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December 10, 2025
Sleeping less than seven hours may cut life length
Study Finds - Americans who regularly sleep fewer than seven hours a night may be cutting their lives short, according to extensive research that examined sleep patterns and life expectancy across every county in the United States. The relationship holds true whether someone lives in a wealthy suburb or a rural town, has access to top-tier healthcare or none at all.
Researchers analyzed data from more than 3,000 counties between 2019 and 2025, comparing reported sleep duration with life expectancy in each area. Counties where more residents slept fewer than seven hours nightly consistently showed lower life expectancies. The pattern appeared in nearly every state, year after year, even when researchers accounted for other major health risks like smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.
Researchers analyzed data from more than 3,000 counties between 2019 and 2025, comparing reported sleep duration with life expectancy in each area. Counties where more residents slept fewer than seven hours nightly consistently showed lower life expectancies. The pattern appeared in nearly every state, year after year, even when researchers accounted for other major health risks like smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.
Meanwhile. . .
Newsweek - President Donald Trump has said it is possible to "give up certain products" like "pencils" because of the benefits of steel. This was one of the ideas the president proposed as he gave a wide-ranging speech at the Mount Pocono casino in north-eastern Pennsylvania on Tuesday.
NPR - Santa handles the nice list, but his counterpart, Krampus, scares naughty children into behaving. The terrifying European monster carries a whipping stick instead of toys, and yet people seem to like him. Take a look at these photos of people participating in the tradition.
NPR - Leila's Hair Museum in Independence, Mo., closed in September. Now, the founder's granddaughter is finding new homes for the 3,000-piece human hair wreath collection. (via KCUR)
Polls
Politico - Nearly half of Americans said they find groceries, utility bills, health care, housing and transportation difficult to afford, according to The POLITICO Poll conducted last month by Public First. The results paint a grim portrait of spending constraints: More than a quarter, 27 percent, said they have skipped a medical check-up because of costs within the last two years, and 23 percent said they have skipped a prescription dose for the same reason.
The strain is also reshaping how Americans spend their free time. More than a third — 37 percent — said they could not afford to attend a professional sports event with their family or friends, and almost half — 46 percent — said they could not pay for a vacation that involves air travel.
NBC - The new Yale Youth Poll finds that about two-thirds of voters under 35 years old now disapprove of Trump’s job performance.
How Your Credit Card Debt Compares To Other American
Newsweek - Total U.S. credit card debt rose to $1.23 trillion in the third quarter of 2025, an increase of $24 billion from the previous quarter and up about 50 percent over the past five years, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s latest Household Debt and Credit report.
And a report from the personal finance website WalletHub found that outstanding credit card debt is now about 1 percent below the all-time high reached last year, and that average credit card debt is currently at more than $11,000 per household.
Why It Matters
Rising debt burdens have continued to weigh on Americans’ finances this year, a product, some say, of broad-based economic strains and the inability of consumers' wages to keep pace with rising costs. Student loan delinquencies have surged following the end of pandemic-era assistance, and millions are behind on payments across nearly every type of credit from mortgages to auto loans.
And a report from the personal finance website WalletHub found that outstanding credit card debt is now about 1 percent below the all-time high reached last year, and that average credit card debt is currently at more than $11,000 per household.
Why It Matters
Rising debt burdens have continued to weigh on Americans’ finances this year, a product, some say, of broad-based economic strains and the inability of consumers' wages to keep pace with rising costs. Student loan delinquencies have surged following the end of pandemic-era assistance, and millions are behind on payments across nearly every type of credit from mortgages to auto loans.
Warner Bros. Deal Piles Pressure on Trump’s Justice Department
NY Times - The bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery has seen the titans of Netflix and Paramount courting President Trump at the White House and even at the Kennedy Center.
Every new meeting is ratcheting up the pressure — not just on the deal, but on a little-known government official named Gail Slater.
Ms. Slater, 54, heads the Department of Justice’s antitrust division, which is widely expected to handle the government’s review of the proposed sale of Warner Bros.
The president’s involvement has upended the usual process for reviewing major business deals like this one. It calls into question the legitimacy of Ms. Slater’s inquiry before it even starts, according to antitrust experts and former agency officials. It could force her to make a case based on politics, not merit, or put her at odds with a president who often demands loyalty over everything.
“The notion that the president might have already picked a winner and a loser before any investigation has even begun is highly problematic, and presents her with a formidable challenge,” said Bill Baer, who led the antitrust division during the Obama administration.
Every new meeting is ratcheting up the pressure — not just on the deal, but on a little-known government official named Gail Slater.
Ms. Slater, 54, heads the Department of Justice’s antitrust division, which is widely expected to handle the government’s review of the proposed sale of Warner Bros.
The president’s involvement has upended the usual process for reviewing major business deals like this one. It calls into question the legitimacy of Ms. Slater’s inquiry before it even starts, according to antitrust experts and former agency officials. It could force her to make a case based on politics, not merit, or put her at odds with a president who often demands loyalty over everything.
“The notion that the president might have already picked a winner and a loser before any investigation has even begun is highly problematic, and presents her with a formidable challenge,” said Bill Baer, who led the antitrust division during the Obama administration.
Tomato soup sold in 14 states recalled
Independent UK - Tomato-basil soup sold in 14 U.S. states is being urgently recalled due to concerns about an unlisted allergen. A routine inspection found that the popular product contained milk, despite the ingredient not being listed on the packaging.
Now, a statement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has revealed that Lil’ Turtles is recalling all of its Grandma Belle’s Tomato Basil Soup products.
“The issue was discovered during a routine inspection conducted by the Ohio Department of Agriculture,” the statement read. “There have been no reports of illness involving the product addressed in this recall, however, people who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of a serious allergic reaction if they consume this product.”
The product, sold in 17-oz glass jars, was available for purchase from September 23, 2022, through December 3, 2025.
Now, a statement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has revealed that Lil’ Turtles is recalling all of its Grandma Belle’s Tomato Basil Soup products.
“The issue was discovered during a routine inspection conducted by the Ohio Department of Agriculture,” the statement read. “There have been no reports of illness involving the product addressed in this recall, however, people who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of a serious allergic reaction if they consume this product.”
The product, sold in 17-oz glass jars, was available for purchase from September 23, 2022, through December 3, 2025.
Donald Trump on woman journalists
Occupy Democrats - Nicole Wallace of MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) finally had enough after Trump insulted ABC News’ Rachel Scott to her face, which was at least the sixth such incident in a month. Wallace hammered Trump for his appalling behavior and went in on the rest of the media for meekly standing by and allowing him to bully their fellow reporter.
“He called ABC's Rachel Scott today, quote, obnoxious and terrible.”
“December 6th, he called Caitlin Collins, quote, stupid and nasty.”
“On November 27th, he said, are you stupid? to CBS journalist Nancy Cordes.”
“On November 26th, he called The New York Times Katie Rogers, quote, ugly.”
“On November 18th, he called ABC's Mary Bruce terrible and insubordinate.”
“November 14th, he told a Bloomberg reporter, quote, quiet piggy.”
“He called ABC's Rachel Scott today, quote, obnoxious and terrible.”
“December 6th, he called Caitlin Collins, quote, stupid and nasty.”
“On November 27th, he said, are you stupid? to CBS journalist Nancy Cordes.”
“On November 26th, he called The New York Times Katie Rogers, quote, ugly.”
“On November 18th, he called ABC's Mary Bruce terrible and insubordinate.”
“November 14th, he told a Bloomberg reporter, quote, quiet piggy.”
Just a reminder
Sam Smith - Being in the drug trade is not a capital crime, so killing eleven drug traffickers - as the current controversy is about - is not permissible under our laws.
The Constitution gives Congress - but no one else - the right to declare war although, as Wikipedia points out: "The last time the United States formally declared war, using specific terminology, on any nation was in 1942, when war was declared against Axis-aligned Hungary, Bulgaria, and Romania, because President Franklin Roosevelt thought it was improper to engage in hostilities against a country without a formal declaration of war. Since then, every American president has used military force without a declaration of war."
Jeffrey Epstein
NBC News - A New York federal judge granted the Justice Department's request to unseal grand jury records in Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case. The move comes just a day after a separate judge ordered the release of grand jury records related to Ghislaine Maxwell.
Judge blocks National Guard going to Los Angeles
The Hill - A federal judge ordered President Trump to end his deployment of the California National Guard in Los Angeles, ruling Wednesday that he must return control to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).
Roughly 100 troops remain in the city, and U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ruled that Trump illegally kept them deployed months after sending troops to combat immigration protests this summer.
“The Founders designed our government to be a system of checks and balances,” Breyer wrote in his 35-page opinion. “Defendants, however, make clear that the only check they want is a blank one.”
Roughly 100 troops remain in the city, and U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ruled that Trump illegally kept them deployed months after sending troops to combat immigration protests this summer.
“The Founders designed our government to be a system of checks and balances,” Breyer wrote in his 35-page opinion. “Defendants, however, make clear that the only check they want is a blank one.”
Doctor shortage looming
Axios - The country is projected to face a shortage of 187,130 doctors by 2037.
But while enrollment is up, many medical school students will feel a financial squeeze from caps on student loan borrowing and cuts to other assistance stemming from the Republican tax-and-spending bill.
By the numbers: Medical school applicants for 2025-2026 rose 5.3%, reversing a three-year decline and posting the biggest gain in a decade.
Among historically underrepresented groups, 8.4% identified as Black or African American, 11.5% were Hispanic or Latino, 0.9% identified as American Indian or Alaska Native and 0.4% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.
Higher enrollment could make the U.S. less dependent on immigrant physicians.
But turnover could continue to plague the field, with significant numbers of doctors looking to leave their practice or reduce hours.
Hospitals closing units for children
Axios - Hospitals are closing unprofitable pediatric units and eliminating some surgical services for kids as they grapple with lower Medicaid reimbursements, staffing issues and more complicated cases, a 20-year review in the journal Pediatrics found.
The cuts can erect additional hurdles to getting care in already underserved communities and require families to travel longer distances to regional or urban health centers.
The review of nearly 4,000 facilities from 2003 to 2022 found the proportion of hospitals that researchers identified as having the lowest capabilities for pediatric care more than doubled.
- The most common services shed were appendectomies (50.5% fewer hospitals), hospitalizations for pneumonia (42.3%) and asthma hospitalizations (41.1%).
- In contrast, capabilities like organ transplantation and open-heart surgery for congenital defects showed little to no change.
Hospitalizations for children fell 26% from 2000 to 2019, prompting more hospital operators to take pediatric inpatient units offline, with little incentive to bring them back.
- The resulting regionalization of pediatric care "has not shown signs of slowing, and it remains to be seen whether there is a floor on pediatric capacity," they wrote.
The lack of pediatric inpatient beds doesn't mean that a hospital will not admit a child on an adult ward. Share this
Books
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Co-edited by Christina Clamp and Michael Peck, the book explores the Mondragon cooperative model as a template for worker-owned businesses globally, offering practical guidance for creating more equitable economies. Representing the collective labor and vision of 38 contributors in six countries and three continents, Humanity @Work & Life proves how solidarity, innovation and conviction forge sustaining local and global social economy practices on behalf of the greater common good. |
Politics
Democrat Eileen Higgins won the Miami mayoral race, NBC News projected, giving the party control of the office for the first time in almost three decades in another victory for Democrats ahead of next year's pivotal midterm elections.
The Trump administration announced a deal to officially end a major student loan repayment program implemented under Biden.
EPA wiping human-caused climate change from its website
Washington Post - The Environmental Protection Agency has removed references to human-caused climate change from its website — tweaking some pages to focus on the “natural processes” driving climate change and wiping other pages from the internet.
In October, the EPA page on “Causes of Climate Change,” for example, included a statement from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that noted, “It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean, and land.”
That clear statement has been deleted from the page, which now mentions only climate changes from natural sources, such as volcanic activity and variations in solar activity.
“This is, I think, one of the more dramatic scrubbings we’ve seen so far in the climate space,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, in an online live chat with reporters and followers. “More and more pages have either been completely removed from the public internet — or perhaps worse, have been replaced with inaccurate information.”
Another page, which once described the key indicators of a changing climate — such as rising seas and shrinking Arctic ice — has been deleted entirely.
In October, the EPA page on “Causes of Climate Change,” for example, included a statement from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that noted, “It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean, and land.”
That clear statement has been deleted from the page, which now mentions only climate changes from natural sources, such as volcanic activity and variations in solar activity.
“This is, I think, one of the more dramatic scrubbings we’ve seen so far in the climate space,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, in an online live chat with reporters and followers. “More and more pages have either been completely removed from the public internet — or perhaps worse, have been replaced with inaccurate information.”
Another page, which once described the key indicators of a changing climate — such as rising seas and shrinking Arctic ice — has been deleted entirely.
Just 0.001% hold three times the wealth of poorest half of humanity
The Guardian - Fewer than 60,000 people – 0.001% of the world’s population – control three times as much wealth as the entire bottom half of humanity, according to a report that argues global inequality has reached such extremes that urgent action has become essential.
The authoritative World Inequality Report 2026, based on data compiled by 200 researchers, also found that the top 10% of income-earners earn more than the other 90% combined, while the poorest half captures less than 10% of total global earnings.
Wealth – the value of people’s assets – was even more concentrated than income, or earnings from work and investments, the report found, with the richest 10% of the world’s population owning 75% of wealth and the bottom half just 2%.
In almost every region, the top 1% was wealthier than the bottom 90% combined, the report found, with wealth inequality increasing rapidly around the world.
“The result is a world in which a tiny minority commands unprecedented financial power, while billions remain excluded from even basic economic stability,” the authors, led by Ricardo Gómez-Carrera of the Paris School of Economics, wrote.
The share of global wealth held by the top 0.001% has grown from almost 4% in 1995 to more than 6%, the report said, while the wealth of multimillionaires had increased by about 8% annually since the 1990s – nearly twice the rate of the bottom 50%.
The authoritative World Inequality Report 2026, based on data compiled by 200 researchers, also found that the top 10% of income-earners earn more than the other 90% combined, while the poorest half captures less than 10% of total global earnings.
Wealth – the value of people’s assets – was even more concentrated than income, or earnings from work and investments, the report found, with the richest 10% of the world’s population owning 75% of wealth and the bottom half just 2%.
In almost every region, the top 1% was wealthier than the bottom 90% combined, the report found, with wealth inequality increasing rapidly around the world.
“The result is a world in which a tiny minority commands unprecedented financial power, while billions remain excluded from even basic economic stability,” the authors, led by Ricardo Gómez-Carrera of the Paris School of Economics, wrote.
The share of global wealth held by the top 0.001% has grown from almost 4% in 1995 to more than 6%, the report said, while the wealth of multimillionaires had increased by about 8% annually since the 1990s – nearly twice the rate of the bottom 50%.
Australia's media ban for under 16s
Bloomberg - Australia’s social media ban for under-16s took effect today, making it the first democracy to bar young people from platforms in a bid to shield them from harmful content.
- The law mandates services including TikTok and Instagram keep kids off their platforms or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($33 million).
- Meanwhile, alternative platforms have surged in popularity in Australia, including Lemon8, a video and photo-sharing app powered by TikTok.
- Australia may be the first of many. An increasing number of governments are trying to hold social media to account with policymakers in Denmark, Malaysia and other countries also considering blocks for young people.
- Read more here.
Trump and "affordability"
John T. Bennett, Roll Call- Donald Trump and Republicans have an affordability problem, even as the president appeared reluctant Tuesday night to admit it.
After spending most of his second term at the White House, overseas or at his south Florida resorts, Trump jetted to Monroe County in Pennsylvania Tuesday — one of the most competitive counties in the must-win battleground state — to talk stubbornly high prices.
But the populist GOP president did not spell out a clear plan to provide Americans relief at the cash register, gas pump or ticket counter. Instead, he echoed some of his aides by promising major economic improvement in the new year, touting his tariffs and blaming his predecessor for higher costs.
“You’re going to see what happens over the next two years. It’s like a miracle is taking place. But we’ve taken in hundreds of billions of dollars, really trillions,” said Trump, who was accompanied on Air Force One by Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Dave McCormick. “And if you add to that, all of the companies that are pouring their money to building right now, building plants in Pennsylvania and many other states, auto plants, AI plants, plants of every type, which we would have never had if we didn’t put the tariffs on.”
A Harvard-Harris survey released this week showed 57 percent of respondents believe the president is losing his fight with inflation. The same Harvard-Harris poll found inflation was most respondents’ (47 percent) top issue by a wide margin over “restoring basic American values of merit” at 13 percent and immigration at 11 percent. That survey also found 56 percent said Trump’s policies have been harming the economy, against 44 percent who replied helping — with 67 percent of independents going with harming.
After spending most of his second term at the White House, overseas or at his south Florida resorts, Trump jetted to Monroe County in Pennsylvania Tuesday — one of the most competitive counties in the must-win battleground state — to talk stubbornly high prices.
But the populist GOP president did not spell out a clear plan to provide Americans relief at the cash register, gas pump or ticket counter. Instead, he echoed some of his aides by promising major economic improvement in the new year, touting his tariffs and blaming his predecessor for higher costs.
“You’re going to see what happens over the next two years. It’s like a miracle is taking place. But we’ve taken in hundreds of billions of dollars, really trillions,” said Trump, who was accompanied on Air Force One by Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Dave McCormick. “And if you add to that, all of the companies that are pouring their money to building right now, building plants in Pennsylvania and many other states, auto plants, AI plants, plants of every type, which we would have never had if we didn’t put the tariffs on.”
A Harvard-Harris survey released this week showed 57 percent of respondents believe the president is losing his fight with inflation. The same Harvard-Harris poll found inflation was most respondents’ (47 percent) top issue by a wide margin over “restoring basic American values of merit” at 13 percent and immigration at 11 percent. That survey also found 56 percent said Trump’s policies have been harming the economy, against 44 percent who replied helping — with 67 percent of independents going with harming.
December 9, 2025
Christmas tree costs are falling
Axios - Christmas tree prices spike around Thanksgiving, then start gradually falling until Dec. 25.
- Average daily prices hit a max of about $142 on Nov. 28 last year, sliding to just under $58 on Christmas Eve.
Polls
Independent, UK - A survey by the Public Policy Institute of California has found that both Newsom personally and the state’s Democratic-majority legislature have surged in popularity in the second half of the year, a period in which the governor has relentlessly trolled President Donald Trump on social media and passed a new House map to counteract Republican gerrymandering in Texas.
Their leadership is clearly appreciated, with Newsom’s favorability rating rising from 46 percent in June to 56 percent in November, while the legislature’s popularity is up 8 points to 53 percent over the same period.
Their leadership is clearly appreciated, with Newsom’s favorability rating rising from 46 percent in June to 56 percent in November, while the legislature’s popularity is up 8 points to 53 percent over the same period.
Record number of Americans think they'll be worse off financially next year
Newsweek - A record number of Americans think they’ll be worse off financially next year, marking the highest percentage in either of Trump’s presidential terms of those who are fearing the worst at any point.
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 38.97 percent of Americans said they’ll be worse off next year financially. The last time it was this high was in November 2023.
“It reflects an economy that is technically growing, but doesn’t feel like it is improving fast enough for regular households,” Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, told Newsweek.
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 38.97 percent of Americans said they’ll be worse off next year financially. The last time it was this high was in November 2023.
“It reflects an economy that is technically growing, but doesn’t feel like it is improving fast enough for regular households,” Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com, told Newsweek.
How much doctors are paid
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Trump's war against the environment
Inside Climate News - From his first days in office, President Donald Trump set out to unleash
fossil fuel extraction, retreat from clean energy development, halt
investment in environmental justice, and slash the budgets of government
agencies responsible for environmental regulation and monitoring.
Our entire newsroom mobilized to track the policy rollbacks, the data erasures, the staffing cuts, and the funding clawbacks. The whole body of work – more than 350 stories – is collected here: Trump 2.0: The Reckoning.
Included in the series is this exclusive scorecard that tracks federal lawsuits on climate and the environment involving the administration. It chronicles the counter-offensive being mounted in the courts by advocates and states working to preserve America’s infrastructure of environmental protection.
Our entire newsroom mobilized to track the policy rollbacks, the data erasures, the staffing cuts, and the funding clawbacks. The whole body of work – more than 350 stories – is collected here: Trump 2.0: The Reckoning.
Included in the series is this exclusive scorecard that tracks federal lawsuits on climate and the environment involving the administration. It chronicles the counter-offensive being mounted in the courts by advocates and states working to preserve America’s infrastructure of environmental protection.
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