Urgent: Temporary protected status for Haitian refugees
7 July 2026
US citizens: call on your senators to extend temporary protected status for the 350,000 Haitian refugees in the US.
See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.
US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.
To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.
Please spread the word.
Estimates of people killed in Gaza
7 July 2026
Various groups are estimating that Israel has killed around 600,000 people in Gaza, which would be 1/4 of the population. Ralph Nader contends that both HAMAS and Israel have reasons to accept the underestimate.
UK's social media ban empowered bit tech
7 July 2026
*The UK’s social media ban for under-16s has just empowered big tech [even more].
Age verification means that the sector’s biggest players will now have access to information that will only make them richer and more powerful.*
Prenatal exposure to PFAS
7 July 2026
A research study found a link between prenatal exposure to PFAS with the likelihood of later developing a medical problem in the ovaries.
Repression settling in Georgia
7 July 2026
Steadily growing repression is settling over Georgia under a pro-Russian promoted by Putin.
He was elected, and then showed his true colors.
Calls for fining antisocial media platforms
7 July 2026
One contender for leader of the Labour Party — and, therefore, for prime minister — calls for fining the antisocial media platforms that allow postings that encourage violence such as rioting to pay for the damages.
The harm done by antisocial media platforms occurs at many levels, not only when it arouses actual violence. I don't see how that harm could be quantified and measured in terms of money.
So I suggest a method of preventing a substantial part of the harm: to prohibit platforms from running recommendation engines that choose to promote certain postings rather than others — for any reason except that the user requested it.
Saboteur in chief pursuing many ways to rig elections
7 July 2026
The saboteur in chief is pursuing, in parallel, many different ways of rigging the 2026 elections. His targets include various election stages and many election systems.
I think this shows that his main policy priority is eliminating democracy in the United States.
US-funded scientific research "rule change"
7 July 2026
A mere "rule change" could put US-funded scientific research under the detailed, specific control of ignorant political officers, functioning as a whole regiment of Lysenkos.
UK adopted policy of regulating giant tech platforms
7 July 2026
The UK has adopted a policy of regulating specific giant tech platforms.
The requirements on Google regulations described there seem like a step forward to me, because they can reduce Google's power over the public.
However, don't fall into the trap of thinking of this issue on the basis of copyright (misleadingly referred to in the article by the misleading term "intellectual property" — see https://gnu.org/philosophy/not-ipr.html/). Copyright is not a principle, it is an ad hoc solution for a situation in the past that has been adapted ad hoc for subsequent changes. (See https://gnu.org/philosophy/copyright-vs-community.html.)
Please join me in rejecting the term "content". It treats publications as fungible, a sort of commodity, and that devalues each and every published work.
Decline of democracy attributed to concentration of wealth
7 July 2026
Robert Reich attributes the decline of democracy and the rise of mass poverty to the concentration of wealth, and the concentration of wealth to government's failure to resist growth of monopolies and the under-taxation of the rich. In that, he is straight on target. His willingness to attack root causes is why I basically support him.
Where he uses the term "AI" he falls for the usual marketing hype campaign, perhaps not realizing that it is one.
Bernie Sanders campaigning to delete part of military spending bill
7 July 2026
Bernie Sanders is campaigning to delete the part of the military spending bill that would further integrate the US and Israeli armies.
Iran cancelled talks with US
7 July 2026
Iran cancelled talks with the US that were about to begin, demanding that Israel stop fighting in Lebanon.
Hegseth directed military base into flu outbreak
7 July 2026
Hegseth directed a military training base into a flu outbreak by revoking the rule requiring vaccination.
Requiring recruits to follow medical safety precautions is generally wise, because it protects them all from illness. But requiring vaccination has a second potential benefit: it can keep some credulous and dangerous right-wing extremists out of the military.
magats back down from plan to eliminate Ocean Observatories Initiative
7 July 2026
The magats backed down from the plan to eliminate the Ocean Observatories Initiative, after the Senate passed a law to prohibit that.
Ocean heating fueling loss of marine life
7 July 2026
*[Continuing steady] ocean heating fuels "staggering" loss of marine life [over time], study finds.*
ChatGPT Health fails to recognize dangerous emergencies
7 July 2026
The pretend intelligence ChatGPT Health is presented as a good source of medical advice, but an independent study submitting test cases found it often failed to recognize dangerous emergencies. It responded, "Make an appointment in the usual way," when (based on the described case) it should have responded, "Go to the emergency room now!"
This was not due to mere ignorance. The system's behavior showed it was influenced by irrelevant details included in some test cases as a red herring.
Canada considers US a "safe country" to deport to
7 July 2026
Canada considers the US a "safe country" to deport people to. The US is now set on persecution, so this policy must be changed.
Saboteur in chief might seize voting machines
7 July 2026
The saboteur in chief might seize voting machines to sabotage this year's elections. Some of his henchpersons' actions suggest this is under consideration.
The report that some of Puerto Rico's voting machines actually miscounted during testing, due to erroneous software, reinforces the point that we can't take for granted that they count accurately. Do they have vulnerabilities that can facilitate cracking? We can't assume they do not. Software to cheat could also be inserted by those authorized to insert software in the voting machines.
However, the saboteur in chief is the main enemy of US democracy. With new regulations permitting his henchpersons to overreact to any threat, real or imaginary, I think the biggest danger of attack on our elections comes from him.
Dispute between Rep. Dan Goldman and Poetica Cafe
7 July 2026
In the dispute between Rep. Dan Goldman and the Poetica Cafe, there is wrong on every side.
Judging from Goldman's Wikipedia page, it is clear that he excuses Israel's atrocities in Gaza, which may have killed hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and seem to have targeted journalists and medical doctors, citing HAMAS's equally cruel but far smaller atrocities.
The store was within its rights to refuse to serve him for his political views, which he has stated publicly. Both Goldman, and magat official Harmeet Dhillon, are acting unjustly by equating politically based refusal with antisemitism. The systematic persecution of people who criticize Israel and the labeling of them as "antisemitic" is a grave threat to freedom of speech in the US.
The Guardian article mentioned that Goldman attended a rally for Israel which Smotrich also attended. It then proceeds to blame Goldman for Smotrich's crimes and views — but the article presents no justification for that leap. Whether the rally endorsed Smotrich's practice of driving West Bank Palestinians out of their homes and lands is not stated in the article.
Supreme Court protecting US companies from lawsuits
7 July 2026
The Supreme Court has for many years been protecting US companies from lawsuits over business activities that facilitated doing wrong to people in other countries.
Just recently it protected Cisco, which was accused of developing internet surveillance systems that helped China track down and torture members of Falun Gong.
(I am not a supporter of Falun Gong — I am an Atheist. But I condemn torture regardless of the religious beliefs of the victims.)
Urgent: Block saboteur in chief from wrecking Social Security
6 July 2026
US citizens: call on Congress to block the saboteur in chief from wrecking Social Security.
Urgent: Pass Find Our Families Act
6 July 2026
US citizens: call on Congress to pass the Find Our Families Act, which would require the deportation thugs to give their prisoners' relatives accurate information about where the prisoners are, and about their medical emergencies.
It would also ban torturing the prisoners and their relatives by keeping the one from communicating with the other.
US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.
To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.
Please spread the word.
Urgent: Release whistleblower Courtney Williams
6 July 2026
US citizens: call for the release of whistleblower Courtney Williams, charged with "espionage" for disclosing discrimination and harassment she experienced as a contractor at Fort Bragg.
Don't forget that that military base is named after a traitor, Braxton Bragg.
Urgent: Reject farm legislation that leaves families behind
6 July 2026
US citizens: More than 4 million people have lost SNAP (food benefits) since last summer. Call on Congress to reject farm legislation that leaves families behind.
See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.
US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.
To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.
Please spread the word.
Urgent: Stop transferring of special education out of education department
6 July 2026
US citizens: call on Congress to stop Education Sec. Linda McMahon from transferring special education and student civil rights out of the Education Department.
See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.
US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.
To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.
Please spread the word.
Urgent: Deaths within 30 days of release from deportation prisons
6 July 2026
US citizens: call on Congress to require deportation thugs to continue reporting cases where someone dies within 30 days after release from deportation prison.
See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.
US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.
To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.
Please spread the word.
Urgent: Abolish Super PACs
6 July 2026
US citizens: call on Congress to Abolish Super PACs.
See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.
US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.
To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.
Please spread the word.
Urgent: Fully fund public TV and radio
6 July 2026
US citizens: call on your congresscritter and senators to fully fund public TV and radio.
See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.
US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.
To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.
Please spread the word.
Children from all countries exposed to climate hazards
2 July 2026
* Unicef analyzed young people's exposure to eight climate hazards: coastal floods, droughts, extreme heat, fires, heatwaves, river floods, sand and dust storms, and tropical storms… Almost every child, including those from high-income countries, is now exposed to at least one hazard.*
Governor Newsom accuses government of trying to smear him
2 July 2026
Governor Newsom accuses the US government of investigating him and his wife hoping to find something to smear him with, because he plans to run for president in 2028.
I do not support Newsom, because he is a plutocratist "moderate" democrat , one who does not seek to do anything about the problem of super-rich people who endanger democracy and human rights.
(satire) Return of all foul balls
2 July 2026
(satire) *[Major League Baseball] Demands Return Of All Foul Balls.*
West Bank products mislabeled
2 July 2026
Shipments of products made in Israel's colonies in the West Bank are systematically mislabeled as "Made in Israel" to take fraudulent advantage of trade preferences for exports of Israel's products.
Iranian repression police shooting protesters
2 July 2026
Iranian repression police made a practice of shooting protesters in the face, chest or genitals. Often this caused grave injuries, or death.
Chikungunya can easily spread in most of Europe
2 July 2026
Due to our greenhouse gas emissions, chikungunya can now spread in most of Europe.
Many "tropical" diseases are, or will be in a few decades, able to spread in the formerly temperate zones.
Excavators used by Israeli military
2 July 2026
* The Guardian geolocated and verified images showing the Israeli military using excavators made by six companies – Caterpillar, Volvo, Hyundai, Doosan, Hitachi and Komatsu – to destroy homes, public utilities, shops and other structures across southern Lebanon.*
Shifts from wet to dry weather
2 July 2026
*Sudden shifts from wet to dry weather, or vice versa, may foil typical drought and flooding prevention measures.*
Wrecker not convincing public increased fossil fuel use is safe
2 July 2026
The wrecker is going all-out to increase the use of fossil fuels, but is not convincing the American public that that is safe.
*Two-thirds of Americans say they are worried about climate but level of media coverage does not reflect this.*
I don't think the wrecker cares about the danger of global climate disaster, only about rewarding the planet roasters to keep them in his corner. They all deserve to end up broke and experience living on however much support the US provides to the poor.
Muskrat's cars-in-tunnels "mass transit"
2 July 2026
The muskrat's fabulous cars-in-tunnels "mass transit" seems to be unable to serve many people, but it is an opportunity to disregard environmental planning regulations with impunity and serve real estate owners rather than the public.
Corrupter rewarding those that attacked the capitol
2 July 2026
The corrupter has found another bureaucratic path to reward the people who attacked the capitol on 6 Jan 2020.
Corrupter cutting losses in war with Iran
2 July 2026
It seems the corrupter has decided to cut his losses in the gratuitous (and unwinnable) war with Iran. For once he has approached a situation in a way that does his country a little good, though it is far less than the harm he has done in relations with Iran over the past year. Meanwhile, he found no way to fix the problem that he gratuitously created when he cancelled Obama's non-nuclear deal with Iran.
He will salvage something from this idiocy, though -- some way to increase profits for some of his billionaire supporters.
Commercially sold cannabis increases number of users
2 July 2026
* Decriminalizing the possession of cannabis or strictly regulating access to the drug do not appear to drive up usage, but when the drug is sold commercially the number of users increases and more mental health problems are seen, a review has found.*
Illinois law to compensate former black residents
2 July 2026
Evanston, Illinois, passed a law to compensate former black residents whose ancestors lived in Evanston and experienced the systemic housing discrimination.
I know of three ways n which where the US government and its sub-jurisdictions denied blacks equal rights under the law: slavery, Jim Crow segregation (in some states), and discrimination in housing assistance in part of the 20th century. These were direct policies of discrimination carried out by governments, and those governments are liable for injustice of these racist laws.
Since such harm tends to be inherited by successive generations of descendants of the victims, it is right and proper for the governments that committed those wrongs to pay compensation to today's Americans whose ancestors were wronged.
I can't tell from the article precisely what the conditions are for receiving compensation in Evanston. If they are formulated as being on account of a person's race, that may be discriminatory and unjust. But if they are formulated as being on account of past discrimination against a person's ancestors (done because of their race), that is not discrimination today. The discrimination in question was the racism of the past, and compensation has to compensate the descendants of those selected as victims of racism.
The first article linked to, above, displays symbolic bigotry by capitalizing "black" but not "white". (To avoid endorsing bigotry, capitalize both words or neither one.) I denounce bigotry, and normally I will not link to articles that practice it. But I make exceptions for some articles because I consider them important — and I present this comment about them.
Arbitrary criminalization of stating support for Palestine Action
2 July 2026
A British appeals court sustained the arbitrary criminalization of stating support for Palestine Action.
A few more levels of appeal are possible, but Stormer's government is dead set on repression of criticism where it counts.
Expensive electricity killing British industry
2 July 2026
"Expensive electricity is killing British industry" — but subsidizing energy made from fossil fuels is killing civilization.
The UK government should look for a way to subsidize the customers for energy, but not subsidize fossil fuel or electricity made from that. We must maintain the incentive to use less fossil fuel. There are other ways to keep industrial production going.
Bullshitter acknowledged points about Israel
2 July 2026
The bullshitter has acknowledged important points, such as that Israel wages war in ways that gratuitously kill civilians, and that Netanyahu's wars are unjust and bad for US interests.
Does this mean the bullshitter has had a change of heart? I doubt it; he has gone so long without a heart that he surely doesn't have one now. I think he is simply applying to Israel and Netanyahu the approach he has used with so many others: to contradict himself frequently and change positions so fast that negotiators accustomed to serious negotiations can't grasp what is happening.
I am not sure this will confuse Netanyahu, though. He seems to practice a similar approach.
Iran now demands that Israel withdraw its army from Lebanon or there will be no peace deal.
Maybe the new maximum leader believes he dominates the wrecker so much that he can demand anything whatsoever and get it. Or maybe he is bluffing.
With so much readiness to bluff, it will be hard for them to reach an agreement even if there is an agreement to be reached.
How surveillance companies are allowed to track students and parents
2 July 2026
Explaining how surveillance companies recruit schools, classes and teachers to pressure students and their parents into giving their personal data to the companies, and allowing those companies to track the students and parents.
I suspect that refusing to run anything from Google Prey Store or the Crapple Crap Store will keep them from tracking you. But protecting students in school calls for a law prohibiting schools from ever asking students to run nonfree programs or hosting activities that do so.
AT&T accused of lying to FCC
2 July 2026
California has accused AT&T of lying to the FCC to get permission to eliminate old copper land lines in California.
Alas, the corrupter encourages the FCC to accept lies from big companies that do things to please him.
How cruel tyranny engulfed Turkey
2 July 2026
Turkish journalist Ece Temelkuran writes about how cruel tyranny engulfed Turkey, in the process of which threats of violence forced her into exile. And about what it is like to lose your country to that political disease.
Urgent: Reject "Great American AI Act"
1 July 2026
US citizens: call on your congresscritter and senators to reject the "Great American AI Act" and the propaganda terminology that appears in its name.
In my letter I explained that "AI" is a marketing hype term that the big tech companies use to make the public yield, and urged the legislators to reject it. I included the URL
https://gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html#ArtificialIntelligance
See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.
US citizens: Join with this campaign to address this issue.
To phone your congresscritter about this, the main switchboard is +1-202-224-3121.
Please spread the word.
Urgent: Cease climate hushing
1 July 2026
US citizens: call on media outlets to cease climate hushing.
See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.