Display Of How A Steam Engine Works

 Train Fanatics   

"Pretty basic stuff except that a lot of folks do not know what really goes on inside the locomotive."

"The equation goes something like this:  FIRE + WATER = STEAM !

"As this video illustrates, a lot of fuel is needed to keep the fire box hot so the heat and smoke can run through pipes(flues) to boil the water on the outside of the boiler. The boiled water turns into steam. The steam created rises to the top of the engine and is captured in the “steam dome” on top of the engine. Variations of these steam locomotives run on coal, wood and oil as fuel sources.

"Once the engineer releases the steam in the “dome” it travels along the pipe down to the slide valves at the front of the engine. There is so much pressure (appx 300 PSI) created by the steam, that it is able to move the pistons in each valve forward and back which turns the wheels by way of the connecting rods.

Chug, chug, Chug is the sound of the steam escaping after each slide of the valve. Maybe this is why we are all so addicted to the steam engines!

What the Hell Happened to the Dems on CNN Last Night?

 Townhall   

"There is no unity, no message—it’s just anti-Trump hysterics. The best part is that they cannot reopen the government until this No Kings rally ends this weekend. "

What's an oligarchy? Asking the party that doesn't know what Nazis are.

"The Democrats are a trainwreck on the Schumer shutdown. We have three different playbooks, and they’re all trash. It’s what happens when you have no message, no leaders, and no agenda. There’s no way to spin it: Democrats shut down the government to get another $1.5 trillion for illegal alien health care and NPR funding. No one wanted the shutdown, and voters certainly didn’t want Congress to increase spending. Democrats did both.

"With the shutdown dragging on, more voters are starting to blame Democrats for it, especially after their serial refusal to reopen it via a clean seven-week continuing resolution that would allow Congress to finalize appropriations bills and decide what to do about the health care subsidies, which expire in December. It’s a CR at Biden-era spending levels and includes everything Democrats supported before. Democrats did a multi-pronged media push last night on CNN and NewsNation via town halls, and it was a mess.  

"On CNN, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) spewed nonsense, with AOC even accusing Deloitte of dumping toxic chemicals into riverways. Deloitte is an accounting firm. Sanders finally said the quiet part out loud, which is that this shutdown is meant to defeat Trump. It’s not about the American people. The question that really got under their skin is whether Chuck Schumer did this to avoid a primary challenge by AOC, which led to a Sanders mansplaining session. Sorry, these are their rules. AOC even did a gender lecture about how the GOP is poisoning young men and gravitating them toward toxic masculinity. Yeah, lady, this crap is why no one likes Democrats." . . .  

The ‘civil war’ breaking out in Gaza with executions in the street

Hamas and rival militias clash amid public murders of supposed collaborators

"A Palestinian pro-democracy source said that Hamas claimed their attacks on influential families were for security, but were seen to be a display of power. The militant group has become increasingly unpopular in Gaza and its era of control is seen to be over, the political insider added."

"A “mini-civil war” is threatening to erupt in Gaza after Hamas threatened to cleanse the Strip of “collaborators and outlaws”, analysts have said.

"A ceasefire between Hamas and Israel – brokered by the US, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey – came into force on Friday and appears to be holding.

"But pockets of violence have erupted between Hamas and rival groups, as they seek to fill the power vacuum left by the Israeli withdrawal.

"Hamas has reportedly recalled 7,000 members of its internal security forces to take control as Israeli troops withdraw, warning that it would “cleanse Gaza of outlaws and collaborators” who worked with Israel.

"At least 27 people were killed in a clash between Hamas and the Dughmush clan – a prominent family – in Gaza City this weekend, with videos circulating online appearing to show Hamas fighters beating men in the street.

"A prominent Palestinian influencer, Saleh Aljafarawi, who reported on the war, was shot and killed while covering the fighting.

"Medical sources told the BBC that 19 Dughmush clan members and eight Hamas fighters had been killed since Saturday." . . .

After Gaza: What's Next?  Cal Thomas: 

"This battle may be over, but Israel's enemies don't share the same view."

   Here below is a video that works: Hamas TV Children's Show Encourages Killing of Jews. This is dated 2015, so children who watched this back then were likely part of the marauding bands looting Israeli homes on that Oct 7, or - worse - Hamas killers who burned families alive     

    

. . . "Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) keeps tabs on what terrorist groups and others are saying about a post-Gaza future. It has compiled 20 examples that show the Palestinian Authority's (PA) real intentions. In the PA's Oct. 2 publication, there was this: "It may be necessary to find a way to persuade Hamas to completely leave the area for a year or two. Later, when things become clearer, we can look for ways to bring Hamas back to operation."

"After Trump won re-election last November, PMW President Itamar Marcus told The Washington Free Beacon: "(Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud) Abbas and his people hate Trump. They think he's not up to their level of humanity. They mock the way he looks. They mock the way he talks. Now that Trump will be the president again, they think they can play him, but he should recognize exactly who they are. They see themselves as in a camp with Russia and China and the Islamic world, and they are diametrically opposed to American policy around the world.' "

Now that there's peace, what were those Palestinian protests really about?

 Lydia Grace   "October 13, 2025, marks a milestone in the Middle East.

"Following President Trump's facilitation of a peace deal and ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, hostages held by Hamas have been released and returned to their families after two years of captivity in exchange for Palestinian terrorist prisoners. The cessation of hostilities between Israel and Gaza has brought relief to millions affected by the conflict.

"One might expect such a development to unite people across the political spectrum in celebration. But the response has been mixed.

"Over the past two years, protestors advocating for Palestinian causes have been prominent on college campuses and social media platforms. Activists and influencers mobilized significant public attention around the cause, often accompanied by blatant antisemitism.

"Now that the ceasefire is on, many of these same voices have become quiet.

"This raises important questions about the motivations behind some advocacy movements.

"Was the goal truly humanitarian relief and peace, or did other agendas drive the discourse? The spread of unverified information and conspiracy theories throughout the conflict suggests that not all advocacy was rooted in factual understanding.

"Perhaps the real aim, then, was to influence the youth with non-factual information, including antisemitism. The influence of social media activism on young, impressionable audiences is worth looking at because when movements prioritize rhetoric over truth, the confusion that follows can have lasting effects on how entire generations understand complex geopolitical issues.

"Most troubling is the refusal of some of these observers to acknowledge this peace achievement on its own merits. That has to be because of political polarization, or more specifically, Trump-hate. When this kind of political polarization prevents recognition of genuine progress, the protestors risk losing sight of what truly matters: human lives, peace, and the possibility of a better future.

"As we think about this historic development, it is worth reflecting on how we all engage with complex international issues. Critical thinking, fact-based discourse, and the willingness to acknowledge positive outcomes — regardless of who achieves them — are essential if we hope to build a more peaceful world."