About AI...

I've been thinking about the advent of AI, and how we really don't know *what* it is, how it will be used, or how it will affect us.

And yet, AI is the answer to everything!  And it will cost all kinds of jobs! And it will make our lives better (or worse, I'm confused)!

The headlines promoted by companies tell a story that they want to tell (and ignore that they are taking an opportunity to "rightsize their workforce" while hailing innovation - lower payroll = more money to the wealthy investors).  

So instead, I prefer to focus on the fact that each new innovation does change some aspects of our lives, but doesn't end the world as we know it.  A relatively recent analogous example being the advent of the personal computer - which we were told would eliminate humans from most jobs.

AI is probably overstated in how it can be applied, though it definitely has use cases that can be helpful and improve on some things we as humans do. And industries will surely change.  But it seems unlikely that it will "eliminate humans from most jobs."  That's my take, anyway.

But I don't think I'm alone on that.  I found this video, and it talks about the same general topic from a slightly different perspective, and is worth a watch.

https://youtu.be/2SjgP8o-1LQ?si=e15fwFpihP8NnQqd

Oh, and by the way, I did note that Lowe's is investing in training tradespeople.  They, too,  see the headlines, and realize that no matter what, trades can't be replaced by AI.  Plus, being in construction broadly, they see a deficit on people who can do plumbing, electric, and carpentry.  So they are looking to fill that need, and take a part of that business.  Kudos to them.

Keep calm, and carry on

A few weeks ago, we heard about a few people getting sick on a cruise ship, from something most of us never heard of, the hantavirus. Then, a couple of people died, and some others got pretty sick and the news media started to do what they do best: breathlessly report on it.  It's the next pandemic!

Scientists, particularly those with experience in diseases and epidemiology, were drowned out.  The truth is that while this is "something," it's not quite what its been built up to be.  It's treatable if caught early. Different strains spread differently, but generally you have to be in close quarters. It originates via rat droppings, and much of it originates in Argentina, as it turns out (hence why there was an outbreak on a ship that left from that country).

The media just focuses on it being awful, and will report on stories like the woman who is quarantined here in the states, but who wants to leave and is throwing a fit about her rights. (I would assume because it makes a great headline and gets clicks). 

And they miss the story about another man in the same facility, who sees that this is the right thing to do, and talks about how the kindness of strangers touched him. People send care packages, and drop off coffees.  He's had some unexpected and pleasant interactions with the staff - and he adds that he will not let what's happened deter him.  He still plans to travel the world!

Oh, and of course the media also decides to add ebola into the story, for good measure.  They conflate both diseases, even though they are vastly different in almost every way.

That's not to say there's no danger and we shouldn't pay attention.  But, we should focus our attention in the right places.

My point is that once again, we should look behind the hype.  Listen to those who know something about the topic.  Don't doom scroll and immediately assume the worst because that's what you see popping up on social media.

Watch "You've Seen Her Face THOUSANDS of Times & Here's Why!" on YouTube

This is just a fun break from the everyday. 

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/LfgCdlLf__c?si=MiEhhaHUnxK4ezWN

Watch "Theres no such thing" on YouTube

Boom!

I agree with Carl. Evolution is a fact. 

https://youtube.com/shorts/Z3u5C7RLvJo?si=vL545lQmAxJFDS2M

Watch "How Differential Gear Works | QUOTED" on YouTube

This is one of the most well articulated description of differentials that I’ve ever seen. 

It’s well worth a few minutes of your time. 

https://youtu.be/F40ZBDAG8-o?si=9QdzFK2Nr3Jn1ROw

Climate scientist finds large errors in a global climate pollution database

The finding of large gaps in the climate data are maybe not so surprising. They do note that the way data is collected and the use of automation does affect the data that’s reported. 

And of course there is observer bias. But they note:

“We will never estimate emissions with perfect accuracy, but we must ensure that the data shared with policymakers and the public is unbiased and meets best practices and the most rigorous scientific standards available. Without this, we mislead decision makers and potentially lose public trust in our ability to tackle climate change.”

And yes. That should be the fundamental basis for all scientific endeavor. 

https://phys.org/news/2026-05-climate-scientist-large-errors-global.html

Beavers Turn Rivers Into Powerful Carbon Sinks, Study Finds

Let’s give it up for the beavers!

They turn out to be more important in a changing climate than anyone ever assumed. 

 

https://scitechdaily.com/beavers-turn-rivers-into-powerful-carbon-sinks-study-finds/

A Chemical Breakthrough That Could Fix the Plastic Crisis

Denovia, a company based in Canada, has come up with a compound that more efficiently breaks down plastics and lower temperatures, meaning that plastic waste can be recycled at scale. 

There’s more to be done, but it’s a step in a better direction.  

https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/technology/articles/chemical-breakthrough-could-fix-plastic-000100369.html

Scientists build near-invisible solar cells thinner than human hair

Here’s another step forward in the development of solar cells.  Thin, transparent cells that can cover a surface and still be clear enough to see through is an intriguing use case.  

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/ultrathin-transparent-solar-cells-ntu

Nasa Beamed 484 Gigabytes From The Moon, And It Could Redefine How Humans Experience Deep Space Forever

I noted on a previous post that nasa was using a laser to send compressed data back to earth. It had less lag than a traditional radio broadcast (as we used in Apollo), and contained way more data in the stream. They were able to broadcast near HD video from the spacecraft. 

Here some additional details on how this worked, and what they learned. 

https://dailygalaxy.com/2026/05/nasa-just-beamed-484-gigabytes-from-moon/

Scientists “bottle the sun” with a liquid battery that stores solar energy | ScienceDaily

The intent here is:

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara believe they may have found an answer that avoids the need for massive battery systems or reliance on the electrical grid. Writing in the journal Science, Associate Professor Grace Han and her research team describe a new material capable of absorbing sunlight, storing that energy in chemical bonds, and later releasing it as heat whenever needed. The material is based on a modified organic molecule called pyrimidone and represents a new step forward in Molecular Solar Thermal (MOST) energy storage technology.

Now that’s an advancement in a clean energy storage system. 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260513221821.htm

The DOJ Is Demanding Apple And Google Identify Over 100,000 Users Of This Car App

This can’t end well. The DOJ asking for a list of everyone who downloaded an app sets a dangerous precedent for surveillance. These people may not have done anything wrong, or perhaps downloaded it in error. 

And yet their names will appear on a list that will surely lead to enforcement.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2026/05/14/government-demands-apple-and-google-identify-over-100000-users-of-car-app/

World’s largest operating tokamak restarts with 8-meter coils upgrade

Europe and Asia continue to lead in finding alternative fuel sources. Here’s a story about a tokamak that is being tested. 

A tokamak is an experimental device that uses powerful magnetic fields to confine a superheated plasma in the shape of a donut (torus). It is the leading design for harnessing nuclear fusion—the process that powers the sun—to create clean, limitless, and on-demand energy on Earth.

 

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/largest-operating-tokamak-begins-commissioning

California farmer prepares to rip up 9-year-old peach trees worth $12,500/acre after largest buyer collapsed

This is the story of fallout from sweeping changes by this administration. However it’s framed, Delmonte closed a packing plant, laid off workers, and now the effects are being felt by the growers who supplied produce. 

And of course, we’ll feel it at the grocery stores when we are unable to get fresh produce. 

FAFO indeed. 

https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/energy/articles/california-farmer-prepares-rip-9-093500462.html

Soarin over the USA

In case you missed the memo, the Soarin’ attraction at Epcot made a change this week to temporarily go from “Soarin around the world” to “Soarin over the USA” in honor of our nations 250th anniversary (or as Patrick refers to it: the Semiquincentennial; And yes, his opening bit is cute)

Some kind soul recorded it and put it online. And my honest opinion is that it sucks. 

It’s a lot of CGI and things don’t look “right”… plus the things they chose to show aren’t really representative of America. What of our historical places, landmarks that really define  the country, our great national parks (and the redwoods maybe?), or a sense of how vast our country is?

It’s just underwhelming. I am disappointed that Disney whiffed on this opportunity. Especially given how good they often are at such things. 

You can watch it here: 

https://youtu.be/4ZAfniMD8So

And not only that, they turned off the soarin challenge - the game that you can play while in line. A game which I have led several times! 

To be fair, I opted to write some code which reads the question and gives the right answer most of the time, within milliseconds. But it was always fun to see my player on the leaderboard. 

 

A cautionary tale about spirit airlines

What happened a few weeks ago with Spirit airlines is maybe a little dispiriting (pun intended) for several specific reasons: we lost a low cost carrier that drove the competition to keep pricing down, there were many thousands of workers who were laid off, and we got a not-so-great lesson in economics.

Its that lesson that I wanted to talk about.  Spirit was a Fort Lauderdale - based airline, and that made it an employer of note in my hometown.  Did I love them?  No.  Had I ever flown them?  Also no.  But they drove some amount of economy here locally. 

Sometime around 2016, Frontier looked to acquire them, but the price point was too low, and the shareholders rejected that.  Then, in 2022, there was a much-hyped offer for JetBlue to acquire them. This one was complicated.  It wasn't entirely clear what JetBlue would get out of it, other than adding planes and some routes to its portfolio.  But it wasn't.a great fit and there was internal strife, and several rejections by shareholders and the board was also wwrking to reject it.

Ultimately, it was nixed by the Biden-era DOJ who said that allowing them to merge would raise prices and stifle competition.  To be fair, if the DOJ had allowed it to proceed, its still possible (maybe even likely) that the board of JetBlue would have killed the deal anyway.  But, sure, lets "blame it on Biden" ...

The thing that was clear 4 years ago was that without a change, Spirit would not be able to continue operation for very long.  It was a well-known fact that they needed operating capital in an ever-changing landscape.

Enter private equity in around 2024, who bought stakes in the airline and helped manage it along, with an intent to have it sold somewhere.  

But it still wasn't enough, and in early 2026, Spirit needed an influx of capital.  The airline and the private equity ownership asked the government for a bailout. 

The T-rump administration asked for a 90% stake in the company, which would make it government owned.  The board of Spirit wasn't aligned with that.  And that private equity firm said no thanks; there would be little return for them.

So they declared bankruptcy, and are selling their planes, and their routes to other airlines (notably: JetBlue).  And in the end, they. went out of business and we lost a low-cost airline anyway.  Based on the desire to have it be state run, its funny that almost no one is saying "blame it on T-rump" and point back to the failed merger as their reason for the bankruptcy.

But its as much the problem of private equity as anything.

Is sad that the media can't wrap their head around all that's happened here.  The debt should get mostly paid off, but the private equity firm will also get a nice payout for their "help" ... and as always, we consumers get screwed. 

We seem to have forgotten our humanity …

I was standing in line the other day with a friend while we were waiting to order an ice cream. 

And as we waited, we each struck up conversations with the people in line around us. Just random talk. It was so unusual in this day and age that it caught my attention. 

But WHY did it feel so unusual? Because we’ve lost that human connection with our noses buried in our phones (and no, the irony of me writing this online isn’t lost on me). We don’t often have that moment to talk, smile, and laugh with a complete stranger.  

My grandfather was always one to talk with anyone about anything (he was pretty proud of his ability to yak with anyone and would say the most ridiculous lines to engage with people). I have that skill, too, but it doesn’t come out as often as I’d like anymore. 

Our society is weird that way. So much technology. You can’t just pick up the phone and call a company or a store and talk with someone. These kids today mostly text and will only call when it necessary.  It’s about not knowing your neighbors the same way. (Not that knowing them too well is a good thing sometimes)

I was remembering a story from years ago. They were installing the first automated toll booths on a few highways. And the Miami Herald interviewed some people who lamented the move to automation because it lacks that personal touch. And one couple talked about their “meet cute” moment. He drove through the same toll booth every day, and she was the toll collector. Their interactions were but a few moments every day, but they ultimately went on a date and they were at-that-time happily married. 

While that didn’t happen often, it was a chance for a small amount of human interaction. I would chat with the toll workers, say something fun, and sometimes in a random act of kindness I’d hand them double the amount of the toll and say it was for me and the car behind me. The person in the car behind me, who I didn’t know, would now have to interact with the person and had a moment to tell their friends about. 

We are missing out on that sort of thing all the time now. 

I guess my message here is that we each have an opportunity to do something more personal. Talk to that person in line next to you. Talk to the worker in the store. If you do manage to get someone on the phone, ask how their day is, and where they are located. Tell a terrible dad joke randomly to a stranger. Be kind. Practice a random act of kindness. 

We can be better. And it starts with each of as individuals. 

The world is difficult sometimes

And when I’m “feeling it,” I think about this infamous diddy from Monty Python. It’s sung during the crucifixion scene in “Life of Brian.”

https://youtu.be/X_-q9xeOgG4?si=HKCdJP8rstDzo6c5

 

Whilst trying to come up with a way of ending the film Monty Python's Life of Brian, Eric Idle wrote an original version of the song on a Gibson J-50 guitar using only jazz chords he learnt from a course by Mickey Baker. Originally the song was sung in a more straight fashion, which the other Python members eventually agreed would be good enough for the end of the film. However, Michael Palin noted in his diary for 16 June 1978 that during a script meeting, "Eric's two songs—'Otto' and the 'Look on the Bright Side' crucifixion song—are rather coolly received before lunch." Despite being initially underwhelmed, the group warmed to Idle's efforts and the song was retained. While practising during a break in filming, Idle found that it worked better if sung in a more cheeky manner by a character of his called "Mr Cheeky", which in turn was based on the film's Cockney lighting crew. This new version was used in the film and became one of Monty Python's most famous compositions.

Newton’s law of gravity passes its biggest test ever | Science | AAAS

The inverse square law proves to be true in large expanses. That’s pretty amazing. 

I guess you could (but probably shouldn’t) say that Newton was a really smart cookie. 

https://www.science.org/content/article/newton-s-law-gravity-passes-its-biggest-test-ever

How a pot left on the stove overnight inspired a teen’s winning science fair project

Another young person for the win!

This young lady created a simple method for keeping someone from leaving the stove on. 

Yay, science! Yay, critical thinking! 

https://youtu.be/sck2CCI7EUg

Deep-Earth map reveals a lost U.S. continent | Science | AAAS

This is kind of a cool story about how an array of sensors have been put to use, and once scientists reviewed the data, they have concluded that there is a piece of a continent jammed under the eastern seaboard of the US. 

Their modeling suggests that this happens when Pangea was broken apart, and this is why we have some mountain ranges, in the Appalachian trail. 

It’s pretty cool. 

https://www.science.org/content/article/deep-earth-map-reveals-lost-u-s-continent

New Chinese Iron Battery Lasts 16 Years, and Could Upend the $150B Lithium Market | OilPrice.com

I like the leap forward here. A Chinese team has developed an iron-based battery (rather than lithium), which is cheaper to produce, stores energy more efficiently, and lasts many cycles longer than a lithium battery. 

And that’s all before we even mention the environmental impact. 

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/New-Chinese-Iron-Battery-Lasts-16-Years.html

Say Goodbye to the Panama Canal: A New Ocean-to-Ocean Route Just Shipped 900 Vehicles in Just 72 Hours

I have noted in the past that shipping is one of the biggest industries we have these days. Getting goods around the globe is something everyone wants a piece of. Who controls ports, shipping lanes, and the transit corridors will shape - or reahape - the world economy. 

And the Panama Canal is a choke point from which many counties and shipping companies want to move away. 

Entree Mexico’s Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, which is an overland route to get goods from the pacific to the Gulf of Mexico. Essentially, the ship is unloaded at a port there, and put onto rail cars and then moved across the expanse in a few hours, and reloaded onto another ship. 

So far, it’s seen some successes. But there are still a lot of concerns and things to consider. 

But Mexico is making a power play.  

https://indiandefencereview.com/mexico-rail-corridor-panama-canal-drought-alternative/

Data centers are breaking the electric grid. Meet the $6 billion startup and its visionary CEO solving the problem - Fast Company

I’m not convinced this solves anything in its current state. However, the concept that the startup is using recycled car batteries (and other larger scale batteries) to supply power in an ever-power-thirsty world is a good step in the right direction. 

And, I couldn’t help but think of Edison’s notion of having smaller power plants to produce DC power (as opposed to what we do today with large plants, power distribution, and AC power that was fleshed out from a Nikola Tesla idea) is sort of the answer as our power needs change. 

https://www.fastcompany.com/91534619/data-centers-are-breaking-the-electric-grid-meet-the-6-billion-startup-and-its-genius-ceo-solving-the-problem

NASA is making a powerful new ion engine to send astronauts to Mars — and it just passed its 1st test | Space

Flight readiness is still a ways off. But the theoretical ion engine that could propel humans into deep space just took a nice leap forward. 

NASA successfully tested an ion engine (one that feeds off an electromagnetic reaction rather than a chemical one) that can produce 120 kw. This should be sufficient to propel a craft to mars. 

I look forward to seeing how this goes. 

https://www.space.com/astronomy/mars/nasa-is-making-a-powerful-new-ion-engine-to-send-astronauts-to-mars-and-it-just-passed-its-1st-test

I’ll take any good news I can get…

Hello MoveOn friend,

Thank you for signing the petition to stop Trump and RFK Jr. 's chosen U.S. Surgeon General nominee, Casey Means. She was a completely unqualified wellness influencer, did not complete her medical residency, and doesn't hold an active medical license. Like RFK Jr., Means pushed an anti-science agenda that threats America's public health.

There isn't a lot of good health care news to share these days, but I did want to make sure you knew that our messages to our Senators actually worked. 

The Senate did not have enough support to confirm her nomination. So Trump announced on Truth Social today¹ that her replacement would be Fox News contributor and radiologist Dr. Nicole Saphier. Saphier will be his third nominee for the job. 

Affordable telescopes.

Technology has come quite a long way. There’s a low-cost telescope available that has some pretty cool optics, and appears to be much easier to control that the telescopes of the past. 

I was kind of intrigued:

https://www.seestar.com/products/seestar-s30-pro

And then I saw this:

https://youtu.be/-v8mIvP_zUA?si=ZN7zMy98haGD2FJ1

Putting them in series to do some mapping?! It sounds totally crazy but is so cool! And completely possible because of these technological advancements. 

Disney’s $60 billion bet on the one thing AI can’t replace

This is a long form article about, essentially, Disney betting big on physical experiences such as theme parks and cruise lines. 

It’s an interesting perspective to be sure. And they do point out that the other CEO that took over for Iger - chapek - was also investing in theme parks, but he was very big on the revenue and thus raised prices and cut amenities. 

Something D’Amaro appears less likely to do. But we'll see…

 

https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/technology/articles/disney-60-billion-bet-one-131500076.html

An interplanetary shortcut can speed up trips to Mars

In a way, this harkens back to the original moon missions.  Computers (ie, the people - mostly women - who did the computing by hand) figured out the most efficient way to get to the moon, orbit it, and come back to earth… and have a fairly precise landing spot (yes it was many 10s of miles, but it was a reasonable calculation in the 1960s). 

Here, a scientist looked at the path that a meteor took in its path between mars and earth, and figured out that we could theoretically have a “fairly short” trip to mars because of the orbital mechanics and whatnot. 

It’s a cool way to look at the way in which we can get to the red planet. 

https://phys.org/news/2026-04-interplanetary-shortcut-mars.html

A New Big Database of DNA From Indigenous Americans Shakes Up Scientists' Theories About Human Settlement of South America

I’m always fascinated by the fact that new discoveries can lead to new scientific concepts and update a long-held theory. 

Here’s another example of how indigenous people migrated between the Americas - and they did it in waves for various reasons is pretty remarkable. 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-big-database-of-dna-from-indigenous-americans-shakes-up-scientific-theories-about-human-settlement-of-south-america-180988628/

Namid Desert: Lost since 1533: This Renaissance merchant ship has resurfaced in the Namib Desert after 500 years | World News - The Times of India

So much to unpack in this story. It shows how ships were built. Unlocks some stories about how trad worked. Tells us a little about the human spirit. And of course creates new mysteries around how the ship wound up inland; probably through changing oceans? 

It’s always amazing what we can learn. 

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/lost-since-1533-this-renaissance-merchant-ship-has-resurfaced-in-the-namib-desert-after-500-years/articleshow/130574374.cms

Disneyland is now scanning your face at nearly every gate, sparking privacy concerns - Los Angeles Times

Oh dear. Privacy is basically a thing of the past, a quaint notion. 

Yeah, Disneyland is joining the fray of facial recognition. While they give the usual standby lines about need to protect itself and data being deleted in a short amount of time, it can be used in very many bad ways. 

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-04-28/disneyland-rolls-out-facial-recognition-at-park-entrances-heres-how-it-works

Walt Disney was an informant for the FBI. - History Facts

The attached is a very short summary of Walt's involvement with the DOJ, and more specifically the FBI.

Remember that Walt was a patriot (as defined in the 20s-60s) and believed in what this country stood for.  He was also a bit of an opportunist, so when it came time for WWII, he made propaganda cartoons and housed the military in his studios.

Walt was asked to join the House Unamerican Affairs Committee (which wanted to root out the evils of communism), and did so reluctantly and cautiously (by many accounts).  But he did have a few names to share with the committee.  One was a particular animator who "gave him trouble" and wanted to unionize, and apparently had maybe been engaged in some "subversive activity"

And because he was this sort of patriot and was beloved and well known, the house, the DOJ, and the FBI asked for any information he had going forward.

Was he an "informant?" Likely not.  Was he doing his part and staying in the good graces of the feds?  Almost certainly.

It was an interesting time, and Walt was savvy enough to know how to play the game (as it were)  

https://historyfacts.com/famous-figures/fact/walt-disney-was-an-informant-for-the-fbi/

Study links lung cancer to eating fruits and veg: What this means

Here’s a study that’s worth taking a look at.  Of course the headline itself is a little misleading.  The scientists break it down thoroughly in their study findings.  They studied people with healthy, plant-based diets and did discover the incidence of lung cancer was higher.

However, what they also discovered is that the reason wasn't the fruits and vegetables themselves, but rather the pesticides and remaining residue that people consumed on the plant matter.

Does that mean one shouldn't eat plants?  Of course not! It means that we need to find better ways to remove pesticides from them before ingestion (because we all know that the industry will not stop using pesticides; that is a losing battle!)

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/healthy-diet-higher-lung-cancer-risk-deciphering-surprising-link-study-pesticides-contraceptives

Archaeologists Found 115,000-Year-Old Human Footprints Where They Shouldn’t Be

This is  an interesting look at an archaeological find.  It shows a couple of things: (a) these appear to be homosaoiens, which tells us that these early humans wandered farther than we previously thought, (b) the reason for their wandering may have been related to the ice age, and (c) we really need to re-think what we think we know about our early ancestors.

And again, this underscores the beauty of science.  We have a notion of what early ancestors did, and where they traveled.  But, we can continue to learn and update those theories, because we gather more evidence,

https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/archaeology/a71129594/archaeologists-discover-ancient-human-footprints-change-migration-history/

The thousands of tons of banana pseudostems left rotting after each harvest are now being transformed into tissue paper and packaging materials, while a simple process using sodium hydroxide at 230°F is achieving pulp yields of up to 44 percent in April 2026 trials

Here’s an interesting concept: use banana stems and pulp, that otherwise goes to waste, to create tissue paper and other materials. 

In early tests, it can be done fairly cheaply, so this definitely has some potential. 

 

https://www.ecoticias.com/en/the-thousands-of-tons-of-banana-pseudostems-left-rotting-after-each-harvest-are-now-being-transformed-into-tissue-paper-and-packaging-materials-while-a-simple-process-using-sodium-hydroxide-at-230/31049/

A bit of a role model, and an inventor!

I read this article about the 15 year old inventor who came up with an invention to (cheaply!) use ocean currents to generate electricity. For it, she took home the top prize at a 3M young inventors challenge. 

https://dailygalaxy.com/2026/04/teen-built-electric-generator-using-ocean/

But that was - decade ago, and this woman has been extremely busy since!

She has had numerous inventions and ideas. She won a shark tank college inventors forum called “croc tank”

https://www.fau.edu/newsdesk/articles/croctank-funding-epipaws-fau-sharks-abc.php

And on and on. She’s quite determined, and prolific!

You can read more about her on her website.

https://www.hannahherbst.com/m_home.html

Now this is someone that should serve as a role model for young people. Be inquisitive and always try to find new ways to do things!

For 74,000 years, one ancient killer quietly dictated where early humans could survive across Africa

This is an interesting look at human migration.  Researchers examined where malaria was present through the history of Africa, and are suggesting that because malaria was deadly, it had a direct impact on human migration. 

That’s some critical thinking, and is pretty interesting to consider. 

https://phys.org/news/2026-04-years-ancient-killer-quietly-dictated.html

Disney's Lakeshore Lodge

Disney is on a never-ending quest to put their hand in your wallet in various ways.  One of those ways is through their "Disney Vacation Club" properties (a/k/a Time Shares) that exits around Walt Disney World.

They just keep popping up, and in my humble opinion ruin the aesthetics of the property on which they are built.  And as we saw during the pandemic, Disney has to make them available, regardless of extenuating circumstances, to comply with the contract language.

Anyway, pre-pandemic, Disney announced that they were removing the long-abandoned River Country water park, and were replacing it with another DVC property (between the Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness). The project was halted during the pandemic, but about a week ago, Disney made an announcement that it was back under construction and it has a preview and opening date planned.

https://www.disneytouristblog.com/disney-world-finally-reveals-new-lakeshore-lodge-concept-art-opening-timeline-details/

Researchers create fireproof building material from sawdust

Oooh. Ammonium magnesium phosphate, crushed watermelon seeds, and sawdust are combined to created a hard material that is fireproof. 

The secret is in the phosphate acting as an enzyme that binds the sawdust and the seeds provide a coating. 

A simple fireproof material that can be used in place of traditional particle board to protect buildings. Neat-o. 

https://www.dezeen.com/2026/04/14/sawdust-struvite-fireproof-material-eth-zurich-empa/

Meet the inventor dubbed 'Black Edison,' who beat Thomas Edison in court

Granville Woods is no household name. Yet, he was a prolific inventor who caught Edison’s attention … and in short, Edison used all manner of tactics to try and steal Woods’ inventions. 

The thing is that Woods had the misfortune of being black in America at a time when we were still overcoming slavery…. So he was never afforded the same deference as Edison. 

At least today, we can acknowledge the man and his accomplishments. Even if he died a poor man without much (if any!) recognition. 

 

https://www.wsj.com/business/granville-t-woods-patent-battles-edison-6744bfcf?mod=RSSMSN

Disney is Ruining its own theme parks

I made a recent visit to the Disney theme parks, and was struck by how everyone was so focused on their phones, and the next thing they were going to do, that they missed out on living in the moment.  

And with the price increases, and these "extras" you can add on for a fee (I'm looking at you Lighting Lane), you can see why people want to maximize their time in the parks.

Then, just to drive the point home, I got a survey from Disney that asked for my opinion about the technology they use and the relative cost of buying these extras.  Its clear that they are sensitive to what they are doing, but they are letting market forces drive them.

By the way, I did notice on this visit that there were a fair number of guests who hired Disney's own tour guides, which I suppose makes some sense because there's more of a return on that investment; they can navigate you around the park.  I had a chance to chat with one CastMember who was waiting for his guided family and he told me that particular family was pretty happy with how it was going and they got to see everything they wanted to that day. 

But.... its more complicated than that of course.  I happened to catch this video, where the host does a good job of laying it all out there, and wonders why Disney is ruining their theme parks.

https://youtu.be/GM7238HHbsQ?si=QRMXxsP2g1aVGgBa

Watch "Trump becomes a parody of himself as he runs out of answers and his base erodes" on YouTube

This is all so weird. And somehow we’ve normalized it.  Or fail to see it for what it is.  F Trump and all his supporters. 

https://youtu.be/4eGwnQc89lk?si=dLWHmSiR1M5yyUg3

Amanda Ungaro Arrived in the U.S. on Jeffrey Epstein's Plane at 17 — Now She's Going After Melania Trump From Brazil

This is such a bizarre story. And it includes the corruption that’s ever present…

Amanda Ungaro Arrived in the U.S. on Jeffrey Epstein's Plane at 17 — Now She's Going After Melania Trump From Brazil - Wealth of Geeks https://wealthofgeeks.com/amanda-ungaro-arrived-in-the-u-s-on-jeffrey-epsteins-plane-at-17-now-shes-going-after-melania-trump-from-brazil/

Artemis returns

Wow.  It was an amazing thing that happened!  The Artemis crew went off into space, circled the moon, and returned safely. They were at a fairly high altitude from the lunar surface, so in completing their mission, they became the humans that went the farthest from Earth - ever. The Apollo 13 astronauts were much closer to the lunar surface, so Artemis now holds the distinction.

They had a bit of a side mission to catalog as much of the moon as they could see, documeting, and taking photos and videos.  Many of the photos were beamed back to Earth in near-real time, so we could see them before the crew landed.  They also took a now 50-year-old tradition, which was started with the first Apollo mission to the moon, and had the opportunity to name a crater. Commander Reid's wife had died somewhat recently. and the other three crew decided that the crater would be named after his late wife.  Which was simply heartwarming.

We now have most of the moon captured in images, which is pretty cool.  We also got some amazing views of Earth - and in somei, the sun was eclipsed by the Earth!

But the one thing that got me was how spoiled we've become.  We had real time video and audio coming back from the crew (in actuality, its delayed by about 1.5 seconds each way, but that's less than the delay on terrestrial TV broadcasts which is about 7 seconds).  We lost contact with the crew as they went behind the moon, because the transmission waves follow a straight line, and the moon was blocking those waves.  That was totally expected.

What was more surprising was that the transmission cut out as the spacecraft re-entered Earth's atmosphere.  That's due to the plasma buildup on the vehicle.  But, with SpaceX missions, we have a constant live view and can see the plasma buildup.  And the reason for that is because SpaceX is using its starlink satellites to receive the transmission and beam that to Earth.  NASA doesn't have that capability.  And I admit I missed it.

In fact, the entirety of the return and recovery felt very much like the Apollo missions. You had grainy footage (with terrible white balance) from aircraft in the area.  You had "visualizations" that showed us what was happening (rather than the real thing).  You had a distant view from a ship when it splashed down.  And when they recovered the crew, they sent helicopters to fish them off of what amounts to a life raft, and hoisted them up and took them to a waiting ship.  Compare that with the SpaceX returns that have a recovery ship that quickly goes to retrieve the capsule and haul it onboard; astronauts then are helped onto the ship without the extra steps involved.

Anyway, it was totally amazing.  And to the science deniers who say we've never left Earth, I say: suck it.

Earth's Population Has Surpassed The Planet's Capacity, Study Suggests : ScienceAlert

A couple of scientists “did the math” and figured out what the optimal earth population should be, given factors like natural resources, food & water supply, etc. 

They note that while they have a number - and we have exceeded it - the other factor is that we have technology which allows us to extend beyond the resource limits. 

That said… their optimal number for population is about 2.5 billion. Our current earth population is around 8.3 billion. Which is a significant difference. They note that this is one reason we’re seeing problems with our ability to feed everyone. 

https://www.sciencealert.com/earths-population-has-surpassed-the-planets-capacity-study-suggests

The World's Largest Wind Farm Built to Power 3.3 Million Homes Just Flipped a Major Switch

Clean energy for the win. Essentially, the large wind farm in the North Sea was connected and a cable was laid to the UK coastline. 

Energy will now be provided to the grid, and that should be sufficient to power 3.3 million homes.  

https://dailygalaxy.com/2026/04/hornsea-3-offshore-wind-farm-export-first-cable-uk/

Watch "Wait, what? Trumps pastor Franklin Graham said this at the White House today. #trump #israel #iran" on YouTube

Well. I’ll be! 

https://youtube.com/shorts/an9D8G1BtjY?si=Zh1eHC1fzDbJaPd1

About the Iran military action

As I've noted many times in the past, it is nearly impossible to know what "truth" is, and the media is no help in finding it. Take the military action that is ongoing in Iran as an example.

T-rump gives updates, tells us how long he expects it to last (the ever changing goalpost), gives ultimatums, and the media just reports on that without probing further. 

We have no idea about the rationale or the objective of the conflict, though some will give what amounts to their opinion, or repeat what T-rump says.  It’s sad in a way. We should be better informed. 

We're also told about relative successes, while negative news is underreported. 

But, if you search outside of what we consider mainstream media, you get a different flavor of what's going on.  A couple of things I thought I would share:

• There was some amount of persuasion, focused on T-rump by warmongers and other nations, to get the United States involved. He had said no in his first term, but this time agreed to an offensive action. It’s unknown why he changed his mind, but this sudden change at least partially explains the lack of a clear objective. But no matter: in the end, it was his decision.  He - alone - owns it. 

• One of the things he tells us is that he wants to eliminate Iran’s nuclear program.  Which I find dubious. They have had the program for decades, and as they say, you can’t put a genie back in the bottle.

• Most of the middle east, and parts of Europe that are "nearby," have prohibited the US from using their airbases for any sort of offensive actions.  That means that aircraft carriers are the primary launching points for sorties.  However, the largest carrier (the Gerald Ford) had a fire, and had to exit the theater for major repairs (which may take a year to complete).  How the fire started is the subject of some discussion.  But reporting from outlets outside of the US, and even an offhand comment by T-rump, suggest that it may have been hit by an Iranian missile.

• Several tactical sites and planes used in general operations (which were at airbases in the Middle East or used in rescue operations), have been destroyed by what appear to be Iranian attacks.

• Russia is apparently helping Iran in some way.  In spite of T-rumps crush on Putin.

• The strait of Hormuz is now fully controlled by Iran, and they want to keep it that way, in order to control the world's oil supply (that is to say that T-rump's actions have changed the dynamic in the gulf, and emboldened Iran to make a power move).

• Its very unclear when (or maybe if?) oil prices will go down, worldwide

• Finally, there have been some strikes that appear to violate international law, and he’s announced others that there are absolutely against the convention about targeting civilians.  There is a strange report (from the person who received the call) that T-rump called a reporter and bragged about arming civilians in Iran.  All of these would be considered war crimes, and should be investigated further. 

And that’s just what’s top of mind. I have to say that it looks like there may be a “lasting legacy” if this keeps up. 

One thing I will add is that there are those who think that we can simply use our might to obliterate Iran.  I remind you that Russia had a similar plan in the Ukraine, and after years of attacks, it’s maybe not going so well.  

Also, I've heard it suggested that the US will simply release its strategic oil reserves to help stabilize prices and supply.  But that shows a lack of understanding about the oil reserve is.  And you can’t overlook the subtext about US oil production, which is also misunderstood.

As always, we prove to be moderately uneducated and are fed misinformation along the way.

Reps. Levin & Casten & SEEC Clean Energy Deployment Task Force Introduce the Energy Bills Relief Act | U.S. Congressman Mike Levin

Given rising gas prices, a supply issue, and the want to build more things that need to tap into electricity (like data centers), it's amazing to me there isn't more coverage of the topic. 

Americans are getting squeezed at the pump and in their utility bills. And it barely registers. 

So here's a bill that was introduced to help Americans. The energy bills relief act would address some of this and might actually help. 

Is it perfect? No. 

Does it address the broad problem and make some reasonable tradeoffs to help? Yes. 

Does it get any attention whatsoever? No. 

Is it likely to pass? As much as I'd hope so, I would assume the answer will be no. 

https://levin.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-levin-and-casten_seec-clean-energy-deployment-task-force-introduce-the-energy-bills-relief-act

A group of amateur astronomers has just “heard” a signal from 25 billion kilometers away, confirming that Voyager 1 is still transmitting from the outer reaches of the Solar System

Voyager 1 is still transmitting, and we are still receiving its signal. At 25 Billion kilometers away. Thats amazing. 

It takes light 24 hours to travel that distance. Voyager is about 173 times as far away from us, as the sun is. 

https://www.ecoticias.com/en/a-group-of-amateur-astronomers-has-just-heard-a-signal-from-25-billion-kilometers-away-confirming-that-voyager-1-is-still-transmitting-from-the-outer-reaches-of-the-solar-system/30278/

Disney and National Geographic Invite Audiences to ‘Step into Wonder’ This Earth Month to Celebrate and Explore the World Around Them

Earth Day is coming up, and Disney wants to help you to take it in.  

Not content to confine it to a single day, Disney is celebrating Earth Month in partnership with National Geographic.  It nicely fits within the idea of the True Life Adventures that Walt Disney himself created.

"For 138 years, National Geographic has been guided by a spirit of exploration that opens hearts as much as it expands minds," said Courteney Monroe, President, National Geographic. "With 'Step into Wonder,' we're putting that spirit at the center of Disney's Earth Month, creating a platform for stories that spark a love for our planet and inspire families to step outside and celebrate the everyday wonders of our world." 

https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/nat-geo-earth-month-2026/

The Astronaut walk out door

The Artemis astronauts emerged from their quarantine facility and took a moment to wave to the cameras before heading over to the launch pad.  

But did you know that this is *the same* walk out door that has been used throughout NASA's space flight program?  Yes, these astronauts quarantined in the same facility!

You can watch a short video I made on the topic here:

https://youtu.be/mh0O-vZvGGQ

By the way, one intriguing thing is that this crew is made up of one white American, one woman, one African American man, and a Canadian man.  It's a more representative group of people than the old three-man white American crews we saw in the 70s. Details here: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/our-artemis-crew/ 

Artemis Moon Mission

I'm just barely old enough to remember the first moon landing in 1969 (my parents woke me up and I have a recollection of the grainy video on our TV, of Neil Armstrong stepping out onto the lunar surface).  And I've essentially been a fan of the whole space program ever since. 

Those of you who know me know that my graduate research was a NASA-funded grant related to the Space Shuttle. So you likely know that I am a BIG fan of the space program (hence why there are regular posts about space!).

NASA committed to a return to the moon (more on that in a moment), and they recently stepped up the program from its fairly slow pace, to try and make it happen sooner.

Artemis is the name of the program, and that name comes from Greek Mythology. Artemis was the goddess of the hunt and the wilderness, which makes a lot of sense. 

You had the Artemis 1 launch that sent an unmanned craft around the moon in 2022.  Artemis 2  launched this week, which has a crew of four astronauts heading around the moon. They won't be landing, but what better way to see how these missions will go than by sending astronauts to the moon as we did with Apollo!

Now to the pressing question, and what the media can't quite get: why are we returning to the moon after 50 years?  The answer lies in our human need to explore. The next great frontier is space.  We have a (tentative?) plan to create a new space station, and there is a desire to build a moon base. They're all part of the nature of continued exploration.

And there's also some measure of scientific discovery in this moon return.  There are some hints as to the universe's origins on the lunar surface, and perhaps we can start to get more insights into the Earth's weather, since the moon has a direct impact on the tides and therefore contributes to our climate.

But... of course there  is the elephant in the room.  You can talk about nationalism, pride, exploration, and science.  But without a financial motivator, there is no reason to return.  

In case you wondered, the moon may have some significant mineral deposits which have some value. And there's deeper space to explore and (to a point) exploit.  Those are certainly motivating factors, too.

  

Further reading:

https://www.thetimes.com/us/news-today/article/why-are-we-going-to-the-moon-artemis-nasa-again-89dsbs29f

Archaeologists may have found the grave of the legendary "fourth musketeer" - Ars Technica

Another intriguing mystery. Archeologists have unearthed what they believe to be the remains of musketeer D'Artgan

Whether it is him or not remains to be seen. But the signs certainly point to it being him.  

https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/03/archaeologists-may-have-found-the-grave-of-the-legendary-fourth-musketeer/

Don’t let the door hit you in the butt …

Here's to hoping that one day, justice catches up with her …

Hubble images taken 25 years apart show big changes in the iconic Crab Nebula — Space photo of the week | Live Science

Nice! Using celestial images to show how expansion takes place in the universe.  

https://www.livescience.com/space/hubble-images-taken-25-years-apart-show-big-changes-in-the-iconic-crab-nebula-space-photo-of-the-week

More than half of World Cup countries face extra costs as Fifa fails to agree US tax deal | World Cup 2026 | The Guardian

Another interesting problem, related to the World Cup.  

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/apr/02/world-cup-countries-face-extra-costs-fifa-tax-deal-us-government

A School District Tried to Help Train Waymos to Stop for School Buses. It Didn’t Work | WIRED

I was driving behind a waymo yesterday and was thinking about the "problem" that Waymo's aren't truly autonomous and use a driver in the Philippines to "help"…

That the entirety of the business model is smoke and mirrors. And here's another example of how they don't learn something that's relevant to actual driving. And, there's an underlying problem that tickets aren't issued to a driver, and the company may or may not be responsibly be paying and learning from infractions. 

https://www.wired.com/story/a-school-district-tried-to-help-train-waymos-to-stop-for-school-buses-it-didnt-work/

High School Student, 18, Invents Filter That Eliminate 95.5% of Microplastics

I live hearing about young people tackling problems. Here a high school student came up with a ferrofluid, essentially magnets, that attracts the microplastics in a tank and leaves clean water. 

Excellent approach that may yield some innovation. 

https://people.com/high-school-student-18-invents-filter-that-eliminate-96-of-microplastics-11932477

Scientists testing new scanning technology discover mysterious structure beneath an ancient Egyptian city

Gotta love this leap forward, using traditional methods of searching, some 3D modeling, and satellite views. 

The results of this study demonstrate the effectiveness of combining geophysical measurements and remote sensing data, which gave a very accurate vision in detecting buried settlements in a complex region

https://phys.org/news/2026-03-scientists-scanning-technology-mysterious-beneath.html

New quantum sensor could replace satellites for GPS-free navigation

Color me intrigued! A "quantum sensor" may be a reliable - and more accurate, without the need for satellite coverage - replacement for GPS. 

And it's about to get a full scale test in space, after being deployed overnight. 

https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/quantum-sensor-launch-into-space-spacex

The U.S. Will Require Travelers From 50 Countries to Pay Up to $15,000 to Visit—What to Know

I'm sorry. But this is insanity. Bad enough they opted to make the rules racist at their core. But the rules are so complicated. 

https://www.travelandleisure.com/us-visa-bond-requirement-for-travelers-11932070

Watch "South African innovator finds low-cost solution for potholes" on YouTube

Now that's innovation. https://youtu.be/gtVQ_GE7HKo?si=3Ec1ClVv59FpeUiq

The Billion-Dollar Pivot: Fans Tell Disney Exactly How to Spend the Scrapped OpenAI Windfall

A couple of weeks ago, Disney exited a deal with OpenAI to provide some service to Disney.  I was very unclear on the objective, but it turned out to be a bad fit, so they opted out.

And that leaves Disney with around a billion dollars of capital that otherwise would have been invested in that relationship.

Inside The Magic did a little dreaming, and invited Disney fans to weigh in on ways that Disney could spend that money.  Here's what they came up with: mostly it focused on the theme parks, and lowering the costs to guests.

Read about it here:

https://insidethemagic.net/2026/03/disney-has-an-extra-1-billion-after-openai-deal-fell-through-fans-have-ideas-on-how-disney-can-spend-that-money-rl1/

Land animals evolved from ocean ancestors – new study unravels the genetics behind the transition

This is a summary of an extensive research paper about how land animals evolved from sea creatures around 550 million years ago.

They studied the genetics of animals and found that there are specific things that the animals adapted to in their new environment. 

While the summary is interesting, I encourage you to read the detailed paper. 

 

https://theconversation.com/land-animals-evolved-from-ocean-ancestors-new-study-unravels-the-genetics-behind-the-transition-278609

US scientists turn bourbon waste into high-performance electrodes

Here's a use for "stillage," that is the waste byproduct of distilling bourbon. 

It turns out that the material makes a great material for supercapacitors - an energy storage device that's similar to a battery in this context. 

Creativity for the win. 

https://interestingengineering.com/science/us-bourbon-waste-electrodes-supercapacitors

This Popular Food Was Found to Remove Microplastics from the Human Body in a New Study

Kimchi is a delicious solution to the problem of microplastics accumulating in the human body. 

In summary "The lactic acid bacterium found in the dish helps bind nanoplastics inside the intestine, allowing them to remain together when exiting through the bowel."

The answer is that we should all be eating more fermented vegetables. 

https://people.com/popular-food-found-to-remove-microplastics-from-human-body-new-study-11932883

Wind & Solar Generated A Record 17% Of U.S. Electricity In 2025 - CleanTechnica

In spite of the derision, we've reached a point where wind and solar power generation in the US combined to provide about 17% of the total power in 2025. 

It's only a modest increase over 2024, but it's nice to see it headed in the right direction. 

https://cleantechnica.com/2026/03/20/wind-solar-generated-a-record-17-of-u-s-electricity-in-2025/

Ultra-fast EV truck charger hits 1 MW using just 500 kW grid power

Here's a novel approach to fast, high capacity charging that larger vehicles need. 

What researchers have done is to integrate several components, and a little bit of electronic management.  They created a system that can draw smaller amounts of power at any given time by using batteries and other pieces of tech to increase the amount of power and allow for speed an efficiency - at over 98% efficient it blows away current fast charging. 

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/mega-ev-truck-charger

Chinese Orbiter Crushes Starlink With a 2-Watt Laser From 36,000km Above Earth

A team in China has developed a laser that can transmit data from a high earth orbit to a ground station that far exceeds the data stream that SpaceX uses in starlink. 

It's the next evolutionary step in seamlessly transmitting data from deep space - and to allow for transmission worldwide in near-real time via a satellite. 

With fewer satellites, and the potential for lower cost. 

https://dailygalaxy.com/2026/03/chinese-satellite-outpaces-starlink-2-watt-laser-from-orbit/

Humans in The Andes Appear to Have Evolved a Strange Genetic Ability : ScienceAlert

Here's a story about people in a region of Argentina, high in the Andes, who have evolved to be able to process high levels of arsenic. 

Humans have lived there for over 7,000 years, and the arsenic level in the water is 200 times what is considered the safe limit. Yet, these people have thrived there. 

Another amazing example of adaption and a form of evolution to meet the surroundings. 

Aside: there are some among us who stupidly ask why there are still monkeys if we evolved from them. I would ask why are they still here if some have evolved to process arsenic? That's clearly an ability they don't have, ergo they shouldn't exist, right?

https://www.sciencealert.com/humans-in-the-andes-appear-to-have-evolved-a-strange-genetic-ability

https://www.sciencealert.com/chernobyl-fungus-seems-to-have-evolved-an-incredible-ability#

Check this out. Inside of the still very radioactive reactor at Chernobyl, scientists have found a fungus clinging to the wall. And it's thriving. They believe the way it lives is through a process is something like photosynthesis, but they're calling it radiosynthesis given the way it soaks up radiation. 

Life seems to always find a way. 

https://www.sciencealert.com/chernobyl-fungus-seems-to-have-evolved-an-incredible-ability

Incredible new NASA images reveal Saturn in a new light — and it's all thanks to a telescope team-up from Webb and Hubble | Space

Using the Hubble Space Telescope, scientists took some amazing visible light photos of Saturn. 

Then, they turned the James Webb Space Telescope to it, and got some incredible infrared shots of Saturn. 

Using both, they currently have a pretty detailed look at our celestial neighbor. 

https://www.space.com/astronomy/saturn/incredible-new-nasa-images-reveal-saturn-in-a-new-light-and-its-all-thanks-to-a-telescope-team-up-from-webb-and-hubble

ISS observes an unknown phenomenon 55 miles above Earth - Earth.com

NASA is using some high tech equipment to view atmospheric disturbances - literally waves in the Mesosphere that can't be seen with the naked eye - in order to better understand how our weather functions. 

In particular, they used the telemetry to watch hurricane Helene, so they could see how the hurricane formed and moved. 

I look forward to seeing how they use this data to help better understand hurricanes and maybe protect against them. 

But please don't tell anyone in this administration that we're looking at climate science. 

https://www.earth.com/news/iss-observes-airglow-atmospheric-waves-awe-mission-55-miles-above-earth/

Jared Kushner’s conflicts of interest become even more controversial

Son-in-law and "Jack of all trades" made his way into the news once again.  There's some reporting by the NY Times (behind a paywall), and a summary in the second link.  The first includes another summary plus a clip of Rachel Maddow talking about it.

As a summary, Kushner has had *private dealings* with Saudi Arabia in his business of private equity.  They (the country and prominent individuals) have invested significant sums (like, billions) into his company and he is helping broker a deal for them to purchase Electronic Arts (you know, an American gaming company, which would now be foreign owned - Make America Great!).  

He is also the chief envoy to middle east affairs.  He has met in a weirdly official US capacity with Iran, Israel, and Saudi Arabia - without any official title (and likely in violation of federal law).  Conflict of interests abound, and because he doesn't have a title, he doesn't have to report on the money he accepts.

Anyway, Saudi Arabia rather publicly lobbied for the US to attack Iran, and then we did.  And perhaps not surprisingly, since the attack began, Sadia Arabia's crown prince has shown up on the White House call log frequently. 

The thing to remember is that for T-rump its always. ALWAYS.  About the money, and enriching himself.

If only we had some means of looking into this and holding everyone accountable for their actions.  Too bad the DOJ is totally corrupt, and Congress turns a blind eye, isn't it?

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/jared-kushners-conflicts-of-interest-become-even-more-controversial

https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sjzbkfby11l#

Watch "Inside The Kitchen Making 30,000 Meals For The Oscars" on YouTube

This is wild to watch.  So.  Much. Planning.  

https://youtu.be/66iCIfoCIVA?si=2J6JIOz6pXGH-A_7

Stop Anti-Voter Bills Now | American Civil Liberties Union

https://action.aclu.org/send-message/stop-anti-voter-bills-now