Give credit where credit is due

And blame is also merited at times.

Now the whole world has become an open book, with news traveling everywhere in seconds, even to places with censorship. Pockets of isolation still exist, but have become harder to maintain. So people everywhere can usually find out what's going on in the rest of the world and form independent opinions, whatever the formal or informal rules may be where they actually live. Even remote islands have shortwave radios. But is there any more consensus? So far, not yet, nor is it very likely.

Elon Musk, when slashing positions and federal employees as cost-cutting measures, didn't seem to realize the inter-connectedeness of people, that when someone loses a job and cannot pay rent, it then affects the landlord, the grocery store where they once shopped, and the wellbeing of their kids. 

And whatever we might do here in the USA affects the whole wide world. Even the young ladies in rural Honduras, featured here recently, who without electricity made their own dresses using pedal sewing machines, still listen to news of the world on their transistor radios. 

So what's the news today? 

Donald Trump recently has made still another bizarre claim: 

“I’ve saved millions of lives using tariffs,” he said. (Trump needs to explain that.)

Meanwhile, Speaker Johnson was just subjected to citizen anger that might have better been directed 

toward Trump himself. 

Daily Beast, Ashen-Faced Johnson Dressed Down on Live TV by Voters

PUBLIC FLOGGING

The House Speaker faced a barrage of tough and angry questions from C-SPAN callers.

Federal judge blocks Trump administration from deploying National Guard troops to Chicago

No rubber bullets, no body slamming and no attacking journalists: Judge lays down rules 

for Trump’s federal agents in Chicago Judge orders halt to DHS agents’ targeting of 

journalists in Chicago

 Judge blocks Trump from deploying troops in Illinois for now

Wash. Post,  MIT rejects Trump administration deal for priority federal funding

MIT is one of the nine schools that were asked to agree to adopt conservative priorities and policies in exchange for funding perks.

As the shutdown started wearing on, Trump said, “I hate to tell you, because that makes sense, 

but we’re only cutting Democrat programs."

Wash. Post, Trump administration cuts $40M in D.C. security, anti-terrorism funds 

However, Mr. Trump has been highly praised for his role in bringing about a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Trump draws international praise as broker of Israel-Hamas deal

Yes, Mr, Trump certainly deserves credit for facilitating this. Netanyahu was forced to yield.

Maybe Trump deserves that Peace prize after all, although a winner had already been chosen 

by the Nobel committee earlier in the week, so maybe next year.

                                    Cautious optimism now prevails in Tel Aviv. 

Wash. Post, With Trump pressing for peace, Netanyahu adapts to new political reality

The Israeli military said the ceasefire went into effect midday local time. Now Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 

is under pressure — including from President Donald Trump — to keep the peace.

                                                       Palestinians have 

begun returning home. 

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado wins the Nobel Peace Prize

                                                      She is this year's Nobel winner and still remains in hiding. 

Dubbed the "Iron Lady" of Venezuela, she serves as an inspiration for and leader of those 

opposing the Maduro givernment.

Senate Republicans vote down legislation to check Trump's use of war powers against cartels

US is sending about 200 troops to Israel to help support and monitor the Gaza ceasefire deal

Pope Leo Ramps Up His Trump Feud With Order to American Bishops

Pope Leo Urges U.S. Bishops to Support Immigrants
The pope conveyed this message to the world as President Trump escalated his 

deportation campaign, including in Chicago, the pope’s hometown. 

                      Loyala University's Sister Jean, a faithful sports' fan, has died in Chicago at age 106. 

                                            

el

Colombia's Petro suggests last vessel bombed by US was Colombian

Perhaps some boats that Trump has been sending down to a watery grave without any evidence or due process are not actually Venezuelan narco vessels after all. Maybe they are not even Venezuelan, but simply had the misfortune to stray into Trump's line of fire. Isn't that a blatant war crime: attacking and murdering civilians at will? But what forum or entity would dare try to convict Donald Trump, provided its members still want to remain alive? He has become dictator of the world. And our tax dollars and national reputation are at stake, all because of Trump's thoughless impulses, often misguided cruelty, and growing senility. I'm glad I never voted for him, but must do whatever I can as just one person to counteract his abitrary actions and cruel orders. These days, at age 87, I'm now actually living a rather isolated life out here in the West Virginia countryside with my son, a faithful Trump voter, so my options are rather limited. Kudos to Trump for having helped broker a peace deal in Gaza, but he also needs to stop arbitrarily blowing up civilian boats in the Caribbean.

White House rebukes Colombian president’s claim that boat US struck off Venezuela coast was 

carrying Colombians

The US has just purchased Argentine pesos in a controversial effort to calm a currency crisis hitting the South American country and its president, Trump ally Javier Milei. 

  

 

 India has a festival where a Hindu goddess slays a demon. This year the demon is Trump

| CNN https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/08/india/india-hindu-festival

-demon-trump-intl-hnk-dst At India’s Durga Puja festival, a Hindu goddess slays a demon: Trump. 

                                    Mt. Everest hikers have just been rescued after a sudden snow storm.

The Adoration of the Magi (painted in 1451) was a common theme of Renaissance painter 

Leonardo da Vinci, who died in 1455. Many of his works can now be seen at the 

National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. 

 

  Ginevra de' Benci was a portrait painted by Leonardo da Vinci, also part of the display at the National         Gallery.