Happy Tuesday morning, Gnusies! As usual, I’ve found a lot of good news for you, and some entertainment and laughs, too. But I’m going to begin on a serious note.
Last Tuesday, I had the extraordinary experience of taking a tour through an exhibition of art by a Holocaust survivor whose son, a Portland rabbi, led the tour. Alice Lok Cahana’s art was stunning, and Rabbi Michael Cahana's recounting of her experiences was both painful and inspiring. One of the things he told us has stayed in my mind all week: Alice told her son that of all her memories, including her time at Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen, the one that was most painful for her was the walk from her home in Sárvár, Hungary, to the train station after the Nazis ordered all the Jews to leave. What burned into her memory was the absence of anyone out on the street or even looking through their windows to witness the erasure of their Jewish neighbors from the town. When she wrote her memoir, she called it “Empty Windows.”
We are living through a very dangerous and frightening time in our country now, and many people are comparing ICE to the Nazi Gestapo. But a big difference between the U.S. in 2025 and Germany in 1933 — one that continually gives me hope — is that Americans are turning out to be active witnesses of the atrocities. They’re not only showing up, they’re recording events on their phones, confronting the thugs from ICE and MAGA-compliant local police departments, and demanding action from their elected officials. The recent events in Worcester, MA, illustrate this. More and more of us are paying attention, and once we pay attention and become witnesses, we begin to resist and we encourage others to resist, too.
When 17-year-old Darnella Frazier recorded George Floyd’s murder on her cell phone, we all got an indelible lesson in the power of witnessing. That lesson is serving us well now.
Opening poem
By Denise Levertov
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Good news in politics and resistance
Hill leaders question Trump’s attempted Library of Congress takeover
It’s certainly unusual for me to open this section with news about Republican Congresscritters pushing back against Cheatolini! Fingers crossed this is the beginning of spinal growth among the Rs.
From Politico:
Top congressional leaders are pushing back against President Donald Trump’s attempt to replace to Library of Congress leaders, with the dispute over presidential powers over the institution leaving its future in question Monday. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in a brief interview that congressional leaders “want to make sure we’re following precedent and procedure” in naming a replacement for Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress whom Trump dismissed Thursday.
Trump on Monday appointed Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as acting Librarian of Congress, but the official now holding that post, Robert Randolph Newlen, did not immediately recognize the appointment as valid, according to an email Newlen sent to library employees. The clash included a brief standoff Monday at the Library of Congress in which Justice Department officials arrived claiming to be newly in charge of the agency, said a person familiar with the interaction. After library officials resisted, the DOJ officials departed without resolving the conflict. Capitol Police officers were called to the scene but told by library staff that they were were not needed, according to another person, who was also granted anonymity to describe the sensitive matter. ✂️
A spokesperson for Speaker Mike Johnson did not immediately return a request for comment. Any GOP objections to Blanche’s appointment would represent rare pushback to Trump’s presidential authority. ...While the president nominates the Librarian of Congress for Senate confirmation, the library itself is part of the legislative branch. Thune did not answer when asked whether he thought Trump had the authority to name an acting chief librarian.
Congressional Democrats have castigated Trump’s moves at the library and have called for Congress to end the president’s power to nominate the top librarian. A House Democratic litigation task force is reviewing potential legal options, according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the private deliberations.
Democrats vote to reject Senate crypto bill
This is newsworthy because there had been some hints of Dem defection before the vote. Jessica Craven thinks our success was fueled by all the phone calls and emails constituents sent to their Dem senators. Good work, y’all!
Senate Democrats on Thursday voted down a procedural motion that would allow the upper chamber to take up landmark GOP-led cryptocurrency legislation, delivering a stunning blow to Republicans on one of their first major policy pushes since clinching a trifecta.
The upper chamber voted 48-49 not to proceed on the crypto bill, squashing the effort following a chaotic week of negotiations in which the GOP backers of the legislation sought to win over a group of key Democratic holdouts.
All Democrats and three Republicans — including Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Josh Hawley of Missouri — voted against the effort, which required 60 votes to advance. Democratic negotiators pushed to delay the vote until next week to give them more time to circulate potential changes with members, but GOP leaders plowed ahead. ✂️
The vote is a major loss for Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other pro-crypto Republicans, and it could jeopardize a broader GOP effort to advance several pieces of industry-friendly digital assets legislation this year. Thune voted against the bill and entered a motion to reconsider, which will allow him to bring it back up on the floor. ✂️
The vote is a victory for Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who has been against the GOP-led stablecoin effort.
In Montana, a Rare Sight: Republicans and Democrats Voting Together
It’s definitely a good sign that some Rs are acknowledging that their party’s policies are harming their constituents and are starting to join their Dem colleagues in voting against those policies.
From The NY Times (gift link):
In deep-red Montana, Republicans have controlled both houses of the Legislature since 2011, and the governor’s office since 2021. They ousted the last remaining Democratic statewide official, former Senator Jon Tester, in November.
Which has made it all the more aggravating for conservative lawmakers to find themselves effectively in the minority this year. After an intraparty dispute in January, nine Republican state senators began breaking with their caucus on key votes, siding with the 18 Democrats in the 50-person chamber. The result: a 27-person majority that has all but locked Republican leaders out of power.
Some or all of the Nine, as the Republican defectors are known, have voted with Democrats to reauthorize a Medicaid expansion, establish a child tax credit, increase access to maternal health care, and pass the state budget. They have helped block bills that would have weakened labor unions, made state judicial elections more partisan and established an unlimited hunting season on wolves. On [May 1], the session’s final day, they again broke with their party, pushing through a property tax cut to assist residents struggling with soaring home values.
The unusual alliance shows that for all the seeming unanimity in the MAGA movement, Republicans can still clash over policy objectives and the wielding of power. And in an era when advancing legislation often loses out to mocking the opposing party, it shows that some on the right remain more interested in getting things done.
South Florida chefs fight to save the country's largest food assistance program
This is a great example of using whatever platform you have to join with like-minded colleagues to push back against harmful legislation. Chefs can do it, doctors can do it, research scientists can do it, lawyers can do it. Probably all of us can do it!
From WUSF:
Eight South Florida chefs are joining more than 150 culinary colleagues nationwide in urging Congress to protect children from going hungry.
They are speaking out against proposed deep cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, which helps low-income families buy groceries.
"Cuts to SNAP will guarantee more hunger and hardship for families," said Lorena Garcia, a Venezuelan chef based in South Florida who is among those who signed a letter to Congress opposing the cuts. ✂️
In the letter to Congress, the chefs mentioned that SNAP is one of the nation's most powerful tools to end hunger, supplementing a family's food budget and ensuring they can provide nutritious meals without sacrificing other essential needs.
"Kids who receive SNAP do better in schools. They're healthier [than] those [who] actually do not have access to it," Garcia said. "[It] is such a powerful tool that we need in order to combat hunger."
AGU and AMS Join Forces on Special Collection to Maintain Momentum of Research Supporting the U.S. National Climate Assessment
Here’s an example of scientists banding together to keep vital research going.
From AGU:
The American Geophysical Union (AGU), the world’s largest association of Earth and space scientists, and the American Meteorological Society (AMS), the professional society for atmospheric and related sciences and services, invite manuscripts for a new, first-of-its-kind special collection focused on climate change in the United States. This catalog of over 29 peer-reviewed journals covers all aspects of climate, including observations, projections, impacts, risks, and solutions.
This effort aims to sustain the momentum of the sixth National Climate Assessment (NCA), the authors and staff of which were dismissed earlier this week by the Trump Administration, almost a year into the process. Congressionally mandated, the NCA draws on the latest scientific research to evaluate how climate change is affecting the United States. The new special collection does not replace the NCA but instead creates a mechanism for this important work to continue.
“It’s incumbent on us to ensure our communities, our neighbors, our children are all protected and prepared for the mounting risks of climate change,” said AGU President Brandon Jones. “This collaboration provides a critical pathway for a wide range of researchers to come together and provide the science needed to support the global enterprise pursuing solutions to climate change.”
National Park Nonprofits Are Booming Amid the Park Service Turmoil
Although private donations can’t entirely fill the gap in funding that has been cut from the national parks’ budgets, private dollars will keep the parks going until we can reverse these reckless cuts.
From Outside:
This is no ordinary spring for Acadia, Shenandoah, or the rest of America’s 63 national parks and 433 National Park Service-managed sites. Starting in February, the Federal government fired 1,000 NPS workers and persuaded 750 to take buyouts. Since then, the government has issued a flurry of unprecedented orders that range from requiring parks to remain open despite staffing shortages to giving Tyler Hassan of the Department of Government Efficiency the power to “effectuate the consolidation, unification and optimization of administrative functions” within the NPS.
As the NPS has been shaken up, the nonprofits associated with individual National Parks have seen a major uptick in volunteers and cash donations. Outside reached out to some of the most prominent NPS nonprofits, and heard a similar story.
“We’re seeing a lot of interest among our supporters and our members in finding ways they can express their care for the park,” said Elizabeth Silkes, chief executive officer for the Grand Canyon Conservancy (GCC). The organization launched a new fundraising campaign on April 24 called Stand Together for Grand Canyon. ✂️
While the NPS is funded by the federal government, nonprofits like the Grand Canyon Conservancy pay for a wide array of programs, from trail maintenance, to educational classes for kids, to seasonal staff inside of the park. Each conservancy has its own strategy for investing funds and manpower. ✂️
“Historically, philanthropic support has not replaced federal funding or paid for permanent government roles,” [Jessica] Cocciolone [Executive Director of Shenandoah National Park] said. “Our role is to provide additive support that enhances what the federal budget enables, not to supplant it.”
But the staff cuts within the NPS have forced some conservancy leaders to rethink this approach. Shenandoah National Park Trust is considering expanding its role to fund permanent park positions. “We firmly believe it’s the federal government’s job to operate and steward these parks in line with the NPS mission,” Cocciolone said. “But we also know these are unprecedented times, and we’re being asked to do more.”
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🍿 Repellent Republicans Rushing toward Ruin 🍿
Randy Rainbow nails it yet again — IMCOMPETENT!
Trump’s Attack on ActBlue Just Blew Up in His Face
A Trumpian tantrum attack shows us where we need to send extra support. ActBlue will come out of this fight stronger than ever.
From The New Republic:
The Trump administration’s decision to target ActBlue has instead resulted in the left-leaning platform’s biggest fundraising day of the year.
On [April 24th], Donald Trump ordered the Justice Department to investigate the online donations platform, directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to look into Republican allegations that ActBlue had allowed “‘straw’ or ‘dummy’ contributions or foreign contributions to political candidates and committees.” ActBlue is a crucial fundraising tool for Democrats, as almost all party candidates use it in both primary and general elections.
The announcement inspired donors across the country to open their wallets, handing the Democratic Party a massive financial boost as some PACs more than quadrupled their fundraising within 24 hours of Trump’s memorandum.
“PACs that typically raise $3,000 to $6,000 on a message raised $25,000 and counting,” Turn Left PAC senior adviser Randy Jones told The New Republic.
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The media messing up
This nails the situation perfectly.
x
The sane-washing of Trump’s trade madness is inexcusable.
US implements tariffs, China matches.
US implements more tariffs, China matches.
US surrenders & partly reduces tariffs, China matches.
Media: “MAJOR TRADE DEAL!”
What a joke.
[image or embed]
— News Eye (@newseye.bsky.social) May 12, 2025 at 4:05 AM
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Good news from my corner of the world
This Oregon program seeks to unlock opportunities for Latino farmers and gardeners
It’s beautiful to see Oregon’s Latino population moving from being day laborers in other people’s fields to working fields of their own. Some of the best produce I buy in my favorite farmers markets is grown by Latino farmers.
From Oregon Public Broadcasting:
Growing up in Guatemala, Alejandro Tecum wanted nothing to do with farming, he said. “When I was younger, I worked on my parents’ land and I came to hate it with all my soul because it was hard work,” he said in Spanish. “We were killing the soil, every year we were killing the soil,” he said. “It wasn’t until I learned that there was a way to practically do nothing and let the soil heal on its own that I got hooked.”
Tecum now lives in a region of Oregon with some of the most rich, productive soils in the country – the Willamette Valley. It’s also a region with a large percentage of Latinos. He leads a program in Washington County, where only about 7% of farms are Latino or Hispanic owned, that seeks to help aspiring farmers or home gardeners successfully grow their own food or market their own produce. ✂️
Alejandro Tecum talks about fertilizers and cover crops at a class on April 7, 2025. Tecum is the regenerative agriculture education and farm incubator coordinator at Adelante Mujeres.
Nonprofit Adelante Mujeres was founded to support Latina women and their families through education and leadership training. For two decades, its regenerative farming and land access program has been focusing on the importance of soil health, soil conservation and pest management, and it’s entirely taught in Spanish. More than 400 people have graduated from the program in just the last seven years.
Some Latino or Hispanic immigrants bring their culture and farming knowledge because they grew up farming in their home countries. Some want to know how to do it better, or they might do it for the cost benefits of home gardening, while others might want the boost to start their own farm, Tecum said.
Accessing food with dignity: El Centro Mercado, Cornelius free food pantry, opens doors
El Centro Mercado is the kind of food pantry that looks exactly like a grocery store but without any prices. Everything is free.
From Hillsboro News Times:
As food banks across Washington County tighten their budgets, Centro Cultural’s El Centro Mercado has officially opened its doors in a historic downtown Cornelius storefront where “people can access food with dignity.”
Elected officials and community leaders gathered Friday, May 9, to celebrate the grand opening of the Washington County nonprofit’s market-style free food pantry — an initiative rooted in efforts to feed folks during the COVID-19 pandemic. While Centro previously partnered with the Oregon Food Bank to provide resources for families once a month, nonprofit member Rose Gallegos saw a growing need in the community in 2020 — and took things into the cultural organization's hands with a pantry at "La Plaza" on the main Centro campus.
By the end of 2021, the organization broke ground on the new location inside a century-old space at 1216 E. Baseline St., giving one of the oldest buildings in the city a major facelift in a multiphase development. To help revitalize the building’s degrading exterior — and open new doorways for modernization in Cornelius’ aging downtown — Centro received funding at the state and local levels. The organization was granted $199,121 in 2023 from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department through the Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant, a state-funded effort to breathe new life into historic city centers. The city of Cornelius matched the award with $150,000 of its own. ✂️
“Anybody who walks in the door is welcome, and we do get folks from all over the county who come here and are able to take food that is culturally appropriate for them,” Caballero Rubio said.
Portland is still weird!
Back in 2007, Portland’s iconic music store, Music Millennium, started selling bumper stickers saying “Keep Portland Weird,” and the city embraced the slogan. Here’s a photo:
Last Tuesday, we got proof that Portland’s special brand of goofy weirdness is alive and well.
From Nextdoor:
Original post: Did anyone else see the naked guy driving a bath tub down 10th near hawthorn flipping people off?
Comments:
- If this isn’t the most Portland post I’ve ever heard… WHAT?! lol
- Sounds like the most Portland thing ever lol
- Cool
- Good to see the old skool version of Portland weirdness again!! 🤭😂
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Good news from around the nation
IT’S OVER: Republican Jefferson Griffin Concedes in North Carolina Supreme Court Race
This story has been covered a lot on DKos, but I had to include it because it makes me so damn happy.
From Democracy Docket:
LOSER!!!
Jefferson Griffin, the Republican candidate in the 2024 North Carolina state Supreme Court election, finally conceded six months after losing the race to incumbent Justice Allison Riggs, a Democrat, the Associated Press reported.
Griffin’s concession comes after a federal judge Monday ordered the state to certify Riggs’ election victory. The federal court order effectively halted Griffin’s ongoing efforts to overturn the election and disenfranchise thousands of voters. In a statement, the North Carolina elections board said the race will be certified after the federal court’s seven-day stay ends, on May 12.
“While I do not fully agree with the District Court’s analysis, I respect the court’s holding — just as I have respected every judicial tribunal that has heard this case,” Griffin said in a statement provided to the Associated Press. “I will not appeal the court’s decision.”
WINNER!!!
In a statement, Riggs [said], “After millions of dollars spent, more than 68,000 voters at risk of losing their votes, thousands of volunteers mobilized, hundreds of legal documents filed, and immeasurable damage done to our democracy, I’m glad the will of the voters was finally heard, six months and two days after Election Day,” she said. “It’s been my honor to lead this fight — even though it should never have happened — and I’m in awe of the North Carolinians whose courage reminds us all that we can use our voices to hold accountable any politician who seeks to take power out of the hands of the people.”
Lincoln [NE] voters approve ban on source-of-income housing discrimination
I love that this was “overwhelmingly approved”!
From KOLN-KGIN:
Voters in Lincoln overwhelmingly approved a change to city ordinance [last] Tuesday that bans housing discrimination based on a renter or buyer‘s source of income.
Unofficial final results released by the Lancaster County Election Commission showed 25,450 votes in favor of the ordinance and 13,216 against it.
Roughly 7,700 early vote ballots are expected to be counted on Friday, May 9. An additional 220 provisional ballots — including 216 regular and four requiring voter identification — will be tallied on Wednesday, May 14.
The measure prohibits landlords from refusing to rent to tenants who use housing vouchers, public assistance or other lawful income sources, including those enrolled in the Section 8 Housing Voucher Program. Prior to the vote, landlords in Lincoln were allowed to deny applicants based on how they paid their rent.
The ballot initiative was spearheaded by Lincoln for Fair Housing, a coalition of nearly 20 community organizations. In a statement issued after the results were announced, the group praised the vote as a victory for equity and inclusion.
Chicago City Council Passes Mayor Johnson’s Landmark Green Social Housing Ordinance
Affordable green housing is a perfect win-win. And it looks like the new nonprofit’s reinvestment in these housing developments via a revolving loan fund will keep the project growing.
From Chicago.gov:
[On May 7th], the Chicago City Council passed Mayor Johnson’s Green Social Housing (GSH) Ordinance...to expand affordable housing in Chicago while upholding the City’s green building standards. The ordinance lays the groundwork for the creation of an independent nonprofit with the authority to serve as a GSH developer. With the passage of the GSH ordinance, Chicago becomes the first major city in the country to implement this innovative model for developing permanent affordable housing. ✂️
GSH will be funded with $135 million from Mayor Johnson’s Housing and Economic Development (HED) Bond. A newly created nonprofit, known as The Residential Investment Corporation (RIC), will operate the GSH model independently of the Department of Housing. RIC will primarily own and operate these developments, with profits reinvested into future projects or used to increase affordability. Once established, this revolving loan fund will provide low-cost financing and equity investments for developing permanently affordable, mixed-income housing.
Community solar is winning over Republican lawmakers around the US
More evidence that Rs are persuadable if they can be made to understand the benefits to their constituents.
From Canary Media:
In several states, Republican lawmakers are taking the lead on an unexpected policy priority: encouraging more community solar.
This year, Republicans in Georgia, Iowa, Missouri, and Ohio have sponsored bills to spur the growth of this shared renewable energy resource in their states. Community solar installations, which are typically 1 to 5 megawatts, or up to 30 acres, allow households to reap the benefits of cheaper, clean power without putting panels on their own roofs. And customers who subscribe to these projects can save money on their electricity bills. ✂️
Twenty-five states have already adopted policies to enable community solar, according to an April report from the NC Clean Energy Technology Center. Nationwide, shared solar had its biggest growth spurt ever in 2024, rising 35% from 2023 to reach a cumulative 8.6 gigawatts of installed capacity, according to Wood Mackenzie. Now, the idea is gaining momentum among conservatives.
Not only are GOP lawmakers introducing and signing on to more community solar bills, but other local Republican stakeholders such as chambers of commerce, landowners, and conservative policy groups are also voicing their support, according to the national trade association Coalition for Community Solar Access.The libertarian group Americans for Prosperity is backing Iowa’s HF 404 — alongside Walmart. Last year, in Alaska, several GOP legislators voted for a community solar bill, and the state’s Republican governor signed it into law. ✂️
That Republicans are advocating for solar at the local level comes as something of a surprise given the federal government’s ongoing opposition to clean energy. On Capitol Hill, GOP lawmakers are weighing the repeal of federal tax credits for renewables, and the Trump administration has attempted to claw back billions of dollars Congress authorized for solar and other clean energy projects. At the same time, the executive branch claims its actions are “ensuring America’s future is marked by energy growth and abundance – not scarcity.”
So why is community solar finding fans among some local Republican lawmakers? These projects brim with benefits, including ones that tap into the conservative principles of free markets and individual property rights, according to advocates.
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Good news from around the world
“An anti-MAGA Pope”
Jen Rubin’s take on any event of this magnitude is worth reading, and I found this short essay especially rewarding.
By Jen Rubin on The Contrarian:
History was made today with the announcement of a new pope. “Robert Francis Prevost, became the first American pope, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. He was not considered a favorite…any American would be a long shot to become pontiff,” the New York Times reports.
The cardinals chose someone exceptionally close to Pope Francis, a humble leader of the flock who emphasized care for the environment, the poor, and migrants. In his opening remarks in St. Peter’s Square, one could hear the echo of Pope Francis’s inclusive message. “We can be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges, that is always open to receive everyone — just like in this square, to welcome everyone, in charity, dialogue and love,” Pope Leo XIV said.
For an American Catholic Church that often veered far to the right, the new pope may help realign U.S. bishops with the sentiments Francis brought to the Vatican. It also has not escaped notice that before ascending to the papacy, he frequently posted criticisms of J.D. Vance’s remarks misstating church doctrine, Donald Trump’s harsh immigration policies, and Trump and El Salvadoran autocrat President Nayib Bukele sneering at the fate of deportees.
The selection of his papal name may carry significance. Pope Leo XIII was called the “Social Pope” or the “Pope of the Workers” in recognition of his support for trade unions, workers’ rights, and social justice. That suggests he will advance a progressive world outlook at odds with MAGA cult’s utter lack of empathy.
If we pull back, the elevation of Pope Leo XIV might be seen as the third recent “election” (following Canada and Australia) in which an anti-MAGA figure was selected. For those who harbor aspirations for a more humane, rational, decent, and inclusive world, the new pope offers a ray of hope. We badly need a counterpoint to Trump’s dark, cruel, ignorant, materialist, and bigoted outlook. You do not have to be Catholic to hope Pope Leo XIV provides that.
—Jen Rubin
Editor-in Chief
New Pope Has Creole Roots in New Orleans
So Pope Leo XIV is not only anti-MAGA, he also has Black ancestors! This is absolutely my favorite bit of news from the past week. The “American Pope” is American in the best possible way, a product of our unique multi-ethnic, multi-racial melting pot.
From The NY Times (gift link):
Robert Francis Prevost, the Chicago-born cardinal selected on Thursday as the new pope, is descended from Creole people of color from New Orleans.
Image of a grave marker in Chicago for members of the Martinez family, including the new pope’s grandparents.
The pope’s maternal grandparents, both of whom are described as Black or “mulatto” in various historical records, lived in the city’s Seventh Ward, an area that is traditionally Catholic and a melting pot of people with African, Caribbean and European roots.
The grandparents, Joseph Martinez and Louise Baquié, eventually moved to Chicago in the early 20th century and had a daughter: Mildred Martinez, the pope’s mother.
The discovery means that Leo XIV, as the pope will be known, is not only breaking ground as the first U.S.-born pontiff. He also comes from a family that reflects the many threads that make up the complicated and rich fabric of the American story.
The pope’s background was unearthed Thursday by a New Orleans genealogist, Jari C. Honora, and confirmed to The New York Times by the pope’s older brother, John Prevost, 71, who lives in the Chicago suburbs.
“This discovery is just an additional reminder of how interwoven we are as Americans,” Mr. Honora said in a text message late Thursday. “I hope that it will highlight the long history of Black Catholics, both free and enslaved, in this country, which includes the Holy Father’s family.”
Russian Economy Enters Full Collapse Mode
We’ve all been waiting for this shoe to drop for a long time, but according to this long-time observer, we should see the impact this year.
By Evgen Istrebin in Kyiv Insider:
I looked at Russia’s 2025 budget figures, and what I found is nothing short of a disaster in the making. The numbers I compiled in the table reveal the harsh reality: Russia is on the brink of financial collapse due to its reckless military spending and collapsing revenue base. Let’s break it down.
The 2025 budget plan was for a 5% increase in spending, a total of 42,297 billion rubles. But in the first four months alone, they’ve already spent 15,499 billion rubles — an increase of 21%. ...Because of this overspending, the budget deficit has grown by 182% year-on-year to RUB 3,229 billion over four months. To reach their annual target, they will need to cut the deficit by 76% over the remaining eight months – an impossible task in wartime. ✂️
War is the heart of this crisis. Military spending is growing rapidly – the Center for European Policy Analysis estimates that it will amount to $140 billion in 2025, which is 25% more than expected. Meanwhile, the National Welfare Fund, their financial buffer, is almost depleted to 3.2 trillion rubles as of April 1, and the data for May has not yet been published. This is clearly not enough to cover a deficit of this magnitude.
Oil prices are falling and sanctions are strangling their exports. They are left with two options: end the war to limit spending, or resort to printing money, which will destroy their economy. Some point out that their planned deficit is always 1.5-2 trillion rubles lower than the actual deficit, and this trend has been observed since 2022. With revenues shrinking and military spending growing, they are hurtling toward a financial wall like a locomotive into concrete. This is not just a budget crisis; it is a systemic failure that could transform their economy and the conflict they are fueling.
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My favorite recent quotes, memes, and cartoons
I’ll start with three gems from Jay Kuo’s indispensable “Just for Skeets and Giggles”:
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Good news in medicine
NIH Funding Now Will Prioritize Research That Eschews Animal Testing to Push Innovation
Illustrating the truism that every cloud has its silver lining, RFK Jr’s hostile takeover of the NIH has resulted in one positive outcome — favoring grant proposals that don’t use animal testing.
From Good News Network:
The National Institutes of Health recently announced that in order to improve the quality of science used in drug development, the agency would favor grant proposals that move away from animal testing. The FDA, which had previously announced a similar change, described the decision as one that would move research towards using “a range of approaches, including AI-based computational models of toxicity and cell lines, and organoid toxicity testing in a laboratory setting.” ✂️
Some bodies of research have been inconclusive on the efficacy of translating the results of animal models to human diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and cancer, a statement from the NIH read. ✂️
To integrate innovative human-based science, the NIH intends to establish an Office of Research Innovation, Validation, and Application (ORIVA) within NIH’s Office of the Director. The new office will coordinate NIH-wide efforts to develop, validate, and scale the use of non-animal approaches across the agency’s biomedical research portfolio and “serve as a hub for interagency coordination and regulatory translation for public health protection,” the statement read.
“An astonishing 90-95% of drugs that pass animal tests go on to fail in human clinical trials, driving up costs for drugs, harming millions of animals, and delivering too few tangible results for patients in life and death circumstances,” wrote Wayne Pacelle, President of Animal Wellness Action. Pacelle lauded both the NIH and FDA decisions, claiming the consequences meant that perhaps in a few years, we’ll stop using millions of animals for testing. That includes thousands of primates and beagles every year.
British hospitals introduce treatment for heart failure that cuts deaths by 62%
This is truly amazing.
From The Guardian:
People in Britain with heart failure are being given larger doses of drugs at the start of their treatment after a global study found that this led to a huge fall in deaths. Experts say the new approach could mean those with the potentially fatal condition start receiving their ideal amount of medication within two weeks of diagnosis rather than after many months. ✂️
“Heart failure is a silent killer, so this new way of treating patients is a total gamechanger that I never thought I’d see in my lifetime. It will save many lives and bring hope to so many families,” said Matthew Sunter, the lead heart failure nurse at St George’s. “In days gone by, we would start patients on a very low dose and increase it by very small doses. It could take nine to 12 months to reach the optimal dose. ...Strong-HF has allowed us to think completely differently. For the first time ever, we offer patients a review one week after discharge and we can catch them before they get sick enough to need to come back into hospital. And we can get them on to the recommended therapy for their heart failure within two to three weeks instead of nine to 12 months.”
The global trial showed that “once we establish patients on those drugs, we reduce their chance of dying by 62% and their chances of rehospitalisation for heart failure by 30%. That is huge and means we can prevent avoidable deaths while easing the pressures on our hospital,” Sunter added.
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Good news in science
Okra and Fenugreek Extracts Safely Remove Microplastics From Water in New Texas Research
Researchers have been racing each other to discover which material(s) work best to trap and remove microplastics from water. This research looks very promising.
From Good News Network:
The substances behind the slimy strings from okra and the gel from fenugreek seeds could trap microplastics better than a commonly used synthetic polymer.
Texas researchers proposed in 2022 using these sticky natural polymers to clean up water. Now, they’ve found that okra and/or fenugreek extracts attracted and removed up to 90% of microplastics from ocean water, freshwater, and groundwater. With funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, Rajani Srinivasan and colleagues at Tarleton State University found that the plant-based polymers from okra, fenugreek, and tamarind stick to microplastics, clumping together and sinking for easy separation from water.
In this next stage of the research, they have optimized the process for [turning] okra and fenugreek extracts [into powders] and tested results in a variety of types of water. ...Initial tests in pure water spiked with microplastics showed that:
- One gram of either powder in a quart (one liter) of water trapped microplastics the most effectively.
- Dried okra and fenugreek extracts removed 67% and 93%, respectively, of the plastic in an hour.
- A mixture of equal parts okra and fenugreek powder reached maximum removal efficiency (70%) within 30 minutes.
- The natural polymers performed significantly better than the synthetic, commercially available polyacrylamide polymer used in wastewater treatment.
Then the researchers tested the plant extracts on real microplastic-polluted water. They collected samples from waterbodies around Texas and brought them to the lab. The plant extract removal efficiency changed depending on the original water source. Okra worked best in ocean water (80%), fenugreek in groundwater (80-90%), and the 1:1 combination of okra and fenugreek in freshwater (77%). The researchers hypothesize that the natural polymers had different efficiencies because each water sample had different types, sizes and shapes of microplastics.
Polyacrylamide, which is currently used to remove contaminants during wastewater treatment, has low toxicity, but its precursor acrylamide is considered toxic. Okra and fenugreek extracts could serve as biodegradable and nontoxic alternatives.
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Good news for the environment
Business leaders overwhelmingly back a rapid transition to renewable power
From E3G:
‘Powering up: Business perspectives on shifting to renewable electricity’ is a poll of nearly 1500 business executives across 15 major global economies and emerging markets (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Türkiye, UK and US). It was commissioned by E3G, Beyond Fossil Fuels and We Mean Business and conducted by Savanta. It reveals that:
Business executives globally overwhelmingly back a rapid transition to renewable power, calling for a direct shift away from fossil fuels to renewables
- 97% support the transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy, with 78% advocating for this within 10 years.
- Two thirds of business leaders said the energy transition doesn’t need to be done via gas: 67% advocate for a direct transition from coal to renewable energy with no new gas.
- Among business executives who want their government to prioritise investment in renewables, nearly nine in ten (87%) globally also want them to stop using coal-fired electricity completely within the next decade.
Big businesses want a transition to a fully renewables-based electricity system within a decade, and are planning to switch up their operations and suppliers to ensure a competitive edge and long-term energy security.
- Nearly three-quarters of big businesses plan to transition away from fossil fuels in their own organisations within a decade. 38% expect the majority of their electricity to come from renewables in 5 years, and a further 33% in 10 years.
- Half of business leaders globally plan to relocate their operations (52%) and supply chains (49%) if their government doesn’t transition.
- Over half (55%) see energy security as the top benefit of a renewables-based electricity system – improving energy security by reducing reliance on fossil fuel imports.
- Access to renewable electricity is a top priority for 90% of business leaders when deciding on where to invest.
- 93% of organisations are considering investing in on-site renewables to aid their operations.
Businesses want governments to step up, remove the top barriers to the transition and deliver the policy support and infrastructure needed for businesses to secure renewables at speed, or risk losing investment and jobs
- Alongside cost, top barriers included: insufficient national infrastructure for storing and distributing renewable electricity (38%), insufficient availability of renewable electricity sources (37%), policy and regulatory support (36%), and absence of detailed energy policies and plans (35%).
- A frequent policy request coming from business called for the government to provide incentives, education and training programs for workers in adjacent industries to reskill for renewable energy jobs (43%).
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Good news for and about animals
Brought to you by Rascal and Margot, and the beautiful spirits of Rosy and Nora.
Giant Mystical Eagle Thought to Be ‘Extinct in Mexico’ Reappears, Marking Landmark Moment for Conservationists
Rascal admits to being pretty intimidated by this harpy eagle. But he’s happy that harpy eagles are showing up in Mexico, at a safe distance.
From Good News Network:
A harpy eagle in attack posture
A harpy eagle, Latin America’s largest eagle, and one of the largest in the world, has been sighted in a rainforest in southern Mexico, where it was believed to be locally extinct.
Named for the crone-bird hybrid of Greek mythology, the appearance of this large and majestic raptor is worthy of the association. Adult females are much larger than their male counterparts, weighing up to 40 kilograms (20 lbs), and measuring more than 6 feet from wing tip to wing tip.
Despite a significantly slower and lower birthrate than other eagle species, the harpy eagle numbers in the tens of thousands across South America. In Central America however, they’re virtually extinct. In Mexico, it’s long been thought that they were, but dedicated wildlife monitors eventually proved otherwise. A 2011 photograph by a guide from the Siyaj Chan, a group of Indigenous community members who live near the Chiapas-Guatemala border, reignited interest from conservationists that the harpy may still exist in the state, reports Mexico News Daily.
Located in the Lacandon Jungle, a tropical rainforest stretching approximately 1.9 million hectares from southeast Chiapas into northern Guatemala and into the southern Yucatán Peninsula, it’s the only environment the primate-eating eagle can thrive in.
Margot would absolutely love to be a bodega cat! She solicits skritches from everyone she meets but mostly depends on us, and I confess that we do occasionally burn out. If she were in a bodega, the skritches would never stop!
Rosy would have loved this sweet story.
