Today, the search engine Ecosia announced that it has hit an #EarthDay milestone of 250 million trees planted.
Two years ago this week, our Editor-at-Large KC Cheng traveled to rural western Uganda to check out the promises and challenges of one of Ecosia's projects:
“It’s big in real life”
Gave an interview recently about the existence of vast Nazi networks in Germany and the abuse still hasn't stopped coming days later. With the far-right leading the country in the polls, it's probably time to stop talking about this stuff. It just feels like it puts a target on you, nothing more.
Flu spreads efficiently especially in close quarters like military troop lodging facilities. If you are in the military you are required to get several vaccines because of how devastating outbreaks can be to troops and also because they are more likely be targeted by agents of biological warfare.
“Had your little fun, fella?”
We claim to treasure free speech, above almost anything. But on the most critical issue, very few of us are free to speak. The majority are silenced by fear of censure or loss of employment. This conspiracy of silence looks more like what you'd expect in an authoritarian regime than in a democracy.
Hegseth sneered about the military's logistical experts, and now he's got ships stuck with sailors almost starving on them.
But he's still sure the dismissive attitude about the flu won't come back to bite him.
Hegseth has just proudly announced on Twitter that flu vaccines will no longer be mandatory for US Servicemembers.
Before The Regime took power, the DoD correctly said that vaccine refusal is a national security threat.
Nothing has killed more soldiers in the history of humanity than disease. While worst is a more complicated question Hegseth is absolutely the dumbest secretary of defense the United States has ever had. bsky.app/profile/ones...
“Put your phone down; let’s get out the fun”
What you have to understand is that the United States started a war, almost immediately lost it, then began the laborious process of negotiating against itself, and is now settling into the secondary denial phase …
The South Korean revolution of April 19 1960 toppled a dictator and changed my life. I was there and never forgot. It was the first and only revolution I ever witnessed. Here's my record of the amazing events, as a 9 year old kid. The gov't censorship was stunning. 🇰🇷
timshorrock.com/2016/10/02/t...
“American communities tend to view family annihilations as isolated tragedies. But a July 2023 Indianapolis Star investigation found they had been occurring across the US every five days on average.” www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
“Experts say non-residents are a growing cohort, trapped in homelessness because they cannot be given temporary or social housing, cannot legally work but also cannot get Centrelink payments or, in most cases, access public healthcare.” www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
In the same manifesto, Palantir's owners argued that we need a national military draft, that soft power is over, and that we were too hard on Germany and Japan after World War II. I don't think that company should be allowed to exist anymore.
There is significant (and unsurprising) overlap between this doctrine and the requirements for jus ad bellum under international law recognized by the U.S. government.
That the Trump administration is so irked about being reminded of Just War Doctrine is therefore noteworthy.
❗️Russian drones in direction of Kyiv thermal power station detected
All federal wind power R&D at the Department of Energy is $0.137 billion. So the government is paying 7x the amount it spends on all wind power R&D just for a fee to kill one wind project. Seems bad.
God almighty
And yet, despite Jay Bhattacharya being RFK Jr’s closest ally in dismantling science & public health, I feel sure Stanford’s right wing Hoover Institution will welcome Jay back with open arms😢
Gonna spend the next two years spamming every elected Dem about the concept of "damnatio memoriae." Chisel his name off every inscription. Build over the various Trump Towers like they're Nero's Golden House. Remove him from physical memory, not to forget but as a sign of disrespect to the man.
I don't think I'll ever get over Clarence Thomas ruling on cases related to Jan 6 knowing that his wife was an active participant in the attempted coup.
Or ruling on cases related to government regulations and a wealth tax knowing he took gifts from billionaires.
It's a disgrace.
Thanks! This is so important, and Trump is totally ignorant of it.
➡️ The main point stressed to us was that the military exists primarily to prevent war, not win war.
It's partly military propaganda, but also real. It's a lot cheaper to prevent war than to win it.
I have a post on this in mind.
Palantir is a defense contractor. The government tells the contractor what stuff it needs, the contractor makes it. End of relationship.
If I were a senior government official and the hired help started rambling to me about a new global order like this, I would slowly walk away and call security.
It's crucial to remember that RFK Jr isn't just doing all he can to roll back vaccination & drive up childhood infectious diseases in the US but also WORLWIDE & he's especially targeting children in the lowest income countries
He has suspended US funding to Gavi, which supports global vaccination
🧵
The Israeli army struck civilians in the Lebanese city of Mayfadoun.
And then, the Israelis double-tapped the medics who arrived onto the scene.
And then, they triple-tapped the next wave of medics.
And then, they did it one more time for good measure.
Some people are just lovely and can’t hide their light
Forced labour for American prisoners — reminds me of speculation that immigrants (and citizens) thrown into indefinite detention will be targeted for this too
UNITED STATSS U.S. Central Comma... * •12h Guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) patrols the Arabian Sea, April 17, as U.S. forces enforce the naval blockade on ships attempting to enter or exit Iranian ports. Since commencement of the blockade, 21 ships have complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around and return to Iran.
X.com @FarsNews_Agency • Translated from Persian by Grok • Spokesman of Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters (PBUH): Control of the Strait of Hormuz Returns to Previous State The Islamic Republic of Iran, following previous agreements, has consented with good intentions in the negotiations conducted to allow a limited number of oil tankers and commercial ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in a managed manner. 1/4 Rate this translation: 2:59 AM • 4/18/26 • 75K Views
• @FarsNe... • 4h Translated from Persian Show original But unfortunately, the Americans, with their repeated breaches of trust that are part of their track record, continue to engage in piracy and maritime theft under the so-called title of blockade. 2/4 X.com @FarsNews_Agency § Translated from Persian by Grok For this reason, control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state, and this strategic strait is under the strict management and control of the armed forces. 3/4 Rate this translation: 2:59 AM • 4/18/26 • 14K Views
Barak Ravid @BarakRavid X.com A U.S. defense official claims the IRGC has conducted at least three attacks on commercial ships in the strait of Hormuz since Saturday morning 7:40 AM • 4/18/26 • 8.3K Views
⚠️ Strait of Hormuz today:
• US continued military blockade.
• Iran announced the Strait was closed again as a result.
• Ships tried to cross.
• IRGC fired on multiple ships.
• Ships turned back.
• Iran still controls the Strait.
• US blockade is also still in effect.
