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Weather: A 30 percent chance of showers after 5pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. South wind 6 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Saturday Night: Showers and thunderstorms. Low around 55. Southwest wind 7 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
- 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:
Notably: Yesterday’s announcement by our Ubu Roi president that he was “locked and loaded” to bomb Iran if Iranian protesters were killed–as Ubu’s ICE goons and their local police collaborators rain shrapnel from iron curtains on American protesters–or the overnight attack on Venezuela and dog-wagging kidnapping of its president brought to mind this line from a Molière play (Monsieur de Pourceaugnac): “What the hell is this? Are the people in this country insane? I’ve never seen anything like it, and I don’t understand it at all.”
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.
January 2026
ESL Bible Studies for Intermediate and Advanced Students
Grace Community Food Pantry on Education Way
Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village
Florida: A History in Pictures, a Palm Coast Historical Society Speaker Series Lecture
Al-Anon Family Groups
Flagler County Commission Morning Meeting
Beverly Beach Town Commission meeting
Nar-Anon Family Group
For the full calendar, go here.
The change of temper that came over American society with the loss of the Loyalists, was immense and far-reaching. For the first time the middle class was free to create a civilization after its own ideals. In rising to leadership it brought another spirit into every phase of life. Dignity and culture henceforth were to count for less and assertiveness for more. Ways became less leisurely, the social temper less urbane. The charm of the older aristocracy disappeared along with its indisputable evils. Although a few of the older wits like Mather Byles lingered on bitterly, and others like Gouverneur Morris accepted the situation philosophically, they belonged to the past. A franker evaluation of success in terms of money began to obscure the older personal and family distinction. New men brought new ways and a vulgar clamor of politics went hand in hand with business expansion. The demagogue and the speculator discovered a fruitful field for their activities. The new capitalism lay on the horizon of republican America, and the middle class was eager to hasten its development. But a new economic order required a new political state. and as a necessary preliminary, the spirit of nationalism began that slow encroachment upon local frontiers which was to modify profoundly the common psychology. Americanism superseded colonialism, and with the new loyalty there developed a conception of federal sovereignty, overriding all local authorities, checking the movement of particularism, binding the separate commonwealths in a consolidating union. This marked the turning point in American development; the checking of the long movement of decentralization and the beginning of a counter movement of centralization-the most revolutionary change in three hundred years of American experience. The history of the rise of the coercive state in America, with the ultimate arrest of all centrifugal tendencies, was implicit in that momentous counter movement.”
–From Vernon Louis Parrington’s Main Currrents in American Thought (1927).
Ed P says
How about some practical advice for our grandchildren. The recent changes in the tax laws (the often criticized Big Beautiful Bill) can provide a real opportunity for them to catch up. The changes will provide about 91 Billion dollars more in tax refunds from 2025 taxes than what was refunded in 2024. Additionally, withholdings are reduced for 2026. There is even an additional $6000 deduction for those over 65.
It’s estimated the about 55 -60 billion of this infusion into the economy will go to the working families and upper middle class. My hope is instead of all this money becoming a sugar rush, people can use this to initiate their upward mobility. Just paying off their credit card debt or high interest car loans could be a start.
Minimum wage increases in 19 states, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and additional deductions like the seniors or increased write offs for automobile expenses provides a real opportunity. Ride share drivers rejoice, 72.5 per mile is now deductible.
It’s a personal choice and willingness not to blame anyone or the economy. Now could be the right time to take a second job for 3-6 months, resist living paycheck to paycheck.
Opportunities like this don’t happen often and leveraging the tools of capitalism and making the tough choices for a few years could propel one’s lifestyle upward and onward.
Some people have been fooled to think they are always going to have a rent, car payment, credit card bill, phone, internet, insurance and subscriptions like streaming or gym, every month.
Credit cards and debit cards have fooled people, they don’t know what each individual item costs. The blame game has replaced personal responsibility.
An example is when you walk into a new car dealership, they ask how much can you afford each month. What? How about how much is the car? What interest rate are we getting? How much below msrp can I buy it for? Don’t worry, who cares if the interest rate is 7.99% and 84 months, a new $40,000 car only costs $650/month.
Personal responsibility and choice.
This could be the greatest legacy you can provide, even more valuable then the inheritance you leave behind.
Pogo says
@Everyday is a holiday, a meal is always a banquet
… over 300 million souls — every last one a captain and sovereign…
Or…
What does e pluribus unum mean?
E pluribus unum “Out of many, one.”
This is the literal translation for the motto of the United States of America. It was a motto suggested by a committee on July 4, 1776.
Better know says
… what one is getting into.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuela
Venezuela, a more tortured history you’d be hard to find.
Skibum says
After ordering our military to bomb and invade Venezuela and capturing Maduro and his wife, our own convicted felon prez will soon declare himself as president of oil (oops, I mean Venezuela) and the U.S., and then feign mocked surprise when he awards himself the South American Continent Peace Prize.