brilliant solution in a time and place where metal was scarce.

This remarkable example of medieval timber construction reflects both architectural skill and regional adaptation. The home’s original frame has withstood centuries of harsh winters, social change, and renovation—including a 1540 elevation project that added a cellar.

But the house’s longevity owes much to an unlikely ally: smoke.

In the absence of chimneys, daily hearth fires filled the interior with smoke that slowly seeped into the wood. Over time, this “smoke curing” process dried the timbers, reduced moisture retention, and protected the structure from insects and rot. It acted as a natural preservative—accidental, yet effective.

Today, the House of Bethlehem operates as both a museum and a cultural monument, offering visitors a rare glimpse into 13th-century domestic life and the forgotten techniques that allowed wooden buildings to survive for centuries.

11/07/2025

Recent polling across 24 countries (excluding the U.S.) by Pew Research Center found that the majority of the 28,333 adults polled had little to no confidence in Pres. Trump's abilities to lead on a battery of specific issues. https://www.nbc4i.com/news/majority-of-countries-have-no-confidence-in-trumps-abilities-pew-poll/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_NBC4

11/07/2025

Rep. Sean Casten (D-Il.) said late Saturday that President Trump’s move to bomb Iranian nuclear sites without congressional approval amounts to an “unambiguous impeachable offense.” “This is not ab…

11/07/2025

11/07/2025

On this day, 81 years ago, on July 10, 1944, Sepoy Yeshwant Ghadge, age 22, of the 5th Mahratta Light Infantry, British Indian Army, led a solo charge against a fortified German machine gun position in the Upper Tiber Valley, near Montone, in central Italy.

Ghadge's section was advancing as part of the Eighth Army's effort to push through German defensive positions in Umbria. The terrain was hilly, broken by vineyards and stone farmhouses, ideal for ambushes. German troops of the 1st Parachute Division had fortified strongpoints with interlocking machine gun and mortar positions. Late in the day, Ghadge's unit approached a ridge line under orders to clear it for further infantry movement. As they began to advance, German machine gun fire from a concealed post suddenly struck the section. Three of Ghadge's men were killed instantly. The rest of the team was pinned down by fire from a position at close range.

Without waiting for orders or reinforcement, Ghadge moved out of cover, closing in on the enemy position under heavy fire. He approached with grenades in hand. As he reached the machine gun nest, he threw grenades directly into the emplacement, killing two of the crew. He then rushed the remaining defenders, killing the third gunner in close combat with his bayonet. Immediately afterward, another enemy position opened fire. Ghadge was killed by a burst of machine gun fire before he could take further action.

Ghadge’s attack eliminated the immediate threat and enabled his section to advance and complete the assault on the position. His action disrupted the German defense in that sector and allowed the British and Indian forces to continue the attack on Montone.

For his gallantry, Yeshwant Ghadge was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. His citation recognized his complete disregard for personal safety, his initiative in assaulting the enemy position, and the critical role his actions played in enabling his unit’s advance. He died in action on July 10, 1944, at the age of 22.