Before butter and alcohol, a couple of news items: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he won't block the Republican funding bill , incurring the wrath of other Democratic leaders.  Trump's spending bill subsequently passed today .  Major storm with potential for baseball-size hail and tornadoes are expected today for Missouri and Illinois, also the South to Wisconsin. Mark Carney was sworn in as  Canada's new prime minister .   He will call for a general election in the coming weeks, but this will not affect his leadership, as the governing Liberal Party will still remain in control. Canada's political system is like the UK.  A constitutional monarchy recognizing the Queen/King as the head of state, with the Prime Minister as head of government.   They have a Parliament.  Their Senate has 105 seats appointed by someone called the Governor General, who represents King Charles.  The House of Commons has 338 members elected b...

The Los Angeles County firestorms are now a week old.  While four of the seven fires have been contained, the largest, Pacific Palisades, is still only around 15% contained, and the most deadly in Eaton, with 17 of the 25 deaths, remains two-thirds uncontrolled.  Worse  Santa Ana winds of up to 70 MPH will return later today , with red flag warnings extending for the counties of San Luis Obispo to San Diego.  While other states (including Republican Texas) are pledging assistance to California, looks like the incoming pathologically vengeful  President Donald Trump  will continue to lie and criticize enemies in his second term, for he blamed Governor Gavin Newsom and President Joe Biden for the fire.  Of course they are Democrats, and California did not vote for him.  States like Hawaii will also be in big trouble in the four years to come, for Harris, percentage-wise, got more votes from Hawaii (61%) than California (59%). More about Trump regard...

  First some headlines. GOP Rep. Marjorie Greene finally did call a vote to  eject Mike Johnson  as speaker.  She lost by a vote of 359-43, with a lot of help from Democrats.  House Republicans are deciding if there should be consequences, about Greene, for even bringing this to the floor.  How things have changed. Stormy Daniels will be back today to even more bedevil Donald Trump.  Will there be further  graphic testimony ?  She was at one point scolded by Judge Juan Merchan for such language.  He has already threatened to jail Trump for his outbursts.  Watch her  five years ago with Jimmy Kimmel . Heard about the dead worm in RFK Jr's brain?  Well, hear this  from Stephen Colbert .   Said to be a tapeworm larva. Condition is known as  neurocysticercosis. Hospitalizes 1,000 to 2,000/year in the U.S. Can cause seizures, dizziness, psychosis, blurred vision and memory loss.  Can be fatal....