Syrian Billionaires Needed a Favor in Washington. They Invoked the Trump Name.

NYT INVESTIGATION: As the Trump administration & Congress last year moved to repeal sanctions on Syria, the Qatar-based family that most stood to benefit was privately negotiating a real-estate partnership with Jared Kushner and proposing a Trump golf course in Syria www.nytimes.com/2026/04/19/u...

One of the Sandy Hook families lives in hiding 1500 mi away from their baby’s grave due to people stalking them.

The graves of multiple children have been defaced.

One of the fathers had to submit DNA evidence to prove his son was a REAL HUMAN BEING after Alex Jones’ book said he never existed.

I’d like to think this would at least keep Fox from trotting him out as their pet Democrat, but I know better.

Gil Duran tweet: TLDR: Fascism in response to Palantir's long fascists screed on X.

"Your Account is Suspended" Message on X

The CEO of Palantir posted a fascist manifesto on X.

I pointed out that it was fascist—which resulted in a permanent suspension from X (my second time!).

So, when you hear the tweeters complaining that BlueSky is intolerant, remember why many of us came here in the first place.

My regular reminder that the reason there will not be an increase in coal production is because there is no market for it. Natural gas plants are cheaper and twice as efficient. Wind and solar are cheaper than both. I worked in the coal industry for 31 years. It is dying and it will keep dying.

They Were the Most Sought-After Workers in America. Now They’re Unemployable. What Happened? — Slate The golden era of the tech industry is dead—leaving 1.2 million laid-off workers like me scrambling in a job market that no longer wants us.

Those of us who have been in tech a loooonggg time got this lesson during the dot-com implosion, unfortunately many younger people are just learning this now ☹️

Meta just paid the lowest effective federal tax rate in its history.

Thanks to tax breaks and loopholes, it avoided $13.7B in 2025 federal income taxes.

But now it's planning to lay off 10% of its global workforce (8,000 people) by May 20 — with more job cuts later this year.

Trickle down hoax.

Trump Library Saga Takes Dark Turn: Where Did Millions in Funding Go? Four huge media conglomerates forked over $63 million in “settlements” earmarked for Trump’s presidential library. Democrats are trying to track that money—and the latest developments don’t inspire co...

SCOOP --> Paramount, Meta, and X are refusing to say what happened to their huge contributions to Trump's presidential library after Sen Elizabeth Warren raised questions about its fund getting dissolved. Ds say tens of millions remain unaccounted for.

Details here:
newrepublic.com/article/2092...

Faculty Defect From Texas Publics, Citing Censorship Fed up with the state’s censoring of Plato, Joan of Arc and Romeo and Juliet, humanities professors are leaving Texas public institutions in pursuit of academic freedom.

'Texas A&M philosophy professor Martin Peterson is leaving the university after administrators told him in January that he couldn’t teach Plato’s Symposium in his philosophy class; they said the ancient Greek philosopher’s work violated the system’s restrictions on gender and sexuality content.' 1/3

I’m still angry & disappointed with the Biden administration & most Congressional Democrats for trying to “move on” from Trump’s corruption & maladministration during the pandemic, instead of a commission & enacting reforms to close the transparency & accountability voids his illiberalism revealed.

Amazon, which saved $4B in taxes under Trump's Big Ugly Bill, has cut 30,000 jobs since last October.

Verizon, which saved $2B, plans to cut 15,000 jobs this year.

Meta, which saved $3B, plans to lay off 20% or more of its workforce.

Trickle-down economics is a cruel joke.

(1) The accused declared, ordered, or otherwise indicated that there shall be no survivors or surrender accepted; (2) The accused thereby intended to threaten an adversary or to conduct hostilities such that there would be no survivors or surrender accepted; (3) It was foreseeable that circumstances would be such that a practicable and reasonable ability to accept surrender would exist; (4) The accused was in a position of effective command or control over the subordinate forces to which the declaration or order was directed; and (5) The conduct took place in the context of and was associated with hostilities.

✋ Former USG war crimes lawyer here.

Apropos of SecDef's remarks this morning:

Denial of quarter—even the declaration of no quarter—is a war crime.

And recognized as such by the US Government.

From DoD's Manual for Military Commissions.

Article: RFK Jr halts $500 million for mRNA vaccine research

Article: Pancreatic cancer mRNA vaccine shows lasting results in early trial

Two headlines about mRNA vaccines. Federal funds has been pulled for research that could cure/prevent a cancer that has a 13% survival rate. But don’t worry, RFK Jr is also fast tracking psychedelics.

Pancreatic cancer mRNA vaccine shows lasting results in an early trial Scientists caution that more research is needed, but nearly all of the patients who responded to the personalized vaccine are still alive six years later.

More research is necessary but nearly all of the patients who responded to the personalised vaccine are still alive six years later.

A humanoid robot won a half-marathon in Beijing in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, finishing faster than Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo's world record.

Read more: https://cnn.it/4sGl276

Poll results on “If you could choose when you live” >50 yrs in the past 18%, <50 yrs in the past 27%, present 43%, <50 yrs in the future 4%, >50 yrs in future 8%.

A very interesting stat from NBC’s latest poll. People *by far* say they would rather live in the past than the future. A strong signal that many don’t like what they see ahead.

Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex X.com #ArtificialIntelligence systems increasingly shape and permeate our mentality and social environments. Like every great historical transformation, this too calls not only for technical competence, but also for a humanistic formation capable of making visible the logic behind economics, embedded biases and forms of power that shape our perception of reality. 1:31 PM • 4/17/26 • 91K Views

Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex X.com Within digital environments — structured to persuade — interaction is optimized to the point of rendering a real encounter superfluous; the otherness of persons in the flesh is neutralized, and relationships are reduced to functional responses. Dear friends, you, however, are real persons! Creation itself has a body, a breath, a life to be listened to and safeguarded. 1:31 PM • 4/17/26 • 209K Views

Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex X.com When simulation becomes the norm, it weakens the human capacity for discernment. As a result, our social bonds close in upon themselves, forming self-referential circuits that no longer expose us to reality. We thus come to live within bubbles, impermeable to one another. Feeling threatened by anyone who is different, we grow unaccustomed to encounter and dialogue. In this way, polarization, conflict, fear and violence spread. What is at stake is not merely the risk of error, but a transformation in our very relationship with truth. 1:31 PM • 4/17/26 • 696K Views

Pope Leo on AI:

“Within digital environments — structured to persuade — interaction is optimized to the point of rendering a real encounter superfluous; the otherness of persons in the flesh is neutralized, and relationships are reduced to functional responses.”

This short thread is worth reading:

At ‘Sloth World’ in Florida, Wild Sloths Have Died by the Dozens - Inside Climate News The animals, highly susceptible to illness when removed from their habitat, have been kept in a warehouse. More than 31 have died.

This is a horrific story of abuse of animals that are beloved, gentle, and incapable if defending themselves. Shipment after shipment of wild sloths delivered to an unheated warehouse in Florida, without even running water, where they all died. And people were charged $19 to watch them suffer.

Trump Keeps Trying to Pressure Ukraine. Zelensky Doesn’t Care. The American president is trying to use leverage he doesn’t have.

Trump’s lead negotiator, Steve Witkoff, has visited Moscow seven times yet never traveled to Kyiv. For some reason, the Trump administration isn't playing its cards against Vladimir Putin.

Federal judge unloads on ‘unserious’ RFK Jr., says anti-trans policy showed his ‘cruelty’ Judge Mustafa T. Kasubhai vacated the “Kennedy Declaration,” finding it unlawfully attempted to override medical standards and restrict care for transgender youth.

Breaking: HHS’s ban on gender-affirming care is struck down. Rarely have I read a ruling this sharply worded.

“This case is one of a long list of examples of how a leader’s wanton disregard for the rule of law causes very real harm to very real people.”

www.advocate.com/politics/nat...

in the 1970s Hillary Clinton made a hundred grand trading cattle futures and 15 years later the news media made a decade-long scandal out of it

Pay attention folks. This is how it's done. Trump sues his own DOJ, run by his private attorney, for $10 billion. Normally that would go through the courts with the DOJ arguing AGAINST giving Trump $10 billion.

Instead, his DOJ will negotiate a settlement OUTSIDE of court. Literally inside dealing.

I’ve been driving EVs for 8 years — 15 if you count the Chevy Volt. You couldn’t pay me to go back to gas, and oil changes, and etc.

What got canceled when NASA leadership illegally followed Trump’s budget rather than legislation: A program to improve electric planes and a new generation of weather satellites. See the pattern?

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 587; Ukraine-/Russia-Related Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 589; Traman transactons and sanctons kegulatons, ork par 300. Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferators Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 544; Iranian Financial Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 561; Iranian Sector and Human Rights Abuses Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 562; Global Terrorism Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 594; Executive Order 13846 of August 6, 2018 (*Reimposing Certain Sanctions With Respect to Iran"): Executive Order 13876 of June 24, 2019 ("Imposing Sanctions With Respect to Iran"):| Executive Order 13902 of January 10, 2020 (*Imposing Sanctions With Respect to Additional Sectors of Iran"): Executive Order 13949 of September 21, 2020 ("Blocking Property of Certain Persons with Respect to the Conventional Arms Activities of Iran") GENERAL LICENSE 134B Authorizing the Delivery and Sale of Crude Oil and Petroleum Products of Russian Federation Origin Loaded on Vessels as of April 17, 2026 (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this general license, all transactions prohibited by the above-listed authoritics that are ordinarily incident and necessary to the sale, delivery, or offloading of crude oil or petroleum products of Russian Federation origin loaded on any vessel, including vessels blocked under the above-listed authorities, on or before 12.01 a.m. eastern daylight time, April 17, 2026, are authorized through 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time, May 16, 2026. Note 1 to paragraph (a). Transactions that are ordinarily incident and necessary to the sale, delivery, or offloading of such crude oil or petroleum produets include transactions for the safe docking and anchoring of vessels carrying such crude oil or petroleum products; the preservation of the health or safcty of the crew of any such vessel; emergency repairs or environmental mitigation …

This general license does not authorize: (1) Any transaction involving a person located in or organized under the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Republic of Cuba, the Covered Regions of Ukraine, as defined by E.O. 14065, the Crimea Region of Ukraine, as defined by E.O. 13685, or any entity that is owned or controlled by or in a joint venture with such persons; or (2) Any other transactions or activities prohibited by any other Executive order or by any part of 31 CFR chapter V not referenced in this general license, including any transaction or activity involving Iran, the Government of Iran, or Iranian-origin goods or services that is prohibited by the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (31 CFR part 560), except as authorized by paragraph (a). (c) Effective April 17, 2026, General License No. 134A, which was dated March 19, 2026 and expired on April 11, 2026, is replaced and superseded in its entirety by this General License No. 134B. radley T. Smith Dotally signed by Bradley T. Sm ate: 2026.04.17 1438.55-040 Bradley T. Smith Director Office of Foreign Assets Control Dated: April 17, 2026 2

On Friday night, the treasury issued a license “Authorizing the Delivery and Sale of Crude Oil and Petroleum Products of Russian Federation Origin Loaded on Vessels as of April 17, 2026”, valid for another month

The Inside Story of Five Days That Remade the Supreme Court

Remarkable SCOTUS reporting in the NYTimes, which pretty much confirms what observers have always assumed, but still astonishes. (Gift link)

www.nytimes.com/2026/04/18/u...

If this actually happens, it may rank as the single most corrupt act in the history of American politics. I cannot believe this is even under discussion.

Damn. This job would be perfect for me … except for every single qualification.

Cover of report "Mission Aborted: how NASA illegally implemented the president's budget request without congressional approval. Minority staff report, prepared by members of the committee on science, space, and technology, us house of representatives, April 2026

This report came out today by minority staff of the House science committee on how three NASA missions were aborted due to NASA illegally following the FY26 president's budget request instead of congressionally approved budget. Very important reading. 🔭🧪 democrats-science.house.gov/staff-report...

The Inside Story of Five Days That Remade the Supreme Court

"Even as they debated the Obama plan’s possible burden on the power industry, in the entire chain of correspondence obtained by The Times, not a single justice … mentioned the dangers of a warming planet as one of the possible harms the court should consider.” www.nytimes.com/2026/04/18/u...