I just bought an electric oil-filled slimline freestanding panel heater. We already have a 400W Dimplex that is 20 years old, in the 2nd bedroom for guests. The new one is an 800w Amos brand, in the sitting room as we had to halve our central heating radiator to accommodate new double doors. £75.

More animal antics. A raccoon broke into a liquor store in Virginia.... https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/03/drunk-raccoon-virginia-liquor-store

The continuing saga. James Comey’s friend and former lawyer Daniel Richman is suing the Justice Department over evidence gathered from him years ago that was used in the recently dismissed criminal case against Comey, which could disrupt the Trump administration’s imminent plans to re-indict the former FBI director. The evidence the Justice Department gathered from collecting Richman’s online accounts, iPhone, iPad and a hard drive in 2019 and 2020 was becoming a serious issue in criminal case against Comey in Northern Virginia that was dismissed last month. Richman, a Columbia University law professor, is asking the federal court based in Washington, DC, to issue an emergency order for the Justice Department to stop accessing Richman’s files and hold a hearing on whether the Justice Department violated Richman’s constitutional rights. He says the Justice Department still having access to his files is a “callous disregard” of his Fourth Amendment rights protecting against unfair searches and government seizures. “There is no lawful basis for the government to retain any images of Professor Richman’s computer, whether stored on the Hard Drive or elsewhere,” his lawsuit says. “The government’s conduct has deprived Professor Richman of his constitutional rights, and the injury to Professor Richman will continue if his property is not returned.” Richman’s new requests in court now create the possibility that a judge could further dig into the allegations of prosecutorial missteps, which were not fully exposed or litigated in the Comey case before it was dismissed last Monday, or close off evidence prosecutors may want to use as they try to refashion charges against Comey related to his 2020 congressional testimony. https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/02/politics/james-comey-daniel-richman-lawsuit-justice-department

@jon-nyc Indeed!!

@Bernard the indoor pic especially is lovely! Your wall looks perfect! We got a little bit of snow during the night on Monday. Enough to make things pretty but not so much as to cause a lot of trouble. The public schools were closed yesterday, but I was able to get to my doctor’s appointment (thankfully!) I hastily snapped some photos before we left. [image: IMG_1963.jpg] [image: IMG_1966.jpg] [image: IMG_1964.jpg] [image: IMG_1968.jpg]

How about Usha?

Happy Birthday, Mary Anna! Many happy returns of the day!

I was at the Met a couple of months ago and saw some of their Faberge collection. It was stunning. I really love this Winter Egg.

Good gracious, Chas! I'm so sorry you've been through all of this. It sounds like you have good doctors, so I hope things go better from here on out.

[image: 1764710151355-screenshot_20251202-204302_duckduckgo.jpg]

I think that when it comes to AI, there are no adults in the halls of congress. No regulation, no oversight, no plans, no discussion. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/02/artificial-intelligence-threats-congress

@Steve-Miller thanks, very much appreciate your insights.

This is the first time I’ve heard that story. Thanks!

@Axtremus Think they might be looking for guaranteed retirement income? I wonder if Social Security would be included under their term "pension".

@Steve-Miller Hi, Steve. I have an immersion blender. I don’t know, maybe it’s not a very good one, but it doesn’t do what the KitchenAid can. The KitchenAid is a powerhouse…took me a while to master it (well, still not mastered). The buttons have flashing red lights as if to say, like the software prompts, “Are you sure?”

Oil Reserves by Country ; 1, Venezuela, 299,953,000,000 ; 2, Saudi Arabia, 266,578,000,000 ; 3, Canada, 170,863,000,000 ; 4, Iran, 157,530,000,000 . https://www.worldometers.info/oil/oil-reserves-by-country/

Donald Trump’s drive to secure peace in Ukraine must not let Vladimir Putin off the hook for war crimes committed by Russian forces, a top EU official has warned, effectively setting a new red line for a deal. In an interview with POLITICO, Michael McGrath, the European commissioner for justice and democracy, said negotiators must ensure the push for a ceasefire does not result in Russia escaping prosecution. His comments reflect concerns widely held in European capitals that the original American blueprint for a deal included the promise of a “full amnesty for actions committed during the war,” alongside plans to reintegrate Russia into the world economy. https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-war-crimes-volodymyr-zelenskyy-ukraine/