Public Posts

..."Tariffs are essentially taxes on imported products, and they are paid not by foreign countries but by American consumers. Economists warn that Trump’s tariff plan would cost a typical family an average of more than $2,600 a year, with poorer families hardest hit; spike inflation as high as 20%; result in 50,000 to 70,000 fewer jobs created each month; slow economic growth; and add about $5.8 trillion in deficits over ten years".....More at Letters from an American

"In the spring of 2022, Gary Bent underwent surgery to remove a bleeding lesion in his brain resulting from melanoma. The procedure left him with severe mobility and cognitive impairments — he couldn’t walk or remember how to read a calendar.
Bent’s physicians said he needed intensive rehabilitation. Luckily, there was a spot available at one of only three facilities in the state that provide that level of care. Then, Bent’s Medicare Advantage plan denied the prior authorization." More at The Connecticut Mirror ➜

"In September, the U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO) and Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) located six earthquakes at Mount Adams, ranging from magnitudes 0.9 to 2.0. Typically, earthquakes at this volcano are located at a rate of about 1 earthquake every 2-3 years. With just one seismic station near the volcano, monitoring capabilities are currently limited. CVO and PNSN plan to install temporary seismic stations in the Mount Adams area, which will allow detection of smaller earthquakes and better estimates of size, location, and depth, information necessary to assess the significance of the activity. Currently, there is no indication that the level of earthquake activity is cause for concern, and the alert level and color code for Mount Adams remain at GREEN / NORMAL. CVO and the PNSN will continue to monitor earthquake activity and release further updates as the situation warrants". More

"When 19-year-old Aleysha Ortiz, told Hartford City Council members in May that the public school system stole her education, she had to memorize her speech......That’s because she was never taught to read or write — despite attending schools in Hartford since she was 6"  More at The Connecticut Mirror ➜

"...In each case, success came after years of persistent efforts by scientists, public health officials and advocates to sway public opinion, often against the deliberate efforts of corporations to undermine them"... More at The Conversation ➜

A political ideology is a certain set of common ethical ideals, principles, and doctrines of a social movement, institution, or group, which promotes the gathering of like minded individuals and groups to pursue and support those common ideals and goals. So, what happens when political leaders outright lie to us or purposely mislead us?... Each one of us has our own opinion in answer to this question, the bottom line is, if we are fed misinformation we are not able to pursue our ideals, as we are being channeled to pursue the goals of those who are lying to us and ignore our own. This happens in different degrees and on both sides of the political spectrum. As an example, please read yesterdays issue of Letters from an American by Heather Cox

Consuming a healthy diet throughout the life-course helps to prevent malnutrition in all its forms as well as a range of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and conditions. However, increased production of processed foods, rapid urbanization and changing lifestyles have led to a shift in dietary patterns. People are now consuming more foods high in energy, fats, free sugars and salt/sodium, and many people do not eat enough fruit, vegetables and other dietary fibre such as whole grains. More

The angle Earth’s axis is tilted with respect to Earth’s orbital plane is known as obliquity and it significantly influences earth's climate, its weather patterns, and the natural rhythms of life. The Earth’s axis is currently tilted 23.4 degrees, or about half way between its extremes, and this angle is very slowly decreasing in a cycle that spans about 41,000 years.
Obliquity is why Earth has seasons. Over the last million years, it has varied between 22.1 and 24.5 degrees with respect to Earth’s orbital plane. More at NASA  

On September 18, 2024, 124 of the 181 member states voted in favor of the measure. The United States, alongside 13 other nations, voted against the resolution, that sets a 12-month time frame to end Israel’s "illegal occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza".  More at The Intercept➜

"Grace Fischer survived the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School by staying quiet and huddled, as her first grade teacher softly read “The Nutcracker.”...Then she spent the rest of her childhood watching mostly from the sidelines as dozens of similar shootings shattered other schools across the country." More at NBC News ➜

"Is the adage “calories in, calories out” true? The short answer is yes, but the full story is more nuanced....."From the moment food touches your tongue to the time it leaves your body, your digestive system and gut microbiome work to extract its nutrients. Enzymes in your mouth, stomach and small intestine break down food for absorption, while microbes in your large intestine digest the leftovers. More at The Conversation ➜

“I remember when we had over 1,000 dairy farms in this county. Now we have less than 40,” Orr, an agriculture adviser for Greene County, Tennessee, told me with a tinge of sadness. More at The Conversation ➜