The Crickets ••• I Fought the Law

Link Wray ••• Law of the Jungle

The Robins ••• Riot in Cell Block #9

Gift interactive NYT loads for now

Since his return to office, President Trump and his family have engaged in a sprawling campaign of deals that stretches across industries and the globe. These deals, which involve government agencies, businesses, and foreign governments, are enriching the family and their associates. The network of connections includes crypto ventures, chips and A.I., real estate, and defense and tech, raising questions about conflicts of interest and the administration's diplomatic priorities.

African Music Forum ••• Community for Lovers of African Musics

The Garifuna Collective, a band from the Caribbean and Central America, has been creating music for over 20 years, blending traditional Garifuna rhythms with modern electronic and dub techniques.

"You can't afford it. Bottom line, there's nothing to discuss. You can't afford it without the subsidies," Davis said.

The expiration of federal health care subsidies is set to significantly increase health insurance premiums for U.S. farmers, making coverage unaffordable for many. The challenging economic conditions, including tariffs, inflation, and rising input costs, have already battered farmers' bottom lines. Without major intervention from Washington, many farmers will have to choose between being uninsured or leaving farm work for a job that offers health insurance. The financial and health risks associated with farming, including higher rates of injury, medical debt, and mental health issues, underscore the importance of affordable health care for this workforce.

"Today, more frequent wind storms and intensified thunderstorms from climate change may create favorable conditions for more frequent seiches," according to the New York Sea Grant of SUNY College at Oswego.

This news article explains the phenomenon of a seiche, a large-scale oscillation of water levels in Lake Erie caused by powerful winds on December 29, 2025. The seiche led to waves as high as 20 feet, exposing the lake's floor and causing hazards for boats. Historical context is provided, including a deadly seiche in 1844 that killed 78 people and caused Niagara Falls to temporarily stop flowing.

The Pogues ••• Thousands Are Sailing

The Pogues' song 'Thousands Are Sailing' from their album 'If I Should Fall from Grace with God' features a mix of traditional and punk rock elements, with a narrative about sailors and the sea.

"L’acteur américain George Clooney, son épouse Amal Alamuddin Clooney et leurs deux enfants ont obtenu la nationalité française, selon un décret de naturalisation publié samedi 27 décembre au Journal officiel et consulté lundi par l’Agence France-Presse (AFP)."

"Clooney owns an estate in Italy’s Lake Como region, purchased in 2002, and he and his wife also bought a historic manor in England. Their property in southern France – a former wine estate called the Domaine du Canadel, near the village of Brignoles – was purchased in 2021. They

President Trump is claiming to have successfully bombed a “big facility” in Venezuela in yet another act of aggression and sign of the administration’s interventionist goals in the region.

“We just knocked out—I don’t know if you read or you saw—they have a big plant, or a big facility, where the ships come from. Two nights ago, we knocked that out. So we hit them very hard,” Trump told GOP donor John Catsimatidis on his Friday radio show.

"He lied as well as he did, and so prolifically and for so long, because it really came that easily to him."

"…among the great revelations of Buckley: its subject’s endless willingness to lie. Over and over we watch Buckley slander, deceive, withhold information, and defend the falsity of others. He lies with glee and without compunction; he lies willfully and by omission. He stands ath

AHI ••• Black Monday

This lyric video for 'Black Monday' by AHI conveys a message of resilience and unity, encouraging listeners to hold onto memories and each other during tough times.

Van Morrison ••• And It Stoned Me

Patti Smith ••• Paths That Cross

Suzanne Vega ••• Gypsy

Bruce Cockburn ••• The Coming Rains

Ella ••• Somewhere

"Aung San Suu Kyi, who was deposed by the military months after her National League for Democracy (NLD) won the last general election by a landslide in 2020, remains in detention, and her party has been dissolved."

Polls have closed in Myanmar's first general election since the 2021 military coup, held in about a third of the country's townships. The UN, human rights groups, and opposition parties have criticized the electoral process as not free, fair, or credible. Aung San Suu Kyi remains detained, and her party has been dissolved. The pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) is expected to emerge as the largest party. The election is seen as a continuation of military rule with limited international recognition.

Catalan government initiative called Gastrosàvies…

Catalonia, renowned for its avant-garde chefs and molecular gastronomy, has launched Gastrosàvies, an initiative aimed at preserving traditional Catalan cuisine. The project features over 100 elderly women sharing rustic recipes and cooking videos, showcasing dishes rooted in local produce and heritage techniques. Gastrosàvies has collected over 300 recipes, emphasizing the importance of traditional cooking methods and ingredients in Catalonian culture.

The KLF ••• What Time Is Love? (1988 Pure Trance Original)

“It’s a feeling of accomplishment to come back home here, to remember our grandfathers and to ride and to remember them and to be the prayer that they prayed,” Eastman said. “We’re still here. We’re alive today, and for many generations to come.”

“Tell me how many people can afford to buy an $800,000 house and pay $5,000 a month for the mortgage? We’ve always been an expensive area, but this is unmanageable.”

This Boston Globe article discusses the growing unaffordability of homeownership in Greater Boston, where home prices have surged far faster than incomes. The typical house in Greater Boston now sells for $833,900, more than 7.5 times the region’s median household income. This has forced many, particularly younger and middle-class people, to abandon their dreams of owning a home, leading to a generational wealth divide. Many are left with the choice of either renting forever in Massachusetts or moving to less expensive areas.

"Mojtaba Ghahramani, a provincial chief of the justice department, said the oil tanker was carrying some 4 million liters (25,000 barrels) of smuggled fuel when the Revolutionary Guard naval forces seized the vessel, the official IRNA news agency reported."

Iran's Revolutionary Guard naval forces seized a foreign oil tanker carrying 25,000 barrels of smuggled fuel in the Strait of Hormuz, detaining 16 crew members. The seizure is a significant blow to smugglers, according to state media. This incident highlights ongoing tensions in the region, where Iran has previously seized vessels over similar charges. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime route for global oil trade, and Iran has threatened to close it off in the past.

"Some festive favorites can brighten your home all year —others are better off in the compost pile."

This article from Country Living provides guidance on which Christmas plants to keep and which to compost after the holiday season. It highlights four plants that can thrive as houseplants year-round, including Norfolk Island pine, amaryllis, Christmas cactus, and citrus trees. It also advises composting poinsettias and paperwhites, which are not recommended for long-term keeping.

"Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs now said the strikes resulted from intelligence sharing and strategic coordination between the two governments."

In the village of Jabo, Nigeria, residents experienced panic and confusion after a U.S. airstrike targeted an alleged camp of the Islamic State group, causing the sky to glow red and homes to shake. The strikes, involving GPS-guided missiles and drones, were confirmed by the Nigerian government, which cooperated with the U.S. in the operation. While the U.S. President Donald Trump announced the strike as a powerful and deadly action against IS militants, the Nigerian government described it as a new phase of an ongoing conflict. The strikes have raised concerns among villagers, who fear for their safety and call for more protection from the government.

"Hawaii’s Big Island bans feeding feral cats in an effort to help endangered native species…"

Hawaii's Big Island has enacted a law banning the feeding of feral cats on county property to protect endangered native species, including the nene goose. The ban, which takes effect at the start of the new year, has sparked controversy among cat lovers who argue that the measure will harm the cats and not effectively address the issue of native species protection.

"Currently only available in North America, Australia and New Zealand, FSD has additional powers, like the ability to summon your car via app, or have it park and navigate itself."

Elon Musk's Tesla is under scrutiny for allowing texting while using its self-driving software, despite laws prohibiting texting while driving. Tesla claims that using its software for texting is safer than doing it manually, but critics argue that this encourages risky behavior. The company faces pressure from competitors like Waymo and regulatory investigations over the safety of its technology.

Suz Slezak ••• This Life Is Kindly

Rare threat

A rare alignment of atmospheric conditions is expected to bring a slight chance of tornadoes to California from Tuesday night through Friday. The tornado risk extends from San Francisco to Los Angeles, with the highest risk in the Central Valley. The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center forecasts a slight chance of tornadoes along the California coast and in the Central Valley on Wednesday. Thunderstorms may also contain quarter-size hail, cloud-to-ground lightning, and damaging gusts.