@futurebird@sauropods.win I would say that nostalgic content has gotten more appealing because I get to share that same content with my kids.
John | @john #US #Navy #Submarine #veteran ⚓ and 20+ year #Technology professional. I’ve launched CoreSignal as a digital “hard reset” to prioritize intentionality over algorithms—seeking connectivity in pursuit of connection.
I am still early in my #Stoic journey, practicing prosoche through the #Enchiridion and learning to “grab the smooth handle”.
When I’m away from the terminal, I’m exploring my #JohnnyDecimal categories (301/302), growing #wildflowers, and practicing #photography —a hobby I’ve tinkered with since my high school medium-format days, though I remain a dedicated student of the lens. 🌸📸
Hummingbabies! Heard a chirp at the front porch and found this poopy nest. 🪶
The world can feel full of depressing news.
So tell us something good—whether it’s a small win in your life, a major breakthrough in the world, or anything in between.
#positivevibes
@meidastouch@threads.net My oldest daughter is home from college, for the weekend. The six of us are together again!
JUST IN: Virginia just adopted a new law that forbids sheriffs and local police from contracting with ICE — if ICE doesn't say it'll follow state laws & agree to let its agents be prosecuted.
Everyone seems to agree ICE won't promise that, and that this spells the end of ICE contracts in Virginia.
The governor had asked for an amendment to the bill when it reached its desk; the legislature agreed to it yesterday, making it law.
https://boltsmag.org/virginia-bill-on-local-contracts-with-ice/
@danielnichanian@threads.net @ZhiZhu@newsie.social Now that the seal has been broken, maybe more states will follow Virginia's example.
David Attenborough turns 100 years old on the 8th of May.
He is a human who has spent his time loving the diversity of life on this planet. His documentaries helped emphasise the biodiversity crisis while also infectiously spreading this love of other species.
My partner and I are thinking of having a small, gentle event on the day to recognise his life. Maybe a walk with friends, taking moments to stop and acknowledge the creatures around us.
Want to join us, wherever you are in the world?
@ephemeral@mograph.social @Kimberley@ecoevo.social My kids, now teenagers, were raised on many of his documentaries. I think celebrating his life in such a manner is a great idea.
Iran War Dispatch: The Zero Hour
🌟🚚 Antimatter just hit the road safely!
CERN scientists have successfully transported antiprotons in a moving truck for the first time, using a special portable magnetic trap. No explosions, no drama — just careful, groundbreaking physics that brings us closer to studying antimatter in more labs around the world.
Post 4: 🔨 The Forge (Local Resilience)
The Headline: Brenham Support: Operation Epic Fury Relief
The News: The local human cost of these metrics is evident in our own community. American Legion Post 48 continues to provide emergency cash for military families struggling with the “worry and doubt” of current deployments.
Discussion: “What is one specific way we can help a military-connected family in Brenham navigate the stress of this ‘endgame’ phase this week?”
Running List: Verified Independent Journalists & Agencies
Focusing on high-accuracy satellite and ground-level reporting:
Shayan Sardarizadeh (BBC Verify): Specialist in debunking AI fakes and verifying satellite imagery.
Tal Hagin (OSINT Analyst): Expert in vetting social media footage for recycled war imagery.
Factnameh: Exiled Iranian fact-checking team providing real-time debunking of state propaganda.
HRANA (Human Rights Activists News Agency): Primary source for verifying civilian infrastructure damage.
Post 3: 🔍 Verification Alert (The AI Identification Checklist)
The Headline: Spotting Deceptive Media in the Fog of War
The News: Today is International Fact-Checking Day. With AI-generated “fakes” like the manipulated footage of the USS Abraham Lincoln circulating, it is critical to verify before sharing.
The CoreSignal Verification Checklist:
- Check for Physics Glitches: Look at smoke, fire, and water. AI often struggles to render these consistently over more than a few seconds.
- Cross-Reference with Satellite Data: If a video shows a building destroyed, check if firms like Planet Labs or Maxar show the same damage from overhead.
- Source Vetting: Is the footage from a verified independent journalist (see our running list) or an anonymous social media account?
- Identify the “Lure”: If the media seems designed to provoke immediate anger or panic, pause. It may be an emotional lure.
Discussion: “Using the checklist above, what was the last ‘breaking news’ video you saw that you now suspect might be a deepfake or recycled footage?”
Post 4: 🔨 The Forge (Local Resilience)
The Headline: Brenham Support: Operation Epic Fury Relief
The News: The local human cost of these metrics is evident in our own community. American Legion Post 48 continues to provide emergency cash for military families struggling with the “worry and doubt” of current deployments.
Discussion: “What is one specific way we can help a military-connected family in Brenham navigate the stress of this ‘endgame’ phase this week?”
Post 2: ⚓ The Choke Point (Market & Supply Chain Volatility)
The Headline: Oil Hits $119 as Naval Engagements Intensify
The News: Global energy markets have reacted sharply to the ongoing blockade. Brent Crude peaked at $119 per barrel on April 1, marking an 86% increase from pre-war forecasts ($63.85).
Naval Status: USCENTCOM reports that 17 Iranian warships and one submarine have been neutralized in the Strait of Hormuz to date.
Brenham Impact: With Brent Crude remaining well above $115, local logistics and retail costs in Washington County are expected to remain elevated through the spring.
Discussion: “Oil prices have nearly doubled since February. At what point does this global ‘choke point’ begin to fundamentally change how you operate your local business or household budget?”
Post 3: 🔍 Verification Alert (The AI Identification Checklist)
The Headline: Spotting Deceptive Media in the Fog of War
The News: Today is International Fact-Checking Day. With AI-generated “fakes” like the manipulated footage of the USS Abraham Lincoln circulating, it is critical to verify before sharing.
The CoreSignal Verification Checklist:
- Check for Physics Glitches: Look at smoke, fire, and water. AI often struggles to render these consistently over more than a few seconds.
- Cross-Reference with Satellite Data: If a video shows a building destroyed, check if firms like Planet Labs or Maxar show the same damage from overhead.
- Source Vetting: Is the footage from a verified independent journalist (see our running list) or an anonymous social media account?
- Identify the “Lure”: If the media seems designed to provoke immediate anger or panic, pause. It may be an emotional lure.
Discussion: “Using the checklist above, what was the last ‘breaking news’ video you saw that you now suspect might be a deepfake or recycled footage?”
Iran War Dispatch
Thursday, April 2, 2026
Post 1: ⚡ The Storm (Damage Assessments & Satellite Data)
The Headline: Isfahan & Kharg Island: The Cost of Air Operations
The News: New satellite imagery from Planet Labs and SPOT CNES reveals the extensive scale of damage from recent strikes.
Isfahan Sector: Independent reports from the Iranian Red Crescent and verification agencies now confirm that 17,353 residential buildings and 4,122 commercial/industrial facilities in the Isfahan area have sustained damage. This includes “cultural jewels” and regional administrative buildings.
Kharg Island Terminal: Imagery confirms at least 12 distinct impact sites on Iran’s primary crude export hub. Destruction is visible at the main export terminal and several large storage tanks.
Discussion: “With over 21,000 structures damaged in a single sector, how do these metrics change your understanding of the ‘strategic’ nature of the current air campaign?”
Post 2: ⚓ The Choke Point (Market & Supply Chain Volatility)
The Headline: Oil Hits $119 as Naval Engagements Intensify
The News: Global energy markets have reacted sharply to the ongoing blockade. Brent Crude peaked at $119 per barrel on April 1, marking an 86% increase from pre-war forecasts ($63.85).
Naval Status: USCENTCOM reports that 17 Iranian warships and one submarine have been neutralized in the Strait of Hormuz to date.
Brenham Impact: With Brent Crude remaining well above $115, local logistics and retail costs in Washington County are expected to remain elevated through the spring.
Discussion: “Oil prices have nearly doubled since February. At what point does this global ‘choke point’ begin to fundamentally change how you operate your local business or household budget?”
Iran War Dispatch
Thursday, April 2, 2026
Post 1: ⚡ The Storm (Damage Assessments & Satellite Data)
The Headline: Isfahan & Kharg Island: The Cost of Air Operations
The News: New satellite imagery from Planet Labs and SPOT CNES reveals the extensive scale of damage from recent strikes.
Isfahan Sector: Independent reports from the Iranian Red Crescent and verification agencies now confirm that 17,353 residential buildings and 4,122 commercial/industrial facilities in the Isfahan area have sustained damage. This includes “cultural jewels” and regional administrative buildings.
Kharg Island Terminal: Imagery confirms at least 12 distinct impact sites on Iran’s primary crude export hub. Destruction is visible at the main export terminal and several large storage tanks.
Discussion: “With over 21,000 structures damaged in a single sector, how do these metrics change your understanding of the ‘strategic’ nature of the current air campaign?”
Please wish this silly little cat a happy birthday
@michelestrider@mastodon.social @futurebird@sauropods.win Happy Birthday Silly Little Cat! 🎉
Oh boy, bag snatchers are jumpin' for joy...
"TSA Announces New Policy: All Travelers Will Need Clear Carry-On Bags Starting This Summer"
https://upgradedpoints.com/news/tsa-announces-new-clear-bag-policy/
@karlauerbach@sfba.social Nice find! I felt my blood pressure rising until I read the whole article!
Leopards and their spots.
@georgetakei@universeodon.com My Pa would always say,
When a man stands up and tells you who he is, you should believe him
- Cost (I'm broke)
- Integration. I want AI to meet me where I am, in the same tools that I use (Obsidian, Nextcloud, Super Productivity, Thunderbird e-mail client, etc)
The African American Spin: Virtue & Heritage
April 1, 2026
🌙 Quiet Forum (Anonymous Reflection)
The Theme: #KintsugiCommunity
The Reflection: Sometimes our #communities feel “broken” by #economic shifts or historical gaps. In the art of #Kintsugi, we mend what is broken with gold, making it more beautiful than it was before.
Discussion: “Share a story anonymously: Have you ever seen a ‘break’ in our community—a conflict or a hardship—that was repaired in a way that made us stronger? What was the ‘gold’ that held us together?”
The African American Spin: Virtue & Heritage
April 1, 2026
⚖️ The #Stoic Handle (Virtue Analysis)
The Analysis: We are currently seeing high inflation and economic pressure affecting #Black #American households nationwide. In #Brenham, we see our community responding by “hiring local” and strengthening student-led police-community initiatives.
The Virtue: #Wisdom. Wisdom in Stoicism is the ability to distinguish between what is “up to us” (our response to the economy) and what is not (the inflation rates themselves).
Discussion: “When the cost of living goes up, how can we use ‘Wisdom’ to invest in community wealth that isn’t measured in dollars? What ‘Virtue Shard’ are you leaning on today?”
#TheHandle_Practice #VirtueShards/Wisdom #CommunityResilience
The African American Spin: Virtue & Heritage
April 1, 2026
🤠 The Brenham Connection (Local Action)
The Headline: “A Dinner to Remember” & Senior Serve
The News: Our local students are in high gear. According to the #Brenham ISD 2025-2026 Calendar, #students just finished a long holiday weekend (April 3-6) and are now preparing for the “A Dinner to Remember” event on April 30, 2026. This event, hosted by the Education Foundation, is a major community gathering at 5:30 PM to support our schools.
Student Spotlight: The Brenham High School Class of 2025 and 2026 are also coordinating through their “Senior Serve” and community groups (Remind: @bhssr2025) to lead volunteer appreciation efforts through the end of the month.
Discussion: “To our BHS Seniors: As you head toward graduation on May 22, what is one ‘local hero’ from Brenham you’ve met this year who changed your perspective?”
#BISD_Excellence #Brenham2026 #SeniorServe2025
The African American Spin: Virtue & Heritage
April 1, 2026
⚡ The Spark (National Inspiration)
The Headline: HBCU Tech & The $10M Theater Fund The News: While 2026 is trending as a year of cultural remembrance, the real “spark” is in the future. Actor Wendell Pierce and Roc Nation have officially launched a $10 million fund for NYC theaters of color, ensuring that Black stories have a permanent, well-funded home. Simultaneously, the “Color of STEM” initiative is seeing record participation from HBCU students who are becoming the new faces of the global tech industry.
Discussion: “With $10M going toward storytelling and more Black leaders in tech, which ‘room’ do you think is more important for us to be in right now: the theater or the laboratory?”