#beltway 8

[eastsidedestinee]

Eastside Houston

[heberthome]

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[slyandthefamilybook]

okay because I'm seeing some misinfo, here's the story on the Key Bridge collapse

What was the Key Bridge?

The Francis Scott Key Bridge (also called the Key Bridge, the Beltway Bridge, and the Outer Harbor Crossing) was steel-arch continuous-through-truss bridge spanning the Patapsco River south of the Baltimore Harbor. The bridge took 5 years to build and cost an estimated $145 million ($735 million in today's dollars). The full bridge project (including approaches) was 10.9 miles long, but the stretch over the Patapsco was 1.6 miles long and 4 lanes wide, and comprised a length of I-695, the Baltimore Beltway. It traveled between Hawkins Point and Dundalk, and in addition to the I-895 Harbor Tunnel was the primary way for Marylanders to cross from the Eastern Shore to the West. The bridge carried an estimated 11.5 million vehicles per year. There is a lane for ships to pass under the Key Bridge with enough clearance.

Was it structurally sound?

The bridge received its latest inspection in 2022 and received a 6/9 score, which is considered "fair" by federal standards. There was a concern with one of its columns, which was downgraded from a health index of 77.8 to 65.9, but it is not clear yet if this was one of the columns struck by the ship. In 1980 the bridge was struck by a different cargo ship which destroyed a concrete support structure, but the bridge itself was unharmed. There is as of yet no evidence that the bridge collapsed because of poor condition. Experts say the lesson to be learned is about the size and weight of modern cargo ships, and that the bridge was not to blame. Engineers have noted, however, that the bridge's piers lacked protective devices such as fenders.

What was the ship?

The MV Dali is a container ship flying the Singapore flag. It is owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and operated by Synergy Marine Group Ltd. The ship is currently being chartered by Maersk, a Dutch shipping company. It was built in 2015 by Hyundai. The ship is 980 feet long and 157 feet wide. The ship's gross tonnage (its internal volume) is 95,128 tons (190,256,000 pounds). Its deadweight (the weight of cargo it can carry) is 116,851 tons (233,702,000 pounds). The ship was carrying 3,000 containers. The engine is a MAN-B&W 9S90ME putting out 41,480 kilowatts (55,626 horsepower).

Over its lifetime the Dali has been inspected 27 times, and only 2 faults were ever found. On June 27, 2023 the Dali was held in port in Chile due to an issue with the propulsion system. According to an inspector the pressure gauges on the heating system were "unreadable". The fault was fixed before the ship left port.

The Dali is crewed by 22 Indian nationals including 2 maritime pilots.

What happened?

The Dali arrived at the Port of Baltimore on March 23, 2024. At 12:44 AM on March 26, 2024 the Dali left port, beginning its journey to Colombo, Sri Lanka. At 01:26 AM the ship suffered a "complete blackout" and began to drift out of the shipping lane. It is not yet known what caused the electrical failure. The backup generator did not power the propulsion system. At around 01:26 AM the crew of the Dali sent a mayday distress call to the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) informing them of the loss of power and that a collision with the Key Bridge was possible. The anchors were dropped as an emergency measure to attempt to slow or stop the vessel. At the request of one of the pilots traffic flow over the bridge was immediately halted. Black smoke was seen coming from the Dali, which experts believe was the result of the crew managing to restart the power system to regain some maneuvering capability.

At 01:28 AM the Dali, traveling at 8 knots (considered to be a fast speed) collided with a support strut beneath the Key Bridge's metal truss at the southwest end of the bridge. A Baltimore resident said he heard the collision and that it "felt like an earthquake". Emergency teams began receiving 911 calls at 01:30 AM, and the Baltimore Police Department were alerted at 01:35 AM. One of the officers present radioed that he was going to go onto the bridge to alert the construction crew as soon as a second officer arrived, but the bridge collapsed seconds later.

What was the damage?

The Key Bridge has completely collapsed. The metal truss relies on structural tension from the bridge itself to maintain its rigidity. As soon as one of the support columns was destroyed, the rest of the bridge quickly followed.

The damage to the Dali is reported as minimal. The ship was impaled by the bridge's structure above the waterline, but has maintained watertight integrity. The crew has not reported any water contamination from its 1.8 million gallons of marine fuel. 13 containers carrying potentially hazardous material were damaged, and are being inspected by a team of Coast Guard divers. At least 5 vehicles including 3 passenger cars and a cement mixer were detected underwater, but authorities do not believe they were occupied

Who was hurt?

The crew of the Dali reports no casualties, except one crewmember who was hospitalized for minor injuries. There was a crew of 8 construction workers on the Key Bridge filling in potholes. 2 were immediately pulled from the water by rescue crews, with 1 being rushed to emergency care and the other reporting minor injuries and refusing treatment. The hospitalized worker has since been discharged. 1 of those rescued was Mexican. The remaining 6 remain missing. Of those 6, 2 have been identified:

Miguel Luna from El Salvador

Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval from Honduras

Of the remaining 4, 2 are Guatemalan nationals. Neither have been identified, but the Guatemalan Foreign Affairs Ministry has stated that they were a 26-year-old from San Luis, Petén, and a 35-year-old from Camotán, Chiquimula. The other 2 are presumed to be Mexican.

Rescue Efforts

The Coast Guard was immediately deployed for search-and-rescue operations. Military Blackhawk helicopters were seen over the river. Rescue efforts were ended at 07:30 PM on March 26, 2024 due to darkness, fog, and cold temperatures. Rear Admiral Shannon Gilreath said "Based on the length of time that we've gone in the search, the extensive search efforts that we put into it, the water temperature -- at this point, we do not believe that we're going to find any of these individuals still alive". Recovery operations resumed at 07:30 AM on March 27, 2024 with all 6 workers presumed dead.

No divers have yet entered the water underneath the bridge. Supervisory Special Agent Brian Hudson of the FBI's Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team said "the debris field is pretty sizable and I know that’s why they’re hesitant to send divers down because some of the debris is still shifting, the heavy weight of the rocks". The FBI has deployed Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) equipped with cameras and SONAR.

Aftermath

At 05:08 AM on March 26, 2024 Transportation Secretary Pete Buttegiege posted on X (formerly Twitter):

"I’ve spoken with Gov. Moore and Mayor Scott to offer USDOT’s support following the vessel strike and collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge. Rescue efforts remain underway and drivers in the Baltimore area should follow local responder guidance on detours and response."

At 07:30 AM on March 27, 2024 President of the Maryland State Senate Bill Ferguson posted on X (formerly Twitter):

"Over 15,000 in the Balt region rely on daily operations at Port of Baltimore to put food on the table. Today, with Del. @LukeClippinger and colleagues representing Port, we are drafting an emergency bill to provide for income replacement for workers impacted by this travesty."

At around 09:40 AM on March 26, 2024 Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott declared a State of Emergency to take effect at 10:30 AM March 26, 2024, and to last 30 days. Baltimore's Emergency Operations Plan was put into effect.

More than 1,000 personnel from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have been deployed to assist with clearing the debris and rebuilding efforts. President Joe Biden has pledged that the federal government will pay for the entire reconstruction of the bridge.

Jennifer Homendy, the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recovered the Dali's data recorder, and will be inspecting both the Key Bridge and the Dali to determine the cause of the crash and the collapse. She says the investigation could take up to 2 years to complete.

Was it intentional?

According to William DelBagno, head of the FBI's Baltimore field office: "There is no specific or credible information to suggest there are ties to terrorism in this incident".

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said: "There are no indications this was an intentional act".

At least 3 people have been killed in accidents related to ships operated by Synergy in the past 6 years. In 2018 a person on board a Synergy ship in Australia was killed in an accident relating to the vessel's personnel elevator. In 2019 an officer aboard a Synergy vessel in Singapore fell overboard while performing maintenance. In 2023 at least one sailor was killed when a Synergy ship collided with a dredging ship in the Philippines. In the first two cases safety inspectors noted that proper safety procedures had not been adhered to.

Sources

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Matt Gertz at MMFA:

The right-wing disinformation machine on Wednesday transformed the banal reality that the federal government purchases subscriptions for news outlets into what President Donald Trump described as potentially “THE BIGGEST SCANDAL OF THEM ALL, PERHAPS THE BIGGEST IN HISTORY.” Federal employees need accurate, up-to-date information relevant to their areas of expertise in order to do their jobs. The federal government pays for subscriptions to a variety of news sources in order to ensure that its workers have that information. One such news source is Politico, which took in more than $8 million from federal agencies last year, according to publicly available data published on the government website USAspending.gov.  Politico is best-known for the inside-the-Beltway political reporting it publishes for free on Politico.com and through its Playbook newsletter. But the outlet also produces a premium subscription product focused on policy called Politico Pro, which includes “an advanced technology platform that includes legislative and regulatory tracking tools, government directories, transcripts, outreach trackers and more,” as well as workflow tools, and E & E News, a subscription product that focuses on energy and environmental policy. Subscriptions to these products reportedly cost in the upper four to five figures for a limited number of users.  [...] But on Wednesday, the conspiracy-obsessed dregs of the MAGA influencer crowd seized on the publicly-available data showing the federal government paying Politico for subscriptions, slapped it together with a payroll error that temporarily delayed paychecks at the outlet and a Trump administration freeze on the disbursement of foreign aid funds at the U.S. Agency for International Development, and attempted to concoct a major government and media corruption scandal.

[...] Reporters at more credible outlets spent the day providing the context that the MAGA warriors withheld (including that the money to Politico for subscriptions from USAID constituted only $44,000 over two years). But the White House added more fuel to the lie bonfire when press secretary Karoline Leavitt falsely claimed that USAID had paid $8 million for Politico subscriptions and that the contracts would be canceled. 

Right-wing media disinfo artists such as Benny Johnson and Dana Loesch, along with Liar-in-Chief Donald Trump, pushed the BS nonstory about federal government funding Politico Pro subscriptions.

See Also:

The Guardian: Trump repeats rightwing claim that USAid subscriptions to Politico were ‘payoffs’

[ancaporado]

I know that many ancaps/libertarians are pro population growth and pro development, I however think that the global population and megacities are a government abomination. I keep thinking that places like the UK/Beltway/LA of USA are so fucked up because they don't have any real wilderness left. it's just a cultivated grid of human housing, industry, agriculture, the largest undomesticated creature being a racoon or fox or something pathetically small and unthreatening. Even the meme "birds aren't real" I think is a riff on this; you live in a 100% man-made environment, even the birds might as well be government spy robots.

When you fundamentally have to interact with an artificial rules based world all the time you have a tendency to systematize everything, and believe the lie that imaginary things like laws and governments are real physical things, and not just the whims of the police officer on the corner. Somewhat like abuse victims internalize the rules of their abuser to avoid punishment and cope. The urban landscape is the breeding ground of the cancerous and parasitic human survival strategy we identify as socialism/collectivism/progressivism.

The only real laws are those of nature, physics, chemistry, biology, evolution. Humans are an animal and we adapt to our environment, which is a mouse utopia. The modern world is so sick and against nature because our power to wall it out of our lives has created a hubris to rebel against these things. Progressivism in a sense, is rejection of natural order, a rejection of subjection to nature or nature's God. This is how you get to where we are today. I don't need to list the examples, but the unreality of thinking we can abolish scarcity, inequality, sex, the family, etc...

I don't want civilization and cities and humans not to exist. I just want radical concentrations of those things. We had 2.5% the global population in antiquity and still got innovative and talented thinkers that we still discuss today, artists, engineers, etc. These people had ample access to an untamed world, one that was unpredictable, and challenged them.

The urban human is a domesticated one. They have no real self-determination. Without a world unmade by humans, they have no reference for something beyond the imagination of another human, no blank canvas to make their own. Like the shadows of Plato's cave I'd wager it's like a person forced to look into a mirror their entire life. They would have no ability to identify themselves in the mirror as they have no reference that the mirror isn't just the entire world.

Climbing mountains, navigating rapids, scaling rock walls, skiing couloirs... the physical conquest of nature yields a surprise that cannot be claimed from an artificial challenge.

Think of the sweating, yelling, heaving mass of Cairo,

Bangladesh

Lagos

Mexico city

You might just assume they make great films, music, art, thinkers, engineers, and we just don't hear about them because they don't get distributed here or something. No it's just a mass of human flesh consuming the natural world, no ability to reflect and create, just consume.

Almost all of these places import food from the temperate climates of developed nations. A two year breakdown of global supply chains would result in them starving in the millions.

Even here in western civilization we yield the prime 'high-density walkable" real-estate to degenerates via council and section 8 housing.

Government programs of fiat currency, the welfare-warfare state, followed by deindustrialization has resulted in a massive mismatch in human population and economic/environmental capacity. Sure, here's where someone could politely chime in that "humans have infinite creative capacity, we just need to unlock their potential and your Malthusian doomsday is no more" and I grant that to a degree.

But massive declines in human population, the standard of living, and technology are regular historical occurrences. Western science has had an absolute "ick" towards actually understanding and implementing Darwinism towards human populations. Country-wide datasets of IQ probably remain stable due to the continuing rise/Flynn effect of the middle/upper class offsetting the sliding downward of the welfare class. There's no evolutionary biologist who wouldn't recognize that the market economy selects for intelligence and the welfare state was our feeble altruistic effort to carry the "but I did have breakfast" population along with us.

We've had nearly a century and, in some cases of repeated teen pregnancies, 6 or 7 generations who were never asked to provide for themselves meaningfully. They live in an ever more confusing world of late payments, cash advances, welfare office applications, prison stints, evictions, and unplanned pregnancies. Each generation more befuddled than the last. Recent studies show that there have been population bottlenecks through human evolution. In the bronze age as few as 1 in 17 men reproduced at all.

Biological imperatives of reproduction rule over all other sentiments and altruistic masochism. For the silent generation and the boomers, the welfare state was a token price they agreed to pay to keep the peace and they could afford it as they got race-rioted out of their downtown homes into the suburbs. Now the jig is up and millennials en-masse are finding that they can't afford to have kids *intentionally*. They look at their pay stub getting taxed at 40% so that, over at the section 8 housing, "baby mamas" collect government checks for the consequence of a hookup with serial felons, who are also housed and fed with working people's taxes. The boomers made a devil's bargain, they cucked their children!

Now we enter the final death spiral of empires and welfare states: below replacement fertility rates and above GDP national debt!

The group most prepared for the coming calamity, the group who predicted it, and who will emerge as victors are those who are internally pro-growth/pro population but maintain in-group preferences. The stats bear out:

Now this shift isn't just conservatives but libertarians also. In a couple generations we have gone from 1% in the 70's to 10% in the 2010s and now easily 25% in the 2020's (many libertarians simply don't vote or vote republican). We will replace left-wingers, who only reproduce vampirically via public education, in the next generation. There is hope at the end of this journey but it will be difficult in the mean time. Prepare yourself accordingly.

[dosesofcommonsense]

👨🏽‍🏫 FWIW As a nation, we need to:

1) Abolish Federal Income Tax and the IRS; Repeal 16A.

2) Institute High Tariffs as A) the primary source of revenue, to B) protect American consumers from cheap foreign goods, and C) create Made in America manufacturing jobs.

3) Pass a Balanced Budget Amendment.

4) Pass Congressional Term Limits.

5) Implement a six month time limit on food stamps, with active job seekers only qualifying.

6) Repeal Obamacare.

7) Lift the embargo on FDA approved foreign drugs, ending decades of Big Pharma's monopoly.

8) Abolish the EPA and DOE; repurpose the Department of Energy to focus on "all the above" - Nuclear, Wind, Gas, Solar, etc, instead of pushing "green energy" sources only.

9) Abolish the Federal Reserve.

10) Abolish the FBI and replace their areas of responsibility with the US Marshals Service, which needs to be completely independent of the DOJ, remain under Federal Court Jurisdiction, and have Congressional Oversight. This would compel the AG to work with Judges, Courts, and Congress to enforce fed laws and prevent Administrations from conducting witch hunts.

Good? What did I leave out?

~@Maximus_4EVR 😇

PS Discussing House Republican stupidity, the Trump Court battles, Election 2024 details, Beltway gossip, the wars in the Middle East and Europe, "Max fact-checking" of news, and everything else you can think of over at Maximus Premium. Email RoxieBalboa1@gmail.com (DM @Roxie_Balboa) 4 deets. Join this month for $14, and get ready for November.

[shannon-agins]

At 1:30 this morning, a fully loaded container ship hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, MD. The bridge is gone, just gone. Up to 20 people were still on the bridge when it collapsed, but it's been confirmed that 8 people were plunged into the water. 2 have been rescued, one declined medical intervention and the other was rushed to shock trauma.

Rescue operations are being handled by the coast guard, and authorities from Baltimore City, Baltimore county, Anne Arundel county, Harford county, and Howard county.

There will be MAJOR economic impacts for the US. The Baltimore harbor is completely closed currently, as it handles up to 90% of US car imports and the vast majority of raw materials imports and exports. Trucks cannot utilize the Harbor Tunnel, and HAVE to use the bridge or go completely around the west side of the beltway. There is no other alternative for these vehicles since I95 utilizes the tunnel system. Up to 10,000 jobs or more will be impacted locally.

It's been standing my whole life, and it's just gone. My favorite bridge because the view of the city, especially at the time of night when it was struck, is so pretty. One I gladly paid the tolls on just so I could see that view. And it's just gone.

[darkmaga-returns]

By David Stockman David Stockman's Contra Corner February 8, 2025

Hot damn!

Not only has Elon Musk brought the hammer down on the entirety of the Deep State’s foreign aid boondoggles, but his sleuths have apparently also uncovered one of the Swamp’s most pernicious artifices. To wit, numerous Federal agencies, including USAID, purchase a shit-ton of expensive subscriptions from beltway megaphones like Politico, which by pure happenstance, of course, favor their agency subscribers with a steady patter of “news” that tracks right down the UniParty fairway.

And we aren’t talking chump change. These “subscriptions” for the “pro” version of various Politico newsletters, for instance, come at $3,000 to $24,000 a pop. Since two of the latter were purchased by the climate crisis bureau over at USAID you have to wonder what that had to do with feeding the world’s starving masses or why USAID bureaucrats needed high-priced climate policy gossip when their inboxes were already flooded with free climate change propaganda from dozens of other Federal agencies, Federally-funded think tanks, NGOs and anti-fossil fuel activists.

[pbandjesse]

I just took a shower but this is the first time I have sat down since I've gotten home. Today was a really long day and it did not help that it started with an hour commute to camp. That was not fun. And I'm going to try to wake up a little earlier and try to avoid that traffic because the extra 15 minutes sleep is not worth the extra half an hour of a drive.

I did sleep pretty well last night. I woke up at one point and I didn't startle awake this time. I woke up saw that was before my alarm and was like I could sleep until 7:15. This was a mistake. I got dressed and didn't like the original outfit so I switched took a couple extra minutes to get ready. Gave James a hug and kiss goodbye and headed out.

When I got in the car I saw that my commute was going to be 42 minutes. Which is just a little bit longer than I would like it to be but it's fine. But then I was like at closer to 83 it's tickling up. And I go from 8:11 eta 2 and 8:20 and then 8:25 and it says there's a crash coming up and I see not far away that there are two cars stopped on the side of the road so I was like oh that's where it is we'll get past no big deal. Nope.

That was just accident number one. Because on my drive I saw three separate accidents. The one that the GPS was telling me about was the one where two cars literally had their entire fronts smashed in. If there was ambulances or anything they had already moved on by the time I passed it. But it took me 30 minutes to move 4 mi. It was horrible. And then after I get past the beltway and back on to 83 I see a car is flipped over! Thankfully it looks like everyone was just standing around but the cops in the ambulance weren't even there yet. So that was quite a sight. And by the time I got to work it was 8:35. I had left 1 hour before that. I was not thrilled.

Once I got inside everything was fine. I had eaten my bagel while I was driving because I had been sitting still for so long and just crawling along. But when I got to camp I was really excited to see that the dead possum from yesterday had attracted 10 turkey vultures. I don't know if you know this but turkey vultures mate for life and it was so neat to see all of them. Especially later in the morning when they all opened up their wings and were sending themselves. It's a really interesting thing to see especially cuz they're such a large bird.

I would be alone for a while though. Nobody seemed like they were in a rush to come in. I worked on some stuff on the computer. Things we had worked on yesterday. I did not feel like going for a walk or anything so I just waited and did what I could do.

I did look through the emails and I saw that we had someone asking about applying for a job but they had clearly used like a template or chat GPT because they had left in brackets where they were supposed to put their special skills and it just said [insert special skills here] And we all had a good laugh over that. Not saying we still won't reach out to the kid but you should read your things before you send them for sure. It already had pretty strong chat GBT language. So we all know when you use it. I use it all the time now but I still only use it as a base and edit off of it so it doesn't sound so robotic. And it makes sense for what I actually need it for.

Started coming in it was nice to just chat. Me and Sarah talked about how bad the commute was today. Elizabeth said that her GPS just had her avoid the highway completely. I don't know what it was about today but everybody was driving so bad. I forgot to say this but after the car that flipped over someone tailgated me so bad scared the hell out of me. Coming up so fast behind me and then tailgating me and then getting around me and break checking me immediately. Was very upsetting. So I was telling Sarah about that and we were just hanging out until there was something else to do.

I did some work on the schedule and some research and answered some emails and reached out to some people for Alexi. But I also decided that I was going to do something today. I was going to start something today. That I said for a very long time I would never do. And that is read the supernatural fanfiction " twist and shout". Seeing that in the wild has given me chills before. Because all I know about it is that is the saddest fanfiction in the phantom. And I have been avoiding it since it was published in 2012. But I decided that it is finally time that I read this 265 page story.

And so far it's great. I can see why it's popular. Even though it's very very lemony at least in the beginning. I'm assuming for the rest of it as well but we'll see how it goes. And I read that over my break and ate my nachos and then in the afternoon I would work on some stuff for Heather and do a bunch of research into portable cabins and rentals for those. Which was very difficult because when you try to Google that it's just you going somewhere to rent a cabin not the cabin coming to you. And the afternoon actually went pretty quickly. I went up to the arts and crafts building at one point and late in the hammock for a few minutes. I scheduled a call with Parker to discuss my workshop tomorrow and some other things. And I decided that since James was doing extend hours tonight I would go to Five guys for dinner and then go to the thrift store.

So around 3:45 I got up chatted with Alexei about tomorrow with the consultant. Gave Elizabeth one of my last chocolate covered pretzels because she said she was so hungry. And then I left.

I went to the Five guys about 20 minutes from camp. And I was the only one in that shopping center. It was very weird. I guess it's just a funny time of day but I was very alone. And the staff was nice and my food was good. I did forget my headphones in the car so I just scrolled on my phone while I ate. And enjoyed the sun on my back. And then I went down the road to go to the Goodwill.

I am trying not to buy too much stuff before all of the stuff that we already own is put away. But I wanted to look around. I ended up getting a book and a new shower caddy because ours is very small. And this one is much better. And because I had some reward dollars the whole thing was $3. Book and shower caddy. And I just enjoyed walking around. I always do.

I was very much ready to go home. The traffic was still bad and it would still take a half an hour when it should have taken 20 minutes but it was fine. And I got back here right before 5:30.

And I spent the evening working on hanging stuff. I had decided last night that the daybed cannot be in the studio. I wanted it to work but it doesn't. So we're going to move it up to the little room and have that be like a library sitting room guest room situation. And so I cleared off the top of that and I took two of the drawers out and I obviously cannot move the entire bed up the stairs myself. So I just got it ready for one we would try to move that later. And then I worked on sorting all of our art and choosing some pieces for different rooms and hanging stuff. And then I started tackling the studio putting stuff away trying to decide where some stuff is going. I still have a whole another shelf coming so it's not like I don't have more space but it was nice to get some stuff put away. And then I started hanging some of my shelves on the wall and I'm not entirely sure what's going to go where yet so I didn't put a lot of things on the shelves. But I started laying out a lot of my stuff. Kind of recreating the studio at the apartment a little bit on that wall. And I'm really happy with it so far. I will be very pleased when I can actually work in that space.

I seriously was just go go for hours though and around 8:30 I finally got to a point where I couldn't do much more. I had watched a couple true crime docs in that time and just hung out with sweet pea and texted James and Jess. And eventually I was just like it's time for me to take a shower.

So I washed my hair. It is still tough to acclimate to how cold that water can be. It does get to a reasonable warmth but it takes a minute. And I hate to waste the water so I'm not waiting for it to get warm necessarily. But at least I am clean. And James will be home soon. So I am going to say good night. I hope that you all sleep great tonight and have a lovely day tomorrow. I have a workshop tomorrow and it's going to be small but I'm still looking forward to it. I had spoken to Parker on my drive home and I am excited to continue to work with them even if my classes don't always sell out at this one. That's okay. I hope you guys all sleep great tonight and have a wonderful day tomorrow. Until next time.

[lesbianalicent]

my morning, as follows:

4:00 am: drag my sorry carcass out of bed because his majesty (the cat) decided to wake me up two hours early for his breakfast and i just want to go back to sleep

5:30 am: start work early despite only getting maybe three hours of sleep because i have severe insomnia and there wasn't a chance in hell of me getting back to sleep anyway like lbr here

7:30 am: roommate reaches breaking point with her Mysterious Illness™️ so i pull out the big guns (my mother) and decide that if the doctor doesn't get back to her by the time i get off work (three hours earlier than usual, see above 5:30 start time) we're gonna sit our asses in the ER until someone takes us seriously

8:00 am: sit in traffic trying to get to site because the beltway is made of nightmares

9:00 am: finally manage to get on site to spend rest of work day working on the worst project in the entire world

i'm very tired.

[doomedandstoned]

THE DOOMED & STONED SHOW (S9E8)

We tread on to mighty episode 8 for a look at the June 2023 rankings from DoomCharts.com -- a packed episode that features commentary from Billy Goate (Doomed & Stoned), John Gist (Vegas Rock Revolution), and Bucky Brown (The Ripple Effect) -- plus tons of new music, including Queens of the Stone Age, Witchskull, and Church of Misery.

This month, Doomed & Stoned celebrates 10 years! If you dig the blog or the show, consider becoming a regular monthly supporter: patreon.com/doomedandstoned. Don't forget to show the bands some love by clicking the hot-linked names and grabbing their albums!

The Doomed & Stoned Show is now streaming on Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spreaker, and more!

PLAYLIST:

INTRO (00:00) 1. Wytch Hazel (no. 19) - "The Fire's Control" (00:31)

HOST SEGMENT I (04:21) - June Doom Charts 2. Rival Sons (no. 22) - "Nobody Wants To Die" (31:05) 3. The Gray Goo (no. 29) - "Pipe Hitter" (34:49) 4. Rainbows Are Free (no. 16) - "Sonic Demon" (39:20)

HOST SEGMENT II (44:34) 5. Lore (no. 39) - "The City of Suicide" (59:06) 6. Outer Head (no. 28) - "Astral Traveler" (1:03:09) 7. Slow Wake (no. 15) - "In Waves" (1:07:33)

HOST SEGMENT III (1:18:52) 8. Queens of the Stone Age (no. 10) - "Paper Machete" (1:44:49) 9. Lamassu (no. 9) - "Washed Away" (1:48:12) 10. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard (no. 8) - "Converge" (1:54:42)

HOST SEGMENT IV (2:00:59) 11. Snakemother (no. 7) - "Gold Shields" (2:19:00) 12. Dead Quiet (no. 6) - "Murder City" (2:22:22) 13. Witchskull (no. 5) - "The Serving Ritual" (2:29:47)

HOST SEGMENT V (2:33:49) 14. High Priest (no. 4) - "Down In The Dark" (3:08:06) 15. Black Rainbows (no. 3) - "Til the Outerspace" (3:12:52) 16. Church of Misery (no. 2) - "Beltway Sniper" (3:16:23) 17. Saint Karloff (no. 1) - "Bone Cave Escape" (3:25:07)

OUTRO (3:31:32) 18. King Howl (no. 33) - "From The Cradle" (3:32:41) [BONUS] 19. Bongzilla (no. 21) - "Dab City" (3:35:08) [BONUS] 20. From The Ages (no. 25) - "Tenebrous" (3:46:59) [BONUS]

CREDITS: Theme Song: Dylan Tucker Thumbnail: Lamassu's 'Made of Dust' (2023) Incidental Music: Copper Age & Crypt Witch

[effectsdatabase]

Weekly overview (2023, week 07): 16 new brands and 34 new pedals

16 new brands

Ando Effects

AP Boutique

Audio Surplus Effects

Boulevard Effects

Daniel Pedals

Don-Kraft Effectors

Electric Eye Audio

Fowl Sounds

Giudis Pedals

Great Eastern FX

KarDiaN

Kinotone Audio

Rare Buzz Effects

Rhodium Electronics

SoundSlice FX

Wolf Devices

34 new effects

Boomer WF-24 8-Tr Fuzz Wah

Chorus TS-3 Tube Screamer

Colorsound Micro Mix

Copilot FX Arrow Airwaves Supreme

Cranetortoise SEL-1 A/B Box with Tuner Out

David Ross Musical Instruments Winter Storm

Davoli TSR/3 Tremolo / Sustain / Reverb

Dazatronyx THD Metal Distortion & Hybrid Germanium Fuzz

Dazatronyx TSX Overdrive

Death By Audio + EarthQuaker Devices Time Shadows

Deep Space Devices Boomburst

Devi Ever : CYMRU Godzilla

Donner Beltway Looper

Donner Path Seeker - ABY Switcher

Donner Triple Looper

Dr. Scientist Dusk - Analog Filter

DSM Noisemaker Sub Atomic - X-Over CMOS Bass Drive

Durham Electronics Quatro Plex

Ear Fuzz Effects Ear Bender MkI

EarthQuaker Devices Sunn O))) Life Pedal - Octave Distortion + Booster

Electro-Harmonix 5mm Power Amp

Electro-Harmonix EHX-2020 Mini Tuner Pedal

Electro-Harmonix Mini Slap-Back Echo - Analog Delay Reissue Pedal

Electro-Harmonix MOP-D10 Isolated Power Supply

Electro-Harmonix Nano Deluxe Memory Man

Electro-Harmonix Nano Eddy - Analog Vibrato/Chorus

Electro-Harmonix Nano Intelligent Harmony Machine - Harmonizer/Pitch Shifter

Electro-Harmonix Nano J Mascis Ram's Head Big Muff PI

Electro-Harmonix Nano Mainframe Bit Crusher

Electro-Harmonix Nano Operation Overlord - Nano Overdrive

Electro-Harmonix Triple Foot Controller

Fuzzrocious + Electro-Faustus EF110G Maggotor Gated Fuzz

Hall and Collins Signature Echo

nuX (Reissue series) Analog Chorus

1 new article

Last week's top 20 videos (2023, week 06)

Overviews of the previous weeks: https://www.effectsdatabase.com/updates/weekly

from Effects Database https://bit.ly/3lPsyjq

[visionaryness]

this is the I-45 @ I-10 interchange in Houston, looking south down the Pierce Elevated

this is the I-160 West Loop @ I-69/US-59 interchange near Bellaire

I-10 Katy Freeway @ Beltway 8/Sam Houston Tollway West interchange

I-610 West Loop @ I-10 Katy Freeway and US-290 Northwest Freeway interchanges which I had to take a screenshot from Google Earth because I couldn't find a good aerial photo of it

and these are just a couple of the ones in Houston

ive never liked the phrase "manmade horrors beyond your comprehension" but i cant think of a better way to describe texas roads

biblically accurate highway

[bllsbailey]

This Is Likely Why Politico Couldn't Make Payroll Last Week

There was a peculiar post on X this week: Politico couldn’t make payroll to its employees. We likely know the reason: USAID subsidized it with millions of dollars. The late Andrew Breitbart covered extensively about the Democrat-media complex—this is it personified. And it’s as rank and corrupt as we’d all imagined. Over $8 million was "funneled" to the media outlet via subscriptions. That cash flow is ending, and with one-quarter of Politico’s business model sustained through subscriptions, this is quite the death blow.  

It also explains this piece in its��magazine, denouncing Elon Musk’s attacks on USAID, citing a former Republican head to give it weight. Yeah, we see the receipts, thanks to DOGE. Nuke this agency: 

… Andrew Natsios, who ran USAID under President George W. Bush and is a lifelong conservative Republican, calls such moves “illegal” and “outrageous.” What Musk and Rubio are doing “is criminal. They can’t abolish the aid program without a vote of Congress.”  Moreover, Natsios says, they miss the point that USAID is critical to winning the competition with China and reflects longstanding Republican priorities.  “It’s just 1 percent of the federal budget, right?” says Natsios, who also played a leading role in building World Vision, the largest Christian nongovernmental organization in the world with programs in 103 countries. “And it builds goodwill and political influence and economic influence. It promotes American business. It protects us in terms of disease threats around the world. It is in our national interest to run these programs.” 

No, it doesn’t, man. We have the laundry list of nonsensical DEI trash that we were footing. It’s not some key agency. Also, the “it’s not that big of a budget item” is stupid and isn’t resonating. First, if this much waste had been uncovered at USAID, how bad would it have been elsewhere? Second, many of these “not-so-big” waste items account for more money than most Americans make in their lifetimes. It’s a classic inside the Beltway snob talk that has people wanting to January 6 the entire capital, and I don’t blame them. Also, we don’t care if some people think it's illegal; Joe Biden’s entire presidency was arguably unlawful, so take a seat, Bushie acolyte.  

This is going to happen, and given recent financial disclosures—it explains a lot:

Many media outlets are going to experience a mysterious drop in revenue https://t.co/8T2Qrwpcez— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 5, 2025

And this is for the lawyers, but some argue that Politico isn't getting cash "funneled" to them. I'll let you decide.

Trending on Townhall Videos

[ramrodd]

Farewell, Joe Biden | America's Tech Oligarchs | Trump's Terrifying Port...

COMMENTARY:

Stephen, at some point, you and Jon Stewart became a Seinfeld Lampoon, You lost yur relevance when Biden and his 8 million winning votes were forced off the ballot. Ltc Tulsi Gabbard is the only person inside the Beltway who thinks in terms of Claueewitz like Putin and US Army War College. If Democrats and Progressive bed wetters understood Clausewitz, Biden/Harris would be sliding into their secon Inugural and a NATO-Russia coalition would have put out the nasty little war in the Dunbass Instead, Biden fucked up his understanding of Putin's intention with his de-Nazification campaign beause Hillary Clinton's Russian narrative and we have the Russia-Ukraine cage match instead, There is no good news to this situation, The Project 22025 Republicans in Congress have no better grasp of Clausewitz than you and Tommy Tuberville. This is a legacy of the Liberal and Conservative Boomer draft dogers who believe they repealed the law of gravity by avoiding military service, Until 911, they believed, like Dick Cheney, that they were Msters of the Univers and untouchable, like the French politicians and business men who failed to finish the Maginot Line becase they didn't want to pay for it and clung to the fairy tale that the Germans wouldn't violate Belgium neutrality and they couldn't operate therough the Ardennes. I don't know what could go wrong, but Condeleeza Rice never imagined that people might fly airplance into the Pentagon and the World Trade Center. Ltc Tulsi Tabbard thinks in those terms. It's why the same Democrats who voted Al Franken out of the Senate and the bed wetters forced Biden off the ballot: they  don't want to think in those terms, The bad news is, neither do the MAGA/Christian Nationalism clown show. They want to believe Oligarchs bred in a Seinfeld/SNL skit are a Magic Bullet against sserious people with bad intentons Putin is trying to eliminate from Russian.

[warehousespaces254]

Finding the Perfect Houston Warehouse Space for Lease- A Comprehensive Guide

Houston, known for its thriving economy and diverse industries, is a prime location for businesses seeking warehouse space. Whether you’re starting a new venture or expanding your operations, leasing the right warehouse in this bustling city can play a crucial role in your success. Here's everything you need to know to make an informed decision.

Why Choose Houston for Your Houston warehouse space for lease Needs?

Houston is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, boasting a robust economy driven by industries like energy, healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics. The city’s strategic location, with easy access to major highways, rail lines, ports, and airports, makes it an ideal hub for distribution and storage. Businesses operating in Houston benefit from its diverse workforce, pro-business environment, and relatively affordable cost of living compared to other metropolitan areas.

Key Factors to Consider When Leasing Warehouse Space

Location and Accessibility Proximity to your suppliers, customers, and transportation hubs is essential. Look for warehouse spaces near major highways like I-10, I-45, or Beltway 8 to ensure smooth logistics operations.

Size and Layout Assess your current and future needs to determine the size of the warehouse. Consider factors like storage capacity, office space requirements, and layout to accommodate your operations efficiently.

Infrastructure and Amenities Modern warehouses often come equipped with features like loading docks, high ceilings, climate control, and advanced security systems. Evaluate which amenities are essential for your business.

Lease Terms Carefully review lease agreements to understand the terms, including rental rates, maintenance responsibilities, and lease duration. Negotiating flexible terms can help your business adapt to changing circumstances.

Zoning and Compliance Ensure the warehouse complies with local zoning regulations and is suitable for your intended use. For instance, if you plan to store hazardous materials, confirm the property meets necessary safety standards.

Popular Areas for Warehouse Leasing in Houston

Northwest Houston: This area is popular for its proximity to Beltway 8 and US 290, making it ideal for distribution and manufacturing businesses.

East Houston: Close to the Port of Houston, this region is perfect for companies involved in import/export and logistics.

Southwest Houston: Known for its diverse industrial properties and affordable rates, this area is suitable for small to medium-sized enterprises.

Downtown and Inner Loop: While more expensive, this location offers unparalleled access to the city center, making it a viable choice for businesses prioritizing convenience.

Benefits of Leasing Over Buying

Leasing warehouse space offers flexibility, especially for growing businesses or those with seasonal operations. You can scale up or downsize based on your needs without the long-term financial commitment of purchasing a property. Additionally, leasing frees up capital that can be invested in other areas of your business.

Tips for Finding the Best Warehouse Space

Work with a trusted commercial real estate agent who understands the Houston market.

Compare multiple properties to find the best balance of cost, location, and amenities.

Visit potential spaces to evaluate their suitability firsthand.

Conclusion

Leasing the right Houston warehouse space for lease is a critical step for businesses aiming to optimize their operations and grow in one of the most dynamic cities in the country. By considering factors like location, size, amenities, and lease terms, you can find a space that perfectly aligns with your needs. Take your time, do your research, and partner with professionals to ensure a seamless leasing experience.