National Cancer Institute Employees Can’t Publish Information on These Topics Without Special Approval

Why bother publishing since the Trump regime doesn't believe in science

By Annie Waldman and Lisa Song for ProPublica

Employees at the National Cancer Institute, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, received internal guidance last week to flag manuscripts, presentations or other communications for scrutiny if they addressed “controversial, high profile, or sensitive” topics. Among the 23 hot-button issues, according to internal records reviewed by ProPublica: vaccines, fluoride, peanut allergies, autism.

While it’s not uncommon for the cancer institute to outline a couple of administration priorities, the scope and scale of the list is unprecedented and highly unusual, said six employees who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. All materials must be reviewed by an institute “clearance team,” according to the records, and could be examined by officials at the NIH or its umbrella agency, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Staffers and experts worried that the directive would delay or halt the publication of research. “This is micromanagement at the highest level,” said Dr. Georges C. Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.

The list touches on the personal priorities of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist who has repeatedly promoted medical conspiracy theories and false claims. He has advanced the idea that rising rates of autism are linked to vaccines, a claim that has been debunked by hundreds of scientific studies. 

He has also suggested that aluminum in vaccines is responsible for childhood allergies (his son reportedly is severely allergic to peanuts). And he has claimed that water fluoridation — which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called “one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century” — is an “industrial waste.”

I'm not surprised at all

Save money. Cut SpaceX

Trump Officials Deport Brown University Doctor, Seemingly Defying Court Order

Trump Administration didn't approve of her religious beliefs, accused her of supporting terrorism

By Sharon Zhang , Truthout

The Trump administration is openly defying court orders blocking deportations of immigrants without due process — even going so far as to tout the deportations that are throwing countless people’s lives into chaos across the country.

This weekend, the Trump administration deported Brown University assistant professor and surgeon Rasha Alawieh to Lebanon, despite a Massachusetts court having ordered the administration not to remove her from the state that same day. Alawieh has a valid H-1B visa, court documents say, and has lived in the U.S. since 2018, where she finished her medical certification.

According to a court filing filed by her cousin on Friday, Alawieh was traveling back to the U.S. from her home country of Lebanon, where she was visiting family last month, when officials detained her “without any justification,” denying her access to legal counsel at Boston Logan International Airport. The U.S. District Court in Massachusetts ordered her not to be removed without at least 48 hours’ notice while the judge considered her case — but officials deported her anyway.

On Sunday, the judge filed another order saying that there was evidence that law enforcement agents had “willfully” disobeyed the court’s order, as “supported by a detailed and specific timeline in an under-oath affidavit filed by an attorney,” and has ordered the administration to respond to these “serious allegations.”

Lawyer Thomas Brown, who is representing Alawieh and Brown Medicine, has expressed confusion as to why officials deported the doctor. “We are at a loss as to why this happened,” said Brown in a statement. “I don’t know if it’s a byproduct of the Trump crackdown on immigration. I don’t know if it’s a travel ban or some other issue.”

ADDED NOTE: Steve Ahlquist at RIFuture.org spoke with one of Dr. Alawieh's colleague at Brown about what her loss means to Rhode Island:

Steve Ahlquist: How does Dr. Alawieh’s absence affect medical care in Rhode Island?

Dr. Paul Morrissey: She works in the Division of Organ Transplant. Three medical doctors do her work, and the other two will work hard to compensate for Rasha’s loss. It’s a very busy division. We take care of over 800 patients in Rhode Island, and she will be deeply missed. Her absence will have a strong and negative impact on our division.

What is a SLAPP suit?

Legal experts explain how these lawsuits suppress free speech

Jennifer Safstrom, Vanderbilt University and Ryan Riedmueller, Vanderbilt University

EDITOR'S NOTE: in the article immediately preceding this, there's a prime example of a SLAPP suit brought by South County Health against critics of South County Hospital's management. A total disgrace.  - Will Collette

Strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPP suits, are civil claims brought against people or organizations who voice opinions publicly. These lawsuits are intended to intimidate opponents and suppress advocacy efforts by forcing critics to spend time and money on expensive litigation.

The term “SLAPP suit” was coined by law professor George W. Pring and sociologist Penelope Canan in their 1996 book “SLAPPS: Getting Sued for Speaking Out.” The authors provided examples of SLAPPs filed in response to advocacy on many issues, including civil rights, environmental preservation, consumer protection and women’s rights.

SLAPP suits often exploit power and financial imbalances. Responding to lawsuits is expensive. Lawyers are pricey, and so are court costs and litigation expenses, such as collecting evidence, interviewing potential witnesses and purchasing specialized software to manage electronic data.

Lawsuits also are mentally and emotionally taxing. Requirements such as disclosing documents, making court appearances and being subject to questioning can make heavy demands on participants’ time and attention. Litigation can last for years.

These burdens, or even the prospect of them, can have a chilling effect on free speech.

EDITOR'S NOTE: While the authors' description of the methodology behind SLAPP suits is accurate, their history is not. When I was organizing director for the Citizens Clearinghouse for Hazardous Wastes (now called the Center for Health and Environmental Justice) starting in 1986, SLAPP suits against grassroots leaders became a significant problem. 

The first case I handled was that of Irene Mansfield in Pearland TX who was sued for $10 million by a local polluter for calling the polluter's landfill "a dump." Her husband was sued for the same amount for "failure to control his wife." I discussed strategy with Drs. Pring and Canan - they had already made their bones with their early research on SLAPPs as well as for inventing the term in the early 80s (not 1996). 

I generally advised grassroots leaders facing SLAPP suits to go as public as possible, and Irene's case was an example. The suit was dropped after I helped get Irene and retired Plaquemines Parish, LA school teacher Ann Williams on ABC's Inside Edition. I described these and other cases in a citizens' guide I wrote in 1989 called "The Polluters' Secret Plan and What YOU Can Do to Mess It Up."    - Will Collette

After winning a legal battle involving a coal executive and a giant squirrel, John Oliver, host of ‘Last Week Tonight,’ explains how SLAPP suits are designed to stifle public debate.

Save South County Hospital holds Special Meeting April 3

Organization fights on to change hospital management despite SLAPP suit 

Chris Van Hemelrijck, MD, Save South County Hospital

As a member and acting spokesperson for Dr. Steven Fera of Save South County Hospital, while he is away, I want to inform you that new, highly consequential developments are occurring.

I have included below the newspaper advertisement for an April 3 meeting aimed at action toward making changes in the South County Hospital Board of Trustees. 

The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in the South Kingstown High School Auditorium. Former Hospital Board of Trustees Chairs Eve Keenan, Dennis Lynch and Chris Little will lead the meeting.

As you may know, the hospital sued to silence our public commentary, made a baseless claim concerning donor issues, and disparaged Claudia Swain, an upstanding, tireless and dedicated community servant, with blatant false accusations. 

Here is Save South County Hospital's response to the desperate moves by the South County Hospital Board of Trustees, along with its Chairman Joseph Matthews, CEO Aaron Robinson and others in the administration supporting them. Continue to read the text of the statement.

Rising Inequality Is the Main Reason That Social Security Appears to Be in Financial Trouble

Elon Musk Is the Reason Social Security Is “Running Out of Money”

By Stephanie Kelton

Before we dive in, let’s get one thing straight. Social Security is a federal program that was created under the Social Security Act of 1935. It was established as part of the New Deal by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt with a “dedicated revenue” in the form of a payroll tax. Today, employees and their employers each pay 6.2% of wages up to a taxable maximum of $176,100 (2025) into Social Security. ¹

I’ve been publishing academic and popular articles on Social Security for at least 25 years, trying—unsuccessfully—to shift the public debate away from concerns over “financial solvency” toward a focus on inflation risk and real resources. As far as I’m concerned, any lawmaker, journalist, or media pundit who talks about Social Security without distinguishing between the following challenges isn’t being honest with American people.

1.) Legal Authority to Pay — Under current law, Social Security can only pay full scheduled benefits if there is enough earmarked funding to do so. Put simply, there must be enough “cash” coming in via payroll tax withholdings or enough “cash” coming in plus “cash” in the Social Security Trust Fund to cover the full cost of paying benefits each year. If the trust funds run dry—i.e. are drawn down to zero—then the program doesn’t have the legal authority (from Congress) to pay full benefits. This would force automatic cuts under current law. ²

2.) Financial Ability to Pay— As Alan Greenspan explained under oath many years ago, the federal government cannot “run out of money.” One does not have to embrace Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) to acknowledge that Congress has the financial ability to “create as much money as it wants and pay it to someone,” as Greenspan put it. Social Security is a federal program, authorized to pay benefits to eligible individuals—retirees, their dependents, and the disabled—under the rules established by Congress. 

The reason there is so much anxiety about Social Security “running out of money” is that the authority to pay benefits is constrained by statute. If Congress changed the law to give Social Security permission to pay full scheduled benefits regardless of any earmarked source of funding, then the threat of automatic cuts would disappear.

3.) Capacity to Provide Real Resources—This is where the rubber meets the road, and this is what MMT economists emphasize. It is easy enough for a currency-issuing government, like the United States, to meet financial obligations that are denominated in a sovereign unit of account. That’s true whether we’re talking about paying trillions of dollars in interest on government securities or trillions in the form of benefits to future retirees. In purely financial terms all of it is “affordable.” But what about in real terms?

Perfectly normal, not to mention predictable

Your tax dollars at work (and don't forget, he CHEATS at golf)

URI-based team rewrites the book on animal schedule beliefs, based on captured data

When the wild things are

Kristen Curry 

A URI-led team has gathered photographic data on daily
mammalian activity, studying 445 total species around the
world with surprising results. (URI Photos)

Animal antics have captured public attention and viral views across the U.S. in the last few years with the advent of mini cameras that capture the movements of animals in front yards nationwide, from bear to deer.

A University of Rhode Island-based group has taken the camera concept one step further and then some, generating a massive dataset of animal images, not for entertainment, but for science.

A host of camera sets in Rhode Island added to the data gathered in a highly collaborative project producing a massive dataset of animal images worldwide.

When the Global Animal Diel Activity Project results were analyzed, researchers made some unique discoveries.

Put together, researchers across the country and around the world generated a more focused picture of animal habits at various times of day. The team created a camera trap dataset from 20,080 camera sites across 38 countries in six continents. They gathered and analyzed data on more than 400 mammal species, representing one of the largest camera trap datasets in existence.

MRNA Vaccines, Once a Trump Boast, Now Face Attacks From Some in GOP

MAGA-nuts are trying to undo the one good thing Trump did right during the COVID pandemic

Stephanie Armour 

Researchers racing to develop bird flu vaccines for humans have turned to a cutting-edge technology that enabled the rapid development of lifesaving covid shots.

There’s a catch: The mRNA technology faces growing doubts among Republicans, including people around Donald Trump.

Legislation aimed to ban or limit mRNA vaccines was introduced this year by GOP lawmakers in at least seven states. In some cases, the measures would hit doctors who give the injections with criminal penalties, fines, and possible revocation of their licenses.

Some congressional Republicans are also pressing regulators to revoke federal approval for mRNA-based covid shots, which President Donald Trump touted as one of the signature achievements of his first term.

The opposition comes at a critical juncture because vaccines using mRNA have applications well beyond avian flu and covid. They hold the promise of lifesaving breakthroughs to treat many diseases, from melanoma to HIV to Zika, according to clinical trials. The proposed bans could block access to these advances.

MRNA is found naturally in human cells. It is a molecule that carries genetic material and, in a vaccine, trains the body’s immune system to fight viruses, cancer cells, and other conditions. An advantage of mRNA technology is that it can be developed more quickly to target specific variants and is safer than developing a vaccine made from inactivated virus.

The fight against Rhode Island's legal loan sharks

Advocates hope Rhode Island legislators will finally crack down on payday lenders

By Alexander Castro, Rhode Island Current

Delaware, Rhode Island, and Maine stand out in the Northeast for allowing triple-digit interest on payday loans. (Source: Center for Responsible Lending)

There weren’t any questions from the Rhode Island House Committee on Corporations when Pawtucket Democratic Rep. Karen Alzate testified on her bill to reform payday loan practices.

After all, the committee has been there, done that, when it comes to the subject of stopping predatory lending. 

“This is 16 years of history that we’ve been working on this bill. You all have the information,” Margaux Morisseau, co-chair of the Rhode Island Coalition for Payday Lending Reform, said in her testimony in support of the bill. 

These loans provide speedy access to cash but have been criticized for high interest rates and potential harm to consumers, especially for the people with low incomes who might rely on them in financial emergencies. 

There are 29 states that allow payday lending, but each state differs in its regulation of these financial products. While Rhode Island state law technically places a 36% maximum interest cap for loans under $300, storefront payday lenders can register as deferred deposit providers and take advantage of a loophole that allows them to charge up to 260% interest. Thursday marked the reintroduction of perennial efforts to end the predatory practice in the Ocean State by closing the deferred deposit loophole. 

When Morisseau began recounting the bill’s various opponents over the years, committee Chair Joseph Solomon Jr., a Warwick Democrat, didn’t want to rehash history and provided a gentle reminder: “I would like to remind you that, two years ago, this committee and this House passed this bill.”

In 2023, the bill left the corporations committee and went on to pass the House of Representatives with a 70-2 vote. It never advanced out of committee on the Senate side, though.

Rhode Island environmental nonprofits sue Trump administration over funding freeze

Unanswered question: will federally-funded grants be honored?

By Nancy Lavin, Rhode Island Current

Urban tree plantings, lead pipe education for landlords and local composting are already suffering from the Trump administration’s federal funding freeze, a new lawsuit filed in federal court in Providence contends.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island on March 14, followed by an amended complaint filed Monday, is the latest legal dispute over federal grants and aid rendered inaccessible since mid-January. Led by a group of Rhode Island and national nonprofits, the lawsuit centers on federal funding under the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act set aside for environmental, health and safety projects.

Plaintiffs

• Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council
• Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District
• Childhood Lead Action Project
• Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation
• Green Infrastructure Center
• National Council of Nonprofits 

In the wake of Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 order “Unleashing American Energy” seeking to pause funding approved under a pair of spending packages, nonprofit recipients have been forced to halt projects and contemplate layoffs, the complaint states.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I contacted DEM to determine whether recently awarded grants to local farms with federal funding had actually received the federal funds to actually pay the grants. DEM did not respond. I also asked the General Assembly media bureau whether the Administration would actually continue to operate the US-Canada Northeastern Forest Fire Prevention Commission (local state Rep. Megan Cotter was recently appointed to serve).  Answer: unknown. There's also $3 million in federal funding to Rhode Island to fight climate change that is caught in Trump-Musk limbo.- Will Collette

Remember when tax cuts were the cure-all?

South County legislators host session with RI Energy on March 24

Charlestown's Senator Gu and Representative Spears among co-hosts

State lawmakers representing South and North Kingstown, Charlestown, Westerly, Block Island and Narragansett will hold a public forum with representatives from Rhode Island Energy regarding electrical and natural gas prices on Monday, March 24, at 6 p.m. at the South Kingstown High School Auditorium at 215 Columbia St. in Wakefield. 

They will discuss programs to assist ratepayers who are having trouble paying their bills and address questions and concerns from members of the public.

The hosts, all Democratic women representing South County communities are: 

South Kingstown homeowners a step away from getting a full homestead tax break

Will Charlestown be next? 

The House of Representatives passed legislation (2025-H 5030) introduced by Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee that grants the South Kingstown Town Council with the authority to enact a homestead exemption ordinance, similar to those that have already been adopted in several other communities in the state.

“South Kingstown’s housing market is pricing out our current and future homeowners.  Out-of-state buyers and corporations are driving up the cost of home ownership by buying up properties and turning them into rentals, and our residents are then being squeezed with rising home evaluations.  The year-round residents of South Kingstown have been asking for a homestead exemption for quite some time and this legislation will finally grant our hard-working year-round residents the tax relief that they deserve and that will help keep them in their homes,” said Representative McEntee.

The exemption would apply to home-owning taxpayers who actually reside at the taxable property. The bill would cap any exemption adopted by the Town Council at 10 percent. The council would be responsible for enacting any rules and regulations to govern the exemption.

The legislation, which was approved by the House on March 11, now heads to the Senate for consideration, where Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski (D-Dist. 37, South Kingstown) has introduced the bill (2025-S 0044).

Rhode Island's members of Congress work anti-hunger programs from Musk/Trump attacks

Standing united 

As the Trump Administration arbitrarily cuts and freezes critical assistance for food pantries, schools, and local farmers, Rhode Island food banks and school nutrition advocates are preparing for the fallout: increased childhood hunger, more struggling families, and a shift in burdens from the federal government to local schools, governments, and non-profits. 

All four members of Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation joined the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and Economic Progress Institute (EPI) for a virtual town hall to discuss the evolving situation and help food pantries and soup kitchens strategically plan for the future. 

During the public forum, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo discussed how the Trump Administration is putting food assistance on the chopping block and outlined their opposition to proposed Republican cuts to essential programs that Rhode Islanders rely on like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as well as Medicaid, and other core government services. 

They noted that this week, the Trump administration moved to cut another $1 billion for food aid by cancelling the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreement Program which provided funding for states to purchase food from local farmers and fishers for hunger relief distribution and the Local Food for Schools and Child Care Cooperative Agreement Program which provided funding for the purchase of local foods to be used in school meals. 

Farm Fresh RI operated these programs in Rhode Island and the Trump Administration cancellation means Rhode Island schools and food pantries will lose roughly $3 million in nutrition assistance funding. 

How Trump’s tariffs could mean rising costs for families, strain for states

A potential $110B economic hit 

Bedassa Tadesse, University of Minnesota Duluth

Get ready to pay more for avocados, maple syrup and – well – almost everything.

The U.S. officially imposed new 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico on March 4, 2025, following through on a long-delayed pledge from President Donald Trump. American consumers and businesses are now bracing for higher costs and potential supply disruptions.

Although tariffs, or taxes on imports, are a pillar of Trump’s economic policy, the move still surprised many observers, since Mexico and Canada are among the U.S.’s traditional allies and top trading partners. The administration further rattled global supply chains by doubling existing tariffs on Chinese goods to 20%.

As an economist who studies global trade, I wanted to know how the 25% import duties on Canada and Mexico would affect different parts of the country. So I conducted a state-by-state impact analysis.

What I found is alarming: The U.S. economy could face an annual loss of US$109.23 billion. This shortfall would mean rising costs of everyday goods for American families and would disproportionately affect certain states. My analysis focused exclusively on the effects of U.S. tariffs, so it didn’t take retaliation from Canada or Mexico into account. If it did, the losses would be even greater.

Unequal burdens for states, higher prices for families

Imagine your grocery bill surging by 17.5% to 25%, car parts costing hundreds of dollars more, and your favorite local restaurant raising prices as imported ingredients become unaffordable. Because tariffs drive up consumer prices, these scenarios, or others like them, will soon become reality across the U.S.

But not all Americans will be affected equally, I found. States that are deeply connected to North American supply chains will suffer the biggest economic blows. Texas, with its strong trade ties to Mexico and key role in energy, would lose $15.3 billion. California’s diverse economy would take a $10.2 billion hit. Michigan, heavily reliant on auto manufacturing, would face a $6.2 billion blow – over 1% of its gross domestic product.

Sam's latest bad idea

Westerly Democrat sponsors bill that would increase cost of public records requests

By Christopher Shea, Rhode Island Current

When the CCA ran Charlestown, Town Administrator
Mark Stankiewicz demanded large sums to process open
records requests, citing many hours of work. Apparently,
many of those billable hours were spent blacking out
records before they were released. The result was
you got useless records like the one above with
a big price tag.  - Will Collette

The cost of public records requests in Rhode Island could rise under a bill being considered in the state’s House of Representatives.

Legislation introduced last month by Rep. Samuel Azzinaro, a Westerly Democrat, would increase the hourly fee from $15 to $25 for public bodies to search and retrieve public documents under the Access to Public Records Act (APRA), Rhode Island’s public records law. Documents would remain free for the first hour of a search.

Officials would also be allowed to refuse future requests if someone hasn’t paid for prior ones.

Azzinaro said he introduced the bill at the request of Westerly’s town clerk, who he said has spent a lot of time gathering records, only for the person who requested them not to show up.

“Now they won’t get a second one until they pay for the first one,” Azzinaro said Monday during Sunshine Week, which continues through Saturday, March 22. “That’s a lot of wasted time.”

The third week in March is a time when journalists and open records advocates call attention to the right of the public to access government records.

Similar legislation was filed by Azzinaro in 2024, but did not make it out of committee.

Azzinaro’s bill is at odds with many fellow Democrats who want to reduce costs for records requests made in the name of public interest, but their proposals have been shot down by Gov. Dan McKee and other state department leaders.

House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi has also expressed reservations over Azzinaro’s proposal.

“I have real concerns about charging additional money for public records’ requests,” Shekarchi said in a statement. “This bill will go through the normal legislative process and a public committee hearing will be scheduled.”

Azzinaro said he understands concerns over raising fees, but reiterated that public employees put in a lot of effort to collect documents that may go unused. Fees could still be waived at the discretion of a town clerk or state APRA team, he added.

Azzinaro’s bill was referred to the House Committee on State Government & Elections where it has yet to be scheduled for a hearing.

GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.

SUBSCRIBE

Rhode Island Current is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Rhode Island Current maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janine L. Weisman for questions: info@rhodeislandcurrent.com.

Three branches of government

Last chance!

 

Fly Tying Classes: March 25th & April 1st, 3:30-5pm The group enjoys each others company, learns about using the lure we are creating, and goes through the calming motions of tying feathers and such around a hook. Click Here to Register  Fly tying can be traced back to 200 AD. However, WPWA will supply modern techniques, equipment and materials during these classes. Four classes under two separate registrations are available (2/25 and 3/4; 3/25 and 4/1; make-up day is 4/8 for both). The cost is $33.85 for two classes, and can be paid online upon registration. Register on both events for all four classes. Any additional donations will contribute towards a 2-day youth Fly Fishing Workshop during April's school vacation. Fly Tying can be described as the completion of the necessary steps to construct an artificial fly. The class will use natural or synthetic materials to mimic the organic food of the fish, the angular wishes to fool. Classes will allow the students to learn the techniques and skills to tye streamers, nymphs, emergers, and dry flyes. This class starts in Hope Valley, RI at 3:30pm, is 1 ½ hours long, running for two (2) consecutive weeks on Tuesday's, February 25th and March 4th &/OR March 25th and April 1st. In case of bad weather, the instructor will make a judgement on the side of safety and reschedule the class to April 8th. The class is restricted to 10 students, aged 12 years and older. Registration is required, and ends the first day of class (2/25 or 3/25 respectively). The cost for two classes is $33.85, and can be paid online upon registration. If you must pay by check, then use Promo Code Check and bring a check made out to WPWA during your first class. Any donations received will help alleviate the cost of a two-day youth course on Fly Fishing during school's April Vacation. Lead Instructor Jeff Perry is past President of United Fly Tyers of RI, a Lifetime member of Trout Unlimited, a Certified Casting Instructor and a Bronze Certification Tyer for Fly Fishers International, an active member of Rhody Fly Rodders, a volunteer instructor for the RI Dept of Environmental Management Aquatics Education Division, a L.L. Bean Casting Instructor, holds a Masters in Education and other complementary titles. Register on WPWA.org Our Contact Information Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association 203 Arcadia Road Hope Valley, RI 02832 401-539-9017 http://www.wpwa.org

Why do some people remember dreams in vivid detail while others recall nothing at all?

Neuroscientists Discovered the Key to Dream Memory

By IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca

Some people wake up with vivid memories of their dreams, able to recall detailed stories, while others struggle to remember anything at all. What causes this difference? A new study from the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, published February 18 in Communications Psychology, examines the factors that influence “dream recall” — the ability to remember dreams upon waking — and explores how individual traits and sleep patterns shape this process.

The reasons behind these differences in dream recall remain unclear. Some studies suggest that women, younger individuals, or those prone to daydreaming are more likely to remember their dreams. However, other research has failed to confirm these findings. 

Theories linking dream recall to personality traits or cognitive abilities have also received little support. Interest in dream recall surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, as reports of increased dream remembrance gained both public and scientific attention worldwide.

World's critical food crops at imminent risk from rising temperatures

At risk: grains, potatoes, beans, rice

Aalto University

Global food security could be notably impacted by a marked decline in crop diversity if temperatures rise by more than 1.5°C, reveals new research.

Global warming is already reshaping our daily lives, with storms, floods, wildfires and droughts around the world. As temperatures continue to rise, a third of global food production could be at risk. Now, a new study in Nature Food offers a more precise picture of exactly where and how warming will affect our ability to grow food.

Researchers at Aalto University studied how future changes in temperature, precipitation and aridity will affect growing conditions of 30 major food crop species across the globe. They found that low-latitude regions face significantly worse consequences than mid- or high-latitudes. Depending on the level of warming, up to half of the crop production in low-latitude areas would be at risk as climate conditions become unsuitable for production. At the same time, those regions would also see a large drop in crop diversity.

'The loss of diversity means that the range of food crops available for cultivation could decrease significantly in certain areas. That would reduce food security and make it more difficult to get adequate calories and protein,' says Sara Heikonen, the doctoral researcher who led the study.

Up to half of the world's food crop production may be affected

Warming will severely decrease the amount of global cropland available for staple crops -- rice, maize, wheat, potato and soybean -- which account for over two-thirds of the world's food energy intake . In addition, 'tropical root crops such as yam, which are key to food security in low-income regions, as well as cereals and pulses are particularly vulnerable. In sub-Saharan Africa, the region which would be impacted most, almost three quarters of current production is at risk if global warming exceeds 3°C,' Heikonen says.

Fury Over Trump-Musk Plan to Fire 83,000 VA Workers

Same tactic being used to wreck Social Security - fire staff, close facilities

Jessica Corbett for Common Dreams

King Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk's sweeping effort to gut the federal government includes cutting up to 83,000 jobs at the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to a leaked memo that sparked a furious response on Wednesday.

VA Chief of Staff Christopher Syrek's memo to top staff was first reported by Government Executive late Tuesday.

As the outlet detailed: "The forthcoming cuts will be sweeping and spare no part of the department, Syrek said. He set an initial target of VA's staffing level in fiscal 2019, or 399,000 workers. VA currently employs 482,000 staff—and 459,000 full-time workers—meaning VA plans to slash its workforce by upwards of 83,000 individuals." Over a quarter of department employees are veterans.

"Trump and Musk want to take away veterans' healthcare to pay for massive tax breaks for billionaires. It's a morally bankrupt plan that will prevent those who served our country from getting the care they need."

U.S. House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chair Mike Bost (R-Ill.) said in a statement that "I have questions about the impact these reductions and discussions could have on the delivery of services," and "I have been in contact with" Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins since the memo leaked. The panel's ranking member, Mark Takano (D-Calif.), was far more critical.

"This deliberate dismantling of VA's workforce by firing an additional 80,000 employees isn't just dangerous—it's an outright betrayal of veterans," said Takano. He warned that a return to the staffing level before the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, 2022 legislation to help those exposed to burn pits, "will cripple the very system that millions of veterans rely on, denying them access to lifesaving healthcare, claims processing, and education benefits they've earned."

UPDATED: Charlestown State Senator Elaine Morgan’s racism continues to embarrass

Morgan is a disgrace

By Will Collette

UPDATED with the verbatim response from Morgan posted on-line by her. It appears at the end of this article.

Since her election in 2014, state Senator Elaine Morgan (R-MAGA) seems to aspire to new heights of stupidity and bigotry with every passing year. Morgan represents the northern half of Charlestown.

Morgan is crass, racist, ignorant and totally ineffective in representing her constituents. The contrast with her Senate colleague Victoria Gu who represents the southern half of Charlestown couldn’t be starker. Victoria is smart, classy and thoughtful, plus she delivers real results especially when it comes to coastal protection.

Yes, those are generalities, so let’s get to the most recent specific. WJAR reports that Morgan staged a late night, self-described DOGE-like raid on the newly opened ECHO Village Pallet shelters in Providence featuring new pre-fab one-room shelters. Apparently, this area became a new part of Morgan’s district.

Her Dogey fact-finding mission failed when her unannounced nighttime visit was turned away by security guards responsible for the safety and privacy of the site’s homeless residents.

How dare they!!!

So Morgan went to Facebook and posted this:

"I was not welcome [. – SIC] I was told by a Big Rolly Poly [SIC] Dark skinned man with a lanyard around his neck."

Apropos of nothing, she added:

"REALLY!! Guess I’ll be checking more into this HEAVILY FENCED GATED COMMUNITY [WTF?]. Where the smell of cannabis was overwhelming [SIC].”

According to WJAR, she changed the post several times and landed on this version:

"I was told by a Large Dark skinned [SIC] man with a lanyard around his neck. [SIC]'I was not welcome there [SIC] this is private property.'"

House of Hope photo

Laura Jaworski, director of the non-profit House of Hope that operates the facility gave this statement to WJAR:

"The state senator’s remarks are both uninformed and offensive. The language used to describe one of our staff members is unacceptable, and we will not tolerate the disparagement of our residents or our dedicated team…Furthermore, pulling up unannounced at night and demanding a tour of ECHO Village is entirely inappropriate. Our policies are in place to protect the safety, privacy, and dignity of the individuals we serve, many of whom have experienced significant trauma… At House of Hope, the safety and well-being of our residents and staff at ECHO Village are our top priorities. Our team works hard to create a compassionate environment where residents are connected with essential resources like case management and permanent housing supports."

Funding and Jurisdiction

Elaine Morgan conducted her raid without any authorization from the General Assembly or any other authority, despite her Facebook posting's claim that she is "with Fox News and Doge [SIC]." Did Elon Musk give her a DOGE badge or a subpoena? Did Fox News issue her with press credentials?

The project is well outside her district. The project was also funded by federal funds passed through the state and the City of Providence. As Senator Jack Reed pointed out:

“This project [Echo Village] is paid for entirely with over $4.5 million in federal funds that I helped deliver to enable the state to expand and improve its homelessness prevention services.  We need a comprehensive, coordinated strategy to ensure that no Rhode Islander experiencing homelessness is without access to safe, warm housing that protects them from the elements.”

The Preserve Residences, from their website.

Morgan whines about fencing and security. In fact, that fencing and security not only is designed to protect residents but also to accommodate the site’s neighbors. 

Echo Village is not, as Morgan claims, a “gated community.” No one but a fool would confuse the one-room pallet houses at Echo Village with, for example, the controversial Preserve Residences (see photo at right) in Morgan’s district which describes itself as “Your Own Private Luxury Retreat.”

This is not the first time Elaine Morgan abused her office to conduct her own private crusade. In 2015, I reported on a complaint filed against Morgan for using her then office as Hopkinton Town Sergeant to interfere in a complicated domestic dispute. The town sergeant does not have police power. 

Hopkinton Police took no action against Morgan on this complaint nor on another complaint filed against her. The Hopkinton Town Solicitor refused to release any details about either of these cases other than to acknowledge their existence citing Morgan’s privacy rights, a novel defense of a public official who allegedly broke the law. Find more detail and documentation HERE.

What can we do about Morgan?

Being an ignorant racist has never seemed to bother her constituents enough to dump her. Further, being such a jerk has earned Morgan some national prominence as in 2015 when she called for Syrian refugees to be imprisoned in camps because of their religion.

She even made the renowned FRED list (Fanatical Republican of the Day) list a record 9 times for her far-right nuttiness.

She even got through the 2024 election unscathed despite her 22 year old son Ian’s no contest plea to Westerly Police charges of third-degree sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl he had met online. His plea came in September shortly before the election.

What makes Ian’s misdeeds relevant is Morgan’s long record of promoting legislation to crack down on sex offenses including third-degree sexual assault. But of course she also supports a sex offender in the White House.

In 2022, Morgan was busted by the state Board of Election for illegally looting her campaign accounts to go on personal spending sprees (ever classy, she laid the blame on her deceased husband while making the contradictory claim that she "takes full responsibility"). MAGA-leaning voters in Richmond, Hopkinton and Exeter stuck with her. With some pride, voters in northern Charlestown usually support Morgan’s opponents by wide margins.

Since her MAGA-leaning constituents seem to like her racism, corruption and ineffectiveness, what can be done?

The RI Constitution does not allow for recall elections against state legislators. Some towns allow for recall elections of local elected officials. Example: the Gun Lobby’s unsuccessful effort to oust the entire Exeter Town Council by recall election in 2013. But municipal recall ordinances don’t apply to state legislators.

However, I suggest exploring whether her conduct, especially her abuse of power and racist verbiage, warrants a complaint to the RI Ethics Commission. Using her position as a state Senator to stage an unauthorized raid on a non-profit public service outside of her jurisdiction seems ripe for a sustainable ethics complaint, but I’m not a lawyer. I would invite those who ARE to weigh in on this subject.

I blame King Donald

The new regime of King Donald and President Musk has given license to people like Morgan to feel emboldened to say and do some truly terrible things.

All over the country, racists, white nationalists and Nazis have been liberated to run amok.

Triggered by Trump’s implied blessing, Morgan deputized herself as a one-woman posse and set out to bust those alleged pot-smoking homeless people in Providence who were trying to get a night’s sleep without being rousted by some Hopkinton fruitcake.

I think Morgan's response speaks for itself without any additional commentary from me.  - W. Collette