U.S. employers announced 108,435 layoffs for the month, up 118% from the same period a year ago and 205% from December 2025. The total marked the highest for any January since 2009.

At the same time, companies announced just 5,306 new hires, also the lowest January since 2009, which is when Challenger, Gray & Christmas began tracking such data.

The president's "attempt to rebrand the Kennedy Center with his own name on the building caused some artists to cancel performances there and ticket sales to plunge. Now, with the facility facing a dearth of premier events and dwindling revenue, he said it’s curtains for the place, at least in its current form."

The current administration doesn't get the arts. Well, he doesn't get our country. If it can't be done his way, it won't be done. Alas.

Tesla’s nascent robotaxi program is off to a rough start. New NHTSA crash data, combined with Tesla’s new disclosure of robotaxi mileage, reveals Tesla’s autonomous vehicles are crashing at a rate much higher than human drivers, and that’s with a safety monitor in every car.

But, but, but, robots/AI are better than humans!?!?!

“Existing housing, people that own their homes, we’re gonna keep them wealthy,” the president said. “We’re gonna keep those prices up. We’re not gonna destroy the value of their homes so that somebody that didn’t work very hard can buy a home.”

While the president promised his administration would work to lower interest rates and make buying easier, he said he did not want home prices to fall.

I'm not sure a majority will agree with him. I don't appreciate the high property taxes that goes along with higher value. Plus, some of us can't afford to move even if we sell our homes for a lot of money. It's cheaper to stay than to down size.

From Weather.gov, for Alcoa, TN, "A slight chance of rain showers between 11am and 2pm, then a chance of snow showers. Cloudy, with a high near 40. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 30%."

Snow showers. Low around 17. North wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Daytime forecast a little different for SoKno (37920), "A slight chance of snow showers before noon, then a slight chance of rain showers between noon and 2pm, then a chance of snow showers after 2pm. Cloudy, with a high near 38. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 40%."

From the ground to the gutters, the Dogwood Arts House & Garden Show has something for everyone. Our perennial preview of spring invites guests to leave winter at the door, experience over 10,000 sq. ft. of Grand Gardens, and meet the top vendors in home improvement, interior design, appliances, and more—all under one roof. Find unique art, jewelry, and handmade products from local and regional artists at the Maker Market.

Friday, February 6th :10:00am – 6:00pm
Saturday, February 7th: 10:00am – 6:00pm
Sunday, February 8th: 10:00am – 4:00pm

$10 Adults / $8 Seniors 65+ & Military / Free for Children 12 & Under [Get $1 off by purchasing tickets at any ORNL Federal Credit Union branch before the Show!]

Knoxville Convention Center
701 Henley Street
Knoxville, TN 37902, USA

A close friend has been without power since Sunday morning.

Nashville Electric still shows 105,000 without power.

Officials are "raising questions about preparedness" of Nashville Electric.

Besides no power in the area, tree limbs knocked the electrical service panel off the friend's house. The electrician won't come to their neighborhood because of dangerous roads. This is suburban Nashville, not the boonies.

Got a letter from one of Knoxville TVA Employee Credit Union's third-party marketing and communications service providers that the provider had a data breach. They informed me that my name, address, SSN and DOB were leaked. They say it happened in August, and they determined on Dec. 2 that my data was included in the stolen files.

I verified with KTVAECU that the letter was legit. They said (as I expected) that I agreed to allow them to share my data with third-parties when I signed the membership agreement and there is no opt-out.

The third-party company I've never heard of who sent me the letter referred me to another company I've never heard of for free credit monitoring. Yeah, right, we're going to give our SSNs to yet another unknown company? Don't think so. (I realize all our info is probably on the dark web already, but still.)

We never saw the "membership agreement" when we opened the account. In addition, we never saw the "Privacy policy". I went to the TVA CU in person and got copies of these documents. I also went to ORNL CU because we never got those documents from them. The teller/employee was surprised that they shared this information.

It's time to change the laws so that this information cannot be so easily shared. Time to contact Elizabeth Warren.

Heartbreaking tragedy, wake-up call, many of out core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
...
...every American should support and draw inspiration from the wave of peaceful protesters in Minneapolis and other parts of the country. They are a timely reminder that ultimately it's up to each of us as citizens to speak out against injustice, protect our basic freedoms, and hold our government accountable.

When Tommy Tuberville became a U.S. Senator, he inadvertently revealed in an interview that he didn’t know what the three branches of government were.

So what does that mean? How far would any of them go?

Two women were detained by ICE, one of the ICE thugs started having seizures, they saved his life.

“I asked if we could just go home,” Amundson said. “I said, ‘We just saved his life. Is that cool with you?’ And they said no.”

“We’re releasing you to your counsel and to your state representative,” the officer said, according to Amundson. “But you need to tell everybody that we treated you kindly.”

Like a "scene in the film version of Catch-22, when Cathcart and Korn are offering to send Yossarian home." "We will issue orders sending you back to the States and there's one thing you have to do for us in return. What would that be? Like us. Like you? Like us. You'll be surprised how easy it is once you begin.

“I was hit so hard with the fact that this man would not do this for me,” she said.

Homeland Security officials have urged disaster response staff at the Federal Emergency Management Agency to avoid using the word “ice” in public messaging about the massive winter storm barreling toward much of the United States, according to two sources familiar with the directive.

The concern is that the word could spark confusion or online mockery, given the ongoing controversy surrounding US Immigration and Customs Enforcement — also known as “ICE.”
...
Officials told staff they worry that certain phrasing – like “watch out for ice” – could be misinterpreted or quickly turned into internet fodder,
...
Instead, FEMA staff have been encouraged to use terms like “freezing rain”

Whatta ya gonna do?

Federal officials have charged two contractors with conspiring to disrupt Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Knoxville earlier this month.
...
Federal authorities accuse the two of plotting to block the entrance to a Hardin Valley construction site with Bonilla-Servin’s pickup truck in an effort to impede ICE agents.

Report from WBIR.

This is the first I've heard of such an event in Knoxville area. I hope they have good lawyers.

The White House has issued the following statement. President Trump does know the difference between Greenland and Iceland. He is aware that Norway and Denmark are separate countries, and neither controls Nobel Awards. Mauritius and Mauritania are very different places, and our telegram about the Diego Garcia airbase sent to the latter was an honest typo. We understand that Chile is a country, not a restaurant, and Kash Patel's attempt to redeem a Chili's coupon at the Chilean embassy should be viewed as a joke. Vice President Vance knows the difference between Austria and Australia and should not be criticized for his attempt to book a ski chalet in Melbourne.

Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican singer, is headlining the Super Bowl halftime show. MAGA outrage ensued. Some said an American should perform the halftime show. Others said being a Puerto Rican indicates you are American.

Now, the NFL has announced they have "booked Green Day to perform the Super Bowl opening ceremony ― the punk rock band that fueled our anti-imperialist teenage angst."

Lies, lies, lies.... That is what we get from the current federal administration. Now we also get altered pictures and videos. Who can believe anything from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, etc.?

It's sad but primarily scary.

White House posts digitally altered image of woman arrested after ICE protest. The White House response, "... The memes will continue. Thank you for your attention to this matter."

While out running errands I noticed our cute little local store that sells propane was packed. There were cars covering all paved areas. Then there was a long line of people with their little propane tanks waiting for refills.

Propane won't help me. However, I am looking to acquire eggs, milk, water, and, aw heck, Ding Dongs.

In an interview that quickly went haywire, Fox News host Sean Hannity and Tennessee state Rep. Justin Jones (D) verbally sparred on Tuesday night over Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids targeting immigrants.

“The America I believe in does not look like this,” Jones said, holding up an image of masked ICE agents. “The America I believe in does not look like masked men targeting people. Shameful!”

“The threat to the American people is in the White House,” he said, adding that 70 percent of immigrants “kidnapped” by ICE “goons” haven’t been convicted of any crimes.

“Shame on you!” Jones said again. “God have mercy on you and anybody who believes it’s right, and your children will be ashamed of where you stand in this time, Sean.”

Yahoo News has another story about the interview from Mediaite with more text and possibly the entire segment. You have to watch a 15 second ad.

There is so much more. It is a little hard to find the full video, try Googling justin jones on fox.

TN State Rep. Justin Jones is a good representative of our state. If only more people stood up like he does. I hope he doesn't get arrested for something they make up.

The Tennessee legislature is now in session. What are there issues? What are the issues of the people?

Gov. Lee declined to accept $84 million in federal funds to feed Tennessee kids during summer.

Tennessee lawmakers are more concerned with loosening gun laws than the issues of the people, e.g. cost of living and inflation, health care access and affordability and housing affordability.

"Some bills to look out for are House Bill 1189, ... would change Tennessee’s current handgun carry permit system ... allowing permit holders to legally carry any firearm they own in places where they can now only carry handguns."

"HB 0387 and Senate Bill 0474 limit doctors from asking about gun ownership. If a provider asks a patient if they own, possess, or have access to firearms, ammunition, or accessories, the bill would allow disciplinary action and a fine of up to $1,000."

"SB 1629 deletes the criminal offenses of carrying a firearm with intent to go armed and carrying a weapon in a public park with the intent to go armed. It also prohibits a juvenile from carrying a firearm with the intent to go armed except in certain circumstances."

Sen. Becky Massey (R-Knoxville) said, "I'm not about making a statement. I'm about trying to get things done and trying to pass bills that save lives."

Huh?

‘An inspiration’ | Dr. Tom Kim, founder of Kim Health Center, passes away.

Dr. Tom Kim opened his first Free Medical Clinic of America on Chapman Highway in 1993 and helped thousands of patients.

The clinic at 6209 Chapman Highway, Knoxville, TN 37920, is still helping with free or low cost healthcare. A second clinic has opened at 1610 Magnolia Ave (at the PTSCC campus) Knoxville, TN, 37917.

Many thanks to Dr. Kim for what he did to help those in need for over 30 years. Thank an immigrant today.