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The crew of Artemis II set a record for the farthest-traveled humans from Earth, and they still could not get away from Donald Trump. The mission had a 45-minute blackout from communication with Earth while flying over the dark side of the moon, and Donald Trump was waiting for them when they came out of it.
The astronauts had a very uncomfortable and awkward 12-minute Earth-to-space call, facilitated by NASA administrator and Trump acolyte, Jared Isaacman. During the call, Trump told the astronauts how they would be honored if he got their autographs. They were also honored by Trump blowing smoke up their asses and telling them that he had saved NASA from extinction when, in reality, he tried to cut their budget by 24% when he returned to office for his second term. Not just that, (snip-MORE)
And now, this brilliant story from a friend of the blog:
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) โ On Easter Sunday, Godโs chosen in the White House issued a vulgar and unbalanced posting on his โTruth Socialโ that epitomizes the insanity of his Iran War. Attending to it closely will help us understand how Trump has strengthened the government of the Islamic Republic and put it in control of global energy. Trump fondly imagines that he can dislodge Iran from this new ascendancy, but he is wrong, since it depends on sabotage, a sabotage that cannot be policed.
This is embarrassing, Delete it, President โฆ@realDonaldTrumpโฉ – unless you want everyone to think youโve lost your marbles.
The foul language and clear mental imbalance visible in this announcement sparked a further round of calls for Trumpโs removal under Article 25 of the Constitution, which is nothing more than an internet meme since Trump has surrounded himself on his cabinet with people even more certifiable than he is, and who wouldnโt dare move against him.
Trump, having imbibed whatever substance it is that makes him manic, announced that โTuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!!โ
He is repeating a threat he made previously, to bomb Iranโs civilian electricity-generating plants as well as its civilian bridges.
Iran has 98 major power plants fueled by fossil gas, which generate 85% of the countryโs electricity. The largest, the Damavand power plant south of the capital, Tehran, has a generating capacity of over 2.8 gigawatts.
One of Iranโs power plants is nuclear, at Bushehr. If Trump or Israel bombs it, the consequent radiation pollution will deeply harm the Arab Gulf states, not only through airborne particles but also by contaminating sea water, which is drawn on by the regionโs desalinization plants. This exposure to radiation would certainly increase cancer risk in the region. There are mountains between Bushehr and the Iranian interior, so the radioactive particles would be blown west toward other countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Striking civilian power plants, and above all nuclear ones, endangers the noncombatant population of children, women and unarmed men and violates International Humanitarian Law.
In fact, the International Criminal Court in the Hague issued โwarrants of arrest for two individuals, Mr Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu and Mr Valery Vasilyevich Gerasimov, in the context of the situation in Ukraine for alleged international crimes . . .โ on June 24, 2024. They were indicted for โfor the war crime of directing attacks at civilian objects (article 8(2)(b)(ii) of the Rome Statute) and the war crime of causing excessive incidental harm to civilians or damage to civilian objects (article 8(2)(b)(iv) of the Rome Statute), and the crime against humanity of inhumane acts under article 7(1)(k) of the Rome Statute.โ
Among the โcivilian objectsโ that these Russian officials ordered attacked in Ukraine were power plants and structures such as the Kryukovsky Bridge.
So Trump is talking like a war criminal, which tells you why he has placed sanctions on International Criminal Court judges.
Trump already struck the unfinished B1 bridge linking Tehran to Karaj. Since it was not finished, it could not possibly have had a military purpose, contrary to the lies of the lying liars in the Trump administration who gave that as the excuse for hitting it.
Trump continued, โOpen the Fuckinโ Strait, you crazy bastards, or youโll be living in Hellโ JUST WATCH!
It is not clear how a body of water such as a strait could copulate. However, it can engender revenue, and does so for Iran. A lot of revenue.
Iran has not actually closed the Strait of Hormuz entirely. It is exporting its own petroleum through that narrow aperture, mainly to China. Trump has been forced by the global oil shortage to lift sanctions on the Iranian tankers, and so Iran is also selling again to India. Before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rushed Trump into war on Iran on February 28, Iran was exporting about 1.4 million barrels a day to China. The price of petroleum was about $67 a barrel then, but Iran had to offer a steep discount to offset American sanctions, and so was probably only getting $57 or less a barrel. So Iran was getting something like $29 billion a year for its petroleum from China and a few other customers (90% goes to China).
China is now likely having to pay $110 a barrel for Iranian petroleum.
Iranโs oil income just went up to $55 billion a year if these prices and this volume of trade persists, which is plausible. So the โcrazy bastardsโ in charge of Iran have nearly doubled their income off the Netanyahu-Trump war because of the fertility, under their control, of the โfuckinโ Strait.โ The Iranian oil industry is state-owned, so all the money goes to the clerics and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, as well as to the conventional army and the elected institutions, the parliament and president. This extra income helps the government tamp down resistance, strengthening it against civil society. In any case, many Iranians under foreign attack are rallying around the flag. Of course there are also tax losses from the economic disruption of the war, but the vastly increased oil income helps make up for them as far as the government is concerned. If the price of oil goes to $200 a barrel, as it may well, Iranโs government could get $100 billion a year for its petroleum.
Not only that, but Iran has instituted a toll system, wherein countries that have good relations with Iran and pay a fee can transit the Strait without fear of an Iranian drone attack. In contrast, countries that Iran believes contribute to the American war effort against Tehran such as the Emirates and Kuwait, are blockaded by the threat of such strikes. These tolls could be an ongoing and lucrative source of income for the government. Before the war, 138 ships transited the Strait daily. If that traffic resumes but each has to pay Iran a $2 million toll, that would bring in $96 billion a year, i.e. four times what Iran was getting for its petroleum before the war.
So hereโs the thing. With the advent of Iranโs Shahed drones, which can be manufactured inexpensively and of which it has tens and thousands, there is no way for anyone, including Trump and the US military, to stop Iran from sabotaging ships that wonโt pay the $2 million. At least, I donโt see how it could be done. Youโd need tens of thousands of interceptors, and we hardly have any left. Moreover, interceptors cost $1.5 million apiece, so it makes much more sense to allow each ship to pay Iran the $2 million.
Container ship in Strait of Hormuz. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Indra Beaufort).Public Domain. Via Picryl .
Trump has shown Iran how it can go into the protection business in the Gulf for the long term. Nice oil shipping industry you have here, it would be a shame if anything happened to it. And off that, Iran actually increases its GDP substantially.
If Trump takes out Iranโs electricity and bridges, he can interfere with its economy and its society in a big way. But he canโt stop the drones or the protection racket that way. Moreover, Iran has made it clear that its response will be to take out the power plants in the Gulf Arab states as well as in Israel. Since the US and Israel are running low on interceptors, and since even small Shahed drones have great range and can do a lot of damage, Iranโs threat is credible.
If Trump takes out Iranโs petroleum-production capability, Iran will crash oil production in the Gulf, taking 20 million barrels a day off the market for years to come. That would certainly be another Great Depression and likely would spell the end of the oil industry, since everyone in the world would migrate to electric vehicles quickly.
So although Trump meant the phrase ironically and blasphemously, the Iranian authorities may well end up saying โPraise be to Allahโ over Trumpโs monumental stupidity.
There are many ways in which the world feels uncertain, and with every news update, we ask ourselves questions: What role do we play? How can we help? We know many readers turn to Mooch and Earl for a daily dose of comfort and joy. Recently, someone told us MUTTS is their โplace to go for a warm hug each day.โ Will raising a particular issue interrupt that sense of refuge that readers value here?
Not long ago, we received a letter from a reader named Tyla. With her permission, weโre sharing part of it below.
โWith recent ICE raids impacting Minneapolis and communities across the country, some families are being separated very suddenly, and in many cases this has meant pets are left without caregivers. Animal shelters and rescues have shared that they’re seeing more animals being taken in or surrendered unexpectedly, and in some situations, people have stepped in to foster or adopt pets whose families were detained.
โThe health and well-being of both people and animals isn’t always part of the conversation when issues like this come up, even though both are affected. Animals, especially, rely entirely on their families for care and stability, and sudden disruptions can be very hard on them.
“I was wondering if this is something the [MUTTS] team might feel comfortable acknowledging this, specifically from the perspective of how animals are affected.
“I understand this is a sensitive and complicated topic โฆ I also know that many readers, including myself, turn to MUTTS as an escape from the real world, and I truly respect that. I just wanted to offer this suggestion thoughtfully, since when people are affected in situations like these, animals are often affected too, and their needs can easily be overlooked.โ
Tylaโs letter moved us. Weโd been thinking about this, too. We started drafting a blog post based on one specific concern: What happens to pets when their families are detained or deported? We were discussing this internally, and considering ways to help, when the scope widened. The news headlines, unfortunately, have not slowed down.
The world feels increasingly uncertain, but one thing we know for sure is that pets depend on the humans who love them. They donโt understand geopolitics or political parties. And the truth is, preparing for any unexpected event โ from a natural disaster to a family emergency or something else โ is an act of love and responsibility.
At MUTTS, we believe in compassion for all creatures. With that spirit, here are practical ways we can all help our human and animal neighbors.
If Youโre a Pet Parent: Plan Ahead
Choose a backup caregiver.ย Identify a trusted friend, neighbor, or family member who could step in temporarily if you canโt be home. Make sure theyโre willing and understand what would be involved. Share basic care information in advance so nothing is left to guesswork. If youโre comfortable with it, you may even want to give them a spare key to your home (or tell them where one is hidden).
Keep identification current.ย Ensure your petโs tags and microchip records are up to date. Consider listing a secondary contact (such as your backup caregiver) on file with your vet.
Prepare a small โjust in caseโ kit.ย Put together a bag with essentials: medications, vaccination records, feeding instructions, favorite comforts like a blanket or toy, and a short written profile of your petโs personality and needs. Think of it as something youโd want ready in any unexpected situation.
If you currently need assistance caring for your pet, know that there are many community resources around the country that may be able to help. You can start your search with PetHelpFinder.org, which allows you to search for pet pantries, affordable veterinary services, and other resources in your area. You might also contact your local animal shelter for guidance. Many shelters offer community assistance โ and even if yours does not, itโs very possible they can help point you in the right direction.
If You Want to Help In Your Community
Volunteer at a local shelter.ย Many animal shelters are already stretched thin, and shelters across the country are receiving pets whose guardians were detained or unexpectedly displaced. Time, donations, and supplies all help.ย
Consider fostering.ย This is an incredibly impactful way to help pets in your community, especially right now. Fostering gives an animal stability during a time of upheaval. In some cases, it provides time and space for an eventual reunion with their family. It also helps shelters by freeing up room so they can care for more animals.
Offer to be a backup pet caregiver for friends, family, or neighbors.ย You donโt need a specific reason to make this offer. You can simply say youโve been thinking about family preparedness and realized how comforting it would be to know someone nearby could step in for your own pet if needed. Sometimes people hesitate to ask for help, and by offering proactively (and gently), you can remove that barrier and replace it with reassurance.
Create or strengthen local support networks.ย If your area doesnโt have a pet food pantry, consider starting one. Offer to deliver pet food or walk dogs for families facing temporary hardship. Some communities haveย organized quiet grocery or supply deliveriesย for neighbors who are unable to leave home. No pet should go hungry because their family is going through a difficult time.
Build Real Connections In Your Community
This may sound simple, but it really matters. Support systems donโt appear overnight. They grow from familiarity and trust. If you donโt already have a close-knit community, consider planting the first seed. For example:
Start a โtake one, leave oneโ table or box.ย This could include books, baked goods, even extra apples or herbs from plants in your own yard.
Bring back front-yard or porch time.ย Read or drink your coffee outside. Smile and wave at anyone who passes. This invites casual conversation without any pressure.
Check on neighbors during extreme weather.ย A quick knock before a storm or heat wave can go a long way.ย
Remember that when communities feel connected, pets are safer too.
Share Your Ideas to Help Pets and People
If you have ideas we havenโt mentioned, we would love to hear them. In the spirit of MUTTS, we ask that comments remain friendly and constructive, aimed at helping animals and strengthening compassion. Thatโs something we can all stand behind.
I wish! ๐ Leading Kansas writes this time in regard to data centers, and about addressing our local governments in our own behalf.It works the same in every state.
This cartoon was drawn for the Fredericksburg Advance. But don’t yell at them for it; you can yell at me.
If you live in Virginia, you have been bombarded with flyers about the special election on redistricting. And it’s not just flyers but also TV commercials, which are also popping up online. We are getting these things from both sides.
There is a special election in November on a state constitutional amendment that would give Democrats as many as four seats in Congress. The measure would also temporarily bypass the stateโs redistricting commission to redraw maps in the middle of the decade.
The stateโs Supreme Court approved the measure to be on the ballot less than a week before early voting began. State Republicans repeatedly tried to stop Democrats from moving forward with the referendum. The irony here is that Republicans claim that voting yes will disenfranchise voters, while they literally tried to keep this off the ballot so people couldn’t vote on it.
This is a direct response to Donald Trump and Republicans redistricting mid-decade to give themselves more seats. Donald Trump even said he was entitled to have more congressional seats. This is one reason why we need to No Kings protest. Donald Trump already believes he’s entitled to win elections heโs lost. (snip-MORE, and it’s on point)
Energy company Deep Fission is in the process of building a new and untested type of underground nuclear reactor in Parsons, KS
The Trump administration has reduced regulations to encourage nuclear power production
The reactor will likely power data centers for artificial intelligence
Large data centers consume huge amounts of water and energy and produce different types of pollution, leading to health risks for nearby residents
In November 2025 a two-year-old energy company called Deep Fission broke ground in Parsons, Kansas. They hope this project will enable them to install the second ever energy producing nuclear reactor in the state, after Wolf Creek, potentially with more reactors on the way in the future. If the early โcharacterizationโ drilling goes to plan, they claim the reactor could begin pumping electricity into the grid in the near future.
Parsons is a city of 10,000 in southeastern Kansas, near the Oklahoma border. Iโve lived in Kansas for most of my life and I had not heard of Parsons until last week. So, why is Deep Fission in Parsons, Kansas, and why now? Not coincidentally, the Great Plains Industrial Park, also located in Parsons, has lately been advertised as a prime location for new data centers to power the trillion-dollar (yes, trillion with a T) artificial intelligence boom forced upon us by large technology corporations and their venture capitalist backers. Which means the Parsons nuclear reactor project would likely come as a package with one or more new data centers, along with potential economic prosperity and a host of legitimate concerns that community members have already raised.
Part 2: The New Nuclear Power
While the Department of Energy set a goal for the Parsons reactor to go online in July of this year, Deep Fission themselves are aiming to connect to the grid by 2027 or 2028. Two years is still an unusually rapid rollout for a nuclear power plant, which usually takes 6-10 years from groundbreaking to full operation.
Nuclear energy is typically labeled as โcleanโ energy compared to coal, oil, and natural gas, meaning that it releases fewer pollutants into the air and water than fossil fuel consumption. Still, there are two main concerns. First is the disposal of nuclear waste, which ranges from the lightly contaminated clothing of plant workers to the lethally radioactive spent fuel a plant produces over time. This latter โaccounts for just 3% of the total volume of waste, but contains 95% of the total radioactivity.โ
A relatively new method in the US and Europe for disposing of our most dangerous nuclear waste is to bury it very deep underground, so that it can be surrounded by solid rock to provide the same level of pressure containment as required at structure at a surface nuclear reactor facility. The father-daughter team that eventually founded Deep Fission originally created Deep Isolation to dispose of nuclear waste. Deep Fission takes their concept a step further by placing the entire reactor, and therefore its most dangerously radioactive elements, into a borehole drilled one mile underground.
The second main concern related to nuclear energy production is, of course, accidents or attacks. It is true that large-scale nuclear accidents are very rare, but when they happen, they become instant, globally recognized disasters whose names we all know: Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, Fukushima. The effects are so widespread as to be practically impossible to quantify. The reactor explosion and meltdown in Chernobyl, for example, caused several dozen deaths directly related to radiation exposure, but various studies have predicted anywhere from thousands up to a million eventual additional cancer deaths. Not to mention the environmental and economic cost to the entire region around Chernobyl. And radioactive boars still terrorize people and farmland in the region around the Fukushima plant in Japan.
But those issues are known, and regulations have historically attempted to shore up potential dangers posed by new plants. In contrast, nothing like the underground nuclear reactor in Parsons, Kansas has ever been attempted before, and thanks to Executive Order 14301, will not need to go through long established design and testing phases that other types of nuclear reactors have been subject to in the past. John Young, a mining environmental regulatory specialist who lives in Sedgwick County, asks, โWhy abandon the current regulatory process for something created out of whole cloth with no public input? And no one can define the current regulatory pathways for Federal and State authorizations.
โWhat,โ Young asks in frustration, โcould possibly go wrong?โ
Part 3: Data Centers and Artificial Intelligence
So that is a glimpse into the nuclear energy side of things. Next we must address concerns around data centers and artificial intelligence. Data centers come in different sizes, like the smaller center being proposed in Wellington, KS, which would reportedly โuse roughly 30% of the cityโs electrical capacity while generating an estimated $1.3 million in annual electric utility revenueโ while consuming only two gallons of water per day. Larger data centers consume resources less modestly. โAround the country, and the world, there is a land race among the big tech companies for sites for their data centers,โ claims a November 2024 investigative report by Rolling Stone. Data centers are much newer than nuclear energy technology, yet the ways in which they harm communities near them have already become apparent.
Water: โLarge data centers can consume up to 5 million gallons per day, equivalent to the water use of a town populated by 10,000 to 50,000 people,โ according to a June 2025 study by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI). And data centers built explicitly to power AI represent the fastest growing portion of the market.
Last year, researchers at the University of California, Riverside calculated that ChatGPTโone of several popular Large Language Models (LLMs) vying for marketplace dominanceโanswered about 10,000 queries per second. The processing load to do so guzzled about 6,000 liters (or about 1,000 toilet flushes) of fresh water per second, all day, every day. That is only generating written text. AI photos require more water, and still more for AI video. โThe extraction process is permanent,โ explains the University of Alabama at Birmingham Institute for Human Rights. Water used to cool data centers evaporates as it cools hot components, meaning it can no longer be used by people in the region who need water for drinking, cooking, bathing, laundry, and general survival.
Pollution: Unfortunately, it is not only consumption of water to worry about. The evaporation of water cooling data centers leaves behind higher concentrations of nitrates and other contaminants leaked through agricultural fertilizers and pesticides into local water supplies, drastically increasing incidents of โrare cancers, muscle disorders, and miscarriagesโ among people who live nearby. Geographically, Parsons, Kansas sits atop the Alluvial and Ozark Aquifers.
Reports of noise pollution have increased near data centers as well. Residents in different Virginia towns experienced disturbing high and low frequency humming in a wide radius around two new data centers.
These same experts predict that the disempowerment will not only come at the individual level, but also at the societal level, as lawmakers turn their attention and favor even more toward tech companies and AI services that increasingly take over tasks that used to be performed by human beings.
The purpose of this article is not to overwhelm with doomsaying or inevitability. If the Deep Fission underground reactor works as advertised, it could genuinely provide cleaner energy than fossil fuel and mitigate some of the effects of climate change. But to get there safely, we need to demand transparency and regulatory protections from political and corporate leaders. If enough of us speak up in place like Parsons, Topeka, Sedgwick County, and every corner of our town, state, country, and world, we embolden those watching, each other, and ourselves to continue building the world we want and deserve.
James Prigioni makes popular gardening videos on YouTube. In one, he wanted to see if he could grow a whole tomato plant by planting the seeds from a tomato on a McDonaldโs burger. He picked up a Deluxe Quarter Pounder with cheese, pulled out a tomato slice, and removed two seeds. After rubbing the seeds on a paper towel to remove the protective coating, which can inhibit sprouting, they were ready to plant.
Trying out different seed-planting methods
But like any good scientist, Prigioni wanted to try a different method for testing McDonaldโs tomato seeds. So he pulled a slice of tomato from a second Quarter Pounder and, instead of extracting the seeds, planted the entire slice.
With the help of a heat mat and a grow lamp, both sets of seedlings germinated and sprouted in soil-filled red Solo cups in about a week. After they were fully established, Prigioni separated the plants so they could thrive individually before being planted outside.
He planted one of the plants in the ground outside and another in a 5-gallon bucket. He then showed how he culled the lower leaves as they developed blight and used a tomato cage to support the plants as they produced fruit and grew heavier. He also added extra fertilized soil and mulch to the bucket plant.
The harvest was unexpected
After three months, the plants were producing abundant fruit. The bucket plant didnโt perform as well as the in-ground plant, which Prigioni said was due to insufficient watering during very hot days. The bucket plant also ripened faster, likely due to the stress it had been under. Still, it was an impressive harvest, especially for a plant that started on a McDonaldโs burger.
The in-ground McDonaldโs plant was even more incredible, with dozens of tomatoes dripping from it.
โI expected this tomato to grow,โ Prigioni said, โbut I did not expect this.โ
The fruit from both plants tasted good and sweet, he said. By the fourth month, the in-ground plant was starting to struggle with its health, but not with its fruit production.
โThe plant had so many tomatoes on it that it seemed like it was having a little difficulty ripening that much fruit at one time,โ Prigioni said. โI mean, I have had some plants with a lot of tomatoes on them, but never in my life have I seen a single tomato plant with this much fruit on it. I was completely blown away.โ
How the McDonaldโs tomatoes compared
He said one of his favorite parts of the experiment was seeing what kind of tomatoes would grow from the seeds. He thought it might be a beefsteak variety, but it turned out to be a Roma type. However, he surmised that the McDonaldโs tomato was likely a hybrid, based on its ripening characteristics.
Prigioni also shared how the McDonaldโs tomato plants compared with his other tomato plants.
โIn another area of the garden, I grew Roma tomatoes that I got from Loweโs, and I planted them at the same time as the McDonaldโs tomatoes,โ he said. โThe harvest from them wasnโt quite as large, but the fruit ripened way more evenly, and I was able to harvest a lot more fresh fruit right off the vine that was ripe.โ
โOverall, I was shocked with the level of production,โ he continued. โAnd this is probably my favorite experiment that Iโve ever done. I mean, to be able to take a cheeseburger, grab a tomato from it, then grow a tomato plant, and then harvest pounds and pounds of tomatoes from it is just such a unique and refreshing experience.โ
Perhaps an unexpected result, but a great way to challenge our assumptions and demonstrate the power of nature, even in the context of fast food.
The Least Flycatcher is a small but fierce bird of North American forests, known for its fearlessness in confronting birds much larger than itself, including formidable foes like Blue Jays and even hawks. They often share habitat and compete with American Redstarts, a fly-catching warbler, which they exclude from the best habitat through repeated chases and attacks. Of course, Least Flycatchers defend their territories from their neighbors as well.
However, despite their intense territoriality, these flycatchers are widely known to form dense clusters of breeding territories, even in areas with plenty of suitable habitat. Interestingly, the males closest to the center of a cluster are the healthiest, and the first to find mates. Conversely, birds that donโt join a cluster usually do not mate at all that season. While other factors may contribute to this pattern, the main influence seems to be that it facilitates birds mating with their neighbors in addition to their social mate.
Least Flycatchers are socially monogamous, pairing with a single bird during the breeding season with whom they defend a territory and raise young. But these birds are also quite promiscuous. More often than not, the nest of a mated pair will have at least one nestling sired by another male. โSpreading the loveโ in this way benefits both males and females โ females end up with more genetic diversity in their nests, while males donโt have all their eggs in one โbasket,โ in case a nest fails. This breeding system, where territories are clustered together, females seek matings outside of the pair, and paired males compete for each otherโs mates, has been described as a โhidden lek.โ In some ways, this system is quite similar to the communal display areas, or leks, where birds like Lesser Prairie-Chicken and Greater Sage-Grouse defend small arenas to display for females.
One big difference between a classic lek and the so-called โhidden lekโ of Least Flycatchers is that both the male and female in a pair are looking to mate with other birds without their own mate knowing about it. Also, the displays are a bit less dramatic. Rather than elaborate plumages, dances, and bizarre methods of sound production, these drab males instead opt to sing the same monotonous two-note song several thousand times an hour.
Threats
Though fairly common in appropriate habitat, Least Flycatcher populations have been declining since the 1970s. There are now a little over half as many Least Flycatchers as there once were. As such, Partners in Flight lists them as a Common Bird in Steep Decline. More research is needed to better understand the causes of this decline, but factors affecting the structure and health of forests probably play an important role. (snip)
Every litter bit helps, as was sung on TV when I was a child. Here is a thing that might be done these days, or we can share it and that will still help. Earth is our only home (no matter where our legislators tend to spend their time…)
Earth Month Ecochallenge, running from April 1st to April 30th, is a 30-day program focused on environmental and social engagement. During this month, you’re invited to select actions that resonate with your values, committing to them for 30 days to foster and reinforce positive habits. Each action you complete earns points and generates real-world impact. Your efforts, combined with those of your team, contribute to a significant collective difference.
This yearโs theme, People and Planet: Resilient Together, focuses on resilience: the capacity to adapt, recover, and grow stronger through change. Resilience lives in people, in communities, and in the natural systems that sustain us. In a world shaped by uncertainty, it helps us stay grounded, connected, and capable of creating positive change. Our new actions and categories will help you explore resilience at many levels – personal, in your community, in the organizations you are part of, and in nature. (snip)
Lots of awareness items for this month! Of course, one designation I’m fully aware of is for Autism, another for Earth Day/Month. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed thinking of blogging these things, which are pertinent to our interests, then thought, well, I don’t want to omit anything. So, I did a search, and holy cow. There are a lot! Below see some; click through to see them all. I ain’t bloggin’ everything, but I love NATIONAL MONTH OF HOPE – April Founded in 2018 by National Day Calendarยฎ and Mothers In Crisis, Inc., so I’ll try to include it this month.
Hi Friends, I have been nominated for โช@TheWebbyAwardsโฌ and you can vote if you want me to win. https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVo… . Iโll also be hosting the awards this year which is truly wild. Thank you all so much for getting me here โค๏ธ
An amazing retirement village is accepting guests in Shropshire, Englandโbut instead of catering to elderly people, itโs designed for elderly cats. Shropshire Cat Rescue has been rescuing elderly cats set to be euthanized and providing them with top-notch elder care for over 21 years. Thanks to donations and sponsorship, the retirement village was built in 2009 to create comfortable homes within the rescue for senior and super senior kitties.
The owner and co-founder of the rescue, Marion Micklewright, was tired of seeing older cats get passed over for adoption and subsequently put to sleep simply because they were old. So she decided to do something about it. Shropshire was created in 1991 and moved to Micklewright and her husband Richardโs current home address in 1998. Today there areย cats wanderingย the retirement village who are over 20 years old. One cat, lovingly named Cat, loves to hang out in the little โstoreโ in the tiny cat town, while others lounge in cat condos. (snip-MORE)
We’ve got a tornado watch with storms on their way, so I don’t know how active I’ll be online tonight. However, I want to finish off the day nicely, since nothing is happening right now. Enjoy! TTYL, or tomorrow. ๐
Scottie's Playtime 