The United States Federal Reserve always uses the same blunt tool to combat inflation or even the remote threat of inflation--hiking interest rates. But this tool has always been based on an assumption that rarely has been true--that rising wages cause inflation. There can be many reasons for inflation. Most recently, pandemic-caused disruptions in the … Continue reading corporate greed and inflation
Category: politics and culture
COVID a mass disabling event
Mallory Stanislawczyk, a disabled former nurse practitioner who suffers from post-COVID illness, gives herself a saline infusion in her Walkersville, Md., home on May 27, 2022. Photo CreditMatt Roth—The Washington Post/Getty Images This article from TIME magazine quoted Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel as saying, “I can’t say why people aren’t [reacting like] their hair’s on fire. … Continue reading COVID a mass disabling event
the furor over Planet of the Humans
You may have heard about the documentary Planet of the Humans. You should definitely see the movie, but read this post first.
President Trump’s Portland pronouncements is white supremacy proof in the pudding
President Trump’s Portland statements prove that there is little political difference between him and the KKK. He may as well don the white sheets and hood and burn a cross on the lawns of Portland residents. It’s become a cliché to label Trump a fascist, but we can’t afford fascism to take hold in this country.
upcoming tests for democracy in september
Soundtrack in my head: Holly Beth Vincent, "For What It's Worth (Stop Hey What's That Sound)" It turns out that this month of September will have several critical tests for democracy coming up. The U.S. Senate will be voting on a constitutional amendment to overturning Citizens United most likely sometime this week. For the first … Continue reading upcoming tests for democracy in september
joe strummer sang about this border crisis hypocrisy 30 years ago
Soundtrack in my head: The Clash, "Straight To Hell" The image of Americans protesting against busloads of refugee children represents a new low in American hatred of the "other." To them, it matters little that these children are refugees and desperately fleeing for their lives. They are "illegals" that don't belong here--regardless of their needs, … Continue reading joe strummer sang about this border crisis hypocrisy 30 years ago
your boss’s religious exemption and you
Soundtrack in my head: The Flaming Lips, "Shine On Sweet Jesus" The US Supreme Court's decision in Burwell vs. Hobby Lobby has opened the floodgates for supposedly secular companies to claim a "religious exemption" from rights that employees and potential employees would otherwise enjoy. Suddenly, a new reality is emerging that when a company owner's … Continue reading your boss’s religious exemption and you
new internet discovery: Noosa, “Walk On By”
Soundtrack in my head: Noosa, "Walk On By (Sound Remedy Remix)" A new internet discovery has given me a new favorite song. At some point while on YouTube, I stumbled across this video showing time-lapse scenes of life in Madison. The time-lapse filming is incredible in and of itself but what blew me away was … Continue reading new internet discovery: Noosa, “Walk On By”
Lyft and Uber: 20% tech, 80% talk, and 100% invasive species
Soundtrack in my head: They Might Be Giants, "Don't Let's Start" vainodesositis / Pixabay How would you feel if a new company set up shop in your town and immediately proceeded to start breaking the city's laws? And when threatened with enforcement of such laws declared that your laws were outdated and needed to be … Continue reading Lyft and Uber: 20% tech, 80% talk, and 100% invasive species
internet censorship: brought to you by your internet service provider
On 14 January 2014, a federal court ruling paved the way for internet censorship. Service providers such as Verizon, Comcast, AT&T, and others can which websites you can and can't access and which apps you can and can't use. This was in response to a legal challenge filed by Verizon last fall in which it … Continue reading internet censorship: brought to you by your internet service provider