I know it's February already and many of use have long-abandoned our resolutions, but researchers have identified steps to not only help you keep them going for longer, but also build more meaning into your day-to-day life. The TL;DR:

1. Look back before moving forward. Before setting goals, reflect on the previous year. Ask:

• what am I proud of or grateful for?
• what lifted my energy or sense of purpose?
• what drained it?
• what did I avoid that actually mattered?

2. Pick two or three areas that matter to you
3. Arrange your environment so the right behaviours are easy

From Somalis in Minneapolis to Nepalis in New York City, immigrant communities turn to trusted local news sources. Here’s our regular ranking of the top 25 nonprofit news sites in the United States.

“We were able to show through our hair samples what the lead concentrations are before and after the establishment of regulations by the EPA,” said demographer #link("https://profiles.faculty.utah.edu/u0030780")[Ken Smith];, a distinguished professor emeritus of family and consumer studies. “We have hair samples spanning about 100 years. And back when the regulations were absent, the lead levels were about 100 times higher than they are after the regulations.”

Editorialized title, because it makes no sense to focus on his three year celibacy. Also a four month old article, but I figured it was still good to see.

*edit
changed 'good' to 'fine' because that was just a huge missed opportunity.

Thanks to the new drilling tech geothermal power becomes feasible in places that weren't fit for it before. Estimates suggest that cost wise, it can compete with fossil fuel and renewables in the near future

The move came as dozens of immigrants arrested in Minneapolis were shipped to the Torrance County Detention Facility, which is run by private prison operator CoreCivic, in New Mexico. One of them, 33-year-old Jorge Cordoba, told Source NM he lived in Minneapolis for more than 20 years and was in the country legally under protected Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival status.

Residents who spoke during public comment were overwhelmingly in favor of the bill, though Otero County Attorney R.B. Nichols spoke during a virtual public comment period to oppose the bill. He said it would disproportionately harm economies in regions like Otero or Torrance counties that rely on detention centers for jobs.

The bill’s supporters, though, contend that it would not force these facilities to shut down. Many detention centers contract with other law enforcement agencies, such as the U.S. Marshals, and would still detain people accused of crimes.

“We’re disentangling ourselves from the immigration industry that’s been…a money-making, for-profit machine off the backs of our neighbors and families and friends,” Chávez, one of the bill’s sponsors, told Source NM. “I think that it sends a message to the rest of the country.”

Currently, only lobbyists working more than 28 hours a month are required to publically register with the commissioner of the Commissioner of Lobbying.

https://lobbycanada.gc.ca/app/secure/ocl/lrs/do/guest

A lot of lobbying in Canada is undisclosed.

Let's say you are a lobbyist for an AI company. The AI minister (yes, that's a real thing) wants to introduce a bill that you really don't like.

• You write a letter to the AI minister to invite him for dinner. (1hour)

• You spend one morning to prepare what you will talk about (3hours)

• His office calls you to change the date (15 minutes)

• You call back his office to confirm the date and location (15 minutes).

• You go to the restaurant wisth the minister (3 hours)

• He agrees to meet you one week later in his office to discuss changes to the bill (2 hours).

That's less than 9 hours and 30 minutes. It's below the 28 hours threshold so you don't have to disclose anything.

On January 19, 2026, Canada will become a slightly less corrupt country.

The threshold below which no registration is required will change from 28 hours to 8 hours over a four-week period. More people will be required to register.

The system is still a disaster, but at least it's an improvement.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/56777651