• Astrology

    Your Weekly Horoscope: (April 21-April 27)

    May 24, 2025 - By 

    We’ve got major feels and fiery clashes this week—think of it as cosmic spring cleaning. Venus conjunct Saturn wants real-deal intimacy. Mars and Pluto are out here stirring up ego battles. And the Taurus New Moon? She’s whispering, “Let’s slow down and build something that lasts.” This week is about grounding your power, not proving it. Your energy is sacred—invest wisely. Power Moves, Pisces Feels & New Moon Vibes ARIES (March 21 – April 19) Honey, that fierce determination of yours is shining through. That Sun-Pluto square on Tuesday hits your social sector hard, forcing you to examine power dynamics in…

  • Science

    MIT rescinds support of AI paper; should AI write science papers, anyway?; another pub steps in for paused NIH journal – Retraction Watch

    May 24, 2025 - By 

    Dear RW readers, can you spare $25? The week at Retraction Watch featured: Our list of retracted or withdrawn COVID-19 papers is up past 500. There are more than 59,000 retractions in The Retraction Watch Database — which is now part of Crossref. The Retraction Watch Hijacked Journal Checker now contains more than 300 titles. And have you seen our leaderboard of authors with the most retractions lately — or our list of top 10 most highly cited retracted papers? What about The Retraction Watch Mass Resignations List — or our list of nearly 100 papers with evidence they were…

  • Travel

    The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Pompeii (Updated 2025)

    May 24, 2025 - By 

    When I was growing up, I wanted to be an archeologist. I loved history (and still do), and the thought of uncovering temples and tombs in jungles excited me. I used to read books on Greek and Roman history and have discussions with my history teacher, even as young as 13. In short, I was a huge geek from the get-go. Being such a huge history geek, visiting Pompeii, the city destroyed by Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, has always been high on my list of things to do. When the volcano erupted, the falling ash came so quickly that…

  • Online Deals

    EGO 21 Inch Self-Propelled Mower Touch Drive with Charger, 4.0Ah & 6.0Ah Batterieswith Free shipping $494.10

    May 24, 2025 - By 

    Acme Tools has EGO POWER+ 21″ 56V Self-Propelled Lawn Mower w/ Touch Drive, 4.0Ah + 6.0Ah Batteries & Rapid Charger (LM2123SP-2) for $549 – 10% when you apply promo code OPE10 in cart = $494.10. Shipping is free. Thanks to community member stonemannn for finding this deal. Product Description: Engage the self-propel function with the touch of your palm and change speed with the scroll of a dial at your fingertips High-efficiency brushless motor that delivers up to 6.0 ft-lbs of cutting torque for power and performance that exceeds gas-powered mowers Up to 80 minutes of runtime on a single…

  • Astrology

    Tarot Card of the Week (April 21-27, 2025): Seven of Pentacles

    May 24, 2025 - By 

    Seven of Pentacles: The Power of Patience This week, we draw the Seven of Pentacles—a card that invites stillness, reflection, and radical honesty. In the rush of modern life, it whispers a quiet truth: growth takes time. In our featured image, a tortoise emerges slowly into a moss-draped ruin. The world around it is ancient, lush, and sacred. It’s not in a hurry. It doesn’t need to be. Its presence alone reminds us: deliberate effort creates lasting foundations. As Saturn aligns with the North Node, and the New Moon in Taurus closes out the week, the cosmos joins the card…

  • Science

    Liangzhu, Venice of the Stone Age, Collapsed Due To Climate Change

    May 24, 2025 - By 

    In the Yangtze Delta, about 160 kilometres southwest of Shanghai, the archeological ruins of Liangzhu City are located. There, a highly advanced culture blossomed about 5,300 years ago, thanks to the engineering of large hydraulic structures. The walled city had a complex system of navigable canals, dams and water reservoirs. This system made it possible to cultivate very large agricultural areas throughout the year. In the history of human civilization, it is one of the first examples of highly developed communities based on a water infrastructure. And they did it all without metal. Long undiscovered, the archaeological site is now considered…

  • Travel

    The Tour du Mont Blanc – Rick Steves’ Travel Blog

    May 24, 2025 - By 

    Earlier this fall, four of us — total novices at long-distance treks — hiked around Europe’s highest mountain. (On the first day, big birds of prey circled high overhead. My hunch: They were vultures just waiting for one of us to drop.) The Tour du Mont Blanc is a 100-mile, ten-day hike — but we cheated a bit, hiking the best 60 miles in six days from mountain lodge to mountain lodge, catching local buses through the less exciting parts, and letting a “sherpa service” shuttle our bags each day through France, Italy, and Switzerland, from Chamonix to Chamonix. The…

  • Astrology

    Your Weekly Horoscope: (April 28

    May 24, 2025 - By 

    This week, Venus struts into Aries with all the confidence of someone who knows they’re the main character. Cue the flirting, the spark, the magnetic connections. But don’t be fooled—this isn’t just a rom-com montage. With Neptune in the mix, we’re dancing at the edge of fantasy and truth. By the weekend, Pluto begins its slow backward slide through Aquarius, calling us to look deeper. Who has the power in your life? And are they using it… or are you? Love boldly. Reflect deeply. Trust your fire—and your gut. Flirt Fierce, Love Loud Aries (March 21-April 19) Honey, your love…

  • Travel

    Lessons from a Team Retreat

    May 24, 2025 - By 

    What did the extended Roads & Kingdoms family learn in the hills of Emilia-Romagna? Let’s start with these eight simple rules for travel. Over five days in February, we gathered in a rainy, bucolic corner of Italy to think about the future of this small but tenacious shapeshifting organization. Of the many questions we asked ourselves over the course of the retreat, some were easy to answer, like is there such a thing as too much piadina? Incontrovertibly, there is. Others were more complex, like how does an independent media company stay viable amid the thrashing tumult of Trump-era late…

  • Online Deals

    Build Up an Economically Responsible Stockpile

    May 24, 2025 - By 

    There are tons of different strategies to employ when it comes to saving on your groceries. Whether you clip coupons or buy wholesale, you likely have some regular tactics you practice on a weekly basis that help you save. Well, I have another skill I want to share that will come in handy as grocery prices creep upward.  Stockpiling Responsibly Right now, stockpiling a few packs of your staple items when they go on sale is a smart move. This means you’re never paying full price for it if you buy a good amount when they’re on sale. That being…