Bookmarks for 2026-05-15T05:44:21.716Z

Mirror Life’s Doomsday Potential Added: May 14, 2026

The Doomsday Organism | NOEMA

Site: NOEMA

Scientists working on synthetic “mirror life” have come to realize that, if created, it could pose an existential threat to life on Earth.
King Charles Delivers Speech Amid Full-Blown Political Crisis in U.K. | National Review Added: May 14, 2026

King Charles Delivers Speech Amid Full-Blown Political Crisis in U.K. | National Review
Innovating an Affordable and Sustainable Marimba #ASA190 Added: May 15, 2026

Innovating an Affordable and Sustainable Marimba #ASA190

Site: BIOENGINEER.ORG

The marimba, a majestic instrument celebrated for its warm, earthy tones, holds a cherished place in orchestras worldwide. Its voice, spanning bright, articulate high notes to deep resonant bass,

 

The marimba, a majestic instrument celebrated for its warm, earthy tones, holds a cherished place in orchestras worldwide. Its voice, spanning bright, articulate high notes to deep resonant bass, captivates musicians and audiences alike. Yet the cost of marimbas—often ranging from a thousand to over twenty-five thousand dollars—poses a formidable barrier, particularly for educational institutions and aspiring musicians with limited resources. At the heart of this expense lies Honduran rosewood, the traditional material used for the instrument’s bars, prized not only for its unique acoustic qualities but also for its rarity and high market value. Amartya Bhattacharya, a passionate student of Northeastern University deeply enamored with the marimba’s expressive potential, embarked on a mission to democratize access to this instrument. His focus centered on whether more affordable but equally effective alternative materials could replicate the sonic beauty and playability of the traditional rosewood bars. The challenge was twofold: to identify candidate materials that mimic the mechanical and acoustic properties of rosewood while also ensuring durability to withstand frequent use. Bhattacharya approached this problem with a rigorous scientific lens, evaluating both natural woods and synthetic polymers as potential substitutes. Key parameters under scrutiny included density, which influences the instrument’s durability and the weight players feel; the loss factor, linked to how quickly a material’s vibrations dissipate, affecting resonance and sustain; and Young’s modulus, a measure of material stiffness that correlates strongly with pitch and tactile feedback. Through meticulous analysis of these characteristics, Bhattacharya sought to uncover bars that could reproduce the tonal quality and response musicians expect from traditional marimbas.

After extensive testing, hickory wood surfaced as the most promising candidate from an acoustical perspective. Not only was hickory significantly less costly than Honduran rosewood, but it also exhibited a Young’s modulus comparable to rosewood, suggesting that it would respond similarly when struck. The ratio of Young’s modulus to density was particularly noteworthy, indicating that bars crafted from hickory would be close in size and mass to rosewood bars for the same pitch. This size consistency is critical; it ensures that transitions between practice instruments and professional-grade marimbas remain seamless for performers. However, not all materials evaluated met the stringent requirements. Spruce, for instance, possessed a favorable Young’s modulus-to-density ratio akin to rosewood. Yet its higher damping characteristics, reflected in greater loss factors, implied that sounds produced would decay too rapidly. Such a property is problematic for marimba playing, especially during rolling techniques where players create a continuous, sustained tone by rapidly alternating mallet strikes. A material with excessive damping undermines this technique by cutting off resonance prematurely, diminishing the instrument’s expressive range. The scientific methodology underpinning Bhattacharya’s work hinges on a deep understanding of material science principles applied to musical acoustics. Density governs how long a marimba will endure the rigors of playing; heavier, denser woods tend to last longer but risk becoming unwieldy. The loss factor, mathematically related to internal friction within the fibers of the wood, determines how “live” or resonant a bar sounds, influencing the instrument’s sustain and tonal character. Young’s modulus directly relates to the bar’s stiffness, affecting how it vibrates to produce precise pitches and the tactile feedback experienced by the musician. Bhattacharya’s analysis signifies a crucial step toward affordable marimbas without compromising sound quality. Future plans include fabricating full-sized bars from promising materials such as hickory and conducting thorough acoustic and durability tests on them. By physically producing bars and assessing their performance in realistic playing conditions, Bhattacharya aims to validate his theoretical findings and refine methods to enhance material properties. One avenue under consideration is thermal and pressure treatment of hickory wood bars to increase their density, potentially improving durability and fine-tuning acoustical properties. Additionally, he aims to expand the scope of research to encompass alternative woods like bamboo, which might offer sustainable and cost-effective options while maintaining acoustic integrity. The endeavor to find accessible materials for marimbas aligns with broader efforts in musical instrument research geared toward inclusivity and sustainability. Traditional woods like Honduran rosewood face environmental pressures due to overharvesting, increasing costs, and shrinking supplies. Developing viable synthetic or naturally abundant wood substitutes could mitigate these challenges, ensuring that future generations can enjoy and perform on quality marimbas. Bhattacharya’s work also underscores the importance of integrating acoustics science with practical musicianship. By grounding his approach in quantitative material properties and connecting these to the nuanced demands of marimba performance techniques, he bridges the gap between laboratory analysis and real-world application. His research reflects a holistic vision—where scientific inquiry enhances artistic expression by making treasured instruments more available and affordable. The marimba stands as the pinnacle of pitched percussion instruments, celebrated for its dynamic range and subtle articulations. Innovations in material science spearheaded by enthusiasts like Bhattacharya promise to expand this instrument’s reach. As he prepares to present these insights at the 190th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, the anticipation builds for a new era where tradition and technology harmoniously converge to reshape musical possibilities. In conclusion, the intersection of physics, material science, and musical artistry offers exciting prospects for transforming the marimba from an elite instrument into a widely accessible one. Through diligent research analyzing density, resonance, and stiffness, Bhattacharya’s findings highlight hickory as a cost-effective substitute for Honduran rosewood. Such advancements could revolutionize percussion education and performance, enabling diverse communities to experience the richness of the marimba’s voice without prohibitive costs.

Subject of Research: Acoustical and material analysis of alternative materials for marimba bars to find cost-effective substitutes for traditional Honduran rosewood. Article Title: Democratizing the Marimba: Acoustic Science Unlocks Affordable Alternatives to Rosewood News Publication Date: May 14, 2026 Image Credits: Amartya Bhattacharya Keywords Musical acoustics, marimba, percussion instruments, material science, Honduran rosewood, hickory, Young’s modulus, resonance, density, acoustic properties, sustainable materials, musical instruments Tags: affordable marimba innovationalternative rosewood substitutescost-effective percussion instrumentsdemocratizing musical instrument accessdurable marimba bar materialseducational instrument accessibilitymarimba acoustic propertiesmechanical properties of marimba barsnatural wood alternatives for marimbasNortheastern University music researchsustainable musical instrument materialssynthetic polymers in music
SHE WILL DESTROY US - YouTube Added: May 15, 2026

Kamala Harris Is BACK, Proposes ENDING Electoral College, Packing SCOTUS

Site: YouTube

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSxOn10SdYYSUPPORT THE SHOW BUY CAST BREW COFFEE NOW - https://castbrew.com/Join - https://timca...
Democrats CONCEDE Redistricting War, Trump Has DONE IT | Timcast IRL - YouTube Added: May 15, 2026

Democrats CONCEDE Redistricting War, Trump Has DONE IT | Timcast IRL

Site: YouTube

Go to my sponsor https://venice.ai/tim to access the world's leading AI models privately, all in one place. Use code TIM for 20% off any plan.Go to http://ka...
DEMOCRATS CONCEDE, HE'S WON | Tim Pool - YouTube Added: May 15, 2026

DEMOCRATS CONCEDE, HE'S WON | Tim Pool

Site: YouTube

Democrats have conceded the fight in Virginia putting the GOP on track for 10 to 12 seats gained for the 2026 midterms. Without Virginia there's no way for D...
A Single CLAUDE.md File Went Viral. The Reason Is Embarrassingly Simple. | by Sumit Pandey | May, 2026 | Towards Deep Learning Added: May 15, 2026

A Single CLAUDE.md File Went Viral. The Reason Is Embarrassingly Simple.

Site: Medium

91,000 stars on GitHub. No code. Four rules from Andrej Karpathy that every coding agent should have been following from day one.
Democrats & violence | Sebastian Gorka - YouTube Added: May 15, 2026

Democrats & violence | Sebastian Gorka

Site: YouTube

Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of Pod Force One: https://www.youtube.com/@PodForce1Watch full clips of Pod Force One with Miranda D...
What's Behind the Push to OUST Massie, w/ Kasparian, and Bovino Tells All About Deportations Now - YouTube Added: May 15, 2026

What's Behind the Push to OUST Massie, w/ Kasparian, and Bovino Tells All About Deportations Now

Site: YouTube

Megyn Kelly is joined by Ana Kasparian, host and producer of "The Young Turks," to discuss the top Democrats in the California governor’s race spiraling, Kat...
What is the latest news on Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton removing Democrats from committees? - Google Search Added: May 15, 2026

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David Attenborough turned 100 last week — and his oldest argument against space exploration is the same conclusion most astronauts come home with Added: May 15, 2026

David Attenborough turned 100 last week — and his oldest argument against space exploration is the same conclusion most astronauts come home with

Site: Space Daily

In October 1980, on Ireland’s Late Late Show, Gay Byrne asked David Attenborough what he made of the search for life beyond Earth. Attenborough was 54 then, well into what would become a seven-decade broadcasting career, and the answer he gave is now in the RTÉ archives. He said the only place a human being […]
"He throws a sack over the python’s head before grabbing it..." Bizarrely David Attenborough's first TV series saw him catch wild animals for zoos | Discover Wildlife Added: May 15, 2026

"He throws a sack over the python’s head before grabbing it..." Bizarrely David Attenborough's first TV series saw him catch wild animals for zoos | Discover Wildlife

Site: Discover Wildlife

David Attenborough’s broadcast career began, remarkably, with a series in which he captured animals and brought them back to a UK zoo
Donald Trump departs China on Air Force Once after Xi meeting in Beijing | Fox News Added: May 15, 2026

Donald Trump departs China after meeting Xi | Fox News

President Donald Trump, who wrapped up his trip to China where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, spoke aboard Air Force One while heading back to the U.S.
Clint Webb for Senate - YouTube Added: May 15, 2026

Clint Webb for Senate

Site: YouTube

SUBSCRIBE: https://youtube.com/@OfficialWKUK?sub_confirmation=1 UNCENSORED Stream https://twitch.tv/WKUK_TV Watch WKUK ∞ FOREVER https://YouTube.com/Offici...
Hunting Housecats - YouTube Added: May 15, 2026

Hunting Housecats

Site: YouTube

SUBSCRIBE: https://youtube.com/@OfficialWKUK?sub_confirmation=1 UNCENSORED Stream https://twitch.tv/WKUK_TV Watch WKUK ∞ FOREVER https://YouTube.com/Offici...
Can You Run LLMs Locally Without a GPU? I Tested 8 Models on Linux Added: May 15, 2026

Can You Run LLMs Locally Without a GPU? I Tested 8 Models on Linux

Site: It's FOSS

Want to run AI models locally without expensive hardware? I tested 8 LLMs on a CPU-only machine to find out what works and what doesn’t.
Elon Musk on X: "𝕏 is the mind of humanity" / X Added: May 15, 2026

Site: X (formerly Twitter)
DogeDesigner on X: "If you want to reach senior decision makers, most influential people, company owners, most intellectual people of the world, then the 𝕏 platform is by far the best. They are not using Instagram or TikTok. https://t.co/tsCKh6Z9aC" / X Added: May 15, 2026

Site: X (formerly Twitter)
Gad Saad's 'Suicidal Empathy' Tops Amazon Canada Bestsellers / X Added: May 15, 2026

Site: X (formerly Twitter)
Gad Saad on X: "WTF?!" / X Added: May 15, 2026

Site: X (formerly Twitter)
Comey’s crime | Sebastian Gorka - YouTube Added: May 15, 2026

Comey’s crime | Sebastian Gorka

Site: YouTube

Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of Pod Force One: https://www.youtube.com/@PodForce1Watch full clips of Pod Force One with Miranda D...
"GROW UP": Megyn Kelly Calls Out Stephen Colbert's Ridiculous and Emasculating Farewell Tour - YouTube Added: May 15, 2026

"GROW UP": Megyn Kelly Calls Out Stephen Colbert's Ridiculous and Emasculating Farewell Tour

Site: YouTube

"GROW UP": Megyn Kelly Calls Out Stephen Colbert's Ridiculous and Emasculating Farewell TourLIKE & SUBSCRIBE for new videos everyday: https://bit.ly/3Aw93ywW...
President Donald J. Trump Visits China's Temple of Heaven. 🇺🇸🇨🇳 - YouTube Added: May 15, 2026

President Donald J. Trump Visits China's Temple of Heaven. 🇺🇸🇨🇳

Site: YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
What are the details of the trade deals reached by Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in Beijing? - Google Search Added: May 15, 2026

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Why are Meta employees protesting AI surveillance and keystroke tracking? - Google Search Added: May 15, 2026

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Meta Employees Are Protesting The Company's Mouse Tracking Program Added: May 15, 2026

Meta employees are protesting the company's mouse tracking program - Engadget

Site: Engadget

Last month, it said it would use employees’ mouse movements and keystrokes to train AI models.
An Engineer’s Post Protesting Laptop Surveillance Is Going Viral Inside Meta | WIRED Added: May 15, 2026

An Engineer’s Post Protesting Laptop Surveillance Is Going Viral Inside Meta

Site: WIRED

Meta employees in the US and UK are organizing against corporate software that tracks workers’ keystrokes and mouse activity.

The message aimed to rally support for a petition circulating inside the company since last Thursday that demands an end to what Meta calls the Model Capability Initiative. It’s a piece of mandatory software that Meta began installing on the laptops of US employees last month. The tool records employees’ screens when using certain apps with the goal of collecting “real examples of how people actually use” computers, including “mouse movements, clicking buttons, and navigating dropdown menus,” according to Reuters. Meta has yet to say whether the initial data is paying off. “I'm mixed on Al. On one hand, I really enjoy using it to write software. On the other hand, I'm really nervous about its impact on the world,” the engineer wrote in an internal forum for coders. “And what kind of norms are we establishing about how the technology is used, and how people are going to be treated?” The petition, also seen by WIRED, states that “it should not be the norm that companies of any size are permitted to exploit their employees by nonconsensually extracting their data for the purposes of Al training.”

Got a Tip?

Are you a current or former Meta employee who wants to talk about what's happening? We'd like to hear from you. Using a nonwork phone or computer, contact the reporter securely on Signal at peard33.24.

In the US, employers generally have wide latitude to monitor workers’ devices for security, training, evaluation, and safety purposes. But using these tools to build datasets that instruct AI systems on navigating computers without human supervision appears to be a new tactic—and one that doesn’t sit right with many Meta workers. Over the past few years, several companies have jumped into the race to develop agentic AI models. But when gathering data, they have typically tapped volunteers, sometimes paid, who are willing to have their computer activity recorded. Meta’s decision to move forward with its tracking tool despite weeks of protest from employees has become one of the leading reasons for what 16 current and former employees recently described to WIRED as record-low morale. It’s also the leading driver of an employee unionization effort at Meta’s UK offices. “The workplace surveillance and training AI models is the number one thing,” says Eleanor Payne, a representative of United Tech and Allied Workers, which is helping organize Meta employees. She declined to specify the number of employees seeking to form a labor union but called it “significant” and unprecedented. While only US employees are currently subjected to tracking, UK employees are concerned for their colleagues and the potential for expansion of the program. “I think of it pretty much as a breakdown of trust,” Payne says. New laws that eased unionization in the UK have encouraged employees about the chances of success, she adds. In Meta offices in California and New York, workers have been posting flyers in cafeterias and other communal areas pointing colleagues to the petition. Two employees, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, say the company has removed some posters, with those on bathroom walls seemingly staying up longer. Meta declined to comment on the allegation. Petition organizers have called on Meta to respect their legal right “to discuss, organize, and advocate for better working conditions.” So far, organizers have declined to comment on the number of signatories and whether they may pursue other legal or regulatory actions to push back on the tracking program. The engineer’s internal post this week chronicled what they believe to be a degradation in Meta’s culture over the past 11 years, with much of the shift happening in the past five. “Layoffs, budget cuts, years of efficiency and intensity—all of it contributed to a growing sense of dread,” the employee wrote. They described growing apathetic about their work and workplace, until the rollout of the tracking software stunned them. “MCI is a microcosm for the Al movement,” the engineer added. “Yes, it's just a small turn of the temperature knob, but it's representative of the types of systems that people will be compelled to build.” They addressed skepticism and fear about the petition drive by underscoring the value of collective action: “Your voice matters. Moments like this are why I was drawn to Facebook in the first place.” Some workers reluctant to sign the petition are quietly staging their own form of protest by delaying installation of the screen recording tool, sources say. It means dealing with a nagging notification. How long Meta will accept the maneuver is unclear to employees. But after layoffs hit next week, the company will have 10 percent fewer people to try and wrangle.
Five takeaways from Trump’s trip to China Added: May 15, 2026

5 takeaways from Trump’s trip to China

Site: The Hill

The most important foreign trip of President Trump’s second term to date concluded on Friday as he flew back to Washington from China. Trump had been met with great pageantry as he arrived for his …

The most important foreign trip of President Trump’s second term to date concluded on Friday as he flew back to Washington from China. Trump had been met with great pageantry as he arrived for his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but the warmth of the welcome was offset by obvious tensions — over the war in Iran, the fate of Taiwan and the terms of trade between the two economic superpowers. The president was also treading something of a fine line, visibly enjoying such a high-profile foreign visit while his approval ratings sag at home, in part because of the Iran conflict. The visit to China had previously been scheduled for six weeks prior but had been postponed owing to the war launched against Iran by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28. Here are the big takeaways from Trump’s visit. There was little tangible progress on the central issue of the war. The imperative from Washington’s side is to get Beijing to lean more heavily on Iran, both to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz and to take a more conciliatory approach in the negotiations that could end the conflict. But China experts argued, even in advance of the Trump-Xi meeting, that Beijing was highly unlikely to do this out of some nebulous spirit of cooperation. The best that could be hoped for, according to this consensus, was that China might be open to a bargaining process, teasing out what it might get from Trump in return for helping on Iran. There doesn’t appear to have been much bargaining — or any agreement. The Chinese side barely mentioned Iran at all in its official readouts of the meetings, while Trump confined himself mostly to generalities about how both sides would like to see the strait open. That may be true, but the question of what China was going to do — if anything — to accomplish this objective remained unclear. Asked about the issue on Air Force One during his return journey early Friday, Trump responded, “I am not asking for any favors because when you ask for favors you have to do favors in return. We don’t need favors.” Trump instead suggested that Xi would “automatically” put pressure on Tehran. The lack of any breakthrough on Iran left Trump without a signature achievement to boast about from the trip. Both sides can claim the visit helped put the relationship on a steadier footing. But that is not the kind of statement that creates the big headlines craved by Trump. The Taiwan issue has long been an epicenter of U.S.-China tension. The Chinese argue that the island is a breakaway territory that needs to be integrated into theirs — by force if necessary. The Taiwanese, who have their own government, recoil from such a concept. The U.S., for its part, hews to a policy of “strategic ambiguity,” which is as muddy as it sounds. In short, the U.S. acknowledges, but does not endorse, the Chinese claim to Taiwan; and tends to imply, but not guarantee, that it would come to Taiwan’s aid if the Chinese invaded. The desire to subsume Taiwan is a key to the political identity of the ruling Chinese Communist Party. Even so, the warning that Xi’s government issued on the matter during Trump’s visit was notably stern. A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry called the Taiwan topic “the most important issue in China-U.S. relations” and admonished that if it were not handled “properly,” then “the two countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy.” Trump said little about Taiwan while on Chinese soil, though on his way back he said he had yet to determine whether to fulfill a recent U.S.-Taiwan arms deal that Beijing opposes. Earlier in the trip, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had reacted with a metaphorical shoulder-shrug on the topic. “They always raise it on their side. We always make clear our position, and we move on to the other topics,” he told NBC News. One notable feature of the trip was how clearly Xi and the Chinese see themselves as meeting on equal footing with Trump and the U.S. in a summit of two superpowers. At times, Trump — who is accustomed to presenting himself as the dominant figure in any kind of political relationship — sounded almost like the supplicant. Trump called Xi a “great leader” and noted that he typically receives some criticism when he refers to the Chinese premier in those terms. “But I say it anyway because it’s true,” he added. Xi took a less ebullient approach, including noting that a “once in a century transformation” was taking place in world affairs. This is, in practical terms, diplomatic code for the Chinese belief that American dominance of world affairs is on the wane. It’s unclear whether this was the remark that spurred Trump to take to social media during his visit and refer to Xi having “very elegantly referred to the United States as perhaps being a declining nation.” Trump insisted that the Chinese leader was referring to the “tremendous damage” inflicted during the administration of former President Biden. “In fact, President Xi congratulated me on so many tremendous successes in such a short period of time,” Trump wrote. Some of the biggest names in American business accompanied Trump on his trip, including Elon Musk of Tesla, Tim Cook of Apple and Jensen Huang of Nvidia. The presence of the business leaders underscored yet again the importance of the vast Chinese market to U.S. corporations. There was some positive mood music too, with Xi’s promise that “China’s door will only open wider” in the future. The question of what concrete deals were agreed upon during the trip was somewhat cloudier. Trump told Sean Hannity of Fox News that China had agreed to buy 200 jets from Boeing, up from an initial 150. The president also said the order could expand to 750 planes if the initial tranche went well. Several media outlets noted that there was no confirmation of this, as of early Friday U.S. Eastern time, from the Chinese government. Trump’s trip was not a one-and-done when it comes to meetings between the two leaders. The president invited Xi to the U.S. on or around Sept. 24. “We will be reciprocal — like reciprocal trade, the visit will be reciprocal,” Trump said as Xi looked on.
Devious Prankster Posts Real Monet Painting, Tells People It's AI-Generated, and Watches the Chaos Unfold Added: May 15, 2026

Devious Prankster Posts Real Monet Painting, Tells People It's AI-Generated, and Watches the Chaos Unfold

Site: Futurism

A devious prankster posted a real Monet painting, but told people it was AI-generated. Naturally, chaos ensued.
Midterm Election 2026: A Look at the Potential Drama Added: May 15, 2026

Update: 7 reasons the midterms will be the most dramatic and dangerous ever

Site: The Hill

The 2026 midterm election is predicted to be the most dramatic and dangerous in U.S. history, with Trump fearing a loss of control of Congress, gerrymandering, potential voter intimidation, and a r…

The midterm election is 172 days away. That is 172 years in political time, when any day can alter the election’s trajectory, triggering seismic shifts. Given the previous volatility, my August 2025 Hill op-ed titled "7 reasons the 2026 midterms will be the most dramatic ever" needs updating, starting with adding "dangerous" to the headline. The first reason on last summer’s list remains the overarching one: President Trump "fears that Republicans will lose control of Congress." He knows the severe consequences his administration and the Republican Party face if they lose the House and possibly the Senate. Then the legislature can reassert itself as a coequal branch of government rather than serve as Trump’s yes-men. Meanwhile, Trump is fighting history. Since 1938, only twice has the president's party gained House seats: in 1998, President Bill Clinton’s Democrats gained five seats, and in 2002, President George W. Bush's Republicans gained eight seats. In the 2018 midterm, Trump presided over a Democratic net gain of 40 House seats. Notably, on May 16, 2018, his job approval averaged 43 percent; today his average is 40 percent, with dips to 38.5 percent. Then consider this startling majority opinion: in a recent poll, The Hill reported, 59 percent "indicated Trump does not have the mental sharpness it takes to lead the country." The second reason for midterm drama and danger is gerrymandering, the practice of redistricting. Although gerrymandering dates to 1812, it has spun out of control, resulting in an "uncivil war" initially fueled by Trump's extreme fear of losing congressional control and recently accelerated by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. This anti-democratic practice, in which politicians pick their constituents, is a scourge that weakens our nation, undermining the integrity of the electoral process through rigged representation by design. Such partisan design yields congressional "safe seats," which, in theory, should not exist in a democracy. Thus, safe seats are the root cause of uncompromising polarization among House members. An April YouGov poll found that 71 percent of Americans say "states should not be allowed to draw congressional districts in a way that intentionally favors one party." In my August 2025 piece, citing redistricting, I noted a "possible revolt" if Republicans kept control of the House. Nine months later, with widespread extreme redistricting favoring Republicans, such a revolt is even more likely. Third, America is on the cusp of its first "authoritarian" election. In his May 10 Truth Social post, Trump wrote about employing an "Election Integrity Army in every single State to preserve the sanctity of each legal vote." Citing this "Army" as the reason he won in 2024, Trump continued, "We will be doing the same again in 2026, but it will be much bigger and stronger." On Tuesday, ironically, as the president was departing for Communist China, Trump was asked if "he would send National Guard or ICE officers to voting locations," and replied, "I do anything necessary to make sure we have honest elections." Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche also appears supportive of employing ICE. And recall what former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said about the midterms: "We’ve been proactive to make sure that we have the right people voting." Therefore, Americans must be concerned about voter safety and potential authoritarian-style activity on Election Day. Fourth, early signs point to 2026 being among the highest voter turnout in midterm history. Therefore, count on intimidation in Democratic areas as discussed above. The fifth reason for midterm drama and danger is the dour mood among American consumers, in which worries about affordability are a staple of daily life. Trump’s sinking job approval is mirrored in gas prices, grocery receipts, health insurance premiums, and soaring utility bills. Yet he appears extremely cavalier, seemingly incapable of feeling the people's pain. Sixth, with artificial intelligence creating fake, damaging campaign ads and targeted miscommunications, voters must discern what is real, because fakes could determine the outcome of close elections. Seventh, voters feel powerless. Few trust the government to improve their economic circumstances or curb inflation, as Trump promised to do in 2024. Moreover, Americans are paying billions for an unpopular war in Iran which, in March, the president called an “excursion” to be over “very soon.” Furthermore, Trump is obsessed with getting even, engaging billionaires, enriching his family and building a gilded ballroom, all while renaming and remaking Washington as if it were Mar-a-Lago. In summary, Trump’s name will appear at the top of every midterm ballot, if only virtually. If Republicans lose control of Congress, he might claim the election was rigged. And, since Trump equates losing with weakness, he could respond aggressively, possibly activating federal forces. Alternatively, if Republicans retain control of Congress, vast numbers will claim the election was won through gerrymandering or voter intimidation and might take to the streets. Buckle up for the most dramatic and dangerous midterm election in U.S. history. Myra Adams served on the creative team of two Republican presidential campaigns in 2004 and 2008.
For the First Time, Scientists See the Universe’s Skeleton in Incredible Detail Thanks to JWST Added: May 15, 2026

For the First Time, Scientists See the Universe’s Skeleton in Incredible Detail Thanks to JWST

Site: The Daily Galaxy - Great Discoveries Channel

For billions of years, the universe has kept its grand design secret. Now, a powerful space telescope is pulling back the curtain, revealing a structure that connects galaxies in ways scientists never imagined.
No, California’s Backyard BBQ Ban Proposal Is Not Justified | National Review Added: May 15, 2026

No, California’s Backyard BBQ Ban Proposal Is Not Justified | National Review
Anti-Israel US Senate candidate with covered up Nazi tattoo splits Jewish Democrats summit | The Times of Israel Added: May 15, 2026

Anti-Israel US Senate candidate with covered up Nazi tattoo splits Jewish Democrats summit | The Times of Israel
Liberals' Choice: Trump vs. Democrat Candidate Added: May 15, 2026

Loathing of Trump drives liberals to back a very flawed Maine Democrat

Site: The Hill

Frank Bruni, a New York Times opinion writer, argues that while Graham Platner has many flaws, he is still a better choice than moderate Republican Susan Collins, as Platner is a Democrat running a…

If you want to know how far some liberals are willing to go to register their fear and loathing of President Trump, just read the recent opinion piece by Frank Bruni in the New York Times. Here’s how his column begins: "Graham Platner isn’t my ideal Senate candidate. Not even close. I'm deeply troubled by the thinness of his political experience, by the primacy of raw anger in his appeal to voters and by the oddities and ugliness from a Nazi tattoo to a fondness for 'gay' and 'gayest' as put-downs, in his not-so-distant past. It's a lot to overlook. But if I lived in Maine, I'd vote for him in November." Bruni is a thoughtful man of the left, prepared to overlook Platner’s many, let’s call them ... uh, shortcomings. Before we get to why he is prepared to overlook so much, let's lay out just what Bruni is willing to accept, reluctantly or otherwise. Platner has said he is a communist. He said cops are bastards. He called people who post online "retarded." He said war was "the most enjoyable experience of my life." Working as a bartender, he wondered "Why don't black people tip?" And speaking about women who are concerned about sexual assault, he wrote that "Rape is a real thing. If you’re so worried about it ... you might not get blacked out f-----d up around people you aren't comfortable with." Yes, Frank Bruni, that really is, as you put it, "a lot to overlook" — even though Platner has acknowledged that the posts were wrong, that they came during a dark time in his life, and he has since deleted them. Maybe he is sincere, or maybe that’s just what you say when you have political aspirations. Whichever it is, why would an intelligent man like Bruni vote for Platner over Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a moderate Republican who, after Trump’s second impeachment, voted to convict him? The reason, Bruni writes, is that Platner is “a Democrat running against a Republican and I haven’t been kidding around when I’ve said that President Trump has no respect for democracy, no regard for the truth." Trump, as Bruni sees it, is an "extreme danger" to the U.S. To vote for Collins, Bruni believes, "would be irresponsible, nonsensical and perilous." It’s a compelling case that Bruni lays out, even seductive. There’s just one problem that may have escaped his attention. Republicans feel pretty much the same way about Democrats — and it's why they voted for Trump over Kamala Harris. I know a lot of Republicans who thought Trump is a narcissist, vulgar, dishonest, childish and vengeful. They voted for him anyway — because they thought that with all his faults, Trump was a better choice than Harris. Trump even said that if Harris were elected, "It will be the end of our country." Isn't that what Democrats are saying about Trump? Let us acknowledge that we have choices — and that voting for the lesser of two evils doesn’t have to be one of them. We can reject both Trump and Planter if we think neither has the character we want in someone holding high office in our government. We can cast a symbolic vote for a candidate we know doesn't stand a chance of winning. Or we can sit out the election. I mean, if you've spent years railing against Trump as a fascist, why vote for a candidate who chose to put a Nazi tattoo on his chest — and kept it there for nearly two decades? Staying home on Election Day — if it matters, that's what I did all three times Trump ran — is also a way of making a statement that doesn’t compromise one's principles. Let me end with a few lines from another New York Times opinion piece — this one from David French, who, for the record, loathes Trump as much as his colleague Frank Bruni does. "If a person with an identical profile [as Platner] applied to be your manager at work, would you be comfortable hiring him? And if you’d have qualms putting such a man in charge of your team at work, why is it appropriate to put him in the U.S. Senate?" Good question. And if the answer is because he's a Democrat who presumably would not support Trump, that doesn't strike me as a good answer. Not a good enough answer, anyway. Bernard Goldberg is an Emmy and an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University award-winning writer and journalist. He is the author of five books and publishes exclusive weekly columns, audio commentaries and Q&As on his Substack page. Follow him @BernardGoldberg.
GOP Bill Will SLASH Immigration By 85%, GUT Hart-Celler Act | Timcast IRL - YouTube Added: May 15, 2026

GOP Bill Will SLASH Immigration By 85%, GUT Hart-Celler Act | Timcast IRL

Site: YouTube

SUPPORT THE SHOW BUY CAST BREW COFFEE NOW - https://castbrew.com/Join - https://timcast.com/discordHosts:Tate @realTateBrown (everywhere) | @TimcastTateBrow...
Jack Schlossberg: These Kennedy Whelps Just Keep Coming Back | National Review Added: May 15, 2026

Jack Schlossberg: These Kennedy Whelps Just Keep Coming Back | National Review
Why is almost everyone right-handed? The answer may lie in how we learned to walk Added: May 15, 2026

Why is almost everyone right-handed? The answer may lie in how we learned to walk

It is one of the strangest puzzles in human evolution. About 90% of people across every human culture favor their right hand—with no other primate species showing a population-level preference on this scale. Despite decades of research into the brains, genes and development behind handedness, why humans ended up so overwhelmingly right-handed has remained an evolutionary enigma.
Trump aims to defy gravity with Beijing friendship summit Added: May 15, 2026

Trump aims to defy gravity with Beijing friendship summit

Site: Axios

Nearly every force shaping the two countries' relationship is pulling them apart.
Magnificent Meltdown in Virginia | National Review Added: May 15, 2026

Magnificent Meltdown in Virginia | National Review
Misguided Empathy Is Killing Western Civilization | National Review Added: May 15, 2026

Misguided Empathy Is Killing Us | National Review

Site: National Review

Our distortion of empathy is bringing us closer to societal suicide.
The Scourge of Left-Wing Violence | National Review Added: May 15, 2026

The Scourge of Left-Wing Violence | National Review

Site: National Review

What we learned from the riots of 2020.
How Will the 2026 Super El Niño Impact Summer Weather Patterns Across North America and Europe? » Severe Weather Europe Added: May 15, 2026

How Will the 2026 Super El Niño Impact Summer Weather Patterns Across North America and Europe?

Site: Severe Weather Europe

How will the 2026 Super El Niño reshape our summer? Latest May data reveals intensifying Pacific warming, and the forecast for global circulation, summer storms, and the shifting weather patterns across United States, Canada, and Europe.
John Fetterman defends Donald Trump's remarks on affordability concerns amid Iran war Added: May 15, 2026

Fetterman: Trump affordability remark was ‘clipped’

Site: The Hill

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) on Wednesday defended President Trump’s comment that he is not focused on the financial situations of Americans while negotiating with the Iranian government. “He…

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) on Wednesday defended President Trump's comment that he is not focused on the financial situations of Americans while negotiating with the Iranian government. “He said something that got clipped ... saying, 'I’m not thinking about [the] American people financially,’ but what he really was saying — he did say, is, ‘I'm really thinking that we can’t ever let Iran [build] a bomb,’” Fetterman told Fox News host Sean Hannity. “That's the essence of what that is, and to hold that line,” the Pennsylvania Democrat continued. “I mean, how could we just walk away and … let that happen?” Fetterman, who campaigned as a liberal in 2022, has aligned with the president on issues ranging from the conflict with Iran to border security to the construction of the White House ballroom. But despite that, the Pennsylvania senator wrote last week in a Washington Post opinion piece that he was not switching parties, noting that he would “be a terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats.” Before departing for Beijing on Tuesday, Trump said the financial situations of Americans do not motivate him amid negotiations to end the war with Iran and come to a new deal on Tehran's nuclear program. “Not even a little bit," he told reporters when asked about motivations. "The only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran, they can’t have a nuclear weapon,” he added. “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situations. I don’t think about anybody." “I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon," Trump said. The conflict in Iran, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, has led to increased energy costs in the U.S. amid the turmoil in the Strait of Hormuz — a key oil shipping channel in the Gulf. As of Thursday, the nationwide average cost of regular gas is more than $4.53 per gallon, according to AAA. On Feb. 26, two days before the U.S. and Israel launched the war, gas prices were less than $3 per gallon, according to AAA. Prices for all items, meanwhile, rose by 0.6 percent from March to April, driving the annual inflation rate up to 3.8 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Annual inflation in April was up 1.4 percentage points from February. While a temporary ceasefire is still in place between the U.S. and Iran, the Trump administration is yet to reach an agreement with Iranian officials to end the hostilities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said Sunday that the war is not over. “It's not over, because there's still nuclear material, enriched uranium that has to be taken out of Iran,” he told Major Garrett on CBS News’s “60 Minutes.” “There are still enrichment sites that have to be dismantled,” Netanyahu added. “There are still proxies that Iran supports. There are ballistic missiles that they still want to produce. Now, we've degraded a lot of it. But all that is still there, and there's work to be done.” Trump, meanwhile, is in Beijing for a state visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. During his interview with Hannity, Fetterman said that China, an ally of Iran, should be among a host of countries demanding that the Islamic Republic halt its nuclear ambitions. “The whole world should join us, stand with us. China … Europe, all these other countries should say, ‘We should demand Iran end their nuclear ambitions, and now we can all get back to building up all of our nation and parts of the world,’” the senator told Hannity.
President Trump Gaggles with Press on Air Force One En Route Anchorage, AK, May 15, 2026 - YouTube Added: May 15, 2026

President Trump Gaggles with Press on Air Force One En Route Anchorage, AK, May 15, 2026

Site: YouTube

Air Force One
Vice President JD Vance Delivers Remarks at the National Peace Officer’s Memorial Service - YouTube Added: May 15, 2026

Vice President JD Vance Delivers Remarks at the National Peace Officer’s Memorial Service

Site: YouTube

Washington, DC
President Donald J. Trump sits down for a wide ranging interview with Bret Baier 🇺🇸 - YouTube Added: May 15, 2026

President Donald J. Trump sits down for a wide ranging interview with Bret Baier 🇺🇸

Site: YouTube

President Donald J. Trump sits down for a wide ranging interview on his historic trip to China with Bret Baier. 🇺🇸Watch the key moments in under two minutes.
Elon Musk Recommends One Book and Says The Future Of Civilisation May Depend On It | Times Now Added: May 15, 2026

Elon Musk Recommends One Book and Says The Future Of Civilisation May Depend On It

Site: Times Now

Elon Musk’s dramatic praise for Gad Saad’s 'Suicidal Empathy' has turned the controversial book into a major talking point., Books, Times Now

Elon Musk has once again pushed a book into the centre of online conversation. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO recently recommended Gad Saad’s new book, 'Suicidal Empathy: Dying to Be Kind' on X, calling it essential reading and urging people to share it widely. Musk wrote, “Read this book and give it to all your friends. Survival of civilization depends on it!” His post came in response to Saad sharing that the book had reached the number two spot among new releases in Canada. Musk’s endorsement quickly drew attention because the book deals with a subject that has become increasingly charged in political and cultural debate: whether empathy, when detached from reason and long-term consequence, can become self-destructive. 'Suicidal Empathy: Dying to Be Kind' extends ideas Saad has previously explored in 'The Parasitic Mind'. The book argues that Western societies are being weakened by what Saad describes as excessive or irrational empathy. According to the description cited in the report, Saad criticises a culture that, in his view, elevates victimhood, weakens punishment and places emotional comfort above social order. Saad, a Canadian academic and public commentator, is known for applying evolutionary psychology to questions around consumer behaviour, politics and culture. His earlier books include 'The Consuming Instinct', 'The Parasitic Mind' and 'The Saad Truth About Happiness'. With 'Suicidal Empathy', he returns to one of his most controversial themes: the idea that societies can endanger themselves when compassion is applied without judgment, boundaries or concern for survival. The book’s argument is deliberately provocative. It frames certain modern cultural and political choices as examples of misplaced compassion, suggesting that societies sometimes prioritise offenders over victims, emotional narratives over truth and symbolic kindness over practical safety. Saad presents this as a form of “inverse morality”, where destructive behaviour is protected while self-defence, discipline and social stability are treated with suspicion. Musk’s endorsement fits into a wider pattern in his recent public comments. He has previously criticised what he sees as Western civilisation’s vulnerability to what he calls an “empathy exploit”. The phrase has become part of a larger debate around whether empathy is being weaponised in politics, institutions and public discourse. Supporters of this view argue that kindness without limits can be manipulated. Critics, however, warn that attacking empathy can easily become a way to justify cruelty or indifference. Also Read: JD Vance Recalls His Obsession With Wife Usha In New Memoir That tension is exactly why the book is likely to generate strong reactions. For some readers, 'Suicidal Empathy' may feel like a warning against emotional decision-making in public life. For others, it may sound like an attack on compassion itself. Either way, Musk’s recommendation has ensured that Saad’s book will not remain confined to political theory or academic debate. The larger question raised by the controversy is not whether empathy is good or bad. Most people would agree that empathy is essential to civilised life. The real argument is about limits. Can compassion survive without judgment? Can societies remain humane without becoming naïve? Can public policy care for the vulnerable without losing sight of victims, citizens and consequences? By recommending 'Suicidal Empathy' so forcefully, Musk has turned Saad’s book into a talking point far beyond its original readership. Whether one agrees with its politics or not, the book has entered a debate that is already shaping conversations about leadership, morality, public policy and the future of Western societies.
x.com/i/status/2055282179182100540 Added: May 15, 2026

Site: X (formerly Twitter)
Elon Musk on X: "Beware the empathy exploit. Empathy is good and right when thought through (deep), but can be deadly to civilization when simply stimulus-response (shallow). For example, releasing a repeat violent offender may feel good at first (shallow empathy for the criminal), but it is" / X Added: May 15, 2026

Site: X (formerly Twitter)
Elon Musk on X: "So shameful of Rubin. All that should matter is the quality of the movie." / X Added: May 15, 2026

Site: X (formerly Twitter)