#national 311 day

[murderousink23]

03/11/2025 is World Plumbing Day 🪠🌎, National Oatmeal Nut Waffles Day 🇺🇸, National Worship of Tools Day 🇺🇸, National 311 Day 🇺🇸, National Promposal Day 🇺🇸, Key Deer Awareness Day 🇺🇸

[todaysdocument]

Washington, DC, November 11, 2004 -- The Capitol Building on a crisp fall day from the National Mall. Bill Koplitz/FEMA

Record Group 311: Records of the Federal Emergency Management AgencySeries: Photographs Relating to Disasters and Emergency Management Programs, Activities, and Officials

This color photograph shows the US Capitol building on a bright fall day.  The photograph was taken from the Mall, which is lined with trees and lamp posts and has many people strolling.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved on our archive

This is why it's so important to follow your local or regional wastewater data if you can: The national news declares Covid over for everyone when New York and California so much as dip. In Ohio, even while rates are slowing, Covid is still on the rise.

By Jacob Clary

Covid-19 has seen small decreases lately across Highland County and statewide, but is still up significantly from a couple of months ago according to Ohio Department of Health (ODH) statistics.

According to ODH, Highland County’s case rate has increase significantly since the last time The Times-Gazette reported on Covid-19 on Aug. 5, 2024. On that date, the latest statistics were from Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, which showed that Highland County’s case rate was at 64.9 cases per a population of 100,000 for the two weeks before that date.

The newest statistics for Highland County have seen that case rate skyrocket to 150.6 cases per a population of 100,000 for the two weeks before Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, with 65 cases. Ohio’s overall case rate for this period was 110.4. This increase is even slightly muted compared to the increases from a few weeks prior, as the number released on Sept. 26 is down from the data seen earlier this month.

On Sept. 19, 2024, the data showed that Highland County had a case rate of 178.4 cases per a population of 100,000 for the two weeks before then, with Ohio’s rate being 145.6. Surprisingly, even this was a drop compared to the week prior, as on Sept. 12, 2024, ODH reported that Highland County’s case rate was 187.7 cases per a population of 100,000 for the two weeks before that date, as Ohio’s rate was at 161.8

However, the county’s most significant case rate of this period was reported on Sept. 5, 2024, when the county’s case rate was 243.3 cases per a population of 100,000 for the two weeks before then. Ohio’s rate was reported at 165.2.

ODH also reported multiple other statistics that show Covid-19’s slight falling off in Ohio as a whole following the highs of a couple of weeks ago, with all of these statistics having been last updated on Sept. 26, 2024.

In terms of overall Ohio cases, from the week of Sept. 6, 2024, through Sept. 12, 2024, there was a seven-day case increase of 10,315. For the week of Sept. 13, 2024, through Sept. 19, 2024, there was a seven-day increase of 8,391 cases and then a seven-day increase of 6,103 Covid-19 cases for the week of Sept. 20, 2024, through Sept. 26, 2024. These statistics show the fall-off between a couple of weeks ago in case rate, with that case rate down significantly since early September.

In terms of Ohio hospitalizations, those have also followed a similar path, having gone down, but also went up slightly a couple of weeks ago. For the week of Sept. 6, 2024, through Sept. 12, 2024, ODH reported that there was a seven-day hospitalizations increase of 281. That number then increased during the week of Sept. 13, 2024, through Sept. 19, 2024, when there was seven-day hospitalizations increase of 311. That number then went back down, with the seven-day hospitalizations increase at 245 for the week of Sept. 20, 2024, through Sept. 26, 2024.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Covid Data Center, Ohio’s test positivity went down for the week through Sept. 21, 2024, to 12.4 percent, a decrease of 2.2 percent from the previous data set.

[trump-executive-orders]

Federal Recognition of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina

Issued January 23, 2025.

Section 1. Purpose and Policy. The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, known as the People of the Dark Water, have a long and storied history. The tribe's members were descendants of several tribal nations from the Algonquian, Iroquoian, and Siouan language families, including the Hatteras, the Tuscarora, and the Cheraw. The waters of the Lumbee River and lands that surround it have protected and provided for the Lumbee people for centuries despite war, disease, and many other perils.

In 1885, the State of North Carolina recognized the Lumbee people as an Indian tribe. 1185 N.C. Sess. Laws 92. In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Lumbee Act (Public Law 84-570, 70 Stat. 254), which recognized the Lumbee as the Lumbee Indians of North Carolina but denied Lumbee Indians Federal benefits associated with such recognition. Today, according to the State of North Carolina, the Lumbee Tribe consists of more than 55,000 members, making it the largest tribe east of the Mississippi River and the ninth-largest tribe in the Nation.

In 2024, the United States House of Representatives passed, by a vote of 311-96, the Lumbee Fairness Act (H.R. 1101), which would grant the Lumbee Tribe full Federal recognition, but this legislation was not considered by the United States Senate before the end of the 118th Congress. Similar legislation has passed the House of Representatives several times.

Considering the Lumbee Tribe's historical and modern significance, it is the policy of the United States to support the full Federal recognition, including the authority to receive full Federal benefits, of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina.

Sec. 2. Directive for Recognition Plan. (a) Within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, the Secretary of the Interior shall review all applicable authorities regarding the recognition or acknowledgement of Indian tribes and, in consultation with the leadership of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, shall submit to the President a plan to assist the Lumbee Tribe in obtaining full Federal recognition through legislation or other available mechanisms, including the right to receive full Federal benefits.

(b) The plan shall include consideration and analysis of each potential legal pathway to effectuate full Federal recognition of the Lumbee Tribe, including through an act of the Congress, judicial action, or the Procedures for Federal Acknowledgement of Indian Tribes set forth in 25 C.F.R. Part 83.

(c) The Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

[brookston]

Holidays 3.11

Holidays

Alphabet Day

Cornish Heath Day

Daily Newspaper Day (UK)

Day of Dug Control Authorities (Russia)

Day of the Rifleman

Debunking Day

Dream Day

European Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Terrorism (EU)

Flat White Day

Frankenstein Day

Human Services Day

International Day of Startups

Johnny Appleseed Day

Lend-Lease Day

Mahasivarathri Day (Sri Lanka)

Maha Shivaratree (Mauritius)

Moshoeshoe Day (Lesotho)

Mount Etna Eruption Anniversary Day

National Covid-19 Day

National Day of Observance for COVID-19 (Canada)

National Funeral Director and Mortician Recognition Day

National Healing Headbands Day

National Immune System Day

National No-Code Day

National Payton Slaymaker Day

National Promposal Day

National Singles Day (UK)

National 311 Day

Nina Hartley Day

Penny Loaf Day (UK)

Pound Coins Day

Press Day (Tajikistan)

Prime Time Day

The Snowy Day

Solo Poly Day

Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day (EU)

Wash Your Nose Day

Women Physicians Day (Canada)

World Day of Muslim Culture, Peace, Dialogue and Film

World Plumbing Day

Worship of Tools Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Amber Ale Day

Apple Appreciation Day

National Chicken Parm Day

National ‘Eat Your Noodles’ Day

National Sofrito Day

Oatmeal Nut Waffle Day

Nature Celebrations

Ixeris (Simple, Dedicated; Korean Birth Flowers)

Key Deer Awareness Day

Mandrake Day (French Republic)

Independence, Flag & Related Days

Cheslovian Federation (Declared; 2003) [unrecognized]

Confederate Constitution (Passed by Confederate Congress; 1862)

Crudaith (Declared; 2014) [unrecognized]

Lithuania (from USSR, a.k.a. Day of Restoration; 1990)

Montgomery Convention approved Confederate States constitution (1861)

Sorrenia (Declared; 2013) [unrecognized]

Xarbarstan (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

2nd Tuesday in March

Gambling Disorder Screening Day [2nd Tuesday]

Organize Your Home Office Day [2nd Tuesday]

Table Tennis Tuesday [2nd Tuesday of Each Month]

Taco Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Target Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Tater Tot Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Tomato Tuesday [2nd Tuesday of Each Month]

Trivia Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Two For Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Weekly Holidays beginning March 11 (2nd Week of March)

Turkey Vultures Return to the Living Sign Week (thru 3.17)

Festivals On or Beginning March 11, 2025

Cheltenham Festival (Gloucestershire, UK) [thru 3.14]

London Book Fair (London, United Kingdom) [thru 3.13]

Feast Days

Alberta of Agen (Christian; Saint)

Angus, the Culdee (Christian; Saint)

Aurea (Christian; Virgin)

Bela Lugosi Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Benedict of Milan (Christian; Saint)

Bunching of Fairies for the Second Flight (Shamanism)

Constantine of Cornwall (Christian; Saint)

Douglas Adams Day (Pastafarian)

Eulogius of Cordova (Christian; Martyr)

Feast Day of Hercules/Herakles (Ancient Rome/Greece)

Felire Oengusso Day (Celtic Book of Days)

Flower Sisters Witches of Belvoir Day (Pagan)

Gyalpyo (a.k.a. Gyallo Loshar; Nepal)

Jacques de Molay Day (Everyday Wicca)

Johnny Appleseed Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Marduk’s Day (Pagan)

Nora Nicks (Muppetism)

Óengus of Tallaght (Christian; Saint)

Pythagoras (Positivist; Saint)

Sophronius of Jerusalem (Christian; Saint)

Tessa Margaret Redi (Christian; Virgin)

Vindicianus (Christian; Saint)

Lunar Calendar Holidays

Chinese: Month 2 (Ji-Mao), Day 12 (Ji-Mao)

Day Pillar: Earth Rabbit

12-Day Officers/12 Gods: Establish Day (建 Jian) [Inauspicious]

Holidays: None Known

Secular Saints Days

Douglas Adams (Literature)

Louis Boulanger (Art)

Vannevar Bush (Science)

Jodie Comer (Entertainment)

Henry Cowell (Music)

Dock Ellis (Sports)

Wanda Gág (Art)

David Gentleman (Art)

Robert Grudin (Literature)

Kenneth Hayes Miller (Art)

Elias Koteas (Entertainment)

Bobby McFerrin (Music)

Carl Ruggles (Music)

Torquato Tasso (Literature)

Raoul Walsh (Entertainment)

Jerry Zucker (Entertainment)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

The Adam Project (Film; 2022)

All Things Bright and Beautiful, by James Herriot (Book; 1975)

The American Picture Book Aywon Film Cartoon; 1922)

Birds in the Spring (Silly Symphony Disney Cartoon; 1933)

Candide, by Leonard Bernstein and Hugh Wheeler (Broadway Musical; 1974)

Col. Heeza Liar and the Burglar (Colonel Heeza Liar Cartoon; 1922)

Comin’ Round the Mountain (Screen Song Cartoon; 1949)

Complicated, by Avril Lavigne (Song; 2002)

Contrasts in Rhythm (Disney Cartoon; 1955)

Dangerous Woman, by Ariana Grande (Song; 2016)

A Day at the Zoo (WB MM Cartoon; 1939)

Daily Courant (UK Daily Newspaper; 1702)

Donald’s Better Self (Disney Cartoon; 1938)

Don Carlos, by Giuseppe Verdi (Opera; 1867)

Everything Everywhere All At Once (Film; 2022)

Fellini Satyricon (Film; 1970)

Four Weddings and a Funeral (Film; 1994)

Goon From the Moon (Mighty Mouse Cartoon; 1951)

Homeless Hare (WB MM Cartoon; 1950)

The Hudsucker Proxy (Film; 1994)

I Got Plenty of Mutton (WB MM Cartoon; 1944)

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries (UK TV Series; 2001)

I Will Always Love You, by Dolly Parton (Song’ 1992)

Less Than Zero, by Elvis Costello (Song; 1977)

Mad About Music (Film; 1938)

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (Animated Disney Film; 1977)

Mars Needs Moms (Animated Film; 2011)

Metal Health, by Quiet Riot (Album; 1983)

Minnie the Moocher (Betty Boop Cartoon; 1932)

Mr. Fuller Pep: His Day of Rest (Powers Cartoon; 1917)

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Animated Studio Ghibli Film; 1984)

On Violence, by Hannah Arendt (Science Book; 1970)

Operation Cold Feet (Chilly Willy Cartoon; 1957)

The Original Soundtrack, by 10cc (Album; 1975)

Penny Antics (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1955)

Plumber of Seville (Hercules Cartoon; 1957)

Porky’s Movie Mystery (WB LT Cartoon; 1939)

Princess of Thieves (Film; 2001)

A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry (Play; 1959)

Rigoletto, by Giuseppe Verdi (Opera; 1851)

Ringing Bell (Animated Film; 1978)

Robin and Marian (Film; 1976)

Robots (Animated Film; 2005)

Roses and Thorns (Hearst-Vitagraph News Pictorial Cartoon; 1917)

Scrappy’s Playmates (Scrappy Cartoon; 1938)

The Sea Haunt (Animated TV Show;Jonny Quest #26; 1965)

Stand and Deliver (Film; 1988)

Swim or Sink (Betty Boop Cartoon; 1932)

10 Cloverfield Lane (Film; 2016)

Texas Tom (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1950)

THX 1138 (Film; 1971)

Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation (WB Animated Film; 1992)

The Torpedo, Hornet of the Sea (Paramount-Bray Pictographs; 1918)

Trouble Date (Jeepers & Creepers Cartoon; 1960)

Turning Red (Animated Pixar Film; 2022)

Two Little Lambs (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1935)

When the Wind Blows (Animated Film; 1988)

Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore (Disney Cartoon; 1983)

Today’s Name Days

Alram, Rosina (Austria)

Blanka, Kandid, Tvrtko (Croatia)

Anděla (Czech Republic)

Thala (Denmark)

Aigar, Ain, Ainar, Innar, Inno (Estonia)

Kalervo (Finland)

Rosine (France)

Alram, Rosina, Ulrich (Germany)

Szilárd (Hungary)

Costantino (Italy)

Agita, Konstantīns (Latvia)

Gediminas, Konstantinas, Vijolė (Lithuania)

Edvin, Tale (Norway)

Benedykt, Drogosława, Edwin, Kandyd, Konstanty, Konstantyn, Prokop, Rozyna, Sofroniusz (Poland)

Sofronie (Romania)

Angela, Angelika (Slovakia)

Áurea, Ramiro (Spain)

Edvin, Egon (Sweden)

Alberta, Albertina, Angus, Connie, Constance, Constantine, Consuela, Consuelo, Elberta, Ramiro (USA)

Today’s National Name Days

National Douglas Day

National Wanda Day

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 70 of 2025; 295 days remaining in the year

ISO Week: Day 2 of Week 11 of 2025

Celtic Tree Calendar: Fearn (Alder) [Day 14 of 28]

Chinese: Month 2 (Ji-Mao), Day 12 (Ji-Mao)

Chinese Year of the: Snake 4723 (until February 17, 2026) [Ding-Chou]

Coptic: 2 Baramhat 1741

Druid Tree Calendar: Lime (Mar 11-20) [Day 1 of 10]

Hebrew: 11 Adar 5785

Islamic: 11 Ramadan 1446

Julian: 26 February 2025

Moon: 93%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 14 Aristotle (3rd Month) [Pythagoras]

Runic Half Month: Beore (Birch Tree) [Day 4 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 81 of 90)

SUn Calendar: 10 Green; Threesday [10 of 30]

Week: 2nd Week of March

Zodiac:

Tropical (Typical) Zodiac: Aquarius (Day 21 of 30)

Sidereal Zodiac: Aquarius (Day 27 of 30)

Schmidt Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 18 of 27)

IAU Boundaries (Current) Zodiac: Aquarius (Day 23 of 23)

IAU Boundaries (1977) Zodiac: Aquarius (Day 24 of 24)

Calendar Changes

Lime (March 11-20) [Druid Tree Calendar] (Month 9 of 41)

[mariacallous]

The U.S. defense industrial base just got a $20 billion shot in the arm from the national security supplemental bills passed by Congress last week. But although officials and experts believe the funding will provide a much-needed jolt to military production and help open up new factory lines, some say it’s still not enough to respond to China, Russia, and terror threats at the same time.

“We have begun—begun—to rebuild the industrial base with the supplementals,” Bill LaPlante, the Pentagon’s acquisition chief, said at an event last week. “Calling it a wartime footing, no.”

The biggest need? Money. Officials and experts say that the United States needs more of it, lots more, to make the real investments. At the peak of World War II, the United States was spending nearly 40 percent of its GDP on defense. It’s down to less than a tenth of those spending levels now. And the need to spend more has gone up with the Chinese spending more—and with Russian factories working around the clock.

“It’s still shy by quite a bit [for] what you would need to get our stockpiles in the right shape, get our industrial base in the right shape, help the Taiwanese, and get the Ukrainians in a position that they can get some leverage in negotiations,” said Jeb Nadaner, a former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense for industrial policy. “If the benchmark is against the calendar and the clock, we’re still falling behind every month. And that can’t go unnoticed by China.”

But the jolt will allow the United States to surge artillery production and solve key bottlenecks.

One is the production of solid rocket motors used for everything from Javelin anti-tank weapons that can hit a tank from a little over a mile away to intercontinental ballistic missiles that can propel warheads across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans if a U.S. war with Russia or China ever went nuclear.

Aerojet Rocketdyne, which was recently bought out by L3Harris Technologies for nearly $5 billion, was one of only a few suppliers. But the supplemental gives several billions of dollars for companies, such as Orbital ATK, to expand their solid rocket motor facilities.

And it provides money from the Defense Production Act—the same law that Washington used to force U.S. manufacturers to produce more masks, gloves, and face shields during the coronavirus pandemic—to build out a second tier of rocket motor suppliers, including X-Bow Systems in Texas; Ursa Major in Colorado; and Adranos in Mississippi, which was recently bought out by defense technology company Anduril. The idea is to fast-track work that wasn’t going to be done until at least 2026, if not 2027 or 2028, according to a congressional aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity to talk about military contracts that hadn’t been made public.

There’s also about $100 million to help Williams, one of the only American makers of cruise missile motors, speed up production in Michigan. Those motors are used in the long-range anti-ship missile that might one day help Taiwan fend off Chinese landings; the armor-piercing joint air-to-surface standoff missile; the Tomahawk land attack missile that is the U.S. Navy’s weapon of choice; and the Harpoon missile that the Ukrainians have used in the Black Sea.

There’s also money to build factories for ball bearings, printed circuit boards, and other subcomponents for the $311 billion that the Pentagon wants to spend in the upcoming year to develop new weapons. Processor assemblies, castings, forgings, microelectronics, and seekers for munitions have been major bottlenecks. And there are recruitment and attrition problems almost across the board, from welders at shipyards to rocket engineers, a generational problem that might need vocational-training fixes at the high school level and up.

But with some Democrats pushing back on the Biden administration’s $850 billion Pentagon budget proposal as too costly, there’s also a focus on smaller attritable capabilities that don’t need a whole lot of start-up capital or defense industrial muscle to get moving.

There’s a ton of counter-drone money, about $600 million, that will go toward Coyotes, a small drone capable of intercepting other drones, and Roadrunners, an air defense munition that takes off vertically—just like the F-35 fighter jet variant flown by the U.S. Marines.

Some members, such as House Armed Services Committee ranking member Adam Smith, have advocated for ending production of ground-launched nuclear weapons. Congress is also trying to scrap old weapons, including F-15 fighter jets, the A-10 Warthog aircraft, and littoral combat ships used by the Marines. Smith is even curious about using microwaves as the next generation of air defense instead of directed energy.

The United States is also torn between near-term needs, like 155 mm artillery ammunition, and long-term needs—like a sixth-generation fighter jet that will follow the F-35. “There are going to have to be some trade-offs between preparing for a near-term fight and near-term deterrence and probably making some trade-offs on some next-generation weapons systems,” said Seth Jones, the senior vice president and director of the international security program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is still going to be a major factor in setting requirements for the U.S. military. “We’re going to be selling 155 [mm] like a drunken sailor for a few years,” said Mark Montgomery, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “The Western alliance needs the U.S. to crank 155 [mm] for a decade.”

Other weapons used in the early days of Ukraine’s defense of Kyiv are likely to hit a plateau in production. Those include Javelin systems; the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS; and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, which the Pentagon sent to Ukraine in large numbers early in the war and are also included in the supplemental, but which have taken on a secondary role as the fight has been bogged down in trench warfare for months and months.

Allies can help solve some of the bottleneck problems. The United States is co-developing new glide-phase interceptors with Japan as well as co-producing guided multiple-launch rockets with Australia and guidance-enhanced missiles for Patriot air defenses with the Germans. But after the political fights that took the supplemental more than six months to get through Congress, LaPlante and other officials acknowledged that the United States now has an image problem in showing itself to be a reliable torch-bearer for the global defense industrial base.

There’s another major production plateau that members of Congress are trying to stave off: attack submarines. The Biden administration’s proposed budget for the upcoming year slashed funding for one attack submarine. For years, producing two a year had been the standard, even though U.S. shipyards only produce between 1.2 and 1.4 Virginia-class submarines each year, and new variants are 24 to 36 months behind schedule.

And there are dependencies that are difficult—if not impossible—to cut. The United States still buys a significant amount of its titanium from Russia, which is used for everything from landing gears to tank armor, and is only slowly ramping up production of rare earth minerals, which are dominated by China. But the U.S. military’s weapons are ravenous for rare earths: The F-35 needs 900 pounds of rare earths to run, and the Virginia-class submarines need more than 10 times that amount. The military also needs lithium ions used in advanced battery production that China also dominates.

Where Congress and the Pentagon are having more trouble jolting the defense industrial base to life is for weapons that might be used in the Indo-Pacific. The U.S. Army’s precision strike missile that would be used to hit incoming Chinese ships from more than 600 miles out, for instance, is still being developed—the seeker that would find enemy vessels isn’t finished—so there’s no way to ramp up capacity, at least not yet.

But before the United States ramps up industrial capacity, some members of Congress want the Pentagon to take a good, hard look at what’s already on the books.

“Where can we look within the budget and say, wouldn’t we be better to spend more money on these things that we really do need?” Smith said. “So before I get into a discussion about, ‘Gosh, it’d be great if we had another $50 billion,’ where are we spending the money that we have? I think that’s the first question.”

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Signe Wilkinson

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

April 20, 2024

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

APR 21, 2024

Cheering broke out in the gallery and among Democrats on the floor of the House of Representatives this afternoon when the House passed the $60.8 billion aid bill for Ukraine. The vote was 311–112, with all Democrats and 101 Republicans voting in favor and 112 Republicans voting against. One Republican voted present. 

The House also voted on the three other bills that will be packaged with the Ukraine bill as a single measure to go in front of the Senate. The House voted in favor of providing $8.1 billion in support for Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific by a vote of 385–34. It approved more than $26 billion for Israel, including $9.2 billion in humanitarian aid not specifically for Gaza but for populations in crisis, by a vote of 366–58. And it voted 360–58 to place additional sanctions on Iran, seize Russian assets, and require the Chinese owners of TikTok to sell the company within nine months if they want it to continue to be available on U.S. app stores.  

The total price tag of the measures is about $95.3 billion. About $50 billion of it will be used here in the U.S. to replenish the supplies that will go abroad. 

Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) says the Senate will take up the measure on Tuesday. Senators had gone home for recess but will come back to vote. The Department of Defense says it is ready to rush crucial supplies as soon as it gets the go-ahead. "We have a very robust logistics network that enables us to move material very quickly; as we've done in the past, we can move within days," Pentagon press secretary Air Force Major General Pat Ryder said Thursday.  

Aid to Ukraine has been stalled since Biden first asked for it in October 2023. First, MAGA Republicans said they would never pass such a national security supplemental bill until the U.S. addressed the need for better security at the country’s southern border. Senators, including Republican James Lankford (R-OK) took them at their word and hammered out a strong border security measure, only to have Republicans reject it when Trump demanded they preserve border security as a campaign issue. The Senate then passed the national security supplemental bill without a border measure, but that was back in February. Although it was clear the measure would pass the House, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has steadfastly refused to take it up. 

Meanwhile, countries around the globe have been stepping into the breach, providing funds and weapons for Ukraine as Ukraine’s war effort has faltered without U.S. war matériel.

Suddenly, the dam has broken. 

The MAGA extremists who oppose aid to Ukraine expressed anger over the measure’s passage, but outside of that group, there was bipartisan relief and mutual congratulations. The chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX), who has been vocal in his belief that Republicans have fallen prey to Russian propaganda, compared today’s vote to the period before World War II, when British prime minister Neville Chamberlain tried to appease dictator Adolf Hitler in 1938 by agreeing to Germany’s annexation of the Sudetenland. To Chamberlain’s successor, Winston Churchill, fell the task of fighting World War II. 

“Our adversaries are watching us here today, and history will judge us on our actions here today,” McCaul said. “So as we deliberate on this vote, you have to ask yourself: Am I Chamberlain or am I Churchill?”

House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said: “For months, the national security priorities of the American people have been obstructed by pro-Putin extremists determined to let Russia win. A bipartisan coalition of Democrats and Republicans has risen up to work together and ensure that we are getting the national security legislation important to the American people over the finish line.”

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin also released a statement welcoming the passage of the measure. “This bipartisan legislation will allow the Department to surge lifesaving security assistance to help Ukraine defend itself from Russia’s aggression, support Israel’s defense from Iran and its proxies, and increase the flow of urgently needed humanitarian aid to suffering Palestinians in Gaza.” It is also, he wrote, “an important investment in America's future.”  

President Joe Biden said that “members of both parties in the House voted to advance our national security interests and send a clear message about the power of American leadership on the world stage. At this critical inflection point, they came together to answer history’s call, passing urgently-needed national security legislation that I have fought for months to secure.” 

The reiteration of the bipartisan nature of the vote suggests support for the idea that the breaking dam refers not just to the national security supplemental bill but also to the power of MAGA Republicans more generally. Representative Tom Cole (R-OK) suggested this interpretation in an interview today with Ryan Lizza of Politico. 

MAGAs are Trump loyalists, counting on his return to power, and Trump is visibly diminished. For the last week, he has been sitting in a courtroom with no choice but to do as he is told by the judge while potential jurors have expressed their dislike of him to his face. This is novel for him, and it is clearly taking a toll. 

Trump’s financial troubles have not gone away, either. Yesterday, New York attorney general Letitia James asked a judge to void the $175 million appeals bond Trump posted to secure the $454 million judgment against him in the business fraud case. She says that the defendants have failed to show that there is enough collateral behind the bond to secure it. She has asked for a replacement bond within a week. Without a bond, James can begin to seize Trump’s property. 

Since Republicans took control of the House, Republican leaders have had to turn to Democrats to find the votes to pass crucial legislation like the national security supplemental bill, preventing a U.S. default, and funding the government. Republicans interested in governing and eager to protect the institutions of democracy appear to be getting fed up with the attention-seeking and bomb-throwing MAGA faction that refuses to do the work of governing. 

That frustration might have been on display when the House also voted on a fifth measure: a border bill the extremist Republicans demanded. Because it was considered under a suspension of the rules, it needed a two-thirds majority to pass. The measure failed with a vote of 215–211. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a lawyer with the American Immigration Council advocacy group, noted that the last time the House voted on a similar measure, it got 219 votes. This time it got fewer votes, even with an added $9.5 billion for Texas, Florida, and other states that are restricting immigrants’ rights. 

In The Atlantic today, David Frum noted the changing U.S. political dynamic and, referring  to the Ukraine vote, wrote: “On something that mattered intensely to [Trump]—that had become a badge of pro-Trump identity—Trump’s own party worked with Democrats in the House and Senate to hand him a stinging defeat. This example could become contagious.” In other words, he said: “Ukraine won. Trump lost.”

For his part, leading Russian politician Dmitry Medvedev had his own reaction to the House’s passage of the national security supplemental bill with aid for Ukraine. He vowed that Russia would win the war anyway and added: “[C]onsidering the russophobic decision that took place I can't help but wish the USA with all sincerity to dive into a new civil war themselves as quickly as possible. Which, I hope, will be very different from the war between North and South in the 19th century and will be waged using aircraft, tanks, artillery, MLRS, all types of missiles and other weapons. And which will finally lead to the inglorious collapse of the vile evil empire of the 21st century—the United States of America.”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[bienvs3000w24]

Roles of a Nature Interpreter

This week's blog prompt got me thinking, specifically about my interests and how I can incorporate this into communicating information regarding the natural environment to the public. I touched upon it briefly in my last blog post, however, I have always really enjoyed photography, and in recent years nature photography has become a hobby of mine.

Some photos I took the other day while on a walk :)

In terms of my ideal role as an environmental interpreter, I envision a position in which I can combine my love for the environment and capture it through a lens. I also love to find new trails and hikes in which I can explore nature, so it would also be nice to incorporate this into my role.  Therefore, I envision myself working as some type of park guide in which I can share all my knowledge with others and demonstrate the beauty and importance of nature through real-world experiences as well as photographs. I would love to focus on birds, their importance, and their impact on our environment. I have always had an interest in birds and believe that they are beautiful animals! One specific location that I've always been interested in is Banff National Park. Banff is home to over 311 species of birds with the Grey Jay or Canada Jay being one of the most popular, which is one of my favourite birds. I have previously done projects on these birds so it would be cool to explore even more in-depth about them and hopefully teach other people everything I love about them as well! In this role, my responsibilities would include giving guided tours outlining the importance of different plant and animal species, with a focus on birds,  and creating a fun environment in which children and adults of all ages want to learn. I believe it would be fun to focus more on the visual aspect of nature interpretation, teaching people how to identify differences between certain plant species and so on. This would help to tie in my love for photography! I would also love to include as many hands-on activities and experiences for them as I believe this helps to immerse people in their environmental surroundings. I am a more hands-on learner however, as a nature interpreter, I must recognize the various learning styles and cater my teaching to address everyone's needs.

Another way in which I could envision myself taking on the nature interpreter role would be through an online blog or website which would act as a virtual gateway into the natural world. I would love to showcase my photographs alongside insights and personal stories to help educate and enlighten individuals about the amazing world around us! Each post will address various ecosystems, the intricacies of wildlife, and how/why environmental conservation is extremely important in today's day and age.  No matter what roles I would take on as an environmental interpreter, I just want to make a difference and show people that caring about nature is super important, just as people have taught me!

[murderousink23]

Happy National 311 Day!

[new-universe-discovered]

Day 311 of 1:

Dear diary, new universe discovered. It's National Nut Day. Take that however you will.

[aestheticvoyage2023]

Day 311: Tuesday November 7, 2023 - "Pancakes"

Song: The National - Not In Kansas

Quote: Be hopeful. Be optimistic. Never lose that sense of hope.  ~John Lewis

[nationaldaysbydigitalhygge]

March 11th, 2025:

COVID-19 Day of Reflection 🇬🇧

Debunking Day

Key Deer Awareness Day

National 311 Day

National COVID-19 Day

National Dream Day

National Funeral Director and Mortician Recognition Day

National Immune System Day

National Johnny Appleseed Day

National No-Code Day

National Oatmeal Nut Waffles Day

National Organize Your Home Office Day

National Payton Slaymaker Day

National Promposal Day

National Sofrito Day

National Wash Your Nose Day

National Worship of Tools Day

World Plumbing Day

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 3.11

Holidays

Alphabet Day

Cornish Heath Day

Daily Newspaper Day (UK)

Day of Dug Control Authorities (Russia)

Day of the Rifleman

Debunking Day

Dream Day

European Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Terrorism (EU)

Flat White Day

Frankenstein Day

Human Services Day

International Day of Startups

Johnny Appleseed Day

Lend-Lease Day

Mahasivarathri Day (Sri Lanka)

Maha Shivaratree (Mauritius)

Moshoeshoe Day (Lesotho)

Mount Etna Eruption Anniversary Day

National Covid-19 Day

National Day of Observance for COVID-19 (Canada)

National Funeral Director and Mortician Recognition Day

National Healing Headbands Day

National Immune System Day

National No-Code Day

National Payton Slaymaker Day

National Promposal Day

National Singles Day (UK)

National 311 Day

Nina Hartley Day

Penny Loaf Day (UK)

Pound Coins Day

Press Day (Tajikistan)

Prime Time Day

The Snowy Day

Solo Poly Day

Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day (EU)

Wash Your Nose Day

Women Physicians Day (Canada)

World Day of Muslim Culture, Peace, Dialogue and Film

World Plumbing Day

Worship of Tools Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Amber Ale Day

Apple Appreciation Day

National Chicken Parm Day

National ‘Eat Your Noodles’ Day

National Sofrito Day

Oatmeal Nut Waffle Day

Nature Celebrations

Ixeris (Simple, Dedicated; Korean Birth Flowers)

Key Deer Awareness Day

Mandrake Day (French Republic)

Independence, Flag & Related Days

Cheslovian Federation (Declared; 2003) [unrecognized]

Confederate Constitution (Passed by Confederate Congress; 1862)

Crudaith (Declared; 2014) [unrecognized]

Lithuania (from USSR, a.k.a. Day of Restoration; 1990)

Montgomery Convention approved Confederate States constitution (1861)

Sorrenia (Declared; 2013) [unrecognized]

Xarbarstan (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

2nd Tuesday in March

Gambling Disorder Screening Day [2nd Tuesday]

Organize Your Home Office Day [2nd Tuesday]

Table Tennis Tuesday [2nd Tuesday of Each Month]

Taco Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Target Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Tater Tot Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Tomato Tuesday [2nd Tuesday of Each Month]

Trivia Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Two For Tuesday [Every Tuesday]

Weekly Holidays beginning March 11 (2nd Week of March)

Turkey Vultures Return to the Living Sign Week (thru 3.17)

Festivals On or Beginning March 11, 2025

Cheltenham Festival (Gloucestershire, UK) [thru 3.14]

London Book Fair (London, United Kingdom) [thru 3.13]

Feast Days

Alberta of Agen (Christian; Saint)

Angus, the Culdee (Christian; Saint)

Aurea (Christian; Virgin)

Bela Lugosi Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Benedict of Milan (Christian; Saint)

Bunching of Fairies for the Second Flight (Shamanism)

Constantine of Cornwall (Christian; Saint)

Douglas Adams Day (Pastafarian)

Eulogius of Cordova (Christian; Martyr)

Feast Day of Hercules/Herakles (Ancient Rome/Greece)

Felire Oengusso Day (Celtic Book of Days)

Flower Sisters Witches of Belvoir Day (Pagan)

Gyalpyo (a.k.a. Gyallo Loshar; Nepal)

Jacques de Molay Day (Everyday Wicca)

Johnny Appleseed Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Marduk’s Day (Pagan)

Nora Nicks (Muppetism)

Óengus of Tallaght (Christian; Saint)

Pythagoras (Positivist; Saint)

Sophronius of Jerusalem (Christian; Saint)

Tessa Margaret Redi (Christian; Virgin)

Vindicianus (Christian; Saint)

Lunar Calendar Holidays

Chinese: Month 2 (Ji-Mao), Day 12 (Ji-Mao)

Day Pillar: Earth Rabbit

12-Day Officers/12 Gods: Establish Day (建 Jian) [Inauspicious]

Holidays: None Known

Secular Saints Days

Douglas Adams (Literature)

Louis Boulanger (Art)

Vannevar Bush (Science)

Jodie Comer (Entertainment)

Henry Cowell (Music)

Dock Ellis (Sports)

Wanda Gág (Art)

David Gentleman (Art)

Robert Grudin (Literature)

Kenneth Hayes Miller (Art)

Elias Koteas (Entertainment)

Bobby McFerrin (Music)

Carl Ruggles (Music)

Torquato Tasso (Literature)

Raoul Walsh (Entertainment)

Jerry Zucker (Entertainment)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

The Adam Project (Film; 2022)

All Things Bright and Beautiful, by James Herriot (Book; 1975)

The American Picture Book Aywon Film Cartoon; 1922)

Birds in the Spring (Silly Symphony Disney Cartoon; 1933)

Candide, by Leonard Bernstein and Hugh Wheeler (Broadway Musical; 1974)

Col. Heeza Liar and the Burglar (Colonel Heeza Liar Cartoon; 1922)

Comin’ Round the Mountain (Screen Song Cartoon; 1949)

Complicated, by Avril Lavigne (Song; 2002)

Contrasts in Rhythm (Disney Cartoon; 1955)

Dangerous Woman, by Ariana Grande (Song; 2016)

A Day at the Zoo (WB MM Cartoon; 1939)

Daily Courant (UK Daily Newspaper; 1702)

Donald’s Better Self (Disney Cartoon; 1938)

Don Carlos, by Giuseppe Verdi (Opera; 1867)

Everything Everywhere All At Once (Film; 2022)

Fellini Satyricon (Film; 1970)

Four Weddings and a Funeral (Film; 1994)

Goon From the Moon (Mighty Mouse Cartoon; 1951)

Homeless Hare (WB MM Cartoon; 1950)

The Hudsucker Proxy (Film; 1994)

I Got Plenty of Mutton (WB MM Cartoon; 1944)

The Inspector Lynley Mysteries (UK TV Series; 2001)

I Will Always Love You, by Dolly Parton (Song’ 1992)

Less Than Zero, by Elvis Costello (Song; 1977)

Mad About Music (Film; 1938)

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (Animated Disney Film; 1977)

Mars Needs Moms (Animated Film; 2011)

Metal Health, by Quiet Riot (Album; 1983)

Minnie the Moocher (Betty Boop Cartoon; 1932)

Mr. Fuller Pep: His Day of Rest (Powers Cartoon; 1917)

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Animated Studio Ghibli Film; 1984)

On Violence, by Hannah Arendt (Science Book; 1970)

Operation Cold Feet (Chilly Willy Cartoon; 1957)

The Original Soundtrack, by 10cc (Album; 1975)

Penny Antics (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1955)

Plumber of Seville (Hercules Cartoon; 1957)

Porky’s Movie Mystery (WB LT Cartoon; 1939)

Princess of Thieves (Film; 2001)

A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry (Play; 1959)

Rigoletto, by Giuseppe Verdi (Opera; 1851)

Ringing Bell (Animated Film; 1978)

Robin and Marian (Film; 1976)

Robots (Animated Film; 2005)

Roses and Thorns (Hearst-Vitagraph News Pictorial Cartoon; 1917)

Scrappy’s Playmates (Scrappy Cartoon; 1938)

The Sea Haunt (Animated TV Show;Jonny Quest #26; 1965)

Stand and Deliver (Film; 1988)

Swim or Sink (Betty Boop Cartoon; 1932)

10 Cloverfield Lane (Film; 2016)

Texas Tom (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1950)

THX 1138 (Film; 1971)

Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation (WB Animated Film; 1992)

The Torpedo, Hornet of the Sea (Paramount-Bray Pictographs; 1918)

Trouble Date (Jeepers & Creepers Cartoon; 1960)

Turning Red (Animated Pixar Film; 2022)

Two Little Lambs (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1935)

When the Wind Blows (Animated Film; 1988)

Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore (Disney Cartoon; 1983)

Today’s Name Days

Alram, Rosina (Austria)

Blanka, Kandid, Tvrtko (Croatia)

Anděla (Czech Republic)

Thala (Denmark)

Aigar, Ain, Ainar, Innar, Inno (Estonia)

Kalervo (Finland)

Rosine (France)

Alram, Rosina, Ulrich (Germany)

Szilárd (Hungary)

Costantino (Italy)

Agita, Konstantīns (Latvia)

Gediminas, Konstantinas, Vijolė (Lithuania)

Edvin, Tale (Norway)

Benedykt, Drogosława, Edwin, Kandyd, Konstanty, Konstantyn, Prokop, Rozyna, Sofroniusz (Poland)

Sofronie (Romania)

Angela, Angelika (Slovakia)

Áurea, Ramiro (Spain)

Edvin, Egon (Sweden)

Alberta, Albertina, Angus, Connie, Constance, Constantine, Consuela, Consuelo, Elberta, Ramiro (USA)

Today’s National Name Days

National Douglas Day

National Wanda Day

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 70 of 2025; 295 days remaining in the year

ISO Week: Day 2 of Week 11 of 2025

Celtic Tree Calendar: Fearn (Alder) [Day 14 of 28]

Chinese: Month 2 (Ji-Mao), Day 12 (Ji-Mao)

Chinese Year of the: Snake 4723 (until February 17, 2026) [Ding-Chou]

Coptic: 2 Baramhat 1741

Druid Tree Calendar: Lime (Mar 11-20) [Day 1 of 10]

Hebrew: 11 Adar 5785

Islamic: 11 Ramadan 1446

Julian: 26 February 2025

Moon: 93%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 14 Aristotle (3rd Month) [Pythagoras]

Runic Half Month: Beore (Birch Tree) [Day 4 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 81 of 90)

SUn Calendar: 10 Green; Threesday [10 of 30]

Week: 2nd Week of March

Zodiac:

Tropical (Typical) Zodiac: Aquarius (Day 21 of 30)

Sidereal Zodiac: Aquarius (Day 27 of 30)

Schmidt Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 18 of 27)

IAU Boundaries (Current) Zodiac: Aquarius (Day 23 of 23)

IAU Boundaries (1977) Zodiac: Aquarius (Day 24 of 24)

Calendar Changes

Lime (March 11-20) [Druid Tree Calendar] (Month 9 of 41)

[pookapufferfish]

boop

day 311 of boops

I got into the national stage of an english contest in my country!!! wohooo

Boop

Nice!! I remember I used to enter my country wide english tests (we called them olympiads but idk if other places have those) in high school, never made it too far due to a few reasons but it was fun

[askarsjustsoswedish]

Juan Maria Coy Vergara via Getty Images)

Strong solar winds could supercharge the northern lights just in time for Valentine's Day.

Via space.com (x)

Valentine's Day Aurora Alert: Geomagnetic storm could bring northern lights as far south as Michigan and Maine tonight

A fresh blast of solar wind is set to enhance aurora activity just in time for Valentine's Day.

If conditions are right, the northern lights could be visible as far south as northern Michigan and Maine over the coming days.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm conditions on the evening of Thursday (Feb. 13) and high activity throughout Friday (Feb. 14), as a fast-moving solar wind stream heads for Earth. According to Spaceweather.com first contact with the solar wind stream is expected on Feb. 14, just in time for Valentine's Day.

What's driving the active aurora conditions?

This upcoming geomagnetic storm is driven by a high-speed solar wind stream flowing from a coronal hole — a vast region in the sun's atmosphere where solar wind escapes more easily. Solar wind speeds have appeared elevated throughout the week, ranging from 311 to 373 miles per second (500 to 600 kilometers per second), and in fact already sparked G1 storm conditions on Feb. 9. Another wave of speedy solar wind is expected to arrive between Feb. 12 and Feb. 13, which is what could set the stage for G1 storm conditions on Feb. 14.

When the solar wind reaches Earth's magnetic field, it brings a stream of charged particles that interact with our atmosphere. These interactions energize atmospheric gases, causing them to glow and produce the mesmerizing northern lights (aurora borealis) in the Northern Hemisphere. Faster, denser solar wind can further enhance these displays, intensifying their brightness and activity. The stronger the geomagnetic storm, the farther south the auroras can be seen.

Where and when to see the northern lights this week.

The best chances for aurora sightings will be at high latitudes, including Canada, Alaska and parts of the northern U.S. If geomagnetic activity is strong enough, skywatchers in northern Michigan and Maine may get a special Valentine's Day light show. The best viewing conditions require clear, dark skies away from city lights.

Space weather is unpredictable, so keeping an eye on real-time forecasts is essential. One app I use is "My Aurora Forecast & Alerts," available for both iOS and Android. However, any similar app should work well. I also use the "Space Weather Live" app, which is available on iOS and Android, to get a deeper understanding of whether current space weather conditions are favorable for aurora sightings.

// Good luck. 🤞

[darkmaga-returns]

How great would this be? Showing the world we can still get the big jobs done—or undone. It’s a matter of perspective:

Will this Chicago office sale lead to world’s tallest teardown? Hines explores demolishing 65-story tower that the firm’s development partners agreed to buy

The 65-story office tower at 311 S. Wacker Drive is next to the city's tallest skyscraper, the 110-story Willis Tower. (Robert Gigliotti/CoStar)

Yeah, 25% vacancy rate in Downtown Chicago. BTW, that Willis Tower started life as the Sears Tower. Those were the days!

Chicago's real estate community is abuzz in recent days after word emerged that one of the city's tallest skyscrapers is set to sell for about $70 million, a steep discount from the last time it changed hands, although the object of their chatter is not primarily the sale price. More tantalizing is the long-shot prospect that the sale of the 65-story office building could lead to the biggest voluntary demolition in world history, erasing a prominent part of the skyline.

Elsewhere, good job opportunities are opening up at the National Archives. Yes, there’s a catch, for those under a certain age. You need to be able to read cursive. OTOH, there are jobs in the media sector that don’t require spelling proficiency.

Oh, wait! This isn’t a job opportunity at all! Can you believe that they’re asking for volunteers? People with a valuable skill are supposed to volunteer their time and their hard earned—and vanishing—skill? Wow, that’s not so great after all!