Rain again: And again, and again. Anon, anon. It will be a wet week. At least it's brighter than the wet weeks of a few months ago.
Biden's Cancer: President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Detection came after Biden presented urinary symptoms, and the cancer has spread to his bones. Prostate cancers' aggressiveness is rated on a 6 to 10 Gleason scale. Biden's cancer is a 9, according to his team. It's treatable, but not curable. Sorry your rest and retirement wasn't longer, Joe. No one should have to live their final years with the thought that Donald Trump might be the one managing their memorial.
Boeing's "Get Out of Jail Free" Card: Boeing is facing criminal charges for killing 346 people when two Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes crashed six years ago. The aerospace company was supposed to go to trial for a fraud charge late next month, but now the US Justice Department seems like it may be offering Boeing a "non-prosecution agreement." The victims' families are understandably incensed by this. If the plea goes forward, then Boeing will receive another slap on the wrist (i.e. will need to pay another fine, pay more money to compensate the families, agree to make compliance agreements, yada yada yada).
Mass Shooting in Pioneer Square: Three people are dead and one is critically wounded after a 1 a.m. shooting on Saturday morning outside OHM Club in Pioneer Square. Police are investigating. These are the first homicides in Seattle in 45 days. Pioneer Square, however, has been the site of multiple violent acts recently including a shooting as recently as May 10 and a double stabbing on May 4, according to the Seattle Times. On Sunday night, one day after the shooting, a fight between two men ended in a stabbing. Let's all cool off a bit, okay?
Tornadoes Flatten Kentucky and Missouri: A storm system of "monstrous" tornadoes killed at least 28 people in Kentucky and Missouri on Friday. The death toll may be worse due to DOGE cuts, after staff reductions earlier this year eliminated an overnight forecaster position in the Jackson, Kentucky NWS office, thus delaying tornado warnings.
Spain's Airbnb Crackdown: Spain ordered over 65,900 Airbnb rentals to shut down due to violating the country's operating rules. As part of a crackdown on short-term rentals, which the government believes are exacerbating Spain's housing affordability crisis, Airbnb operators must specify whether they are individuals or companies, and submit their license numbers. Many did not submit this information, or submitted numbers that didn't match government files.
We Haven't Heard a Peep from Bird Flu: It's been a hot minute since bird flu infected any humans. A human hasn't contracted the illness—or at least reported it—in three months. Some experts say it's a seasonal thing mostly running rampant in the winter. Other experts worry government cuts could be contributing to the lack of detection and monitoring. It's also possible that cases are not being reported. Most of the people who contracted bird flu recently were farmworkers. Migrant workers now may not feel comfortable coming forward even if they get sick, thanks to the fact that our own version of the Gestapo, Immigrations and Customs Reform, could hunt them down.
Oh, shit, sorry my bad. Totally not the Gestapo.
You know you’re winning when you post “We are NOT the Gestapo!”
— Scott "HBO Max" Shapiro (@scottjshapiro.bsky.social) May 19, 2025 at 4:24 AM
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Oregon Spends Treatment Money on Cops: As part of Oregon's reversal of its 2020-era drug decriminalization legislation, the state included $20 million in grants to counties statewide to set up "deflection" programs that would direct people arrested on drug charges to services rather than the legal system. In a state with one of the worst addiction crises in the US, this sounds like a smart, good thing to do with $20 million, right? Unfortunately, counties spent the money very loosely. According to the Guardian, some local governments simply used the funds to juice up their cops and law enforcement entities. "Several counties have put the money toward hiring prosecutors, acquiring police gadgets and police vehicles, and covering sheriff costs." Two counties used the money to fund drug detection lasers rather than fund community programs. Not only is the spending stupid, counties have put terrible rules around the "deflection" program, such as not allowing anyone with pending charges or on probation to gain access to services. The willful ignorance to do anything but find solutions to the addiction crisis is staggering and not at all surprising.
Fertility Clinic Bombing: A 25-year-old man with anti-natalist views detonated a car bomb outside a Palm Springs, California fertility clinic on Saturday. The blast significantly damaged the building of American Reproductive Centers fertility clinic and blew out the windows of neighboring businesses. The bomber was killed in the attack, which authorities are considering an act of terrorism.
Mexican Navy Ship Plows into Brooklyn Bridge on Global Goodwill Tour: The Cuauhtémoc, a Mexican Navy training vessel, was sailing to 22 ports in 15 countries in ongoing celebration of Mexico's 200th anniversary of independence from Spain. On the New York stop of the tour, the ship and its three masts measuring over 157 feet tall lost power and drifted into the Brooklyn Bridge. The collision snapped all three masts. The damage injured 22 crew members—11 of those critically—and killed two naval cadets.
Ship crashes into the Brooklyn Bridge.
— Pop Base (@popbase.tv) May 17, 2025 at 7:16 PM
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Want to feel worried about something? Well, worried about something else? How about how gambling is destroying an entire generation of young men as it becomes more present and accessible in our every day lives?
A song for your Monday: I recently rediscovered this absolute banger. Despite the title, I find it really gives me life.
