I constantly feel that the world of science + tech, in pursuing "advances" over the last 50yrs has brought us to a place of great danger, filled to the brim with all levels of ugliness.

Over 50yrs we were sold "the world at our finger tips" through tech. And now we have inane malevolent influencers, dark web, ridiculous robots and AI.

We were sold "medical breakthroughs" and now have hideous cosmetic surgery, embryos with three parents and gene manipulation.

Science has brought us, at best, gadgets and consumerism that is filling land fill and, at worst, hideous weapons of war, toxic chemicals poisoning the planet and microplastics in our food and water.

And nowhere the voice of common sense saying: just stop, let's not do this. Because underpinning all this is the mantra "If it makes, money let's do it"
Capitalism.

#capitalism #money #consumerism #theworldisfucked #tech #medicaladvancements #scienceisunstoppable #aiiskillingtheplanet

I remember when Substack used to claim the moral high ground because they don’t run ads. It turns out there are worse things than making money from ads.

usermag.co/p/substack-sent-a-p…

Treasury secretary Bessent drops backdoor comment referring to the $1000 "Trump accounts" for newborns without adding any details. www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...

Trump’s treasury secretary say...

Trump’s treasury secretary says he sees ‘a backdoor for privatizing Social Security’

Donald Trump's Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said he sees "Trump accounts" as "a backdoor for privatizing Social Security." This did not go unnoticed.

^{Steve Benen (MSNBC)}

Keep ‘em coming

“A federal judge in California extended on Thursday temporary protected status for 60,000 people from Central America and Asia, including people from Nepal, Honduras and Nicaragua.”

apnews.com/article/trump-tps-n…

Civil service interns must be working class, government says
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3ez3v9v8jqo?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

Posted into Politics @politics-BBCNews

Civil service interns must all be working class, government says

Internships will only go to students from poorer families in a push to make Whitehall more working class.

^{Henry Zeffman (BBC News)}

Weekly quiz: How did South Park annoy Donald Trump?
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx23v8p14ezo?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

Posted into Top Stories @top-stories-BBCNews

BBC News quiz of the week: What did South Park do to annoy Trump?

How much attention did you pay to what's being going on in the world over the past seven days?

^{BBC News}

Caffeine pouch craze: A teenage trend troubling some experts
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8k8xgry98o?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

Posted into Health @health-BBCNews

Caffeine pouches: Why are teens trying them?

Some social media influencers are pushing products to young gym-goers and students, health experts warn.

^{Michelle Roberts (BBC News)}

Trump's global tariffs 'victory' may well come at a high price
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0l6g13rlwko?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

Posted into Business @business-BBCNews

Trump's global tariffs 'victory' may come at a high price

The US President considers it a win - but if this all triggers a foundational realignment, the results may not break in his favour

^{Anthony Zurcher (BBC News)}

“ICYMI: Finally some good news! The Senate Committee rejected the 40% budget cut for NIH and instead endorsed a $400 million budget increase!

Science for the win.”
-C Young
#Health #Science #NIH #USPol
statnews.com/2025/07/31/nih-bu…

After ‘American Idol’ exec killing and other recent break-ins, Encino residents demand LAPD action
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-07-31/encino-neighbors-crime?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=activitypub

Posted into Entertainment @entertainment-LATimes

'American Idol' exec slaying and other break-ins spark call for action

Encino community leaders want increased security, including police drones, following the killing of a couple and several home invasions in their neighborhood. The LAPD has already responded by adding patrols.

^{Dakota Smith (Los Angeles Times)}

From Reith Southen:

"But hey, at least you can talk to your fake girlfriend and make fake art and read fake posts from fake people on a dead internet that costs increasingly more to engage with while also making you dumber, lonelier, and angrier."

Autonomies: **Giorgio Agamben: On identity**

autonomies.org/2025/07/giorgio…

Kojève once expressed a warning in the form of a critique of identity that is worth reflecting on: “Be what you can never become”. The mistake of those who seek identity is to want to become what they already are. … Continue reading →

#Commentary

Giorgio Agamben: On identity

René Magritte. La Reproduction interdite/Not to Be Reproduced), 1937 Kojève once expressed a warning in the form of a critique of identity that is worth reflecting on: “Be what you can never b…

^Autonomies

The White House Announces White House Ballroom Construction to Begin

whitehouse.gov/briefings-state…

Mussolini's architect?

The White House Announces White House Ballroom Construction to Begin – The White House

Washington, D.C. — For 150 years, Presidents, Administrations, and White House Staff have longed for a large event space on the White House complex that

^{The White House}