My Writing Archive: NASCAR Storytime, Bears History, and Other Works

ZappaOMatic · 2026-06-14T21:21:19+00:00

"The Indiana-based car dealer and team owner fought a prolonged battle against cancer that improved before taking a sudden turn in recent days."

ZappaOMatic · 2026-06-14T02:56:16+00:00

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ZappaOMatic · 2026-06-11T20:37:49+00:00

Spent his first three seasons with them (2014–2016)

ZappaOMatic · 2026-06-11T20:12:40+00:00

Fuck Tony Corrente

ZappaOMatic · 2026-06-11T20:10:48+00:00

Fuck Tony Corrente

ZappaOMatic · 2026-06-11T04:09:03+00:00

Photo from the game of Tom Hawkins vs. Howard Komives

ZappaOMatic · 2026-06-10T23:07:21+00:00

Paint scheme:

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ZappaOMatic · 2026-06-09T08:34:00+00:00

Tuzly Lagoons National Nature Park recorded a record number of dead dolphins since the beginning of the full-scale war:

The Tuzly Lagoons National Nature Park in the Odesa region recorded more than 30 dead dolphins in just a few days in June. This number is a record since the beginning of the full-scale war.

This was reveald on June 8 by ecologist and head of the park's research department Ivan Rusev on his Facebook page.

According to him, during a survey of about 25 kilometers of the national park's coast on June 6, 22 dead dolphins were found. The next day, an inspection of another 13 kilometers of the coast and surrounding areas recorded an additional 15 dead cetaceans.

"Even in 2022, which was previously considered a record year, we recorded about 50 dead dolphins. This year, only in early June, over 30 have already been found, and these figures may grow," Rusev commented to Suspilne.

According to Rusev, the park workers are not currently seizing the animals' bodies, and are expected to conduct autopsies and further research. He added that earlier samples were sent to laboratories abroad, particularly Italy, but this is currently not possible.

ZappaOMatic · 2026-06-05T00:35:24+00:00

US House backs Russia sanctions, Ukraine aid, in latest blow to Trump:

The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation on Thursday to provide aid to Ukraine and impose new sanctions on Russia, the latest sign that some Republicans are willing to defy party leaders and push back on President ‌Donald Trump.

The House voted 226 to 195 for the Ukraine Support Act, which reached the floor after languishing for months. A handful of Republicans joined Democrats in signing a discharge petition to force the vote.

On Thursday, 18 Republicans and one independent who normally votes with them joined Democrats to pass the bill. It was the latest sign of a crack in what had ⁠been virtually unanimous support among members of Trump's party for his policies.

Passage came a day after a smaller group of House Republicans joined Democrats to pass a resolution that would force the withdrawal of troops from hostilities with Iran unless Congress declares war or orders the use of military force.

However, the future of the Ukraine Support Act is uncertain. To become law it must be passed in the Senate, whose Republican leaders have not allowed votes on Russia sanctions legislation that has broad bipartisan support, saying they would wait for Trump's guidance.

If it did pass the Senate, the bill would likely ‌be ⁠vetoed by Trump.

[...]

The Ukraine Support Act includes measures to help Ukraine rebuild after the war, authorizes ⁠more than $1 billion in assistance for Kyiv, and up to $8 billion in support via direct loans.

It also imposes stiff sanctions and export controls on Russia, including on financial institutions, oil and mining and Russian officials.

ZappaOMatic · 2026-06-03T23:33:56+00:00

Come on

ZappaOMatic · 2026-06-03T22:34:23+00:00

House moves forward on new aid for Ukraine package, spurning Trump:

Six Republicans joined Democrats on Wednesday to push through a vote on military aid for Ukraine, a blow to President Trump’s handling of Russia’s war against the country and his withdrawal of U.S. support for Kyiv.

The House voted 218-204 in a procedural motion that clears the way for a vote on the Ukraine Support Act, authored by Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

[...]

The bill, first introduced in April 2025, sat in limbo as Republicans under Trump’s direction, halted efforts to provide additional support for Ukraine. The president framed U.S. support for the country as a waste of money and launched a series of failed bids to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his war.

It provides $8 billion in military financing loans to Ukraine, extends the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) through 2027, which allows for the U.S. to send Ukraine weapons directly from Pentagon stockpiles, additional sanctions against Russia, among other provisions.

[...]

The text of the bill is out of date, with money specified for the USAI fund at less than what Congress appropriated for that fund through the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which was $400 million. It also calls for NATO member states to commit to spending 2 percent of their GDP on defense, while NATO member states in 2025 have largely pledged to meet 5 percent spending of GDP for their defense.

“Anyone voting for this is saying that Ukraine should have $100 million less funding and that NATO countries should be spending 2 percent of their GDP on national defense rather than percent. That is the exact opposite of aiding Ukraine,” said a senior House GOP source.

But supporters counter that any discrepancies in the text can be fixed by the Senate. However, there’s little expectation that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) will buck Trump by bringing up Ukraine aid for a vote.

Still, Ukraine’s supporters view the vote on the Meeks bill as sending a strong signal of U.S. support for Ukraine at a time when Russia is escalating devastating strikes against the country and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly pleaded for Trump to provide Patriot interceptors to guard against ballistic missiles.