Alzheimer's drug that occasionally kills patients
23 March 2026
A drug that is used to slow Alzheimer's disease occasionally kills patients. This article reports on an alleged conspiracy to get the drug wrongfully approved, and threats against someone who wrote about deaths that it caused.
of the medical system by Big Pharma is rife, and it does a lot of harm. Threats of violence against journalists are part of the evil of fascism.
But this drug raises an deeper question. Can a treatment for Alzheimer's disease be beneficial for patients, and thus morally deserve approval, despite killing a small fraction of the patients who take it?
Alzheimer's disease turns its victims slowly into zombies. Although the patient's body continues to live, the person who became a zombie is dead. This begs the question, if a certain drug gives a large fraction of patients several more years of non-zombie life, but kills a small fraction of them, does that make it a failure? If on the average it extends patients' non-zombie life, does that make it a bet worth making, one that drug regulations should allow people to make?
This question is important to me personally because I can envision being in that situation in a few years.
Fabrication by undercover infiltrator cop
23 March 2026
One of Britain's undercover infiltrator cops seems to have fabricated an accusation that an animal rights activist wanted to get a gun and attack someone with it. Fortunately, his handlers distrusted the accusation.
I speculate that a cop whose job includes lying as part of false friendship will tend to normalize lying to anyone else.
Falsely identified by facial recognition system
23 March 2026
A facial recognition system falsely identified a suspect as Angela Lipps, and she was jailed for 6 months; then, when she was brought to a courtroom in another state, the court noticed that the criminal could not be her. Meanwhile, she had lost her home and her car.
False identifications will always occur. Although this one used digital face matching, recognition by human witnesses makes mistakes too. But I think that the main mistake here was to wait 6 months before noticing her alibi and without granting her bail.
Charges dropped against soldiers accused of raping prisoner
23 March 2026
The Israeli army has dropped charges against soldiers accused of raping a Palestinian prisoner.
The grounds given for dropping the charges are that (1) the prisoner had been released to Gaza and (2) *the conduct of senior officials had affected the chance of holding a fair trial.* To me, this says that (1) they are exaggerating to create an excuse and (2) high officials created an excuse and have suffered no punishment for it.
Bayer's CEO met with US regulators
23 March 2026
*Top US regulators met with Bill Anderson, Bayer's CEO, last year to discuss "litigation" issues – including "supreme court action" over its glyphosate weed killer – just months before henchmen administration took a series of steps to boost Bayer's case at the high court, internal government records show.*
This sounds like a betrayal of the US — analogous to treason except that it occurred in a civil dispute rather than in a war.
Cops use license plate cameras to help deportation thugs
23 March 2026
Local cops of some US towns regularly search license plate cameras to help the deportation thugs to track immigrants.
More about this.
Israel blockade traps U.S. doctors
23 March 2026
*Israel's Deadly Blockade Traps 7 U.S. Doctors in Gaza.*
Deportation thugs testified in court
23 March 2026
In a class-action lawsuit against the deportation thugs, some of them testified about their arrest quotas, and the digital tools whose vague output often leads them to arrest people who are present in the US lawfully.
Violent practices, such as breaking car windows with only a hint of an excuse, seem to be systematic. They figure they will nearly always get away with it, and for typical victims (whether unauthorized immigrants or authorized immigrants or citizens), the expense of repair will create hardship. Releasing a person hundreds of miles away from home can make it very difficult to get home.
The officials in charge of deportation agencies have the duty to stop these practices, but it is clear that they are not really trying.
Magat policies set to increase lung disease
23 March 2026
*[Various different magat] policies set to increase rates of lung disease and death, study finds.*
Limits on no-knock warrants being cancelled by magats
23 March 2026
Breonna Taylor was shot dead by a thugs who had burst into her home without warning, and then fired wildly. Americans demanded and got policies to limit no-knock warrants. But now magats are canceling the limits.
Why do this? I don't think it will make any legitimate activities of cops significantly more effective.
I speculate that magats expect that killing people that they can demonize (for instance, blacks) will win them increased support from their base.
Lies about abandoning renewables
23 March 2026
George Monbiot: *Rightwing politicians, Tufton Street junktanks and the billionaire press tell us our energy security will be enhanced and our bills will fall if we abandon net zero policies, ditch renewables and reinvest in North Sea gas. These claims are not just a little bit wrong. They are the exact opposite of the truth.*
Wearing all black at protests
23 March 2026
*Wearing All Black at Protests Makes You Guilty of Terrorism, Prosecutors Tell Jury.*
More precisely, they claimed that wearing all black is a sign of support for the nonexistent US organization, "Antifa".
Spycops inquiry found undercover thugs snooping
23 March 2026
The Spycops inquiry in the UK found that undercover London thugs snooped on the relatives of Jean Charles de Menezes, because they had denounced thugs' murder of him.
It is impossible not to suspect that they did this because they wanted to prevent his relatives from making the thug department look bad by teaching people about the killing by exposing its cover-up.
Threats to shut down broadcasters
23 March 2026
A henchman threatens to shut down broadcasters for saying things that the bullshitter chooses to call "hoaxes".
This is a threat of arbitrary censorship, and I'm sure the TV news broadcasters understand it as such. Many have already bent the knee to the bullshitter; they have nothing to worry about. But the rest will now face another kind of threat.
Age-checking in Australia pushing adults away from sites
23 March 2026
Age-checking in Australia is pushing adult internauts away from the sites that are banned for minors, because they fear the tracking that is a side effect of the age-checking systems.
Bullshit generators encouraging delusions in patients
23 March 2026
A study observed bullshit generators encouraging delusions in some patients.
US and Israel lying, according to University of Tehran student
23 March 2026
*"They [the US and Israel] are also lying! Like the regime has been lying to us," said Amir, a student at the University of Tehran. "You are all worse than each other."*
It appears to Iranians that Israel and the US are attacking infrastructure rather that the regime's SS-equivalent, trying to weaken Iran for the long term rather than free Iran.
It doesn't surprise me that they were only trying to use the Iranians who have opposed the Iranian tyranny. Neither Netanyahu nor the bullshitter cares about human rights, democracy, or well being, not those of ordinary people in any country, and neither one hesitates to lie.
Even so, with even a lick of sense they would have tried carefully to protect those Iranians and keep them on side. It would not have cost much.
Ultrawealthy put the wrecker in power
23 March 2026
Paul Krugman: *The ultrawealthy put [the wrecker] in power but other people will pay the price.*
Seventeen Impeachable offenses by Trump and counting
23 March 2026
Ralph Nader: Seventeen Impeachable Offenses by Trump and Counting. He urges Americans to send this list to their congresscritters and senators.
ChatGPT eroding critical thinking skills
23 March 2026
*ChatGPT May Be Eroding Critical Thinking Skills, According to a New MIT Study.*
Any kind of skill fades if a person stops practicing it.
AI revolution effects books, UK
23 March 2026
*UK Society of Authors launches logo to identify books written by humans.*
I support this specific campaign, because it is a campaign for honesty and against worthless Pretend Intelligence. It may help people reject PI slop.
However, I continue to reject the selfishness of most of the same authors, when they demand the power to stop human readers from honestly and truthfully sharing copies of human-authored books with other humans.
Upcoming talk in Cesena, Italy
23 March 2026
Richard Stallman will speak on March 26 in Cesena, Italy, at the Engineering and Architecture Campus of Cesena of the University of Bologna. Pillars of Tech Free/Libero Software And Freedom in the Digital Society The talk is in English from 15:30 to 17:30 in Aula Magna (Room 4.3), Via dell'Università 50, Cesena. We suggest you bring cash.
Urgent: Block deployment of U.S. ground troops in Iran
22 March 2026
US citizens: phone your congresscritter and call on per to support an Emergency War Powers Resolution to block the deployment of U.S. ground troops in Iran — and vote NO on any bill for conscription.
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: Do not let polluters off the hook
22 March 2026
US citizens: call on Congress not to let polluters off the hook for climate damage.
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: Refuse to fund bully's war
22 March 2026
US citizens: call on Democrats in Congress to refuse to fund the bully's illegal war.
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: Block bully's machine-learning-powered surveillance
22 March 2026
US citizens: call on Congress to block the bully's machine-learning-powered warrantless surveillance of Americans.
We must support this by blocking the collection of data about us. We can do so by refusing to give our names, addresses or other personal data when we pay for products or transportation.
At 73 years of age, with arthritis in the knees, I have multiple justifications for getting a discount card for the Boston buses and subways. I reject it because that card would identify me whenever I use it to travel. We must not surrender to massive surveillance for the sake of convenience!
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: Investigate corrupter's profit from presidency
22 March 2026
US citizens: call on your members of Congress to investigate the corrupter's $1.4 billion profit from the presidency.
See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.
Urgent: Comment to reject corrupter's attacks on diversity, immigrants and nonprofits
22 March 2026
US citizens: submit an official comment to reject the corrupter's attacks on diversity, immigrants, and nonprofits.
See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.
Urgent: Censure Republicans who called f or violence against American Muslims
22 March 2026
US citizens: call on Congress to censure Republicans who called for violence against American Muslims, and for taking away their committee seats.
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: Support Equal Tax Act
22 March 2026
US citizens: call on your senators to support the Equal Tax Act.
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: Protect students from retaliation for protesting deportation thugs
22 March 2026
US citizens: call on your state education leaders to protect Students from federal retaliation for protesting deportation thugs.
See the instructions for how to sign this letter campaign without running any nonfree JavaScript code--not trivial, but not hard.
Urgent: Stop war-lover from sending American troops into Iran
22 March 2026
US citizens: call your members of Congress to stop the war-lover from sending American troops into Iran – And Vote NO on the Draft!
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 $10 billion scam to fund Board of Peace
22 March 2026
US citizens: call on your members of Congress to block the $10 billion scam to fund the corrupter's Orwellian Board of Peace.
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.
(satire) Addition of Ballroom to Air Force One
22 March 2026
(satire) [The nincompoop] *Defends Addition Of Ballroom To Air Force One.*
Interesting analysis of differences between generations
22 March 2026
An interesting analysis of differences between generations. For instances, the differences in attitudes nowadays are much less than in the past, but marketing makes them look bigger than they are.
It is unfortunate for me that hitchhiking has ceased. There are times when I have no way to get anywhere except to beg, such as when the bus over the Golden Gate Bridge rejected me as a passenger because I had the luggage that I had taken on a flight.
I don't feel danger in getting into a stranger's car; by contrast, the potential danger in a proprietary surveillance system (for example, Guber) is intolerable. The probability that the driver would do wrong to me is minuscule, but the probability that the proprietary surveillance system would do wrong to many passengers is quite large.
Thatcher's greatest achievement
22 March 2026
Thatcher said that the "New Labour" of Tony B'liar was her greatest achievement — shifting the Labour Party to put business and rich people first. A Labour MP describes the major changes needed to restore democracy and give priority and political power to the people.
White South Africans myth of reversed racism
22 March 2026
White South Africans have spread a myth that ending apartheid led to a reversed system of racism against them, that blacks hated and persecuted whites much as white racists in power had formerly hated and persecuted blacks. Right-wing extremists have propagated this falsehood to justify the cause of continuing or bringing back racism.
The article linked to just 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 their information important — and I present this comment about them.
Germany's right-wing government
22 March 2026
Germany's current government is right-wing, and competing not to let the extreme right-wing outdo it in wrongdoing. It intervened in the prize for best independent bookstore by arbitrarily excluding some candidate bookstores. It refused to give any explanation, but it may be because they are antifascist.
Black people more likely to be searched in rich areas of London
22 March 2026
*In richest areas of London, black people up to 48 times more likely to be stopped and searched [than other people].*
It is hard to be sure why cops' behavior is prejudiced in this way, but the tendency to search people because of perceiving them as making "furtive glances" suggests that unconscious racism is at work. Suspecting someone because of a vague impression is exactly the sort of thing that gives unconscious prejudice an opportunity to influence the decision.
Fears for women's rights in Chile
22 March 2026
*Fears for women's rights in Chile as anti-abortion president set to take office.*
The new president is literally a fascist — a supporter of the coup-leader Pinochet, who in power was a murderous dictator.
I wonder how he managed to win the election. Was it stolen?
Values of right-wing politics
22 March 2026
The values of right-wing politics, based on dominating other people, have led to pressure on men to make their faces meet an imposed idea of what looks powerful.
The wellness-influencer axis plays a part as well.
North Korean agents hired for remote work
22 March 2026
North Korean agents are getting hired for remote work under fake identities by using Pretend Intelligence to disguise their appearance and voice.
Adam Smith never held "free" market ideology
22 March 2026
Adam Smith never held the "free" market ideology that its supporters claim he held. He endorsed many of the progressive causes we stand for, such as making the rich pay more taxes.
RFK jr quietly drops idea of terminating Covid-19 vaccination
22 March 2026
Public opposition has made RFK jr quietly drop the idea of terminating the recommendation for Covid-19 vaccination.
He will continue undermining US public health as long as he is in a position to do so. But it is not only him. Many of the saboteur in chief's appointed henchmen seem to have been chosen for their inclination to cause chaos; he seems to think that their chaos will open the door for him to destroy more of the institutions that protect the Constitution, human rights, and democracy.
Corruptor's favorite methods of fomenting corruption
22 March 2026
One of the corrupter's favorite methods of fomenting corruption that can bring him extra income is by firing the inspectors general of various agencies.
Exploitative career of "influencer"
22 March 2026
The exploitative career of "influencer" is based on deluding suckers into spending money on artificially enhanced alluring dreams.
Knowing this, you can easily refuse to contribute any of your own attention to their "attention economy."
El Salvador's democracy eliminated
22 March 2026
Bukele has eliminated El Salvador's gang violence, and El Salvador's democracy with it, replacing it with arbitrary imprisonment and torture.
Badly designed studies on effects of vaccine
22 March 2026
Researchers doing badly designed studies on vaccine effects in Guinea-Bissau are connected with some of RFK jr's vaccination sabotage team, and some fear that they will try to impose policy based on badly designed studies in the US too.
Australia arrested and charged protesters
22 March 2026
Australia has arrested and charged protesters for saying the words, "From the river to the sea." One was arrested for giving an explanation of what the phrase refers to and history of its use.
Failure to limit global heating
22 March 2026
*The failure to limit global heating to 1.5C is a "moral failure and deadly negligence," the UN secretary general [said] at the opening session of the COP30 climate summit.*
Alas, COP30 proceeded to (in effect) abandon that goal, which many countries had abandoned already in the preceding year.
The causes of that abandonment are not visible, but I suspect the impetus comes from billionaires who are sucking up to governments that are more or less fascist and in cahoots with the fossil fuel companies.
One of them is Bill Gates, who has called for offering palliative care to the billions of poor who will be wiped over coming decades by accelerating global heating.
By the way, I do not endorse the straw man claim that global heating could literally render humanity extinct. Humans, even without science and the technology it led to, were very flexible about surviving in a wide range of environments. But the number who could survive would be far less than today.