Surrounded..

 

Thousands of Ukrainian troops who stormed into Russia's Kursk region last summer in a shock incursion are nearly surrounded by Russian forces there, in a major blow to Kyiv which hoped to use its presence there as leverage over Moscow in any peace talks.

Ukraine's situation in Kursk has deteriorated sharply in the last three days, open source maps show, after Russian forces retook territory as part of a gathering counteroffensive that has nearly cut the Ukrainian force in two and separated the main group from its principal supply lines.

The precarious situation for Ukraine comes after Washington suspended its intelligence sharing with Kyiv and raises the possibility that its forces may be forced into a politically awkward and psychologically difficult retreat back into Ukraine, or risk being captured or killed.

Avocado..

After four years of Biden's inaction towards Illegal Immigration, Inflation, food prices, and just continue to pour more money and killing bombs to the War in Ukraine, the Democrats got nothing at this time except Senator Chuck Schumer's Avocado in one hand and a Beer on the other.  Just a thought.

Lanes..

 

During the congestion pricing public participation process, the MTA spent $505 million to install the gantries with charging stations before the general public, elected officials and union leaders were fully heard. 

Many issues remained unresolved, and this situation resulted in lawsuits from Nassau and Rockland counties, objections by the New Jersey governor, the Staten Island borough president among many others. 

Even now, while New York State and the U.S. Department of Transportation enter a litigation phase to resolve their conflicts, the MTA refuses to shut the charging stations.

New York State and New York City have been operating at cross purposes. The city has installed an extensive network of lanes for bicycles and scooters, double exclusive bus lanes, pedestrian islands and outdoor dining sheds that have reduced public street space and created new levels of congestion in the process.

Learn..

Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel suggested that other Democratic mayors shift their focus away from LGBT issues in schools and toward academics.

Emanuel appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher on Saturday, just as current Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s approval rating is less than seven percent.

Emanuel advised Johnson, as well as the mayors of New York City and Los Angeles, to prioritize “safe streets, strong schools, and stable finances.”

“We’ve gone through five years where people became way too permissive as a culture,” the mayor said. “I’ll say this about our schools: I don’t want to hear any more about the locker room. I do not want to hear another word about the bathroom. You should start focusing on the classroom.”

The statement drew applause from the studio audience. At the moment, eighth graders have set a nearly 30-year low for reading scores.

Honor..

 

New Zealand’s most senior envoy to the United Kingdom has lost his job over remarks he made about U.S. President Donald Trump at an event in London this week.

Phill Goff asked a question from the audience of the guest speaker, Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, in which he said he had been re-reading a famous speech by former British wartime leader Winston Churchill from 1938

Churchill’s speech rebuked Britain’s signing of the Munich Agreement with Adolf Hitler, allowing Germany to annex part of Czechoslovakia. Goff quoted Churchill as saying to Chamberlain, “You had the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor, yet you will have war.”

Goff then asked Valtonen: “President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. But do you think he really understands history?

Comment:

Time has changed, war is not a winning game where millions were killed, current conflict are manufactured and years in the making. 

So leave the war to those desire it, and imaginary dishonor to those who send young people to their demise. Moreover, you are "fired"

Decline..

The day after Donald Trump won the 2024 election, CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios correspondent Alex Thompson decided to co-author a book about what had led the Democratic party to defeat, with a focus on former President Joe Biden.

What you will learn makes President Biden’s decision to run for reelection seem shockingly narcissistic, self-delusional, and reckless a desperate bet that went bust and part of a larger act of extended public deception that has few precedents,” Penguin said in a press release.

Dementia..

 

A team led by researchers from Johns Hopkins University in the US found that up to 35 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical exercise every week is associated with a 41 percent drop in dementia risk, compared to those who didn't exercise at all.

 Even the oldest among us can reduce dementia risk by increasing our weekly activity, and even just a few minutes of exercise a week can have protective effects for brain health.

Dementia risk was 60 percent lower for those who did 36–70 minutes of physical activity per week, and 63 percent lower in the 71–140 minutes category.

For those who banked 140 minutes or more of physical activity per week, dementia risk was reduced by 69 percent. 

With so many potential factors at play, from Diet to Genetics, this doesn't prove direct cause and effect – but it does suggest exercise and brain health are closely linked.

Bidenomics..

 

Too much spending-Lose Immigration policies-Inflatioon-Poor money in the Ukraine war-Using fear to maintain power. Nothing the American people want to live with.  Just a thought.

Service Cut..

 

First Minister Michelle O'Neill has said she is "incredulous" at a UK government deal for a Belfast factory to supply air defence missiles to Ukraine.

The Sinn Féin vice-president said that "rather than buying weapons of war, I would rather see the money invested in public services".

The first minister said she found it "incredulous" at a time when "public services are being cut left, right and centre".

She added: "At a time when we've endured 14 years of austerity, at a time whenever winter fuel payments are being cut from older people, at a time when lots of small local businesses are going to go to the wall because they can't afford the national insurance hikes.

"At a time whenever our farmers are worried because of the inheritance tax, I think at a time like that, rather than buying weapons of war, I would rather see the money invested in public services."

Files..