Wired [unpaywalled]: “Filters in water pitchers or under-sink systems capture dangerous chemicals, only for them to be returned to the environment. A researcher from North Carolina is pioneering a new system that could get rid of forever chemicals forever. There’s something scary in the water at Cape Fear. For years, chemicals giant DuPont and the… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: February 2025
Trump Takes Aim at Law Firm Aiding Jack Smith
The New York Times – “President Trump plans to punish a prominent Washington law firm that has aided the former special counsel Jack Smith, seeking to strip security clearances from lawyers and end any federal government work the firm may have, according to people familiar with the matter. The proposal, signed by Mr. Trump on… Continue Reading
The 88×31 GIF Collection
quantum of sollazzo – This is all about distraction, so if you find you want a get away from all the news for few minutes and watch the blinking lights, check in on these memories of how the “web” used to be [note – there are some NSFW gifs here] The 88×31 GIF Collection: A… Continue Reading
“Who’s On First” the final recorded performance
Abbott & Costello perform their greatest routine one last time for a mass audience on The Steve Allen Show, October7, 1956, to commemorate the induction of Who’s On First into The Baseball Hall of Fame. May we all have our greatest routines ready as we need them. Continue Reading
Investing in School Libraries and Librarians To Improve Literacy Outcomes
American Prospect – “Libraries and librarians not only spark a love of learning; they are crucial to reversing low reading assessment scores across the country. Since a shocking plunge in math and reading scores on the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), educators, administrators, and policymakers have grappled with how to address learning challenges… Continue Reading
Website tracking how many people have lost their jobs because of the USAID Stop-Work Order
US AID STOP WORK – Tracking. Informing: “As of February 19, 2025, 55K confirmed, 100K+ estimated globally – these are the confirmed jobs lost from USAID and their implementing partners who have had to lay off or furlough employees due to the funding freeze. The confirmed number is based on 83 organizations. These numbers are… Continue Reading
Your boss is watching
MIT Technology Review [unpaywalled]: “…A New York Times investigation in 2022 found that eight of the 10 largest private companies in the US track individual worker productivity metrics, many in real time. Specialized software can now measure and log workers’ online activities, physical location, and even behaviors like which keys they tap and what tone… Continue Reading
America Needs You paired with solid lessons from Ikigai, Stoicism, Antifragility, Buddhism, and Ubuntu
Brilliant Crank: “In the last six weeks, I haven’t talked to a single person who isn’t drowning in stress from the relentless flood of bad news. Despite their best efforts, some of my friends are falling into the doom loop—consumed by current events and attention-whore pundits saying whatever it takes to keep them trapped. Don’t… Continue Reading
What Is OpenAI’s Powerful New Deep Research Tool Capable Of? I Use It to Analyze the Legality of President Trump’s Pause of Federal Grants
Via LLRX – What Is OpenAI’s Powerful New Deep Research Tool Capable Of? I Use It to Analyze the Legality of President Trump’s Pause of Federal Grants – On February 2, 2025 OpenAI released Deep Research, an AI agent capable of completing multi-step research tasks and synthesizing large amounts of online information. OpenAI’s chief product officer… Continue Reading
Fired NPS, USFS, BLM Employees Share Their Stories
The Guardian: “Approximately 5,000 people have been terminated from the agencies that manage the 35m acres (14m hectares) of federal public lands in the US. These are our lands. They encompass national parks and forests, wilderness and marine protected areas, scenic rivers. They are home to campgrounds, river accesses, hiking trails and myriad other sites… Continue Reading
Never pay a medical bill without asking these questions first
Vox: “..About half of American adults report difficulties affording health care costs, according to KFF polling conducted in 2022, and about 41 percent carry some form of medical debt. A 2021 Census Bureau analysis found that about 14 million people owed more than $1,000 in medical debt, while 3 million Americans owed more than $10,000.… Continue Reading
No, 150-Year-Olds Aren’t Collecting Social Security Benefits
Wired: “Elon Musk has repeatedly claimed that his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) project had uncovered massive government fraud when it alleged that 150-year-olds were claiming Social Security benefits. But Musk has provided no evidence to back up his claims, and experts quickly pointed out that this is very likely just a quirk of… Continue Reading
