Another Canary-In-The-Coalmine Is Dying

"America's doctors are leaving the profession in growing numbers, creating a crisis in the U.S. healthcare system. Some 117,000 physicians left the field in 2021, and one in five doctors say they will soon do so. In a recent op-ed for The New York Times, political anthropologist and physician Dr. Eric Reinhart explained fatal flaws in the country’s health system that led to this worrying trend. He shares with Michel Martin some potential solutions."

Look at what is happening within virtually all human services. Workers in these vital areas of society are leaving in droves. The US of A had best pay attention and vote out the you-know-whos. Click on the link below:

Why are Doctors Quitting?

Capitalism: An Economic Idea That Has Never Lived Up To Its Vision

"Today, we take a look at some origins, alternatives, and misunderstandings of capitalism from the Dutch East India Company, to Adam Smith and up through the planned obsolescence and marketing that have tricked us all into working far harder than necessary while failing to make us happy."

Click on the link below for a clear look at what capitalism looked like at its origins and is today:

Capitalism doesn't live up to the hype

Sorry To Be The One To Spoil Super Bowl Sunday

"With tomorrow’s Super Bowl demanding our attention, I thought it an appropriate time to point out another way billionaires have been siphoning off our tax dollars into their bank accounts: sports stadiums. And if we don’t play ball, they’ll take our favorite teams away.

"Ever notice how there never seems to be enough money to build public infrastructure like mass transit lines and better schools? And yet, when a multi-billion-dollar sports team demands a new stadium, our local governments are happy to oblige."

Click on the link below for one reason I have lost much of my enthusiasm for Big Time sports:

The Sports Stadium Scam

Republicans And The Debt Ceiling Simplified

"Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., joins Morning Joe to discuss why she says the House Republican plan for the debt ceiling is about protecting the wealthy and the well-connected from paying their fair share in taxes."

Click on the link below for one of the best summaries of where the Republicans are coming from economically:

Republicans are threatening to wreck our economy to protect a wealthy handful

An Obituary For Bitcoin?

"Bitcoin’s future is looking grim. If Bitcoin crashes, will that lead to the end of crypto currency? Richard Wolff joins Thom Hartmann for an update on the future of Bitcoin."

Click on the link below for a 10-minute video not only discussing bitcoin but also clarifying what money really is:

Is Bitcoin Even Money?

Universal Basic Income Is A Positive For The Individual And Society

"Sarah Moran joins the program to discuss the benefits of UBI. Universal basic income (UBI) is a cash payment made by the government to all citizens, regardless of income or employment status. One of the key arguments in favor of UBI is that it has a multiplier effect on local economies. When people receive a UBI payment, they are more likely to spend it on goods and services, which in turn boosts demand for those goods and services and leads to increased economic activity. This increased demand can lead to increased production, hiring, and ultimately, economic growth. Additionally, UBI can reduce poverty and income inequality, which can also have positive effects on local economies."

Click on the link before for an enlightening 8-minute video interview regarding this controversial subject:

Why Universal Basic Income Is Great For The Economy Actually

Social Media And The Profit Motive

"From national security threats to a business sustained by turning our attention into a commodity to profit from, Chuck Todd delves into how big tech has disrupted our democracy."

There's an eery similarity between the beginning of cigarette advertising in the media in the 1950s and the present disinformation allowed on social media. Click on the link below for the 1/1/2023 episode of "Meet The Press" with Chuck Todd:

Anger generates clicks; clicks generate profit

Republican America Is Worse Than Democrat America

Republicans like to lie about the difference between rural Republican areas of the US as compared to the more urban Democratic areas. 

Click on the link below that presents the FACTS that are readily available. Note how they are comparing per capita statistics and not the gross numbers that distort the truth because of the generally less populated areas:

The Truth About Red And Blue USA

The Labor Movement Needs More Support

"Today, we take a look at the labor dispute within our freight rail industry as well as other unionization fights that corporations are vehemently opposing while the Democrats and Biden, the "most pro-labor president ever" are doing precious little to help."

Click on the link below for a podcast presenting the lack of union support from even most Democrats:

The Labor Movement is a Hot Mess

Inflation: It's The Republicans Gaslighting Again

"Today, we take a look at the corporate price-gouging and massive profits happening under the cover of widespread inflation, all in the run-up to the midterm elections in which the GOP is running cover for corporations and blaming Democrats for price hikes."

Click on the link below for an in-depth podcast look at the causes of today's inflation (this includes MORE than inflation in indicting the Repugnants: listen to the end, which includes comments from past podcasts):

Pocketbook Pain and Corporate Profits

Just Another Reason To Ignore Crypto-Currency/Bitcoin

"Bitcoin mining caused climate damages amounting to $12 billion during 2016-2021, a new study estimated. Carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from electricity production for Bitcoin mining rose 126 times to 113 tonnes in that period, according to the paper published in the Scientific Reports. In 2021, the total global damages of all coins mined exceed $3.7 billion. Mining Bitcoin is comparable to making energy-intensive products such as beef, natural gas, and crude oil, the research showed."

Click on the link below for more:

Bitcoin mining unsustainable

Debt: The Good, Bad, And The Ugly

"How have citizens viewed personal debt over the course of American history? What can the morality and functionality of debt tell us about the debate over President Bident’s student loan forgiveness program?

"Heather and Joanne discuss the history of debtors’ prisons in early America, the rise of bankruptcy laws after the Civil War, and the Cold War origins of federal student loans."

Click on the link below for an interesting podcast on money and debt historically and presently:

Forgiving (and Unforgiving) Debt

Inflation: What Is It And How To Tame It

"John Oliver discusses what causes inflation, what we’ve done about the current round of it, and, of course, makes the smartest investment of all time."

Click on the link below for a comical but enlightening view of a very serious problem that no one escapes:

Inflation: Last Week Tonight

Capitalism, Growth, And Human Survival

"Today we take a look at many intertwining economic processes that are permeating society which include but are not limited to the dead-end mentality of infinite growth, the uselessness of growth past a certain point for wellbeing, and the deepening alienation being felt in response to consumerism in place of community."

Poorly regulated capitalism has been the predominant economic force in the developed world since at least the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. A reasonable person presently can look at its results and trend and be alarmed. Click on the link below for a podcast critically looking at economics today and the potentially existential disaster for humanity in the future if the trend does not change:

A Healthier Humanity Through a Wellness Economy

Economic Distress Can Lead To Fascism

"Today we take a look at the disruptions to society that can unfold in times of economic distress such as high inflation, price gouging, wage stagnation, and income inequality as well as some policy ideas for turning things around."

Click on the link below for an in-depth look at the dangers awaiting all democratic societies if authoritarianism isn't destroyed:

Mismanaging Capitalism Can Lead to Fascism

The Deadly History Of The Spice Trade

"Spices might be the single thing in history that most shaped our world today. That sounds crazy, but spices once were as valuable as gold. It was an international currency that created and destroyed civilizations and great cities, and enslaved millions. And along the way created the very economy we live under today, by way of the most powerful corporation in human history."

Click on the link below for an in-depth look at the historical importance of spices:

The Deadliest Company in Human History

Popular Music HAS Gotten Worse

I am 77 years old and love many musical recordings. My favorites generally span from my teen years through about 20 years ago. When I criticize today's music, like others of my generation do, I get push back from many who are much younger than me. Now there is scientific evidence supporting my point of view and there is one unexpected reason for it: the oligarchy and its lust for profit over quality. Click on the link below for the details:

Why is Modern Music so Awful?

(If anyone is interested in the music that I like, click here for a sample.)

Why Is Latin America Still Poor?

"Why is Latin America poorer than North America? The massive differences in wealth between a rich United States and a relatively poor central and south America is startling and hard to explain at first. In the video we delve into the key historical, political and economic factors that have led to this inequality, finding that the answer is more startling and interesting than initially expected."

Click on the link below for the main reason: one has a democratic history and the other one of autocracy.

Why Is Latin America Still Poor?

Taxing The Rich 101

There's a great deal of smoke screening by the Republicans regarding the effects of taxing the rich more than they are now. Robert Reich, former US Secretary of Labor under President Clinton, is one of the top experts on economics and government policy. Click on the link below for an 8-minute video presenting the truth about taxing the rich:

The 12 Biggest Myths About Taxing The Rich

Soap And Health

"James Hamblin made a splash when announcing he hadn’t showered or used much soap in five years. The physician, Yale public health lecturer, and staff writer at The Atlantic experimented on himself as research for his latest book, 'Clean: The New Science of Skin.'

"Hygiene rituals are as old as recorded civilization. While Muslims and Hindus created elaborate cleaning rituals, European Christians thought bathing increased your chances of falling ill thanks to miasma theory. For centuries, changing your linen shirt supposedly bestowed cleanliness—not soap and water. Many Christians during this era only had one bath in their entire lives: baptism."

Click on the link below for some interesting information that, like much of science, is counter-intuitive:

Clean: The New Science of Skin