Doomstead

SLATE.COM • 2025-10-25

These Judges Are Warning Us We're on the Fast Track to Martial Law (https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/10/trump-news-judges-warning-martial-law.html)

Can the judiciary impose meaningful checks on President Donald Trump?



THEDAILYBEAST.COM • 2025-10-22

Trump's Cognitive Collapse Is Clear: Psychologist (https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trumps-cognitive-collapse-is-clear-psychologist/)

Donald Trump is exhibiting a "massive increase" in "clinical signs of dementia,"



STARADVERTISER.COM • 2025-10-25

Trump raises tariffs on Canada by 10% after ad airs during World Series (https://www.staradvertiser.com/2025/10/25/breaking-news/trump-raises-tariffs-on-canada-by-10-after-ad-airs-during-world-series/)

U.S. President Donald Trump announced an additional 10 per cent tariff on Canada on Saturday because the Ontario government didn't immediately pull down an anti-tariff ad it was running in U.S. markets.

TODAY.COM • 2025-10-27

The USDA Ended Its Annual Hunger Report. What Does That Mean for Food Banks? (https://www.today.com/food/news/usda-ends-hunger-report-rcna240062)

Ceasing to measure hunger will not end it.



WSWS.ORG • 2025-10-27

Trump prepared to starve tens of millions of Americans by allowing food stamp funding to run out Saturday (https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/10/27/dvyg-o27.html)

The month-long government shutdown is rapidly turning into a social catastrophe.



NYTIMES.COM • 2025-10-26

Food Banks Brace for Overwhelming Demand as SNAP Cutoff Looms (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/26/us/food-banks-snap-shutdown-hunger-trump.html)

Growing need and decreased resources are squeezing the charitable food system beyond its capacity, leaders say.

Note that Trumpolini got his Billionaire friends to chip in 300M to build a ballroom and $180M to keep military paychecks flowing, but doesn't bother raising money for kids to eat.

RE

HUFFPOST.COM • 2024-03-27

Republicans Have A Pro-Child Starvation Policy. Why Is It Not A National Disgrace? (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/opinion-food-insecurity-republicans-reject-federal-aid_n_66035b2ce4b07325c0b81f8e)

Forty-four million people live in households that had difficulty getting enough food to feed everyone.



WONKETTE.COM • 2025-10-27

Trump Doesn't Have To Cut Off SNAP Benefits, He Is Choosing To Cut Off SNAP Benefits (https://www.wonkette.com/p/trump-doesnt-have-to-cut-off-snap)

There are contingency plans and the GOP is opting not to use them.

Quote from: K-Dog on Oct 27, 2025, 02:02 PMTrump prepared to starve tens of millions of Americans by allowing food stamp funding to run out Saturday (https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/10/27/dvyg-o27.html)

I wonder, in a country where death by starvation is pretty much zero, how long it will take it to increase to tens of millions? The assumption being that NO FOOD STAMPS + TIME = STARVATION.

Back in the day I remember no food stamps and hunger, but not starvation.

I've often wondered at the economics of the modern traffic corner panhandlers from foreign countries plying their craft, what resources were available to them, to look non-starving as they worked to get window washing money. Found it difficult to believe that they could do more than get some food money doing the window washing gig, but then the question would seem to be where they stay? Just part of the general homeless population? And I am presuming they aren't smoking or snorting the cash they get on the corner as opposed to getting food. 

Even during the Great Depression, virtually no one died of "starvation".  At least according to their death certificates.  People with nutritional defiencies just get sick more often and die of opportunistic diseases.  Kids are under weight and small for their age.  They can't concentrate and have problems learning.  For families currently getting their food from the SNAP program, just where do you think they will find their food?  Church pantries will all of a sudden pop up stocked with food?  Mickey D's will offer free Big Macs to hungry kids? Concerned Amerikans will pass out sandwiches in poor neighborhoods?  What?

RE

Maybe the courts will feed the kids.

NYTIMES.COM • 2025-10-28

Dozens of States Sue Trump Administration Over Planned Food Stamp Cuts (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/28/us/politics/trump-food-stamps-snap-lawsuit.html)

The states petitioned a federal court days after the Agriculture Dept. said it would not take emergency steps to provide aid during the government shutdown.

RE

Quote from: RE on Oct 28, 2025, 10:38 AMEven during the Great Depression, virtually no one died of "starvation".  At least according to their death certificates.  People with nutritional defiencies just get sick more often and die of opportunistic diseases.  Kids are under weight and small for their age.  They can't concentrate and have problems learning.

Well, that makes perfect sense. Maybe WSWS was doing one of those overly dramatic type things because, you know, it is what the internet and MSM do.

Quote from: REFor families currently getting their food from the SNAP program, just where do you think they will find their food? 

The same place the Venezuelans do on the street corner doing the window washing? Any place they can afford it. I am interested in the strain on local food banks, that should be rolling in from the local papers within days of food subsidies stopping I imagine.

Quote from: REChurch pantries will all of a sudden pop up stocked with food?

Depends on the parisheners I imagine. Certainly the wife and I are targeting where our support would best be utilized among local charities and whatnot. We started last week on the grounds that there is no reason to wait for the folks in the government to begin punishing those who live on the edge.

Quote from: REMickey D's will offer free Big Macs to hungry kids?

Unlikely. But more likely that some conglomerate or another will want to make headlines and do exactly something like that. With TV cameras from local news outlets around.

Quote from: REConcerned Amerikans will pass out sandwiches in poor neighborhoods?  What?
RE

Concerned Americans, myself included, have already figured out what we are going to do. Normal American scumbags probably aren't even going to notice.

Great!  Nothing to worry about then.

(https://y.yarn.co/95106445-8382-4fbe-bd72-1df089f563f2_text.gif)

RE

WISCONSINWATCH.ORG • 2025-10-22

Wisconsin members of Congress point fingers as SNAP benefits run out (https://wisconsinwatch.org/2025/10/wisconsin-congress-snap-food-benefits-foodshare-evers-baldwin-pocan-tiffany-moore-wied/)

The state will run out of SNAP funds for nearly 700,000 people on Nov. 1



SEATTLEPI.COM • 2025-10-29

Federal government shutdown threatens SNAP food aid as several states scramble to help (https://www.seattlepi.com/news/politics/article/federal-government-shutdown-threatens-snap-food-21127667.php)

With federal SNAP food assistance set to run dry this weekend amid the protracted U.S. government shutdown, Louisiana, New Mexico and Vermont became the latest states Wednesday to announce help for low-income households that rely on the funds to eat.

Looks like Trumpolini's plans to starve poor people will need to be  revised.  Apparently a few Judges actually have a conscience.  I'm sure he'll come up with a new scheme though.  Maybe make SNAP cards for Whites Only.



THEGUARDIAN.COM • 2025-10-31

Trump administration blocked from suspending Snap benefits for millions of Americans (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/31/judge-blocks-trump-snap-suspension)

One judge issued temporary restraining order while another judge ruled the government must continue to fund program that helps low-income households

RE

Quote from: RE on Oct 28, 2025, 07:14 PMGreat!  Nothing to worry about then.

(https://y.yarn.co/95106445-8382-4fbe-bd72-1df089f563f2_text.gif)

RE

I wonder, sometimes, if endless doom scrolling doesn't itself affect the scroller, in that just because someone says, prints, offers up something that a scroller wants to believe, it immediately has credibility .

And those who stop to compare the story, claim, news article....the words used in telling the story, their apparent intent, how the claim was built, the logic and reasoning behind it, the comparison using a modicum of critical thinking or logic or experience, can be anathema to a scroller.

How much time do you think might be required RE, before someone's physical and social disconnect from a wide range of personal interaction with different perspectives, like different age and intelligence groups, across wide geographic areas (things really are different in Kansas than California) before this type of isolation might make someone susceptible to mistaking things in the online world for a certain reality?

Quote from: TDoS on Nov 01, 2025, 08:31 AMHow much time do you think might be required RE, before someone's physical and social disconnect from a wide range of personal interaction with different perspectives, like different age and intelligence groups, across wide geographic areas (things really are different in Kansas than California) before this type of isolation might make someone susceptible to mistaking things in the online world for a certain reality?

I think it would vary by quite a bit between different individuals.  Different people handle isolation differently, some have a high tolerance for it, others little to none.   Some people could handle being shipwrecked alone like Robinson Crusoe and be happy, others become desperately lonely or lose their sanity.

RE

Quote from: RE on Nov 01, 2025, 11:01 AM

Quote from: TDoS on Nov 01, 2025, 08:31 AMHow much time do you think might be required RE, before someone's physical and social disconnect from a wide range of personal interaction with different perspectives, like different age and intelligence groups, across wide geographic areas (things really are different in Kansas than California) before this type of isolation might make someone susceptible to mistaking things in the online world for a certain reality?

I think it would vary by quite a bit between different individuals.

Indeed.

Quote from: REDifferent people handle isolation differently, some have a high tolerance for it, others little to none.  Some people could handle being shipwrecked alone like Robinson Crusoe and be happy, others become desperately lonely or lose their sanity.

A great way of saying my entire point is irrelevant among the general population.

But the question wasn't posed among the general population. It was posed amongst a particular population, including some with limited capabilities (as compared to the general population) that restrict exactly any physical truth testing of the kind I mentioned.

As a similar example, thinking among even the general population, how many internet denizens have real time access to a PhD? Many PhD's? In a live fire exercise of ideas? I wonder how a, or any, perspective might shift or change when the opposing side isn't an article half written by AI from some just graduated college newbie regurgitating something to catch a doomscrollers eye?

What is that famous phrase of literature. "Start with an earthquake, and build to a climax."? Can you imagine how naturally this idea, in practice, would sucker in everyone it touches who doesn't know better? Doesn't WANT to know better? Is only looking for this kind of "information" without regard for validity?

Quote from: TDoS on Nov 01, 2025, 03:05 PMWhat is that famous phrase of literature. "Start with an earthquake, and build to a climax."? Can you imagine how naturally this idea, in practice, would sucker in everyone it touches who doesn't know better? Doesn't WANT to know better? Is only looking for this kind of "information" without regard for validity?

Depends on how much the person reads about earthquakes and  the context in which the quote is used.  Is it literally talking about earthquakes, or a literary device for a plot line?  Certainly plenty of information available on earthquakes to read up on; also plenty of literary criticism.   What is the point here?

RE

Quote from: RE on Nov 02, 2025, 03:49 AMWhat is the point here?
RE

Apparently, that you couldn't come up with a response to the 3 paragraphs that preceeded the one you decided to  respond to.

How about if it is phrased as a simple question?

What is the perspective disadvantage to someone with zero ability to ground truth the veracity of the information flowing to them throufh the internet?

OLATUNANDER.SUBSTACK.COM • 2024-12-09

How will the Ukraine War end? (https://olatunander.substack.com/p/how-will-the-ukraine-war-end)

Oreshnik missile warheads hitting a Dnipro defence industry plant in Ukraine on 21 November 2024. This missile was not armed with explosives. It hit the target at a speed of 3 km per second (at a temperature of 4000 degrees Celsius). It is a kinetic energy weapon (KEW) possibly comparable to a very small nuclear bomb.


An interesting article.  So many have died, and for nothing.  Anybody who advocates for aid to Ukraine has blood on their hands.  If you do, you probably hate Palestinians too.  And that sort of rhymes.

Quote from: K-Dog on Nov 02, 2025, 10:55 AMAnybody who advocates for aid to Ukraine has blood on their hands.  If you do, you probably hate Palestinians too.

So...guilt by association for starters? (being unaware of the anti-Ukraine back story) and then a correlation presented as a given? Again, undoubtely a backstory of some sort.

So....do I get banned for asking about the backstories and correlations, or do I just carnac them and hope for the best?

Just guessing without any forum background it would seem that advcoates for Ukraine and Palestinians would be on the same side, as opposed to opposite sides?

Quote from: TDoS on Nov 02, 2025, 10:45 AM

Quote from: RE on Nov 02, 2025, 03:49 AMWhat is the point here?
RE

Apparently, that you couldn't come up with a response to the 3 paragraphs that preceeded the one you decided to  respond to.

There's enough information in the public record to deduce

How about if it is phrased as a simple question?

What is the perspective disadvantage to someone with zero ability to ground truth the veracity of the information flowing to them throufh the internet?

Keyboarding out more seemed unnecessary, and I keep things brief these days.  There's enough information in the public record to deduce that the FSoA political system is FUBAR. I don't need to be pals with a CONgress Critter to figure this out. I see no perspective disadvantage.

RE

Quote from: RE on Nov 02, 2025, 01:58 PMKeyboarding out more seemed unnecessary, and I keep things brief these days.

I understand. And how is the healing progressing?

Quote from: REThere's enough information in the public record to deduce that the FSoA political system is FUBAR.

Dependent upon one's definition of FUBAR, ok. I am certainly not happy with current events any better than you and K-Dog I imagine, but I don't assign some of the long term, or as severe, interpretations as you and K-Dog do.

Quote from: REI don't need to be pals with a CONgress Critter to figure this out. I see no perspective disadvantage.
RE

Perspective on societal issues requires no relationship of any kind with Congresss critters. But it strikes me that any perspective, on most any topic, is improved with more information, the right kinds of information sources, understandings one's own bias on the topic, the ability to think critically and logically to cut through the ever growing noise to signal ratio online, etc etc.

* Fucked Up Beyond All Repair/Recognition.

RE

Quote from: TDoS on Nov 02, 2025, 11:54 AMJust guessing without any forum background it would seem that advcoates for Ukraine and Palestinians would be on the same side, as opposed to opposite sides?

Unlikely.  Ukraine and Israel are both Fascist states.

RE

Quoteadvcoates Advocates for Ukraine and Palestinians would be on the same side, as opposed to opposite sides?

They would be on opposite sides, an advocate for the war in Ukraine is down with death as fun and games.  An advocate for Palestine would be advocating for an end to death and destruction.  People dying is not fun and games.

You read it wrong. My intent was clear enough.

Quote from: RE on Nov 02, 2025, 05:58 PM* Fucked Up Beyond All Repair/Recognition.

RE

Your definition, and mine, of what "beyond recognition" might mean, or fucked up" even, are relative. I certainly recognize the current political system. And I recognize how it has changed. And can speculate on how to repair it.

Hence my comment. I already knew the words in the abbreviation.

Of course our perspectives are different.  I view the collapse of the FSoA political system as symptomatic of the wider collapse of industrial civilization, you don't.  Given the current trajectory of all the salient indicators of falling birthrate, increasing debt, aging populations, increasing homelessness, increasing military conflicts and decreasing per capita energy consumption and no indication any of the trends will change in the next 30 years at least, likelihood is that conditions will continue to worsen rather than improve.  Since I'll be dead after that I won't be affected by changes that come later, though I suspect they will continue to worsen into the next century.

Time will tell.

RE

Quote from: RE on Nov 02, 2025, 10:51 PMOf course our perspectives are different.  I view the collapse of the FSoA political system as symptomatic of the wider collapse of industrial civilization, you don't.

Oh, you don't really know my views on collapse, other than sure, the Sun is getting lighter by 40 million tons a second, and that is BAD NEWS.

Your sense of timing when it comes to general collapse has morphed over the years, interestingly you were quite pessimistic 16 years ago. And what did the world get out of it? Economic growth, prosperity, even with idiot politicians in charge.

Quote from: REby ReverseEngineer » Thu 08 Jan 2009, 08:33:42

OK gang, I am off to Hawaii. The trip is work related, but I tell you when I booked it a few months ago I didn't even think Alaska Airlines would be flying. Shows how good I am with timelines here on the collapse. LOL.

Back then you seemed to have a sense of humour about how poor your random temporal guessing skills were.

Quote from: TDoS on Nov 03, 2025, 07:06 PMEconomic growth, prosperity, even with idiot politicians in charge.

The standard of living for the median American has declined by 31.7% since 2008.

* This figure is derived from the comparison between the meager growth in real median wages (+3.2%) and the substantial increase in the cost of living (+51%), showing that the purchasing power of the median paycheck has fallen sharply in relation to the costs it needs to cover.

Quote from: TDoS on Nov 03, 2025, 07:06 PMOh, you don't really know my views on collapse

This was a completely predictable response.  No matter what you write, you claim no one understands what you really think or what your motivation is for trolling collapse websites.  Mr. Mysterious.  🙄🙄🙄

I've always had a sense of humor, an attribute you are notably lacking.  I know, we just don't understand your humor.  I'm sure you're hilarious at a conference. (https://png.pngtree.com/png-vector/20240123/ourmid/pngtree-clown-face-emoji-png-image_11487338.png)

How many Geochemists does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

A Geochemist an Economist and a Rabbi were out barhopping...

What do you call 50 Geochemists at the bottom of the ocean?


You can guess the punchlines.

RE

Quote from: K-Dog on Nov 03, 2025, 09:39 PM

Quote from: TDoS on Nov 03, 2025, 07:06 PMEconomic growth, prosperity, even with idiot politicians in charge.

The standard of living for the median American has declined by 31.7% since 2008.

* This figure is derived from the comparison between the meager growth in real median wages (+3.2%) and the substantial increase in the cost of living (+51%), showing that the purchasing power of the median paycheck has fallen sharply in relation to the costs it needs to cover.

Signs of "economic prosperity".

(https://preview.redd.it/massive-homeless-camp-in-santa-cruz-california-v0-9mvj1c4rd45a1.jpg?auto=webp&s=c9b9a0a8af3a1bb6bf5e24b6e37efcfda8ae102c)

(https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7492c66/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5463x3276+0+0/resize/1200x720!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fad%2Fad%2F732c34e1407580b8fe587920ffdf%2Fla-photos-1staff-843392-la-homeless-encampments-08.FO.jpg)

(https://i0.wp.com/localnewsmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/LNM-20250523-OAKENCAMPMENT-01.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1)

(https://images.fastcompany.com/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto,c_fit/fc/3029341-poster-p-shopping-12.jpg)

(https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/north-american-shopping-center-sits-600nw-127338455.jpg)

(https://katu.com/resources/media2/16x9/full/1015/center/80/115f8792-c579-487b-958e-ed1bf59ab0b6-large16x9_MicrosoftTeamsimage6.png)

Tdos gets his alternative facts the same place Trumpolini gets his no inflation information.🙄

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G0fOozzWcAA6gx-.jpg)

RE

Quote from: K-Dog on Nov 03, 2025, 09:39 PM

Quote from: TDoS on Nov 03, 2025, 07:06 PMEconomic growth, prosperity, even with idiot politicians in charge.

The standard of living for the median American has declined by 31.7% since 2008.

A median in a skewed distribution, how trickstery! But to be honest....need to know how "standard of living" is calculated.

This is what my AI told me about standard of living since 2008.

The American standard of living has improved overall since 2008, driven by gains in life expectancy and education, but this progress has been accompanied by a significant increase in income inequality and a slowdown in the pace of improvement for low- and middle-income Americans.

Key Indicators of the Standard of Living

Economic Growth: The U.S. economy experienced a long expansion after the Great Recession, with average annual GDP growth, though the pace of improvement in consumer spending power slowed considerably to about 0.4 percent per year between 2007 and 2015.

Median Household Income: Real (inflation-adjusted) median household income has seen an overall increase, reaching new highs in recent years after initial declines during and immediately after the recession. However, the gains have been unevenly distributed, with higher-income households seeing larger percentage gains than lower-income households, contributing to increased inequality.
Poverty Rate: The poverty rate initially increased during the Great Recession, reversing some gains from the late 1990s.

Life Expectancy: Health outcomes have generally improved, with most states seeing an increase in life expectancy over the last decade, though the rate of improvement has slowed slightly in some areas.
Education: Educational attainment has seen broad improvements across the country, with increases in high school and college degree attainment rates in most states, which typically leads to better long-term outcomes.
Cost of Living and Wages: A significant challenge has been the divergence between wage growth and the cost of essential goods like housing and healthcare, with these costs inflating at a higher rate than wages for the bottom 60% of earners. This means many working- and middle-class Americans feel "left behind" despite overall positive economic metrics.

Perception: Public perception shifted from general concern during the recession, when many felt their standard of living was getting worse, to more positive expectations in the years following, although satisfaction with the current standard of living has remained relatively stable over time.

So...how where did your 31.7% come from? I required more than some number from wherever from my AI, turn your AI loose on my AI's explanation, I'd really like them to iron this out for us.

IN2013DOLLARS.COM • 2025-11-05

Something that was priced at $990 in 2008 costs $1,489.70 today. (https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/2008?amount=990#citation)

Playing with the math :

1498.7 / 990 => 1.514  How much would the median wage have to increase to reduce this price ratio increase down to 1.317 ?  The answer is 1.514 / 1.149 => 1.317 to yield an increase of 31.7% in real prices I need a wage increase of 14.9% for my math to work.  How much did the median income actually increase?

Real median household income (Census, expressed in 2024 C-CPI-U dollars): ↑ 18.73%.  Applying the two data sources to create the ratio is :  1.514 / 1.187 => 1.275 for an increase of 27.5% in real prices.

Sources: The above article and FRED (https://fred.stlouisfed.org/data/MEHOINUSA672N).  So now you can take your AI and go fuck yourself with it.  You whittled my 31.7 % down to 27.5 % with some hard facts.  Big Deal.  The misery is slightly less quantified with this pair of data sources.  Other sources can be used, YMMV.

For the average American prosperity caught the last train for the coast quite a while ago no matter how much you want to complicate this.  No easy answer is bullshit, and that is exactly what your AI gave you.  The answer is the result of a simple ratio, and there is nothing complicated about it.

In some ways AI is the madness of crowds.

* Depending on which metrics are used real living standards have fallen from  ~27 to ~35 % since 2008 using the ratio presented.  I may have been closer the first time.

JACKBOWMAN.SUBSTACK.COM • 2025-10-26

The Chart of Doom (https://jackbowman.substack.com/p/the-chart-of-doom)

The stock market rising, and the number of job openings in America declining.

No Worries.  Concerned Amerikans will pass out sandwiches and Church Pantries will pop up like mushrooms. Plus there is plenty of nutritious food left free for collection every day by restaurants and supermarkets.

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/T0ZvT-YGYks/maxresdefault.jpg)

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/15/food-stamps-snap-trump-one-big-beautiful-bill-impact-00653447

Food stamps are back, but millions will soon lose benefits permanently

RE

Between this and Epstein, unless Trumpolini rigs the 2026 elections the Repugnants will get creamed.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/nov/13/republicans-are-scrambling-to-reclaim-affordability-good-luck-with-that

Republicans are scrambling to reclaim affordability. Good luck with that

RE

Eugene starts by emphasizing that applying the movie 'Hunger Games' to the current state of things in America sounds dramatic, but actually is an accurate assessment of the American situation.  I agree.











CAROLINAPOLITICALREVIEW.ORG • 2025-05-05

The Politics of Control: The Hunger Games, MAGA, and the Rebranding of Dissent (https://www.carolinapoliticalreview.org/editorial-content/2025/5/5/the-politics-of-control-the-hunger-games-maga-and-the-rebranding-of-dissent)

The greatest form of control isn't censorship, it's the illusion of freedom.

CHASINGTHESQUIRREL.COM • 2025-11-26

The Bottom (https://chasingthesquirrel.com/)

Alligator Alcatraz proposed for Utah.

I wrote the above here in the Diner using an enhanced toolbar which I just got working.  As it is part of a larger plan, nobody but I can see it for now.  It will be used to redo the comments editor that is below the article.  The version I just got working is only for writing articles on the main page.  Launched by a special button only members of an authors group can see.  I will be the only member of the group for a while as I get things working.  Since I just published on the Doomscroll I have to adapt the calendar which was below the comments button to use the new article system which is now part of the forum under the hood.  Then I can publish a new article with the calendar able to load previously published articles.  Until then I can only edit this article.