If you ever receive a piece of spam that says it comes from Bruceh.com, I want to assure you that we do NOT ever send out any spam to anyone. Some of the e-mail addresses, such as for the webmaster used to be on this site and over the years, spammers have harvested those addresses and now they are used as the phony "From" addresses in their spam. Occasionally, you may receive an e-mail that your anti-virus warns you about that also looks like it comes from Bruceh.com. The newer mailer viruses get their bogus "From" addresses directly from the address books and browser caches of infected computers. This means that if someone infected with a virus happened to have been visiting Bruceh.com, then our address might end up in the from field. I have tried to make sure that all e-mail addresses have been removed from this site, even in the old pages so I hope one day this will stop. The spammers had years of access to the addresses on this site, so I won't hold my breath, however.

The historical data pages (year picks, pick stats, and pair pick stats) have been updated to use a responsive design. The old SuperLotto pages (1991-2000) will not be updated and will remain static HTML.

The latest picked lotto number ticker that appears on this page and the lotto page has been updated to use Javascript instead of Java.

The main four pages have now been redesigned in a responsive format and uploaded. There might be a few glitches, but I'll be working to stabilize things. Please try them out on your mobile device and let me know if you see any weirdness.

The first couple pages have been redesigned to use a responive layout and are being tested in a local environment. I should be able to take some pages live soon.

There won't be any need for a separate mobile site anymore as we are going responsive. What does responsive mean you might ask. It means the site will automatically adjust for the device you are viewing it on. Fonts should remain readable and you shouldn't ever have a left/right scroll bar unless you get the window down below 320 pixels horizontally. Even the smallest smartphone screens are usually at least 320 pixels wide. I've been wanting to make this change for a long time and finally have some time to do it. Not to mention that Google won't even index the site anymore if it's not mobile friendly. I'll be updating the site incrementally starting with the 4 main pages from the menu.

While I still love Java as a programming language, it seems to be more troublesome than it is worth to keep the Java applets on here. It's almost as if the browser folks have declared war on Java. Firefox disables the java plugin if it's too far out of date. A lot of times you have to go through a lot of confirmations just to run a java applet, and even after doing all that, the browser still might not let you run it. My graph of picked lottery numbers is a good example.

So, it's time to make a change and convert the couple Java applets I had on here to javascript. I'll start with the ticker that shows the current winning numbers for SuperLottoPlus and Mega Millions. Then I'll work on the graph applet.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has given the crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln a high-level award during a visit to the aircraft carrier Wednesday, a day before the ship returns home to San Diego after a record-long deployment in support of the Iran war.

The Presidential Unit Citation, the highest honor a unit can receive that is typically reserved for significant achievement in combat, was bestowed upon the Lincoln and accompanying ships for "40 days of combat operations and an ironclad maritime blockade against Iran in support of Operation Epic Fury," Hegseth said, referring to the Trump administration's code name for the Iran war.

The carrier endured a record 265 uninterrupted days at sea, and its extended deployment drew national attention following reports of crew stress and poor mental health, as well as supply shortages, including food and hygiene products. After more than 10 months deployed, the Lincoln's crew got a stop in Thailand early last month on the way back from the Middle East.

Pentagon chief visits the crew and acknowledges long time at sea

Hegseth, who flew out to the ship before its arrival Thursday in San Diego, acknowledged to the crew that "I'm the only thing standing between you and home" and that his intention was "once they pull up to the dock, we're getting out of the way."

Long deployments can tax service members who are away from their families for extended periods while facing threats, and can add wear to the aircraft carriers, which have been used for President Donald Trump's military operations in the Middle East and South America.

The Lincoln is the second carrier that has endured an unusually long and arduous deployment to support the war against Iran and the second to receive the top unit award afterward.

Hegseth in May met the crew of the USS Gerald R. Ford during its return from a 326-day deployment — the longest for an aircraft carrier in the past 50 years and a record in the post-Vietnam War era.

As for the Lincoln, it departed San Diego in late November, arrived in the Middle East in January and now will be back in its home port.

Hegseth said Wednesday that Trump "tracked your activities from day one and couldn't be more proud of what you executed."

Issues had been reported aboard the USS Lincoln

The Navy initially played down early reports of supply problems on Lincoln and Trump said its lengthy deployment was "not nearly long enough," Navy leaders, however, eventually acknowledged there were some issues aboard.

In August, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said the Lincoln maintained adequate food supplies, but because combat operations limited resupply opportunities, meal options were reduced from two to one for a short time. He said in a letter to a Democratic lawmaker seeking information that four nutritionally balanced meals were served daily.

Navy officials also said that while combat operations led to delays in scheduled resupply shipments, they prioritized the delivery of hygiene products and established a rotation to streamline distribution to different squadrons.

More recently, the service told lawmakers that eight sailors attempted suicide while on the long deployment. Experts say that number is low in a strike group of 6,000 sailors over 10 months.

Hegseth pushed back against what he said were efforts to turn the "Lincoln into some sort of a symbol, a symbol of dysfunction or a symbol of low morale or a symbol of a failed mission."

He said that "what makes the U.S. military and the U.S. Navy and all these sailors different is that you adapt and that you're resilient and you overcome — you finish the mission nonetheless."

Aircraft carriers have been key to Iran war operations

According to the award that Hegseth read to the crew, the Lincoln and the strike group executed 3,693 combat missions, delivered 1.37 million pounds of ordnance, launched 450 Tomahawk cruise missiles, shot down 77 one-way attack drones, sank 64 Iranian warships, destroyed 21 anti-ship cruise missiles and defended against four fast attack craft and explosive-carrying ships.

There are now two aircraft carriers assigned to the Middle East. The USS George Washington, though usually based in Asia, relieved the Lincoln in August.

The other aircraft carrier, the USS George H.W. Bush, has been deployed for about six months, but it pulled into Phuket, Thailand, for a port visit several days ago.

U.S. officials have said a third aircraft carrier, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and thousands of troops aboard it and accompanying ships could join the Washington and the Bush as early as the end of October.

This article originally appeared on Associated Press at https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/hegseth-visits-long-deployed-uss-201924924.html

The 2026 House map continues to move further onto GOP terrain. But while Democrats are dreaming big, the GOP insists they can hold the majority.

Score talked to the DCCC's Deputy Executive Director Will Van Nuys and the NRCC's Communications Director Will Kiley.

The two operatives chose four under-the-radar races where they’re feeling good about their underdog candidates pulling off an upset. If these races flip, they know they’re having a good night.

“We're not saying that this won't be a tough fight to the end, but we know we feel very good about where we stand,” Kiley said.

“Our job is to make sure that we raise as much as we can to expand this battlefield as far as we can,” Van Nuys said.

DEMOCRATS’ FOUR 'SLEEPER' SEATS

CO-05 (Trump +9.1)

Rep. Jeff Crank won this seat by 14 points in 2024 in his third bid for Congress. But Colorado Springs is “trending Democrats’ way” with fast growth of younger and Hispanic populations. That shift, along with Trump’s unpopularity, has Democrats hoping for a flip, Van Nuys says.

IA-02 (Trump +10)

Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson’s run for Senate has left this northeastern Iowa seat open for the taking, Van Nuys argues. Frustrations with beef imports, rising gas prices and the popularity of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand have Democrats hoping state Rep. Lindsay James can turn this seat blue.

KY-06 (Trump +15)

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear is making it his personal mission to elect his former adviser and federal prosecutor Zach Dembo and flip Senate nominee Rep. Andy Barr’s Lexington-based seat. Dembo released an internal poll in late September showing him with a 5-point lead.

WI-01 (Trump +4.5)

Van Nuys says emergency room nurse Mitchell Berman is a “perfect contrast” in the blue-collar district to Republican Rep. Bryan Steil, an attorney and former plastics manufacturing executive.

FOUR DISTRICTS WHERE THE GOP THINKS IT CAN SURPRISE

NM-02 (Trump +1.8)

Former Republican Rep. Yvette Herrell ran four cycles in a row. Now the GOP is betting on a fresh face: Greg Cunningham, a tattooed, motorcycle-driving Marine vet and ex-cop who’s running ads highlighting his Hispanic heritage in the Latino-heavy district.

Republicans are spending big on the race.

Kiley called Cunningham a “badass.” “Greg is a candidate who can continue to capture those voters and keep them coming our way,” he said.

NY-03 (Trump +4.3)

Republican former state Assemblymember Mike LiPetri came within 4 points of defeating Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) in 2024, and Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman coasted to reelection last fall. Now Blakeman is running for governor, and Kiley says the statewide campaign can push LiPetri over the top in a rematch.

The MAGA Inc.-affiliated No Going Back PAC has dropped a whopping $6 million into the district, with $2 million more from NRCC, though the CLF trimmed its own ad buy there Tuesday.

“Last cycle, LiPetri came incredibly close with minimal to no outside investment,” Kiley said. “Now he has the investment and institutional support to get the job done.”

AZ-01 (Trump +3.1)

The DCCC’s preferred candidate lost to former Democratic state Rep. Amish Shah in the primary in this Phoenix and Scottsdale-area seat, and Kiley says that’s opened the door for the GOP to hold the seat.

“The DCCC is lying if they said that Amish is the candidate they wanted,” Kiley said.

Republicans nominated former Arizona Cardinals kicker and NFL commentator Jay Feely, and Kiley says Feely’s unique resume will boost him over the edge. Both parties are spending huge sums, with more than $31 million combined earmarked for the race.

NV-03 (Trump +0.7)

Republican Marty O’Donnell was the composer for the music in the popular video game Halo. He’s using that success to pour $3 million into his bid to flip this Las Vegas-area seat held by Democratic Rep. Susie Lee.

The personal investments, along with outside GOP spending, eliminate a cash advantage past Democrats enjoyed in the district, Kiley said.

“The resources are coming in to flip this seat because the GOP ecosystem can see how big of an opportunity it is,” he said.

A version of this article first appeared in POLITICO Pro’s Morning Score. Want to receive the newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You’ll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day’s biggest stories.

This article originally appeared on Politico at https://www.politico.com/news/2026/10/07/what-house-democrats-republicans-say-are-their-sleeper-races-01109631

In July, Reps. Mike Lawler, a New York Republican, and Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat, had a request for the Federal Election Commission: help make sure artificial intelligence chatbots do not feed voters false information about the 2026 midterm elections. 

The lawmakers, writing to the FEC as well as the Justice and Homeland Security departments, urged the agencies to coordinate on "AI-driven threats to election integrity" and to press AI companies on their safeguards. Their concerns come as a quarter of likely voters use AI tools daily and at least 38% have gotten information about candidates or voting from AI search summaries, according to a September survey released by the American Association of Political Consultants Foundation.

But later that month, FEC Commissioner Shana Broussard, a Democrat, wrote back with a blunt answer: the agency couldn't help. With only two of its six commissioner seats filled, the FEC "cannot proceed," she wrote, according to documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.

Broussard signed the letter as an individual commissioner. Without a quorum — the four members needed out of a total of six — she could not under federal law even speak for the agency. 

With Election Day just four weeks away, the exchange offers a window into how little the FEC can do as campaigns enter their final stretch. Without a quorum, agency staffers are limited to collecting and publishing campaign finance reports, answering questions from candidates about the law and fielding new complaints.

But the agency charged with policing how campaigns raise and spend money can't open investigations, issue fines, write rules or give candidates formal legal guidance. It hasn't been able to fulfill any of these duties since May 2025.

Since then, the FEC has not voted to resolve a single enforcement case or approved a dollar in new civil penalties, both of which require four commissioners. In the 12 months before that, it closed 180 cases and imposed about $1 million in civil penalties, according to agency records.

Meanwhile, the FEC's backlog of enforcement cases has doubled in a year, from 154 to 307, agency data show. (The FEC declined to comment for this story.)

Lawler and Gottheimer were not alone: the FEC's two remaining commissioners gave similar answers to a number of other lawmakers who asked it to investigate or issue guidance this year, the documents show.

One was Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican, who asked the FEC in April whether she could use campaign funds to pay for childcare while she voted and attended committee hearings. The Capitol's daycare center only allows parents to pay for full-time care, she said. 

"Please advise on what I can do," she wrote in an email. An FEC official replied the next day that the commission could not issue advisory opinions until a quorum is restored. 

Luna said in an interview that she reached out to the White House to convey the importance of the FEC regaining a quorum, so questions like hers can be answered.

"Until the FEC meets, we're going to be operating in a gray area, which is why we need them to get a quorum to get a yes or no," Luna told CBS News. "Obviously, we don't want to get in trouble."

For those less worried about getting in trouble, the standstill has had the opposite effect, said Adav Noti, a former top lawyer for the FEC. The agency rarely acts quickly on complaints even with a full commission, he said, but the perception that anything goes has led to "more boundary-pushing than we would otherwise see."

Noti is now executive director of the Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit group that seeks to strengthen campaign finance enforcement. Last month, it filed a complaint alleging President Trump illegally controls MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump super PAC that supports Republican candidates. 

The complaint cited Mr. Trump's remarks in September from the Oval Office that MAGA Inc.'s war chest is "my money that I control." And, this week, the president said MAGA Inc. funds would begin to pay for Trump-focused TV ads that his administration has been running, after public scrutiny over them being funded by taxpayers.

Unlike candidates, super PACs like MAGA Inc. can raise unlimited sums from donors, but federal law bars officeholders from controlling them or directing how that money is spent.

"Since there is just absolutely no enforcement mechanism right now, there's sort of blanket impunity for lawbreaking," Noti said. (A spokesperson for MAGA Inc. denied any impropriety and said in a statement that it complies with the law.)

Conservatives are frustrated, too. "It is very disconcerting that the FEC is incapable of carrying out any enforcement actions," said Paul Kamenar, a lawyer at the National Legal and Policy Center, a conservative nonprofit. Earlier this year, the group accused Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, of illegally using campaign money to pay a psychiatrist. That complaint is also stalled. (Ocasio-Cortez's office and campaign did not respond to requests for comment.)

"We are hobbled"

The Federal Election Commission began to unravel as Mr. Trump returned to the White House. Sean Cooksey, a Republican commissioner, resigned in January 2025 to join the White House as a top lawyer for Vice President JD Vance. 

Weeks later, Mr. Trump removed Democratic FEC Chairwoman Ellen Weintraub, who had served on the commission since 2002 and claimed the firing was illegal. Mr. Trump has asserted sweeping power to remove officials at independent agencies like the FEC, which Congress set up to operate at arm's length from the White House.

By the end of April, Republican Commissioner Allen Dickerson had resigned, leaving the FEC one member short of a quorum. And in October of last year, Republican Trey Trainor stepped down too, leaving only two commissioners, both Democrats. For the first time since it was created in 1974 after the Watergate scandal, the FEC had no members from one of the two major parties.

"Other people report that we're hobbled, and I hate to agree with it, but we are hobbled," Broussard said at the time. Mr. Trump nominated two Republicans to the commission in February. But nearly eight months later, the Senate has not held a hearing on either nominee.

The paralysis has left lawmakers in both parties without answers.

Rep. Mike Levin, a California Democrat, asked the FEC earlier this year to investigate allegations that Hungary's government funneled money to the Conservative Political Action Conference. Without four commissioners, Broussard replied, complaints "cannot proceed through the enforcement process." In June, Broussard and Democratic Commissioner Dara Lindenbaum gave Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Colorado Republican, the same answer on a separate request.

Requests for guidance fared no better. When Rep. Mike Thompson, a California Democrat, wrote to the FEC this year to see if it would consider guidance on whether trading on prediction markets like Kalshi by candidates and PACs could count as a contribution or expenditure that must be reported under campaign finance law, Broussard replied that the FEC "is currently unable to commence rulemakings or to issue advisory opinions."

Thompson said in a statement to CBS News that such markets "can be easily manipulated by wealthy special interests" and that Congress and the FEC "should be tackling this emerging issue now."

Sen. Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat, was sent a similar answer. 

Last year, her chief counsel asked the FEC whether campaign money could be used for defense lawyers "if the senator is sued for something that happens in the course of her official employment," emails show.

A spokesperson for Slotkin said the inquiry was a question about how campaign funds could interact with Senate-sanctioned liability insurance, and that no lawsuit was anticipated.

Record spending

The lack of a quorum is colliding with the most expensive election on record.

Political ad spending is projected to reach $11.6 billion this cycle, up by $400 million from 2024 even though that cycle included an expensive presidential contest, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact.

Much of it is hard to trace. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been routed through political groups that do not disclose their donors, including pop-up super PACs that form and spend late in races, CBS News has reported.

Candidates and their allies are still filing FEC complaints against each other, even though the agency cannot act on them. In Texas, Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico's campaign accused Republican Ken Paxton of illegally spending dark money; the groups involved say they follow the law. Conservative critics have accused independent Senate candidate Dan Osborn in Nebraska of misusing PAC and campaign money, which his campaign called politically motivated.

With no commission to issue guidance, campaigns and spenders are left to decide for themselves what the law allows, said Craig Holman, Public Citizen's lobbyist on ethics and campaign finance rules.

"We've got no one that can judge the merits of what's going on, enforce the law and provide guidance to candidates and political committees that seriously want it," Holman said. "So everyone knows you can do whatever you want this time around."

This article originally appeared on CBS News at https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fec-midterm-elections-quorum-campaign-finance-rules/