Here's the story behind the woman set on fire in the NYC subway

Fox 5, NY   

Kawam grew up in Little Falls, New Jersey, where she was reportedly a popular student, cheerleader, and worked at a pancake house, according to friends who spoke with The New York Times.

"The Brief

• Debrina Kawam, a former high school cheerleader who worked at Merk, was set on fire while sleeping on a subway train, raising questions about her life.
• Sebastian Zapeta, 33, admitted to heavy drinking and expressed remorse, but claimed not to remember the attack.
• A Guatemalan citizen, Zapeta was living in a Brooklyn shelter and working as a roofer when the incident occurred.

"NEW YORK - A woman set on fire inside a New York City subway has raised questions about how a former cheerleader and Merck employee, who fell into homelessness, became the victim of an attack allegedly by a deported migrant.

" 'It is difficult to fathom what could lead someone to commit the atrocious and horrific murder with which this defendant is charged," Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement Tuesday. 

"Police say 57-year-old Debrina Kawam, a resident of Toms River, New Jersey, was sleeping on the train when Sebastian Zapeta, the man accused, set her on fire and watched her burn.".  . . .

UPDATED: Pacific Palisades Reservoir Found Empty and Offline During Firestorm Catastrophe – 117 Million Gallons Could Have Saved the Day

The Gateway Pundit

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s (DWP) Chief Executive Janisse Quiñones

"Outrage is boiling over after revelations that the Santa Ynez Reservoir, a critical water source in Pacific Palisades, was empty and offline when a devastating wildfire ripped through the area.

"The Los Angeles Times reported that despite the reservoir’s critical role in the city’s water infrastructure, it had been offline for nearly a year.

"The Santa Ynez Reservoir, with a capacity of 117 million gallons, could have played a critical role in providing water pressure to firefighters battling the devastating fire that destroyed thousands of homes and buildings in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and Malibu.

"Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s (DWP) officials claim the reservoir had been offline for “a while” due to a tear in its cover.

"Now, incompetent Governor Gavin Newsom has labeled the situation “deeply troubling” and ordered an independent investigation into the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP).

“ 'I am calling for an independent investigation into the loss of water pressure to local fire hydrants and the reported unavailability of water supplies from the Santa Ynez Reservoir. We need answers to ensure this does not happen again and we have every resource available to fight these catastrophic fires,” Newsom wrote on X." . . .

UPDATE:Stunner: Why Was Pacific Palisades Reservoir EMPTY? It Gets Worse.  "An empty reservoir and dry fire hydrants are now the symbols of California and local officials' response to the horrific Pacific Palisades wildfire—one of six Santa Ana windblown firestorms still burning in Los Angeles. Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered an investigation to demonstrate that he's doing something, but the damage is being done right now. 

"The 117 million-gallon Santa Ynez Reservoir was empty and down for maintenance when the devastating fire was sparked, perhaps in the brush, between the homes and the Pacific Coast Highway. You can see a map of the area in my story Good Intentions Might Be the Cause of Devastating Palisades Fire. 

"Friday, officials confirmed that the reservoir had been down for nearly a year —closing in February 2024—for maintenance to the cover of the reservoir. 

"The New York Times reports that a contractor was hired in November to fix a crack in the cover. It is unclear why the reservoir had to be shut down for that extended period of time. 

"The ripple effect was beyond devastating" . . .

This empty reservoir wasn't caused by Climate Change. It was caused by Democrats. pic.twitter.com/WrLFHYOsBh

— A Man Of Memes (@RickyDoggin) January 10, 2025

. . ."If you're new here, from east to west Southern California, there's desert, then mountains, then semi-arid land all the way to the ocean. While the media will tell you this is climate change, this is no change at all. This is the state of play in California all the time. However, California has received a surge in water in the last few years following a drought, but there have been no new reservoirs built to store water since the last one opened in 1979." . . . 

Who Is Behind Those Water Signs On I-5? | KQED

"The signs are the work of Families Protecting the Valley (FPV), a loosely organized group of farmers and concerned locals in the San Joaquin Valley, whose mission is to add another voice to the state’s ongoing conversation about water. Armed with a small budget and the support of the local community, the group is trying to take back the water narrative from politicians, businesses and environmentalists.

“The environmentalists, you’ve got to give them credit,” said Denis Prosperi, founder of Families Protecting the Valley. “They’ve done a hell of a PR job convincing people that there’s enough water for fish and farmers, enough water for everybody, we've just got to manage it differently. Well, there’s not. There never was.” . . .. .

Carter: A Man of Little Consequence, Spoils His Farewell

 Rick Marschall; American Spectator   

"And, surely, Christ did not respect Scripture and then sing for His people to “imagine” that there was no religion, nor Heaven. Imagine — that Jesus did not think anything was worth dying for. He died for us, Jimmy. You too."

Picsart

"Jimmy Carter had become a bit of a non-person in his long retirement. From the first day of his “ex” status, he was seldom interviewed on events of the day; seldom visited the White House or Congressional offices; and seldom, if ever, was consulted on policy even by Democrats once on his team. This was partly due to his generally disastrous record over four years, and the toxicity of his electoral shellacking. Despite the best intentions and limited effects of the Carter Center and his endless books, it was his assessment of Israel — as an Apartheid nation engaging in human rights crimes — that turned him into a type of political leper in Big Media and in politics. “Unclean!!!” 

"All those matters were predictably glossed over in the state funeral at the National Cathedral. Eulogists spoke of his background as a peanut farmer (he actually managed a peanut warehouse) and as a “nuclear physicist” (he actually was a sailor on a nuclear — or as he pronounced it, “nucular” — submarine). But he was also lauded as a humanitarian, someone who railed against poverty and disease, and who created many federal agencies and programs, appointing women and racial minorities to them and judicial posts.

"And people remember Habitat For Humanity. Although the laudable organization scarcely was named at the funeral, people saw, over the decades, Jimmy Carter hammering boards and carrying wood. Because of this, it was said through those decades he that might have been America’s Best Ex-President.

"Carter’s famous Sunday School classes were mentioned too. Indeed he frequently had quoted the Bible in his public life, and cited Scripture, even in a famous Playboy interview, as having informed his principles.

"At the funeral, there were hymns, an organ accompanied by an orchestral ensemble, and a choir. The National Cathedral arranges such services along High Episcopalian lines, far from the Southern Baptist church Carter attended most of his life; and even more distant from the more liberal Baptist church he moved to in his last years. But the eulogies, testimonies, remembrances, and anecdotes frequently referenced Carter’s faith." . . .

Rick Marschall is a former political cartoonist and frequent commentator. Among his 75 books and many essays, he has written about the American presidency, including three on Theodore Roosevelt. One of his three weekly blogs is MondayMinistry.com/blog

Also here:  A Christian funeral held in a Christian church closed with a secular humanist hymn.  

Jimmy Carter was a man out of his depth as president of a great power in a very dangerous world. He was infected by the ideology of liberalism which offers a utopian vision of “mankind” and the notion of perpetual peace. Imagine that.

From the Babylon Bee: Song At Funeral Comforts Everyone By Telling Them There's No Heaven, Religion Is A Lie, And Everything Is Ultimately Meaningless 

John Lennon’s Son Called Him a ‘Hypocrite’ for Talking About Peace and Love    

. . .“ 'I have to say that, from my point of view, I felt he was a hypocrite,” Julian told The Telegraph in 1998. “Dad could talk about peace and love out loud to the world but he could never show it to the people who supposedly meant the most to him: his wife and son. How can you talk about peace and love and have a family in bits and pieces — no communication, adultery, divorce? You can’t do it, not if you’re being true and honest with yourself.”

Lennon and his first wife, Cynthia, divorced in 1968 after he began a relationship with Ono. From there, he became a distant figure in his ex-wife and son’s lives." . . .

Genesius Times Parody; FEMA unsure which California wildfire victims to help since all political signs have been burnt down

 The Most Reliable Source of Fake News on the Planet  

"As California continues to battle the flames, one can only hope that FEMA will find its way out of this satirical conundrum. Until then, residents might want to start rebuilding their homes with a political sign foundation, just in case."

"LOS ANGELES—The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has found itself in an unprecedented pickle amidst the catastrophic California wildfires. The agency, known for its swift, non-partisan response to disasters, is reportedly unsure which victims to help because all political lawn signs in the affected areas have been incinerated.

“ 'FEMA workers are trained to identify political affiliations at a glance,” confessed a visibly flustered FEMA spokesperson, Tiffany Tape, at an impromptu press conference outside what used to be a polling station. “Without those signs, we’re like kids at a candy store with no labels – we just don’t know who to give the goodies to.”

"The wildfires, which have ravaged neighborhoods from Malibu to Modesto, have not only left a path of destruction but have also obliterated the one clear indicator of which homeowners might have voted for which party. This has led to an unusual debate within FEMA’s ranks about how to proceed with aid distribution.

“ 'We’ve always had a sort of… informal policy,” Tape continued, “where we might expedite aid to areas where the political signs were more favorable to, let’s say, the current administration’s color palette. But now, it’s all just shades of black and gray.”

"In a move that has left both residents and social media in stitches (or tears, depending on one’s perspective), FEMA has proposed several innovative solutions. One includes issuing “political loyalty cards” to homeowners, which would require them to prove their voting history before receiving aid. Another absurd suggestion was to use drones equipped with AI to analyze the remnants of homes for any political memorabilia that might have survived the blaze.

"Local residents have responded with a mix of humor and frustration. “I guess if I knew my ‘Biden-Harris’ sign would determine my eligibility for disaster relief, I would’ve made it out of fireproof material,” said one homeowner, whose house was now a scenic overlook of ash.

"Political commentators have had a field day, with one noting, “This might be the first time in history that wildfires have directly impacted political strategy. Maybe FEMA should just focus on human suffering rather than political scoring?” . . .

One year ago:  ‘A nightmare’: Special counsel’s assessment of Biden’s mental fitness triggers Democratic panic

. . ."Asked if Hur’s report changes the calculus for Democrats who expect Biden to be the party’s nominee, this person said: “How the f--- does it not?” . . .

https://rofcbybroc.com/

Joe Biden faces backlash for needling Donald Trump over Jimmy Carter's death

"President Joe Biden is under fire from conservatives for using former President Jimmy Carter's death to take a swipe at incoming President Donald Trump. The comments came Sunday after Carter's death, when Biden was asked what Trump could learn from Carter's presidency.  "Decency, decency, decency," Biden replied." . . .

President Joe the Pathetic, who has always seemed intent on weakening his own nation -- even as he exits the world scene.  Comment to this post by JJ Stryder:

. . ."The failure of the Biden administration was evident in the man decades ago. He and Ted Kennedy on the judiciary committee skewering men with superior intelligence like Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas showed America what a petty lightweight this guys is. A proven pathological liar and plagiarist. No real positive legislation and long winded self aggrandizement speeches on display on the floor of the Senate for years. America had many chances to see this clown coming but made him president anyway." . . .

CNN Camera Cuts To Trump As Biden Slams ‘Abuse Of Power’ In Carter Funeral Speech

Biden infuriates Trump supporters with "Dark Brandon" final act  Pro-Biden Axios gives a final parting hagiography to Joe. TD

Biden Continues to Act Like an Angry Child, Extends Protections for 800,000 Immigrants in Poke at Trump

 Bob Hoge; RedState 

"Biden is making a mockery of the transition period and doing everything in his power to thwart Trump’s –and the American people’s—hopes and desires." 

"The press for years tried to sell you on the narrative that Joe Biden is a decent, genial, value-driven guy, but so many of his actions have proven otherwise. Since Donald Trump officially became the president-elect in November, the lame-duck commander-in-chief has been waxing poetic about a smooth transition, but almost every official act he takes is designed to kneecap Trump’s stated agenda—you know, the one the American people overwhelming chose over the Biden-Harris failed vision.

"His latest move: extending temporary humanitarian protections for about 230,000 Salvadorans and 600,000 Venezuelans living in this country. It’s unclear how many of them are here illegally, but I don’t think it’s a stretch to say: a lot.

The decision in the dying days of Joe Biden’s presidency came after immigrant advocates and lawmakers urged the Department of Homeland Security to extend temporary protected status (TPS), designed to protect immigrants from being deported to countries that are engulfed in disaster or conflict.

DHS cited environmental conditions in El Salvador – which in recent times has been hit by a series of extreme weather events – which “prevent individuals from returning” to the country. The agency extended protections for Venezuelans “based on the severe humanitarian emergency the country continues to face due to political and economic crises”, the department said.

---

"Newly sworn-in Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) blasted the move in a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Friday.

"These decisions were shamefully made by an outgoing administration ten days before President Donald J. Trump takes the oath of office. One would think that after handedly losing the 2024 Presidential Election when voters overwhelmingly rejected the Biden-Harris Administration's open-border policy, that you would finally understand American citizens' mandate. And yet, you continue to completely disregard the will of the majority of voters, by unilaterally deciding to allow nearly 1 million noncitizens who entered our country without original authorization to remain in the United States." . . .

Even Biden's Own Cabinet Member Is Disgusted by the Potential Use of Preemptive Pardons—'Sinks My Heart' 

 "Plenty of people, including President-elect Donald Trump, were disgusted with Biden’s slippery dealings, but you wouldn’t expect one of the lame-duck president’s own Cabinet members to speak out—yet speak out he did: . . .

The Yellow Badge: History’s Favorite Tool for Picking on Jews

David T. Cloft  

"So, there you have it: the yellow badge, a symbol of history’s persistent habit of picking on one group for no good reason. From ancient Islamic lands to medieval Christian Europe to 20th-century Nazi Germany, this little scrap of fabric has been humanity’s go-to tool for exclusion." . . . 

"Most people think the Nazis came up with this little accessory of oppression, but, surprise! Humanity has been forcing Jews to dress differently for centuries. It’s not just a Nazi thing—it’s more like a historical tradition of “othering” dressed up as law. The Nazis were just the ones who made it globally infamous, but they were late to the party of discrimination.

"Let’s rewind to the 9th-century Islamic caliphates, where the concept of marking Jews and Christians first popped up in legal decrees. Back then, Jews were classified as dhimmi, second-class citizens who were tolerated as long as they paid a tax and didn’t cause too much trouble. To make sure no one mistook them for Muslims (heaven forbid!), they were sometimes forced to wear yellow belts, patches, or hats. Apparently, even then, someone thought yellow was the universal color for “not one of us.”

"Fast forward to medieval Europe, where Christians decided to borrow this fun idea. In 1215, the Fourth Lateran Council decreed that Jews should wear distinctive clothing so they wouldn’t accidentally blend in with Christians. They couldn’t have people confusing their oppressors with their victims, could they? Yellow badges and silly hats started popping up across England, France, and Germany. Even Shakespeare got in on the act with Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. The Church claimed it was for “moral order,” but we all know it was just another excuse to make Jews feel unwelcome.

"Enter the Nazis in the 20th century, the masters of turning historical discrimination into an industrialized process. They dug up the yellow badge from the depths of history and slapped it onto every Jew in occupied Europe starting in 1939. But they didn’t stop at identification. Unlike their predecessors, who just wanted Jews to look different, the Nazis used the badge as a death warrant. It was their way of saying, “This is where history’s longest hate story meets its darkest chapter.”

"So, there you have it: the yellow badge, a symbol of history’s persistent habit of picking on one group for no good reason. From ancient Islamic lands to medieval Christian Europe to 20th-century Nazi Germany, this little scrap of fabric has been humanity’s go-to tool for exclusion. It’s not just a badge; it’s a reminder of how creative we can get in finding new ways to be awful to each other." . . .

Douglas Murray: "Something HUGE is Going Down in America..."

Rabbi David Vigler  interviews Ben Shapiro

. . . "This is a SPIRITUAL war. We have largely forgotten about the spiritual realm and that Satan has from the beginning been after God's people, who are the Jews! (and after Jesus Christ now also the Christians). This is why the radical Islamists say: first we come for the Saturday people, (Jews) then we come for the Sunday people (Christians). The good news is that God's people will prevail because God will ALWAYS love and protect HIS people and eventually punish all their enemies on the day of Judgement. Halleluja." Comment to the video.

The Promised Seed: The Source of Blessing in God's Perfect Plan

The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand, Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet.” The Lord will stretch forth Thy strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Thine enemies.” Thy people will volunteer freely in the day of Thy power; In holy array, from the womb of the dawn, Thy youth are to Thee as the dew. The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind, “Thou art a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” The Lord is at Thy right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath. He will judge among the nations, He will fill them with corpses, He will shatter the chief men over a broad country.   (Psalm 110:1-6). 

"Elsewhere, this same “seed” is described as the suffering Servant of God:" 

Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up, and greatly exalted. . . .

Bob Deffinbaugh at Bible.org   

Blinken Admits U.S. Pressure on Israel Led Hamas to Back Away from Deals

Townhall  

"However, the Biden Administration official did question why there hasn’t been a worldwide outcry for Hamas to put down its weapons and surrender, noting that most of the global pressure to end the ongoing war has been on Israel."  Sarah Arnold 

 

"In revealing admission, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged that American pressure on Israel played a significant role in causing Hamas terrorists to back away from previously discussed deals. Blinken's comments, which surfaced amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, shed light on the complex dynamics between the U.S., Israel, and Hamas. The revelation raises questions about the Biden Administration's approach to Middle East peace efforts and whether its actions have unintentionally emboldened terrorist groups.

"During a recent interview with the New York Times, Blinken said that in the first few days after Hamass attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people with 251 taken hostage, he threatened Israel that outgoing President Joe Biden would not visit the country as planned unless the government allowed aid into Gaza. He described how, just five days after the attack, he met with Israeli leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv. During the meeting, the group debated ensuring humanitarian aid reached Palestinians for hours. This proposal raised concerns about prioritizing aid to those linked to terrorist groups rather than focusing on Israel's security.

"Here’s more of precisely what Blinken said: . . ."

Fire, Snow And A Storm Of Climate Nonsense

Issues & Insights  

(Newsom’s insane regulations on the insurance industry has sent fire coverage premiums soaring, if homeowners can get insurance at all). I&I

"Los Angeles is burning and the East Coast and Midwest have been walloped by cold and snow. Naturally, the global warming alarmists screech and honk about human reliance of fossil fuels. It a gross and irresponsible assumption.

"It never takes long for the foolish to break out and Vermont socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders didn’t disappoint on Wednesday when he tweeted: “80,000 people told to evacuate. Blazes 0% contained. Eight months since the area has seen rain. The scale of damage and loss is unimaginable. Climate change is real, not ‘a hoax.’ Donald Trump must treat this like the existential crisis it is.”

"Unfortunately, he speaks for the many who are uninformed and naive, as well as those who want to use the man-made global warming narrative as a means to fundamentally change this country – and the West – into a political society run by leftists who, to borrow an applicable phrase, have difficulty resisting their authoritarian impulses.

"Overshadowed by the tragic Los Angeles fires is the Arctic blast that dropped temperatures and snow in much of the country. This too, is man’s fault. But then when it doesn’t snow, well, man is to blame for that, as well.

"As we have been doing in regard to global warming for about three decades, allow us to offer some facts that don’t scream as loudly but are facts nonetheless:   

• While “there’s a growing tendency to tie every fire, flood, or storm to climate change,” says meteorologist and climate researcher Anthony Watts, “a closer look at history, meteorology, and land management reveals that these claims are often oversimplified by low-information journalists, and fail to address more immediate, actionable causes.” Watts goes on to cover California wildfire history, explains why weather rather than climate is a factor, and discusses the impacts of policy mistakes, so read the entire piece.
• Full article here...

Jillian Michaels: 'Gavin Newsom should resign'   She is one angry lady.

Why was John Lennon’s atheist anthem ‘Imagine’ sung at Jimmy Carter’s funeral — at the late president’s request?

Peter Barry Chowka   

"Lennon stated: “‘Imagine’, which says: ‘Imagine that there was no more religion, no more country, no more politics,’ is virtually The Communist Manifesto, even though I’m not particularly a Communist and I do not belong to any movement.’ [10] He told NME: “There is no real Communist state in the world; you must realise that. The Socialism I speak about ... [is] not the way some daft Russian might do it, or the Chinese might do it. . ."

"I was surprised, if not shocked, when two A-list celebrities, country singers Garth Brooks and his wife Trisha Yearwood, took the microphones at the State Funeral for Jimmy Carter yesterday and began performing “Imagine,” written by former Beatle John Lennon in 1971. The song is widely described as an “atheistic anthem” and incredibly is said to be one of the late 39th president’s favorite songs." . . .

. . ."The employment of, in my opinion, this questionable song as the coda of the Carters’ careers is a fitting close of the circle to what I have known about Jimmy Carter since very early on. As I detailed in my blog published at American Thinker on December 30, 2024, the day after Jimmy Carter died, I covered Carter’s campaign for the White House in 1976 and his inauguration as the president of the United States in 1977. In those early years before the hagiography surrounding his presidency and his decades as an ex-president was firmly established, I saw and photographed Carter on many different occasions, public and private. More often than not, he came across as an angry, arrogant, and condescending man, contemptuous of his staff and reporters – not at all like the media’s portrayal of him as a “grinning Georgian” deeply imbued with Christian values."

Of Course: It Was Arson; Started by arsonists? Magnified by bureaucrats.

Hot Air 

"The reality, though, is simpler: mentally ill homeless people, poor land management, misplaced budget priorities, and insane DEI-obsessed policies made this disaster inevitable." 

. . ."Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jillian Michaels and Sara Foster have joined Donald Trump in slamming local and state officials amid the devastating Southern California wildfires.

"RadarOnline.com can reveal the fitness personality, 90210, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer stars took to social media to express their frustrations while slamming Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom. ...

"Foster, 43, made her feelings clear on X, writing: "We pay the highest taxes in California. Our fire hydrants were empty. Our vegetation was overgrown, brush not cleared.

" 'Our reservoirs were emptied by our governor because tribal leaders wanted to save fish. Our fire department budget was cut by our mayor. But thank god drug addicts are getting their drug kits."

"Like Trump, 82, Foster also called on Newsom and Bass to resign as she claimed their "far left policies have ruined our state. And also our party." . . .

. . ."And what about controlled burns? Didn’t they at least do that? No. “Forest Service Halts Prescribed Burns in California. Is It Worth the Risk?” reported KQED in October. See: If a controlled burn got messy, it would look bad, like, politically, and also, fire can be scary! So the U.S. Forest Service didn’t do them.

"Here’s Michael Wara, energy and climate expert at Stanford University, explaining: “I think the Forest Service is worried about the risk of something bad happening [with a prescribed burn]. And they’re willing to trade that risk—which they will be blamed for—for increased risks on wildfires.” Which, he says, can then just be blamed on “Mother Nature.” . . .  Hence, the dangers of an ill-informed public. TD

Of Course: It Was Arson Here's a lesson in Bureaucracies and how they affect us all. TD:

Those 60 engines sent yesterday to the Cali fires are not on the fire lines...yet.https://t.co/FmQ9jYQc8C
They've been ordered to submit to a DOT inspection in Sacramento that's scheduled for 4:30 pm today.
If they clear the inspection, they'll THEN be able to drive 400 miles to…

— Lars Ultra MAGA Larson (@LarsLarsonShow) January 9, 2025

 Socialism update: No lights in Cuba, no water in L.A.  "At some point, socialism collapses. It does not have to be overthrown, it simply collapses on its own. 
"Down in Cuba, mismanagement did not update the power plants. 

"Over in Los Angeles, environmental fanaticism means that the fire hydrants can't pump water. 

"Incredibly, no one in LA has the courage to explain why the hydrants can't pump water. 

This is the story:" . . .