Karen Gaudette Brewer

Roberta Flack, the magnetic singer and pianist who was one of the most popular artists of the 1970s, died on Monday at 88. Flack was known for her majestic anthems like “Killing Me Softly” and “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” nyti.ms/4h1KzSh

U.S. Postal Service Halts Parcel Service from China as Trump’s Trade Curbs Begin The United States has been importing about 3 million parcels a day with almost no customs inspection and no duties collected.

Breaking News: The U.S. Postal Service paused accepting packages from China and Hong Kong, after a Trump order ending their duty-free handling took effect.

no matter how bad you are at your job, remember you did not let Saquon Barkley leave your team for a division rival where he ran for +2000 yards and led the rival to the NFC Championship game

MLK Jr.'s vision of a more just and equal nation is something we must continue to work toward today and every day. He led a movement rooted in compassion and purpose—today we honor his memory and the way he changed America for the better.

Former head of Planned Parenthood Cecile Richards has died Cecile Richards, the longtime activist for women's rights and former head of Planned Parenthood, died Monday after battling brain cancer.

Cecile Richards, the longtime activist for women's rights and former head of Planned Parenthood, died Monday after battling brain cancer.

The Village Person

Tulsa Massacre Was a ‘Coordinated, Military-Style Attack,’ Federal Report Says The Justice Department’s conclusion follows an investigation of the 1921 atrocity in Oklahoma in which up to 300 Black residents were killed.

The Tulsa Race Massacre was not committed by an uncontrolled mob but was the result of “a coordinated, military-style attack” by white citizens, the Justice Department said in a report. It was the first time the U.S. government has given an official account of the 1921 massacre of Black residents.

This was a fantastic water drop in the Hollywood Hills Sunset Fire from one of the aerial firefighting planes.

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

Look, it’s a hard time… for so many reasons. Check on your people. (Shut up. I’m turning off replies. Just check on your people. Ask questions.) People are scared, overwhelmed and imperiled. Check on the people you love and know.

I feel this. When lockdown began I wrote and reported more than I had in years. Again now I feel called to write and also learn new kinds of dance. I feel compelled to be very present in my communities, observant and to be in motion. I hope your art brings you solace.

It’s scary to watch things fall apart, but it also makes me to want to create art to remember/replace/express what’s been lost.

How to find the best mask for wildfire smoke: - The EPA recommends using a “particulate respirator” tested and approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - It should have the words "NIOSH" and either "N95" or "P100" printed on it - It should have two straps to go above and below your ears

Wildfire smoke contains hazardous pollutants that include toxic gases and particulate matter — solid particles and liquid droplets that are produced when these fires burn through trees, buildings and other materials. wapo.st/3C2qyg2

Wishing you safety!

If you've lost power due to the wildfires around LA and are using a portable generator, remember to keep it outdoors and make sure your carbon monoxide alarms are working.

@tahirihbrown.bsky.social Ayyyyyy!!! 👋🏼

Instagram Begins Randomly Showing Users AI-Generated Images of Themselves Meta AI put a Redditor into "an endless maze of mirrors" as part of a new AI feature it is testing.

New: Days after Meta had to kill its AI-generated profiles due to backlash, some Instagram users are now being shown AI-generated images of themselves that are being automatically created by Instagram and put in their feeds

www.404media.co/instagram-be...

A woman walks her dog near the US Capitol as snow falls during a winter storm in Washington, DC on January 6, 2025. (Photo by Jemal Countess Getty Images)

Snow covers homes during a winter storm, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, in Cincinnati. (Photo by Joshua A. Bickel for the AP)

A general view shows the Washington Monument under heavy snow fall in Washington, DC, on January 6, 2025. (Photo by Mandel Ngan for Getty Images)

Snow covers vehicles parked at the Helix Garage in downtown Lexington, Ky., on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. (Photo by Ryan C. Hermens for the AP)

Hundreds of thousands of customers from Missouri to Virginia are experiencing power outages as the wide-reaching storm drops more than a foot of snow with more heavy impacts still to come. wapo.st/3BJG4O0

Massive snowball fight happening in DC right now:

CDC confirms 1st case of severe bird flu in US The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the first case of severe bird flu in the U.S. on Wednesday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the first case of severe bird flu in the United States: A patient hospitalized in Louisiana

Insurers Are Dropping Homeowners as Climate Shocks Worsen Without insurance, it’s impossible to get a mortgage; without a mortgage, most Americans can’t buy a home.

The reasons for insurance instability are complex, but not unknown. A combination of inflation, reinsurance, litigation, population growth, rising catastrophe loss costs, and higher hazard risk fueled by climate change all play a role.

This is a 50 state challenge.

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Starbucks Union Authorizes Strike Ahead of Final Bargaining The union representing Starbucks Corp. baristas voted to authorize a strike ahead of the final stages of bargaining over contract terms.

BREAKING: Starbucks Workers United has authorized a strike.

The corporate giant hasn't moved on economic issues in negotiations, and now 98% of @SBWorkersUnited has voted to call a work stoppage “if necessary.”

The union has 10,000 workers at 500 stores.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

🚨 JOURNALISM JOB ALERT🚨
@propublica.org is hiring a reporter to cover climate change as an investigative beat, examining how decisions by individuals, corporations and governments are shaping life-and-death outcomes for people across the U.S. and the world.

Details, including salary range, 👇

A gingerbread house burning down. Obviously animated flames burst through the windows and cover the ceiling. The text reads: The house is on fire. Someone plugged a space heater into a power strip! Always plug your space heater directly into the wall. Turn it off before you leave a room or go to sleep. Keep it at least 3 feet away from anything flammable.

Cold people - Plug your space heater directly into the wall.

A photo of Billie Eilish at the NPR headquarters in DC.

Billie Eilish’s NPR Tiny Desk premieres tomorrow at 12 pm EST:

U.S. moves to add monarch butterfly to the endangered species list The major U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposal would declare the iconic species as threatened, with federal scientists saying the species is on the decline.

U.S. officials moved Tuesday to protect the monarch, an iconic orange and black butterfly famous for its marathon migration across North America, under the Endangered Species Act.

Well-known Virginia Tech professor dies at 81 Virginia Tech professor and poet, Nikki Giovanni, has died at the age of 81.

Virginia Tech professor and poet, Nikki Giovanni, has died at the age of 81.

Text: Formaldehyde cancer risk in your neighborhood. Formaldehyde causes more cancer than any other toxic chemical in the air. Look up your address to see risks from the chemical on your block and where it comes from. Illustration: Neon green gas envelops the entirety of a building's exterior.

#ICYMI: In most of the U.S., formaldehyde contributes more to outdoor cancer risk than any other toxic air pollutant.

🔎 Use our database to look up the cancer risk from this chemical in your neighborhood: https://propub.li/4gfPMGm

Police illegally sell restricted weapons supplying crime These high-powered weapons are only meant for police. How are they ending up in criminals' hands?

A CBS NEWS INVESTIGATION found dozens of law enforcement leaders — sheriffs, captains, lieutenants, chiefs of police — buying and illegally selling firearms, even weapons of war, across 23 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.

if anyone here knows someone who works at @bsky.app/can connect me with someone who works for the platform, would be much appreciated!

what am I even supposed to do with data breach notifications at this point

"ah, yes, I'll just put that over here, with the rest of the data breaches"