President Eisenhower warns Americans against the military-industrial complex in his exit speech on January 17, 1961. We should have listened to him. He was a Republican.
Video lasts 2:30. Click here.
Now we have the military in our country policing its own citizens.
The Republicans deal in alternative facts and propaganda. Americans deserve the truth. Social policies do matter and some get better outcomes than others. When it comes to getting murdered in an urban setting, a person would have much lower risk in a blue city like San Francisco as compared to a red city like Houston.
Observing such a huge discrepancy, a thoughtful person might ask why such a difference? There is something much more life preserving and life giving about the culture in San Francisco than in Houston. What is different about the two cultures?
But that doesn’t mean the work to end the crisis has stopped. States, cities, and community members across the country are still taking action to reduce shootings — you just might not hear about it from most news outlets.
Enter The Trajectory, a newsletter about the people, policies, and programs grappling with America’s gun violence epidemic. Sign up to receive stories about the people and communities taking action to reduce gun violence, along with the innovative programs and policies that are making a difference. Because America’s gun violence epidemic will never abate if we focus only on the problem — we have to look at potential solutions, too.
Social policies and social programs matter and can make a difference. New York State has the fourth lowest gun mortality rate in the nation because it has some of the nation's best gun safety laws.
The Republicans are heavily supported by gun and weapons manufacturers in the United States who make money by selling guns. If you want to understand what fuels political campaigns find out who is financing them and who the candidate then is beholden to.
When it comes to gun violence you are far safer living in New York than most other states in the Union.
If we are going to solve the gun mortality problem in the United States we must address the source of the problem which is who is profiting from gun sales and who is shaping policy when it comes to gun safety.
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Since the US Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United in 2010 that a corporation is a person and has the same free speech rights, a corporation can donate an unlimited amount of money to political campaigns giving them the power to buy politicians who will promote their corporate interests even at the expense of the people the politician is sworn to represent and serve.
Citizens United has allowed the oligarchs to take over the US government. The costs of federal elections doubled in the last decade from $6.5 billion in 2016 to $14.8 billion in 2024. This explosive rise in campaign spending had come from corporations and not from the constituents in the politicians district. In 2024 only 17.6% of campaign money for house races came from the candidates home states, and 27.5% for senate races. This is a stark contrast to 20 years ago when the vast majority of contributions were from local donors whom the politicians were campaigning to serve. (For more click here.)
If citizens are to protect and further nurture democratic processes they need to know who is buying their politicians allegiance. He who pays the fiddler, calls the tune. So the news behind the news is who is funding social policy development and implementation for what interests? In other words, if a student wants to better understand the workings of democracy in the US, follow the money.
The buying of politicians is such a significant issue for the functioning of our democracy, MarkhamsSlowNews will be reporting on this topic regularly.
The University of Maryland has created an interactive map that predicts what the climate will be like in different areas on the planet in 60 years.
In Rochester, NY where I live it is predicted that in 60 years the summers will average 12 degrees warmer and 2% drier and the winters will be 12 degrees warmer and 20 % wetter. This will mean less snow in the winter and more rain, and more drought in the summer.
To use the interactive map click here.
As the population of homo sapiens grows and affects the ecologies of regions on the earth, other animal species are crowded out. This encroachment and eradication is another characteristic of what is called the "Anthropocene."
The first component of a social discourse is the body of knowledge which forms the frame of reference from which the technology of the discourse is derived. The primary repository of this body of knowledge is embodied in the jargon and special vocabulary used to communicate this knowledge. It is this body of knowledge which is studied in professional training schools such as “medical school”, “law school”, “business school”, etc.
Within these bodies of knowledge a student and practitioner can specialize and develop an expertise in some sub section of the discourse giving them even more power and authority because of their special knowledge. These folks become the “experts.”
The experts are often credentialed by some accrediting body which sanctions and validates the mastery of this specialized knowledge of the discourse. This specialized knowledge is often made visible by initials after the person’s name and basic credential. Mastering this body of knowledge gives the person authority, social status, and power among society at large but especially among those who also represent the discourse.
The language used in public discourse—whether in media, politics, or everyday conversations—frames issues and defines what is considered "truthful" or "common sense."4 For example, the use of terms like "illegal alien" instead of “undocumented” in a discourse on immigration can frame immigrants as a threat, which in turn influences people's attitudes and support for certain policies.5 This framing of knowledge can legitimize certain viewpoints while marginalizing others, creating a shared understanding that is difficult to challenge.
This specialized use of words to communicate knowledge has a way of colonizing a person’s thinking and beliefs. Some thoughts and beliefs benefit from the social sanctions wielded by the laws of the society which govern the practices of the discourse and people departing from the generally accepted meaning of the words are sued for malpractice, censured, disbarred, excommunicated, and labeled as “quacks” and con artists if not traitors and apostates.
The devious manipulation of nefarious actors cast doubt on the accuracy and validity of the discourse knowledge base. Perpetration of disinformation, propaganda, and “alternative facts” undermine and sabotage the accepted knowledge base of the discourse and change it sometimes rapidly and sometimes insidiously.
From an evolutionary perspective, the knowledge base of discourses are constantly changing and in flux based on the benefits and the accuracy of the predicted outcomes they provide.
The deeper analysis of the knowledge base of discourses occurs in the philosophical discipline of epistemology which is the study of knowledge. Epistemology attempts to investigate and understand how we know what we know and how knowledge is used in our human functioning.
How do we know if what we are told is accurate and valid? Should I believe what I am being told or not? Does the person sharing this knowledge know that they are talking about? Are they to be trusted?
The first component of a discourse is the jargon which is promoted by the "experts" who represent the discourse. They often offer "glossaries" to lay people so they can understand the special language. in 1984, the dystopian novel about Oceania, the jargon of the party is "newspeak". Have you noticed how the 2025, MAGA, group has coined a jargon of their own to promote their desire to oppress, subjugate, and dominate? Are immigrants "undocumented" or "illegals"? Are guilty insurrectionists "felons" or "patriots"? Is all news that doesn't report MAGA's "alternative facts" "fake news"?
Every discourse has its own jargon, a taxonomy of words that describe and define the discourse. This jargon predominates in every discourse whether it be the medical, the legal, the educational, or any other discourse. In order to understand the dynamics of the discourse, the observer must learn the language.
Words are powerful because they shape our thoughts. Without the words we couldn’t think the way we do. Our thinking is skewed based on the words that make up our thoughts. So, if you want to influence and control how people think, use certain words that contribute to thinking that shapes their beliefs and then their behavior.
The same result of controlling people’s thinking by introducing certain words into their vocabulary is to censor and eliminate other words. In our current society in 2025, those who would control us label words they don’t like as “fake news.” They take other steps to censor certain words in what is called “cancel culture” and certain words require “trigger warnings” to warn people about unwanted emotional arousal at the sound of certain words.
While we take pride in the US about our first amendment rights to free speech, speech is anything but free because of the normative sanctions that are placed on unwanted words in any number of ways.
Those who control the acceptable words, control the thoughts, and controlling the thoughts, controls the behavior. So in Oceania in the novel 1984, there are the thought police who surveil people’s use of language and punish them or vanish them if they are found to be perpetrating the use of certain words unacceptable to Big Brother and the Party.
Introducing new words for an observation or experience in psychotherapy is called a “reframe” where a new word is substituted for an old one which isn’t serving the person or the group well. As a therapist I act on the motto “If you can’t name it, you can’t control it. So what do you call it?”
Naming a perception and experience is very powerful not only for individual functioning but for group functioning and societal functioning as well. So if you want to understand the power that a discourse has over you first learn the jargon. Learning the jargon unlocks an understanding of the other components of a discourse.
Use your words carefully because the words produce thoughts which produce beliefs which produce behavior.
Sociologists see discourse as embedded in and emerging out of relations of power because those in control of institutions—like media, politics, law, medicine, and education—control its formation. As such, discourse, power, and knowledge are intimately connected, and work together to create hierarchies. Some discourses come to dominate the mainstream (dominant discourses), and are considered truthful, normal, and right, while others are marginalized and stigmatized, and considered wrong, extreme, and even dangerous.
Cole, Nicki Lisa, Ph.D. "Introduction to Discourse in Sociology." ThoughtCo, Apr. 28, 2025, thoughtco.com/discourse-definition-3026070.
We like to think we have free will, but we don’t. We are socialized, conditioned, and influenced by the social situations we participate in. If you speak English, chances are you were raised in an English speaking family and if you speak Mandarin Chinese you were raised in a Mandarin speaking Chinese family. We are more a product of our social environment than we are aware of or, if we are aware of the social environment’s influence on us, we don’t like to admit it.
This is the first in a series of articles for the next four months on the role of social discourses on human behavior in our contemporary society. It is hoped if we are more aware of these social influences we will be better able to manage them and shape the forces that create the society we live in.
Back in the 60s we used to talk about changing the social systems that contributed to oppression, subjugation, injustice, and dysfunction. In order to change these systems there was a recognition that consciousnesses needed to be raised. There were a plethora of consciousness raising groups in many venues offered and participated in with the hope of helping people become more self aware, empathic, compassionate, and activist by becoming part of the solution and no longer a part of the problem.
Many of our social discourses could benefit from improvement so that people who are subject to them can live higher quality lives.
Few if any programs of the U.S. government touch as many people as directly as Social Security. Nearly every working American pays Social Security taxes, and more than 55 million people receive retirement benefits through the program. Millions more also collect disability benefits or cash assistance through it.
Social Security has long been one of the federal government’s most popular programs. In a 2024 Pew Research Center survey, 79% of U.S. adults said Social Security benefits shouldn’t be reduced in any way – a view broadly shared across ages, racial and ethnic groups, partisan affiliations and income brackets.
For more click here
New York State's bail reform, which largely eliminated cash bail for most misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies, has been a significant change to the state's criminal justice system. Proponents of the reform point to several key benefits:
Reduces Incarceration and Inequity: The primary benefit is that it addresses a two-tiered system of justice where a person's freedom before trial was determined by their ability to pay. By eliminating cash bail for certain offenses, the reform has prevented thousands of people from being detained in jail simply because they are poor. This has led to a significant reduction in the state's pretrial jail population.
Keeps Families and Communities Intact: When individuals are detained pretrial, they can lose their jobs, housing, and connection to their families. This disruption can have long-lasting negative effects. By allowing more people to await trial in their communities, the reform helps them maintain their employment, care for their children, and remain connected to their support systems.
Saves Taxpayer Money: Pretrial detention is expensive for taxpayers. By reducing the number of people in jail, the reform has resulted in substantial cost savings for the state. This money can then be reallocated to other public services, including those that support communities and address the root causes of crime.
Reduces Recidivism: Some research suggests that pretrial detention can actually increase a person's likelihood of reoffending. By allowing people to remain in their communities, cashless bail may contribute to a reduction in recidivism. A study from the Data Collaborative for Justice at John Jay College found that for people released under the bail reform law, recidivism rates were lower than for a similar group of people before the reforms.
Promotes Racial Justice: The previous cash bail system disproportionately impacted Black and Hispanic communities, who were more likely to be assigned cash bail and less likely to be able to afford it. Bail reform aims to reduce these racial disparities by ensuring that a person's race or socioeconomic status does not determine whether they are detained before their trial.
While the reforms have been a subject of intense debate, especially concerning their impact on public safety, these are the key benefits often cited by supporters of the legislation.
From Stat on 08/11/25
On Thursday night, President Trump signed a sweeping new executive order that seeks to transform how the federal government awards billions of dollars in research grants by giving political appointees unprecedented power over the projects agencies fund. Instead of experts and career civil servants setting funding decisions and priorities, the order places that authority with presidential appointees who, in coordination with the White House, are directed to use their “independent judgment” and “advance the President’s policy priorities.”
The executive power grab, which experts expect to be challenged in court, is likely to have massive and immediate impacts on the daily operations of American science. Read more about it from STAT’s science team.
I've been re-reading 1984 by George Orwell and how Winston Smith the main character works in the "Ministry of Truth" altering documents to align with the propaganda of Big Brother. It seems surreal to see this actually happening in the United States in 2025 when science research will have to align with political agenda of MAGA to get and/or keep funding.
There are reports of scientists leaving the US to continue their research in other countries.
From Gemini AI on 08/10/25
Sinclair Lewis's 1935 novel, It Can't Happen Here, offers a powerful and enduring message about the fragility of democracy and the dangers of political complacency. While written in a specific historical context—the rise of fascism in Europe and the political climate of the Great Depression in America—the book's themes have proven to be remarkably prescient and relevant to contemporary society.
Here are some of the key benefits of reading It Can't Happen Here:
A Warning About the Rise of Authoritarianism: The novel serves as a chilling cautionary tale about how a charismatic demagogue can exploit economic hardship, social unrest, and nationalistic fervor to gain power. The fictional president, Berzelius "Buzz" Windrip, is a populist leader who promises a return to "traditional" values and prosperity, all while consolidating power, dismantling democratic institutions, and creating a paramilitary force to enforce his will. This provides a clear illustration of how fascism can take root even in an established democracy.
Exploration of Political Communication and Propaganda: Lewis, a Nobel laureate, was keenly aware of the power of mass media. The protagonist, a small-town newspaper editor named Doremus Jessup, witnesses firsthand how a demagogue can manipulate the media to spread propaganda and control public opinion. The novel highlights the crucial role of a free press and the dangers of media censorship, a theme that remains highly relevant in the age of social media and misinformation.
The Importance of Individual Resistance: Through the eyes of Doremus Jessup, the novel emphasizes the necessity of individual courage and resistance in the face of tyranny. Jessup's journey from a complacent liberal to a member of an underground resistance movement demonstrates that citizens cannot be silent bystanders when their rights and freedoms are under threat. The book suggests that even small acts of defiance are vital in a struggle against oppression.
A Call for Vigilance and Critical Thinking: The title itself—It Can't Happen Here—is an ironic statement that challenges the reader's own sense of security. The novel forces a confrontation with the idea that democracy is not an unshakeable given, but a fragile system that requires constant vigilance. It encourages readers to be critical of political rhetoric, to recognize the warning signs of authoritarianism, and to actively participate in their democracy.
Historical and Social Commentary: By reading It Can't Happen Here, readers gain insight into the political and social anxieties of the 1930s. The novel reflects on the appeal of figures like Louisiana politician Huey Long (who inspired the character of Windrip) and the fear of European fascism spreading to the United States. It also explores how economic desperation can make a population more susceptible to radical promises and demagoguery.
My comment - It has happened here in the US in 2025. The US government has transitioned from a democracy to an autocracy. The question for democracy lovers is not how to prevent autocracy, but how to minimize and eliminate it and restore democratic processes. There are many avenues of correction. Perhaps the most important is to get money out of political campaigns.
The first death knell of democracy was when the Supreme Court opined in Citizens United that a corporation is a person and money is free speech so corporations can contribute unlimited amounts of money to pollical campaigns thereby buying politicians. This single ruling gives immense power to oligarchs to control the political processes.
The second death knell is making the criminal justice system for sale to lawyers who can sue and drag out adjudication processes until they bankrupt opposing parties in legal proceedings. The person with the most money wins.
The third death knell was the rise to "alternative facts" promulgated by social media and unaccountable journalists who promote propaganda and disinformation to obtain political power persuading critical illiterate people to support them.
The fourth death knell was the use of fear of the other to promote a savior idolizing dynamic where people's insecurities are enhanced so they will acquiesce to giving up their power and agency to a charismatic leader who promises security and comfort.
It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis and 1984 by George Orwell are highly recommended to people interested in exploring the dynamics of our current society.
The themes that have emerged for me from The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2024 are:
McKibben, Bill; Green, Jaime. The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2024: A Thought-Provoking Anthology with Award-Winning Environmental Insights (p. xxiv). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
Words matter. What we call things matters. Vocabulary becomes expert jargon unique to a specialized discourse. Things can’t be managed if they can’t be named so naming things accurately, validly, meaningful has a tremendous power. So choose your words carefully.
In discussing our choice of fuel to meet our energy needs, Ayana, Elizabeth Johnson suggests that we categorize those fuels into two categories: extractive and regenerative. Extractive fuels would be coal, oil, gas, peat. Regenerative would be wind, solar, hydro.
Extractive fuels contribute CO2 to the atmosphere and contribute to climate warming. Regenerative fuels don’t.
In this age of climate change endangering the health and well being of living things on the planet which should humans use?
What kinds of policies would contribute to the transformation of the Earth’s societies from extractive to regenerative fuels?
Which political parties in the US favors which types of fuels? Which kind do you favor and support?
In 2023 it got hotter on this earth than it’s gotten in at least 125,000 years, roughly the same time as the first evidence of humans etching symbols onto bone. As 2024 began, the researchers were predicting that this year could quite possibly break last year’s record.
McKibben, Bill; Green, Jaime. The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2024: A Thought-Provoking Anthology with Award-Winning Environmental Insights (p. xviii). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
From Gemini AI on 08/04/25:
Yes, the heat record set in 2023 was beaten in 2024. 2024 was confirmed by multiple climate agencies, including NASA and NOAA, to be the warmest year on record. This makes 2024 the first calendar year to have a global average temperature of more than 1.5∘C above pre-industrial levels, a critical threshold established by the Paris Agreement.
Global Average Temperature: The average global temperature in 2024 was approximately 1.29∘C (2.32∘F) above the 20th-century average. This surpassed the previous record set in 2023 by about 0.10∘C (0.18∘F).
Consecutive Record-Breaking Months: The period from June 2023 to August 2024 saw an unprecedented streak of 15 consecutive months of monthly temperature records.
Hottest Day Ever Recorded: On July 22, 2024, the world experienced its hottest day on record, with the global average temperature reaching 17.16∘C (62.9∘F).
Regional and Ocean Heat: Africa, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America all had their warmest years on record. Additionally, the upper ocean heat content—the amount of heat stored in the top 2,000 meters of the ocean—was the highest ever recorded.
How do you think humans will adapt to the consequences of these record setting hot records? How have you been affected where you live? Why don't these facts get more news coverage? The implications of this climate warming are hugely significant.
