Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

Overdoses, the Economy, and Politics

September 19, 2024 Letters from an American “Democracy depends on at least two healthy political parties that can compete for voters on a level playing field. Although the men who wrote the Constitution hated the idea of political parties, they quickly figured out the party’s tie voters to the mechanics of Congress and the presidency.” […]

Avoiding Microplastics

Purity is impossible, and half measures feel better than nothing but also are a failure. This is in regard to Microplastics which are next to impossible to avoid. And it’s all expensive. If a family is expecting a baby and wants, reasonably, to buy plastic-free baby products. Given everything humanity is learning about the possible […]

Jim, this is nothing like before. These guys are ahead of us.

These guys are ahead of us. What Scared Ford’s CEO in China, WSJ Jim Farley had just returned from China. What the Ford Motor chief executive found during the May visit made him anxious: The local automakers were pulling away in the electric-vehicle race.  In an early-morning call with fellow board member John Thornton, an exasperated Farley unloaded.  The […]

Important mixed messages from jobless claims this week

 – by New Deal democrat You may recall that last week I wrote that beginning this week and for the next 6+ months, initial claims would be up against some very tough comparisons from 2023 and would be the ultimate true test of whether there has been unresolved post-pandemic seasonality in the numbers. Well, this […]

SARS-CoV-2 and the Wuhan wet market

Endless online vitriol has been spilt promoting the idea that the COVID-19 pandemic was somehow either (a) an engineered pathogen or (b) a virus that escaped from a research facility. While those allegations served the interests of the Trump Administration, the actual, you know, scientific data supporting them was non-existant. Now, years later, the sorts […]

Trump Ripping on His Man USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy

Some Information U.S. Presidents can not remove the Postmaster General. So, Louis is safe if that is what people and the author of this piece seems to think Biden can do. “The Postmaster General is selected and appointed by the Board of Governors of the Postal Service, which is appointed by the president. The Postmaster […]

12 Month-ending Provisional Number and Percent Change of Drug Overdose Deaths

Reduction in Drug Deaths is 2024 Before I start on this. Credit to Digsby at HullaBaLoo and will be using parts of the same NPR report also. The CDC graphs define the decrease in drug usage nationally and also state by state. Some good news for once on drug addiction. Products – Vital Statistics Rapid […]

The 0.5% Reduction of the Federal Funds Rate

“The Fed Makes a Large Rate Cut and Forecasts More to Come” Jeanna Smialak Writes “The Federal Reserve cut interest rates on Wednesday by half a percentage point, an unusually large move and a clear signal that central bankers think they are winning their war against inflation and are turning their attention to protecting the […]

Out in the Open Election Officials Strategizing to Undermine 2024 Results

More issues with the upcoming 2024 election. Again in Georgia which had election counting issues in 2020. Now, election deniers are openly planning. Network of Georgia election officials strategizing to undermine 2024 result, US elections 2024, The Guardian. Emails obtained by the Guardian reveal a behind-the-scenes network of county election officials throughout Georgia coordinating on policy and […]