In the news

 

I'm living now with my son in Berkeley Springs, W Va. The town was known as Bath back when George Washington came here to bathe in its natural hot spring waters, as visitors still do today.

I've enjoyed soaking in the baths myself. 

The Potomac River begins right here.

The Trump administration is going full speed ahead in making decisions harmful to US citizens. Trump has repealed a Biden-era policy that guaranteed a baseline wage for workers on federal contracts, so he's now cutting the federal contractor minimum wage down from $17.75 an hour. However, the move still leaves an Obama-era rule in place that puts the minimum at $13.30 an hour, so it could have been worse. 

While Trump is now reducing the pay of federal contract workers and quickly expelling unauthorized immigrants, he is not stinting on providing moral and economic support for Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu. How has Israel, a nation once enjoying widespread acclaim and even considerable admiration in some quarters, now ended up on the wrong side of history? Donald Trump alone is keeping Israel afloat with US tax dollars while firmly protecting Netanyahu, commonly regarded as a war criminal for authorizing continued attacks on defenseless Palestinian civilians of all ages. It has been speculated that Netanyahu is pummeling Gaza trying to either kill or incentivize the departure of all Palestinians, thus allowing Israel to expand into the territory. 

Wash. Post. Gaza postwar plan envisions ‘voluntary’ relocation of entire population

Israel’s Policies and Actions in Gaza ‘Meet Legal Definition of Genocide,’ Says Association of Scholars

Flotilla leaves Barcelona in attempt to break Israeli blockade of Gaza

But it was forced to turn back due to stormy weather.

                                            Gaza is being totally destroyed by Israeli attacks.

In another part of the world, a devastating earthquake has killed hundreds and injured thousands.

                   Afghanistan earthquake kills more than 800, flattens villages

More than 800 dead after earthquake hits eastern Afghanistan, Taliban say.

The 6.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Jalalabad injured 2,800 others, the Taliban-run government said. The quake was felt as far as neighboring Pakistan.

Landslide wipes out Sudan village, killing hundreds

Calamities caused by nature or by humans continue to assault the world.

Plea for help after landslide wipes out Sudan village, kills 1,000 |Reuters https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/plea-help-after-landslide-wipes-out-sudan-village-kills-1000-2025-09-01/

Having been to Sudan, I can envision the landslides that assaulted helpless villagers.

Unfortunately for the whole world and especially for us living here in the USA, Donald Trump is still picking fights with anyone and everyone he can. He has told RFK Jr. to "go wild" on health care. He is trying to deport people as fast as humanly possible, including unaccompanied minors too young to even know what's happening. He envisions killing or driving Palestinians out of Gaza. If a decision or policy is likely to be harmful to people anywhere, Trump appears to be all for it. He seems to enjoy the license to be nasty and cruel without suffering any repercussions himself, getting even for the all slights and insults he has ever endured in his entire life. 

They left Cuba seeking the American Dream. ICE sent them home in shackles | CNN

Even Cuban refugees are not exempt from Trump's efforts to purge the country of folks not born on 

US soil. The only immigrants being protected now are his wife and her family.  

Trump  Withdraws U.S. From World Health Organization And Paris Climate  ACCORDS

AP News,  

Huff Post, Donald Trump exploded at ABC News on Sunday night over contributor and longtime Democratic strategist Donna Brazile. The president demanded Brazile, a former chair of the Democratic National Committee, be fired from the network following criticism of him from her on “This Week”.
He also called for another payment from ABC, which last year agreed to a $15 million settlement — to fund his presidential library — over an inaccurate statement made by anchor George Stephanopoulos on air.

And where was Donald Trump on the Labor Day weekend? Out on the golf course, of course. He goes there every chance he gets. We taxpayers are generously supporting Trump's golf habit. Better for him to be out there on the links than mucking around in world affairs.

Trump is denying any and all personal health rumors, saying he's feeling great.

When Trump said he was going to make an "exciting announcement" at his press conference on September 2, many were hoping he was going to announce his resignation, but no, the announcement was that the U.S. Space Command’s headquarters will be moved from Colorado Springs, CO, to Huntsville, AL  So all those hoping for his immediate resignation were disappointed. Trump also defended his tariffs, “If you take away tariffs, we could end up being a third world country,” he warned.. 

                            My daughter in Hawaii sent her photo while she was holding her pet gerbil. 

And what about this little cherub, one of many tykes whose mothers are going out to work? After this 3-year-old's mother got a job, she dropped her small daughter off at group day care, where the child decided that she'd really rather stay home with Mom, just as before.

Now, I'll post this and see how it comes out. Very weird things have been happening with the blog lately.