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American Idle: Running in Place

We talk to the newest contestant aiming to become the next American Idle.

“The Green Ninja,” a character created by a climate scientist and his team, provides an entertaining and educational way to help children – and everyone else – grasp the intricacies of climate change and learn what they can personally do to become involved in fighting it. See additional details about the series or head straight to this week’s episode, “American Idle.”

This week, we join the audience for the nation’s favorite show, American Idle! After meeting the judges, we talk to the newest contestant aiming to become the next American Idle: Revathi. Revathi is notorious for leaving her car engine running even when she is parked! The judges are flabbergasted!

To see more videos like this, visit “The Green Ninja.”

Our curious judge panel decides to find the root of this unscrupulous behavior! Impala Abdul asks Revathi about the temperature of where she lives. Does she need the heater or the air conditioner on? “No, the weather is perfect, I even have the window open!” You can hear the crowd boo at this – doesn’t our contestant know that she doesn’t need the car engine on all the time?

After further grilling by the other judges, (Hydraulic Jackson, Siphon Cowell) Revathi realizes her mistake and turns off her engine. The crowd goes WILD! You may be wondering: “Why does the Green Ninja want me to know this?” It is important that all car owners know this because it saves them money, but more importantly, it saves the air. When car engines run, they burn gasoline to create power. One of the byproducts of burning gasoline this way is carbon-based gasses (such as Carbon-Monoxide and Carbon-Dioxide), which damage the atmosphere. All in all, a rollicking lesson for kids with “idling” parents!

Help us Prepare for Trump’s Day One

Trump is busy getting ready for Day One of his presidency – but so is Truthout.

Trump has made it no secret that he is planning a demolition-style attack on both specific communities and democracy as a whole, beginning on his first day in office. With over 25 executive orders and directives queued up for January 20, he’s promised to “launch the largest deportation program in American history,” roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, and implement a “drill, drill, drill” approach to ramp up oil and gas extraction.

Organizations like Truthout are also being threatened by legislation like HR 9495, the “nonprofit killer bill” that would allow the Treasury Secretary to declare any nonprofit a “terrorist-supporting organization” and strip its tax-exempt status without due process. Progressive media like Truthout that has courageously focused on reporting on Israel’s genocide in Gaza are in the bill’s crosshairs.

As journalists, we have a responsibility to look at hard realities and communicate them to you. We hope that you, like us, can use this information to prepare for what’s to come.

And if you feel uncertain about what to do in the face of a second Trump administration, we invite you to be an indispensable part of Truthout’s preparations.

In addition to covering the widespread onslaught of draconian policy, we’re shoring up our resources for what might come next for progressive media: bad-faith lawsuits from far-right ghouls, legislation that seeks to strip us of our ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and further throttling of our reach on social media platforms owned by Trump’s sycophants.

We’re preparing right now for Trump’s Day One: building a brave coalition of movement media; reaching out to the activists, academics, and thinkers we trust to shine a light on the inner workings of authoritarianism; and planning to use journalism as a tool to equip movements to protect the people, lands, and principles most vulnerable to Trump’s destruction.

We urgently need your help to prepare. As you know, our December fundraiser is our most important of the year and will determine the scale of work we’ll be able to do in 2025. We’ve set two goals: to raise $93,000 in one-time donations and to add 1295 new monthly donors by midnight on December 31.

Today, we’re asking all of our readers to start a monthly donation or make a one-time donation – as a commitment to stand with us on day one of Trump’s presidency, and every day after that, as we produce journalism that combats authoritarianism, censorship, injustice, and misinformation. You’re an essential part of our future – please join the movement by making a tax-deductible donation today.

If you have the means to make a substantial gift, please dig deep during this critical time!

With gratitude and resolve,

Maya, Negin, Saima, and Ziggy