‘…(W)hat most disquiets me about the Trump administration’s actions here isn’t really what’s happening now — it’s what might happen a few years down the road if the administration keeps going down the path of centralizing law enforcement authority.
And, if recent news developments are any indication, they very much intend to go further down this path.…’ —Andrew Prokop via Vox
‘What if California stopped sending its tax money to Washington? What if Massachusetts refused to let federal agents use state databases? What if blue states with the biggest economies just said “no” to a federal government they don’t trust?
These aren’t hypothetical questions. An Instagram video reveals what Democratic governors are quietly planning behind closed doors — something called “soft secession” that could reshape American government.
In the video, attorney Cheyenne Hunt explains how Democratic governors are exploring a new form of resistance. “Formal secession is unconstitutional, and that would be a state breaking off and no longer being a part of the United States government,” she says. “But soft secession is financial, and mostly has to do with wealthy blue states withholding their resources and money from a hostile federal government.”…’ — Ellsworth Toohey via Boing Boing
‘On the eve of brain surgery, Eric Markowitz felt “conscious” for the very first time — fully awake to the miracle and the absurdity of existence. During recovery Markowitz reflected on longevity — not as a passive state but as a choice, a practice, a philosophy. Consciousness, he came to believe, is not a function of neurons alone. It is also a function of care. Of love.…’ Eric Markowitz via Big Think
‘Do you have a package coming your way from overseas? (I do, it’s a gift, and I’m very annoyed.) Hopefully it’s not urgent, because it’s going to be a minute before that thing gets to our shores. Questions surrounding the Trump administration’s ongoing tariff regime, including a policy to end an exemption from taxing small packages, have resulted in postal services across the world simply choosing not to ship to the United States until things get sorted out, according to Bloomberg.…’ —AJ Dellinger via Gizmodo
‘If the term “AI psychosis” has completely infiltrated your social media feed lately, you’re not alone.
While not an official medical diagnosis, “AI psychosis” is the informal name mental health professionals have coined for the widely-varying, often dysfunctional, and at times deadly delusions, hallucinations, and disordered thinking seen in some frequent users of AI chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT.…’ –Ece Yildirim via Gizmodo
‘The agency said in a statement that it wanted to protect its crews but masks posed too great a risk that firefighters would overheat while doing the strenuous work needed to contain a wildfire. Instead, supervisors are supposed to move them out of heavy smoke and set up sleeping camps in cleaner air when possible.
“Respirators are a potential tool to reduce smoke exposure, but regulatory and logistical challenges make widespread use impractical,” the statement read.
Researchers in countries already using masks told The New York Times that they had not seen an increase in cases of heatstroke. Firefighters will slow down or remove the masks when they get too hot, they said. The Forest Service said it “continues to monitor international practices and research.”
Internal records, studies and interviews with current and former agency officials reveal another motivation: Embracing masks would mean admitting how dangerous wildfire smoke really is.
That could lead to a cascade of expensive changes. The agency, already underfunded and understaffed, might have to add crews to allow for more breaks, or pay for them to sleep in hotels. Recruitment for the grueling, low-paying jobs could become harder. Spending could increase on an extensive range of health issues among workers and veterans.…’ — via New York Times
Astounding ‘mind-reading device’ can accurately decipher users’ silent internal speech with up to 74% accuracy, potentially a boon to self-expression in people with speech-impairments. And privacy is ensured as it begins deciding only when the user thinks of a specific password. — via Nature
‘After years of criticism that Democrats have not fought hard enough against Republicans’ manipulation of the system to amass power, the California plan, along with Newsom’s announcement of it, flips the script. The plan leverages Democrats’ control of the most populous state in the Union to warn Republicans to back away from their attempt to rig the 2026 election.
At the same time, the plan’s authors protected against claims that they were themselves trying to rig the game: the plan goes into effect only if Republicans push through their new maps, and it declares that the state still supports the use of fair, nonpartisan redistricting commissions nationwide, a system Republicans oppose.…’ — via Heather Cox Richardson
However, under the circumstances, I would have no moral compunction with California going ahead with this redistricting plan even if Texas does not.
‘We can’t stand back and watch this democracy disappear, district by district all across this country…. We need to be firm in our resolve. We need to push back.” He called this moment “a break the glass moment for our democracy, for our nation.”
Newsom called for Americans to “[w]ake up to what Donald Trump is doing…. Wake up to the assault on institutions and knowledge and history. Wake up to his war on science, public health, his war against the American people…’
‘In recent months, a curious fixation has emerged in corners of academia: the em dash. More specifically, the apparent moral panic around how it is spaced. A dash with no spaces on either side? That must be AI-generated writing. Case closed…’ by Greg Mania via McSweeney’s
I’m very concerned that my longstanding affinity for the em dash in my own writing is going to lead to a case of mistaken identity. I do always strive to enclose an em dash in spaces.
‘Bobby Whitlock, the Memphis-born keyboardist and singer-songwriter who with Eric Clapton helped found Derek and the Dominos, the supergroup behind the landmark song “Layla,” and who also played, along with Mr. Clapton, on George Harrison’s 1970 tour de force triple album, “All Things Must Pass,” died on Sunday at his home in Ozona, Texas. He was 77.
His death was confirmed by his manager, Carol Kaye, who said he had been in hospice care for cancer.
In the 1970s, at the peak of his career, Mr. Whitlock released four solo albums and played on celebrated records like the Rolling Stones’ “Exile on Main St.” (1972), but he was best known for his multiple career stops with Mr. Clapton.…’ –Alex Williams via The New York Times
‘In the endless saga of hacks and data breaches, it’s practically guaranteed that at least some of your personal information is available on the internet. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take steps to remove or protect it wherever you can—including from databases that have a history of being compromised.
National Public Data, a background check company operated by Jerico Pictures Inc., was the target of a massive hack in early 2024, which led to the leak of billions of records containing data (culled from non-public sources) like Social Security numbers.
The site has since returned under new ownership as a “free people search engine” and, while it purports to rely on publicly available information, you still can (and should) remove your records. If nothing else, doing so means one less place that people can easily find your address, phone number, and other personal information.…’ —Emily Long via Lifehacker
‘Clowns are tired of hearing Donald Trump called one of them; he is “not one of them,” say clowns.
“Let’s find a better metaphor to despise and depose fascism,” Cunningham wrote in an op-ed published Thursday in The Washington Post. “Keep ‘clown’ out of Trumpian comparisons, and for that matter, all politics. Offer ‘clown’ the respect it deserves…’ Jason Weisberger via Boing Boing
The truth about the iconic wall art is, truly, “out there.”
“I Want to Believe.” Printed in bold white type beneath a grainy flying saucer, the phrase has become more than a tagline — it’s a mantra for fans of The X-Files and seekers of the supernatural.
In the pilot episode of the beloved series, Dana Scully sees the poster on the wall of Fox Mulder’s office before she even sees his face. As the show’s popularity skyrocketed in the 1990s, the poster became a must-have accessory for fans (aka X-Philes). Now that Sinners director Ryan Coogler is rebooting the franchise, perhaps it will adorn the walls of a whole new generation of fans.
But while the poster expresses a simple sentiment, it has a complicated backstory…’ _ via Supercluster_
California governor Gavin Newsom issued a public letter telling Trump that if he doesn’t back off on his attempts to redistrict Republican-dominated states in order to rig the 2026 elections, Newsom will be forced to work to redistrict California. “You are playing with fire, risking the destabilization of our democracy,” Newsom wrote, “while knowing that California can neutralize any gains you hope to make…. I do not do this lightly, as I believe legislative district maps should be drawn by independent, citizen-led efforts,” he wrote. But “California cannot stand idly by as this power grab unfolds.”
Newsom’s press office followed the letter up this morning with a post on social media: “DONALD TRUMP, THE LOWEST POLLING PRESIDENT IN RECENT HISTORY, THIS IS YOUR SECOND-TO-LAST WARNING!!! (THE NEXT ONE IS THE LAST ONE!). STAND DOWN NOW OR CALIFORNIA WILL COUNTER-STRIKE (LEGALLY!) TO DESTROY YOUR ILLEGAL CROOKED MAPS IN RED STATES. PRESS CONFERENCE COMING—HOSTED BY AMERICA’S FAVORITE GOVERNOR, GAVIN NEWSOM. FINAL WARNING NEXT. YOU WON’T LIKE IT!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.”
Then the account posted: “FINAL WARNING DONALD TRUMP—MAYBE THE MOST IMPORTANT WARNING IN HISTORY! STOP CHEATING OR CALIFORNIA WILL REDRAW THE MAPS. AND GUESS WHO WILL ANNOUNCE IT THIS WEEK? GAVIN NEWSOM (MANY SAY THE MOST LOVED & HANDSOME GOVERNOR) AND A VERY POWERFUL TEAM. DON’T MAKE US DO IT!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.”
A follow-up post tonight read: “DONALD ‘TACO’ TRUMP, AS MANY CALL HIM, ‘MISSED’ THE DEADLINE!!! CALIFORNIA WILL NOW DRAW NEW, MORE ‘BEAUTIFUL MAPS,’ THEY WILL BE HISTORIC AS THEY WILL END THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY (DEMS TAKE BACK THE HOUSE!). BIG PRESS CONFERENCE THIS WEEK WITH POWERFUL DEMS AND GAVIN NEWSOM—YOUR FAVORITE GOVERNOR—THAT WILL BE DEVASTATING FOR ‘MAGA.’ THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER! —GN”
‘Increasingly, …the technology that has long facilitated life indoors in the sweltering Gulf states is being deployed to cool the open air. Abu Dhabi unveiled the first of a promised series of air-conditioned outdoor promenades encircling shopping malls this year. Saudi Arabia is building air-conditioned stadiums as it prepares to host the 2034 men’s World Cup. Qatar has even built an air-conditioned outdoor track at a Doha park to keep visitors cool while they enjoy the outdoors…’ _ via Noema_
‘The US runs a large budget deficit. It also provides far more generous benefits to seniors than to children or working-age adults. Per the Urban Institute’s regular report on government spending for children, the ratio of per capita spending on senior citizens to per capita spending on children is over 5 to 1. Put together, the deficit and the elder-biased composition of federal spending implies something that is equally important and macabre: helping people live longer lives will, all else being equal, be bad for the federal budget.…’ –Dylan Matthews via Vox
‘In bizarre footage this morning, Donald Trump is seen shouting at the press while roaming around on the White House roof. And when asked why he is up there, he explains that he is “taking a little walk.”
Whatever else he is trying to say is difficult to to decipher, as the press are standing quite far away, shouting back from a sidewalk that borders the far end of the White House lawn. But even more perplexing is why the president is taking his constitutional on top of the House in the first place.
Turns out, King Trump was “surveying” the area for the $200 million massive ballroom he is planning to install, according to The Independent. And if it’s anything like his Mexican wall, it should be a beaut. Just what his voters really need.…’ —Carla Sinclair via Boing Boing
‘Clowns are tired of hearing Donald Trump called one of them; he is “not one of them,” say clowns.
