(Mouse requested a bedtime story about ânothing.â)
Once upon a time there was nothing, and it lived in the corner of Mouseâs room. There was space between the bed and the cupboard that was big enough for nothing else.
There wasnât much room for nothing in Mouseâs house. Everything everywhere had something in it, and sometimes more. Everywhere that looked like it might have nothing really had something, like dust or a cornflake or a LEGO head or a shadow, and if it looked like there was nothing for even a moment, someone would come and put something there.
It was very hard to be nothing in Mouseâs house. Every corner had something in it, and if it didnât, there was a spider living there. Everything was always some colour or another, and usually some noise. Everyone was always putting a book down on you. Or spilling Ribena on you and pretending they hadnât. Or complaining that there was no room for anything, and shifting about all the other things, but never making room for nothing - only moving it uncomfortably about the house. âNothingâs ever where I put it in this house,â theyâd say, but complaining.
And even when they werenât doing all that, they were always talking about nothing. Someone would always be tripping over it, and then would yell that they had tripped on nothing - there was no privacy for nothing around here - or they were saying that nothing was wrong. Even when it was quiet someone would say, âdid you hear that?â And, âwhat was that?â And, âit mustâve been nothing.â They would poke it; and then say out loud that they had poked nothing, but never got into trouble for it!
As a result of this, nothing began to feel cross, and put-upon, and uncomfortable. It was also a bit lonely, and wondered if it wanted to be something. So it thought very hard, and was SOMETHING.
This was certainly more interesting, and everyone came and looked at it, and said Look At That Thing, and That Really is Something. They poked it, and said they had poked something, and that something was there. They said, âI can smell something,â but with more interest this time. Then they spilled Ribena on it, and something came out of the corner and ran about the house, and everyone wanted to know all about it, and why the Ribena was in Mouseâs room in the first place.
Something was interested in the attention, because it was true - it really was something. It was chased all around the house now. Everyone said, âitâs up to something.â But instead of sitting quietly, something wanted something to do.
So something followed Mouse, but at a distance, because Mouse was always tripping on something. And Mouse and Mama went out in the pushchair, and something followed them.
Mouse said, âI see something!â And Mama said, âwhat do you see?â
And Mouse said, âI see GEORGE.â
With that, George had to be George, and was a boy thing. He was puzzled by this, and sat in Mouseâs lap, and was pushed around in the pushchair. âWhat is a George?â George asked.
Mouse explained that a George was a bit like a monkey, with a tail, red, with a face, a lot of red fur, and small, and smelly. Smelly of sharks.
âIâm smelly of sharks?â George said, quite unexpectedly upset by this. âWhat do sharks smell like?â
(George had only just stopped being nothing, and didnât know.)
Mouse explained how sharks (which astute grownups will remember are small BLĂ HAJ stuffed toys that mice incidentally shoplifted from IKEA, across which we shall draw the veil of amnesty) smell of bedtime, and possibly Ribena.
âI donât like that,â said George, and tried being George anyway. George went to the shop, and ran about on the floor for a bit, and everyone said, âwhat is THAT?â And it was George.
George said, âI want to go home,â so they went home, and went to bed with the shark.
But then George knew the end was coming, and so he said to Mouse, âthis is too much. I want to go home.â
and George didnât fit in his corner any more - because it was big enough for nothing.
So George went POP and turned back into nothing.
Mouse said, âyes,â and nodded. And Mouse talked to George anyway.
And then Mama came and said, âwho are you talking to, Mouse?â
The OTW is Recruiting for Open Doors Technical Volunteers, Tag Wrangling Volunteers, and Translation Translators
Do you know programming languages like SQL or Python and want to help rescue at-risk fan archives? Want to wrangle AO3 tags or translate them into English? Are you fluent in other languages? The OTW is recruiting: https://otw-news.org/2p94jnbfÂ
You let go of the string and you keep the bow đđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđđ
Itâs Erica with your new dose of Feel Good News â stories to remind us the worldâs not so bad after all.
1. A nonprofit has erased more than $40 billion in medical debt across the U.S. People donât apply, they simply receive a letter saying their debt is gone, including one woman whose $3,200 medical bill was wiped away
In 2018, Jessica McIntyre faced a challenging situation after developing postpartum eclampsia, leading to significant medical debt from her hospital stay. Despite having health insurance, she owed thousands due to her planâs coverage limits. Eventually, McIntyre fell behind on payments, and her debt was sold to a collections agency, negatively impacting her credit score. In 2022, she received surprising news from a nonprofit called Undue Medical Debt, which had erased her remaining $3,200 debt, significantly improving her financial situation. Undue operates by purchasing unpaid medical debts for a fraction of their value and eliminating them without requiring an application from recipients. The issue of medical debt in the U.S. is widespread, with a 2024 report estimating that Americans carry over $220 billion in such debt. North Carolina has a high rate of medical debt, affecting 13.4% of adults, and many suffer despite having insurance due to high deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. In 2024, a collaboration between Undue and North Carolinaâs Department of Health and Human Services aimed to address medical debt more holistically, requiring hospitals to relieve debts for low-income patients and preventing them from selling such debts to collections. This initiative helped erase $6.5 billion in medical debt statewide. Additionally, local fundraising efforts, like a campaign by Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church, further contributed to debt relief, raising over $22,000 to eliminate significant amounts of medical debt in the community. These initiatives highlight a growing recognition of the burden of medical debt and efforts to provide assistance to those affected.
2. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announces âClick to Cancelâ rule to rid NYC of subscription traps and junk fees
Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York City has introduced a groundbreaking âClick to Cancelâ rule aimed at protecting consumers from subscription traps and hidden fees. This regulation mandates that businesses must allow customers to cancel subscriptions as easily as they signed up for them. The initiative was announced in collaboration with the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) and is expected to save New Yorkers approximately $162.5 million annually. The rule is designed to help consumers avoid financial burdens from persistent subscriptions, such as gym or hotel memberships. Mayor Mamdani criticized the business practices that complicate the cancellation process, stating that if sign-ups can be done with one click, cancellations should be just as straightforward. Failure to comply with the rule could result in civil penalties for businesses. However, concerns remain about the enforcement of the rule and its associated costs. A similar federal rule had been proposed but faced legal challenges.
3. A restaurant owner found $12,000 hidden in an old cabinet. Instead of keeping it, he tracked down the previous owner, who needed it during a serious health battle
A South Carolina restaurateur, Sak Yiengjuntuek, owner of Lemongrass Vietnamese Pho & Thai Cuisine in Myrtle Beach, has been celebrated for returning $12,000 found in an old cabinet to its previous owner. After a neighboring storeâs fire caused power outages, Yiengjuntuek was clearing out leftover furniture when he discovered a sunglasses case filled with cash. Shocked, he recognized it belonged to the former proprietor. Although initially struggling to contact him due to a disconnected number, Yiengjuntuek eventually reached out live on air with WLBT3, receiving an emotional response from the owner, who was facing health challenges. His act of honesty has garnered him local recognition, and he hopes to inspire others to do the right thing and uphold honesty in their own lives.
4. Scientists built a solar reactor that eats plastic bottles and burps out clean hydrogen at scale 7-2-2026
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a device that addresses both plastic pollution and hydrogen production using sunlight. As hydrogen demand increases, the majority of current hydrogen production relies on natural gas, which contributes to environmental concerns. The new device breaks down plastic waste, converting it into hydrogen in a sustainable manner. This innovative solution builds on the teamâs previous work on a solar-powered reactor that utilized expensive semiconductor catalysts, which limited scalability. The new device is larger, easier to produce, and employs a cost-effective paint sprayer method to apply light-absorbing materials and catalysts. Tested outdoors, the reactor efficiently extracts hydrogen from plastic bottles and plant biomass. While the production method is now more affordable, the hydrogen generated remains too costly, necessitating improvements in reactor efficiency and durability. The findings are outlined in the journal *Nature Chemical Engineering*.
5. 18 donkeys have kept DoĂąana National Park in Spain free of wildfires for 9 straight years by grazing dry scrub daily where vehicles cannot reach. DoĂąana sits at the heart of one of Europeâs most vital wetland ecosystems. It shelters Iberian lynxes, endangered birds, and hundreds of migratory species
In Spain, donkey firefighters have successfully protected DoĂąana National Park from wildfires for nine years by grazing on dry scrub that could potentially fuel fires. This initiative, started in 2014 with 18 donkeys from the El Burrito Feliz association, utilizes the animalsâ eating habits to maintain the landscape, especially in areas inaccessible to vehicles. DoĂąana, a vital ecosystem home to endangered species, has notably avoided wildfires during a period of increasing fire activity across Spain. Donkeys are particularly effective for this task due to their unique digestive system, allowing them to consume and transform tough vegetation into energy, which in turn diminishes fire risks over time. Grazing supports fire prevention while also restoring agricultural practices lost to mechanization and rural depopulation. Efforts to replicate this model are emerging in other regions, such as Catalonia, where additional donkey programs are reporting similar successes in fire prevention. Moreover, the program benefits from collaborations with volunteers and military support, highlighting the importance of a comprehensive wildfire management strategy that includes land management and early detection measures. Overall, the reintroduction of donkeys for fire prevention demonstrates a sustainable and efficient approach to ecological restoration and wildfire management in Spain.
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I like to think that Heated Rivalry/Game Changers and Schitt's Creek exist in the same universe. David Rose hooked up with Ryan Price accidentally at some point. Ilya unironically loved the Crows franchise. Harris's first job in high school was at Rose Video. Troy met and flirted with Alexis at some bender in Ibiza. Scott Hunter is constantly getting mistaken for Sebastian Raine. Fabian follows Moira on Instagram.
You'll doubtless want to turn this off in your Instagram...
Vie the NYT:
When Meta unveiled an artificial intelligence image generator called Muse Image on Tuesday, it came with a feature that let users create A.I. images based on peopleâs Instagram photos.
Any adult with a public Instagram account was automatically opted in. Using the Meta AI app, the companyâs stand-alone chatbot, other users could pull from âpart or all of your published photosâ to create new A.I. images, the company wrote in a blog post.
âIn addition, people may be able to create content with your Instagram content using A.I. features at Meta,â the company added.
Hereâs how it works: On the Meta AI app, a user can tag a public Instagram account and direct the chatbot to create new A.I. photos based on photos from that personâs account.
The privacy backlash was immediate. Along with automatically enrolling users in the feature, Meta didnât notify people when their accounts were used to generate A.I. images.
Hundreds of users took to social media to decry the new feature, asking how they could opt out while criticizing the company for a lack of consent. One user said on social media that the feature was âa privacy landmine waiting to detonate,â while others on Instagram shared templates for how to disable it.
A Meta spokesman said in a statement that private accounts and users under 18 were excluded from the new feature, which can be disabled âwith just a couple clicks.â
âWe will take action against any content that violates our Community Standards,â the company added.
What can I do about this?
The easiest way to opt out and protect your account is to set your account to private.
But if youâd like to keep your account public, go into Instagramâs settings and scroll down to the âshare and reuseâ tab. In the sections titled âAllow people to reuse your content on Instagram and with AI features,â toggle the setting to âoff.â
You can also change the A.I. settings for individual pictures and videos. Users cannot stop their audio, text and comments from being âreusedâ by Metaâs A.I., the company said.
