Trump’s tax cuts led to a $20B reduction in charitable giving within a year

Charities took a huge hit from mTrump's 2017 tax bill 

Daniel Hungerman, University of Notre Dame

CC BY-ND

Americans give about half a trillion dollars a year to charity. That money helps fund services for the homeless, fight diseases, run museums and other organizations doing worthwhile activities. Some donations, such as those supporting religious congregations, are expenditures that the U.S. government couldn’t legally make even if it wanted to.

That helps explain why the U.S. tax code encourages giving by offering some donors a tax break. When those taxpayers give, they get a discount on their tax bill through the charitable deduction.

Overall, this deduction lowers tax revenue by tens of billions of dollars every year. To be sure, since giving is socially valuable, the forgone tax dollars might be worth it.

Many taxpayers stopped taking advantage of this tax break after President Donald Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into law in late 2017.

This law greatly increased the standard deduction. As a result, many people stopped itemizing and started using the standard deduction instead because they could pay less in taxes without itemizing that way.

About 30% of taxpayers itemized their tax returns in 2017, making them free to take advantage of the charitable deduction, according to the Internal Revenue Service. But since 2018, only about 10% have been itemizing.

For the 30 million taxpayers who stopped itemizing, the charitable deduction disappeared. They lost an incentive to support many of their favorite causes.

I am an economist who studies charitable activities and public policy. Working with two colleagues, Mark Ottoni-Wilhelm and Xiao Han, I co-authored a study looking at what happened to charitable giving after the Trump-era tax reforms were enacted.

Rejoice women! Trump and Vance have a plan

 

Trump lies debunked

Still smoking and want to quit?

Scientists Say These 3 Methods Work Best

By University of Massachusetts Amherst

A comprehensive analysis conducted by scientists, including a public health researcher from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, has pinpointed the top three methods for smoking cessation:

• Varenicline – This prescription medication is marketed under brand names such as Chantix and Champix.
• Cytisine – Derived from plants, this compound is accessible over the counter as Cravv® in Canada and across Central and Eastern Europe, and by prescription in the UK, though it remains less common in the U.S.
• Nicotine e-cigarettes.

The review, published September 4 in the journal Addiction, was conducted by the non-profit Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group (CTAG) and led by senior author Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, assistant professor of health policy and management in the UMass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences, and lead author Jonathan Livingstone-Banks, a University of Oxford researcher in England.

Worldwide, smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death, resulting in more than seven million deaths per year.

More research shows your genetics determine whether coffee is healthy for you

Coffee drinking is a heritable habit, and one that carries a certain amount of genetic baggage.

By University of California - San Diego 

Caffeinated coffee is a psychoactive substance, notes Sandra Sanchez-Roige, Ph.D., an associate professor in the University of California San Diego School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry. 

She is one of an international group of researchers who compared coffee consumption characteristics from a 23andMe database with an even larger set of records in the United Kingdom. She is the corresponding author of a study recently published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

Hayley H. A. Thorpe, Ph.D., is the lead author on the paper. Thorpe, of the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University in Ontario, explained that the team collected genetic data as well as self-reported coffee-consumption numbers to assemble a genome-wide association study (GWAS). The idea was to make connections between the genes that were known to be associated with coffee consumption and the traits or conditions related to health.

“We used this data to identify regions on the genome associated with whether somebody is more or less likely to consume coffee,” Thorpe explained. “And then identify the genes and biology that could underlie coffee intake.”

These Household Brands Want to Redefine What Counts as “Recyclable”

Looking for a license to lie

By Lisa Song for ProPublica

Most of the products in the typical kitchen use plastics that are virtually impossible to recycle.

The film that acts as a lid on Dole Sunshine fruit bowls, the rings securing jars of McCormick dried herbs, the straws attached to Juicy Juice boxes, the bags that hold Cheez-Its and Cheerios — they’re all destined for the dumpster.

Now a trade group representing those brands and hundreds more is pressuring regulators to make plastic appear more environmentally friendly, a proposal experts say could worsen a crisis that is flooding the planet and our bodies with the toxic material.

The Consumer Brands Association believes companies should be able to stamp “recyclable” on products that are technically “capable” of being recycled, even if they’re all but guaranteed to end up in a landfill. As ProPublica previously reported, the group argued for a looser definition of “recyclable” in written comments to the Federal Trade Commission as the agency revises the Green Guides — guidelines for advertising products with sustainable attributes.

The association’s board of directors includes officials from some of the world’s richest companies, such as PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, Land O’Lakes, Keurig Dr Pepper, Hormel Foods Corporation, Molson Coors Beverage Company, Campbell Soup, Kellanova, Mondelez International, Conagra Brands, J.M. Smucker and Clorox.

Some of the companies own brands that project health, wellness and sustainability. That includes General Mills, owner of Annie’s macaroni and cheese; The Honest Co., whose soaps and baby wipes line the shelves at Whole Foods; and Colgate-Palmolive, which owns the natural deodorant Tom’s of Maine.

ProPublica contacted the 51 companies on the association’s board of directors to ask if they agreed with the trade group’s definition of “recyclable.” Most did not respond. None said they disagreed with the definition. Nine companies referred ProPublica back to the association.

Westerly continues to struggle with policies for transgender students

Westerly School Committee moving forward with plan to edit district's transgender student policy

Steve Ahlquist

Robert Chiaradio, anti-LGBT crusader, from
  his post to "Legal Insurrection"

The Westerly School Committee is finally making good on its promise [threat?] to rewrite the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE)’s Transgender, Gender Diverse, and Transitioning Student policy, weakening many of its key protections for trans students. In March, the Committee voted unanimously to develop a local policy on transgender students, but since then, according to Committee member Diane Chiaradio Bowdy at the September 4th meeting I cover below, “What we've done to date … is nothing.”

The meeting began with some promise, as Superintendent Mark Garceau presented on a Food Insecurity Program and the findings in the book The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. I include that information here because occasionally these presentations came up during public testimony.

No school committee in the state can seemingly avoid having anti-trans activist Robert Chiaradio at the podium, and since Westerly is where Chiaradio lives, his hateful presence is felt more keenly. His time at the podium was spent with his usual fearmongering, but he did spend some time talking about his other favorite subject: banning books he doesn’t approve of from schools and libraries. More interesting was the testimony of Westerly resident Diane Goldsmith, who spoke between Chiaradio’s two times at the podium.

Meltdown

If the shoe fits...

2024-25 URI Theater Department season has a show for everyone

Season features 'Machinal,' 'Peter and the Starcatcher,' 'Backkhai,' and 'Guys and Dolls'

Tony LaRoche 

What do Peter Pan, a female journalist, Dionysus, and big city gamblers have in common? Hint: They all share a home this year at the University of Rhode Island Fine Arts Center.

URI’s Theatre Department takes dynamic storytelling to the next level with a lineup of mainstage student performances ranging from a classic Greek tragedy to a bread-and-butter American musical. The range in themes and tone of each play offers students an opportunity to challenge themselves and rise to their strengths. 

“Machinal,” “Peter and the Starcatcher,” and “Bakkhai” will premiere in J Studio in the Fine Arts Center, 150 Upper College Road. “Guys and Dolls” will be held at the Robert E. Will Theatre to accommodate the iconic musical’s scale. 

The season will begin Oct. 10 with “Machinal,” directed by URI’s own Rachel Walshe. The 1928 play by American playwright and journalist Sophie Treadwell is inspired by the real-life case of convicted and executed murderer Ruth Snyder. The play is considered one of the high points of expressionist theater in the history of the American stage and offers contemporary students the opportunity to test the waters of avant-garde theater.

You Can Beat Diabetes

Study Shows Healthy Habits Reduce Risk for All

By University of Eastern Finland

A recent study by the University of Eastern Finland reveals that maintaining a healthy diet and consistent exercise can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, even in individuals with a high genetic predisposition. This indicates that lifestyle improvements are beneficial for everyone, regardless of their genetic risk.

Type 2 diabetes is a global problem. According to the International Diabetes Federation, IDF, one in eleven adults worldwide has diabetes, with type 2 diabetes accounting for 90 percent of the cases. 

To date, researchers have identified more than 500 genetic variants that predispose individuals to type 2 diabetes, but lifestyle factors, too, affect the risk of developing the disease. Significant lifestyle-related risk factors include overweight, low intake of dietary fiber, high intake of saturated fats, and lack of exercise. 

Previous studies have shown that type 2 diabetes can be effectively prevented by lifestyle changes, but it has not been explored whether the disease can be prevented even in individuals carrying numerous genetic variants that predispose them to type 2 diabetes.

State-by-state data boosts bird conservation planning

Detailed numbers can help sound planning

By Pat Leonard, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Photo by Will Collette

New data summaries from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird platform will help state wildlife planners assess the status of bird populations that live in or pass through their state – a crucial tool in protecting species.

A team of data scientists at eBird, the participatory science platform, has packaged summaries covering every bird species, in every state, and made them available online for free. These data summaries will help states prepare their federally required 2025 updates to State Wildlife Action Plans.

“As we began to work more closely with state agencies and regional conservation partnerships, we realized that we needed to significantly increase the accessibility of eBird information for these partners,” said Viviana Ruiz-Gutierrez, assistant director of the Cornell Lab’s Center for Avian Population Studies and the driving force behind development of the state summaries.

R.I. wanted 1,200 megawatts of wind power but it’s only buying a fraction of that.

McKee moves slowly on wind

By Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current

Rhode Island’s second attempt to grow its offshore wind portfolio proved successful.

Kind of.

The tentative contract announced Friday between Rhode Island, Massachusetts and developers of the SouthCoast Wind project will bring another 200 megawatts of wind-generated electricity to the Ocean State, providing enough electricity to power 125,000 homes if operating at full capacity.

Gov. Dan McKee in a statement lauded the award as a “historic milestone” that advances Rhode Island’s decarbonization goals.

But the tentative agreement represents just 16% of the amount of 1,200-megawatt maximum the state put out to bid.

“It’s certainly not as much as we had hoped for in Rhode Island,” said Amanda Barker, clean energy program coordinator for Green Energy Consumers Alliance. 

And not for lack of choice. 

The bid administered by Rhode Island Energy, which closed in March, drew four project proposals representing more than three times the total electricity Rhode Island hoped to buy.

What to do after

This is what Trump's Project 2025 will do

URI ranked No. 1 public university in New England

Among best nationally according to the Wall Street Journal

Dawn Bergantino

The University of Rhode Island was ranked the No. 1 public university in New England and the 35th-best public university nationally in the most recent ranking released by the Wall Street Journal. 

The WSJ/College Pulse 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S. ranking rates the top 500 universities in the country. The University of Rhode Island was ranked 84th overall—15 spots ahead of the next closest New England public university, the University of Connecticut, which ranked 99th. Rhode Island and Connecticut were the only two New England public universities to earn a spot in the top 100.

By the numbers

URI’s ranking among the nation’s top 500 universities

• No. 1 ranked public university in New England
• No. 12 ranked public flagship university in the U.S.
• No. 35 ranked public university in the U.S.
• No. 84 ranked university overall (of 500) in the U.S.
• One of only two New England public universities ranked in the top 100

More RI cases of serious mosquito-borne illness

This is the time of year when mosquito bites are most dangerous

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) are announcing: 

--The state's first human case, in 2024, of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus in a person from Providence County and in their 70s; 

--The state's second probable human case of West Nile Virus (WNV), in 2024, in a Newport County resident in their 60s; and 

--The state's first probable human case of WNV, in 2024, that was announced on August 16 (in a person in their 60s from Providence County) has been confirmed by testing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

This is the first case of EEE in Rhode Island since 2019 and is 11th case in Rhode Island since 1983.

"We are seeing more human cases of mosquito-borne disease in Rhode Island and in bordering communities in Massachusetts and Connecticut," said Director of Health Jerome Larkin, MD. 

"This underscores how important it is that all Rhode Islanders need to continue protecting themselves from getting mosquito bites. Avoid outdoor activity at sunrise and sunset because that's when mosquitoes are most active. If you have to be outside, wear long-sleeved shirts, pants, and bug spray with DEET or another EPA-approved repellent."

PFAS influence the development and function of the brain

UFZ study uncovers mechanism of action with new test method

Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research

Some per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are poorly degradable and are also known as "forever chemicals". They adversely affect health and can lead to liver damage, obesity, hormonal disorders, and cancer. A research team from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) has investigated the effects of PFAS on the brain. 

Using a combination of modern molecular biology methods and the zebrafish model, the researchers revealed the mechanism of action and identified the genes involved. These genes are also present in humans. The test procedure developed at the UFZ could be used for the risk assessment of other neurotoxic chemicals. The study was recently published in Environmental Health Perspectives. 

Because of their special properties - heat resistance, water and grease repellence, and high durability - PFAS are used in many everyday products (e.g. cosmetics, outdoor clothing, and coated cookware). But it is precisely these properties that make them so problematic. "Because some PFAS are chemically stable, they accumulate in the environment and enter our bodies via air, drinking water, and food", says UFZ toxicologist Prof Dr Tamara Tal. 

Even with careful consumption, it is nearly impossible to avoid this group of substances, which has been produced since the 1950s and now includes thousands of different compounds. "There is a great need for research, especially when it comes to developing fast, reliable, and cost-effective test systems for assessing the risks of PFAS exposure", says Tal. So far, the environmental and health consequences have been difficult to assess.

In their current study, the researchers investigated how PFAS exposure affects brain development. To do this, they used the zebrafish model, which is frequently used in toxicology research. One advantage of this model is that around 70% of the genes found in zebrafish (Danio rerio) are also found in humans. The findings from the zebrafish model can therefore likely be transferred to humans. 

Neither white students nor students of color benefit from laws that censor history, critical thinking, and open dialogue in the classroom.

Teach kids the truth and how to analyze it

By Ian Wright

In this back to school season, millions of American students are returning to classrooms where the wrong course, lesson, or textbook can lead to deep trouble. Why? Because for the last several years, conservative activists and lawmakers have been waging a crusade against “critical race theory,” or CRT.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Locally, this has been especially true at Chariho where ignorant MAGAs and white nationalists have tried to make sure children are not taught anything that challenged a conservative - and usually falsified - version of history.  - Will Collette

Critical race theory is an academic concept acknowledging that racism isn’t simply the result of individual prejudice but is also embedded in our institutions through laws, regulations, and rules.

As school districts have emphasized, it’s a higher education concept rarely taught in K-12 schools. But cynical activists have used CRT as a catch-all term to target a broad range of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives — and seemingly any discussion about race and racism in the classroom.

Since January 2021, 44 states have “introduced bills or taken other steps that would restrict teaching critical race theory or limit how teachers can discuss racism and sexism,” according to Education Weekly. And as of this writing, UCLA has identified 807 anti-CRT “bills, resolutions, executive orders, opinion letters, statements, and other measures” since September 2020.

Critics claim — falsely — that CRT teaches that all white people are oppressors, while Black people are simply oppressed victims. Many opponents claim it teaches white students to “hate their own race,” or to feel guilty about events that happened before they were born.

In reality, CRT gives students of every race the tools to understand how our institutions treat people of different races unequally — and how we can make those systems fairer. That’s learning students of every race would be better off with.

In summary...

Seats still available for Wood River paddle

 

Almost Full Moon Paddle Trip   Saturday 9/14, or Sunday 9/15, at 5:30pm Join WPWA to relax with views of both sunset and moonrise over the Wood River.     We will launch from the WPWA campus onto the Wood River. This wide section of river is great for beginners. As we paddle out, spot the numerous painted turtles or the frequently seen Great Blue Herons. Beavers may surprise us with their loud tail slaps, or otters may grace us with a stealthy appearance.   Reserve both Saturday September 14th, and the rain/inclement weather date of Sunday September 15th. Kassi@wpwa.org will send an email Friday morning informing participants when the event will take place. However, registration is still open on Saturday. Event is 5:30-8:30pm, the group will launch at about 5:50 pm and paddle for over an hour and a half. Headlamps are encouraged for on-land activities.   Cost is $30 for members, $35 for non-members. Kayaks and gear are included. If you are a WPWA Otter, Osprey, or Eagle Member, the program is free and you will not be asked for payment when you register online. 4 tandem kayaks are also available, great for an adult to share with a child under 11. The registration link will indicate the number available, if any. For More Information Contact: Kassi Donnelly: kassi@wpwa.org     Visit wpwa.org under events, or just click the registration button below. PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Click Here to Register Our Contact Information Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association 203 Arcadia Road Hope Valley, RI 02832 401-539-9017 http://www.wpwa.org

Rhode Island tops the nation in vaccinations

For once, good news for Rhody in national rankings

By Will Collette

Local MAGA politicians seeking office like anti-vaxxers Westin Place, Justin Price and Elaine Morgan aren’t going to like this news. According to the often-quoted national ranking service Wallethub, Rhode Island leads the US in effectively vaccinating its people against communicable diseases.

The World Health Organization credits vaccines with saving up to five million lives yearly. Vaccines also reduce hospitalization, health care costs, lost work and school time, far outweighing any real or imaginary side effects.

Rhode Island, like the rest of the country has been experiencing a spike in COVID cases but the effects are lessened by widespread vaccination. The key point to remember is to make sure you stay current with your shots.

Rhode Island is #1 in getting teenagers to be vaccinated against HPV, the virus that causes cervical and other deadly serious forms of cancer. Charlestown Citizens Alliance leader Ruth Platner recently publicly revealed she has “small tumor, a squamous cell carcinoma, in my throat,” an HPV-related cancer.

I commend Ruth for going public with this and to also pointing out that we have a vaccine that actually prevents this cancer. I wish her a full and speedy recovery. But this doesn’t change the face I still disagree with her policies and practices and oppose her candidacy for the Town Council.

Personally, I do not miss the opportunity to get vaccinated. As I age, soon to turn 75, I know I am increasingly vulnerable. So I stay current on my flu and COVID shots and have gotten vaccinated for RSV, pneumonia and shingles.

And why not? Medicare covers virtually all immunizations as do most insurance plans. It’s smart policy to not only save lives but also the hit to the economy.

Most “Blue” states hold that point of view. Wallethub’s Top Ten list includes all six New England states, plus Washington state, Maryland, the District of Columbia and Minnesota.

Nine of the 10 worst states are “Red” or “Purple” states, with Mississippi being the worst along with Alaska, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida (where GOP governor Ron DeSantis is aggressively anti-vax), Wyoming, Nevada, New Jersey, Arizona and Alabama. New Jersey stands out as a peculiar outlier in this Bottom Ten list.

Can Plastic Waste Be Transformed Into Food for Humans?

Oh, I hope not

By Sara Talpos

In 2019, an agency within the U.S. Department of Defense released a call for research projects to help the military deal with the copious amount of plastic waste generated when troops are sent to work in remote locations or disaster zones. 

The agency wanted a system that could convert food wrappers and water bottles, among other things, into usable products, such as fuel and rations. The system needed to be small enough to fit in a Humvee and capable of running on little energy. It also needed to harness the power of plastic-eating microbes.

“When we started this project four years ago, the ideas were there. And in theory, it made sense,” said Stephen Techtmann, a microbiologist at Michigan Technological University, who leads one of the three research groups receiving funding. Nevertheless, he said, in the beginning, the effort “felt a lot more science-fiction than really something that would work.”

That uncertainty was key. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, supports high-risk, high-reward projects. This means there’s a good chance that any individual effort will end in failure. But when a project does succeed, it has the potential to be a true scientific breakthrough. “Our goal is to go from disbelief, like, ‘You're kidding me. You want to do what?’ to ‘You know, that might be actually feasible,’” said Leonard Tender, a program manager at DARPA who is overseeing the plastic waste projects.

The problems with plastic production and disposal are well known. According to the United Nations Environment Program, the world creates about 440 million tons of plastic waste per year. Much of it ends up in landfills or in the ocean, where microplastics, plastic pellets, and plastic bags pose a threat to wildlife. Many governments and experts agree that solving the problem will require reducing production, and some countries and U.S. states have additionally introduced policies to encourage recycling.

For years, scientists have also been experimenting with various species of plastic-eating bacteria. But DARPA is taking a slightly different approach in seeking a compact and mobile solution that uses plastic to create something else entirely: food for humans.

Newly Discovered Antibody Protects Against All COVID-19 Variants

The hunt for a universal COVID vaccine 

University of Texas at Austin

Credit: Greg Ippolito, Ph.D

As part of a new study on hybrid immunity to the virus, the large, multi-institution research team led by The University of Texas at Austin discovered and isolated a broadly neutralizing plasma antibody, called SC27, from a single patient. Using technology developed over several years of research into antibody response, the team led by UT engineers and scientists obtained the exact molecular sequence of the antibody, opening the possibility of manufacturing it on a larger scale for future treatments.

“The discovery of SC27, and other antibodies like it in the future, will help us better protect the population against current and future COVID variants,” said Jason Lavinder, a research assistant professor in the Cockrell School of Engineering’s McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering and one of the leaders of the new research, which was recently published in Cell Reports Medicine.

During the more than four years since the discovery of COVID-19, the virus that causes it has rapidly evolved. Each new variant has displayed different characteristics, many of which made them more resistant to vaccines and other treatments.

Westerly cat lady endorses Kamala!

Why America's fat cats support Trump

The Force is strong in this one

Here's one time we should take him at his word

Trump cultists "rally" in Mystic, CT

Small group is Trumpnuts gather at Olde Mystic Village last Saturday

They were monitored by police. They had no permit for their action and no permission to go on private property. Group is reportedly called "Connecticut for Trump."

We really need this?

Fungus-controlled robots tap into the unique power of nature

Cornell University

Building a robot takes time, technical skill, the right materials -- and sometimes, a little fungus.

In creating a pair of new robots, Cornell University researchers cultivated an unlikely component, one found on the forest floor: fungal mycelia.

By harnessing mycelia's innate electrical signals, the researchers discovered a new way of controlling "biohybrid" robots that can potentially react to their environment better than their purely synthetic counterparts.

Scientists Discover Cancer-Fighting Compounds in Salmon and Other Common Foods

Pass the sushi

By Osaka Metropolitan University

When individuals consume food, they also ingest nucleic acids found in all living organisms. According to research published in PLOS ONE by Associate Professor Akiko Kojima-Yuasa of Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology and her colleagues, the compounds in these acids may have the potential to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

Consuming nucleic acids found in food has been shown to boost the immune system and prevent some diseases. The nucleotides and nucleosides that result from digesting the acids are largely responsible for these beneficial effects.

Professor Kojima-Yuasa’s team used compounds of nucleic acids derived from salmon milt DNA and torula yeast RNA and showed that chemical compounds like guanosine could prevent the proliferation of certain cancer cells in laboratory rats. The compounds stopped the cells from starting their replication phase.