Helen_5Calls.org

Video: We caught Elon Musk's AI company flouting EPA rules using a thermal drone xAI’s Grok chatbot is powered by unpermitted gas turbines at a Mississippi power plant. Here's how we know.

You may have read Evan's groundbreaking investigation into Elon Musk's AI power plant last month. Now we've released a 12-minute mini-doc that dives deep into how the plant is affecting local residents — and what happened in Southaven following our initial report.

Video: We caught Elon Musk's AI company flouting EPA rules using a thermal drone xAI’s Grok chatbot is powered by unpermitted gas turbines at a Mississippi power plant. Here's how we know.

Unpermitted gas turbines are running at a Mississippi power plant built to supply electricity to the data center behind xAI’s Grok chatbot.

In our new mini-documentary, thermal drone imagery captures the turbines in operation:

the most important state election of early 2026 is right around the corner… though you’d never know it by the attention it’s receiving.

here’s hoping this bolts article helps jumpstart a little more chat!

million barrels per day. unit of measurement in oil
Here is a great primer by a US public agency EIA

Its a bit like how all of us were forced to learn about financial markets & banks after the 2008 Crash. A reason why @katemac.bsky.social & I began Polycrisis project.
www.eia.gov/finance/mark...

7/ Saudis, Emiratis, Qataris want to end the war quickly. Oil and gas production is being shut in. Their data centres are being bombed.
To deliver pain to Trump via the AI tech lords, they’re indicating they will start pulling back their vast foreign overseas investments.
bsky.app/profile/70sb...

This is the largest oil supply shock in history in mb/d
The enemy gets a vote. Iran is now delivering pain to Trump via multiple paths
(1) Gulf Kings
(2) Financial meltdown
(3) AI tech oligarchs
(4) Fuel, fertilizer, food disruptions
Read our Polycrisis Dispatch:
buttondown.com/polycrisisdi...

5/ The enemy gets a vote. Iran is now delivering pain to Trump via multiple paths
(1) Gulf Kings
Well, How Do you Protect the Gulf Kingdoms without Air Defense Radar? In the middle of last week, Iran knocked out every single Gulf THAAD radar:
buttondown.com/polycrisisdi...
bsky.app/profile/70sb...

Wanna learn about the amazing Dorothy Jones, who took on McCarthyism & made the case for film studies as damn serious business? Check out @gvaughnjoy.bsky.social’s great book!

blog.degruyter.com/silent-night...

This will make you sick. #Idaho has its own freedom caucus trying to do the same things. 👇

We just had a multi-day tornado outbreak and another round is already lining up for Tuesday. SPC has an Enhanced Risk from Missouri into Illinois with tornadoes, very large hail, and storms that could keep going well after dark.

For decades, long predating the climate wars, we’ve had to confront “petrostate” politics.

It’s proven an immense challenge in the U.S. given bipartisan embrace (if to differing degrees) of fossil fuels.

I know this deeply & acutely from my 23+ yrs of work in New Mexico—an O&G dependent state.

3/ The result is weaker democratic debate & a public less equipped to examine policies, leaders,& institutions critically. When questioning declines & slogans replace analysis, power concentrates because fewer citizens are prepared to challenge it

The best thing you can do every day is think deeply

2/ It works through repetition, simplified narratives, coordinated media messaging, and social pressure that rewards agreement while discouraging questions. Over time people internalize the script, and challenging it begins to feel risky, unnecessary, or socially costly.

1/ Organized thoughtlessness is a political strategy that gains power not by persuading through strong arguments,but by conditioning ppl to avoid deeper thinking. It replaces curiosity with habit & encourages quick reactions instead of careful reflection #DV1 #ProudBlue #Voices4Victory #USDemocracy

Inside the reporting: Using a thermal drone to investigate xAI’s power plant A Q&A with reporter Evan Simon on how this first-of-its-kind investigation came together.

In a first-of-its-kind investigation, Floodlight used a thermal drone to prove that Elon Musk's AI company is flouting EPA rules. Reporter Evan Simon explains how it took shape — from getting his drone piloting license to how a bad storm nearly ruined our plans.

1/It was not possibly unlawful; it was unlawful; and it continues to be unlawful. In addition, NEH canceled statutorily required grants to state humanities councils many of which have had to close, harming state arts communities. And guess what: “Western Civilization” is not in the statute.

Oregon Legislature passes bill to strengthen protections for abortion, gender-affirming care The bill creates additional privacy rights for doctors and patients and makes court petitions for a legal sex change confidential, with some exceptions.

Oregon Legislature passes bill to strengthen protections for abortion, gender-affirming care

www.opb.org/article/...

#transgender #trans #LGBTQ #LGBTQIA

Arkansas’ 70th House District March 3 This Arkansas vacancy is a rare GOP-held seat in a district that Kamala Harris carried in 2024, an opportunity for a Democratic gain. The Republican governor initially called the special election in June, but a court ordered the contest rescheduled, and Democrat Alex Holladay now faces Republican Bryan Renshaw. (The GOP will retain a supermajority regardless.)

2️⃣ Democrats flipped a legislative seat in Arkansas.

This was a special election, not a primary—and the Democratic nominee won very easily in a seat that had gone for Harris by a few points in 2024 but was held by the GOP.

Adds to a string of Dem flips.

Context: boltsmag.org/whats-on-the...

‘Mass disenfranchisement’: The Slow, Methodical Attacks on Voting Ahead of Midterms In Dallas County on election night, mass confusion caused by a sudden rule change sent hundreds of voters to the wrong polling places. This is what modern voter suppression can look like: not always dramatic, but just confusing and discouraging enough to stop people from casting their ballot. Mother Jones’ Ari Berman weighs in “when you change laws and when you make voting more difficult right before an election, without giving people time to prepare, it can lead to the kind of mass disenfranchisement we saw in Dallas on Tuesday.”

Mass confusion unfolded at polling centers in Dallas County on primary night. That confusion was manufactured. It renewed fears of voter suppression ahead of the midterms. ProPublica's @dougbockclark.bsky.social warns "last minute changes to election laws can disenfranchise a lot of people." #Velshi

TBI has been heavily funded by billionaire Larry Ellison, a close personal friend of Netanyahu. Last year, Democracy for Sale and Lighthouse Reports revealed how TBI has changed since Ellison, gave £250 million to the institute.

Please join the Global Women’s Caucus
Feminist Hackathon today 5AM-1PM Eastern Time / 10AM-6PM CET

Por favor únase al Hackatón Feminista del Comité Global de Mujeres
hoy, de 5:00 a 13:00, hora del este (10:00 a 18:00, hora central europea)
www.democratsabroad.org/gwc_the_femi...

Americans Are Now a Target in Trump’s Immigration Crackdown A WSJ investigation tracked the U.S. citizens caught in the crosshairs of an aggressive federal campaign to detain and demonize dissenters.

“A WSJ investigation tracked the U.S. citizens caught in the crosshairs of an aggressive government campaign to detain and demonize dissenters” www.wsj.com/us-news/immi...

Not new!… and they’re highly organized
Funding & training candidates, model legislation, coordinated messaging, “think tanks”, Data collection, digital strategies and more… far beyond Fox

#CouncilForNationalPolicy #KochNetwork #ALEC
#Jan6

New Extremist “Freedom Caucuses” Are Pushing State Governments Right Across US The State Freedom Caucus Network, funded by a shadowy array of far right donors, has a presence in 15 states so far.

The State Freedom Caucus Network, funded by a shadowy array of far right donors, has a presence in 15 states so far.
buff.ly/hQT640i

The framing effect is surprising: simply calling LLMs 'companions' rather than 'tools' made people attribute far more mental capacities to them — intentions, memory, consciousness. Marketing shapes reality.

These ppl didn't totally come up w the idea to bite the hand that feeds them on their own tho. There's much propaganda demonizing Dems, minorities, cities etc. coming from Right Wng disinfo media. The whole nation is drowning in it, but rural areas even more than most areas

bsky.app/profile/upin...

Thank you all for coming out to fight for science!!!

Federal health officials are warning tourists from Connecticut and others across the country that global travel carries an increased risk for POLIO, which is circulating in about 30 countries.

(Polio. It's polio)