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Weather: Partly cloudy. Showers with thunderstorms likely. Highs in the lower 90s. Lows in the mid 70s. Chance of rain 80 percent.
- Daily weather briefing from the National Weather Service in Jacksonville here.
- Drought conditions here. (What is the Keetch-Byram drought index?).
- Check today’s tides in Daytona Beach (a few minutes off from Flagler Beach) here.
- Tropical cyclone activity here, and even more details here.
Today at a Glance:
ESL Bible Studies for Intermediate and Advanced Students: 9:30 to 10:25 a.m. at Grace Presbyterian Church, 1225 Royal Palms Parkway, Palm Coast. Improve your English skills while studying the Bible. This study is geared toward intermediate and advanced level English Language Learners.
Notably: The real numbers behind the military invasion of Washington, D.C. From Statista: “According to data from the city’s Metropolitan Police Department, violent crimes have been declining steadily since 2023, when there had been a peak in crime largely due to a spate of robberies and carjackings. As the following chart shows, while crime certainly does take place in Washington, violent crime was down 26 percent compared to the same time period in 2024, as property crime fell by 4 percent. The year before (2023-2024), violent crime and property crime dropped by 35 percent and 11 percent, respectively. Between January 1 and August 8 2025, the vast majority of crime incidents in the city were related to property. Out of the 13,884 cases reported, 49.8 percent were categorized under theft (excluding vehicles/auto). In the first seven months of the year, there have been 99 reported homicides (-12 percent year-on-year), 55 cases of sex abuse (-49 percent), 530 cases of assault with a dangerous weapon (-20 percent) and 888 cases of robbery (-28 percent). Crime data has the challenge that not all crimes are reported.”
The Live Calendar is a compendium of local and regional political, civic and cultural events. You can input your own calendar events directly onto the site as you wish them to appear (pending approval of course). To include your event in the Live Calendar, please fill out this form.
October 2025
Free For All Fridays With Host David Ayres on WNZF
Friday Blue Forum
‘Sweeney Todd’ at Athens Theatre
Flagler Beach Farmers Market
Coffee With Flagler Beach Commission Chair Scott Spradley
Grace Community Food Pantry on Education Way
Second Saturday Plant Sale at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park
American Association of University Women (AAUW) Meeting
Peps Art Walk Near Beachfront Grille
‘Sweeney Todd’ at Athens Theatre
For the full calendar, go here.
What is military newspeak? It is a mumbling, numbing speech by an Al Haig or a George W. Bush. More subtly, it is a TV ad by Boeing – soft music and soothing voices over images of bombers gliding noiselessly through the clouds. Their mission? To defend our freedoms. How? We don’t need to ask. We know. They will soon be dropping bunker busters on un-shown apartment blocks, producing … well … “collateral damage” – all off-screen of course. Military newspeak is, in short, a mèlange of obfuscating euphemisms designed to hide the truth, desensitize our sense of morality, and re-image reality. Like that Boeing ad, it can manifest itself in non-verbal, sometimes subliminal, forms such as that little American flag that keeps flapping in the upper left hand corner of the Fox News screen or the steady drum beat (literally) that opens each CNN newscast, virtually shouting “War, War, War! Terror, Terror, Terror! Fear! Fear! Fear!” It’s all designed to jangle your nerves, disorient you, instill fear … and conflate fear with patriotism. One danger of military newspeak is that it conditions the mental muscles in much the same way that video games do – to react instinctively, violently to perceived threats. Enemies are not to be understood or reasoned with. They are to be bombed – killed – as quickly as possible. No questions, no regrets. The worst danger of all, however, is how it creates obstacles to clear thinking. For clear thinking – critical thinking – is necessary to a well-functioning democracy. And, in the current circumstance, our democracy is crumbling under the weight of military newspeak just as surely as Lebanese democracy has been battered by American-made bombs. Our capacity to resist has been dangerously eroded by the rapidity and thoroughness with which the militarization of the American language has proceeded, and there is no Edward R. Morrow or Walter Cronkite out there to shout “Wake up, America! Before, it’s too late, wake up!”
–From “The Militarization of the American Language,” by Vicki Gray, Truthout, Aug. 30, 2006.
Jim says
If you really care about freedom and want to see our police work to reduce crime, you should be very, very concerned about the Trump administration’s introduction of troops and FBI agents into Washington DC to “reduce crime”. As the chart shows, crime has been reduced. It is completely eliminated? No. But we have crime here in PC yet I don’t see anyone screaming to bring in the National Guard (well, not yet.). And it should concern everyone that Trump says that he’ll do the same thing in other “Democrat lead cities”. You don’t have to use much brain-power at all to see the true reason for his actions. Since the facts show that crime rates are down in virtually all these locations (for those that are willing to make decisions based on facts), the only other reason to send in the troops is to put a military force on the ground in an area where the majority of citizens are not Trumpers. And, as MAGA will tell you, Democrats are evil and need to be eliminated from this country! But what MAGA fails to see is that when any American looses their rights and freedom from tyranny, we all do. It’s just a matter of degrees from attacking Democrat/Liberal Americans to attacking any American that isn’t towing the line as Trump defines loyalty. In this country, loyalty to the President should be way down the list of importance to anyone who supports freedom. I’ve always found that the best solution to any problem comes from lively discussion amongst those with differing viewpoints. Trump stifles dissent (or tries too) and that will always lead to disaster.
And, finally, let me just say that I fully believe that all this use of military and national security personnel to intimidate US citizens throughout the nation is going to lead to a national disaster of some type. Since we’re paying less attention to our external enemies and what sinister plans they have for us, we’ve making it much easier for them to pull off some kind of attack. If I were them, I’d be looking at some kind of pandemic assault. Can you imagine how many Americans will die if we have another pandemic? RFK, Jr. has successfully removed the infrastructure needed for a rapid response. I guess we all should buy plenty of bleach and mini-flashlights to be ready….
Dennis C Rathsam says
[Comment disallowed. Racist and disinforming. Do not use this site to spread disinformation. Thanks.–FL]
Pogo says
@Anyone, anywhere
… occasionally, give thanks for not receiving bombardment.
Laurel says
It was absolutely hilarious that “Big Balls” was beaten up by two teenagers, but then I saw how pathetic it was that Trump had to come to Big Ball’s rescue with storm troopers, police and the National Guard, disrupting the citizens of our Capital, over one incident involving a DOGE baby.
A lot of little balls at play here, at our expense.
Pogo says
@In memoriam:
Actor Terence Stamp, who starred as Superman villain, dies aged 87
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c39d41g7nmlo
RIP, thank you, sir.
Skibum says
More irony and idiocy from the felon-in-chief.
On Jan. 6, his riotous mob of maga mush brains really did commit very serious felonies on the U.S. Capitol grounds. They stormed through the defensive lines of federal and D.C. city police officers who were completely overwhelmed by the thousands of drumph’s extremist supporters who were breaking windows and doors of the Capitol building. A huge number of dedicated law enforcement officers were injured trying their best to protect members of Congress and drumph’s own V.P. from being hanged by their necks at the gallows his maga insurrectionists hastily constructed. Drumph cared not one bit, sitting idly in his WH dining room enjoying the violent riot playing out on live tv for more than two hours while staff member after staff member, including his own daughter Ivanka, pleaded with him to call off his supporters, which he finally made a half-hearted plea to, describing the violent mob as “patriots”. Then he subsequently pardoned thousands of them this term, ignoring the violent felonies they had been convicted of, some of them serving long federal prison terms until they were released back into our communities to continue their terror against the United States all because they are maga drumpers.
Now the felon-in-chief who is also a sexual predator wants all of us to believe that the Washington D.C. mayor and police chief are the crooks who are allowing criminals to walk the streets of D.C. That the locals are incompetent, are lazy, are the danger that needs to be eradicated by him, the very one who is most responsible for the largest insurrection against the federal government since the Civil War.
America needs to eradicate HIM from office, along with his sycophants who are systematically destroying our countries government and institutions one by one, as if only he should be allowed to reign and make decisions about every aspect of life in America while he and his criminal family and friends steals the wealth of our nation right out from under our noses.
Even one of his biggest (former) supporters has now divorced himself from the maga tribe, but for purely personal, self-enrichment reasons for sure. We have a chance to halt this corrupt administration in it’s tracks as long as the people of this country stand up en masse and fight, and ensure this coming midterm election is not also corrupted and gerrymandered that will allow him to control all three branches of government until… only one is eventually left… him as king and emperor with the same long-term political rule as his communist buddy Putin.
Ed P says
Laurel,
Your comments should embarrass you.
No one who try’s to stop a crime, helping a female, deserves a concussion and a broken nose.
No it is not hilarious.
His name is Edward Coristine.
Ray W, says
Around the turn of this year, Interesting Engineering reported on a Stellantis (Chrysler, Fiat, etc.) announcement in accord with the company’s Dare Forward 2030 project of a partnership with Houston-based Zeta Energy Corp to develop by 2030 a lithium-sulfur EV battery system that is expected to cut battery manufacturing costs by more than 50%. The new technology will offer “game-changing gravimetric energy density while achieving a volumetric energy density comparable to today’s lithium-ion technology.”
The lithium-sulfur battery chemistry will use, in part, “waste materials, methane, and unrefined sulfur”, with the unrefined sulfur coming from an industrial by-product. and the lithium-sulfur battery chemistry will not need any cobalt, graphite, manganese, or nickel.
While the battery chemistry is new, the product can be built with “existing gigafactory technology” and materials can be sourced from already existing internal supply chains. CO2 emissions during manufacture will be significantly lowered.
Make of this what you will.
Me?
An increased “gravimetric energy density” means more stored energy per unit of weight, most commonly per kilogram. Even if the battery were the same size as a standard lithium-ion battery, with a greater gravimetric energy density, the new battery would weigh less than a standard battery.
“Volumetric energy density” means the new battery can store more energy in the same space.
With Stellantis’ new lithium-sulfur chemistry, an EV battery can be smaller in size and lighter in weight yet still store the same amount of energy as current lithium-ion batteries.
Improved efficiencies in size, weight, CO2 emissions, plus lower manufacturing costs and zero use of certain expensive, virgin and pollutive metals, Stellantis may be on to something big.
Ray W, says
A Brighter Side of News reporter writes that standard lithium-ion EV battery graphite-based anodes store energy during charging and discharges energy during driving. But silicon-based anodes offer greater far greater storage and discharge potentials compared to today’s standard graphite-based anodes, but for the fact that silicon-based anodes expand during the charging and discharging processes, and then contract when not in use, leading to internal cracking within the anode, which expansions and contractions can compromise stability of the anode, i.e., lifespan, and can lead to overheating.
Researchers with Pohang University of Science & Technology, in collaboration with a researcher with Sogang University, developed a material that binds to a silicon-based anode chemistry so as to limit the anode from expanding during use.
Said one of the researchers:
“Silicon-based anode materials could potentially increase the driving range at least tenfold.”
Make of this what you will.
Me?
Researchers all over the world are racing to develop many types of new anode, cathode, and electrolyte chemistries, in either liquid-state, semi-solid-state, or solid-state form. Trillions of dollars are to be made by those who lead us into the future.
A liquid-state lithium-ion EV battery that provides a driving range of 300 miles with a graphite-based anode chemistry is one thing. A liquid-state lithium-ion battery of the same size and weight that could, in theory, provide a driving range of 3,000 miles or more with a stabilized silicon-based anode chemistry is quite another thing altogether.
Ford’s CEO recently announced Ford’s Next Model T Moment, a moment that involves a next generation of Ford EVs. He has repeatedly stated that for years Ford looked backwards when developing its first-generation of EVs. No longer. In three short years, Ford completely revamped its production methodology. Changes in the automotive industry are coming fast. Ford says either it adapts to the new reality, or it dies.
Ray W, says
According to Autoblog, worldwide EV sales of 9.1 million during the first six-months of 2025 were 28% higher than that from the first half of 2024. Should the sales pace continue to increase at the same 28% rate, overall EV sales could top 20 million for the complete year. The reporter wrote that 2026 could be the year that EV sales cross the 25% of all vehicles sold.
The author attributes the rise in EV sales to better batteries, better handling and “EVs that now stand up to petrol rivals on every measure that matters to drivers.”
Handling is improved by “a low-slung battery pack. …” Cabin noise is reduced compared to gas-powered vehicles. Lacking the throttle lag inhering in gas-powered cars, the acceleration offered by electric motors is instantaneous
A motorist driving a Polestar 3 (long-range, single-motor variant) on British roads recently set a Guinness World Record for EV single-charge battery range by covering 581.3 miles in 22 hours and 57 minutes.
It is common for EVs to reach travel efficiencies of 4 miles per KWh, the author wrote. At a U.S. average home charging cost of 15 cents per kilowatt/hour, that rate translates to over 26 miles per dollar cost.
Fast-charging stations in Great Britain now offer 200 miles of battery range added in 20 minutes.
U.S. EV deliveries in second-quarter 2025 were down slightly from second-quarter 2024, but the number was still the second highest quarter on record.
Make of this what you will.
Ray W, says
An Interesting Engineering story focuses on IM (Intelligence in Motion), a Chinese startup car company formed in 2020; it competes in the “premium” category of Chinese vehicles.
The news outlet reports that IM just released an extended-range EV (EREV) version of its original BEV-only LS6 SUV that was released in 2022, with its large-battery EREV version having a 933-mile combined battery and gas-powered generator range.
The LS6 Pro (base model) BEV comes with a 76-kWh battery that offers a 404-mile range. That size and range translates to 5.32 kilowatts per mile. At a cost of 15 cents per kilowatt-hour, that comes to about 35.5 miles of range per dollar for that model.
The LS6 Pro accelerates from 0-62 mph in 6.4 seconds. The LS6 Ultra dual-motor version sprints to 62 mph in 3.48 seconds.
The LS6 EREV Pro version uses a CATL Freevoy Super Hybrid Battery pack, which pack combines both a liquid-state lithium-ion (LiB) battery and a lithium-ferrous-phosphate (LFP) battery in one pack, offering the best of both battery chemistries in that one battery pack.
The LS6 EREV Pro small-battery version has a 52-kWh battery with a range of 230 miles, coupled with a gas-powered generator that starts when the battery reserved drops to a set level. Once the gas engine starts, the SUV can travel an additional 640 miles on a tank of gas.
Make of this what you will.
Me?
It bears repeating that the Chinese electric car industry has well over 100 different manufacturers that are competing for market share, albeit an ever-growing marketplace. A brutal price war dominates the Chinese marketplace. Many of these companies will either fail and disappear or be bought up and consolidated into other more successful companies. Who knows what will happen to IM? Five years old, it appears as if it has the vehicles to compete, but will it survive?
Ray W, says
From a different Interesting Engineering article, a reporter writes about the Dongfeng Aeolus L8 EREV model. The Aeolus brand includes traditional and hybrid sedans and SUVs. Dongfen has a second division devoted to “high-tech new energy” vehicles. This second division, called eTT, plans to release a solid-state battery pack before the end of 2026, with ranges anticipated to be as high as over 620 miles per charge.
When the L8 EREV’s electric motor output is combined with the 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline-powered engine, output is rated at 355 hp. The base-model L8 EREV carries a 30.3 kWh LFP battery, capable of a claimed real-world combined electric (155 miles) and gasoline (1,240 miles) range of 1,395 miles, at 98 mpg-e.
The LFP battery can fast-charge at a rate of 3C, which means it can charge from a 20% state of charge to an 80% state of charge in 18 minutes.
The L8 supports 28 “Level 2 ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) functions, … including adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, automatic emergency braking, traffic sign recognition, and parking assistance, among others.”
Make of this what you will.
Ray W, says
According to an Autopost spread, one of China’s larger automakers, Geely, has been either acquiring, merging with or partnering with European legacy automakers since 2005.
In 2010, Geely bought Volvo. Eleven years later, Geely partnered Volvo with a European powertrain specialist company to form Aurobay. In 2024, Geely launched a joint venture with Renault, naming the effort “HORSE powertrain”.
The story puts it that recently, Geely introduced the most thermally efficient gasoline-powered engine ever produced, at a 47.26% thermal efficiency rating, just higher than the previous record-holder, BYD, whose engine package converts gasoline into usable energy at a 46% efficiency rating. Two other Chinese automakers, Chery Automobile and Zhengcheng Automotive have EREV gas-powered engines rated at 40% thermal efficiencies.
As an aside, Mitsubishi Heavy Power Systems has a combined-cycle natural gas turbine system that converts 66% of incoming natural gas energy into usable electric power.
Per the reporter, Geely’s new powertrain, named the EM AI Super Hybrid 2.0, is installed in its Galaxy A7 sedan. Under China’s CLTC testing standard, the A7 is rated at a range of 1,300 miles on a full battery charge and a full tank of gas.
According to Geely, it is developing a methane-powered version of the gasoline-powered engine that projects a thermal efficiency rating of 48.15%.
According to the reporter, the PHEV (plug-in hybrid vehicle) segment of the electric vehicle class is expanding rapidly at the expense of BEV-only vehicle sales. The PHEV sector is expected to grow by 220% between 2024 and 2032 to a total of 11.41 million units per year in 2032. BEV sales are expected to continue to grow year-over-year, but at a slower positive rate of growth.
Make of this what you will.
Me?
With such energy efficiencies, Geely and BYD can be expected to lead the EREV field in future years, unless American legacy carmakers can catch up for the decades that were lost as the American car industry looked the wrong way.
Ford’s CEO is on record as stating that Ford wasted four years of EV development looking the wrong way on EVs.
Dodge is about to introduce its Ramcharger full-sized pickup truck with an EREV system. So, too, will Volkswagen’s Scout division, hopefully in 2027. Ford is said to be heavily involved in producing its first EREV. GM is somewhat quiet on such an effort.
For years and years, American legacy automakers have been ceding ground to the nascent Chinese EV and PHEV bloc, blind to what has been happening. Right now, China is making millions of EREVs each year and selling all of them.
Geely’s EREV version looks as if the electric motor is built into the transmission cases. Unlike most EREVs, in which systems the gas-powered engines run a generator, without a transmission, Geely’s design retains the transmission, and it appears to incorporate the electric motor into it. That way, the electric motor drives the wheels through the transmission until the battery charge drops to a pre-set level. The gas-powered engine then starts up and drives the vehicle’s wheels through the same transmission.
Ray W, says
This from another Autopost article. BYD plans to offer an upgraded “track edition” to its U9 Supercar that already comes with 1,300 horsepower from its four electric motors, one for each wheel. The current U9 version sprints from zero to 62 mph in 2.36 seconds.
The U9 “Track Edition” will come with four 755 horsepower electric motors for a combined 3020 horsepower.
Make of this what you will.
Me?
BYD’s CEO is already on record as saying that his company’s purpose is to kill off internal combustion engines as an obsolete technology, to be used only to supplement the transcending electric battery and motor packages where applicable.
Ray W, says
An Autopost reporter writes that BYD just received certification to begin sales of its latest software iteration of the DM-i and SEAL 06 DM-i models.
The new versions of the vehicles have a “fifth-gen Dual Mode tech” derived from data obtained from 1.5 million vehicles that have travelled in real-world conditions some 1.7 billion miles. Using this vast dataset, BYD trained AI models to develop “scenario-specific fuel-saving strategies.” And AI was utilized during the design of both engine and electric components, “refining hybrid control.”
Existing BYD owners of these two models will receive an over-the-air update of these improvements.
With these improvements, the DM-i and SEAL 06 DM-i models can travel up to 1,305 miles (90 mpg-e) on a fully charged battery and a full gas tank.
Make of this what you will.
Me?
I looked it up. The BYD SEAL 06 DM-i base model EREV sells in China for approximately $19,400 at current exchange rates. The battery-only version sells for much less. No doubt that in export markets like Australia or Great Britain, the car would cost a lot more yet still be less expensive than other comparable vehicles from other manufacturers.
Ray W, says
TopSpeed, and other sources, report that Li Auto’s new i8 SUV BEV (battery electric vehicle) will be released into the Chinese market on August 20th.
The three-row, six-seat full-sized vehicle weights 5,754 pounds, has a length of 202.2 inches, a height of 68.5 inches and a width of 77.2 inches. Wheelbase is 120.1 inches.
Its four ride-height settings suspension, with a maximum ground clearance of 7.7 inches and all-wheel drive, offers some semblance of off-road capabilities. And its two electric motors offer a combined 536 horsepower, good enough for a 4.5 second 0-62 mph sprint.
Li Auto claims that the i8 “combines the all-terrain capabilities of off-road vehicles, the handling dynamics of sedans, and the comfort of MPVs, redefining family mobility with an all-new driving and riding experience.”
The smaller of the i8’s two battery options stores 90.1 kilowatt-hours of charge, good for up to 416 miles of range. The bigger battery, 97.8 kilowatt-hours, is good for an extra 29 miles of range. Each battery can add 311 miles of range in as little as 10 minutes of charging. After 1,500 full charging and discharging cycles in supercharging mode, each battery type is said to retain 80% of its original capacity.
The entry-level Pro version will sell in China for $44,700 at current exchange rates. The mid-level Max version will cost about $48,600. The Ultra version will go for $51,400.
Make of this what you will.
Me?
1,500 charging cycles at a supercharging setting, not a home charging setting, and the smaller of the two batteries available in the i8 will still hold a 330-mile charge.
Even at an average of 350 miles on each of those 1,500 charges, that translates into a total mileage of 495,000 miles, far longer than the average gas engine lasts before it has to be either rebuilt or replaced. Even at 495,000 miles, the battery is simply 20% less capable of original maximum charge. That doesn’t mean it needs to be replaced; it means only that an owner simply cannot drive as far on the aging battery.
BYD claims that its manufacturing cost per kilowatt-hour of LFP battery capacity is down to an average of $53.
The press release for Li Auto does not reveal who makes the i8’s batteries, but a 90.1 kilowatt-hour battery, if made by BYD, would cost just over $4,700 to build, everything else being equal. That is a fair amount more than the cost of a remanufactured American legacy manufacturer V-6 motor, less whatever the core charge is paid for the old engine. But if Li Auto uses a battery design that allows it to be unbolted and dropped from underneath the vehicle, then the labor cost for a battery swap would be far less than that for an engine swap. After all, Nio’s battery design allows its car batteries to be swapped out in three minutes or less.
Ed P says
Dennis C Rothsam’s post was flagged most assuredly for valid reasons. No questions.
But to get 5 likes?
Laurel’s post get 9 likes.
Yep we now laugh and endorse a beating for a 19 year old who stood up to criminals. Sweet.
What happened to the party of compassion, inclusivity, open mindedness , caring individuals? The party that didn’t believe that the ends should justify the means.
Rep. Eric Swalwell summed it best, “ no, when they go low, we’re going to bury them below the Capitol. That’s what we’re going to do, BECAUSE ITS ABOUT PROTECTING DEMOCRACY. And right now, as you see, DC has been militarized, and we were weak Democrats.”
Phonies, posers, frauds and fakes.