Stoic Times

May 31, 2026 | Informed, Not Afraid

We suffer more in imagination than in reality.

Seneca
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Recent Headlines

health

Inside the Ebola Epicenter, the Virus Rages With Little to Stop It

Ebola Burns Through a Region Again. The World Has Stopped It Before.

What Happened

An active Ebola outbreak is spreading in an epicenter region, with the NY Times reporting that containment efforts are severely limited. The outbreak appears to be outpacing the local response capacity, with few effective measures currently in place to halt transmission.

What's In Your Control

Whether you donate to organizations with proven outbreak response records (MSF/Doctors Without Borders, WHO Emergency Fund). Whether you share measured, factual information rather than panic-amplif...

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politics

Powerful A.I. Super PACs Duel Over the Midterms: ‘This Is a War’

Political Groups Discover New Tools. The Ads Are Still Trying to Scare You.

What Happened

Super PACs are now deploying artificial intelligence to generate political advertising, targeting voters, and fundraising at scale ahead of midterm elections. The headline quotes a participant describing the situation as "a war," suggesting competing AI-powered groups are racing to outspend and o...

What's In Your Control

Whether you consume political advertising at all. Ad blockers exist. So does the off button. You can research candidates through primary sources — voting records, policy platforms, local journalism...

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politics

Pride celebrations struggle as corporate sponsorships dry up

Corporate Pride Flags Are Fading. The Movement Preceded Them by Decades.

What Happened

Major corporations have pulled back on sponsorships for Pride events in 2025, following political pressure and DEI rollbacks. Several large Pride celebrations are reporting funding shortfalls, forcing some to scale down or seek alternative funding sources from community donors and smaller organiz...

What's In Your Control

Whether you donate directly to a local Pride organization this year, which would replace corporate dollars with community ones. Whether you attend. Whether you recognize the difference between a br...

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technology

The NTSB tries to keep cockpit audio recordings private. AI is making that harder

AI Can Now Lip-Read the Dead. The Question Is Whether It Should.

What Happened

The National Transportation Safety Board has long kept cockpit voice recorder (CVR) audio private after accidents, releasing only written transcripts, to protect the dignity of deceased crew and encourage candid in-flight communication. AI tools can now reconstruct intelligible audio from degrade...

What's In Your Control

Whether you seek out reconstructed cockpit audio for entertainment versus investigation. Whether you support journalism that prioritizes accountability over whether you support journalism that resp...

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world

Four more men freed from flooded Laos cave after 10 days

Four More Men Walk Out of a Laos Cave. The Dark Did Not Win.

What Happened

Four men have been rescued from a flooded cave in Laos after being trapped underground for 10 days. This is part of an ongoing rescue operation, suggesting more individuals were involved in the incident. The men survived over a week in a flooded subterranean environment — an extreme test of endur...

What's In Your Control

Whether you follow the updates as they come in, rather than refreshing anxiously. Whether you take a moment to appreciate that strangers on the other side of the world are currently devoting everyt...

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world

Across the Middle East, Muslims Mark Eid Amid War and Crisis

A Billion People Paused to Celebrate. Wars Could Not Stop Them.

What Happened

Muslims worldwide are observing Eid al-Adha, one of Islam's two major holidays, marked by communal prayer, feasting, and the symbolic sacrifice of livestock. The celebration comes as conflicts continue in Gaza, Sudan, Yemen, and Syria, meaning tens of millions of Muslims are marking the holiday u...

What's In Your Control

Whether you take a moment to understand what Eid actually is, rather than only encountering it through the lens of conflict. Whether you reach out to Muslim friends, neighbors, or colleagues with a...

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politics

Colombia’s Elections Are a Crucial Test for the Left in Latin America

Colombia Votes. Latin America Watches. The Region Has Survived Every Election Before This One.

What Happened

Colombia is holding elections that are being closely watched across Latin America as a bellwether for left-wing political movements in the region. The NYT frames the vote as a "crucial test" for the Latin American left, suggesting significant political stakes in the outcome.

What's In Your Control

If you are Colombian: voting, staying informed on candidates' actual policy platforms, and participating in civic society. If you are not Colombian: reading beyond the horse-race framing to underst...

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world

Ukraine using AI drones to strike vital convoys supplying Russian troops

Ukraine Deploys AI-Guided Drones Against Russian Supply Lines. War Adopts Every New Tool. This Is War.

What Happened

Ukraine is deploying artificial intelligence-guided drones to target Russian military supply convoys. The drones use AI to identify and strike logistics routes feeding Russian frontline troops. This represents a significant tactical escalation in the use of autonomous targeting technology in the ...

What's In Your Control

Whether you read deeper into the tactical implications, or simply note that the war continues and both sides continue to adapt. If you work in defense policy, AI ethics, or international law, this ...

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politics

Hungary Showed How to Defeat an Autocrat

Hungarian Opposition Wins Budapest in a Landslide. Democracies Have Come Back Before.

What Happened

Hungary's municipal elections saw a significant opposition victory, with reformist candidates defeating candidates aligned with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's ruling Fidesz party — most notably in Budapest. The results are being widely interpreted as a meaningful blow to Orbán's consolidation of p...

What's In Your Control

Whether you study the specific tactics used — opposition unity, local organizing, voter turnout drives — if democratic resilience in your own country is a concern. Whether you follow Hungarian civi...

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world

Russian Drone Hits Romanian Apartment Building, Officials Say

A Russian Drone Lands in NATO Territory. The Alliance's Next Move Is What Matters Now.

What Happened

A Russian drone struck a residential apartment building in Romania, a NATO member state, according to Romanian officials. Romania borders Ukraine, and stray or deliberately redirected drones from the ongoing conflict have previously crossed into Romanian airspace. Casualty figures and the full ex...

What's In Your Control

Whether you read beyond the headline before forming an opinion. Whether you track official NATO and Romanian government statements before concluding this is intentional. Whether you have family or ...

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