Open thread August 30, 2022
$1.6 billion to Right-Wing Org. – Marble Freedom Trust
Ninety year-old electronics company executive Barre Seid donates his funds to a new right-wing organization. Marble Freedom Trust, is controlled by Leonard A. Leo, the co-chair of the Federalist Society, who has been instrumental in the right-wing takeover of the Supreme Court. Leo has also been prominent in challenges to abortion rights, voting rights, climate […]
DOT: Vehicle Miles Driven Decreased year-over-year in June
Bill McBride at Calculated Risk (8/23/2022 02:21:00 PM) had this report on mileage driven for June 2022. I am sure as Bill suggests gasoline prices may have played a role in the decrease. I wonder too if Covid kept people from travelling too? One of the links to the DOT page also shows travel by […]
Open thread August 26, 2022
Means Testing
First warnings — as usual I am writing on a topic discussed by many experts and I am not an expert. It is very often debated whether social welfare programs should be means tested (available only to people with low income or to people with low income and low wealth). An alternative is universal programs […]
Coronavirus dashboard for August 24: the post BA.5 wave respite
Coronavirus dashboard for August 24: the post BA.5 wave respite In general, things are headed in the right direction for now in the pandemic. BIobot’s latest wastewater update from one week ago shows a 1/3rd decline in COVID particles nationwide. Here’s the regional breakdown: The West, spearheaded by CA, is down 50%, and the South […]
Open thread August 23, 2022
Don’t Drink the Water – Mercury contamination
There are many places where the water has been polluted by something. Ten Bears talks about Bend, Oregon. 1979 and one of the largest environmental complaints was lodged by the Federal government against a major corporation. Acting on behalf of EPA, the Department of Justice filed four suits against Hooker Chemical Co. Hooker Chemical and […]
SCOTUS Strikes Again and Not in the Way You Think
The Good Note this one on your calendar, the court gets it correct. Just when you think SCOTUS will raise its ugly right-wing head again, it decides differently. I can’t tell you what the votes were for and against. This is an unsigned decision. Mabe the one who ratted on the SCOTUS-Alito’s anti-abortion decision will […]
