Dr. Prakash Kashwan

Former Harvard president Summers’ soft landing after Epstein revelations is case study of economics’ trouble with misbehaving men Despite repeated calls for the university to revoke his tenure, the economist held onto his teaching and academic appointments until he chose to retire.

Former Harvard president Larry Summers will retire with the title “president emeritus” after scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein — a soft landing that, one economist argues, underscores academia’s tolerance of powerful, sexist men.

theconversation.com/former-harva...

A problem that is not confined to the US borders but infecting the whole world

At the root of all our problems stands one travesty: politicians’ surrender to the super-rich | George Monbiot There are many excuses for failing to tax the ultra-wealthy. The truth is that governments don’t tackle the problem because they don’t want to, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

Don't imagine for one moment that it ended with Epstein. Treating human beings as counters in a board game is what the super-rich do. Every. Day. It is fundamental to the model. The politicians they support and fund are those who implement their cruel desires.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

A hotter, wetter South is becoming a breeding ground for mold In Asheville, a housing crisis is colliding with mold, a poorly understood health threat that ballooned in the wake of Helene.

A hotter, wetter South becomes a breeding ground for mold | NC Health News www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2026/02/25/a...

Exclusive: New Google Partnership a ‘Sizable Investment’ in AI for Teachers Tech giant won’t attach a price tag to 3-year agreement with ISTE+ASCD.

I'm with Justin Reich, who said, "industry-sponsored professional development is, at its core, a 'customer acquisition' campaign."

As Google attempts to strengthen its grip on teachers and students, here's a 🧵 with work that examines the Googlization of education...

Cattle dropping dead after drinking water polluted by oil extraction - in their podcast, @oilfieldwitness.bsky.social exposes the toxic filth released when we use fossil fuels:

share.google/nJlNZ1k5L5Oa...

that’s right

Happy Lunar New Year to all who celebrate🧧

The last Year of the Fire Horse began in '66 & saw anti-war protests & civil rights struggle. It was the year Rev. Jackson left seminary to join Dr. King’s Freedom Movement.

May 2026 bring New York the same bold change people deserve.

Must listen interview ft. Frederic Mousseau breaking down how the US–DRC Strategic Partnership Agreement violates Congo's laws to favor American mining interests & how Congolese human rights defenders are fighting back in the courts:

Agreed. Could you share an example of the argument that a "global totalizing vision of AI takeoff could be good for the left"

Lower levels of PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ in North Atlantic whales show regulations work: Study North Atlantic long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) now have 60% lower concentrations of some legacy PFAS than they did a decade ago, offering rare good news about the effectiveness of chemic...

In the era of deregulation, it's nice to have a reminder that environmental regulation really does work. I'll be using this little piece of hope as motiviation to fight back against all this deregulation, and I hope you do the same.

pro tip for sharing extremely fucked up climate news: if you don’t include a doable action step, it’s just gonna burn people out

I got about a bajillon of em. how bout: find out when your local planning and zoning people meet, show up and support clean energy projects and dense housing

Feel like saying unbelievable but we live in mad times!

We have those heating coils installed at the edge of the roof. Made very little difference in this recent freeze : (

Why Was Bad Bunny Singing on Top of a Broken Utility Pole at the Super Bowl? Bad Bunny’s 13-minute performance at the big game was an ode to Puerto Rico — and its energy woes.

How often does a Super Bowl half-time show include stinging commentary on energy policy and the US' broken promises to a community that has been abused and neglected for decades? @earthjustice.org

This New Wildfire Risk Model Has No Secrets CarbonPlan has a new tool to measure climate risk that comes with full transparency.

I wrote about the first 100% transparent climate risk tool. You can look up your home's wildfire risk, w/ all underlying data, methods, and code available to dl. The hope is to get this info out of black box models and invite public/scientific scrutiny and collaboration. heatmap.news/adaptation/c...

They're Coming for Our Daughters The conservative plan to shrink girls’ futures

The Heritage Foundation has released a 250-year roadmap to “save America.”

The document is a how-to guide for subjugating girls & young women: a detailed plan to push them out of college, funnel them into early marriage and motherhood, and then trap them there.
jessica.substack.com/p/theyre-com...

Should some L.A. beaches be a national park? It's being studied. Here's how you can weigh in The National Park Service is embarking on the Los Angeles Coastal Area Special Resource Study, focusing on the coastline and adjacent areas along Santa Monica Bay from Will Rogers State Beach to Torra...

The National Park Service is studying whether some Los Angeles-area beaches should be designated a national seashore: www.latimes.com/california/s... via @ianjames.bsky.social

‘We’re being turned into an energy colony’: Argentina’s nuclear plan faces backlash over US interests Push to restart uranium mining in Patagonia has sparked fears about the environmental impact and loss of sovereignty over key resources

www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

Pop star Bad Bunny needed a Puerto Rican history scholar. UW–Madison had just the one. Bad Bunny collaborated with UW–Madison history professor Jorell Meléndez-Badillo on Puerto Rican narratives that accompany the new album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.”

"How would you feel if, out of the blue, Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny called to ask you a favor? Last December, that’s what happened to Jorell Meléndez-Badillo, a University of Wisconsin–Madison assistant professor of Latin American & Caribbean history." #PuertoRico news.wisc.edu/pop-star-bad...

For years, a cottage industry of political observers has contorted itself to obscure and occlude the obvious. That regardless of what others see in him, Trump’s entire political career — from his embrace of birtherism to his hatred of birthright citizenship — cannot be understood outside the context of his bitter, deep-seated racism. Trump is not profound. He has been the same person this whole time. The question is why so many others have refused to see what he has never bothered to hide.

This, from @jamellebouie.net is exactly right. And I think so many folks have refused to see or admit what Trump is because admitting implicates them, or their families, so denial is easier.

A photo of cross-country skiing gold medalist Jessie Diggins, who said in a social media post, that her motivation comes from the people she believes represent the country’s best values. She stressed that her focus is on compassion and inclusion. “I'm racing for an American people who stand for love, for acceptance, for compassion, honesty, and respect for others. I do not stand for hate or violence or discrimination," she said. "I get to decide who I’m racing for every single day, and how I want to live up to my values. For everyone out there caring for others, protecting their neighbors and meeting people with love - every single step is for you." Diggins concluded by saying, "You are the ones who make me proud to carry the flag, and I hope I can bring you joy over these next few weeks."

Cross-country skiing gold medalist Jessie Diggins: “I'm racing for an American people who stand for love, for acceptance, for compassion, honesty, and respect for others...For everyone out there caring for others, protecting their neighbors & meeting people with love, every single step is for you."

Rethinking State Capacity Yes, we should demand that government move faster. But the impediments aren’t limited to bureaucrats and NIMBYists.

Brian Callaci, CHAINS OF COMMAND, and Sandeep Vaheesan, POWER IN DEMOCRACY, discuss how we can and should rethink state capacity. Read on below:

"Abundance liberalism" is quite "illiberal" at its core! (ofc recognizing the fifty shades of liberalism)

Tech bro incompetence meet offshore worker exploitation. So much brilliance at once is difficult to fathom. #Waymo

A photo of Japan’s prime minister Sanae Takaichi at her party’s headquarters on Sunday © Kim Kyung-Hoon/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock

Takaichi staked her premiership on a bet that the country would embrace her bluntly-spoken conservatism, promises of a new era of prosperity and expansive spending pledges. The opposition bloc offered an alternative to voters nervous about Takaichi’s right-wing politics. www.ft.com/content/0456...

"...as Europe’s political class moves to address its shame[ful] ties with the convicted sex offender, it’s inadvertently highlighting the comparative lack of accountability in the U.S... Wagons have been circled around the prominent political figures whose names have surfaced in the Epstein files."

Exclusive: EU rethinks climate diplomacy after bruising COP30 summit, document shows The European Union is mulling a new strategy in its diplomatic efforts on climate change after a bruising U.N. summit last year where it struggled to rally support for faster, more ambitious action to...

EU reflection and revision after #cop30

“We're in a new era which is more transactional," one EU diplomat said, adding that some governments also wanted a clearer EU line on when to reject future COP deals that it deems too weak”

www.reuters.com/sustainabili...

This First Nation has the vision and many skills to create an Indigenous values-based energy strategy!
Land Back!

Michelle Obama documentary rises 13,000% in views as Melania film opens Becoming garners 47.5m minutes viewed on same weekend as current first lady’s documentary released in cinemas

The weekend "Netflix & Heal" plan 🫂✊🏼

Michelle Obama’s 2020 documentary Becoming, which followed the former first lady in the wake of her hit book, saw a rise in views of more than 13,000% over the past weekend, with 47.5m min viewed, says the Hollywood Reporter. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...