50 Cent Tax Hike On Cigarettes Takes Effect

For the last two mornings, I’ve woken up from broken sleep in my house on Los Angeles’ east side in a blind panic, the smell of smoke permeating the air. The light slanting in is a horrible, eerie orange, illuminating the white kitchen cabinets like a nightmare projection screen. When I climb onto the roof, the air in every direction is full of dark, low, menacing clouds fed by smoke, blocking out the mountains and trees even just a few miles away.

Our very dear VlogFather, John Amato, lost his home in the great Palisades Fire of 2025. My house is gone. The high winds doomed our community. John Amato — (@crooksandliars.bsky.social) 2025-01-08T06:20:11.078Z He was amazing to call in to The BradCast and let us all know how he is doing. Below is a rush transcript of the show: BRAD FRIEDMAN: Welcome back to the Bradcast, Brad Friedman from bradblog.com. On Tuesday afternoon, our old friend John Amato, who you may have heard on this program over the years as the creator of the long running, notorious Crooks and Liars blog, he posted a photo on Blue Sky of encroaching black smoke that could be seen from his patio, apparently, in Pacific Palisades with the text, “Had to evacuate from the Palisades, not fun.” About seven hours later, he posted at Blue Sky again, this time to say, “My house is gone.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis offered an evenhanded approach to dealing with the coming administration of President-elect Donald Trump during his annual State of the State address Thursday, while criticizing parts of Trump’s deportation plans and outlining an agenda that includes more housing and transportation reform. “My principle is always: I will work with everyone and anyone when it’s good for Colorado,” Polis said, “and I will oppose anyone and everyone when it hurts our people and hurts our state.” Polis’ late-morning speech sought to focus his and the legislature’s attention on Colorado first.

I keep singing to myself, "I've got one judge in my pocket." (with apologies to Alanis Morrissette). It's quite simply astounding at how Judge Aileen Cannon hops to when her master calls. When Yambo needs help, there she is. Even when she has NO LEGAL STANDING to do so. This is just plain cuckoo bananas, from a legal standpoint.

Morning coffee drinkers have a lower risk of heart disease and death Earth.comMorning coffee may lower risk of heart disease-related death, research suggests BBC.comDrinking coffee in the morning cuts risk of premature death, study indicates UPI NewsDrinking coffee at a certain time of day could reduce death risk, study finds Fox NewsMorning coffee habit may be tied to longer life and healthier heart: Study ABC News

By MICHAEL HILL, MICHAEL R. SISAK and LINDSAY WHITEHURST, Associated Press ALBANY, N. Y. (AP) — New York’s highest court on Thursday declined to block Donald Trump’s upcoming sentencing in his hush money case, leaving the U. S. Supreme Court as the president-elect’s likely last option to prevent the hearing from taking place Friday. One judge of the New York Court of Appeals issued a brief order declining to grant a hearing to Trump’s legal team. Trump has asked the Supreme Court to call off Friday’s sentencing.