Over time, my political views have shifted in ways I didn’t expect. I’m more progressive than I used to be, especially when it comes to issues like health care. Before my brother’s death, I didn’t have a strong position on universal health care; now I see it as essential.
My views on drug policy have also changed. I used to support full legalization, but I’ve moved toward believing that regulation and strong ethical oversight matter more than blanket legalization.
I read Marxist‑Leninist texts because I’m interested in understanding different political frameworks, but that doesn’t mean I expect—or advocate for—any kind of revolution in my lifetime. My interest is more analytical than predictive.
Overall, my politics have become more grounded in lived experience, personal loss, and a desire for systems that prioritize people’s well‑being.
Abundance is a new book that has been attracting attention and debate among mainstream economists and politicians. It aims to explain to Democrat members in the US why their party lost the election to Trump (narrow as that result was). The authors, Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, writers at very liberal mainstream The New York Times and The Atlantic, respectively, argue that it was because the Democrats and supporters of ‘liberal democracy’ have lost their ability in government to carry out great projects that could deliver the things and services that working people (called the ‘middle class’ in America) need.
Kennedy, known for his debunked medical claims, was wrong about the numbers of ingredients in Canadian and American Froot Loops, which are similar: 17 and 16, respectively. The biggest difference is the dyes, which in the American version are known as Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Blue 1. Canadian authorities limit the use of those dyes.
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“Their highest priority is profit to stockholders,” she said.
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About a decade ago, cereal giant General Mills spent two years listening to consumers who said they wanted natural colors in Trix, despite the cereal appearing more pale, Nestle said.
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Other companies have tried to go natural over the years. Candy producer Mars said in 2016 that it would stop using artificial dyes in its confections, which include M&M’s and Skittles, within five years. But five years later, the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest criticized Mars for continuing to use the dyes. Mars posted on its website that “since that time, a cross-functional Mars team” found “consumer expectations regarding colors in food differ widely across markets and categories,” and thus the company would reevaluate its promise.
Some breakfast cereals and other processed foods have faced backlash in the United States over artificial colorings. Last month, activists* protested outside the Michigan headquarters of WK Kellogg Co. to demand that the company remove artificial dyes from its U.S. breakfast cereals.
[Marion] Nestle said the FDA is too cozy with cereal companies to properly regulate the multibillion-dollar businesses [regulatory capture]. She said Trump has shown no interest in regulating the food industry, but she would welcome Kennedy’s attempt to regulate corporate food producers.
I didn’t see WaPo mention that Kellogg’s promised to remove artificial food colorings by 2018, despite the fact that the article that they link to says it! 👇🏻
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday signed laws declaring the maritime zones under Philippine jurisdiction and designating sea lanes in the country for foreign vessels and aircraft.
The South China Sea Arbitration did not rule on sovereignty, and China does not recognize it because the Arbitral Tribunal lacked jurisdiction. “The Arbitral Tribunal violated the principle of state consent, exercised its jurisdiction ultra vires and rendered an award in disregard of the law. This is a grave violation of UNCLOS and general international law, Wang said.” The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is an international treaty that establishes a legal framework for all marine and maritime activities. The Permanent Court of Arbitration is not an agency of the United Nations. The PCA rents space in the same building as the UN’s International Court of Justice. A Congressional Research Service report, dated August 2023, stated that the U.S. has not declared its position regarding sovereignty over any of the geographical elements that comprise the South China Sea.
When the trade war just started, Trump equated de-Sinicization with de-risking. However, the China’s latest sanction against US military companies will prove that after de-Sinicization, the only thing left for the US Air Force will be risk.
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Moving forward, we may observe further changes in the reliability of F-35s delivered after October 2020. However, as long as the Pentagon doesn’t replace the ejection seats with American-made ones, at least U.S. pilots should still be able to survive.
A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate fluoride in drinking water because high levels could pose a risk to the intellectual development of children
Trade could be about to hit the proverbial political fan as US election pressure is being brought to bear on institutions that regulate, including those that regulate commerce, by boosting shipping lines’ ability to challenge rules.
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 
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