Dear Friends,

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PROGRAM (and see time-stamps below for specific topics)

TRUMP MAKES BUSH & REAGAN SOUND REASONABLE (3:15)
Presidents George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan would have been appalled at the horrible things President Trump says about our immigrant community. Rapists. Animals. Invaders. Most recently, “garbage,” referring to Somali-Americans.

At a 1980 forum in Houston, Bush referred to Mexican immigrants as “decent, family-loving people,” Reagan said “rather than talking about putting up a fence, why don’t we … make it possible for them to come here legally.”

Both former presidents would have been booed off the stage at a GOP convention today.

FULL PAGE FREEDOM-OF-SPEECH AD (10:35)
Last weekend, a full-page ad ran in The Des Moines Register and Omaha World Herald. It was paid for by Brent Lambi and titled “The New War on Dissent: Sedition, Silence, and the Assault on Democracy.”

It’s an excellent message, and concludes with: “I write this editorial with the full understanding that people raising valid legal or constitutional concerns may fear retaliation. That fear is itself proof of how urgently this conversation is needed.”

Yes, let’s not be afraid to speak out. Next, I talk about a historical example of prolonged resistance to this kind of tyranny:

IRISH LANGUAGE BAN (13:30)
It’s worth remembering that suppression of freedom of speech is hardly a new tactic of domination and oppression. The British used it against the Irish for centuries, outlawing the Irish language and even traditional music. On top of that, the courts and schools were required to operate in English.

Today, the Irish language is experiencing a revival. In 2020, Duolingo reported that Irish was the fastest growing language on its platform. So, if a tyrant tells you to shut up, remember the Irish experience, and speak your peace.

US POVERTY OFF THE CHARTS (15:25)
Lee Camp shared some data on poverty in the US from a recent Oxfam report. I’ve included some of that data in this week’s program:

— In the past year, the 10 richest US billionaires gained nearly $700 billion.

— If you make $60,000 a year after taxes, in order to make $700 billion, you’d need to work for nearly 12 million years!

— The richest 1% own half the stock market (49.9%), while the bottom half owns just 1.1%.

— Donald Trump is the first billionaire president. If you think he’s in this for you, think again.

Here’s a good primer on how we rise up against off-the-charts income inequality:

NONVIOLENT RESISTANCE (19:30)
Jamila Raqib’s recent piece in Waging Nonviolence, “The Playbook of Every Successful Nonviolent Struggle,” gives solid advice on how to respond to tyranny. Jamila details four steps that are key to any successful campaign against injustice:

1. Assess the situation to understand the conflict landscape.
2. Build the power to carry out effective action.
3. Act to shift power.
4. Defend our wins to ensure long-term resilience.

BLOWING UP BOATS IN THE CARIBBEAN (29:00)
The count is now 22 boats and 87 people killed, with no effort made to identify either the victims or the boats’ contents.

Among others, UN human rights chief, Volker Türk, has questioned the legality of these strikes. Now Republican Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has announced an investigation into whether Pete Hegseth has committed war crimes.

Given that a meaningful chunk of Trump’s coalition are noninterventionists, the pace of criticism within MAGA ranks is likely to pick up momentum over this evolving crisis.

ARE INNOCENT PEOPLE BEING KILLED? (37:30)
Almost certainly. There was a good story in the New York Times about Alejandro Carranza, a 42-year-old fisherman, and one of the people killed in the boat strikes.

Katerine Hernández, Alejandro’s widow and the mother of three children, told the NYT that her husband had never smuggled drugs. “If he was some kind of narcoterrorist,” she asked, “then why are we living in misery instead of a mansion?”

IOWA IS THE NEW CANCER ALLEY (40:30)
It’s impossible to sidestep the link between farm chemicals and Iowa’s unique status as the only state in the US with a cancer rate that’s getting worse.

As the Iowa Legislature prepares to convene next month, expect another attempt by the major agrochemical companies to push for a limit on liability.

As of October 2024, just one of those corporate giants, Bayer, has settled nearly 100,000 lawsuits linked to Roundup. Instead of fixing the problem, Bayer wants to change the law so it can keep poisoning people and eventually short change their victims who sue.

AI DATA CENTERS (46:40)
The rush to build AI data centers is moving so fast that the people immediately affected are having a hard time navigating all the problems. Two of the biggest concerns are the facilities’ huge consumption of energy and their massive water usage.

I did an AI search (yes, that was a bit mischievous) on how much water the facilities use. I got this:

“US AI data centers use massive amounts of water, with estimates suggesting direct consumption of 17.5 billion gallons in 2023, potentially doubling or quadrupling by 2028.”

On a roll, I asked AI what chemicals are added to that water. Here’s what my little robot buddy told me:

“Yes:

• Corrosion inhibitors like phosphates, molybdates, borates, and azoles, which protect metal components from degradation.
• Biocides/algaecides (such as bromine, isothiazolinones, and glutaraldehyde) to kill bacteria, algae, and other microorganisms that can form biofilms and reduce efficiency.
• Antifreeze agents (like ethylene or propylene glycol) in closed-loop systems to prevent the liquid from freezing and provide freeze/boil-over protection.
• Descalers and polymers to prevent the formation of scale from concentrated minerals (e.g., calcium, magnesium, silica) in the water.
• Flocculants used during construction to bind soil and prevent erosion into local water systems.”

Yike! Anybody out there think this isn’t a problem? FYI, I rarely use AI, but thought it would be delightfully ironic to do so in this case.

For an enlightening, and humorous, take on the AI data center power-and-water grab, check out Charlie Berens and Daniel Van Kirk’s skit on the subject.

SEED STARTING (54:40)
For our Farm and Food segment, Kathy and I discuss starting seeds for next year’s garden. We’ve already started our artichokes with seed we saved from previous harvests. We save a lot of seed varieties, but for those we’re not able to manage, it’s time to order. In early January, we’ll start onions and leeks, and then sweet potato slips.

Spring isn’t in the air, but it always feels good to begin the first steps toward next year’s garden.

Thanks for reading, listening, and taking action.

Ed Fallon

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