Day 2 Session 3 - Symposium: Virtual Power: Al, Ableism, Racism, and Fascism YouTube video by Philosophy, Disability, and Social Change

Since I don't remember if I shared it, here's my talk "Fascist Bullshit: How ‘Generative AI’ Enacts & Enables Authoritarianism and Eugenics" at the symposium "Virtual Power: AI, Ableism, Racism, and Fascism," at the Philosophy, Disability, and Social Change 6 conference, from January of this year:

The gang of four: How a cabal of property moguls is laying waste to the Tees Valley (Part 3) There’s something striking about the planning permission requests for Skerningham Manor and Low Skerningham: It’s the sheer number of them, more than 80. New houses and out-buildings, new roads, hedge...

The gang of four: How a cabal of property moguls is laying waste to the Tees Valley (Part 3)

There’s something striking about the planning permission requests - more than 80 of them. The assault on nature is relentless

northeastbylines.co.uk/news/environ...

Your Guide to NASA's Budget How big is NASA's budget right now? What was it like in the past? How does it compare to the rest of government spending? These answers, as well as…

While we're talking percentages, let's talk about the proposed cuts to NASA's science budget.

NASA is currently 0.36% of US federal spending. www.planetary.org/space-policy...

The proposed budget cuts NASA science by 47%.

NASA science is already on a shoestring, and that string is about to break

I need a minor procedure done and my doctor gave me the choice between in office(longer recovery, more painful and worse results) vs in the OR(more expensive.) People being forced to make medical decisions based on insurance coverage is truly one of the worst things about America.

A catastrophic climate event is upon us. Here is why you’ve heard so little about it | George Monbiot Scientists say a crucial Atlantic system is set to collapse. But the billionaire death cult that steers humanity’s destiny just doesn’t do existential crises, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

While we are transfixed by the antics of our supposed "leaders", a catastrophe of astonishing proportions has been creeping up on us. Climate scientists now believe it is more likely than not to happen, and soon.
This week's column.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

If he succeeds in building this it'll completely negate any progress phasing out coal has done in slowing climate change

I'm not a policy guy, just a guy who likes math, but the supply and demand math for labor with UBI helping buffer the demand looks really nice in my head for people trying to start small businesses, restaurants etc

Prime Minister Carney, now is not the time to concede further ground. Canada must show resolve in the face of Trump's bullying and stand up for workers, jobs, and Canadian industries.

Washington demanding 'entry fee' from Ottawa before trade talks: sources | CBC News The Trump administration is demanding what amounts to an "entry fee" from Canada to engage in trade talks toward a revised Canada-United States-Mexico Free Trade Agreement (CUSMA), four sources told R...

Canada has already paid an "entry fee" in these negotiations — dropping counter-tariffs and scrapping the Digital Services Tax, a modest tax on the world's most profitable tech giants, at the behest of Donald Trump.

Those concessions got us nowhere.

www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

iScience: Multiplex Serological Profiling Reveals Diverse Avian and Mammalian Influenza A Virus Exposure in Swine (in Cambodia) #19,126 While the  spillover of HPAI H5N1 into dairy cattle has garnered considerable attention over the past two years, historically, th...

Mike Coston: afludiary.blogspot.com/2026/04/isci...

New Asian drama thread starting! I made the last one last a whole year. You can find it here: bsky.app/profile/alis...

You can find my master thread of all the threads here: bsky.app/profile/alis...

Starting this one off with Love Untangled, a sweet teenage love story set in the late 90s.

Earth Day 57
Science says act fast on climate
Economics say act fast on climate
Delaying climate action destroys future prosperity for present-day pollution.

Solar, wind, storage, EVs all beating fossil fuels on cost and scale
Now it’s about speed
What we still lack is resolve

I'm watching the Jimmy Savile documentary on Netflix and it's remarkable how much it's actually about how Thatcherism hollowed out public institutions such as hospitals so that they came to rely on the largesse of private entrepreneurs who, now being indispensable, were able to act with impunity

Ok. I did it. Thoughts and prayers please.

😬

I paired it with ventilation advice etc and the study on repeat infections increasing the risk of long COVID.

The Last Woman Who Knew Everything: The Omnivorous Mind of Clémence Royer. When Clémence Royer died on February 7, 1902, she took with her into oblivion perhaps the last human brain that believed in and aimed for Complete Knowledge. She had devoted her life to the propositio...

French polymath Clémence Royer was born 196 years ago today. Now she is most known for her 1862 translation of On the Origin of Species which pushed Darwin's ideas into the realm of human evolution, but in her day she was celebrated for her encyclopedic knowledge.

tinyurl.com/5cbam92f

#WomenInStEM

To celebrate #EarthDay2026 we are highlighting Irish people who contributed to our understanding of the natural world, starting with Ellen Hutchins. She was Ireland’s first female botanist & an expert on mosses, bryophytes and lichens, several of which are named for her. www.dib.ie/biography/hu...

Southwest Minnesota board says no to proposed $4 billion data center complex The CEO of Geronimo Power says the company is looking at alternative options in other communities.

This is what we need more of!

Arkansas public television receives three-year, $3M pledge to keep PBS in state | Arkansas Advocate The network must retain its PBS membership and match every dollar with other donations for the pledged grant to be usable.

Arkansas public television receives three-year, $3M pledge to keep PBS in state arkansasadvocate.com/2026/04/21/a...

A remarkable find in Maui! We identified the 96th hawksbill turtle in Hawaii and named him Cousteau, highlighting the importance of marine conservation efforts.

You ever try to code switch at work and fail? 😂

This is your reminder that it's been ten months since the assassination of Melissa Hortman, her husband and her dog, and there hasn't been even a hint of justice for her family, friends or colleagues.

Verge headline: Silicon Valley has forgotten what normal people want by Elizabeth Lopatto Illustration of a brain melting in the sun

"In the place of problem-solving technology, companies have jumped on successive bandwagons like NFTs, the metaverse, and LLMs. What these all have in common is that they are not built to really solve a market problem. They are built to make VCs and companies rich."

Read more: buff.ly/Yu2AUFy

Friends of the Lake District’s rainforest plea Help save a moderate rainforest habitat in Cumbria, and for one week your donation will be matched, so what you give will be worth twice the amount

Help save a moderate rainforest habitat in Cumbria, and for one week your donation will be matched, so what you give will be worth twice the amount | Mike Glover

The BC Separatist and Small-Scale Farmer Who’s Enthusiastic About Hitler | The Tyee The leader of the BC Prosperity Project says Curtis Stone’s views don’t reflect those of the wider group.

One of the moderators of a popular Facebook page that promotes B.C. separating from Canada has been open about his white nationalist and antisemitic beliefs, and his interest in Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders. @jenstden.bsky.social for @thetyee.ca: thetyee.ca/News/2026/04...

Rocky puppeteer James Ortiz is eligible for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars for 'Project Hail Mary'

His performance qualifies under current Academy rules

(via Variety)

Gas went up over $0.30 per litre here again today after temporarily dropping back.

Ghost fishing gear: The hidden threat at the bottom of the sea The NETTAG+ project, funded by the European Union, aims to combat fishing waste and mitigate its effects on marine life. To do so, fishermen are our greatest allies.

The NETTAG+ project, funded by the European Union, aims to combat fishing waste and mitigate its effects on marine life. To do so, fishermen are our greatest allies.

Your gut microbiome could signal Parkinson’s risk, study finds Scientists have found that distinctive patterns in gut bacteria can identify people at risk of developing Parkinson’s disease years before symptoms appear.

Scientists have found that distinctive patterns in gut bacteria can identify people at risk of developing Parkinson’s disease years before symptoms appear.

Love making gamers angry on Reddit with the "controversial" take that I don't think MMOs should rely on fansites or blogposts to explain their confusing systems.

Something in-game should be telling me how Special Weekly Item Bonus works, not a graphic made by a fan posted to Reddit using MS Paint.

new idea from denmark to copyright people’s ownership of their likenesses, faces, voices and bodies to counteract AI

@evansolomon.bsky.social