‘GOD SAVED ME’ Mum found floating at sea after two years missing ‘felt shark fins’ passing by her before miracle rescue

From The-Sun.com (Sept. 29, 2020):

Angelica Gaitan, 46, was found unconscious and suffering from hypothermia off the coast of Colombia after being in the sea for eight hours.

She was discovered by fisherman Rolando Visbal and a pal floating 1.2 miles off the town of Puerto Colombia on the Atlantic side of the country at around 6am on Saturday.

It reported her first words after being rescued were “I was born again, God did not want me to die” after she had jumped into the sea following mental health problems.

She was brought ashore where locals tended to her before she was taken to hospital.

Angelica was then reunited with her family as she told investigators what had happened to her since disappearing two years ago.

The Carribean sea where she was in is home to dangerous sharks, including tiger sharks and bull sharks.

During her time in the sea she said the creatures circled her as she drifted in and out of consciousness.

“I knew there are many sharks in that area and, I don’t know if in a hallucination I felt that a fin passed very close to me, but it didn’t stop,” she said.

But then with time beginning to run out, she had a miraculous stroke of luck when she was spotted by the fisherman, who initially thought she was a log until she waved her hand to summon help.

Dramatic video shows the moment Rolando and a friend known only as Gustavo came across Angelica, who appears to be completely unresponsive.

Rolando told Colombia’s Caracol Radio that they nearly didn’t go out fishing that day after problems with his boat’s engine delayed an earlier trip.

“If we hadn’t had the problem with the spark plug on Friday, we would have gone fishing that day and the woman would be dead at sea,” he said.

“Gustavo warned me to be careful with the trunk and I began to turn about 15 degrees to the right, then to my surprise the trunk moved. I thought it was something supernatural.”

The video shows Angelica being dragged towards the boat in a lifebuoy the pair had thrown to her and which she had used her last ounce of energy to put on.

The pair attempt to have a conversation with her and give her water but Angelica begins to cry as the video comes to an end.

Rolando said Angelica didn’t say anything when they hauled her on to deck and was so weak he believed she would have drowned if she had spent any longer in the sea.

“So it turns out that I didn’t catch any fish that day either, but I fished a life. I think this was God’s purpose.”

Mystery continues to surround exactly what happened during the time her family lost contact with her, with her account of fleeing domestic abuse at the hands of her partner disputed by her daughter. [read more]

A miracle indeed. Glad she was rescued in time.

Trump Praises Boeing Jet That Survived FlyDubai Attack

From Newsmax.com (Oct. 1):

President Donald Trump on Thursday commended Boeing for building a plane that withstood a dramatic midair incident on a flight headed to Israel.

Shortly after midnight, Trump praised the Boeing 737 MAX after the FlyDubai aircraft survived a violent cockpit altercation and a dramatic plunge before making an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

"Congratulations to the GREAT Boeing Company for producing a plane, the 737 Max, that was able to withstand G Forces and Strain far beyond what it was designed and expected to do," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump called the incident an "amazing show of precise and powerful structural planning and design" and said Boeing deserved credit for the aircraft's "incredible 'genius!'"

He also congratulated Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg and the company's employees.

FlyDubai Flight FZ1073 was traveling Wednesday from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 people aboard when the co-pilot allegedly stabbed Capt. Smit Machchhar and tried to crash the aircraft, according to Israeli officials.

Most of those aboard were Israelis.

Flight-tracking data showed the Boeing 737 MAX 8 plunging thousands of feet during the emergency.

The aircraft reportedly sustained rudder damage and endured an exceptionally steep descent before control was restored.

Despite being seriously wounded, Machchhar reportedly managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to confront the alleged attacker.

Passengers reportedly helped overpower the suspect, and other FlyDubai crew members aboard the aircraft ultimately took control and diverted the plane to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the suspect, an Omani national, was detained in Saudi Arabia.

Netanyahu praised those who intervened, saying they prevented a major disaster.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the incident as an attempted terrorist attack, although authorities had not publicly established a motive.

The passengers later boarded a rescue flight to Israel, where Netanyahu welcomed them at Ben-Gurion Airport.

Machchhar, an Indian national, was hospitalized and reported in stable condition.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed him as a hero for continuing to protect those aboard despite his injuries.

FlyDubai has suspended flights to and from Israel while authorities investigate the incident.

The UAE's aviation regulator also opened an investigation into what it described as a security incident.

Trump's praise marked a high-profile endorsement of Boeing and its 737 MAX following years in which the aircraft manufacturer faced intense scrutiny over safety and quality control issues. [source]

Bravo to all those heroes who saved the plane from the terrorist. Prayers and thoughts go out to the pilot who got  attacked. A speedy recovery for him.

More on the story:

• Israel PM Hails Indian Pilot of Rerouted Flight for Averting Disaster
• Netanyahu says Flydubai attacker had 'Islamist radical indoctrination'
• Omani copilot’s social media ‘talks about killing Jews’; Israel will take part in probing him — official
• Flydubai hijacker researched airlines, planned killing pilot, crash into Tel Aviv skyscraper
• What If Those Passengers Had Stayed In Their Seats? [video]

This atheist says he died and returned - now, he believes in God

From J Post.com (Sept. 7, 2023):

There are many unanswered questions in life - the essence of life, existence beyond our planet, and what lies ahead after death. These mysteries have perplexed brilliant minds worldwide, with divergent beliefs about the afterlife.

While some strongly believe in heaven and hell or reincarnation, others deny the existence of an afterlife, proclaiming that we simply cease to exist. However, one man's encounter during a near-death experience challenges this disbelief.

Jose Hernandez, an avowed atheist, shares how a life-altering incident transformed his perspective. Speaking to the YouTube channel Shaman Oaks, Hernandez recounts his extraordinary journey that began with a routine work assignment as an engineer.

Hernandez's near-death experience occurred while fixing an electrical issue from atop a bucket truck.

"I was a staunch atheist. As an engineer, I focused solely on logical explanations," he said. "But that day, everything changed. We were running late, and my partner, concerned for my safety, inadvertently crashed our truck into a tree. The impact left me with multiple broken ribs, and I was rushed to the emergency room."

The critical moment

At the hospital, Hernandez's breathing ceased, and the medical staff fought desperately to save his life.

In that critical moment, he found himself contemplating God, making a promise, "If you get me through this, I'll change."

It was then that he noticed a mysterious presence in the room.

"I saw a shadow standing by the door. At that point, I thought, 'I've endured so much in life. Perhaps it's fine to let go.' And the moment the shadow touched my toe, an overwhelming sense of relief, calm, peace, and love engulfed me. It was euphoric."

As medical professionals performed CPR on him, Hernandez claims that the shadow spoke to him.

"Next, I found myself suspended in the corner of the room, observing the resuscitation efforts. A voice beside me said, 'Think of your body as a car. This vehicle has traveled 8 million miles, and there's nothing more we can fix. It's time to bid farewell to your body.' The voice instructed me, 'Okay, it's time to move on.'"

Following this, Hernandez describes a descent into a black hole, where he experienced flying and witnessed mesmerizing cities, breathtaking forests, and wild herds of animals in motion. In this celestial realm, he was assured that he would be able to see his children and, most significantly, he was reunited with his father.

"When I met my father on the other side, I realized that sometimes we may be unable to express certain things here, but elsewhere, we can."

Near-death experiences often share common elements, with many individuals reporting similar experiences during CPR.

While some interpret these encounters as evidence of consciousness beyond the physical realm, medical professionals offer a alternative explanation. Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry William Revill, in an article in the Irish Times, argues that near-death experiences reflect brain activity during moments of oxygen deprivation and increased carbon dioxide levels. He suggests that reports of a light at the end of a tunnel may be a result of falling oxygen levels in the retina, creating tunnel vision.

In Jose Hernandez's case, his near-death experience challenged his atheism and opened his eyes to the possibility of an afterlife.

Message of hope

His encounter offers a message of hope, echoing the experiences of others who have traversed the threshold between life and death. While the mysteries of life and death continue to captivate our curiosity, Hernandez's account reminds us that there is still much we do not yet comprehend, leaving room for exploration and contemplation. [source]

Nice!

Former US Marine Held in Russia for More Than 4 Years Has Been Released

From Newsmax.com (Aug. 11):

Russia has released an American military veteran who spent more than four years in prison on disputed charges under abusive conditions and was said to be gravely ill and at risk of dying, a group advocating for him said Tuesday.

Robert Gilman was on his way to a U.S. military hospital in Texas, where he will be medically and psychologically assessed and treated, said Eric ‌Lebson, chief strategy officer of Global Reach, a group that’s been working to free him and other American detainees abroad.

Gilman’s family has flown to Texas to be with him, including his mother, who was in Russia attempting to see him at a hospital.

President Donald Trump, however, posted on social media that Gilman will arrive at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland outside of Washington on Tuesday evening.

“I just spoke to him, and he had one request — A GREAT cheeseburger when he lands,” Trump wrote. “I will take care of that!”

Trump said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin before Gilman's release, which Trump said was “very much on a Humanitarian Basis.”

“We appreciate this decision, and the fact that Russia asked for no one in return — No exchange took place,” Trump said.

Gilman, a 32-year-old teacher detained since 2022, was initially handed a 3 1/2-year sentence when he was convicted of beating a police officer after being taken off a train for causing a disturbance.

He later was convicted of attacking a prison inspector during a cell check, beating an investigator and assaulting a guard, and he was sentenced in October 2024 to eight years and one month. His sentence was extended last year to 10 years after he was found guilty of assaulting prison guards.

Gilman’s father has disputed the charges against him.

Gilman's sister, Lexie Hudson, credited Trump and Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts with bringing about the former Marine's release.

“There is no other reason that Robert is alive today other than that President Trump heard about the case and took action,” said Hudson, who thanked Markey “for leading our advocacy efforts in Congress.”

“The Russians treated my brother so badly," Hudson said. "They hurt him for no reason, other than that he was both an American and a Marine. What did they get out of this? Why did they do this to such a wonderful person?”

Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service did not respond to a request for comment on Gilman’s health deteriorating behind bars.

Arrests of Americans have become increasingly common in Russia in recent years. Concern has risen that Russia could be targeting U.S. nationals for arrest to use later as bargaining chips in talks to bring back Russians convicted of crimes in the U.S. and Europe.

The State Department also said Gilman, who had been determined recently to have been wrongfully detained, was released on humanitarian grounds and “was not part of an exchange, and no other concessions were provided.”

“This as a welcome step that we hope leads to the release of Americans unjustly held in Russia, such as wrongful detainee Stephen Hubbard,” it said.

During Gilman’s December 2025 trial in the southwestern city of Voronezh, where he was found guilty of beating two prison guards and had his term extended to 10 years, Russian media reported that he pleaded guilty to the charges and apologized to the guards he was charged with assaulting.

The business daily Kommersant said he explained his actions by saying he wanted to stay in the prison where he was serving his sentence and avoid being moved to another penitentiary.

Gilman’s lawyer Irina Brazhnikova told the Russian news agency Interfax on Friday that Gilman was in a psychiatric ward of a civilian hospital, where he’s been since early July.

He was there “due to a psychiatric condition,” and according to doctors, his condition has worsened, but neither his defense lawyers, nor his family were allowed to visit, she said.

Before Gilman was flown out of Russia, he had been in “a dissociative stupor” for 47 days due to the abuse he had suffered in prison, Lebson said. After he was moved to the hospital, he was hooked up to a feeding tube and handcuffed to a bed.

Hospital reports conveyed Gilman’s condition “as dire and life-threatening,” pushing the U.S. government into action and leading to his release, Lebson said.

Markey had called on Russia and the U.S. to work together to get the Massachusetts resident released. Gilman was among at least eight Americans who remained in Russian custody after a series of high-profile prisoner exchanges with the U.S. in recent years.

Markey blamed Russia for Gilman's poor health, saying his return to the U.S. was long overdue.

“It is a tragedy that it took Robert’s near-death condition for his case to receive the attention that it required for his release to be negotiated," Markey said. "Throughout his detention, Robert was subjected to physical torture, forced medication, and provocations by Russian authorities. There is no doubt that his treatment by Russian authorities is the reason Robert is in this precarious state today.” [source]

Good to know! Welcome back home.  Get well and enjoy your cheeseburger.

Another person released:

President Trump Brings Another American Home-Announces Return of Christian Missionary Kevin Rideout Who Was Kidnapped and Held by Jihadi Terrorists in West Africa

44-Year-Old Hoarder Left Behind Treasure Trove Worth Up to $5 Million After Passing Away

From Western Journal.com (Oct. 10, 2020):

Hoarders are notorious for calling themselves “collectors,” and claiming that their hoard is made up of valuable items. Many times, those items turn out to be trash — worse than worthless — but, every once in a while an antique or box of items will turn out to be worth something.

The only way to know if a group of items are a “collection” and not a landfill in progress is to call in the experts. And one man in England is incredibly glad he did.

The man’s brother was a 44-year-old bachelor computer programmer who died suddenly last year, according to Metro.

That man had spent over a decade filling up every part of his three-bedroom house in Nottingham floor to ceiling with stacked boxes, bags and packages, earning him the title “Britain’s Biggest Hoarder.”

When he ran out of space, he filled up 24 bins outside and rented two garages and a neighbor’s backyard. Eventually, he had to stay elsewhere because there was nowhere for him to live at his home.

When he passed and his brother was tasked with cleaning up the hoard, the brother very nearly just had it all thrown out — but decided to get it evaluated first. Enter Terry Woodcock of Unique Auctions in Lincoln. With decades in the business, Woodcock was astounded at what he found.

“This collection is beyond belief,” Woodcock said, according to Metro. “I met the man’s brother at the house and he was just as shocked as I was. He had no idea his brother lived like he did. His house and garage were literally crammed full of items.”

Apparently, the deceased bachelor had taken to ordering items online and was hoping to sell them one day to fund his retirement. Lots of vintage electronics, piles of rare comic books, old science kits, Beatles memorabilia and countless other collections were found stacked haphazardly in every space he owned.

According to Metro, it took eight men and three vans more than six weeks just to clear the house, let alone open packages and research the value of items.

But the estimate of what the items could be worth is absolutely staggering: between £500,000 ($650,000) and £4,000,000 ($5,200,000).  [read more]

Nice.

Top 10 takeaways from Anthony Fauci's hearing in front of Senate committee

From Just the News.com (July 29):

Former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared in front of the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday, where he was grilled about his work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The former NIAID director refused to answer lawmaker questions throughout the hearing, invoking his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination, despite having a presidential pardon that covered his work during the pandemic.

Despite Fauci's refusal to answer questions, the hearing was filled with major revelations and accusations.

Here are the top 10 major takeaways from the Senate hearing:

1. Fauci applied for government grants for himself/got government employees to do it for him

Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley revealed during the hearing that Fauci allegedly used federal employees while he was NIAID director to apply for government grants on his behalf for his work during the pandemic.

"You got rich while people were dying," a heated Hawley said. "You were using federal employees with taxpayer money to apply for and solicit cash prizes for you personally. Cash prizes totaling over a million dollars."

Hawley said he has evidence of the applications for cash prizes that Fauci received, including the Dan David award and the Smithsonian award.

"You actually wrote to people and said, 'Do you think maybe I'd qualify?' And you got cash for all of this. And it wasn't just one or two employees, was it? In fact, you used eight separate federal employees on federal time using federal resources to solicit cash awards. Isn't that true?"

Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment in response.

2. Ron Johnson alleges Fauci covered up evidence ivermectin works

Wisconsin GOP Sen. Ron Johnson accused Fauci during the hearing of covering up alleged evidence that the controversial prescription drug medication ivermectin actually is effective against the coronavirus.

“You said there was no evidence," Johnson said. "There were all kinds of evidence. Loved ones had to go to hospitals, had to sue hospitals ... So I want to know, to what extent were you involved in sabotaging Hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin?”

Johnson highlighted studies that found there were 60-70% effectiveness rate against the virus. Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment again in response.

3. Moreno asks why Fauci hired a criminal defense attorney

Ohio GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno questioned why Fauci would hire a prominent criminal defense attorney if he had done nothing wrong when it came to the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that the attorney was someone a client hires if they are in "deep s***."

"Let me tell you who David Schertler is for the audience," Moreno said. "He's a high-profile criminal attorney. He's represented some really great people like Senator Bob Menendez ... And there's an article here in the Washington Free Beacon that talks about why you would hire a guy like David Schertler. The comment is, 'if you're in deep s***, that's who you call.'"

4. Rand Paul confirms plans for Fauci contempt vote

Another top moment related to the hearing comes after Senate Homeland Security Chairman Rand Paul confirmed that he plans to hold a contempt vote against Fauci for pleading the Fifth in order to dodge answering the panel's questions.

"We believe... he didn't need to hide behind the 5th Amendment and that maybe the 5th Amendment doesn't attach when you have a pardon in place," he told reporters. "The question on contempt will be voted on and then there's the question of whether or not the Department of Justice will take that up."

5. Senators question legality of 5th amendment plea

Several senators also questioned whether Fauci could even plead the Fifth since he was pardoned by former President Joe Biden before he left office last year.

"You don't have any rights under the Fifth Amendment, because you've been pardoned, as you very well know," Hawley said. "As the Supreme Court has been clear for a century or more. Brown vs. Walker, 1896, 'when he has been pardoned he may not stand upon his privilege.'

"You know that. Your lawyers sitting behind you now, shifting nervously in their chairs, they know it. This isn't about the Constitution, this isn't about the law," he continued. "This is about contempt, contempt for this body and contempt for the American people." [read more]

The other takeaways:

1. Rick Scott tells Fauci how lockdowns hurt his own family
2. Hawley claims Fauci wanted to be 'Sun god of science'
3. Paul presses Fauci on alleged deletion of federal records
4. Fetterman regrets partisanship over lab leak theory
5. Fauci's lawyer booted from the hearing

More stories and a video on the hearing:

• Fauci Hearing and Diary Leave More Questions Than Answers
• Anthony Fauci, The ‘Covid Czar,’ Ticked Off The Wrong Moms
• Fauci gave off ‘signals of deception’ during Senate hearing, body language expert says
• Here's what the Fauci hearing is really about
• Fauci CAN'T Plead The Fifth If Congress Does THIS [video]

In case of apocalypse, find the nearest 4-H club

From Chloe Coleman on Washington Post.com (Aug. 21, 2023):

Raising and training animals. Growing food. Fishing. Archery. Sewing clothes. Making preserves. These are some of the skills that humanity is going to need if one of the many fictional post-apocalypse narratives ends up coming true.

Growing up in rural Ohio, I developed some of those skills by participating in 4-H, the network of youth development organizations whose roots (in Ohio, coincidentally) date to 1902. Recently, I paid a nostalgic visit to my childhood county fair, and it was while strolling the various barns occupied by 4-H and FFA (Future Farmers of America) projects that my brain connected this wholesome form of learning to grim scenes from “The Last of Us.” [source]

Yea, when the poop hits the fan, having 4-H skills would be an advantage. Going back to the days of the old west before electricity. I am not a 4-H member but I get the writer's point. The Amish and Mennonites probably would be okay. I wonder if they would even notice if the electric grid stopped working.

Florida woman forced to forfeit lotto prize after USPS loses ticket

From Fox News.com (Sept. 30, 2020):

A Florida woman says she was forced to forfeit her lotto prize after the US Postal Service lost her winning ticket in the mail.

Sue Burgess, of Hernando County, said she was thrilled to discover earlier this summer that she snagged $1,000 in the state’s Second Chance Lottery game, news station WFLA.

“I was elated. It was like winning a million dollars to me,” Burgess told the outlet.

But at the time, she couldn’t claim her winnings at any of the local lottery offices since they were closed due to the pandemic.

She followed the state lottery’s instructions and went to the post office to send in her ticket via certified mail, the outlet reported.

Burgess said the ticket, however, never made it to the lottery office in the one-week time frame required to claim the prize.

Her tracking information last showed the ticket in transit on Aug. 12 at a Tallahassee post office, WFLA reported.

“They said, ‘We have not received this ticket.’ They said, ‘No ticket, no prize,’” said Burgess, whose prize money went to an alternate winner.

Burgess said she’s frustrated because she could’ve left her ticket in a dropbox at a local lottery office, but she believed that certified mail was the safer and more efficient option.

“That’s why you choose certified mail,” Burgess said. “With COVID, I understand the mail is a little bit slow. But for safety sake, certified mail usually has priority.”

Six weeks later, the winning ticket is still unaccounted for.

The USPS apologized to Burgess and said it’s working with the state lottery to help her cash out her prize.

“We apologize to this specific customer for any inconvenience they may have experienced,” the postal service said.

“In this specific instance, we are continuing to work with the lottery office to confirm receipt of the mailpiece.”

The Florida Lottery said it’s not responsible for mistakes made by the postal service, though it will make an exception for Burgess and pay out her prize if the package shows up postmarked by the original deadline, WFLA reported.

“Ms. Burgess’ situation is an unusual circumstance and, to our knowledge, no other winner has experienced a similar issue,” the lottery said.

“Because the Lottery did not receive Ms. Burgess’ ticket within the seven-day claim period, an alternate winner was selected and paid. However, if Ms. Burgess’ package arrives at Florida Lottery Headquarters with a date stamp prior to the original expiration date, our Claims Processing department will process and pay her claim.” [source]

That’s too bad. I hope the Lottery finally receives her ticket.

Walking miracle: Man falls 400 feet in Hawaii, survives and now at MIT

From Jerry Newcombe on Christian Post.com (Mar. 24, 2023):

Recently I met a man who is a “walking miracle.” A survivor of a horrible accident, 55-year-old Danny Yamashiro, a pastor’s son and native of Hawaii, is grateful for every day of life.

Danny’s website tells what happened: “At 18, he survived a deadly 400 foot fall from the famed Pali ridge in Hawaii. Rescuing his girlfriend from a 20 foot fall, Danny slipped and fell head first 300 feet and later another 100 feet. He suffered traumatic brain injuries (skull fractures, torn scalp), a shattered ankle, smashed organs, extensive lacerations, and being comatose. A spiritual awakening impacted his recovery.”

Danny’s story is highlighted in an article in Listverse.com about 10 people that survived precipitous falls from great heights: “Despite being severely injured, Yamashiro clung to life while rescue workers attempted to retrieve him. As the rescuers moved down the mountain, Yamashiro shifted his weight on the ledge causing him to fall another 30 meters (100 ft).”

They add, “While he did survive both falls and go on to make a full recovery (as well as a successful career in televangelism), the ordeal didn’t leave him unscathed. Yamashiro sustained an array of life-threatening injuries.”

How could someone survive such an accident?

I got to interview Danny on the radio recently. We pick up right after he was rescued in 1985 from the fall: “The doctors told my parents, ‘It doesn’t look good. If he makes it through the night, surely he will be in a vegetative state for the rest of his life.’ And that was my turning point where the Lord intervened. I needed to learn to walk, talk, eat right. I couldn’t even breathe on my own at the time.”

I asked him to walk me through his eventual healing. “The recovery took a long time. I went through a deep period of several years of dark depression. I had major swings in my emotions. The Lord took me through that. It was a real breaking time — breaking emotionally, psychologically.

“But Biola University in Southern California played a very big role in my healing process, and at the same time grounding me in the Word. I was a biblical studies theology major.”

However, there were certainly times of doubt. Danny told me, “During my college years, there were times when I would actually ask the Lord, ‘Why did you save me? Why did you not just take me?’ It was so painful. And I was so confused. And I remember the Lord whispering to me, ‘Danny, one day I’m going to release you.’ And what I got by that was a sense of hope.”

Danny remembered the Scripture verse that says, “He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” And that and other Scriptures (such as Isaiah 43:18-19) greatly encouraged him.

He says, “We talk about going to school and getting educated. But the brokenness was a different kind of education that has allowed me in a very unusual way to connect with people. I don’t even have to say things, and people get a sense where I know what they’re going through. It’s like my brokenness, my suffering allows me to relate with others where they are in their deepest, darkest times.”

He adds, “I think about our Lord Jesus Christ, ‘the Man of Sorrows, acquainted with grief,’ and I think, ‘Wow, there’s some profound thoughts that go along and the relatability when we go through that kind of suffering.’”

Since his complete recovery, Danny has been involved in preaching the Gospel in Hawaii, in Africa, in Asia, the Middle East, and in Latin America. He has earned a Ph.D. at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois. About 10 years ago, he went on to advanced studies at Harvard, where he received a standing ovation when he spoke upon graduation.

Today, he serves as an evangelical chaplain at M.I.T., where he is the co-chairperson of the Cambridge Roundtable on Science and Religion. They engage in dialogue with the faculty on science and religion. This includes participants from M.I.T. and Harvard.

He views these dialogues as “gateways to share the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Danny also hosts a regular Christian radio program based in the Boston area.

Any student of early American history knows that there were many examples of God’s Providence shining on this nation. George Washington said that Americans in particular should be grateful for the way God miraculously helped become a nation.

Dr. Danny Yamashiro, a walking miracle, experienced new life out of near death. I happened to meet him during Lent, which may be viewed as a season of miracles. After all, at this time, we celebrate the crowning event of all time, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave. [source]

Indeed. That is a miracle.

Whiz kid offered Google job out of high school but got rejected by 16 colleges —now he’s suing for discrimination

From NY Post.com (Mar. 3, 2025):

Stanley Zhong was a near-perfect college applicant.

Out of the more than 2 million kids who take the SAT annually, he’s one of roughly 2,000 to score a 1590 or higher.

His high school GPA was a 4.42 on a 4.0 scale. He even had an offer in hand to work a PhD-level job at Google before graduating high school.

Stanley, who intended to study computer science, also managed his own startup, e-document signature platform Rabbit-Sign, while still a high schooler.

By anyone’s expectations, the Palo Alto, Calif., teen should have been Harvard- or MIT-bound. Yet Stanley, now 19, was met with disappointment after disappointment in 2023 when college admissions letters started trickling in.

Stanley was rejected by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Caltech, Carnegie Mellon, Cornell University, Georgia Tech, MIT, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, the University of Illinois, the University of Michigan, the University of Washington and the University of Wisconsin.

Only the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Maryland — with respective 31% and 44% admissions rates — accepted him. Stanley’s father, Nan Zhong, was astounded.

“I did hear that Asians seem to be facing a higher bar when it comes to college admissions, but I thought maybe it’s an urban legend,” Nan told The Post.

“But then when the rejections rolled in one after another, I was dumbfounded. What started with surprise turned into frustration and then finally it turned into anger.”

With just two offers of admission out of 18 schools, Nan became convinced that his whiz kid must have been discriminated against — and decided to take the schools who rejected his son to court.

“There’s nothing more un-American than this,” Nan said of the alleged discrimination his son faced. “I don’t really think [these schools] give a damn about the damage they’re doing to these kids.”

Asian American students have long gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to affirmative action. The Supreme Court outlawed affirmative action in college admissions in June 2023, finding that Asian students were systemically overlooked.

Because Stanley applied for admissions shortly before the ruling, the Zhongs decided to sue colleges located in states that had pre-existing laws prohibiting racial discrimination in admissions.

Affirmative action has been banned at public universities in Stanley’s home state of California since 1996.

So far, the family has filed lawsuits against the University of California system and the University of Washington, alleging the schools “[engaged] in racially discriminatory admissions practices that disadvantage highly qualified Asian-American applicants.”

“[Stanley’s admissions] results stand in stark contrast to his receipt of a full-time job offer from Google for a position requiring a PhD degree or equivalent practical experience,” the lawsuit claims. “Stanley’s experience is emblematic of a broader pattern of racial discrimination against highly qualified Asian-American applicants at UC.” [read more]

Disgraceful. This is racism by these woke universities.

Inside Pope Leo’s Customer Service Snafu With His Chicago Bank

From NC Register.com (May 6):

It is a scene that feels more like a sitcom script than a Vatican reality: Two months after Robert Francis Prevost, a Chicago-born cardinal, was elected Pope Leo XIV, he found himself at the mercy of a customer service representative.

The story now making rounds on social media and first picked up by The New York Times was shared by Father Tom McCarthy, an Augustinian priest and longtime friend of the Pope, during a gathering in Naperville, Illinois.

According to Father McCarthy, the leader of the global Catholic Church decided it was finally time to update his personal banking records.

The Call That Failed

Calling his local branch back home, the Pope identified himself by his birth name, Robert Prevost, and explained that he needed to update the phone number and address on his account.

The security screening began. One by one, the Pope provided the correct answers to the bank’s verification questions. But as anyone who has wrestled with a call center knows, “correct” isn’t always enough.

“He was told that it wasn’t enough — he would have to come to the branch in person,” Father McCarthy recounted to the laughing audience.

The Pope, now feeling the weight of the Atlantic Ocean and the walls of the Apostolic Palace between him and his local teller replied, “Well, I’m not going to be able to do that. I gave you all the security questions.”

The Ultimate ‘Don’t You Know Who I Am?’

The employee apologized but remained firm. Finally, the Pope decided to play his only remaining card.

“Would it matter to you if I told you I’m Pope Leo?” he asked.

The response was immediate. Believing she was being pranked by a particularly ambitious crank caller, the employee hung up.

Fortunately for the Holy Father, the issue was eventually resolved — not through the bank’s official phone tree, but through the classic Chicago method of “knowing a guy.” Another priest with a direct line to the bank’s president intervened to clear the block on the papal account.

While the bank account is now up to date, the fate of the woman on the other end of the line remains a mystery.

“Could you imagine being known as the woman who hung up on the Pope?” Father McCarthy asked.

It turns out that while the Pope may hold the keys to the Kingdom, the keys to a Chicago checking account are a little harder to come by, as this most-relatable tale illustrates. [source]

Funny, but stupid. The Pope answered all the required security questions so the customer service lady should have been able to help him.

How the Amazing Rescue of Two American Airmen Unfolded

From Red State.com (Apr. 5):

Overnight, the U.S. military pulled off one of the most difficult missions in the playbook: the rescue of a downed aircrew deep inside enemy territory.

Easter morning, an F-15E weapons systems officer was extracted from atop a 7,000-foot ridge in southwestern Iran, having been on the run since Friday (this sounds sort of Biblical, doesn't it).

This is how the operation played out. Mind you, it is all based on reports patched together from various sources. U.S. Central Command has yet to issue a statement on either the loss of the aircraft or the successful rescue of the flight crew. President Trump was not quite that constrained; see 'WE GOT HIM!' President Trump Responds As Second Airman Is Rescued From Enemy Territory in Iran – RedState.

SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

Friday morning, April 3. An F-15E Strike Eagle was apparently hit by Iranian fire near the village of Talkhuncheh, Isfahan Province, Iran. There is a lot of boasting from the Iranians about an advanced passive infrared detection system used to guide a missile. There are online accounts linking the downing to Russian ships arriving at Iranian ports. We don't know the cause, but based on the history of the Operation Epic Fury air campaign, the plane going down from a bird strike is just as likely as an Iranian anti-aircraft missile. Both pilot and weapons systems officer (WSO) eject.

When the pilots punched out, they would have transmitted a MAYDAY on Guard frequency. This would have alerted the Combat Search and Rescue element that was on standby. The WSO, who is reported to be a lieutenant colonel, is reportedly injured during ejection. This is not unusual. Within a short period of time, an image of one of the ejection seats appears on social media.

The pilots have some emergency supplies, including a radio and a personal defense weapon that is stored under the seat.

Within a short period of time, a CSAR element composed of an MC-130J refueling aircraft and two HH-60 "Jolly Green" 2 helicopters was spotted near the scene. I know, you're asking why they are called "Jolly Green" 2 helicopters. The original "Jolly Green Giant" was the HH-53B designed for CSAR work during the Vietnam War. The name stuck. [read more]

Glad the awesome American commandos were able to rescue the downed airman in Iran. Great job guys. 

Other articles on the rescue:

• Commandos Probed Deep Into Iran to Rescue Downed Airman
• Baker to Newsmax: CIA Played Key Role in Rescue of Airman in Iran
• The secret, never-before-used CIA tool that helped find airman downed in Iran: ‘If your heart is beating, we will find you’
• Trump, US Feared Iran Trap in F-15 Crew Rescue
  

Artemis II Mission Shows There Are No Limits To American Exceptionalism

From The Federalist.com (Apr. 7):

Pushing the boundaries of what was once thought to be impossible is a hallmark of American greatness. And the recent mission to circle the moon is no different.

The crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission set a record on Monday for traveling further into space than any humans have ever gone before. As part of their “lunar flyby,” the four-person crew (consisting of three Americans and one Canadian) broke Apollo 13’s record by reaching an estimated 252,756 miles from Earth.

While traveling in their Orion capsule, the team viewed previously unseen surfaces of the moon and captured breathtaking images in the process. Amid their discoveries was a noticeably bright crater, which one of the astronauts suggested naming “Carroll” after mission commander Reid Wiseman’s wife, who died of cancer in 2020.

While the mission has certainly boasted its great moments, there was something the astronauts reportedly said before embarking on their journey that puts a perfect bow on the entire thing. As summarized by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, the Artemis II crew said that they hope their feat “will be remembered as the moment people started to believe that America can once again do the near-impossible and change the world.”

It’s a simple, yet important point to remember given the constant barrage of negativity Americans hear about their country from its most vocal institutions. From higher education to legacy media and Hollywood, everyday citizens are regularly inundated with anti-American rhetoric about why their nation is evil, stupid, and not that great after all.

Why would you want to try your best and work your hardest in a racist, bigoted, oppressive, hateful country like America? or so the conventional leftist groupthink goes.

The Artemis II mission provides a stark contrast to that backwards thinking. It teaches America’s people that adventure and risks are worth taking, that hard work wins, and that there are no limits to what their country can accomplish.

That’s American exceptionalism at its best.

So, dream big. Reach for what others believe to be impossible. Give 110 percent into what you do. And always remember that it could happen nowhere else except in the United States of America. [source]

USA! USA! USA! 

More articles on the mission:

• 16 inspiring Artemis II photos that’ll make you feel like a tiny Earthling
• Artemis II astronauts reflect on historic flight as they wrap up moon mission
• 9 highlights from Artemis II's epic journey around the moon
• NASA’s Artemis II mission’s return to Earth, hour by hour
• Artemis II's Grand Moon Finale Almost Here With a Pacific Splashdown to Cap NASA's Lunar Comeback
• Artemis II splashes down off the coast of San Diego, finishing historic journey around the moon
• Watch a recovery crew open Integrity’s hatch for Artemis II astronauts
  
• NASA Artemis II Zero Gravity Indicator & Moon Mascot 'Rise' Back Home on Earth
• Artemis, the Greatness of God, and Human Exceptionalism

A Tax Man with Convictions and Courage

From Lawrence W. Reed on FEE.org (Apr. 15, 2025):

Have you ever heard of someone so principled that he quit his job rather than do something he knew to be wrong?

I admire people of such integrity. We need more of them. Let me tell you about one whose story is especially relevant on April 15, the date the federal government demands we meet our income tax obligations. This man was head of the IRS. His name was T. Coleman Andrews.

Born in Virginia in 1899, Andrews possessed a head for numbers. He loved accounting, an affection which I personally could never understand. Accounting baffled and frustrated me during my undergraduate days; I scraped by with a “C.”  I agree with whoever described an accountant as “someone who solves a problem you did not know you had in a way you don’t understand.”

Andrews was not only good at it, but he also founded several successful accounting firms and worked in high accounting positions for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the US State Department, and the General Accounting Office in Washington.

In 1953, President Dwight Eisenhower appointed him Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. In an interview while still new in the job, Andrews said that he would insist that every employee engage taxpayers with “a sincere desire to be helpful,” but he promised to come down hard on anybody caught cheating on his taxes.

Andrews moved to simplify complex tax forms. He changed the Bureau’s name to what we know today—the Internal Revenue Service. He adopted numerous measures to improve efficiency, but when Congress overhauled tax law in 1955, he realized how “unreformable” the system was. Isaac William Martin, in his 2013 book titled Rich People’s Movements, quotes Andrews as lamenting that the congressmen who wrote the bill “do not themselves know what they mean.”

Barely two years into his tenure on the inside, Andrews abruptly resigned. His views on the agency and the income tax had evolved. Andrews was one of those rare public servants who “grew in office.” He could no longer hold a position that put him at odds with his conscience. He came to see the IRS and the tax code as oppressive, incomprehensible, and corrupt. Shortly after his departure from the IRS, he issued a statement explaining his position:

Congress went beyond merely enacting an income tax law and repealed Article IV of the Bill of Rights, by empowering the tax collector to do the very things from which that article says we were to be secure. It opened up our homes, our papers and our effects to the prying eyes of government agents and set the stage for searches of our books and vaults and for inquiries into our private affairs whenever the tax men might decide, even though there might not be any justification beyond mere cynical suspicion.

The income tax is bad because it has robbed you and me of the guarantee of privacy and the respect for our property that were given to us in Article IV of the Bill of Rights. This invasion is absolute and complete as far as the amount of tax that can be assessed is concerned. Please remember that under the Sixteenth Amendment, Congress can take 100% of our income anytime it wants to. As a matter of fact, right now it is imposing a tax as high as 91%. This is downright confiscation and cannot be defended on any other grounds.

The income tax is bad because it was conceived in class hatred, is an instrument of vengeance and plays right into the hands of the communists. It employs the vicious communist principle of taking from each according to his accumulation of the fruits of his labor and giving to others according to their needs, regardless of whether those needs are the result of indolence or lack of pride, self-respect, personal dignity or other attributes of men.

The income tax is fulfilling the Marxist prophecy that the surest way to destroy a capitalist society is by steeply graduated taxes on income and heavy levies upon the estates of people when they die.

As matters now stand, if our children make the most of their capabilities and training, they will have to give most of it to the tax collector and so become slaves of the government. People cannot pull themselves up by the bootstraps anymore because the tax collector gets the boots and the straps as well.

Clearly, this was a guy who didn’t allow power or a paycheck to turn either his brain or his spine into jelly. Agree with him or not, you must admit there’s some impressive personal character there.

Andrews continued to speak out against the income tax and the ever-bigger government it was financing. In 1956, he even ran for President of the United States on a third-party ticket—a campaign that, controversially, was built around a states’ rights platform. While some saw it as a principled stance for limited government, others rightly noted its alignment with political figures and movements that defended segregation. He died in 1983 at the age of 84.

The school in my native state of Pennsylvania where I struggled in that accounting class more than a half-century ago is Grove City College. In researching this article, I was proud to learn that in 1963, GCC bestowed an honorary doctorate upon T. Coleman Andrews.

What Andrews had to say may not be much consolation to you this tax season. Perhaps it will be of at least small comfort, however, to know that we once had an IRS Commissioner who saw the harm of the whole business and possessed the courage of his convictions to wash his hands of it. [source]

Wow. If the IRS was corrupt back then, how corrupt is it now? Not very many bureaucrats quit a job because of its corruption. That’s integrity for you.

A Woman Renewed Her Driver’s License, Ended Up With Photo Of Empty Chair

From Daily Wire.com (Aug. 12, 2020):

One might not think there could be any humor coming from an experience involving the Department of Motor Vehicles, but Jade Dodd’s case shows otherwise. As CNN reported, Dodd renewed her license on July 24, but when she received her new one in the mail, instead of her photo along with her personal identification, there was simply a picture of an empty chair in front of a blue background.

“I was with my Mom and we were going to eat lunch and I said, ‘you need to see this, this isn’t right,’” Dodd told WKRN.

“The lady at the DMV did not really believe me when I was like hey, I need my license fixed,” Dodd told the outlet. “Then, she looked it up in the system and goes, ‘oh, I need my manager for this.’”

Currently on hold with the dmv since this is what I got in the mail when I renewed my license…. ‍♀️

Posted by Jade Dodd on Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Dodd told WKRN that her boss joked with her about the incident.

“My boss thinks it’s funnier than anyone. I was at work Friday and he pointed to a chair outside of his office door and was like, ‘I thought this was you, I waved at it this morning’ and I was like thanks,” she told the outlet.

Dodd also posted about the incident on her Facebook page. By the time WKRN reported on her story, the post had been shared more than 17,000 times. Many responded to Dodd’s post with jokes.

“People have been sending me memes that they made and telling me happy late birthday,” she told the outlet. “It’s been weird.”

Wes Moster, a spokesman for the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, told WKRN that the department immediately rectified the situation upon learning about it.

“When the customer visited the Driver Services Center a few years ago, during the transaction, an examiner made an error by capturing and saving the wrong photo (of an empty chair) to the customer’s profile. When the customer recently renewed her driver license online, she received an image of a chair because that was the last picture taken on file. When the Department was made aware of her situation, we immediately made things right with the customer and provided her with a license with her actual photo and have addressed this situation internally,” Moster said.

He added that this was the first time such a mistake had occurred.

Dodd appears to hold no ill-will against the DMV, finding the situation humorous at a time when so many are suffering due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“One of my coworkers was like keep it in a picture frame, you can use it as a wall decoration and it’s a conversation starter when you have dinner,” Dodd told the outlet.

Dodd already received her new, fixed driver’s license earlier this week. [source]

Funny. Well, at least the mistake was remedied.

Bondi Beach hero’s inspiring words before tackling terrorist revealed

From NY Post.com (Dec. 15):

Ahmed el Ahmed, a 43-year-old father of two from Syria, was seen in a heart-stopping video as he crept up and tackled one of the father-son terrorists who killed 15 people Sunday night at a Hanukkah celebration at the popular beach just outside of Sydney, Australia.

Just before rushing in, the hero predicted he would pay the ultimate price for his bravery, a cousin, Jozay Alkanj, told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“He said, ‘I’m going to die – please see my family [and tell them] that I went down to save people’s lives’,” the cousin said.

El Ahmed was hit at least five times, and could even lose an arm, according to Sam Issa, the immigration lawyer who helped get him citizenship in 2022, six years after he had moved Down Under.

“He’s not well at all. He’s riddled with bullets,” Issa told the Sydney outlet after visiting him in the hospital Monday. “Our hero is struggling at the moment.”

His heroism remains even as “the pain has started to take a toll on him,” the lawyer stressed.

“He doesn’t regret what he did. He said he’d do it again,” Issa said.

Still, “He’s a lot worse than expected,” the lawyer said of his “humble” client and friend. “He has lost a lot of blood.”

More than 25,000 people have raised the equivalent of just over $1 million for Ahmed on GoFundMe — with the biggest single donation from US billionaire Bill Ackman, who gave the equivalent of nearly $66,500.

“No one expects to be a hero, but when the moment came, he was,” the fundraiser’s organizers wrote.

The fruit stand owner was photographed with his entire left arm bandaged as he was visited by New South Wales Premier Chris Minns at St George Hospital in Sydney on Monday.

“Ahmed is a real-life hero,” Minn said. “His incredible bravery no doubt saved countless lives when he disarmed a terrorist at enormous personal risk.”

Ahmed’s father, Mohamed, also spoke of his pride at his son preventing more bloodshed. [read more]

Hero, indeed.  He just reacted without hesitation without thinking about his own safety. He instinctively knew the right course of action to save lives. God speed his recovery.

Other articles on the terrorist attack:

• ‘It was a matter of conscience’: Ahmed al-Ahmed’s family reveal why he risked his life to disarm alleged Bondi shooter
• Bondi Beach hero helped disarm terrorist before police mistakenly shot him: report
• Heroic detective killed Bondi Beach terror suspect with ‘once-in-a-lifetime shot’ from over 100 feet away
• Australia Police See Evidence of Islamic State–Inspired Terror in Bondi Massacre
• Australia Doesn’t Have A Gun Problem, It Has An Islamist Problem
• There’s No Evidence Australia’s Strict Gun Control Laws Are Effective
• Why the Australia beach shooting should terrify EVERYONE [video]
  

Self-driving car mows down woman, leaving her trapped underneath vehicle: cops

From NY Post.com (Oct. 3, 2023):

A woman had to be rescued with the Jaws of Life after she was mowed down on a San Francisco roadway by two different cars, one of which was a self-driving vehicle.

The chaotic collision, which involved a Cruise autonomous vehicle, took place just after 9:30 p.m. in San Francisco and left the woman wedged underneath the left rear axle of the autonomous vehicle, San Francisco Fire Captain Justin Shore told FOX KTVU.

Since the car that struck the woman fled the scene, and there were no passengers inside the Cruise car, officials have been left to piece together what transpired.

“Rescuers did not have any drivers or any passengers to ask about the nature of the injuries or how the victim came to be beneath the vehicle,” Shore said.

Officials couldn’t say how long the unnamed woman was trapped underneath the Cruise vehicle.

According to Cruise, the human-driven vehicle was traveling in the lane immediately to the left of the self-driving vehicle when the human-driven car struck the woman, the company said in a statement Tuesday morning.

“The initial impact was severe and launched the pedestrian directly in front of the AV,” Cruise’s statement read.

Cruise said their vehicle braked “aggressively,” to try and minimize impact.

Video the company shared with KTVU — that has not been shared publicly — shows the victim was first struck by the hit-and-run driver before falling into the self-driving car’s path.

San Francisco Police Department said the autonomous vehicle remained at the scene following the crash. There was no occupant inside the AV at the time of the collision.

Heavy rescue tools, including the Jaws of Life, were used to retrieve the victim, Shore said.

First responders were at the scene within 60 seconds of the initial dispatch.

The woman was transported to an area hospital after responding officers and medics rendered aid.

San Francisco is the host city to the nation’s first experiment with robotaxis operated by Cruise, the General Motors-owned company, and Google’s Waymo startup.

The autonomous vehicles have drawn safety complaints, as they have been blamed for blocking ambulances responding to emergencies as well as a slew of other issues in the city. [source]

Weird and scary. It's like a scene from the Stephen King's movie Christine except that car was possessed.

How hero cops stopped Baltimore drivers seconds before ship smash: ‘The bridge is down!

From NY Post.com (Mar. 26, 2024):

Hero cops managed to block all traffic from Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge with just seconds to spare before a massive container ship slammed into it — then watched in horror as it crumbled into the frigid waters.

“Hold all traffic on the Key Bridge,” one emergency dispatcher told officers around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to police radio traffic.

“There’s a ship approaching that just lost their steering.”

Two cops who happened to be nearby responded, and stationed themselves at either end of the 1.6-mile span — stopping cars from crossing while the 130,000-ton Dali cargo vessel barreled out of control toward the bridge after apparently losing power.

The cops noted that a pothole repair crew was still on the bridge, apparently on a meal break.

But before they could warn them, the Dali collided with a support beam in the middle of the Patapsco River — causing the entire bridge to collapse within seconds — and throwing eight workers into the water.

“The whole bridge just fell down. Start, start! Whoever, everybody! The whole bridge just collapsed,” one frantic cop radioed in.

“The bridge is down!” another officer shouted.

It took about 90 seconds for the bridge to collapse following the initial mayday call from the Dali crew, giving officers only moments to stop the traffic.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore praised the cops for their quick work in making sure no vehicles were traveling on the bridge when it fell.

“They undoubtedly saved numerous lives last night,” Moore said during a press briefing Tuesday.

A review by Maryland transportation officials also confirmed that there were no vehicles driving on the bridge at the time of the incident.

Two of the workers on the bridge were rescued, with one hospitalized and another refusing treatment.

One of the first responders at the scene told The Post the uninjured man, who has yet to be publicly named, was shaken up and just wanted to go home.

“He brushed his clothes off and wanted to see his family,” the first responder said. “He was shaken up a little bit but nothing major. I guess the good lord was on his side.”

Moore said Tuesday afternoon that the search and rescue operation was still underway for the six workers who were missing.

The MV Dali, a Singapore-flagged container ship, had apparently “lost propulsion” as it was leaving the Port of Baltimore after 1:00 a.m., at which time crew members warned officials of a possible collision, according to a report from the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency obtained by ABC News.

Officials in Singapore confirmed there were 22 Indian crew members and two local harbor pilots aboard the ship. All members of the crew were reported safe.

Officials said the Dali’s lights suddenly went out around 1:25 a.m., with video of the scene showing black smoke billowing from the ship’s chimney. [read more]

God bless those cops! They prevented many more deaths with their quick response. That's how you protect the public.  Nice job!

More on the tragedy:

Ship that obliterated Baltimore bridge was involved in a previous collision; managed by DEI-captive company

Who Is Edan Alexander, the Israeli-American Hostage Released by Hamas?

From Newsmax.com (May 12, 2025):

JERUSALEM (AP) — Edan Alexander was 19 when Hamas militants stormed the Israeli military base where the American-Israeli from New Jersey was a soldier and dragged him into the Gaza Strip.

Hamas released Alexander, the last living American hostage in Gaza, on Monday ahead of President Donald Trump's visit to the region this week. The militant group called it a goodwill gesture aimed at reviving mediated efforts to end the 19-month war.

Alexander was among 251 people taken hostage in Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war. Fifty-eight remain in Gaza. Around a third are believed to be alive. Most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.

After Hamas announced on Sunday he would be released, Alexander's family said it “received the greatest gift imaginable — news that our beautiful son Edan is returning home after 583 days in captivity in Gaza.”

Alexander’s parents flew to Israel on Monday. Trump’s hostage negotiator, Adam Boehler, posted a picture on social media showing Alexander's mother, Yael, aboard the flight.

A native of Tenafly, a suburb of New York City, Edan Alexander moved to Israel in 2022 after high school and enlisted in the military. Hamas militants seized him from his military base after he volunteered to stay there over the Jewish Sabbath.

In a video Hamas released of Alexander over Thanksgiving weekend in November 2024, he cried and pleaded for help. Though the video was difficult to watch, his family said, it came as a relief to see he was alive.

Hostages freed since then have given the family more news, his father said. Some said Alexander had lost a lot of weight. Others said he’d been an advocate for fellow hostages, standing up for captive Thai workers and telling their captors that the workers weren't involved in the conflict and should be freed.

Alexander, like other male soldiers held in Gaza, was not included among hostages released during a ceasefire earlier this year. Hamas released 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight others in January and February in return for nearly 1,800 Palestinian prisoners. The sight of some emaciated hostages among those freed brought fresh despair to families whose loved ones remained in Gaza.

Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, along with the release of more Palestinian prisoners. Israel has rejected those terms, saying it will continue the war until all the hostages are freed and Hamas is defeated.

Hamas said in March it would release Alexander and the bodies of four other hostages if Israel recommitted to the stalled ceasefire agreement. Alexander’s father, Adi, said at the time he was speaking with Trump’s hostage negotiators almost daily, pressing for his son's release.

Days later, Israel shattered the truce with a surprise bombardment that killed hundreds of Palestinians. Israel called the renewed bombardment a tactic to pressure Hamas to negotiate different ceasefire terms. Hamas said the offensive puts remaining hostages at risk.

In April, Hamas published another video of Alexander in which he spoke from a dark room. His family believes he has been held in Hamas' vast tunnel network.

Days later, Hamas said it had lost contact with the militants holding Alexander after an Israeli airstrike targeted their location. Israeli officials have not commented on the claim.

The Alexander family Monday urged the Israeli government to continue efforts to free all the hostages — a plea that other families have echoed since the Hamas announcement on Sunday.

“Please don’t stop," Alexander's family said. "We hope our son’s release begins negotiations for all 58 remaining hostages, ending this nightmare for them and their families.” [source]

Great news!  Glad he's back home.

Another article about Edan Alexander:

Edan Alexander's Grandmother Calls Trump 'Messenger From God'

Yes, a chunk of the space station crashed into a house in Florida

From Pop Sci.com (Apr. 16, 2024):

The “object from the sky” that pierced through a home in Naples, FL. last month wasn’t a meteorite after all.

On April 15, NASA said the mysterious metallic cylinder—which tore through homeowner Alejandro Otero’s ceiling and floor—was actually part of a cargo pallet that contained “aging nickel hydride batteries.” The agency jettisoned the pallet from the International Space Station back in 2021, after installing new lithium-ion batteries on the artificial satellite.

NASA expected the hardware to “fully burn up during entry through Earth’s atmosphere on March 8, 2024,” yet things turned out quite differently for the Otero family.
“It was a tremendous sound, and it almost hit my son. He was two rooms over and heard it all,” Otero told Florida broadcaster WINK News. After prying the object out from between mangled floorboards, Otero said he suspected it was a meteorite.

According to NASA, the debris was actually made of a nickel- and chromium-based superalloy called Inconel. The object originally functioned as part of a battery mount; after hitting Otero’s home, the surviving cylinder clocked in at 1.6 pounds, 4 inches tall and 1.6 inches in diameter.

In 2021, NASA anticipated the pallet would “orbit Earth between two to four years before burning up harmlessly in the atmosphere.” This week, NASA said the ISS will investigate the incident to “determine the cause of the debris survival,” adding that it’s “committed to responsibly operating in low Earth orbit, and mitigating as much risk as possible to protect people on Earth when space hardware must be released.”

While a space-junk crisis may sound like science fiction, debris left by humans in low-Earth orbit is rapidly piling up. The European Space Agency estimates there are 36,500 debris objects greater than 10 cm in Earth’s orbit. The agency reports that the total mass of all known space objects exceeds 11,500 metric tons (or more than 25 million pounds). Such junk includes everything from paint flecks and bolts to dead satellites and spent rocket boosters. Much of this stuff originates from governmental space programs, but it also comes from private companies, such as Elon Musk’s Starlink.

Around a dozen objects reenter the atmosphere on a daily basis, Moriba Jah, a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, said in a call with PopSci. “It’s not uncommon for these things to survive and make it to the surface,” explained Jah, though typically they crash into the ocean. However, as satellite launches rapidly increase, the professor cautioned that “statistically, [falling debris] will kill somebody at some point.”

According to Professor Jah, solving this problem will require more reusable and recyclable tech. Today, “we have a linear space economy where the end state of any given satellite is to become junk.” Governments need to embrace a circular approach and “mandate that satellites can’t be launched if they’re going to be single use,” Jah argued.

In a separate call, John L. Crassidis—a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the State University of New York at Buffalo—argued to PopSci that readers shouldn’t be too worried, for now, about death by space junk. “I think I’d be a lot more concerned about getting struck by lightning than having a piece of space debris fall on me,” said Crassidis. However, the professor said the risk will grow in the coming decades. The more space junk we have, the greater the chance that “somebody’s going to be eventually hurt.”

According to estimates by the nonprofit Aerospace Corporation, the likelihood of space debris injuring a particular person is less than one in a trillion. However, a 2022 University of British Columbia study predicts there’s a 10% chance that falling space debris will result in “one or more casualties” by 2032.

To mitigate worst-case scenarios, Crassidis pointed to the need for “hard international treaties” that require space-faring nations to follow UN space debris guidelines. “No matter what anybody tells you, we do not have the technology to take out space debris right now,” argued Crassidis, who acknowledged that Europe has some “nice experiments” in the works.

In the coming decades, “if our technology can’t catch up to the point of making that reality, and if we keep doing what we’re doing, then we’re for sure they are well on our way to Kessler syndrome,” Crassidis said, referring to a worst-case scenario in which space-junk collisions become so likely that they render low-Earth orbit useless for generations. [source]

Look out below! Glad no one or no animal was hurt. Well, I guess if you had a choice having space junk crash into your house would be better than having frozen toilet waste land on your house from a plane. Which actually happened.