Here, you will find snippets about the news of the day. Each segment is short and meant to be thought-provoking. The three main subjects of the Murk include: Animals, War and Politics. It's the intersection of these three that I find fascinating. A children's book that I read with my daughter recently called PAX really brought these issues home for me. When we plant landmines, we're blowing up more than the humans on the other side. When human error leads to nuclear disaster, as in Chernobyl, the poison goes beyond humankind. We now know, for instance, that the wolves of Chernobyl, who prey on the elk, have varying levels of radiation poisoning to this day. The effect of human-caused war, fires and bombs is rarely talked about in the context of animals, but it should be, as they are innocent.
The core idea behind the title, the Murk, is that many of the issues we face have become murky because of fake news, disinformation, AI fakes, etc. At the Murk, the reader will hopefully find some clarity and a way of looking at the issues that is not a blend of truth and fabrication, that is not a manipulation. The Murk, in essence, is about saying the truth and the truth only.
Late 2024:
The pictures of 10-year old Tala Abu Ajwa, killed in the Gaza Strip by an Israeli bomb this month, haunt all of us who have seen them. She was pronounced dead from shrapnel to the neck, still in her pink rollerskates. Is this what it looks like when “Israel defends itself?” Murder is still murder even if the government does it.
It’s campaign season, and so, Kamala Harris has said she will help the middle class, and Donald Trump has said he will help the upper class and corporations. Notice how no one talks about helping the underclass—when they are the ones who need it most! The politics of self-interest has become a sickness in American culture. We could be talking about how to stop the wars that are raging or the need to stop poisoning the earth. Instead, politicians have to help you personally.
When there’s a “homegrown” incident, and people get hurt, you never hear anyone saying: ‘Well, we need to send those people back to Europe.’ But somehow, when a minority or immigrant population is responsible, an entire race is implicated.
There’s a big gap in how we discuss cancer, which is probably related to what types of studies industry groups sponsor. We often hear: genetics, diet and exercise are risk factors for cancer. Well, aren’t these risk factors for nearly every disease? We need to start talking about the real culprit, which is plastics production—PFAS chemicals and phthalates. EPA is going to take too long to regulate PFAS; that’s clear to see. But we have to try. Write and call your congressperson, EPA, state DEC or DEP and local water authority. Ask if they test for PFAS chemicals in the water. Researchers have even found PFAS chemicals in the livers of platypuses in Australia, to give you an idea of how widespread this problem is. We have alternatives that could be substituted for so many PFAS chemical uses. We don’t need firefighting foam--we have lots of ways to put out fires including water! We don’t need PFAS non-stick pans--we have ceramic alternatives, steel, cast iron. And, a quick look at the cosmetics and personal care industry shows many frivolous (or at least unnecessary) uses of PFAS chemicals. We need legislation now to remove these products from manufacturing processes and mandate alternatives. Or, hey, there’s nothing wrong with the government saying, "You can’t manufacture that product anymore" because of what science is telling us. When that happens, suddenly alternatives appear.
Since we're on the verge of an election, I'm going to allow myself a longer format piece to discuss:
The New Republican Party
The Republican Party has morphed over the last 25 years. It used to be the Party of fiscal conservatism, less government and basically letting corporations do whatever they wanted. Now they want to tell women what to do with their bodies and tell us which books to read. Doesn’t sound like less government anymore. Why do men even get a vote on abortion anyway? Why not let women exclusively vote on abortion?
The new Republican Party says more government when it comes to legislating morality, but let’s still go with less government when it comes to regulating industry. Trump passed a massive tax cut for the wealthy and a hidden tax increase for the rest of us. So, out of pure self-interest, most of the corporate class will likely vote for him. Nevermind that his transactional approach ---- to basically everything -- doesn’t work well for so many government functions. For instance, a transactional approach to foreign policy could kill the very alliances that are keeping the peace in Europe.
But in this close election, Trump knows he can’t sweep to power on just the shoulders of the corporate class, so he keeps trying to appeal to uneducated voters. He laments 2% inflation, as if he even shops for his own groceries. He sides with climate change deniers, trying to stoke anger among groups who have been displaced by technology change or deindustrialization.
Americans desperately want it both ways. They want cheap products from China, but they want those jobs back, but they’re not really willing to work those jobs (the next generation has no interest in manufacturing and we have an aging population). Immigrants would do these jobs, but Republicans want immigrants out. So, where does that leave us? Start a trade war with China by increasing tariffs? Trump can’t be serious about reducing inflation if in the same breath he says that we need higher tariffs on China. The inclination towards fiscal conservatism, that Republicans used to have, was admirable. But now, both parties ring up the deficit. If our social safety net programs involved a tiered system, it would be more fair. By saying, if you make under $25,000 per year, you qualify for a whole host of free programs, but if you make $26,000—you qualify for nothing, we hurt the working poor. So Democrats don’t have it right either.
At the deepest level, there is a culture war going on. White rural America, in particular, feels like their customs, traditions, language and culture are being usurped by immigrants. Meanwhile, educated liberals, mainly on the coasts, either don’t mind the cultural influence or perhaps welcome the culture change. They find diversity interesting and probably travel widely because of this ideal.
But what’s really scary about JD Vance and Trump is that they go with the wind, they go with the money. Vance seemed to understand the plight of the immigrant, but now he thinks they’re a scourge. Trump’s experience of diversity and immigrants is basically as the hotel workers who clean the bathrooms or groom his golf courses. His entire background has been white elite, and so, he espouses all kinds of myths about immigrants.
Will the uneducated and corporate classes out-vote the educated liberals? Who knows. They did it once before.
According to the Times of Israel:
According to data released by Israel National Council for the Child, 38 children were killed in Israel on October 7 during the Hamas-led terrorist onslaught.
Unicef reports, Sept. 24, 2024, Beirut/Geneva:On Monday alone, at least 35 children were reportedly killed in Lebanon. This is more than the number of children killed in Lebanon in the past 11 months (previously 22).
Why do we use terms like "food insecurity." The Palestinians are starving in the Gaza Strip, eating grass and twigs to survive. Say the truth.
While an Iron Dome defends the Israelis with pinpoint accuracy, indiscriminate bombing in civilian centers is the method of war chosen by Netanyahu against the Palestinians-- a peasant population with no air defenses and no fighter planes. Anonymous Israeli pilots drop U.S.-made bombs from the clouds because Israel is safer when women and children are killed.
The incredible images of children disfigured and burned in Lebanon and Gaza by Israel’s unfocused war still have not shaken Americans out of their slumber. Infants now wrapped in gauze who scream when a nurse comes to change their bandages. Babies sucking on pacifiers who were lit on fire. Teenagers now deformed. And yet, America continues to profess unwavering support for Israel. Tell Netanyahu that his war tactics carry no U.S. support—that we will not defend them, and certainly, we will not arm Israel. Proportionality is a legal tenet that Netanyahu disregards. Netanyahu is a war criminal. Say the truth.
A longer post in the run-up to elections:
It used to be that racism, sexism and xenophobia were disqualifying. For me, it’s disqualifying for a candidate to espouse these beliefs in code; for others, it’s disqualifying when overt. Here, with Trump, we have both coded and overt racism, sexism and xenophobia.
It really says something about our society that nearly half of Americans now go along with these hateful messages. The immigrants I’ve known in my life have been hard-working, family oriented, good people. Meanwhile, we have quite a bit of “homegrown” white males being charged with school shootings, for instance.
When Trump supporters say they can separate Trump’s beliefs from his policies -- that they’re voting for him because of his policies -- that is both remarkable and a kind of misdirection. Separating a candidate’s BELIEFS from their policies? Beliefs create policy. Beliefs are at the core of why I vote.
Trump supporters know that the school they send their kids to, for instance, would never support racism, sexism or xenophobia so they have to hide their beliefs to an extent. They hide behind such claims as ‘the Democrats are Socialists’ (because Democrats want to help the poor) or ‘the Democrats ring up the deficit’ (Trump rang up the deficit big time).
Don’t legitimize racism, sexism and xenophobia with a vote for Trump.
It's interesting that Trump gained so much traction on the immigration issue. When he was president, he separated over 5,000 children and parents leading to lawsuits and reunification searches that lasted years. Here's an excerpt from USA Today:
"Biden has kept in place a Trump-era public health order and expelled thousands of immigrant adults and families, but he declined to expel immigrant children without a parent after a federal appeals court in January cleared the way for him to do so. He also moved to speed up the reunification of hundreds of separated immigrant families."
As Israel continues to block food aid bound for the Palestinians, the stories coming out of the Gaza Strip tear at one's soul. It was the eldest daughter's task to wait in the food lines for watered down lentil soup and bring it back to the family. She never returned, crushed to death by the swelling hungry mass. The father remarked, "I will never forgive myself."
Early 2025:
The sad truth is that humans want to be the only apex predator. Consider the massive decline in grizzly bears; gray wolves; pumas/great cats. Government removal. Hunting. Habitat loss. Poisoning. Trapping. All of this has taken its toll on carnivore populations. Given factory farming as the norm now, how valid is the idea that we must protect livestock from carnivores? Do we need more condos built over habitat? Isn’t it our own fear, when walking in the woods, that is killing carnivores? Our own fear of not being top predator--not being able to defend one’s self given the soft sheltered life we've created? It's not just a U.S. problem; it’s a world-wide problem. In Africa, hunters take the tusks from elephants to sell the ivory; for what, chess sets? Bathroom fixtures? Rhinos, turtles, snakes, seahorses killed for frivolity, because Chinese culture says it will improve one's sex life. Our old ways of thinking are not serving us well. It's time to wake up. The planet is waiting. Nothing is inevitable. It's high time that we open the cages, the many forms of animal jails that we've created and justified with lofty ideals like science and education. Open the cages.
I asked my neighbor the other day, why she decided to take her kids to Panama for their last vacation. She said she wanted them to see the coral reefs before they are all bleached or gone. I really could relate to her statement. And yet, it was so sad. Is that where we are on the environment and ecology? Come and experience now because the next generation won't be able to.
I was watching National Geographic the other day, which featured a beaver family. The father was outside of the lodge, patching holes using a mud-mixture while the mother was inside taking care of the little beavers. When people say that we are projecting human qualities onto animals, I'm really not so sure. I see love and ingenuity and planning.
Well, the Democrats have some real soul searching to do. If you haven't seen it yet, check out Bernie Sanders’ response to Trump’s inauguration speech. It was wonderful. Yes, people are hurting. Housing. Healthcare. Cost of medications. Racial and environmental justice. We all know that Trump is not the answer to these things, but he gives a false hope.There was just another school shooting in Tennessee, but Trump isn’t interested in homegrown threats, unless it involves anarchist liberals perhaps. His target is immigrants. There are so many commonsense immigration reforms that could be made, without marching the army to the border. For immigrants who have been paying taxes, voluntarily, but do not have legal status, they should be allowed to file for permanent status. That is the complaint of conservatives, that they don’t pay into the system (what’s often left out, of course, is that they also don’t draw from that system). Well, here are people that have been paying in, for years in many cases, so why not give them the chance to earn permanent status? They are already part of the fabric of their communities, living, working and educating their children here. No liberals will argue with deporting immigrants who are criminals. But fighting a war on immigrants will end the same way our war on drugs ended, with failure.Democrats, in seeking to please everyone, and not offend anyone, taking a middle-ground on nearly all things, like we should help the Israelis and help the Palestinians, have alienated voters. Voters aren’t sure what Democrats stand for because their stances have become so moderate. Trump campaigned on a far right wing platform and won. Perhaps the left should look at that. There’s nothing wrong with saying that we stand for racial and environmental justice; fair housing; a healthcare system that doesn’t involve price gouging. There’s nothing wrong with saying that the benefits of technology and AI and automation should be shared by everyone, not just the ruling class. Sanders also speaks to this point. As I mentioned in the lead up to this election, the biggest problem with Trump is that he represents a corporate takeover of government and his own self-interest. Just look at how he’s using a catastrophe, that many say is linked to global warming (Trump is a climate change denier), to try and get California to implement crackdowns on immigrants. When a state is in crisis, the Federal government needs to send help, not try to strike a deal. But that’s what America voted for. So you got it, America. You got what you wanted.
Where Are We Now
Ah, where did they go? Bill Clinton striding on stage with a saxophone or Barack Obama hailing from neighborhood social activist roots. No longer does the farmer emerge from the field to do a rotation in government. Now it's Bezos and Zuckerberg and Musk. Celebrity status is a must to run for president now—from Citizens United and money is free speech to present day, the stage is set. Josh Shapiro is the only name that comes to mind, but a lot can happen in four years, so let’s see.We just watched Rick Steves’ documentary on PBS on fascism. Of course, there are stunning correlations to our times. Fascists offer simple solutions to complex problems (just build a wall). They are performers, think Hitler and Mussolini, launching into tirades, animated at the podium, holding big rallies. They also single out vulnerable groups and attack them, capitalizing on the conditions of the time, often economic.If all of this sounds familiar, then, yes, you are paying attention! Trump’s attack on immigrants obviously correlates here, but so does his rhetoric about trans people. Issues that used to be handled by parents, schools, psychologists and pediatricians, are now the subject of political attacks. It’s a dangerous slip. Why are politicians involved in these issues at all? On a personal level, I went to a bar the other day and the restroom was simply labelled “toilet.” It just said what it was. If you have to go, go ahead! Singling out groups in a discriminatory way is one of the hallmarks of the Trump presidency so far, and it’s what people voted for.So, we have a lot of work to do as a society. Bernie Sander’s approach of raising the minimum wage; offering free public college; universal healthcare, these notions don’t divide people into groups. These ideas say: ‘if you need help, we are a wealthy nation and we can provide it.’ Yes, poor rural white America, like Appalachia for instance, look at programs specifically to help minorities and feel it’s unfair. Who will help them? Coasters, the educated liberals, would do well to remember these folks if we are to win the next election. Trade school education; employment in the trades; light manufacturing; it used to be the Democrats were the party of the working class.Another aspect of fascism is that it despises trade unions, communism and actually, the field of Psychology generally. This was really fascinating to learn. Definitely check out the documentary as it has some remarkable footage and, for me, really shed some light on the times we’re living in. Reach For Peace Lobbying always had its problems. Lobbyists would insert one or two key sentences into a 200-page bill, and hope it didn’t attract too much attention. Sometimes legislators would rely on a synopsis from the legislative director and miss it. The influence game has been played far and wide, and, yes, the people with the most money, well, they made more money.But the ultimate lobbying move is to be appointed to watch, oversee and influence the very department that regulates your industry. Or, gut the department that is supposed to be watching you—make it ineffective. Bernie Sanders mentioned in his recent remarks how the techgods saw their personal worth rocket just because Trump won. Investors know that access means influence, which means profits. Trump also saw instant profits, launching his meme coin; nevermind that he creates the market conditions for cryptocurrency and can deregulate his own products.It is fairly common for someone to resign from government and become a consultant for industry, but to actively serve in both sectors opens the door to corruption. Congressmen are supposed to report private sector ties, investments and who is financing their re-election; still, this often turns into an ethics probe rather than real charges. Clarence Thomas clearly violated ethics rules, but apparently didn’t break the law. Many congressmen insist their investments are in blind trusts, that they don’t control them, but there is little oversight.Could a politician vote for war and hold a portfolio of weapons stocks? Yes. Could a president launch a cryptocurrency, and the market responds favorably simply because he has the power to regulate it? This has already happened. Could tech stocks go up because the techgods have been given direct government access? Absolutely. What’s at stake? Consumer protection, price gouging, monopolies, unfair marketing practices, selling our data, creating addicting algorithms for our kids and spreading misinformation.The logical extension of this setup is the formal creation of a corporate military. (Some would argue we already have this.) The U.S. military would essentially make it a stated goal to safeguard the capitalists and ruling class similar to how the police are mainly charged with protecting wealth. We would get involved in power grabs, such as Rwanda’s move against the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has loads of rare earth minerals (many believe this will power the economy of the future).It would also mean rolling back all kinds of environmental legislation, which is currently on Trump’s agenda. Trump’s bizarre focus on weakening California environmental law and creating new voter IDs is remarkable given the wildfires, not to mention the very real problems of homelessness and lack of affordable housing in many California cities. But like Sanders said, we don’t have to respond to every ridiculous thing Trump says. It’s an old playbook: Create distraction, then push through an extremely damaging proposal.The big picture is that our government is being recast to serve special interests directly and has taken on fascist characteristics. If Trump wins, the election was fair. If Trump loses, the election was rigged. This is a fascist perspective. Belarus just held “elections” where Lukashenko got 87% of the vote; with numbers like that, you know it’s a fascist regime. If you vote for the opposition candidate, your name ends up on a secret-police list. Trump has attacked and sued various liberal media outlets, showing his preference for propaganda instead of information—more fascist tendencies. Trump recently stated that Gaza should be abandoned by the Palestinians; let them (millions of people) just emigrate to Jordan or Egypt (but it’s fine for America to shut the door on immigrants). They should just abandon their homeland, he says. But what then? Gaza becomes a wasteland into perpetuity, or perhaps it’s left to the Israelis as the spoils of war? With no endgame envisioned for this war, the Israelis have shrugged and left Gaza in ruins. Israel has left behind the exact conditions that breed radicalism, hatred and extremism. No hopes. Your family and friends… dead. No jobs. Piles of rubble and poverty. Whatever international support Israel had, was certainly diminished by dropping bombs on civilian centers for over a year. They killed children who had nothing to do with October 7th and called it a war strategy. Meanwhile, politicians and regular people in the U.S. profited in portfolios and 401k accounts as America sold bombs and arms to Israel. Incredible wealth and incredible poverty is destabilizing. It’s poisoning our democracy, but there is a cure. Strengthen laws related to conflicts of interest; disallow serving in the private and public sector simultaneously; reform the campaign finance system; oversight to ensure all investments made by politicians are in blind trusts only. Internationally, we must recast our war machine for humanitarian missions, peacekeeping and self-defense. Ignore Trump’s smokescreen and focus on core issues like housing, homelessness, environmental protection and a foreign policy that always reaches for peace. Rising Cancer Rates: PVC and PFAS The manufacture and disposal (incineration/landfill) of PVC products has been poisoning the environment and our bodies for about 40 years. So when the Center for Biological Diversity sued the EPA in 2021, I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that, at a minimum, PVC pipes used in construction would be classified as hazardous waste. Those pipes would then be pulled out prior to any demolition in the same way that asbestos, lead, etc. is diverted. But alas, EPA made a series of arguments (read: excuses), one of which actually amounted to them saying it's essentially too hard. Yes, we've put PVC into so many products, that it is "hard" now. Still, EPA is starting to regulate the amount of vinyl chloride used in these pipes (of course, contractors may source PVC pipes from all over the world, complicating this). The idea that DEP or DEC monitors at incinerators will make sure PVC pipes don't go up the stack, is a stretch. Data suggests that about half of incinerators operate outside of compliance, at least in NY state, for time periods that range from 30-90 days. And the DEC monitor in Cohoes, NY allowed for mass burnings of PFAS laden firefighting foam. More likely, incinerators take a quick pass with a magnet and the rest gets burned. What people don't talk about, is that the pollution control technology itself, loaded with chemicals, has to be shipped out to special hazardous waste landfills. The chemicals don't just magically go away. They often sit in lined landfills, covering the earth, as we hope that nothing leaks out. But this goes deeper than PVC pipes used in construction. PVC is in a whole host of products ranging from furniture to toys. The plastics industry makes all kinds of wild arguments like regulating PVC as hazardous waste would reduce recycling. News flash: hardly any PVC is getting recycled! Do you see a #7 with the recycling triangle stamped on any PVC products? Consumers do not know how or where to recycle PVC. Municipal programs would need to be revamped to allow for this. We need to stop producing the stuff.There’s really something broken within our capitalist system. Companies make products using chemicals which have not been tested thoroughly, resulting in contamination. Then, taxpayers pick up the bill, paying for it with future cancer treatments and brownfield remediation... superfund sites.We’ve known for a long time that burning PVC in incinerators creates dioxin, which causes cancer. You breath it, you eat it, you drink it. Given the many antique incinerators still functioning in the U.S., we know it remains in emissions and the landfilled toxic sludge (water is added to incinerator ash to make a kind of slurry so it doesn’t blow around).Metal, which can be recycled, is a great alternative to PVC piping, and we certainly don’t need to use PVC for kids toys.But it’s not just PVC. PFAS has hit New England hard. Here, in Western MA, wells have been contaminated in North Bennington, VT; Saint Gobain Plastics has an old plant there. The entire town of Hoosic Falls, NY had to implement filtration. In Maine, PFAS has contaminated agricultural fields, the culprit—municipal sludge blended into fertilizer and sprayed. We have TCE plumes in North Adams, MA left behind by Sprague Electric before they headed for Mexico. This is our industrial history, but it’s still going on!The lag time between a chemical raising suspicions among scientists/public health experts -- and the government regulating it -- is a key window of time. For PVC, it's 40 years and counting. For PFAS, industry studies in the 70s showed risks, but it didn’t start getting national attention until 10 or 12 years ago. In that lag time, where it was becoming obvious that PFAS would be designated as a hazardous waste (under RCRA), the DOD and various companies started unloading their stockpiles. The DOD, in particular, had tons of PFAS laced firefighting foam (timing: this was during Trump’s first time as president). It was about to become a massive liability. Environmental consulting outfits popped up, claiming they could help manage the liability. The DOD started shipping this fire retardant for incineration (sounds strange, I know, how well could it possible burn?). The Cohoes, NY incinerator took loads of it spraying it into the air; soil tests in the community show contamination. Of course, with incineration (and leaky landfills), the effect is diffuse. The winds carry it; the waters carry it.We need a better system for evaluating chemicals used in products BEFORE they go into production and enter the environment. Manufacturing has impacts; transport can have impacts; and, certainly, use and disposal have impacts. Imagine all of the tiny button batteries headed for landfills and incinerators right now. It’s not trackable.When a chemical is tested by independent scientists, and carcinogenic properties raise a red flag, there should be an immediate hold on all disposal. Government lag time, is actually a huge investor opportunity. Some, in the business world, count on the slowness of government and quantify their investments accordingly; or, they lobby to slow down regulation. Consider the Internet. Companies are constantly trying to throw off regulation, or elect politicians who will do this for them (act as their surrogates). But regulations safeguard ecosystems and human health. Biden’s executive order to save the coastal ecosystems of the U.S. was amazing. I hope it holds. Obama (check out his Our Oceans documentary) did something similar, on a smaller scale when he was in office, and it held up to court challenge, so there is hope. When Trump acted on this issue, he banned oil drilling off the Georgia and Florida coasts. Hmmm… why only that area Trump? Where do you live again?The cognitive mistake that Trumpers are making, regarding government, is that, yes, government is frustrating and slow and sometimes gets it wrong. But that doesn’t mean the department mission is wrong. Poor management is the issue. Programs need fixing not scrapping. We’ve all been frustrated by government. That doesn’t mean we need to dismantle it. (On a lighter note, I think the James Bond films give us a great view into the American psyche; look at who the villains were each year. Americans keep selecting different villains: the media, the Russians, terrorists or a former MI6 agent, one of their own, who becomes a cyber-threat, etc.).I know the media and Trump want to get us spinning on their issues. But we need to stay focused on the things that matter. Young people are increasingly getting cancer. The numbers are going up. While industry tells us that it’s genetics and lifestyle and obesity and smoking, all of which contribute, there’s something else going on here. Gutting the EPA is not the answer. We need oncologists and the public to sound the alarm. It’s our consumer society riddled with chemicals that is the problem. It's the pesticides, herbicides, oil based paints and solvents in Home Depot. There are alternatives; we could live differently, without so many consumer products. In many cases, we don’t need them at all. Recommended Reading: https://peer.org/cdc-punts-on-studying-pfas-cancer-risks/
Cancer Rates for U.S.—Source: Google AI OverviewYes, cancer rates in the United States have been increasing. In 2024, the American Cancer Society (ACS) projected that the US would see a record-breaking 2 million new cancer cases. Featured snippet from the webThe number of early onset cancer cases — those that occur in adults under age 50 — is rising by 1% to 2% annually, according to the American Cancer Society.Aug 6, 2024
The National Environmental Policy Act requires that federal agencies assess the impacts of the development proposals they are enacting. This could be mining, logging, building various structures, etc. The Government Accountability Office surveyed, in April 2014, how many projects actually initiated an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement. 95% of the Federal Government projects had declared a Categorical Exclusion, apparently there is no need to worry! Federal Government projects, 95% of the time, don't even have the potential to impact the environment. Whew! I feel better now. It's no wonder that so many of our airports landed in wetlands. But there's another problem with the EA and EIS process (aside from it not getting done). Developers hire consultants to complete these studies, and the consultants know the result that their client is hoping for, creating a built-in conflict of interest. The consultants want more work from these developers so they shy away from stating a given project will have "significant impacts" even if it does. The solution is probably to have local, county and state governments set up funds for environmental consulting. The developer floating a given project is required to pay into the fund (it can be a % of the value of the project, maybe 3% depending). The government administers the fund and hires the environmental consulting company. That way money is not flowing directly from developer to consultant; there is less contact and influence. CRUELTY EMBEDDED IN POLICY It’s odd to say, but I kind of miss the old debates on trickle-down economics. We used to have policy debates with Republicans. It’s not that the culture under Reagan was great, but it wasn’t poisonous. Now, as my wife reminds me, there is a kind of cruelty embedded in policy. If you want to cut USAID or delete AIDS medicine for Africa, this shows a real sickness in the American psyche. If you want to cut Medicaid, you obviously haven’t traveled to other countries where there is no social safety net.One of the things I really appreciate about my daughter’s school in Williamstown, MA is that she has had Social and Emotional Learning as a core course from very early on. This is great stuff and really shows how educators can look at what is hindering learning, and address it in creative ways. There are many adults I know who could benefit from these classes. In MA, it’s easy to feel like you’re in a bubble. The only Trump voters I saw in the lead-up to election were old angry white males driving around in pickup trucks with flags waving and diesel smoke gushing. But I know there is a silent group out there who I try to reach.Another thing about MA is that you really see the benefit of your tax money. Yes, taxes are high, but you get services. As Cathy pointed out, everything from water to sewer to plowing to schools to social programs for the elderly and poor, it’s all there. Many people haven’t experienced a world where government stops functioning. When you go to a wilderness area, that you used to enjoy, and see the mining trucks, or you go to a coastal area that you loved, and see the oil rigs, you will know it. You will feel it. So, going on like it doesn’t affect your life is a fool’s dream.The working class were really duped last election. I’m not sure it was their fault. We all knew corporate money was pouring in. Actually, about 6 or 8 months ago, I said to my brother-in-law, “We’re going to see if corporations control elections in this one.” And he replied, “Was there ever any doubt?” as if he knew what was coming. Cleverly, the corporate class held out promises to the working class and hid among them, masqueraded even, among them. Despite JD Vance’s blue silk suit at the debate (where he called global warming “weird science”) people bought it.I’ve talked to those on the other side. They post or send me articles. But when I drill down, and look at the source, it’s Betty and Jim in South Dakota, who got fed up with the media lying to them and decided to launch a website. The first thing you learn in college is to study sources; the second thing you learn is to distinguish opinion from fact. When RFK espouses his anti-vaccine position, it’s fine to say, ‘I don’t trust the experts, I agree with him.’ But it’s a separate thing -- to travel -- and see the real effects of vaccine preventable diseases, and deny reality. (If we could just get Gupta in instead of RFK!)My wife is a physician and an immigrant. She has many MAGA patients who wear their little red hats and complain about eating less eggs. She looks at the hat; they look at the button on her lab coat that says “Proud Immigrant;” then she delivers the same care that she would to anyone. After seeing 20+ patients then going home, it has to feel pretty low to hear how immigrants are the problem with America. Her job, (as required by law) was advertised and open to all Americans. But there aren’t enough doctors, and there aren’t enough meat industry workers, and there aren’t enough trade or agricultural workers, and so we fill in those economic gaps with immigration. If an American wants to study until they are nearly 30-years old, make those sacrifices and apply to be a doctor, they can!My wife’s dad, when he was alive, had such a positive, even virtuous, view of Americans. It was really wonderful. After all, General MacArthur and his troop had saved the Philippines from the Japanese during WWII and he had lived through that. What does the world think of us now—as we saber rattle and enact large tariffs, even on allies, or seek to buy and rename (under threat) sovereign parts of the world? USAID, coming to the assistance of others, trade and diplomacy… these are all tools to avoid war, maintain peace and do the right thing.Democrats don’t have everything right. If I could, I would vote Green Party, and follow the lead of various European countries, though fascism is taking hold there, too. But I don’t see cruelty or misinformation or attacks on the poor embedded in the policy of Democrats. I don’t see them going after small vulnerable groups like trans people (or undocumented immigrants who don't have the money to mount a legal defense). Actually, it’s worth pointing out, DEI originated with Civil Rights. I find it really fascinating that Republicans won’t say that. Why not just say it? You want to roll back Civil Rights. No, that’s obviously racist. So, let’s go after small vulnerable groups like trans people. We’ll get to black people later. Micro-plastics A good start on microplastics would be to ban the dishwasher and detergent packets currently on the market (kids have also ingested them thinking it's candy). NYC introduced a bill to ban PVA pods; California and the EU have both developed a strategy to tackle the microplastics issue. We need to start moving away from plastics as a society, create alternatives and consider the full life cycle of our products, which ultimately become waste. Where are the Conflict of Interest Laws? When the Supreme Court ruled that money is speech, they forgot to mention that money is also silence. You can silence your foes directly (hush money) or indirectly (Republicans fear Musk's war chest; they dare not speak out). Trump and Musk can simply sue their way to the top; fire the employees that are supposed to regulate their industries; and shape policies favorable to their investments. Have You Noticed the Trend? Republicans go after people who don't have the resources to fight back in a legal system that requires money, and lots of it. Old people, veterans, immigrants, prisoners... it's a long list. With cuts to Social Security, the VA and Medicaid looming and threats to due process, their agenda is focused on ripping away the social safety net and taking away rights. You don't see Republicans cracking down on white collar crime, or talking about the cost of landlord or business loss tax write-offs. You don't see them condemning the legal and financial vehicles used to shield corporate responsibility. Because those things help their buddies! We have some serious problems in the U.S., which Trump is ignoring. No family should sink from medical bankruptcy. We have a home-grown gun problem and school shootings that are tearing communities apart, which have nothing to do with foreign enemies or minorities; and Republicans accuse Democrats of class warfare... Yahoo News 3/18/2025: Israel breaks cease fire… Of the Palestinians killed overnight, 174 were children and 89 were women, according to the ministry.
Ah, where did they go? Bill Clinton striding on stage with a saxophone or Barack Obama hailing from neighborhood social activist roots. No longer does the farmer emerge from the field to do a rotation in government. Now it's Bezos and Zuckerberg and Musk. Celebrity status is a must to run for president now—from Citizens United and money is free speech to present day, the stage is set. Josh Shapiro is the only name that comes to mind, but a lot can happen in four years, so let’s see.We just watched Rick Steves’ documentary on PBS on fascism. Of course, there are stunning correlations to our times. Fascists offer simple solutions to complex problems (just build a wall). They are performers, think Hitler and Mussolini, launching into tirades, animated at the podium, holding big rallies. They also single out vulnerable groups and attack them, capitalizing on the conditions of the time, often economic.If all of this sounds familiar, then, yes, you are paying attention! Trump’s attack on immigrants obviously correlates here, but so does his rhetoric about trans people. Issues that used to be handled by parents, schools, psychologists and pediatricians, are now the subject of political attacks. It’s a dangerous slip. Why are politicians involved in these issues at all? On a personal level, I went to a bar the other day and the restroom was simply labelled “toilet.” It just said what it was. If you have to go, go ahead! Singling out groups in a discriminatory way is one of the hallmarks of the Trump presidency so far, and it’s what people voted for.So, we have a lot of work to do as a society. Bernie Sander’s approach of raising the minimum wage; offering free public college; universal healthcare, these notions don’t divide people into groups. These ideas say: ‘if you need help, we are a wealthy nation and we can provide it.’ Yes, poor rural white America, like Appalachia for instance, look at programs specifically to help minorities and feel it’s unfair. Who will help them? Coasters, the educated liberals, would do well to remember these folks if we are to win the next election. Trade school education; employment in the trades; light manufacturing; it used to be the Democrats were the party of the working class.Another aspect of fascism is that it despises trade unions, communism and actually, the field of Psychology generally. This was really fascinating to learn. Definitely check out the documentary as it has some remarkable footage and, for me, really shed some light on the times we’re living in. Reach For Peace Lobbying always had its problems. Lobbyists would insert one or two key sentences into a 200-page bill, and hope it didn’t attract too much attention. Sometimes legislators would rely on a synopsis from the legislative director and miss it. The influence game has been played far and wide, and, yes, the people with the most money, well, they made more money.But the ultimate lobbying move is to be appointed to watch, oversee and influence the very department that regulates your industry. Or, gut the department that is supposed to be watching you—make it ineffective. Bernie Sanders mentioned in his recent remarks how the techgods saw their personal worth rocket just because Trump won. Investors know that access means influence, which means profits. Trump also saw instant profits, launching his meme coin; nevermind that he creates the market conditions for cryptocurrency and can deregulate his own products.It is fairly common for someone to resign from government and become a consultant for industry, but to actively serve in both sectors opens the door to corruption. Congressmen are supposed to report private sector ties, investments and who is financing their re-election; still, this often turns into an ethics probe rather than real charges. Clarence Thomas clearly violated ethics rules, but apparently didn’t break the law. Many congressmen insist their investments are in blind trusts, that they don’t control them, but there is little oversight.Could a politician vote for war and hold a portfolio of weapons stocks? Yes. Could a president launch a cryptocurrency, and the market responds favorably simply because he has the power to regulate it? This has already happened. Could tech stocks go up because the techgods have been given direct government access? Absolutely. What’s at stake? Consumer protection, price gouging, monopolies, unfair marketing practices, selling our data, creating addicting algorithms for our kids and spreading misinformation.The logical extension of this setup is the formal creation of a corporate military. (Some would argue we already have this.) The U.S. military would essentially make it a stated goal to safeguard the capitalists and ruling class similar to how the police are mainly charged with protecting wealth. We would get involved in power grabs, such as Rwanda’s move against the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has loads of rare earth minerals (many believe this will power the economy of the future).It would also mean rolling back all kinds of environmental legislation, which is currently on Trump’s agenda. Trump’s bizarre focus on weakening California environmental law and creating new voter IDs is remarkable given the wildfires, not to mention the very real problems of homelessness and lack of affordable housing in many California cities. But like Sanders said, we don’t have to respond to every ridiculous thing Trump says. It’s an old playbook: Create distraction, then push through an extremely damaging proposal.The big picture is that our government is being recast to serve special interests directly and has taken on fascist characteristics. If Trump wins, the election was fair. If Trump loses, the election was rigged. This is a fascist perspective. Belarus just held “elections” where Lukashenko got 87% of the vote; with numbers like that, you know it’s a fascist regime. If you vote for the opposition candidate, your name ends up on a secret-police list. Trump has attacked and sued various liberal media outlets, showing his preference for propaganda instead of information—more fascist tendencies. Trump recently stated that Gaza should be abandoned by the Palestinians; let them (millions of people) just emigrate to Jordan or Egypt (but it’s fine for America to shut the door on immigrants). They should just abandon their homeland, he says. But what then? Gaza becomes a wasteland into perpetuity, or perhaps it’s left to the Israelis as the spoils of war? With no endgame envisioned for this war, the Israelis have shrugged and left Gaza in ruins. Israel has left behind the exact conditions that breed radicalism, hatred and extremism. No hopes. Your family and friends… dead. No jobs. Piles of rubble and poverty. Whatever international support Israel had, was certainly diminished by dropping bombs on civilian centers for over a year. They killed children who had nothing to do with October 7th and called it a war strategy. Meanwhile, politicians and regular people in the U.S. profited in portfolios and 401k accounts as America sold bombs and arms to Israel. Incredible wealth and incredible poverty is destabilizing. It’s poisoning our democracy, but there is a cure. Strengthen laws related to conflicts of interest; disallow serving in the private and public sector simultaneously; reform the campaign finance system; oversight to ensure all investments made by politicians are in blind trusts only. Internationally, we must recast our war machine for humanitarian missions, peacekeeping and self-defense. Ignore Trump’s smokescreen and focus on core issues like housing, homelessness, environmental protection and a foreign policy that always reaches for peace. Rising Cancer Rates: PVC and PFAS The manufacture and disposal (incineration/landfill) of PVC products has been poisoning the environment and our bodies for about 40 years. So when the Center for Biological Diversity sued the EPA in 2021, I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that, at a minimum, PVC pipes used in construction would be classified as hazardous waste. Those pipes would then be pulled out prior to any demolition in the same way that asbestos, lead, etc. is diverted. But alas, EPA made a series of arguments (read: excuses), one of which actually amounted to them saying it's essentially too hard. Yes, we've put PVC into so many products, that it is "hard" now. Still, EPA is starting to regulate the amount of vinyl chloride used in these pipes (of course, contractors may source PVC pipes from all over the world, complicating this). The idea that DEP or DEC monitors at incinerators will make sure PVC pipes don't go up the stack, is a stretch. Data suggests that about half of incinerators operate outside of compliance, at least in NY state, for time periods that range from 30-90 days. And the DEC monitor in Cohoes, NY allowed for mass burnings of PFAS laden firefighting foam. More likely, incinerators take a quick pass with a magnet and the rest gets burned. What people don't talk about, is that the pollution control technology itself, loaded with chemicals, has to be shipped out to special hazardous waste landfills. The chemicals don't just magically go away. They often sit in lined landfills, covering the earth, as we hope that nothing leaks out. But this goes deeper than PVC pipes used in construction. PVC is in a whole host of products ranging from furniture to toys. The plastics industry makes all kinds of wild arguments like regulating PVC as hazardous waste would reduce recycling. News flash: hardly any PVC is getting recycled! Do you see a #7 with the recycling triangle stamped on any PVC products? Consumers do not know how or where to recycle PVC. Municipal programs would need to be revamped to allow for this. We need to stop producing the stuff.There’s really something broken within our capitalist system. Companies make products using chemicals which have not been tested thoroughly, resulting in contamination. Then, taxpayers pick up the bill, paying for it with future cancer treatments and brownfield remediation... superfund sites.We’ve known for a long time that burning PVC in incinerators creates dioxin, which causes cancer. You breath it, you eat it, you drink it. Given the many antique incinerators still functioning in the U.S., we know it remains in emissions and the landfilled toxic sludge (water is added to incinerator ash to make a kind of slurry so it doesn’t blow around).Metal, which can be recycled, is a great alternative to PVC piping, and we certainly don’t need to use PVC for kids toys.But it’s not just PVC. PFAS has hit New England hard. Here, in Western MA, wells have been contaminated in North Bennington, VT; Saint Gobain Plastics has an old plant there. The entire town of Hoosic Falls, NY had to implement filtration. In Maine, PFAS has contaminated agricultural fields, the culprit—municipal sludge blended into fertilizer and sprayed. We have TCE plumes in North Adams, MA left behind by Sprague Electric before they headed for Mexico. This is our industrial history, but it’s still going on!The lag time between a chemical raising suspicions among scientists/public health experts -- and the government regulating it -- is a key window of time. For PVC, it's 40 years and counting. For PFAS, industry studies in the 70s showed risks, but it didn’t start getting national attention until 10 or 12 years ago. In that lag time, where it was becoming obvious that PFAS would be designated as a hazardous waste (under RCRA), the DOD and various companies started unloading their stockpiles. The DOD, in particular, had tons of PFAS laced firefighting foam (timing: this was during Trump’s first time as president). It was about to become a massive liability. Environmental consulting outfits popped up, claiming they could help manage the liability. The DOD started shipping this fire retardant for incineration (sounds strange, I know, how well could it possible burn?). The Cohoes, NY incinerator took loads of it spraying it into the air; soil tests in the community show contamination. Of course, with incineration (and leaky landfills), the effect is diffuse. The winds carry it; the waters carry it.We need a better system for evaluating chemicals used in products BEFORE they go into production and enter the environment. Manufacturing has impacts; transport can have impacts; and, certainly, use and disposal have impacts. Imagine all of the tiny button batteries headed for landfills and incinerators right now. It’s not trackable.When a chemical is tested by independent scientists, and carcinogenic properties raise a red flag, there should be an immediate hold on all disposal. Government lag time, is actually a huge investor opportunity. Some, in the business world, count on the slowness of government and quantify their investments accordingly; or, they lobby to slow down regulation. Consider the Internet. Companies are constantly trying to throw off regulation, or elect politicians who will do this for them (act as their surrogates). But regulations safeguard ecosystems and human health. Biden’s executive order to save the coastal ecosystems of the U.S. was amazing. I hope it holds. Obama (check out his Our Oceans documentary) did something similar, on a smaller scale when he was in office, and it held up to court challenge, so there is hope. When Trump acted on this issue, he banned oil drilling off the Georgia and Florida coasts. Hmmm… why only that area Trump? Where do you live again?The cognitive mistake that Trumpers are making, regarding government, is that, yes, government is frustrating and slow and sometimes gets it wrong. But that doesn’t mean the department mission is wrong. Poor management is the issue. Programs need fixing not scrapping. We’ve all been frustrated by government. That doesn’t mean we need to dismantle it. (On a lighter note, I think the James Bond films give us a great view into the American psyche; look at who the villains were each year. Americans keep selecting different villains: the media, the Russians, terrorists or a former MI6 agent, one of their own, who becomes a cyber-threat, etc.).I know the media and Trump want to get us spinning on their issues. But we need to stay focused on the things that matter. Young people are increasingly getting cancer. The numbers are going up. While industry tells us that it’s genetics and lifestyle and obesity and smoking, all of which contribute, there’s something else going on here. Gutting the EPA is not the answer. We need oncologists and the public to sound the alarm. It’s our consumer society riddled with chemicals that is the problem. It's the pesticides, herbicides, oil based paints and solvents in Home Depot. There are alternatives; we could live differently, without so many consumer products. In many cases, we don’t need them at all. Recommended Reading: https://peer.org/cdc-punts-on-studying-pfas-cancer-risks/
Cancer Rates for U.S.—Source: Google AI OverviewYes, cancer rates in the United States have been increasing. In 2024, the American Cancer Society (ACS) projected that the US would see a record-breaking 2 million new cancer cases. Featured snippet from the webThe number of early onset cancer cases — those that occur in adults under age 50 — is rising by 1% to 2% annually, according to the American Cancer Society.Aug 6, 2024
The National Environmental Policy Act requires that federal agencies assess the impacts of the development proposals they are enacting. This could be mining, logging, building various structures, etc. The Government Accountability Office surveyed, in April 2014, how many projects actually initiated an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement. 95% of the Federal Government projects had declared a Categorical Exclusion, apparently there is no need to worry! Federal Government projects, 95% of the time, don't even have the potential to impact the environment. Whew! I feel better now. It's no wonder that so many of our airports landed in wetlands. But there's another problem with the EA and EIS process (aside from it not getting done). Developers hire consultants to complete these studies, and the consultants know the result that their client is hoping for, creating a built-in conflict of interest. The consultants want more work from these developers so they shy away from stating a given project will have "significant impacts" even if it does. The solution is probably to have local, county and state governments set up funds for environmental consulting. The developer floating a given project is required to pay into the fund (it can be a % of the value of the project, maybe 3% depending). The government administers the fund and hires the environmental consulting company. That way money is not flowing directly from developer to consultant; there is less contact and influence. CRUELTY EMBEDDED IN POLICY It’s odd to say, but I kind of miss the old debates on trickle-down economics. We used to have policy debates with Republicans. It’s not that the culture under Reagan was great, but it wasn’t poisonous. Now, as my wife reminds me, there is a kind of cruelty embedded in policy. If you want to cut USAID or delete AIDS medicine for Africa, this shows a real sickness in the American psyche. If you want to cut Medicaid, you obviously haven’t traveled to other countries where there is no social safety net.One of the things I really appreciate about my daughter’s school in Williamstown, MA is that she has had Social and Emotional Learning as a core course from very early on. This is great stuff and really shows how educators can look at what is hindering learning, and address it in creative ways. There are many adults I know who could benefit from these classes. In MA, it’s easy to feel like you’re in a bubble. The only Trump voters I saw in the lead-up to election were old angry white males driving around in pickup trucks with flags waving and diesel smoke gushing. But I know there is a silent group out there who I try to reach.Another thing about MA is that you really see the benefit of your tax money. Yes, taxes are high, but you get services. As Cathy pointed out, everything from water to sewer to plowing to schools to social programs for the elderly and poor, it’s all there. Many people haven’t experienced a world where government stops functioning. When you go to a wilderness area, that you used to enjoy, and see the mining trucks, or you go to a coastal area that you loved, and see the oil rigs, you will know it. You will feel it. So, going on like it doesn’t affect your life is a fool’s dream.The working class were really duped last election. I’m not sure it was their fault. We all knew corporate money was pouring in. Actually, about 6 or 8 months ago, I said to my brother-in-law, “We’re going to see if corporations control elections in this one.” And he replied, “Was there ever any doubt?” as if he knew what was coming. Cleverly, the corporate class held out promises to the working class and hid among them, masqueraded even, among them. Despite JD Vance’s blue silk suit at the debate (where he called global warming “weird science”) people bought it.I’ve talked to those on the other side. They post or send me articles. But when I drill down, and look at the source, it’s Betty and Jim in South Dakota, who got fed up with the media lying to them and decided to launch a website. The first thing you learn in college is to study sources; the second thing you learn is to distinguish opinion from fact. When RFK espouses his anti-vaccine position, it’s fine to say, ‘I don’t trust the experts, I agree with him.’ But it’s a separate thing -- to travel -- and see the real effects of vaccine preventable diseases, and deny reality. (If we could just get Gupta in instead of RFK!)My wife is a physician and an immigrant. She has many MAGA patients who wear their little red hats and complain about eating less eggs. She looks at the hat; they look at the button on her lab coat that says “Proud Immigrant;” then she delivers the same care that she would to anyone. After seeing 20+ patients then going home, it has to feel pretty low to hear how immigrants are the problem with America. Her job, (as required by law) was advertised and open to all Americans. But there aren’t enough doctors, and there aren’t enough meat industry workers, and there aren’t enough trade or agricultural workers, and so we fill in those economic gaps with immigration. If an American wants to study until they are nearly 30-years old, make those sacrifices and apply to be a doctor, they can!My wife’s dad, when he was alive, had such a positive, even virtuous, view of Americans. It was really wonderful. After all, General MacArthur and his troop had saved the Philippines from the Japanese during WWII and he had lived through that. What does the world think of us now—as we saber rattle and enact large tariffs, even on allies, or seek to buy and rename (under threat) sovereign parts of the world? USAID, coming to the assistance of others, trade and diplomacy… these are all tools to avoid war, maintain peace and do the right thing.Democrats don’t have everything right. If I could, I would vote Green Party, and follow the lead of various European countries, though fascism is taking hold there, too. But I don’t see cruelty or misinformation or attacks on the poor embedded in the policy of Democrats. I don’t see them going after small vulnerable groups like trans people (or undocumented immigrants who don't have the money to mount a legal defense). Actually, it’s worth pointing out, DEI originated with Civil Rights. I find it really fascinating that Republicans won’t say that. Why not just say it? You want to roll back Civil Rights. No, that’s obviously racist. So, let’s go after small vulnerable groups like trans people. We’ll get to black people later. Micro-plastics A good start on microplastics would be to ban the dishwasher and detergent packets currently on the market (kids have also ingested them thinking it's candy). NYC introduced a bill to ban PVA pods; California and the EU have both developed a strategy to tackle the microplastics issue. We need to start moving away from plastics as a society, create alternatives and consider the full life cycle of our products, which ultimately become waste. Where are the Conflict of Interest Laws? When the Supreme Court ruled that money is speech, they forgot to mention that money is also silence. You can silence your foes directly (hush money) or indirectly (Republicans fear Musk's war chest; they dare not speak out). Trump and Musk can simply sue their way to the top; fire the employees that are supposed to regulate their industries; and shape policies favorable to their investments. Have You Noticed the Trend? Republicans go after people who don't have the resources to fight back in a legal system that requires money, and lots of it. Old people, veterans, immigrants, prisoners... it's a long list. With cuts to Social Security, the VA and Medicaid looming and threats to due process, their agenda is focused on ripping away the social safety net and taking away rights. You don't see Republicans cracking down on white collar crime, or talking about the cost of landlord or business loss tax write-offs. You don't see them condemning the legal and financial vehicles used to shield corporate responsibility. Because those things help their buddies! We have some serious problems in the U.S., which Trump is ignoring. No family should sink from medical bankruptcy. We have a home-grown gun problem and school shootings that are tearing communities apart, which have nothing to do with foreign enemies or minorities; and Republicans accuse Democrats of class warfare... Yahoo News 3/18/2025: Israel breaks cease fire… Of the Palestinians killed overnight, 174 were children and 89 were women, according to the ministry.