iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

“The National Parks Conservation Association warned that national parks will lose up to $1 million in fee revenue for every day the shutdown lasts, and communities outside of the parks could lose up to $80 million in spending from tourists.”

cbsnews.com

How the government shutdown affects national parks

The federal government shutdown overnight after Republicans and Democrats failed to reach an agreement to avoid a funding lapse ahead of an Oct. 1 deadline.

Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

Did a Brooklyn Couple Kill a Neighbor’s Trees for a Better View in Maine? “Stephen Antonson, a Brooklyn home furnishings artisan, and his wife, Kathleen Hackett, an interior design writer, are fighting accusations that they poisoned trees on the waterfront property of their 95-year-old neighbor...”

Did a Brooklyn Couple Kill a Neighbor’s Trees for a Better View in Maine?

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Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

Gateway towns to public lands are feeling the pinch as Trump’s policies scare international visitors away. “The downturn at Utah’s parks is part of a broader travel trend this summer. It appears to be driven by a dip in international tourism….”

kuer.org

Utah national parks and their gateway towns are feeling a summer tourism slump

Visitation is down at all of Utah’s parks, driven by a decline in international visitors. Economic uncertainty and political rhetoric may be keeping them away, with big implications for local economie...

Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

"For Border Patrol to arrest two firefighters battling a growing wildfire shows once again that President Trump’s immigration crackdown has never been about the dangerous, hardened, criminal murderers he rants about. It’s about keeping America white and free of immigrants from south of the border."

newrepublic.com

Immigration Agents Arrest Firefighters in Middle of Battling Wildfire

Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown is becoming more disturbing by the day.

Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

The National Park Service has bipartisan support, and yet, the Trump administration has made all these budget cuts and intends to cut even more next year.

Trump Shrank Staffing of National Parks. See How Many Are Struggling.

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Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

"The Army estimates the cost at $25 million to $45 million. But it could be higher because [of]... the cost of cleanup and police.... [I]t comes as the administration seeks to slash funding for education, health and public assistance."

Military Parade Concerns Dissolve With a More Acquiescent Pentagon

Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

“While the park is enjoyed by millions of visitors each year, NPS encourages them to stay out of the water…. In 2015, the D.C. Department of Energy and the Environment (DEE) found bacteria levels over 2,420 times the most probable number of colonies in 100 milliliters.”

newsweek.com

RFK Jr. swam with grandchildren in DC creek with 'high bacteria levels'

The NPS explicitly prohibits swimming and wading in Rock Creek, citing health risks from elevated E. coli and other pathogens.

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Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 07/05/2025

“How can I challenge my students to ask hard questions, to follow the research wherever it goes, when I am worried about what might happen to me if I do that? And how can I follow the rules when even university administrators are not always sure of how to interpret them?”

Opinion | Did One of My Students Hate Me So Much They’d Lie to Get Me in Trouble?

Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

I opened an account at Hoosier Hills Credit Union. I mentioned to the account manager that I was avoiding corporate banks because they only care about profit. When she heard this, her eyes lit up. She said she used to work for a bank, and credit unions treat their workers so much better, too.

hoosierhills.com

Home - Hoosier Hills Credit Union

We're a credit union, not a bank. As a not-for-profit, we can offer you better banking with great rates and fewer fees. Let us save you money!

Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

"Thousands of Israelis gathered on Wednesday outside the Parliament building in Jerusalem to call for a renewed cease-fire deal in Gaza and to protest political moves by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu..."

Israelis Take to Streets Day After Strikes on Gaza (Gift Article)

Israeli protests are converging over national security and domestic politics amid concerns about the government’s renewed push to reduce the power of state watchdogs.

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Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

"The student government association president said three of her five instructors had been dismissed.... A senior had wondered whether the university, a sanctum for Native American students shaped by tradition and tragedy, would remain open long enough for him to receive his degree.

Federal Cuts Came to Native Schools. Students Are Livid. (Gift Article)

As the Trump administration trims the federal work force, students and educators at Haskell Indian Nations University in Kansas fear for the future of a school that was already facing troubles.

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Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

One last set of photos from my day trip to the Hoosier National Forest. Isn't this little church twee? There's so much history preserved here. Thank you to the *federal employees* who make it possible for us to enjoy. Grateful. Sending all my support.

A very small church constructed of logs; a sign says "Hickory Grove Church est. 1881."

The inside of a very small church with pews on either side and a lectern and cross at the front

Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

Hickory Ridge fire tower in the Charles Deam Wilderness area of the Hoosier National Forest was built in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. It was an intense experience climbing it during a wind advisory.

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Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

Scenic View Restaurant is locally and family-owned. Paying with cash on Economic Blackout Day so the credit card companies don’t get a cut. Come to think of it, I may use cash more often.

An indoor dining area with large windows overlooking a forest environment

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Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

I hadn’t been planning to do Dry January again this year, but seeing as we’re almost halfway through the month, I might as well. It’s not my goal to stop drinking altogether, but if I can remain mindful of how often I do it, I’ll call it a win.

Opinion | Don’t Overthink the Connection Between Alcohol and Cancer (Gift Article)

The surgeon general’s warning is information, not a prescription.

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Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

I came back from the dentist. I was informed my insurance company no longer pays for the x-rays they've become accustomed to doing, which provides a better view and is more comfortable for the patient. The company now pays for only the older kind, which is neither as effective nor as comfortable.

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Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

The slow exit from academia consists of many tiny steps. More grant writing training tomorrow morning, this one delivered by staff at the public library. Support your local public library. They sustain their communities in more ways than we know.

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Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

Eating well on a budget I love my still-new pot. It can fit an entire head of shredded cabbage. Cabbage is so cheap, but it tastes like a million bucks. Two-thirds of this mass will go in the freezer, and the remaining will be eaten over a week.

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Cindy Wu @cindywu.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

Please read this essay from a physician about how opaque insurance company practices compromise the doctor-patient relationship and, therefore, compromise patient care.