Fran Stephenson
@fransteps.bsky.social
Communicator, lifelong learner. Quilts, books and food for fun. Texan by way of Ohio and Australia.
Seriously? Can’t believe this!
Eight years, two documentaries and one prison sentence later, Fyre Festival promoter Billy McFarland is back.
Here’s what we know about Fyre 2 at this point.
Here’s what we know about Fyre 2 at this point.
Tickets are up for Fyre Festival 2 in Mexico. We have questions.
Eight years after the infamous, fraudulent Fyre Festival, organizer Billy McFarland has announced details for a sequel on Isla Mujeres, Mexico.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 26, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Seriously? Can’t believe this!
Haha!
Darling, I can't even begin to imagine how you cope in this day and age without a book
#reader #readervsreality #booksky #books
#reader #readervsreality #booksky #books
February 11, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Haha!
Good read.
Why does the world's richest man want to gut the CFPB?
Because it would shield him from having to follow financial laws to keep customers' money safe — and give him access to confidential records about his competitors.
Follow the money.
Because it would shield him from having to follow financial laws to keep customers' money safe — and give him access to confidential records about his competitors.
Follow the money.
February 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Good read.
Reposted by Fran Stephenson
A New York legislator has introduced a bill to require social media companies that use personalized feeds to allow users to opt out of the algorithms.
The proposal is part of Sen. Andrew Gounardes' Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation for All Act.
pluribusnews.com/news-and-eve...
The proposal is part of Sen. Andrew Gounardes' Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation for All Act.
pluribusnews.com/news-and-eve...
Gounardes unveils N.Y. social media bills - Pluribus News
New York Sen. Andrew Gounardes (D) on Thursday announced he is introducing two pieces of legislation that would require warning labels on social media and give social media users the option to turn of...
pluribusnews.com
February 10, 2025 at 3:08 PM
A New York legislator has introduced a bill to require social media companies that use personalized feeds to allow users to opt out of the algorithms.
The proposal is part of Sen. Andrew Gounardes' Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation for All Act.
pluribusnews.com/news-and-eve...
The proposal is part of Sen. Andrew Gounardes' Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation for All Act.
pluribusnews.com/news-and-eve...
What an awesome memory!
On Feb. 7, 1964, the Beatles were met by thousands of screaming fans at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport as they arrived to begin their first American tour.
Read more about what happened on this date: t.ly/1NSQu
Read more about what happened on this date: t.ly/1NSQu
February 7, 2025 at 1:10 PM
What an awesome memory!
Reposted by Fran Stephenson
Blumenthal: "It would be one thing if we had some disinterested, impartial business person -- highly successful -- looking at ways to make our govt more efficient and save money. That's not what's happening here. Elon Musk is doing a power grab & information heist, the biggest in American history"
February 6, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Blumenthal: "It would be one thing if we had some disinterested, impartial business person -- highly successful -- looking at ways to make our govt more efficient and save money. That's not what's happening here. Elon Musk is doing a power grab & information heist, the biggest in American history"
LA needs a break from the winds but arsonists are pure evil.
After an unprecedented wildfire siege, L.A. firefighters make progress against Palisades, Eaton fires
Law enforcement sources told The Times it’s likely that many of the small fires will turn out to have been the work of arson.
Follow our live coverage: www.latimes.com/california/l...
Law enforcement sources told The Times it’s likely that many of the small fires will turn out to have been the work of arson.
Follow our live coverage: www.latimes.com/california/l...
After an unprecedented four-day wildfire siege, L.A. firefighters make progress against Palisades, Eaton fires
Ten confirmed deaths and more than 9,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed and more than 150,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders. Law enforcement sources told The Times that it...
www.latimes.com
January 11, 2025 at 12:14 PM
LA needs a break from the winds but arsonists are pure evil.
Be safe.
Pretty scary thing to see from your neighborhood.
Fortunately it's farther than it looks.
@goberthicks.bsky.social and I are packed to get out at a moment's notice and we're staying tuned to all the alerts, which say the forward progress is mostly halted.
Fortunately it's farther than it looks.
@goberthicks.bsky.social and I are packed to get out at a moment's notice and we're staying tuned to all the alerts, which say the forward progress is mostly halted.
January 11, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Be safe.
This is hard to wrap your head around.
Three UnitedHealth-owned insurance companies must pay over $165 million for engaging in widespread deceptive conduct that misled thousands of consumers into unknowingly buying extra health insurance.
www.reuters.com/legal/govern...
www.reuters.com/legal/govern...
UnitedHealth units ordered to collectively pay $165 million for misleading Massachusetts consumers
Three UnitedHealth-owned insurance companies collectively must pay over $165 million for engaging in widespread deceptive conduct that misled thousands of consumers in Massachusetts into unknowingly buying supplemental health insurance, a state court judge has ruled.
www.reuters.com
January 11, 2025 at 12:11 PM
This is hard to wrap your head around.
Reposted by Fran Stephenson
In response to the devastating fires raging in LA, a small restaurant in Surf City USA has become a channel for big help — from locals to people across the country — to support their neighbors up north.
A small seafood restaurant turns into a national donation hub for LA fire victims
In response to the devastating fires raging in LA, a small restaurant in Surf City USA has become a channel for big help — from locals to people across the country — to support their neighbors up nort...
www.npr.org
January 10, 2025 at 11:18 PM
In response to the devastating fires raging in LA, a small restaurant in Surf City USA has become a channel for big help — from locals to people across the country — to support their neighbors up north.
Reposted by Fran Stephenson
Our team in Los Angeles is currently at a local shelter pulling dogs for a transport happening tomorrow morning. We are also coordinating more transports to help get pets out of Los Angeles and away from the fires, but we need YOUR help to make that happen! bestfriends.org
January 11, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Our team in Los Angeles is currently at a local shelter pulling dogs for a transport happening tomorrow morning. We are also coordinating more transports to help get pets out of Los Angeles and away from the fires, but we need YOUR help to make that happen! bestfriends.org
Reposted by Fran Stephenson
In Altadena, a tight-knit Los Angeles suburb in the shadow of the San Gabriel Mountains, smoldering ruins and burnt-out cars now stand. While Malibu's fires made headlines, residents of this diverse community say they feel forgotten reut.rs/40a2uA6
Far from Hollywood's wealth, Los Angeles fire survivors feel forgotten
In the close-knit Los Angeles suburb of Altadena, where rows of neat bungalows once nestled in the shadow of the San Gabriel Mountains, smoldering ruins and the skeletal frames of burnt-out cars now lie.
reut.rs
January 11, 2025 at 10:57 AM
In Altadena, a tight-knit Los Angeles suburb in the shadow of the San Gabriel Mountains, smoldering ruins and burnt-out cars now stand. While Malibu's fires made headlines, residents of this diverse community say they feel forgotten reut.rs/40a2uA6
Reposted by Fran Stephenson
LIVE: Local news crew captures fire tornado in LA.
The largest of the LA fires, in Palisades, is still only 8% contained.
Local news station KTLA 5 captured this fire tornado on its northern flank, funnelling flames hundreds of feet into the air.
(🎥 KTLA 5 News)
The largest of the LA fires, in Palisades, is still only 8% contained.
Local news station KTLA 5 captured this fire tornado on its northern flank, funnelling flames hundreds of feet into the air.
(🎥 KTLA 5 News)
January 11, 2025 at 9:50 AM
LIVE: Local news crew captures fire tornado in LA.
The largest of the LA fires, in Palisades, is still only 8% contained.
Local news station KTLA 5 captured this fire tornado on its northern flank, funnelling flames hundreds of feet into the air.
(🎥 KTLA 5 News)
The largest of the LA fires, in Palisades, is still only 8% contained.
Local news station KTLA 5 captured this fire tornado on its northern flank, funnelling flames hundreds of feet into the air.
(🎥 KTLA 5 News)
Reposted by Fran Stephenson
As crews have fought the fires across the L.A. area, they have repeatedly been hampered by low water pressure and fire hydrants that have gone dry. The problems exposed what experts say are vulnerabilities in water supply systems not built for wildfires on this scale. www.latimes.com/environment/...
January 10, 2025 at 9:30 PM
As crews have fought the fires across the L.A. area, they have repeatedly been hampered by low water pressure and fire hydrants that have gone dry. The problems exposed what experts say are vulnerabilities in water supply systems not built for wildfires on this scale. www.latimes.com/environment/...
It is complicated for organizations for sure.
If you can leave facebook, instagram, and threads that's great, but a lot of non-profits and indie creators have no choice but to stay for promotion and fundraising. Just try to remember that when making grand declarations of disgust and condemnation aimed at everyone who keeps using meta. 🧵
January 10, 2025 at 11:13 PM
It is complicated for organizations for sure.
Thank you for coming to the aid of Los Angeles.
Hundreds of Mexican Firefighters arrived both today and yesterday in Southern California, to assist with the ongoing Wildfires in Los Angeles County. Most are with the National Forestry Commission and the Civil Relief Corps, with others coming from the Mexican Army.
January 10, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Thank you for coming to the aid of Los Angeles.
This is good news!
BREAKING: California has banned insurers from canceling or not renewing residential property policies in the Los Angeles neighborhoods that were affected by the massive wildfires across the city. This ban is in place for one year.
January 10, 2025 at 7:29 PM
This is good news!
Reposted by Fran Stephenson
Donald Trump was found guilty of 34 charges but won't face any punishment — and will be back in the White House this month.
Nearly 800 prisoners are now helping to battle Los Angeles fires, making as little as $5.80 per day.
A tale of two justice systems.
Nearly 800 prisoners are now helping to battle Los Angeles fires, making as little as $5.80 per day.
A tale of two justice systems.
Nearly 800 prisoners now helping to battle Los Angeles fires
Incarcerated firefighters working to battle the widespread Los Angeles brush fires are paid between $5.80 and $10.24 per day, plus $1 for active emergencies.
abcnews.go.com
January 10, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Donald Trump was found guilty of 34 charges but won't face any punishment — and will be back in the White House this month.
Nearly 800 prisoners are now helping to battle Los Angeles fires, making as little as $5.80 per day.
A tale of two justice systems.
Nearly 800 prisoners are now helping to battle Los Angeles fires, making as little as $5.80 per day.
A tale of two justice systems.
Emergency information that is false can cost lives. This is very scary.
L.A. residents get more erroneous fire evacuation alerts, heightening tensions amid disaster.
Friday morning, people got alerts in places far from any fires, including Long Beach and Torrance.
Friday morning, people got alerts in places far from any fires, including Long Beach and Torrance.
L.A. residents get more erroneous fire evacuation alerts, heightening tensions amid disaster
An alert to evacuate from the Los Angeles County Fire Department on Thursday afternoon appeared to have been sent in error.
www.latimes.com
January 10, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Emergency information that is false can cost lives. This is very scary.
Reposted by Fran Stephenson
“The point of the border buoys was political show, and to try to get into a fight with the federal government. Of course, they’re going to spend more money on the fight than they are on anything that is meaningful.”— @blibal.bsky.social
Texas Gave $1 Million in Expert Contracts to Defend Border Buoys in Court
Records reveal additional costs of the controversial Rio Grande barrier that the governor describes as “low-cost.”
www.texasobserver.org
January 10, 2025 at 4:40 PM
“The point of the border buoys was political show, and to try to get into a fight with the federal government. Of course, they’re going to spend more money on the fight than they are on anything that is meaningful.”— @blibal.bsky.social
Reposted by Fran Stephenson
New: The Supreme Court signaled it is likely to uphold a TikTok ban in the US. Follow our live coverage.
Live: US Supreme Court Weighs Arguments on TikTok Ban
www.bloomberg.com
January 10, 2025 at 5:45 PM
New: The Supreme Court signaled it is likely to uphold a TikTok ban in the US. Follow our live coverage.
Not sure how I feel about this.
YouTubers and other digital content creators are selling their unused video footage to artificial intelligence companies seeking exclusive videos to better train their AI algorithms, oftentimes netting thousands of dollars per deal
YouTubers Are Selling Their Unused Video Footage to AI Companies
YouTubers and other digital content creators are selling their unused video footage to artificial intelligence companies seeking exclusive videos to better train their AI algorithms, oftentimes nettin...
www.bloomberg.com
January 10, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Not sure how I feel about this.
Reposted by Fran Stephenson
Meta is disbanding many of its diversity and inclusion efforts, telling employees they will no longer be required to interview candidates from under-represented backgrounds for open roles
Meta Rolls Back Diversity and Inclusion Efforts, Appeasing Trump
Meta Platforms Inc. is disbanding many of its diversity and inclusion efforts, telling employees they will no longer be required to interview candidates from under-represented backgrounds for open rol...
www.bloomberg.com
January 10, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Meta is disbanding many of its diversity and inclusion efforts, telling employees they will no longer be required to interview candidates from under-represented backgrounds for open roles
Just got here! Ready to listen and learn.
January 10, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Just got here! Ready to listen and learn.