August Jobs Report Delivers Unexpectedly Strong News for US Economy

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August Jobs Report Delivers Unexpectedly Strong News for US Economy (Maria)

The author writes, “The US economy added a surprising 162,000 jobs in August, the Labor Department estimated Sept. 4, even as economists said a ‘low-hire, low-fire’ dynamic made it difficult for unemployed Americans to find work. The 162,000 estimate for August far surpassed forecasters’ expectations and marked a rebound.”

White House Launches Racist Video Games To Promote Migrant Deportations (Dana)

From Cartoon Brew: “The White House has launched an online arcade containing five derivative, crudely made video games that turn the Trump administration’s fascist playbook, including mass deportation and scapegoating immigrants for its own failures, into a bastardized form of entertainment. Promoted on social media with the declaration ‘CAN’T STOP WINNING,’ the arcade borrows, we’re using that term loosely here, liberally from Tetris, Snake, Flappy Bird, and other familiar games. The arcade is the latest example of this administration using animation and game design to sell a political message. Its crude pixel art and recycled mechanics use gaming nostalgia to make the administration’s ideology participatory, while offering its existing supporters the satisfaction of seeing their grievances and prejudices transformed into a game they can win.”

Three-Quarters of US College Students Say Israel Is Committing Genocide (Sean)

From The Electronic Intifada: “Three-quarters of US college students agree that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, according to a new survey from Brandeis University. Even among students the researchers classified as ‘Israel Supporters,’ one in four agreed. It is the headline finding of ‘American Undergraduates and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,’ a report by the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies. The survey’s results are fundamentally unfavorable to Israel but the authors devote much of the report attempting to diminish its significance. They argue that agreement Israel is perpetrating genocide ‘tells us relatively little’ about students’ wider views and speculate that many have not seriously considered what genocide means. The study was partly funded by the American Jewish Committee, a major Israel lobby group.”

Where Are They Now? Key Actors in Hope Florida Scandal Got Promoted (Bethany)

The author writes, “An explosive grand jury report found officials in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ‘misappropriated’ $10 million from a state Medicaid settlement ‘as part of a sophisticated scheme to fund political activities,’ according to a copy of the grand jury’s findings first reported by CBS News Miami. The $10 million was owed to Florida’s taxpayers, the grand jury found, but state officials carved the funds out of a larger $67 million settlement with the healthcare company Centene, to resolve allegations that the company overbilled Florida’s Medicaid program, which provides healthcare to needy Floridians, most of whom are newborns and young children, pregnant and postpartum women, adults with disabilities and the elderly. The grand jury found that in an elaborate scheme, the $10 million was quietly diverted to the Hope Florida Foundation before being passed through a string of nonprofits and political committees, including the Republican Party of Florida.”

In Chicago ERs, Extreme Heat’s Toll Goes Far Beyond the Obvious (Laura)

From Inside Climate News: “Extreme heat is filling up emergency rooms, and not just with heat stroke victims. Periods of extreme heat in Chicago in recent years were linked to more emergency department visits for a range of health harms, from kidney dysfunction and multiple sclerosis symptoms to injuries from some kinds of accidents and violence, according to a study out Wednesday from Northwestern University. Researchers analyzed more than 900,000 visits by adults to emergency rooms and urgent care facilities for all reasons across the city during its hottest days from 2011 to 2023. They found that heat was associated with spikes in a number of conditions that previous research may have missed.”

The ‘Gen Z Stare’ — And the Decline of Saying Things Out Loud (Russ)

The author writes, “It’s become a familiar TikTok trope. A millennial walks into a coffee shop and tries to order something. There are countless iterations, but the basic dynamic is the same: The cashier responds with a gawp, says as little as possible, and points to a sign. Another question; another point. One more question. Point. Eye roll. Like most good generational jokes, poking fun at the now-infamous ‘Gen Z stare’ — a silent, blank expression — works because it gets at something real: We are, quite literally, talking less.”