Are memories formed on a blank slate? EurekAlert
‘Speeding’ Science: TikTok trend causes chaos, church says ‘hate crime’ Los Angeles Times
Death Valley National Park is enjoying its first major bloom in a decade starting in March/April 2026, driven by record winter rainfall (1.7 – 2.5+ inches) that has transformed the desert into lush carpets of yellow, pink, and purple flowers.pic.twitter.com/YgaHskYSlM
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) April 28, 2026
Climate/Environment
European State of the Climate 2025: record heat waves from the Mediterranean to the Arctic, while glaciers shrink and ice cover declines World Meteorological Organization
Poleward migration of warm Circumpolar Deep Water towards Antarctica Nature
We’re Blowing Up America’s Forests With the Mother Jones Roundup
The pursuit of ‘green energy’ minerals is harming the world’s most vulnerable climate and Capitalism
April 2026 was an unusually full month of hail Balanced Weather
An epidemic
Here’s the CDC’s CDC Tested MedPage Today Vaccine Vaccine Paper
Japan
The Specter of Stagflation Watching Japan
China?
Christian Zionism Comes to the Chinese Mind BettBeat Media
MSS Reveals: Foreign Organizations Are Heavily Funding “Lying Influencers” and Systematically Conducting “Subtle Lies” Security Ministry WeChat (Translation by Sinocism)
China’s preparedness Warwick Powell
Syracistan
Lebanon: New IPC analysis shows increasing conflict pushing almost a quarter of the population into severe food insecurity World Food Program
Israeli navy intercepts Global Sumud Flotilla ships bound for Gaza Anadolu Agency
Israeli maps show extended zone of military control in Gaza Reuters
Growing Rat Infestation Hits Gaza Drop Site Tent Cities
Soldier Suicides Continue As IDF Scales Back Mental Health Support Haaretz
***
Trump Beaten and Showorn Lives in Flaccid ‘Forever-Blockade’ Strat as Broken-Down Carrier Limps Home Simplicius
Scoop: Administration to brief Trump on Iran’s new military options Thursday Axios
US Wants to Deploy Hypersonic Missiles for First Time Against Iran Bloomberg
The breakup of Europe
Iran war costs EU €500M per day, von der Leyen warns Politico
The German government is planning major cuts to health, pensions and social benefits WSWS
Berlin deepens military ties with Washington as Merz-Trump rift widens Politico
Albania, US firms sign $6bn LNG deal to boost Balkan energy security Intellinews
Africa
Algeria and the Sahel Amid the Conflict in Mali Sawahil
O Canada
$200 Per Barrel Oil Is Out Of The Question – And Will Hurt Canada’s Health Care System Dougald Lamont
Old Blighty
‘Full force’ of Iran war to hit food prices soon, supermarkets warn The Telegraph
The New Cold War
Putin, Trump discussed on May 9, the situation around Iran TASS
Russia did not want a military presence in other countries in Central Asia, says defense minister Intellinews
“The Myths of ‘Russian Aggression.'” The Flautist
The Ministry of Culture sends inspectors to the Venice Biennale through the Russian Pavilion ANSA
South of the Border
US, Latin American countries condemn China’s retaliation via Panama Canal Al Jazeera
Who is the ‘Big Bad Wolf’ in China-Latin America cooperation? The US should look in the mirror of the Global Times
Epstein’s story
Pam Bondi to appear before House oversight panel over Epstein files The Guardian
Trump 2.0
Trump’s plan to add work requirements to public housing Can we rule anymore?
At the White House, First Lady Melania Trump hosts Queen Camilla and children participating in a multi-education program using Meta VR headsets, April 2026. pic.twitter.com/eFZPWRZUYW
– Future Adam Curtis B-Roll (@adamcurtisbroll) April 29, 2026
***
Is the Department of Justice lying about Saturday’s “shooting”? Doomsday Scenario
The “Good Liberal” Un-Diplomatic Assassin
The GOP Funhouse
Johnson dismisses farm bill revolt to pass reconciliation budget 2.0 The Hill
Democracies are simple
‘Dangerous and Shameful’: 42 House Democrats Help GOP Send Trump Check Bill to Senate Common Dreams
The Democratic Alliance’s Senior Surveillance Bill – While Hitting Its Votes Lever
Big Brother is Watching You
Gov. Wes Moore Wants Maryland to Ban Food Control Prices. It didn’t happen. The Boondoggle
Imperial Collapse Watch
Necessary Proximity Without Trust: Russia, Iran and the Emerging Anti-Coercion Order Kautilya the Contemplator
The Accelerationists
Exclusive: US Tech Giant Where Employees Wear IDF Uniforms to Work Nate Bear
The Supremes
Will the Voting Rights Act fall victim to the fall of the Soviet Union? Tony Karon
Supreme Court Signs It May Let Trump Kill TPS for Haitians and Syrians – Regardless of Internal Migration Evidence
Immigration to another country
Fears and Opportunities: Immigration Scams on the Rise as Trump Sweepers Lure Desperate People to Zealous Scammers ProPublica
Academe qualifications
How YouTube Took Over America’s Classroom WSJ
Should schools do away with homework? Some teachers say yes to NPR
The AI
AI Bots Told Scientists How to Make Biological Weapons New York Times
Google ink deal gives Pentagon access to ‘decentralized work’ AI models: Cradle Report
Major New Report Warns That Flawed AI Content Market Is Accelerating Center for ‘Content Cannibalization’ of Journalism and Freedom.
It’s just crazy. Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Meta combined spend more money than the Manhattan Project *every single month*. More than 12x the Manhattan Project every year.
And what do they have to show?
There are no big profit makers in AI; no one has… pic.twitter.com/1XeMRxDcQX
— Gary Marcus (@GaryMarcus) April 29, 2026
Finally, the AI feature we all want and need: Amazon is now creating an AI “podcast” about products where two AI “hosts” discuss the product and take your questions as if it were a walk-in show. pic.twitter.com/iSFMYrZeI3
— Katie Notopoulos (@katienotopoulos) April 29, 2026
Crapification
Your Meal Was Bad on Purpose Bad on Purpose
“FREE”
RFK Jr. He talked about ‘raising’ children on health farms. We visit one that inspired NPR
The economy
Oil Hits High on War Time Report US Looks at Iran Military Options Bloomberg
it’s not good if the price of gas literally means his system can’t handle how fast prices are rising pic.twitter.com/OYGWxfUVt4
— Matthew Zeitlin (@MattZeitlin) April 29, 2026
Aramco suspends LPG shipments in May due to war damage at Saudi export facilities The Cradle
On the contrary, @WSJ: A broken or no OPEC+ is a disaster for the US oil industry and foreign policy.
No OPEC+ = Wild Price Volatility = Gut punch for expensive US shale oil, first victim when oversupply appears.
Have people already forgotten 2015 and 2020?
More… pic.twitter.com/puA8SSf8Zw
— Bob McNally (@Bob_McNally) April 29, 2026
I think the UAE’s decision to leave OPEC+ has nothing to do with oil.
Of course since the UAE was the only country other than the Saudis with spare power, they may have had a beef with the quotas themselves.
But the real problem is time. Why now? SoH is closed…
— JH (@CRUDEOIL231) April 29, 2026
Bezzle
California’s high-speed rail price tag jumps to $231B, nearly seven times the 2008 KMPH rate. At this rate it will be worth a trillion in the early 2100s.
Class War
Why Didn’t Zohran Do More to Improve Programming? Labor Politics
Claire Valdez Wants to Bring Labor to Congress Hamilton Nolan
Electorism As Containment: The Reproduction of Liberal Hegemony Within the US Left William Murphy
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s links and the Antidote du Jour here.
