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Miscellaneous (General/Chat)

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  • Jasmine Crockett is upset that a “28 year old single mother of five” had to increase her work hours after her food stamps were cut. My question: Where is the father of these five children?

    05/28/2025 12:29:29 PM PDT · by grundle · 51 replies
    Wordpress ^ | May 28, 2025 | Dan from Squirrel Hill
    Jasmine Crockett is upset that a “28 year old single mother of five” had to increase her work hours after her food stamps were cut.My question: Where is the father of these five children?https://youtube.com/watch?v=T4NjMZ5ss0g
  • One minute video with two very different opinions about why some neighborhoods are nicer than others.

    05/28/2025 12:06:17 PM PDT · by grundle · 11 replies
    Twitter ^ | May 28, 2025 | Daniel Alman from Squirrel Hill @DanielAlmanPGH
    One minute video with two very different opinions about why some neighborhoods are nicer than others.
  • A Desperate Haiti Turns to Erik Prince, Trump Ally, in Fight Against Gangs

    05/28/2025 12:01:52 PM PDT · by ransomnote · 8 replies
    NYTimes ^ | May 28, 2025 | David C. Adams, Frances Robles and Mark Mazzetti
    Erik Prince, a private military contractor and prominent supporter of President Trump, is working with Haiti’s government to conduct lethal operations against gangs that are terrorizing the nation and threatening to take over its capital.Mr. Prince, the founder of Blackwater Worldwide, signed a contract to take on the criminal groups that have been killing civilians and seizing control of vast areas of territory, according to senior Haitian and American government officials and several other security experts familiar with Mr. Prince’s work in Haiti.Haiti’s government has hired American contractors, including Mr. Prince, in recent months to work on a secret task...
  • Haitian police appear to use drones in fight against gangs

    05/28/2025 11:58:48 AM PDT · by ransomnote · 1 replies
    scrippsnews.com ^ | 5/28/2025 | scrippsnews.com
    SNIPErik Prince, founder of the private military contractor Blackwater, has signed a contract to help combat the gangs that now control much of the Haitian capital, according to The New York Times. He is also reportedly working to recruit American military veterans and other mercenaries for possible deployment this summer.The reported development comes as the Haitian government turns to weaponized drones in its fight against armed groups. Police posted video that appeared to show drone strikes targeting gang members, but the footage has since been removed.
  • 10 Things You Can Do in Japan (And Not the US)

    05/28/2025 9:44:24 AM PDT · by DallasBiff · 38 replies
    Halfway Anywhere ^ | 2/13/25 | By Mac
    One of my favorite things about traveling is being able to see how laws and social taboos (what silly things they are) change across countries. Differences between Japan and the United States extend beyond simply bowing and taking off your shoes to enter places. The following ten things are not only rare in the United States, but most of them are also illegal. And so naturally, I feel compelled to do all of them whilst adventuring in the Land of the Rising Sun. Snip Buy Cigarettes from Vending Machines Japan has an interesting relationship with cigarettes. Should you need a...
  • Rare mint allergy leaves woman wishing she was 'allergic to peanuts' instead

    05/28/2025 8:45:23 AM PDT · by DallasBiff · 10 replies
    Fox News ^ | 5/28/25 | Peter Burke
    A Virginia archaeologist who is allergic to mint said her reaction is so severe that she's been hospitalized because of a stranger's "toothpaste breath" from three feet away. Kyleigh Digiovanni, 25, of York, Virginia, has found it painful to brush her teeth ever since she was a child, but her family initially thought she was just being "fussy," she shared with news agency SWNS. (See the video at the top of this article.) When Digiovanni started to tell family members that her toothpaste "burned" — and when she got red rashes on the inside of her mouth at age 10...
  • Italy’s right-wing government, Israel’s former prime minister join call for Israel to end war in Gaza “The bombing must end,” the Italian foreign minister said.

    05/28/2025 7:09:18 AM PDT · by Miami Rebel · 30 replies
    Jewish Telegraph Agency ^ | May 28, 2025 | Philissa Cramer
    Italy’s right-wing government has joined with Germany, France, Canada and the United Kingdom in calling on Israel to end its military campaign in Gaza. “The legitimate reaction of the Israeli government to a terrible and senseless act of terrorism is unfortunately taking absolutely dramatic and unacceptable forms, which we call on Israel to stop immediately,” Antonio Tajani, the Italian foreign minister, said in an address to parliament on Tuesday. “The bombing must end, humanitarian assistance must resume as soon as possible, respect for international humanitarian law must be restored,” he added. Later, alluding to calls by U.S. President Donald Trump...
  • Paris and Berlin join EU calls for crackdown on Hungary over pride ban

    05/28/2025 6:26:11 AM PDT · by Tench_Coxe · 38 replies
    The majority of EU countries — including France and Germany — want the European Commission to crack down on Hungary over Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s plan to ban upcoming Pride celebrations in Budapest, according to a joint statement seen by POLITICO. (snip) Another EU official said momentum was building in capitals to use the nuclear option — stripping Hungary of its voting rights in the European Council via so-called Article 7 proceedings. In order to do so, a four-fifths majority of EU countries would first need to vote that Budapest has violated the EU treaty. Then, 26 countries (all EU...
  • The Terrifying Theory of Stupidity You Were Never Meant to Hear – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

    05/28/2025 4:34:35 AM PDT · by ShadowAce · 54 replies
    youtube ^ | 27 May 2025 | Philosophy Coded
    What if stupidity isn’t about intelligence at all, but about surrendering the will to think? In this chilling and timely video essay, we explore Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s theory of stupidity — a terrifying insight into how smart, well-meaning people can become blind instruments of destruction. Drawing on Bonhoeffer’s life, the psychology of conformity, Milgram’s obedience experiments, social media echo chambers, and the rise of AI-driven misinformation, we reveal why stupidity isn't a lack of intellect — it's a surrender of critical thought. 👉 Why do intelligent people support dangerous ideas? 👉 How does groupthink override personal judgment? 👉 What does it...
  • 'No sign of respite' in global warming for coming years, UN says

    05/28/2025 4:04:34 AM PDT · by Oldeconomybuyer · 61 replies
    France24 ^ | May 28, 2025
    The United Nations warned Wednesday there is a 70 percent chance that average warming from 2025 to 2029 will exceed the 1.5 degrees Celsius international benchmark. The planet is therefore expected to remain at historic levels of warming after the two hottest years ever recorded in 2023 and 2024, according to an annual climate report published by the World Meteorological Organization, the UN's weather and climate agency. "We have just experienced the 10 warmest years on record," said the WMO's deputy secretary-general Ko Barrett. "Unfortunately, this WMO report provides no sign of respite over the coming years, and this means...
  • Rejecting US GHF - non-answer to "why not as an intl. humanitarian aid org. back this structure if this is what the Govt. of Israel requires in order to feed 2M people?"

    05/27/2025 7:19:35 PM PDT · by Words Matter · 5 replies
    Those rejecting GHF humanitarian Aid backed by US/Israel. An empty long blah blah non-answer to a simple question. As if it was so "humanely" when UN handled it... (Ciaran Donnelly of IRC). Geee. I thought it's urgent and there is no time for tests or "honor" stuff. _____ PBS NewsHour, 5.27.25. Nick Schifrin: But, in some ways, if this is the structure that Israel is demanding, why not as an international humanitarian aid organization back this structure if this is what the government of Israel requires in order to feed two million people? Ciaran Donnelly: The starting point for our...
  • Rick Derringer Dead at 77

    05/27/2025 5:44:57 PM PDT · by chuck allen · 45 replies
    Ultimate Classic Rock ^ | 5/27/25 | Bryan Rolli
    Rick Derringer, the guitarist, songwriter and producer who wrote or contributed to a body of hits spanning decades, died on Monday at the age of 77. Derringer's caretaker, Tony Wilson, shared the news on Facebook, and Guitar Player later reported it. The guitarist's wife, Jenda Derringer, told TMZ he died "peacefully" in his sleep after being taken off life support following a medical episode. Born Richard Dean Zehringer on Aug. 5, 1947, in Celina, Ohio, and raised in the nearby Fort Recovery, Derringer began his burgeoning music career in earnest when he received his first guitar on his ninth birthday....
  • How Does Gender Affirming Surgery Work? - Gender Equality Network

    05/27/2025 1:31:43 PM PDT · by DallasBiff · 19 replies
    Gender Equality Network ^ | 1/26/25 | Gender Equality Network
    How Does Gender Affirming Surgery Work? In this informative video, we will provide an overview of gender affirming surgery, a vital aspect of transgender healthcare. We will break down the various types of surgeries available for individuals transitioning to align their physical bodies with their gender identities. From feminizing surgeries for trans women to masculinizing surgeries for trans men, each procedure is tailored to meet the unique needs of the individual. Additionally, we will touch on options available for non-binary individuals, highlighting the diversity of choices in this area.
  • Vadym Novynskyi: Zelensky’s Mission to End Christianity in Ukraine & Why America Is Still Funding It Video—1/2 hour

    05/27/2025 6:01:26 AM PDT · by Phoenix8 · 16 replies
    YouTube ^ | 5/23/2025 | Tucker Carlson
    Do Americans have any idea that Zelensky has declared war on Christianity in Ukraine? Vadym Novynskyi knows. He spent three terms in the Ukrainian parliament but now risks prison for defending his church.
  • Andor v. Star Trek: How Star Wars gets government right

    05/26/2025 2:25:02 PM PDT · by grundle · 30 replies
    YouTube ^ | May 5, 2025 | Reason TV
    Andor v. Star Trek: How Star Wars gets government right
  • 15 Examples of Regretful MAGA Folks Who Messed Around and Found Out After Voting for Trump

    05/26/2025 1:27:22 PM PDT · by DallasBiff · 50 replies
    The Root ^ | 4/10/25 | Kalyn Womack
    There is a new trend of voters who chose President Donald Trump on the ballot speaking out against their vote and voicing their regrets now that they’ve had a few months to experience his presidency. These TikTok videos vary from satires to teary-eyed testimonials to cringy confessions that honestly don’t even seem real. However, it is astounding the amount of people — from a variety of backgrounds — who are denouncing the very man they just knew would help them prosper. The ignorance that blinded people from his racist, fascist, money-hungry ideals is beginning to lift slowly but surely.
  • DEFENSE.GOV | Memorial Day is an annual day of remembrance to honor all those who died in service to the U.S. during peacetime and war. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. local time.

    05/26/2025 10:56:40 AM PDT · by ransomnote · 11 replies
    DEFENSE.GOV ^ | 5/26/2025 | DEFENSE.GOV
  • LIVE AND IN PROGRESS: Trump, Hegseth Honor Fallen Service Members (Streaming video)

    05/26/2025 9:20:14 AM PDT · by ransomnote · 6 replies
    defense.gov ^ | 5/26/2025 | Trump et. al.
  • Eurovision winner wants Israel excluded from 2026 contest over Gaza war

    05/26/2025 8:00:49 AM PDT · by DallasBiff · 14 replies
    Reuters ^ | 5/22/25 | Reuters
    MADRID, May 22 (Reuters) - Austrian singer JJ, who won this year's Eurovision Song Contest, called in an interview published on Thursday for Israel to be excluded from the 2026 edition in Vienna due to the war in Gaza. Eurovision, which stresses its political neutrality, faced controversy again this year linked to the war. An Israeli military campaign has killed over 53,000 Palestinians in Gaza, the enclave's health authorities say, since Hamas militants' cross-border attack on October 7, 2023 that killed around 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies.
  • Ahmad Batebi's X post on Death of Michael Ledeen

    05/26/2025 7:38:32 AM PDT · by nuconvert · 7 replies
    X ^ | May 18,2025
    Writing about the death of #MichaelLedeen is something I always feared a quiet dread I carried in my heart for years. Today, with overwhelming sorrow, I find myself doing just that. @michaelledeen was everything. Everything I have today my safety, my second chance, my voice I owe to him and his beloved wife, Barbara. In 2008, after surviving a decade of imprisonment and torture in the Islamic Republic in #Iran, I managed to escape to Iraq. It was Michael who intervened. He engaged directly with the U.S. government and secured my entry into the United States as a political refugee....