David Lidsky's Blog, page 239

Trump’s abrupt freeze on foreign aid throws humanitarian work into chaos

Even if the president’s freeze is reversed, experts say it will damage the country’s reputation—and put U.S. national security at risk.

The Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid has left humanitarian organizations in the lurch, halting lifesaving services and putting the future of the sector at risk. Even if organizations find ways to continue their work, experts say the move puts the global reputation of the United States at risk.

What it’s really going to take to build fire-resistant communities

Protecting individual houses is not enough. We need to rethink how we design entire neighborhoods and communities.

When a city burns, people often zoom in on houses, the individual cells that make up the fabric of a community.

This free music-streaming site can replace your Spotify subscription

Radio Garden lets you discover radio stations created by real people all around the world.

You know what I miss? Listening to the radio.

4 strategies that nonprofits abroad follow when foreign aid is halted

Most of these partners are local nonprofits that build schools, vaccinate children, respond to emergencies, and provide other key goods and services.

The U.S. government gives other nations $68 billion of foreign assistance annually—more than any other country. Over half of this sum is managed by the U.S. Agency for International Development, including funds for programs aimed at fighting hunger and disease outbreaks, providing humanitarian relief in war zones, and supporting other lifesaving programs such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

5 things to know about toxic productivity—and how to have a healthier approach

Re-imagining productivity means questioning cultural frameworks about achievement and self-worth.

Israa Nasir is a psychotherapist and founder of WellGuide, a digital community for mental health awareness. Her work centers around helping people redefine their relationship with productivity and achievement to lead more mindful, purpose-driven lives. She has been featured in Vox, NBC, and Teen Vogue and invited to speak at Google, Meta, and Yale.

How early adopters are using AI to transform therapy

AI isn’t going away, and it can provide insights that support therapists, and those seeking therapy.

There’s a growing trend in Silicon Valley where engineers are therapizing themselves with ChatGPT . Well, not exactly therapy, but using self-reflective prompts to unlock profound insights into their lives. It’s like getting advice from a friend who’s exceptionally skilled at active listening—except she’s 300,000 years old and has lived over 100 billion lives (it doesn’t quite make sense, but neither does the time we’re living in).

Why RedNote is a Bad Idea

It’s not as simple as trading TikTok for RedNote—there are legitimate safety issues with the Chinese app.

As of this writing, the future of TikTok hangs in the balance, and swaths of “TikTok refugees” are popping over to RedNote. RedNote is China’s version of Instagram with around 300 million users.

Apple is reportedly killing its Mac-connected AR glasses project

The tech giant cancels its code-named initiative after battery life and performance challenges stalled its sleek, everyday-use augmented reality eyewear.

Apple just hit another snag in its effort to find a foothold in the headset market targeting everyday users. The tech giant has reportedly canceled its project to build augmented reality glasses that could be paired with its devices. 

Who is Chris Rocheleau? Trump’s acting FAA administrator will navigate deadly plane crash aftermath

Rocheleau will be handling the response to the fatal collision of an American Airlines plane with an Army Black Hawk helicopter Wednesday night.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced that he appointed Chris Rocheleau, a former senior aviation official, as acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Ransomware attack hits New York Blood Center, disrupting network of blood donations and transfusions to 500 hospitals

NYBC, one of the largest nonprofit blood centers in the country, said it does ‘not have a specific timetable for system restoration’ yet.

One of the largest nonprofit blood centers in the country, New York Blood Center (NYBC), said in a statement on its website that it was hit with a ransomware attack over the weekend and is now experiencing disruptions in its services, including longer-than-normal processing times for blood donations, plus the cancelling and rescheduling of some blood donations.