If you've been shocked at your recent grocery store bill, hold on to your hats. Prices are going up, according to the Trump Administration's Labor Department. [S]ouped-up immigration enforcement has devastated the agricultural workforce and created a significant “risk of supply shock-induced food shortages,” according to a document filed in the Federal Register last … [Read more...] about Trump immigration crackdown spikes food costs: US Labor Department
US news orgs response to Trump’s governing via Truth Social: ho-hum as he calls for Illinois, Chicago arrests
If we needed another example of how traditional news organizations in the United States report on President Trump's unorthodox practice (with questionable legality) of governing via a digital network that he owns and profits from, we got it Wednesday morning when he called for the arrest of Brandon Johnson, the Chicago mayor, and JB Pritzker, the Illinois governor. Both … [Read more...] about US news orgs response to Trump’s governing via Truth Social: ho-hum as he calls for Illinois, Chicago arrests
Trump is the anti-Lincoln
Congress passed the second Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, requiring law enforcement to "arrest people suspected of escaping enslavement on as little as a claimant’s sworn testimony of ownership." Proposed by southern slaveholders, the Act was widely opposed in the North. Protesters who chose to assist slaves who had escaped to a free state were "subject to a fine not exceeding … [Read more...] about Trump is the anti-Lincoln
In Gaza’s open wound, Hamas clings on as Israelis sink into division and global isolation. UN chief echoes Trump’s hope for lasting peace.
October 7 was a day of global mourning at this century’s most heinous act of terrorism in 2023, when Hamas and allied factions killed over 1250 Israeli and other nationals and abducted 250 women, children, men and the elderly into the Gaza strip. “The recent proposal by United States President Donald J. Trump presents an opportunity that must be seized to bring this tragic … [Read more...] about In Gaza’s open wound, Hamas clings on as Israelis sink into division and global isolation. UN chief echoes Trump’s hope for lasting peace.
GOP uses fake photo to portray Portland as a war zone
President Donald Trump is well known for his lies as well as copyright infringement. The Guardian reports that the Oregon GOP isn't far behind. “President Trump on Sunday deployed 300 California National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon after a judge ruled that the Oregon National Guard could not be deployed to keep federal facilities and personnel in Portland safe,” … [Read more...] about GOP uses fake photo to portray Portland as a war zone
NYC Bar Association classifies Trump’s attacks on boats in the Caribbean as murder
On Friday, the Trump Administration used military personnel to sink yet a fourth Venezuelan small boat, again killing all aboard, in his "war on cartels." Trump sank the first boat on September 3. The President has claimed, but has provided no evidence, that the boats were smuggling drugs into the United States. Trafficking drugs is not a capital offense. Congress has not … [Read more...] about NYC Bar Association classifies Trump’s attacks on boats in the Caribbean as murder
What is soft secession and has its time arrived?
"Soft secession" is increasingly bandied about in the social media sphere as an idea whose time has come. But what is it, exactly? That depends on who you ask, because there is no generally accepted definition. One thing all thoughts have in common: this is not 1861 with violence at the center of the movement. Instead, it is a series of cooperative state actions that … [Read more...] about What is soft secession and has its time arrived?
END OF US DEMOCRACY
Supreme Court opens with cases on voting rights, tariffs, gender identity and campaign finance to test the limits of a constitutional revolution
The U.S. Supreme Court building at dawn in Washington, D.C. Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images Morgan Marietta, University of Tennessee The most influential cases before the U.S. Supreme Court this term, which begins on Oct. 6, 2025, reflect the cultural and partisan clashes of American politics. The major cases in October and … [Read more...] about Supreme Court opens with cases on voting rights, tariffs, gender identity and campaign finance to test the limits of a constitutional revolution
UN rights group demands compensation for enslavement and the transatlantic trade in Africans.
Africans and people of African descent must receive restitution and compensation for the harms done in the past through enslavement, trade in enslaved persons, the transatlantic trade in Africans, colonialism, and other grave human rights violations. A new United Nations report said those violations left enduring legacies that continue to shape every aspect of their lives. … [Read more...] about UN rights group demands compensation for enslavement and the transatlantic trade in Africans.
Trump holds the record for the longest government shutdown
As the 21st government shutdown that involved furloughs since 1976 enters its fourth day, it's worth examining the longest shutdown in US history. The longest was also the most recent. It occurred in 2018-2019, when Donald Trump was president for the first time. At 35 days, it's a distant first to the second place event, in 1996-1996, which was 21 days. In both cases, … [Read more...] about Trump holds the record for the longest government shutdown
Treasury Plans to Mint (Illegal?) $1 Commemorative Trump Coin
The U.S. Treasury plans to mint a $1 Donald Trump coin. And -- you guessed it -- it may be against the law. These days the reaction is: law, schmaw. Who cares? But these plans are reportedly serious: The Treasury Department is developing a one-dollar commemorative coin in celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday bearing the image of President Trump. According … [Read more...] about Treasury Plans to Mint (Illegal?) $1 Commemorative Trump Coin
MAGA influencer and voter fraud proponent appears to be voting illegally in PA while living in MD
Voter fraud is rare[1], despite wild accusations from Republicans like Jack Posobiec, 40, although he may be best known for his touting the fake Pizzagate conspiracy. Slate and Handbasket reported Friday that Posobiec appears to live in Maryland but voted in Pennsylvania using his parents address in 2018, 2022 and 2024. A 2017 divorce document has a Maryland address. He and … [Read more...] about MAGA influencer and voter fraud proponent appears to be voting illegally in PA while living in MD
Manchester synagogue attack: why so many people in Britain’s Jewish community felt a sense of inevitability that this day would come
Embed from Getty Images Julian Hargreaves, City St George's, University of London A man believed to be Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen born in Syria, has been shot dead by police after launching an attack on a synagogue in Manchester on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 55, died in the attack – … [Read more...] about Manchester synagogue attack: why so many people in Britain’s Jewish community felt a sense of inevitability that this day would come
Jane Goodall, the gentle disrupter whose research on chimpanzees redefined what it meant to be human
Jane Goodall appears on stage at 92NY in New York on Oct. 1, 2023. Charles Sykes/Invision/AP Mireya Mayor, Florida International University Anyone proposing to offer a master class on changing the world for the better, without becoming negative, cynical, angry or narrow-minded in the process, could model their advice on the life and work of … [Read more...] about Jane Goodall, the gentle disrupter whose research on chimpanzees redefined what it meant to be human
Medical Costs and Quality of Care
Medical costs in the United States are higher than any other nation in the world. Yet, the life span of Americans is below that of all advanced nations. In addition, infant mortality is among the highest of advanced nations. These figures are contradictory. If we are paying more for health care, one would expect that our outcomes would be better than those countries that are … [Read more...] about Medical Costs and Quality of Care
Sinclair still remains a font of Trump propaganda
Lest we be tempted to applaud the Sinclair Broadcasting Group’s Friday decision to put Jimmy Kimmel back on the air in cities like Seattle and St. Louis and Tulsa and Birmingham and Little Rock and Roanoke and Washington D.C. – thus lifting its blackout at 38 ABC affiliates – it behooves us to remember this company’s “news” operation is a font of right-wing disinformation in … [Read more...] about Sinclair still remains a font of Trump propaganda
Trump’s targeting of ‘enemies’ like James Comey echoes FBI’s dark history of mass surveillance, dirty tricks and perversion of justice under J. Edgar Hoover
The building in Media, Penn. where burglars in 1971 found evidence of decades of FBI abuses against citizens. Betty Medsger Betty Medsger, San Francisco State University As a candidate last year, Donald Trump promised retribution against his perceived enemies. As president, he is doing that. At the Department of Justice, a “Weaponization … [Read more...] about Trump’s targeting of ‘enemies’ like James Comey echoes FBI’s dark history of mass surveillance, dirty tricks and perversion of justice under J. Edgar Hoover
Roberts Court gives Trump line item veto despite a 28-year ruling against that authority
What a difference 30(ish) years makes. In 1996, Congress defanged itself by giving President Clinton line-item veto authority over appropriations and legislation that Congress had passed (Line Item Veto Act of 1996). The GOP, which controlled both houses of Congress, pushed the bill through. Two years later, the Supreme Court of the United States said wait a minute (6-3). … [Read more...] about Roberts Court gives Trump line item veto despite a 28-year ruling against that authority
What are the Top 7 Packaging Trends Businesses Need to Follow?
Packaging industry innovations have emerged amid changing consumer expectations, technological developments, and more stringent policies for sustainability and safety. Companies face growing pressure to embrace innovative solutions that address evolving needs, improve functionality and remain compliant with the latest regulatory standards. While change presents unique … [Read more...] about What are the Top 7 Packaging Trends Businesses Need to Follow?