Screenshot of a tweet from twitter account "@historyinmemes" showing a grainy image of a passport, signed with a paw print, for a "Herman the cat" with a photo of a shorthaired grey cat on the ID. Text reads "In the middle of the 20th century, cats assumed a crucial role on ships by showcasing their adept skills as rodent catchers. Sailors recognized the valuable contribution of having cats aboard, as these feline companions effectively controlled the population of rats and miceβ¦"
The text continues, "... notorious for damaging supplies and spreading diseases. The ship cats became esteemed members of the crew, and, in a whimsical tradition, were even issued passports to acknowledge their importance and ensure their safety during international travels.
While these passports for ship cats held no legal weight, they became a charming tradition to recognize the cats' role and provide a form of identification. Typically presented as a small booklet, the passports contained pages detailing the cat's name, description, and a space for their distinctive paw print.
Upon arriving or departing from a foreign port, the ship's captain or crew would present the cat's passport to authorities in a playful gesture to document the feline's presence onboard. The addition of the cat's paw print, obtained using ink or paint, added a personalized and whimsical touch to the document, bringing joy to sailors and emphasizing the close camaraderie with their feline companions."
The text continues, "Although these ship cat passports lacked legal significance, they symbolized the strong bond between humans and their seafaring cats. Serving as a reminder of the cats' essential role in maintaining a clean and rodent-free ship, these passports safeguarded the crew's provisions and health during extended sea voyages.
As the mid-20th century progressed and maritime practices evolved, the need for ship cats dwindled with the introduction of more effective pest control methods. Consequently, the tradition of issuing passports gradually faded away. Despite this decline, the memory of these seafaring felines and their unique passports continues to captivate and amuse those intrigued by maritime history and the extraordinary relationships forged between humans and animals at sea."
This thing is going around again on the fake history circuit. No, cat passports were not required or common. Crews sometimes made joke IDs but they were fairly rare novelties considering how ubiquitous ship's cats have been since long before "the middle of the 20th century".
15.11.2023 22:28
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Blumenthal after getting briefed on Iran: "We seem to be on a path toward deploying American troops on the ground in Iran to accomplish any of the potential objectives here. There's also the specter of active Russian aid to Iran putting in danger American lives ... China also may be assisting Iran"
10.03.2026 16:42
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"Brian Niccol of Starbucks took home the award for the most nonsensical disparity between CEO and employee income: He earns $95,801,676, while the median salary for a Starbucks employee was a mere $14,674."
Remind us again why Starbucks supposedly can't afford to treat their workers better?
10.03.2026 14:52
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We are aware of recent reports regarding targeted phishing attacks that have resulted in account takeovers of some Signal users, including government officials and journalists. We take this very seriously. 1/7
09.03.2026 16:12
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Make art that you think is fuckin sick as hell. Make the shit you never thought you could that you always wanted to see. Beat your insecurity to death and fight to become your own favorite artist.
26.11.2024 05:18
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This puts me at 10 people released. I filed my 1st habeas petition 29 days ago. I am an incredibly small-time, nobody lawyer who knew nothing about immigration law the day I submitted that case. I barely know any more today. I had never sued the federal government and now I've beaten them 10 times.
09.03.2026 19:24
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So far the war on Iran has cost $9.4 billion.
That's $1 billion per day.
$41,666,667 per hour.
$11,574 per second.
Thousands of lives lost.
People don't want this. They want a living wage. They want healthcare. They want to be able to afford a home. They want their basic needs met.
09.03.2026 15:30
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βWe have the most extremist oligarchs colluding with the most Co opted, non-critically thinking rapture-preppers conducting American foreign policy, and it would be a joke if it wasn't so incredibly dangerous.β π―π―π―
- Jennifer Welch, IHIP (Iβve Had It Podcast) News.
24.02.2026 16:39
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Map snapshot depicting the predicted relative anomalousness of surface temperatures from the ECMWF ensemble over the Western U.S. in about a week from now. A a huge region of bright orange and red colors (depicting extremely high warm temperature anomalies) is centered right in the middle of the map, and covers essentially the entire region.
Lots of buzz online about an upcoming major March heatwave for the American SW & California. And in this case, it does indeed appear increasingly likely than an extremely anomalous and even record-breaking heatwave may envelop much of the SW about a week from now.
09.03.2026 16:09
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A Kuwaiti woman expresses her anger about the presence of US occupation bases in her country and throughout the region:
"We donβt want them [US] here! What does it mean they 'liberated' us through America? By invading Iraq? They took their money, they took everything they wanted.
1/4
06.03.2026 03:35
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π€£π€£π€£
05.03.2026 20:47
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In a Pokemon Pokotopia-inspired graphic, words say "starbucks is the biggest violator of labor law in modern history"
05.03.2026 18:20
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A list of locations:
β’ Mott Playground (Concourse)
β’ Fountain of Youth Playground (Mott Haven / Longwood)
β’ Morris Mesa Playground (Mount Hope)
β’ Van Dyke Playground (Brownsville)
β’ Roebling Playground (South Williamsburg)
β’ Elizabeth Stroud Playground (Bedford-Stuyvesant)
β’ Vladeck Park (Lower East Side)
β’ St. Nicholas Park 133rd St. Playground (Harlem)
β’ Corona Health Sanctuary (Corona)
Kaltenmeier Playground (Rosebank / Shore Acres)
Spring is coming, and so is $50 million for parks!
Weβre investing in parks in historically underfunded neighborhoods across all five boroughs starting with:
05.03.2026 19:31
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And here we all are at the beginning of WWIII. Interesting how much a distraction it is from Trump's involvement in the biggest sex trafficking ring in the history of the world π EVER. Release the fully unredacted Trump/Epstein files. NOW.
05.03.2026 14:15
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ICE detains reporter Estefany RodrΓguez in Nashville - Nashville Banner
Reporter Estefany RodrΓguez, detained by ICE with no arrest warrant, may face deportation. Her attorneys seek immediate review of the legality of her case.
ICE has arrested and detained a Nashville journalist who reported stories critical of ICE. Sheβs married to a U.S. citizen and has been seeking asylum here after fleeing death threats in Colombia because of her journalism there.
Theyβve already sent her to Louisiana.
05.03.2026 23:41
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To be fair, this isnβt really a war, itβs a [waves hands] operation, run by the Department ofβ¦wait Iβll come back in and start over
04.03.2026 03:00
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ChatGPT is struggling so badly from the boycott that itβs already running new ads in the App Store.
04.03.2026 04:17
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Thank you for correcting the article to ensure community solidarity projects crucial mutual word work was not erased in this narrative
27.02.2026 01:22
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Border Patrol released Nurul Amin Shah Alam, a 56 yo man, nearly blind with serious medical conditions, at "an old address & his family had since moved" in Buffalo, NY in the winter. "His family was not initially notified." He was found dead. @news4buffalo.bsky.social
www.wivb.com/news/local-n...
25.02.2026 20:22
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They won't start with banning birth control. First they'll lie about it. Then dictate who can prescribe it, use it, fund it, in what forms, and for how long. Suddenly, your doctor won't call you back. I know this is what they'll do because it's what they're doing to transgender healthcare right now.
25.02.2026 16:24
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Starbucks is infamous for unpredictable, chaotic scheduling and understaffing.
In Los Angeles, we're urging City Hall to pass the LA Fast Food Fair Work ordinance. Workers deserve fair hours and fair scheduling from companies that can easily afford it!
25.02.2026 18:52
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Yes yes yes
05.02.2026 17:39
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Iβve watched this about 20 times already
05.02.2026 01:28
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π¨ ALERTA: Anaheim
Rhein βRyanβ Amacher is currently staying at a resort in Anaheim, and has taken to harassing locals, while heβs in town to film his riot porn.
Learn his face, do not engage in his rage bait. (info & pics below)
#hostilemedia #hostilemediaLA #hostilemediaOC
04.02.2026 15:34
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This made me weepy
04.02.2026 01:38
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π¨STRIKE ALERTπ¨ UFCW Kaiser CLS and Pharmacy healthcare workers have announced a ULP strike starting February 9 at 7 am to protest the companyβs labor violations throughout negotiations. Kaiserβs unlawful behavior puts both healthcare workers and patients at risk.
04.02.2026 15:00
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