H. Livingston

I went to my new dentist today and the entire clinical staff masks. Not all the office workers do, but everyone in the back does. No commentary, they just do. Almost like it's bullshit to claim it's impossible for health care professionals to mask at work.

an extraordinary achievement against something that was once a death sentence to an entire generation

how many wonders like this are we going to miss because of the destruction of science in this country

Of course the greatest US president of the 20th century served this country from a wheelchair, so using mobility as an indicator of intellectual ability is both stupid and insulting, as is making a clickbait story out of something that didn't happen but someone said someone was thinking about.

Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, recently used my second-place finish in the 1,600-meter run, and that of my teammate in the 800-meter run, to malign Soren Stark-Chessa, the trans-identified athlete who finished first. One of the reasons I chose to run cross-country and track is the community: Teammates cheering each other on, athletes from different schools coming together, and the fact that personal improvement is valued as much as, if not more than, the place we finish. Last Friday, I ran the fastest 1,600-meter race I have ever run in middle school or high school track and earned varsity status by my school’s standards. I am extremely proud of the effort I put into the race and the time that I achieved. The fact that someone else finished in front of me didn’t diminish the happiness I felt after finishing that race. I don’t feel like first place was taken from me. Instead, I feel like a happy day was turned ugly by a bully who is using children to make political points. We are all just kids trying to make our way through high school. Participating in sports is the highlight of high school for some kids. No one was harmed by Soren’s participation in the girls’ track meet, but we are all harmed by the hateful rhetoric of bullies, like Rep. Libby, who want to take sports away from some kids just because of who they are. Anelise Feldman Freshman, Yarmouth High School Yarmouth

this is a letter to the editor from a high school track runner who came in second to a trans girl in a race. her state house rep in maine started talking about it. so she wrote this: www.pressherald.com/2025/05/14/r...

You MUST be vocal and continue to show up for us. This is a flash point for Western Maryland, and it is CRITICAL that you work very hard on both your actions AND messaging in regards to this area.

The text in the photo below is not my own words, but I thought it was important to get them to you.

I’ve declared a State of Emergency to accelerate our response to the historic flooding in Western Maryland.

A photo of a medical center. A headline reads "Migrants Are Skipping Medical Care, Fearing ICE, Doctors Say" Photo by Heather Khalifa for The New York Times

Across the U.S., doctors are increasingly concerned that people with serious medical conditions are avoiding medical care out of fear of being apprehended by immigration officials. “The tragic message to these people is: Be a shadow and hope that you do not die,” one said. nyti.ms/4d4Wu1s

Leo thanked Francis in his speech and repeated his predecessor's call for a Church that is engaged with the modern world and 'is always looking for peace, charity and being close to people, especially those who are suffering' reut.rs/437YoK6

8. It is clear that this report does not represent an intent to pursue scientific accuracy or to protect trans youth, but rather is an ideological hit piece developed by affiliates of the Trump administration to give ad-hoc justification to growing attacks on gender affirming care.

Robert Prevost @drprevost JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others ncronline.org/node/292716 via @NCRonline

From the account of the new Pope.

will this be the first pope to say "fuck"

A Chicago Pope implies the existence of an MLA Pope and APA Pope

Imagine being such a terrible Catholic convert that:
1) the pope calls your actions out specifically and says your ideology is incompatible with Catholicism
2) your presence kills the pope
3) they elect a new pope to oppose you

On a serious note, I had wondered how Trump reign would be seen by the conclave. An African or Asian pope would be summarily dismissed by Americans. Now we have an American pope, I take that as a sign that the threat of American fascism and its effect on Europeans is being taken very seriously.

Gotta wonder, do Cardinals practice signing their dream Pope name in their diaries as if they're 70-year old kids?

There's just something about a lonely tree... #HumanArt #artonbluesky

Btw, #delfest should really be on BlueSky.

Can't wait to play #Delfest2025! 10am at the music hall on Saturday the 24th with Gilbert Lee and the Ghost on the Radio (it's me, I'm the ghost!!) rockin' some trumpet, fiddle, and vocals. See you there.

Federal spending is *up* under Trump according to the Wall Street Journal. Chaos is not actually the same as cost savings.

Actual budgeting is a kind of actual policy-making and takes real work spread over real time. Running around breaking stuff isn't that.

www.wsj.com/politics/pol...

I was told these people were “free speech absolutists”

DOGE is not cutting the deficit Real federal spending is higher in 2025 so far than in past years, and DOGE is making it harder to raise revenue

Today's Chart of the Week: DOGE is not cutting the deficit

Because of cuts to revenue-generating services, Trump and Musk may be making government output more expensive on a unit-output-per-taxpayer-dollar basis. (In other words, less efficient)

📢NEW WATER BILL could shake up how England & Wales manage water. Tackling pollution, climate risks, and who owns water companies. Here’s what’s inside the draft law:

Yosemite National Park worker dies after being found with severe injuries The 34-year-old woman was found in a National Park Service employee housing unit with severe injuries before dying the next day, according to the agency.

The FBI is investigating the death of a National Park Service worker who law enforcement found with "severe injuries" last week, according the National Park Service.

The White House Correspondents’ Association said it fired host Amber Ruffin so it can instead focus the dinner on celebrating the First Amendment.

Which apparently can be done best by preventing a gay black woman from speaking.

I received a heartbreaking email today: A paper in a special issue I’m editing is being retracted because one of its authors is afraid of losing their job and their legal status in the U.S. if they publish a scientific study on evolution. Yes, on evolution, nature's engine of diversity.

402 made it look easy. #katmai