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[NYTimes] FEMA Didn’t Answer Thousands of Calls From Flood Survivors, Documents Show
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Two days after catastrophic floods roared through Central Texas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency did not answer nearly two-thirds of calls to its disaster assistance line, according to documents reviewed by The New York Times.
The lack of responsiveness happened because the agency had fired hundreds of contractors at call centers, according to a person briefed on the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal matters.
The agency laid off the contractors on July 5 after their contracts expired and were not extended, according to the documents and the person briefed on the matter. Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, who has instituted a new requirement that she personally approve expenses over $100,000, did not renew the contracts until Thursday, five days after the contracts expired. FEMA is part of the Department of Homeland Security.
The details on the unanswered calls on July 6, which have not been previously reported, come as FEMA faces intense scrutiny over its response to the floods in Texas that have killed more than 120 people. The agency, which President Trump has called for eliminating, has been slow to activate certain teams that coordinate response and search-and-rescue efforts.
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https://archive.ph/2025.07.11-233938/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/11/climate/fema-missed-calls-texas-floods.html 0 reply
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High Lonesome Plains: A Hayden Pedigo Documentary
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High Lonesome Plains is about Hayden Pedigo - a musician, performance artist, politician and model from Amarillo, Texas. Homeschooled from an early age, Hayden found community and inspiration in avant-garde music and art online as a teenager. Influenced by figures like performance artist Chris Burden, guitarist John Fahey, and director Harmony Korine, Hayden’s persona often blurs the lines between reality and performance.
In his directorial debut, photographer Bob Foster channels his fascination with Americana, people and place, combining Bruna Manfredi’s sensitive editing with an atmospheric soundtrack of Hayden's music to capture a journey of artistry and identity, shaped by the landscapes of the Texas Panhandle.
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https://youtu.be/urLwuhxOy0I?feature=shared&t=339 0 reply
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[myRGV] Firefighters held from SpaceX explosion due to potential ‘catastrophic loss of life’
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That night, Brownsville received “an astonishing 123 calls for service, a major surge in activity for any period, let alone overnight.”
The calls came from Brownsville “and surrounding cities, with citizens reporting explosions, structural shaking, visible flames, and glowing skies.”
The result was more than an explosion. There was another impact.
“The explosion and resulting fire delivered a devastating dual impact to Brownsville’s emergency services: it demanded a high-risk, sustained field response while simultaneously flooding dispatch with an overwhelming volume of 911 calls.”
The report said dispatchers had to “rapid-fire triage, making split-second decisions to prioritize life-threatening emergencies.”
“At the same time, public panic rippled across the region, and command staff had to rapidly reallocate emergency resources across the city, doing everything possible to maintain critical response levels under intense and mounting pressure, compounding the demands (placed) on an already strained emergency response system.”
The report describes the explosion as “one of the most logistically demanding and tactically complex incidents in recent memory.”
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https://myrgv.com/alerts-brh/2025/07/08/firefighters-held-from-spacex-explosion-due-to-potential-catastrophic-loss-of-life/ 1 reply
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[Rolling Stone] The DOJ’s Epstein Memo Is Tearing the Trump Administration Apart
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The butterfly effect of a disgraced financier and convicted sex offender’s death continues to be felt years later, as the highest levels of Donald Trump’s second administration are embroiled in a bitter feud over Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged “client list.”
“This fight is taking up way too much of my fucking time,” one senior administration official notes, referring to the bruised egos, clashes between senior-level personnel, frustrations from some of the president’s base, and intra-governmental allegations of leaking to the media.
The Department of Justice announced in a memo on Sunday that Jeffrey Epstein had indeed killed himself, that his potentially explosive “client list” doesn’t exist, and that the administration is effectively closing its case on the convicted sex offender, whose 2019 death in prison has been a lightning rod for conspiracy theorists — especially those who supported Trump, never mind the president’s own connections to Epstein.
Rolling Stone reported that the Trump administration was bracing for a MAGA revolt over its nothing to see here-style memo. MAGA revolted as expected, with scores of prominent right-wing influencers expressing outrage over the memo. Many are calling for Attorney General Pam Bondi to be fired, and some even seem to be souring on the president. “Trump has become the Deep State. What is more Deep State than covering up for pedophiles?” someone asked former Trump adviser Steve Bannon at a MAGA event on Friday.
It isn’t just outside onlookers and online MAGA diehards who are miffed. Rolling Stone can confirm that FBI Director Kash Patel and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino have also been furious since the memo’s release, and more broadly over Bondi’s handling of the Epstein investigation, including the public rollout of federal conclusions.
Laura Loomer — a far-right conspiracy theorist who is close with Trump and was also apoplectic over the memo — posted to X on Friday that Patel and Bongino are “LIVID” at Bondi, and that Bongino even took the day off from work on Friday. Axios corroborated soon after that Bongino ditched work on Friday after clashing with Bondi over these matters, with CNN adding that Bongino has talked to people about potentially resigning over the memo.
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https://archive.is/w45EP 1 reply
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[Wired] Metadata Shows the FBI’s ‘Raw’ Jeffrey Epstein Prison Video Was Likely Modified
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The United States Department of Justice this week released nearly 11 hours of what it described as “full raw” surveillance footage from a camera positioned near Jeffrey Epstein’s prison cell the night before he was found dead. The release was intended to address conspiracy theories about Epstein’s apparent suicide in federal custody. But instead of putting those suspicions to rest, it may fuel them further.
Metadata embedded in the video and analyzed by WIRED and independent video forensics experts shows that rather than being a direct export from the prison’s surveillance system, the footage was modified, likely using the professional editing tool Adobe Premiere Pro. The file appears to have been assembled from at least two source clips, saved multiple times, exported, and then uploaded to the DOJ’s website, where it was presented as “raw” footage.
Experts caution that it’s unclear what exactly was changed, and that the metadata does not prove deceptive manipulation. The video may have simply been processed for public release using available software, with no modifications beyond stitching together two clips. But the absence of a clear explanation for the processing of the file using professional editing software complicates the Justice Department’s narrative. In a case already clouded by suspicion, the ambiguity surrounding how the file was processed is likely to provide fresh fodder for conspiracy theories.
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[NYTimes | OPINION | GUEST ESSAY] If Zohran Mamdani Wins, Then What?
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Mr. Mamdani’s leftist agenda is far more rooted in the American tradition than his fiercest critics would ever admit.
The democratic socialism he embraces is not so different from the “sewer socialism” that found success in American cities a century ago, especially in Milwaukee. The Milwaukee socialists built a world-class parks system, added drinking water fountains, went after restaurant owners for serving contaminated food and forced factory owners to install heating systems and toilets. Just as important, they were never embroiled in corruption scandals. This should ultimately be Mr. Mamdani’s goal: to manage the city competently and fairly and to introduce beneficial public goods.
There cannot be any whiff of self-dealing or graft in the Mamdani administration. As much as many voters were thrilled by Mr. Mamdani’s campaign promises, including a rent freeze on rent-stabilized apartments, they also were drawn to the reform nature of his campaign, coming after four years of chaos from Mayor Eric Adams.
In addition, he cannot, as socialists sometimes do, attempt to abolish capitalism. He should seek, as best as he can, an outcome that leads to more wealth redistribution or at least makes life in New York slightly more affordable. The richest New Yorkers should emerge from a Mamdani administration largely unscathed because he is not seizing the means of production. They can keep making money. Some, in time, may even be charmed by him.
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https://archive.ph/UquMH 1 reply
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Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell on children killed during a nutrition aid distribution in the Gaza Strip
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NEW YORK, 10 July 2025 – “We are appalled by the reported killing of 15 Palestinians, including nine children and four women, who were waiting in line for nutritional supplies for children in Deir al Balah, the Gaza Strip, this morning. An additional 30 people were reportedly injured, including 19 children.
“This assistance was being provided by Project Hope, a UNICEF partner organization, to families in desperate need. The killing of families trying to access life-saving aid is unconscionable.
“These were mothers seeking a lifeline for their children after months of hunger and desperation. Among them was Donia, whose 1-year-old boy, Mohammed, was killed. She said he spoke his first words to her just hours earlier. Donia now lies in a hospital bed, critically injured by the blast, clutching Mohammed’s tiny shoe. No parent should have to face such tragedy.
“This is the cruel reality confronting many in Gaza today after months of insufficient aid being allowed into the territory, and parties to the conflict failing to uphold basic responsibilities to protect civilians.
“The lack of aid means children are facing starvation while the risk of famine grows. The number of malnourished children will continue to rise until life-saving aid and services are resumed at full scale.
“International law is clear: all parties to the conflict have an obligation to protect civilians and ensure the safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance.
“We call on Israel to urgently review its rules of engagement to ensure full compliance with international humanitarian law, notably the protection of civilians, including children, and to conduct a thorough and independent investigation of this incident and all allegations of violations.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the families who have lost loved ones and all those affected, including our partners at Project Hope, who continue to serve Gaza’s children under the most dangerous conditions.
“UNICEF again calls for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, the release of hostages, and for all parties to protect civilians, including children and humanitarian workers. Food, water, as well as nutrition and medical supplies, must reach children safely and without delay. The deaths and suffering of children and civilians must end."
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https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/statement-unicef-executive-director-catherine-russell-children-killed-during 0 reply
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