I wonder how AI-generated bodies are going to change body image for young people. Facebook served me an image today from an account called "AI Twinks." Clearly targeted. If flawless, beautiful images of people become endless, what does that do to expectations we place on ourselves and each other?

When so-called leaders want bombs and death, suddenly there’s unlimited money. But to help people? Almost never. $37.5B could fund nearly a decade of housing assistance for people without anywhere to live. Or three years of early learning and family support for children from low-income families.

US bombs Iran for 11th night; Hegseth says war has cost $37.5bn so far

Trump threatens to bomb a suspected Iranian nuclear site called Pickaxe Mountain 'very heavily'.

aljazeera.com

It's very hard to get excited about all the festivities when Democracy is being shredded. Anyone else in this boat? I really want to cheer, celebrate, and feel energy for the 250th Anniversary of the United States. There's a lot to love. It also feels like celebrating a birthday for a corpse.

I no longer understand my student loans. Who else is in this boat? I was on a SAVE plan: repayment: 10% of income. Extremists killed it in court and our government pulled out the rug. There are old plans and new plans on terms I barely understand, and a long, confusing conversation with Nelnet.

Doing This With Your Student Loans Could Now Be A Terrible Mistake

After being told for years to consolidate federal student loans, we are now entering a period during which federal student loan consolidation may be a very big mistake.

forbes.com

After watching the legendary Paul McCartney beside Stephen Colbert to honor The Late Show’s final moments, it’s clear Paramount/CBS traded a cultural tradition for a few beans. In the historic Ed Sullivan Theater where the Beatles performed in 1964, a temple closes its doors for money and fascism.

Commentary: As Stephen Colbert signs off, America loses a prophet

As Stephen Colbert exits late-night TV, America loses a "prophetic" voice holding power to account.

sltrib.com

When is the last time you attended a big name concert? Are prices a barrier? I'm a singer, songwriter, and lover of music who avoids big name concerts. Why? For most of my life they've been inaccessible and expensive. I attend local community shows. Is out of touch pricing tanking the industry?

10 Singers and Groups Who Have Canceled or Postponed Their Tours in 2026

Multiple celebrities, including Meghan Trainor and Demi Lovato, have canceled or postponed their tours in 2026. Here's a look at which singers have had to cancel show dates.

people.com

Trump's constant demands for attention have an awful effect on each of us. He hijacks our attention and pulls on our nervous systems with his chains. Whether we're reacting to daily awfulness, horrors, or clowning antics while others nod agreeing, it's like feeding Jabba the Hutt. Free your mind!

Hey world. About our insane guy threatening the planet? Yeah, we might need help with that. Humbly yours, - America

I compared Trump to Hitler in 2015 and people said it was too extreme. His character was already clear. Now we have a racist president with nuclear weapons threatening people he hates with annihilation. (Muslims in Iran.) If we don’t take this seriously now, the consequences may be permanent.

'A genocidal lunatic': Even MAGA sees Trump's madness | Opinion

By proudly announcing 'a whole civilization will die tonight,' President Donald Trump appears to have embraced historical infamy.

usatoday.com

It seems "rob the poor to feed the rich" somewhere took a darker turn to "rob the poor to murder people.*

Trump budget seeks $1.5 trillion in defense spending alongside domestic program cuts

In his annual budget, President Trump is asking Congress to boost defense spending to $1.5 trillion, the largest such request in decades.

npr.org

Lost in the news is that Cuba's oil-based power grid is basically offline under the oppression of Trump's blockade, and people are having trouble eating. Meanwhile, China steps in as the hero. First, kudos to China. Second, the only reason America thrives is due to goodwill. Trumpism destroys that.

Trump has choked off Cuba’s oil supply. China is stepping in with solar.

As President Donald Trump threatens to “take” Cuba, China is flexing its dominance in renewable energy by supplying solar panels as Havana confronts an energy crisis.

washingtonpost.com

Meanwhile, as the US Government attempts to start WWIII in the Middle East, there's an oil blockade to Cuba starving out the island. This is a humanitarian nightmare. History will not look kindly on this, and there's something uniquely Hitler'esque about such grotesque behavior. Real people suffer.

Cubans say there is little food, power, fuel or relief amid worsening conditions

As the U.S. and Cuba hold conversations to decide the island’s fate, basic necessities there are scarce or unaffordable, and simple tasks like cooking are burdensome.

nbcnews.com

Eroding trust among allies, potential allies, and pretty much everyone in the world seems to be the primary operating mode of a treasonous Putin White House and its ICE gestapo. It seems ethical to care for people who risk their lives to help us. I'm not for war, but at least do right by people.

Afghan man who served alongside US forces dies after less than a day in ICE custody, family and advocates say | CNN Politics

An Afghan man who served alongside US special forces and fled his native country after its takeover by the Taliban died over the weekend shortly after being detained by immigration authorities, accord...

cnn.com

"... 2026 is taught in the Star Trek canon as the time when ... all the shit hit the fan. The world was at war, nation-states collapsed, any remaining governments were highly militarized and rapidly falling apart, food and resource shortages abounded — the world was a nightmare until ... 2053 ..."

Why Star Trek said World War III started in 2026

Sometimes science fiction can appear to be clairvoyant, but that’s not exactly the case here

medium.com

Anyone else not want to be on the wrong side of World War III? Trump is horrible.

Iran Officially Confirms Military Support From Russia And China In War Against the US

Iran says Russia and China provide military support under strategic ties; Tehran also limits Hormuz access for US and Israeli ships, Politico reports.

united24media.com

Living in Minnesota, we witnessed a miracle of neighbors helping neighbors. People of all kinds supported their community's immigrants, resisting the brutal, arbitrary violence of ICE. This New York Times opinion piece describes the amazing surge of "neighboring" as a powerful antidote to Trumpism.

Opinion | Why Minnesota Matters More Than Iran for America’s Future

nytimes.com

A subscriber to ChatGPT for 3+ years, I became the biggest fanboy early on... But let's be real: OpenAI betrays all humanity with its recent move to partner with a Fascist government. Its powerful technology will now be misused to identify enemies, target, and kill — a threat to our very survival.

‘Cancel ChatGPT’: Sam Altman under fire for Pentagon deal as Anthropic draws red line on mass surveillance - The Times of India

US News: Sam Altman is facing online backlash after announcing that OpenAI has reached an agreement with the US Department of War (DoW) to deploy its AI models.

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

I don't want to set off any alarm bells but Armageddon may have just started. #IranWar

ICE claims to have saved the life of a 4-year-old Minnesota child. The problem is the only reporting sources don't cite any material other than the claims of Homeland Security. Nothing says "propaganda" like the stock image of a warm-looking outdoor pool purporting to be Minnesota in February.

Mental health is declining globally. People with the "lowest per capita income in the world scored far better than those in the US, Canada, Europe, India, Japan, and Australia." While the article names factors like smartphones, it misses the core cause: neoliberal Capitalism's rise, 1980s to now.

Mental health is declining globally. Where in Europe suffers the most?

Young adults are facing worse mental health and daily life challenges, driven by weak family bonds, low spirituality, early smartphone use, and high ultra-processed food consumption.

euronews.com

American self-interest is a disease, and it's destroying all of us. The battle we see in our streets exists between the self-interested who see their role as preserving this deadly status quo ... and people who live with a sense of community and compassion, who see their neighbors as beautiful.

We are targeted because we successfully demonstrate another way of organizing public life than hateful Capitalist authoritarianism. States that welcome immigrants, protect trans folks, and build generous social programs aren't targeted by coincidence. And Minnesota voted against Trump three times.

What is it about Minnesota that made it a target for Trump’s ICE crackdown?

The Democratic-leaning midwestern state where federal agents killed two citizens is in many ways anathema to the administration

theguardian.com

No criminal in Minnesota would dare drive an SUV with no plates and wear a ski mask anymore. Whole neighborhoods would chase them down, record, and blow whistles. Bank Robber: "Stop! Stop! I’m a bank robber!" Minnesotans: "Oh, sorry, thought you were ICE. Here, let me pick up your gun for you!"

When all this is over, what do we do with all the companies that betrayed America to the Fascists and racists? Tech companies. Media companies. Companies that bribed their way into influence. And, then, there are special cases like Palantir which literally turned against us through surveillance.

In the end, the self-defeating nature of Fascism will be its downfall. It is too cruel and self-serving to last. People banding together in love, unity, and true moral existence will always have stronger support to rebuild their ideal world.

This is obviously not targeted enforcement. And we still don’t know how many children they’ve taken. www.cbsnews.com/news/ice-arr...

Less than 14% of those arrested by ICE in Trump's 1st year back in office had violent criminal records, document shows

The official DHS statistics, which had not been previously reported, provide the most detailed look yet into who ICE has arrested during the Trump administration's crackdown.

cbsnews.com

A moment of intention: From many places we pray, meditate, and share a focus on imagining a better world for people targeted by an evil government. We remember people disappearing. May all in hiding, unable to work, pay rent, attend school, or find food be lifted up in light. Stop cruel leaders.

The main problem with the structure of an agency like ICE is that the majority of those who would want to work for it hate immigrants. Which is why there’s no repairing it. Abolishment is the only cure.

Surprise! The Fascists are still doing what they did before. ... is anyone surprised? "So everything you're hearing in headlines, they are lies . . . On the ground nothing is changing."

'As bad as it's ever been': Twin Cities residents see few signs of ICE 'drawdown'

Thursday was a particularly pronounced day of federal immigration raids.

bringmethenews.com

I’d love to hear your six-word story for this moment — something that lands like: "For sale: Baby shoes, never worn" — the famous six-word short story by Ernest Hemingway. This Minnesota piece about people's furry family members, who suddenly have no owner, carries a similar impact for me.

Minnesota pet rescues adapt to rising animal surrenders amid ICE detentions

The Animal Humane Society and The Bond Between are seeing more animals who suddenly have no owners. They're also connecting communities with vet care and food.

kare11.com