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Rep. Jim Jordan said the House Judiciary Committee is considering a criminal referral of former Special Counsel Jack Smith to the Justice Department over allegations that he lied under oath about obtaining text messages from 44 members of Congress.
Smith previously testified that his team sought only telephone toll records and did not obtain the contents of communications. However, newly released records indicate that investigators reviewed lawmakers’ text messages during the Trump election investigation.

An owl in flight makes almost zero sound. Not just quiet. Silent. It happens because of three distinct micro-adaptations working together in their feathers. The leading edge has stiff, comb-like serrations that slice the incoming airflow into smaller, quieter currents. The trailing edge features a soft, frayed fringe to smooth the air as it leaves. Finally, the entire wing is covered in a velvet-like down that acts as acoustic dampening. This completely eliminates the swoosh of wind. It isn’t just about sneaking up on prey. Absolute silence allows the owl itself to listen for the faint rustle of a mouse in the grass, entirely unbothered by the sound of its own wings beating.

“If we die, we die together.”

Those were the words a woman says went through her mind after a cabin window failed on a Ryanair flight and her husband was partially pulled toward the opening.

The terrifying incident happened shortly after takeoff from Thessaloniki, Greece, on July 10.

As the Boeing 737-800 climbed, one of the cabin windows failed and the aircraft rapidly lost pressure.

Her husband, Ljubiša Karović, was sitting in the window seat when the force of the escaping air pulled him toward the opening.

His wife, Svetlana Grković, immediately grabbed his legs.

With help from nearby passengers, they managed to pull him back into the cabin.

The crew declared an emergency and safely returned to Thessaloniki, where the injured passenger was taken to hospital.

The other passengers later continued their journey on a replacement aircraft.

The exact cause is still under investigation.

A technical adviser hired by the family believes debris from the aircraft’s right engine may have struck the window, but investigators have not confirmed that theory.

Ryanair has only said that the window “dislodged in flight” before the aircraft landed safely.

It’s the kind of aviation emergency most passengers never imagine experiencing.

What do you think would be going through your mind in those moments?

#Ryanair #AviationNews #Boeing737 #EmergencyLanding #PassengerStory

Long before dinosaurs ever walked the Earth, the skies were ruled by truly massive insects. Among the most impressive were the prehistoric relatives of modern dragonflies, some of which had wingspans reaching up to 2.5 feet. These ancient predators first appeared around 320 million years ago during the Carboniferous period, making them some of the earliest known flying insects in Earth’s history.

These giant dragonflies belonged to the now-extinct order Meganisoptera, with the most famous genus being Meganeura. They resembled modern dragonflies in shape and behaviour but were far larger and likely even more fearsome. Fossil evidence shows they hunted other insects and possibly small vertebrates, using their powerful jaws and exceptional flying agility. At the time, Earth’s atmosphere contained higher oxygen levels than today, which may have enabled these insects to grow to such enormous sizes.

The artistic rendering in this post dramatically captures what one of these ancient giants might have looked like in flight, while the inset image of a modern dragonfly offers a striking comparison. The evolution of dragonflies over hundreds of millions of years has resulted in the smaller, streamlined species we see today, but their core design has remained remarkably consistent. Their large eyes, strong wings, and exceptional flying abilities are features that have stood the test of time.

Giant dragonflies were part of a larger ecosystem that looked nothing like today’s world. Dense swamp forests, towering horsetails, and giant arthropods created a landscape as alien to us as any distant planet. These creatures were apex aerial hunters long before dinosaurs ever emerged.

Fun Fact: Dragonflies can see in nearly every direction at once, thanks to their compound eyes, which have up to 30,000 facets.

#MockingMerriment
#GiantDragonflies #Evolution #FossilDiscovery #Meganeura #PrehistoricLife #ApexPredators

#Paleontology #CarboniferousPeriod #AncientInsects

Governor Greg Abbott is fighting for Texas families with a bold referendum to abolish school property taxes. This long-overdue reform would deliver massive relief to homeowners burdened by ever-rising levies while forcing schools to operate more efficiently. Property taxes have become an unsustainable burden on working families, and eliminating them puts power back where it belongs, with the people.

Teachers’ unions are predictably furious because real accountability means they can no longer rely on endless taxpayer funding without delivering results like they always have. For too long, unions have prioritized job protection and ideology over student achievement. Competition and choice will finally drive excellence in education.

Texas is leading the way by rejecting the status quo of wasteful spending and union dominance. Lower taxes, better schools, and empowered parents represent true progress. Abbott’s initiative proves that conservative governance delivers freedom and prosperity for all citizens, not special interests.