Global

Just because patients don’t understand the opaque layers/players behind the drug procurement affordability crisis, doesn’t mean that lawmakers do, say experts--which is part of the problem.

The bigger problem, though, is that “Big Pharma” (increasingly “BioPharma”) is a silent funder of two thirds of Congress members, 57 percent of US doctors, hospitals, medical schools and medical practices and notably almost all news outlets thanks to “ask your doctor” ads. (See: “Chronic” diseases requiring large molecule biologic$.) No wonder some call drugmakers the fourth branch of government.

The government/medical/news capture is why many don’t know about prescription drug alternative funding programs that work directly with employer-sponsored health plans outside traditional channels to bring down costs.

Imagine your kitchen fridge is completely packed with ice, and the room is slowly warming up due to the heat from the fridge's motor and coils running continuously. The kitchen gets gradually warmer.

Now someone opens the fridge door and leaves it open.

What happens?

For a while, the kitchen actually gets cooler - even though the fridge motor is working harder than ever, pumping out more heat. The melting ice absorbs enormous amounts of energy, and cold air spills out into the room.

But here's the crucial point: this cooling is temporary. Once the ice melts away, the kitchen will become much hotter than it ever was before, because now there's no ice left to absorb energy, and the overworked motor is dumping even more heat into the room.

The Climate Reality

This is exactly what's happening with Earth's climate right now.

Canada has launched a criminal investigation into Israeli-Canadian IDF veterans for possible war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Gaza conflict according to report by ynetnews.com last June. The story said, "The RCMP began the investigation in early 2024 and confirmed it in June 2025.

"The probe targets Canadian citizens with dual Israeli-Canadian citizenship who served in the IDF as well as lone soldiers and Israeli citizens residing in Canada who traveled to Israel to enlist."  The RCMP described the investigation as a "structural investigation" under Canada's Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program, which aims to prevent Canada from becoming a haven for individuals accused of committing atrocities abroad. The investigation has caused concern and controversy within Canada's Jewish and Israeli communities, with many fearing a wave of arrests or summons. 

I actually thought there might be some good news coming out of the Donald Trump White House but it turns out that I was likely mistaken. Trump treated the American public and a worldwide audience to an extended harangue targeting Nigeria for its alleged mistreatment and even killing of Christians. He threatened something like a military intervention similar to his aggressive posturing in Latin America and the Middle East complete with US soldiers “boots on the ground” to address the situation.

When the United States passed the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and then the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, it seemed like the days of restaurants, movie theaters, and places of entertainment being able to refuse service to anyone were far behind us. But some recent incident in New York City with Ms. Rachel was denied service in three venues. This kind of conduct is illegal as it violates the 1964 federal law that bans discrimination based on race, religion, and national origin in public places and places of entertainment.

However, businesses have the right to refuse service only for reasons like disruptive behavior or violating dress codes. Restaurants are also not permitted to refuse service on the basis of national origin or citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, and veteran status.

It occurs to me that “giving birth to the future” isn’t simply a metaphor.

I say this as I continue wrestling with infinity – that is to say, working on the book project I began a decade ago: a book about creating peace. My exploration into all this goes beyond politics, global or otherwise. There are countless ways that humanity needs to change and, indeed, is changing. For instance:

“For much of the 20th century, the childbirth process in this country didn’t invite a lot of active participation from parents. Mothers in labor were given heavy doses of drugs, and fathers were banished to waiting rooms.”

Israel’s allies worldwide are desperately scrambling to help Tel Aviv re-establish a convincing narrative, not only concerning the Gaza genocide, but the entire legacy of Israeli colonialism in Palestine and the Middle East.

 The perfect little story, built on myths and outright fabrications — that of a small nation fighting for survival amid ‘hordes of Arabs and Muslims’ — is rapidly collapsing. It was a lie from the start, but the Gaza genocide has made it utterly indefensible.

 The harrowing details of the Israeli genocide in Gaza were more than enough for people globally to fundamentally question the Zionist narrative, particularly the racist Western trope of the ‘villa in the Jungle’ used by Israel to describe its existence among the colonized population.

Scott McCollough, Esq. and Camilla Rees, MBA To Discuss the FCC Effort to l Strip ALL Local Power Over and Public Participation in Cell Tower and Antenna Placement.

An enormous power grab is before us. The FCC intends to take away almost all local control over and resident participation in cell tower and antenna placement.

If the FCC implements its plan there will no longer be public hearings, or public comment periods, about proposed cell tower and antenna installations; no notifications re. installations; no reviewswhatsoever, including environmental reviews; no required setbacks for the infrastructure; no discussion on how high, or where, or how many antennas or what they should look like; no influence at all on aesthetics grounds; and no need to prove there is a need for the antennas due to a 'gap in service'. Local officials would be barred from hiring experts to assess radiation safety, forced to take industry's word. Local officials would be utterly powerless, and forced to approve applications despite community objection.

Election Results and Midterm Planning
The meeting, hosted by Mike Hersh and co-hosted by Myla Reason, focused on the recent election results and planning for upcoming midterms. They discussed the actions of some Democrats in the Senate and the need to support veterans. The agenda included hearing from experts, a candidate for U.S. Senate, and friends like Jerry Ashton and Andrea Miller. Mimi German read a poem and introduced Jenny Gage, who introduced Chris Volpe, a candidate for the U.S. Senate from Ohio.

Chris's Vision for Political Change
Chris Volpe, a candidate for the 2026 U.S. Senate special election, expressed frustration with current Democratic leadership, particularly regarding healthcare and economic issues. He criticized the lack of progress on universal healthcare and highlighted his own experience and vision for addressing these challenges. The panel discussed the need for new leadership and the potential for change in American politics, with Chris emphasizing the importance of trust and courage in political representation.
Youth Voices in Politics...