Occupy Banksters & Crony Capitalism & GREED

UAW nabs its biggest win in decades
Axios | Emily Peck, | 10/31/23

The UAW's historic labor agreements with the Big Three automakers mark a reversal of more than 40 years of waning power for auto unions in the U.S.

The big picture: Coming on the heels of similarly hard-fought agreements for UPS workers and Hollywood writers, the UAW agreements will likely inspire further organizing efforts and fuel the labor resurgence already underway.

"This is a shot in the arm," said Kate Bronfenbrenner, a professor at Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations. Experts at the start of the strike said there was no way they could win - but they did, she said.

GM on Monday announced it reached a tentative labor agreement with the UAW, following similar deals with Ford and Stellantis. ... Read more

Citizens United Has Destroyed America: Why Is Nobody Talking About It? | Thom Hartmann | 10/29/23 | 10:08

On TikTok, views of pro-Palestine posts far surpass views of pro-Israel posts
Axios | Sara Fischer | 10/31/23

Between the lines: According to TikTok's data, the #StandwithPalestine hashtag is most popular in Malaysia, followed by Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar.

The #StandwithIsrael hashtag is most popular in Israel, followed by Malaysia, Greece, Lithuania and Croatia. ... Read more

Zombie Myths: The Economic Lies that Just Won't Die | Robert Reich | 10/29/23 | 3:50

'Killers of the Flower Moon' - the Bigger Picture w/ Greg Palast | Thom Hartmann | 10/29/23 | 10:08

Long Knife movie/documentary (trailer) | current | 1:49

House GOP announces standalone $14.3 billion Israel aid package, setting up Senate clash
Politico | Sarah Ferris | 10/30/23

The bill would be paid for by cutting money from the IRS and is scheduled to get a vote later this week.

Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday unveiled the House GOP's $14.3 billion aid package for Israel's military drive against Hamas, which he has vowed to pass on the floor this week.

Unlike other recent supplemental assistance packages, the House GOP plans to offset the cost of the Israel funding - largely by cutting funds to the Internal Revenue Service, likely in an attempt to win over conservative hardliners. Despite that leadership effort, the legislation already faces significant scrutiny from conservatives, who want to make sure the spending is fully offset. ... Read more

More than two dozen journalists killed in Hamas-Israel war
Axion | Sara Fischer | 10/30/23

At least 29 journalists have been killed in the first two weeks of the Hamas-Israel war, according to the latest tally from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Many others have been reported missing or injured.

The big picture: It's a staggering number of deaths to be documented across such a short period of time.

For context, a total of 15 journalists have been killed in Ukraine between 2022 and 2023, per CPJ.

Details: Most of the 24 Palestinians killed during the Hamas-Israeli war died during Israeli bombardments, per CPJ. ... Read more

A family affair: Trump and oldest children to testify in NY civil fraud trial | MSNBC | 10/30/23 | 7:18

Trump prison fears surge: As MAGA lawyers flip, new heat on Trump's coup trials | MSNBC | 10/30/23 | 8:09

Over 24 hours after deadliest U.S. mass shooting of 2023, Maine suspect at large
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 10/27/23

Communities in Maine remained on lockdown overnight, as hundreds of police officers searched for the man suspected of killing 18 people and injuring 13 others at a bar and a bowling alley in Lewiston.

The big picture: Law enforcement officials searching for the suspect, identified as Robert Card, a 40-year-old U.S. Army reservist whom police say is considered armed and dangerous, surrounded a home in the nearby town of Bowdoin Thursday evening - one day after the deadliest U.S. mass shooting of 2023 thus far.

The victims: "Police have confirmed that there were seven people killed at Sparetime Recreation, and eight people killed at Schemengees Bar and Grille," per a Maine State Police statement Thursday.

Three others died in Central Maine Medical Hospital in Lewiston after being transported for treatment, according to the statement.

Eight of the 18 victims had been identified as of Thursday morning, said Maine State Police Colonel William Ross. ... Read more

Johnson's speakership win fails to end House GOP infighting
Politico | Jordain Carney | 10/27/23

Republicans hoped Mike Johnson’s ascension marked a detente from the personal vitriol of a three-week speaker fight. That ceasefire appears to be over already.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), the architect of ousting Kevin McCarthy from the speakership, is openly sparring with multiple members, including taking aim at a key committee chair. New York Republicans want to expel Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) from the House, a vote with consequences for their thin majority. Former acting Speaker Patrick McHenry is venting to reporters about his "pure anger" when McCarthy was booted. ... Read more

Suspect in Maine mass shootings found dead
Salon | Kelly McClure | 10/27/23

Hours after a press conference on Friday afternoon, where all 18 names of those who were killed during a mass shooting that took place at two locations in Lewiston, Maine on Wednesday night were announced, their suspected killer has been found dead.

In an update from CNN, multiple sources confirm that the body of 40-year-old Robert Card was found in the woods near Lisbon, which is about eight miles from Lewiston. His cause of death is from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. According to a law enforcement source, the spot in which he was discovered is in an area near the recycling center from which he had been recently fired. ... Read more

Mike Johnson becomes fourth GOP House speaker nominee in past two weeks
Axios | Andrew Solender | 10/25/23

House Republican Conference Vice Chair Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Tuesday won an internal vote to become the fourth GOP nominee for speaker since Oct. 11.

Why it matters: The House speaker vacancy has torpedoed Congress' ability to pass legislation during a period of global upheaval and as a federal funding deadline draws near.

Johnson is the latest Republican to win the party's nomination for the role since former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was removed earlier this month.

Driving the news: Johnson defeated a field of four other Republicans vying for the nomination on Tuesday evening.

Johnson won the final ballot with 128 votes compared to 29 for Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and 44 for other - including 43 for McCarthy, who was not formally running. ... Read more

Americans' trust in media plummets to historic low: poll

Click chart to zoom in.

American's trust in media has fallen to a historic low, according to new polling from Gallup.

Why it matters: Trust in media had previously dropped to 32% in 2016 before rebounding slightly. Those gains have essentially been wiped out, according to the poll.

Details: Only 32% of the population reports having "a great deal" or "a fair amount" of confidence that the media reports the news in a full, fair and accurate way. ... Read more

"Five Eyes" intelligence leaders warn of China's global espionage campaign | 60 Minutes | 10/23/23 | 13:14

This One Thing Is Making Your Life More Expensive | Robert Reich | 2022 | 5:09

Tom Emmer wins internal vote to become GOP speaker nominee
Axios | Andrew Solender | 10/24/23

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) on Tuesday won the GOP nomination for speaker of the House.

Why it matters: The House speaker vacancy has torpedoed Congress' ability to pass legislation during a period of global upheaval and as a federal funding deadline draws near.

Emmer is the third Republican to win the party's nomination since former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was removed earlier this month.

Driving the news: Emmer defeated a field of seven fellow Republicans vying for the nomination in a drawn-out fight on Tuesday. ... Read more

Trump attorneys make new push to dismiss federal election subversion case
Axios | Jacob Knutson | 10/24/23

Lawyers for former President Trump filed a flurry of new motions late Monday in a fresh attempt to get the federal election subversion case against him dismissed.

Why it matters: The new arguments come on top of a previous claim from his lawyers that he has absolute immunity from federal prosecution because his actions after the 2020 election and on the day of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack were performed within his official role as president.

Catch up quickly: The indictment against Trump in part alleges that he conspired to "impair, obstruct, and defeat" the federal government by knowingly using false claims of election fraud to subvert legitimate 2020 election results. ... Read more

Fears of a climate calamity lurk in Big oil's big deals
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 10/24/23

Two mega oil mergers, combined with other recent industry moves, threaten to prolong high amounts of greenhouse gas emissions and endanger Paris climate targets, climate activists warn.

Why it matters: Chevron's $53 billion purchase of Hess announced on Monday - along with ExxonMobil's deal with Pioneer Natural Resources - signals that oil and gas firms foresee robust fossil fuel demand into the 2030s, despite government moves to slash greenhouse gas emissions and boost renewable energy.

Zoom in: Climate activists have criticized both deals as doubling down on harmful energy sources. ... Read more

Behind the Curtain: Rattled U.S. government fears wars could spread
Axios | Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen | 10/20/23

Never before have we talked to so many top government officials who, in private, are so worried about so many overseas conflicts at once.

Why it matters: We don't like to sound dire. But to sound a siren of clinical, clear-eyed realism: U.S. officials say this confluence of crises poses epic concern and historic danger.

Behind the scenes: Officials tell us that inside the White House, this was the heaviest, most chilling week since President Biden took office just over 1,000 days ago.

Former Defense Secretary Bob Gates - who ran the Pentagon under presidents of both parties, George W. Bush and Barack Obama - tells us America is facing the most crises since World War II ended 78 years ago. ... Read more

Hamas Contained: The Rise and Pacification of Palestinian Resistance by Tareq Baconi

Hamas rules Gaza and the lives of the two million Palestinians who live there. Demonized in media and policy debates, various accusations and critical assumptions have been used to justify extreme military action against Hamas. The reality of Hamas is, of course, far more complex. Neither a democratic political party nor a terrorist group, Hamas is a multifaceted liberation organization, one rooted in the nationalist claims of the Palestinian people.

Hamas Contained offers the first history of the group on its own terms. Drawing on interviews with organization leaders, as well as publications from the group, Tareq Baconi maps Hamas's thirty-year transition from fringe military resistance towards governance. He breaks new ground in questioning the conventional understanding of Hamas and shows how the movement's ideology ultimately threatens the Palestinian struggle and, inadvertently, its own legitimacy.

Canada's historic wildfire season abates after 45.7 million acres razed
Axios | Rebecca Falconer | 10/20/23

Canada's record wildfire season that's repeatedly triggered air quality alerts across the country and the U.S. has eased, some five months after it began.

State of play: About 45.7 million acres of land has burned in Canada this year - 2.5 times more than the previous record of 17.5 million acres razed in 1995. Some fires continue to burn.

The big picture: Thousands of people have been displaced and all 13 of Canada's provinces and territories have been impacted by the unprecedented wildfire season - with blazes reaching the boreal forests ringing the Arctic and in peatlands, which function as natural sinks for carbon dioxide (CO2).

Canada's wildfires have not only threatened lives and properties, they've also caused greenhouse gases and other harmful emissions to surge to historic levels during a national disaster worsened by climate change. ... Read more

U.S. to send Israel artillery shells initially designated for Ukraine
Axios | Barak Ravid | 10/19/23

The Pentagon plans to send Israel tens of thousands of 155mm artillery shells that had been designated for Ukraine from U.S. emergency stocks several months ago, three Israeli officials with knowledge of the situation tell Axios.

Why it matters: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israeli ministry of defense told their U.S. counterparts they urgently need artillery shells to prepare for a ground invasion in Gaza - and a potential escalation of the war by Hezbollah along the Israel-Lebanon border, Israeli officials say.

U.S. officials have suggested that diverting the shells from Ukraine to Israel would have no immediate impact on Ukraine's ability to fight against Russian troops.

But it's unclear whether U.S. military supplies to Ukraine could be stretched if the Israel-Hamas war becomes a broader regional conflict. ... Read more

Palestine 1920: The Other Side of the Palestinian Story | Al Jazeera | 2022 | 47:17

Jordan's Fmr FM on Regional Response to the Hit on Gaza's Hospital | Amanpour and Company | 10/18/23 | 4:35

"Violence Is Bred by Occupation:" Historian Rashid Khalidi on Israel-Gaza | Amanpour and Company | 10/17/23 | 18:06

Historian Heather Cox Richardson: GOP "Has Become an Extremist Faction" | Amanpour and Company | 10/07/23 | 18:27

Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America by Heather Cox Richardson

In Democracy Awakening, Richardson crafts a compelling and original narrative, explaining how, over the decades, a small group of wealthy people have made war on American ideals. By weaponizing language and promoting false history they have led us into authoritarianism - creating a disaffected population and then promising to recreate an imagined past where those people could feel important again. She argues that taking our country back starts by remembering the elements of the nation's true history that marginalized Americans have always upheld. Their dedication to the principles on which this nation was founded has enabled us to renew and expand our commitment to democracy in the past. Richardson sees this history as a roadmap for the nation’s future.

Richardson's talent is to wrangle our giant, meandering, and confusing news feed into a coherent story that singles out what we should pay attention to, what the precedents are, and what possible paths lie ahead. In her trademark calm prose, she is realistic and optimistic about the future of democracy. Her command of history allows her to pivot effortlessly from the Founders to the abolitionists to Reconstruction to Goldwater to Mitch McConnell, highlighting the political legacies of the New Deal, the lingering fears of socialism, the death of the liberal consensus and birth of "movement conservatism."

Jordan’s speakership campaign on its last legs
Politico | Katherine McManus | 10/18/23

With the list of defectors growing, even after a significant delay between ballots, his chances at the gavel are looking grim.

Opposition to Jim Jordan's speakership bid is increasing, as the Ohio Republican again failed to get the 217 votes he needs to win the gavel.

After halting voting for nearly a day in hopes of securing more Republican votes, Jordan instead lost two more votes on the second ballot. The House then went into another recess, at Jordan's request, before a possible third vote. The GOP is expected to hold a conference meeting Wednesday afternoon as it keeps searching for a way out of its speaker mess. ... Read more

AI is resurrecting the dead, with or without permission
Axios | Megan Morrone | 10/18/23

Creators have begun using generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney to create videos of the dead, even in cases where they never gave consent.

Why it matters: Surviving relatives and fans could find solace in AI recreations of their loved ones, but the practice also raises a host of privacy and consent issues.

Like most of what's happening in generative AI innovation right now, startups and content creators are already creating AI-generated facsimiles of the dead without considering the consequences.

Generative AI versions of actors before or after their deaths is still a "mandatory subject of bargaining," SAG-AFTRA legal counsel Jeffrey Bennett recently said in a statement. ... Read more

Extreme drought drives Amazon River port to lowest level on record
Axios | Jacob Knutson | 10/18/23

Amid extreme drought across South America exacerbated by climate-change related heat extremes and El Niño, major tributaries of the Amazon River are reporting record-low water levels.

Why it matters: The measurements warn that parts of the Amazon Basin, the largest watershed in the world, are being stressed and the deterioration of the one of the most biodiverse places on Earth may be accelerating.

Indigenous peoples asked the Brazilian government last week to declare a climate emergency in response to the drought, Reuters notes.

Brazil's fourth-largest hydroelectric dam had to halt operations earlier this month because of Madeira River's record low flow, while shipping companies have warned that low depths on the Amazon River have impeded operations. ... Read more

Inside the pressure campaign to get Jim Jordan the House speaker gavel
Axios | Juliegrace Brufke | 10/17/23

GOP speaker nominee Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is ramping up the pressure on his critics ahead of a House floor vote on Tuesday, but some Republicans are warning it could leave him exposed to backlash.

Why it matters: Jordan got significantly close to 217 votes on Monday, but there are too many public holdouts to coast to a victory on a first ballot.

Two GOP lawmakers said they are less likely to back Jordan on a second ballot, which could further hinder his odds of getting the gavel.

Behind the scenes: One House Republican said primary threats have emerged if they don't back the Jordan, with the member arguing that "the bullying tactics need to stop."

Jordan spokesman Russell Dye argued that primary threats are "totally untrue." ... Read more

Hamas-Israel war: Latest major updates
Axios | staff | 10/17/23

More than 1,400 Israelis and over 2,800 Palestinians have been killed, thousands have been injured and more than 1 million have been displaced since the latest fighting between Israel and Hamas began after the militant group's Oct. 7 attack. Hamas is believed to be holding 199 hostages in Gaza, according to Israeli officials.

The latest: Hospitals across Gaza will run out of fuel in the next 24 hours, meaning backup generators - currently the only way for these facilities to get electricity - will stop working and the lives of thousands of patients will be put at serious risk, the UN Palestinian refugee agency warned on Tuesday.

"Concerns over dehydration and waterborne diseases are high given the collapse of water and sanitation services, including today's shutdown of Gaza's last functioning seawater desalination plant," UNRWA said.

"With all the madness around, it's impossible to stay sane. Everything is falling around, not just houses or buildings - dreams and hopes," UNRWA staffer Azzam said in a post on social media. "Everything. Gaza we know and love is falling." ... Read more

Data: Global warming may be accelerating
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 10/16/23

September's sizzling global average temperature ensures that 2023 will be the warmest year on record.

Why it matters: Confirmed by data from NASA, NOAA and Copernicus Climate Change Service in the E.U., the annual record is a surprise, and has only become clear in the past few months.

It may signal a continuation of a trend towards an acceleration of global warming in recent years, occurring about 40% faster during the past 15 years when compared to any other period since the 1970s.

By the numbers: September, with a temperature anomaly of 1.44C (2.58F) above average, was the most unusually warm month ever recorded in NOAA's 174 years of instrument records.

This beat the previous warmest September by a staggering margin of 0.46C (0.83F), and the prior largest temperature anomaly, which occurred in March 2016, by 0.09°C (0.16F), NOAA concluded. (NASA pegged September as a bit warmer, at 1.47C (2.64F) above average.) ... Read more

Food Safety: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver | John Oliver | 10/12/23 | 20:22

How Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system works
Axios | Jacob Knutson | 10/16/23

Since the start of fighting between Hamas and Israel, the country's Iron Dome missile defense system has likely intercepted thousands of rockets and missiles launched from Gaza.

Why it matters: For over a decade, the multibillion-dollar system has been crucial in defending Israeli cities and preventing numerous casualties.

Background: The latest fighting erupted after Hamas launched an assault on Israel, killing and kidnapping soldiers and civilians, and launching scores of rocket and missile barrages.

Israel has responded with heavy bombardment on the densely populated Gaza Strip, the Hamas-run enclave that's home to 2 million Palestinians. It also cut electricity and blocked the entry of food, fuel and supplies to Gaza.

The Israel Defense Forces said Thursday that more than 5,000 rockets have been fired from Gaza since the start of the attack. The exact number of projectiles that have been intercepted is unknown, but a few have made it past the Iron Dome. ... Read more

The Israel-Hamas War - and What It Means for the World | Ian Bremmer | TED | 10/07/23 | 47:57

Israel-Hamas war live: Palestinians begin fleeing after Israel orders evacuation for 1.1m people ahead of potential ground assault
TheGuardian | multiple | 10/13/23

ICRC: Hamas attack does not justify 'limitless destruction' of Gaza

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called for the immediate release of hostages taken by Hamas during the attacks on Israel last weekend, but said those attacks "cannot in turn justify the limitless destruction of Gaza".

In a statement on Friday, the ICRC said "nothing can justify the horrific attacks Israel suffered".

Our hearts go out to people who lost family members or are worried sick about loved ones taken hostage. We reiterate our call for their immediate release and stand ready to conduct humanitarian visits.

But those attacks cannot in turn justify the limitless destruction of Gaza. The parties must not neglect their legal obligations regarding the methods and means used to wage war. ... Read more

What kind of warfare can be expected in Gaza and how well prepared is Hamas? | DW News | 10/13/23 | 15:11

Bush on Bibi: "We'll find out what he's made of"
Axios | Mike Allen | 10/13/23

former President George W. Bush - in his first comments about the attack on Israel - warned that the expected Israeli ground offensive in Gaza is "going to be ugly for a while."

Why it matters: Bush, calling himself "kind of a hardliner," said out loud what other leaders won't - that he believes there'll be a temptation for the public to buckle and think peace is an option.

"It's not going to take long for people [to say]: 'It's gone on too long. Surely, there's a way to settle this through negotiations. Both sides are guilty,'" Bush, 77, said on Tuesday at a private event near Santa Barbara, Calif.

"My view is: One side is guilty. And it's not Israel."

Details: "You're dealing with cold-blooded killers," Bush continued in the onstage conversation with presidential historian Mark Updegrove, a fellow Texan who is president and CEO of the LBJ Foundation. ... Read more

PBS NewsHour full episode, Oct. 12, 2023 | PBS NewsHour | 10/13/23 | 56:45

3D printing homes on Earth, someday the moon | 60 Minutes | 10/12/23 | 22:26

Scientists "uneasy" about Earth's sped-up warming
Axios | Andrew Freedman | 10/12/23

The globe's pronounced and unexpected temperature spike during the past few months is provoking unease among some of the most level-headed climate scientists.

The big picture: September was the most unusually warm month in recorded history. This followed record heat in June and July - which was also the planet's hottest month - as well as August.

Climate scientists point to several factors propelling the climate into uncharted territory. These include a strengthening El Niño in the tropical Pacific Ocean to an undersea volcanic eruption last year, which injected water vapor into the upper atmosphere.

Other developments, such as changes in fuel mixtures for large marine vessels and weather patterns in the North Atlantic, are coming under scrutiny too. ... Read more

From Robber Barons to Bezos: Is History Repeating Itself? | Robert Reich | 10/12/23 | 6:01

"Inequality for All": A Must-See Movie For the 99 Percent
MotherJones | Erika Eichelberger | 09/27/13

Jacob Kornbluth's new documentary Inequality for All, which stars economist and former Clinton labor secretary Robert Reich, is being hyped as a "game changer in our national discussion of income inequality." It probably won't be that, since it's preaching to the choir, but the film is a welcome addition to that discussion.

Inequality for All, which opens Friday, weaves between scenes of Reich lecturing clear-eyed Cal coeds in his Wealth and Inequality class, 1950s-style graphs and charts illustrating growing income disparity, and archival clips of happy white people in the post-World War II age of prosperity. There are also interviews with working-class people left behind by the American Dream, such as a worker at a California power plant that has hired anti-union consultants, and a mom who works at Costco and has $25 in her bank account. ... Read more

Inequality for All

Death toll rises in Israel and Gaza as fighting rages: What to know
Axios | Staff | 10/11/23

Hamas stunned the world when it launched a surprise air, land and sea attack against cities across Israel in the most serious incursion against the country in decades. The Israeli military retaliated with heavy bombardment against the besieged Gaza Strip.

The big picture: More than 1,200 Israelis and 1,055 Palestinians have been killed, thousands have been injured, and tens of thousands of others have been displaced in fighting that comes after a year of escalating violence in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.

At least 14 Americans were killed in the Hamas attack, President Biden said on Tuesday. U.S. citizens are also among the hostages Hamas is holding in Gaza.

At least 20 Americans were still missing, the White House said earlier Tuesday. ... Read more

Israel is acting against international law, says Borrell
Politico | Suzanna Lynch | 10/11/23

The EU’s top diplomat said Israel’s actions in Gaza already may have breached international law, as he underlined the need for the EU to continue funding the Palestinian Authority in the wake of a Hamas attack on Israel Saturday.

"The right for self defense has to be done within international law," the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell said Tuesday following a specially convened virtual meeting of EU foreign ministers.

"Some of the actions [by Israel] - and the United Nations has already said it - cutting water, cutting electricity, cutting food to a mass of civilian people, is against international law. So yes, there are some actions that are not in accordance with international law," he said. ... Read more

DEPOSITION VIDEO RELEASED: Trump Grilled By New York AG Letitia James In Newly-Released Video

Socialism Fear-mongering is Bananas | Robert Reich | 09/10/23 | 4:58

Inequality for All | Robert Reich | 10/01/23 | 5:52

What about Jared and Ivanka's grift? | MSNBC | 07/10/23 | 24:32

Republican Candidates Waste No Time Pinning the Hamas Attack on Biden
MotherJones | MADISON PAULY | 10/08/23

Hours after Palestinian militants launched a deadly multi-pronged assault on Israeli towns from the Gaza Strip yesterday, and Israel responded with a barrage of airstrikes, several Republican presidential candidates tried to lay blame for the escalation in the decades-long conflict at the feet of President Joe Biden.

The Republican candidates claimed Saturday's attacks-which have led to a mounting death toll of more than 900-were linked to recent hostage negotiations with Iran, which has historically funded Hamas, the militant group that rules Gaza. Last month, Iran allowed five imprisoned American citizens to return home in exchange for the United States unfreezing $6 billion in South Korean payments to Iran for oil. ... Read more

Trump, Republican Candidates ATTACK Biden For Hamas' Attack On Israel | TYT | 10/10/23 | 9:32

Feds need rules for using facial recognition tech
Axios | Russell Contreras | 10/10/23

Several federal law enforcement agencies haven't properly trained their staffs on how to use facial recognition technology or imposed policies to protect the public's civil rights when it's used, a report by a government watchdog says.

Why it matters: Facial recognition technology is being used increasingly by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and has led to several false arrests nationwide - largely of Black men and women, according to advocates, research and news reports.

The technology also has long been faulted for failing to accurately identify Black people and others with dark skin tones.

Even so, police, retail stores, airports and sports arenas are rapidly turning to the technology. Some local governments that initially restricted its use are weighing whether to ease those limits because of jumps in crime. ... Read more

Russian strike kills 52 Ukrainians in one of war's deadliest attacks
Axios | Ivana Saric | 10/06/23

The death toll of a Russian strike on a cafe in Ukraine's Kharkiv region rose to 52 on Friday, Ukrainian officials confirmed.

The big picture: The attack is one of the deadliest on Ukrainian civilians since Russia's unprovoked invasion began.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in Telegram post Thursday that the attack was a "completely deliberate act of terrorism."

"Russia needs this and similar terrorist attacks for only one thing: to make its genocidal aggression the new norm for the whole world," said Zelensky, who is in Spain meeting with European leaders. ... Read more

"Gonzo Governance: The Media Logic of Donald Trump by David L. Altheide

Drawing on social science and communications theory, Gonzo Governance offers a new interpretation of presidential power that shifts focus to the media dynamics that surrounded Donald Trump. The former president’s unhinged behavior and skilled media and digital manipulations changed the nature and process of significant governance at the federal and state levels, including denying election results and restricting voting opportunities. He went "Gonzo" - promoting himself without regard for conventional norms and practices - and blasted ideological fault lines into explosive political fragments, resulting in so much dissensus that numerous legislators would not recognize the newly elected President Biden, nor would they agree to take a potential life-saving vaccine because it had been associated with a politicized virus, COVID-19.

Nurtured by media logic and a communications ecology that has wedded people to digital technologies and formats that govern the structure, grammar, form, expectations, and meanings of messages that can entertain, enlighten, and disinform, this form of governance alters the fundamental way that information is communicated. David L. Altheide emphasizes how these changes informed Donald Trump’s electoral strategies as well as the insurrection attempt on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Many GOP anti-Trumpers are throwing in the towel
Axios | Sophia Cai | 10/06/23

A growing number of anti-Trump Republicans are giving up - and giving into the belief that nothing will stop him from winning the GOP's presidential nomination.

Why it matters: Despite former President Trump's poor record in the last three elections, his increasingly violent rhetoric and four felony indictments, many anti-Trump Republicans quietly are stepping back from pushing for an alternative. They've concluded that the GOP's base can't quit Trump.

State of play: Win It Back, a political action committee (PAC) affiliated with the conservative group Club for Growth, says it burned through $6 million creating 40 anti-Trump messages - none of them effective, the New York Times reported.

Republican Accountability PAC - a group of former Trump voters dedicated to moving beyond the former president — is giving up on the primary after spending $1 million on ads in Iowa. "We have stopped spending money in the primary," the PAC's leader, Sarah Longwell, told Reuters. ... Read more

A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy by Nathan Thrall

Five-year-old Milad Salama is excited for a school trip to a theme park on the outskirts of Jerusalem. On the way, his bus collides with a semitrailer. His father, Abed, gets word of the crash and rushes to the site. The scene is chaos—the children have been taken to different hospitals in Jerusalem and the West Bank; some are missing, others cannot be identified. Abed sets off on an odyssey to learn Milad's fate. It is every parent's worst nightmare, but for Abed it is compounded by the maze of physical, emotional, and bureaucratic obstacles he must navigate because he is Palestinian. He is on the wrong side of the separation wall, holds the wrong ID to pass the military checkpoints, and has the wrong papers to enter the city of Jerusalem. Abed's quest to find Milad is interwoven with the stories of a cast of Jewish and Palestinian characters whose lives and histories unexpectedly converge.

In A Day in the Life of Abed Salama, Nathan Thrall-hailed for his "severe allergy to conventional wisdom" (Time)-offers an indelibly human portrait of the struggle over Israel/Palestine and a new understanding of the tragic history and reality of one of the most contested places on earth.

House GOP quietly panics over how to escape its self-inflicted mess
Axios | Juliegrace Brufke | 10/05/23

Expectations are at rock-bottom among House Republicans that their civil war will be resolved by the speaker vote on Wednesday, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: There are way too many potential blowup points for this leadership vacuum to be easily resolved, thanks to a rump caucus of Republicans who proved they'll break with the overwhelming majority of their colleagues.

1. Some moderates are threatening to tank any speaker if the rules aren't changed to protect future speakers from single-member motions to vacate. That's a deal breaker for conservatives.
2. Some conservatives are threatening to tank any speaker who'd support aid for Ukraine, or who wouldn't push along an impeachment vote on President Biden. That's a deal breaker for some moderates.
3. And some Republicans just have old scores to settle. ...

Trump campaign says it raised more than $45.5 million in third quarter
Axios | Erin Doherty | 10/05/23

Former President Trump's campaign said Wednesday that it raised more than $45.5 million during the third quarter, a blitz that his campaign attributed to "overwhelming grassroots support."

By the numbers: The campaign said that it has more than $37.5 million cash on hand entering October, with $36 million designated for use in the primary.

The big picture: Trump has aggressively fund-raised off his mounting legal troubles, bringing in millions alone after the release of his mug shot in Fulton County.

Trump's third quarter fund-raising blitz, an improvement from the previous period, gives him a financial edge as he maintains his strong lead over his Republican rivals in primary polling. ... Read more

Planet Wreckers: How 20 Countries' Oil and Gas Extraction Plans Risk Locking in Climate Chaos
priceofoil.org | Nicole | 09/xx/23

Only 20 countries, led overwhelmingly by the United States, are responsible for nearly 90 percent of the carbon-dioxide (CO2) pollution threatened by new oil and gas fields and fracking wells planned between 2023 and 2050. If this oil and gas expansion is allowed to proceed, it would lock in climate chaos and an unlivable future.

This new report, titled Planet Wreckers: How 20 Countries’ Oil and Gas Extraction Plans Risk Locking in Climate Chaos, is released days ahead of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' Climate Ambition Summit in New York City. Guterres has called for countries to show up with commitments to stop oil and gas expansion and plan a phase out of existing production in line with the 1.5C limit. ... Read more

OCI-Planet-Wreckers-Report-Final.pdf

Two top House Republicans emerge as early front-runners in speaker's
Axios | Mike Allen | 10/04/23

The two most likely candidates for House speaker as of Wednesday morning are Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), House GOP sources tell Axios.

The big picture: The chamber made U.S. history yesterday when it voted to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker, setting off a scramble to replace him with no clear successor in sight.

Without a speaker, the House's core legislative functions grind to a halt - at a time when lawmakers need to pass yearly spending bills to avoid a government shutdown next month. ... Read more

Health care workers launch strike against Kaiser Permanente
Axios | April Rubin | 10/04/23

Kaiser Permanente workers at hospitals and medical office buildings around the country began a strike on Wednesday morning.

Why it matters: The work stoppage covers an estimated 75,000 employees at the nation's biggest nonprofit health care system. It is expected to be the largest health care strike in U.S. history, according to a coalition of unions leading it.

The strike includes workers in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Nurses, radiologists, X-ray technicians, ultrasound sonographers and others are expected to join the picket lines.

Details: The unions' contract with Kaiser expired on Sept. 30. ... Read more

Planet Wreckers: How 20 Countries' Oil and Gas Extraction Plans Risk Locking in Climate Chaos
priceofoil.org | Nicole | 09/xx/23

Only 20 countries, led overwhelmingly by the United States, are responsible for nearly 90 percent of the carbon-dioxide (CO2) pollution threatened by new oil and gas fields and fracking wells planned between 2023 and 2050. If this oil and gas expansion is allowed to proceed, it would lock in climate chaos and an unlivable future.

This new report, titled Planet Wreckers: How 20 Countries’ Oil and Gas Extraction Plans Risk Locking in Climate Chaos, is released days ahead of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' Climate Ambition Summit in New York City. Guterres has called for countries to show up with commitments to stop oil and gas expansion and plan a phase out of existing production in line with the 1.5C limit. ... Read more

OCI-Planet-Wreckers-Report-Final.pdf

Trump back in court for second day of New York civil fraud trial
Axios | Erin Doherty | 10/03/23

Former President Trump arrived Tuesday at a Manhattan courthouse for the second day of the civil fraud trial against him and his business, per multiple reports.

Why it matters: Trump, who was not required to attend the first two hearings, turned Monday into a spectacle, pausing in front of the cameras and excoriating the judge who will rule on the fate of his business.

Driving the news: Trump wrote on his Truth Social account late Monday night, "see you in Court on Tuesday morning!"

Judge Engoron said Monday that he expects the trial to last until Dec. 22, CNN reports. ... Read more

Social media traffic to top news sites craters
Axios | Sara Fischer | 10/03/23

Traffic referrals to the top global news sites from Meta's Facebook and X, formerly Twitter, has collapsed over the past year, according to data from Similarweb.

Why it matters: Website business models that depended on clicks from social media are now broken.

What's happening: Regulatory pressure and free speech concerns have pushed tech giants to abandon efforts to elevate quality information, leaving the public more susceptible to misinformation ahead of the 2024 election.

Meanwhile, news companies are scrambling to find business solutions while simultaneously fighting to protect their work in the AI era. ... Read more

Leaked U.S. strategy on Ukraine sees corruption as the real threat
Politico | Nahal | 10/02/23

Biden administration officials are far more worried about corruption in Ukraine than they publicly admit, a confidential U.S. strategy document obtained by POLITICO suggests.

The "sensitive but unclassified" version of the long-term U.S. plan lays out numerous steps Washington is taking to help Kyiv root out malfeasance and otherwise reform an array of Ukrainian sectors. It stresses that corruption could cause Western allies to abandon Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion, and that Kyiv cannot put off the anti-graft effort.

"Perceptions of high-level corruption" the confidential version of the document warns, could "undermine the Ukrainian public's and foreign leaders' confidence in the war-time government." ... Read more

"They're trying to damage me": Trump New York civil fraud trial begins
Axios | Erin Doherty | 10/02/23

Former President Trump arrived Monday at a Manhattan courthouse for the start of the civil fraud trial against him and his business brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Why it matters: The trial may give a closer glimpse into Trump and his business operation's worth, as he campaigns for a second presidential term and faces a mountain of other legal troubles.

The Trump Organization could face steep financial penalties and restrictions on its ability to operate in New York state if he is found liable.

James is asking that Trump be fined as much as $250 million. ... Read more

Dianne Feinstein: a life in pictures
TheGuardian | staff | 10/02/23

The longest-serving female US senator, who was the first woman to be mayor of San Francisco and blazed a trail for women in US politics, has died aged 90. We look back on her career