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alwaysinasnit
alwaysinasnit's Journal
alwaysinasnit's Journal
December 14, 2025
The Trump FTC tried to hide a complaint showing Pepsi forced shoppers to pay higher prices everywhere but Walmart. But now it's unsealed. And the politics of affordability are explosive.
Last month, the Atlanta Fed came out with a report showing a clear relationship between consolidation in grocery stores and the rate of food inflation. Unsurprisingly, where monopolies prevail, food inflation is 0.46 percentage points higher than where there is more competition. The study showed that from 2006-2020, the cumulative difference amounted to a 9% hike in food prices, and presumably since 2020, that number has gone much higher.
Affordability, in other words, is a market power problem.
And yesterday, we got specifics on just how market power in grocery stores works. The reason is because a nonprofit just forced the government to unseal a complaint lodged by Lina Khan’s FTC against Pepsi for colluding with Walmart to raise food prices across the economy. A Trump official tasked with dealing with affordability tried to hide this complaint, and failed. And now there’s a political and legal storm as a result.
snip...
Secret Documents Show Pepsi and Walmart Colluded to Raise Food Prices Across the Economy
https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/secret-documents-show-pepsi-and-walmartThe Trump FTC tried to hide a complaint showing Pepsi forced shoppers to pay higher prices everywhere but Walmart. But now it's unsealed. And the politics of affordability are explosive.
Last month, the Atlanta Fed came out with a report showing a clear relationship between consolidation in grocery stores and the rate of food inflation. Unsurprisingly, where monopolies prevail, food inflation is 0.46 percentage points higher than where there is more competition. The study showed that from 2006-2020, the cumulative difference amounted to a 9% hike in food prices, and presumably since 2020, that number has gone much higher.
Affordability, in other words, is a market power problem.
And yesterday, we got specifics on just how market power in grocery stores works. The reason is because a nonprofit just forced the government to unseal a complaint lodged by Lina Khan’s FTC against Pepsi for colluding with Walmart to raise food prices across the economy. A Trump official tasked with dealing with affordability tried to hide this complaint, and failed. And now there’s a political and legal storm as a result.
snip...
November 15, 2025
A federal judge delivered a blistering blow to the Trump administration on Friday, ordering officials to stop using the threat of massive research funding cuts to coerce the University of California into accepting sweeping viewpoint-based restrictions – a tactic she said violated the First Amendment, the New York Times reported.
Judge Rita F. Lin of the Federal District Court in San Francisco said the administration’s pressure campaign had veered into outright retaliation and barred the government “from seeking payments” or tying federal dollars to ideological conditions in its investigations of the 10-campus UC system.
The 80-page ruling – which the Times called “an extraordinary rebuke to the federal government’s pressure campaign against elite schools” – threatens to upend settlement talks after the Justice Department demanded more than $1 billion from the university earlier this year, the publication said.
“Trump administration officials have spent much of this year trying to remake elite American universities that they perceive as hubs of liberal indoctrination and depict as epicenters of antisemitism,” according to the Times. “They have often wielded the halting of federal research funding to prod schools into negotiations, and the government has already reached settlements with a handful of top universities, including Brown, Columbia and Cornell.”
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'Extraordinary rebuke': Judge torches Trump's sweeping push against major university
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-university-of-california/A federal judge delivered a blistering blow to the Trump administration on Friday, ordering officials to stop using the threat of massive research funding cuts to coerce the University of California into accepting sweeping viewpoint-based restrictions – a tactic she said violated the First Amendment, the New York Times reported.
Judge Rita F. Lin of the Federal District Court in San Francisco said the administration’s pressure campaign had veered into outright retaliation and barred the government “from seeking payments” or tying federal dollars to ideological conditions in its investigations of the 10-campus UC system.
The 80-page ruling – which the Times called “an extraordinary rebuke to the federal government’s pressure campaign against elite schools” – threatens to upend settlement talks after the Justice Department demanded more than $1 billion from the university earlier this year, the publication said.
“Trump administration officials have spent much of this year trying to remake elite American universities that they perceive as hubs of liberal indoctrination and depict as epicenters of antisemitism,” according to the Times. “They have often wielded the halting of federal research funding to prod schools into negotiations, and the government has already reached settlements with a handful of top universities, including Brown, Columbia and Cornell.”
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October 18, 2025
Checking in from the Cotati, CA protest (10 miles south of Santa Rosa)
It's a small town and the main intersection area included a tiny park. I estimated about 1500 people showed up, in the park and lining the adjacent sidewalks. There was also constant honking from the passing cars. Very encouraging.
September 9, 2025
It’s been some time since Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been seen using a tool known as a Stingray, or a cell-site simulator, in its attempts to find and remove undocumented immigrants. The tool tricks a phone into thinking it’s a cell tower, and when a suspect’s device connects, the cops can trace its location. Its use is controversial because anyone in the same area as the target is at risk of having their information exposed.
In a recently-unsealed search warrant reviewed by Forbes, ICE used such a cell-site simulator in an attempt to track down an individual in Orem, Utah. The suspect had been ordered to leave the U.S. in 2023, but is believed to still be in the country. Investigators learned last month that before going to Utah, he’d escaped prison in Venezuela where he was serving a sentence for murder, according to the warrant. He’s also suspected of being linked to gang activity in the country, investigators said.
When the government got the target’s number, they first got a warrant to get its location. However, the trace wasn’t precise–it only told law enforcement that the target was somewhere in an area covering about 30 blocks. That led them to asking a court for a Stingray-type device to get an accurate location.
The warrant was issued at the end of last month and it’s not yet known if the fugitive was found. But the case shows that, despite having been criticized by civil rights groups for using Stingrays during the last Trump administration, ICE continues to use the technology. Earlier this year, new media publication Straight Arrow News said it had analysed “mobile network anomalies” around a Washington state protest against ICE raids that were consistent with Stingray use.
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This topic was previously introduced by DU'er douglas9 in July
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220476160
How ICE Is Using Fake Cell Towers To Spy On People's Phones
https://www.forbes.com/sites/the-wiretap/2025/09/09/how-ice-is-using-fake-cell-towers-to-spy-on-peoples-phones/It’s been some time since Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been seen using a tool known as a Stingray, or a cell-site simulator, in its attempts to find and remove undocumented immigrants. The tool tricks a phone into thinking it’s a cell tower, and when a suspect’s device connects, the cops can trace its location. Its use is controversial because anyone in the same area as the target is at risk of having their information exposed.
In a recently-unsealed search warrant reviewed by Forbes, ICE used such a cell-site simulator in an attempt to track down an individual in Orem, Utah. The suspect had been ordered to leave the U.S. in 2023, but is believed to still be in the country. Investigators learned last month that before going to Utah, he’d escaped prison in Venezuela where he was serving a sentence for murder, according to the warrant. He’s also suspected of being linked to gang activity in the country, investigators said.
When the government got the target’s number, they first got a warrant to get its location. However, the trace wasn’t precise–it only told law enforcement that the target was somewhere in an area covering about 30 blocks. That led them to asking a court for a Stingray-type device to get an accurate location.
The warrant was issued at the end of last month and it’s not yet known if the fugitive was found. But the case shows that, despite having been criticized by civil rights groups for using Stingrays during the last Trump administration, ICE continues to use the technology. Earlier this year, new media publication Straight Arrow News said it had analysed “mobile network anomalies” around a Washington state protest against ICE raids that were consistent with Stingray use.
snip...
-----------------------
This topic was previously introduced by DU'er douglas9 in July
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220476160
July 17, 2025
'Liberals were right': Far-right Trump ally calls MAGA 'biggest scam in history'
White supremacist and antisemitic podcaster and Donald Trump supporter Nick Fuentes went on an epic rant attacking the president as "fat" and "a joke."
Speaking on his Thursday podcast, Fuentes questioned, "And now he says if you're not on board with the Epstein coverup — oh, I don't want your support. You're a weakling."
“F--- you. F--- you," Fuentes blasted. "You suck. You’re fat. You’re a joke. You’re stupid. You’re not funny. You're not as smart as you think you are. And, honestly, if you watch my show, you know I've been very critical; I've never been this far. This just goes to show this entire thing has been a scam. When we look back on the history of populism in America, we are going to look back on the MAGA movement as the biggest scam in history, and the liberals were right. The MAGA supporters were had. They were."
"When we look back in history, we will see Trump as a scam artist who served as a vehicle for this rather than the other way around. We were not the vehicle for Trump. Trump was the vehicle for all of us," he later said.
snip...
Is it possible that pigs are now flying? Nick Fuentes turning on tsf?
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-epstein-2673339959/'Liberals were right': Far-right Trump ally calls MAGA 'biggest scam in history'
White supremacist and antisemitic podcaster and Donald Trump supporter Nick Fuentes went on an epic rant attacking the president as "fat" and "a joke."
Speaking on his Thursday podcast, Fuentes questioned, "And now he says if you're not on board with the Epstein coverup — oh, I don't want your support. You're a weakling."
“F--- you. F--- you," Fuentes blasted. "You suck. You’re fat. You’re a joke. You’re stupid. You’re not funny. You're not as smart as you think you are. And, honestly, if you watch my show, you know I've been very critical; I've never been this far. This just goes to show this entire thing has been a scam. When we look back on the history of populism in America, we are going to look back on the MAGA movement as the biggest scam in history, and the liberals were right. The MAGA supporters were had. They were."
"When we look back in history, we will see Trump as a scam artist who served as a vehicle for this rather than the other way around. We were not the vehicle for Trump. Trump was the vehicle for all of us," he later said.
snip...
July 11, 2025
Missouri's Republican governor on Thursday signed legislation repealing the paid sick leave portion of a ballot measure that the state's voters approved with nearly 60% support in the 2024 election.
The short-lived provision, which will officially be repealed on August 28, required Missouri employers to provide workers with an hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours of work. Businesses with 15 or more employees were required to provide up to 56 hours of earned paid sick time per year, and businesses with fewer than 15 employees were required to provide at least 40 hours of paid sick time.
The Missouri Budget Project estimated before its passage that the ballot measure's paid sick leave benefits would reach 728,000 private-sector workers in the state.
The bill that Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe signed Thursday, known as H.B. 567, also restricts increases in the state's minimum wage. The voter-approved initiative called for raising the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour in 2026 and indexing it to inflation thereafter. H.B. 567 eliminates the inflation adjustment.
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'Slap in the face': GOP governor defies voters and repeals paid sick leave
https://www.rawstory.com/slap-in-the-face-gop-governor-defies-voters-and-repeals-paid-sick-leave/Missouri's Republican governor on Thursday signed legislation repealing the paid sick leave portion of a ballot measure that the state's voters approved with nearly 60% support in the 2024 election.
The short-lived provision, which will officially be repealed on August 28, required Missouri employers to provide workers with an hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours of work. Businesses with 15 or more employees were required to provide up to 56 hours of earned paid sick time per year, and businesses with fewer than 15 employees were required to provide at least 40 hours of paid sick time.
The Missouri Budget Project estimated before its passage that the ballot measure's paid sick leave benefits would reach 728,000 private-sector workers in the state.
The bill that Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe signed Thursday, known as H.B. 567, also restricts increases in the state's minimum wage. The voter-approved initiative called for raising the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour in 2026 and indexing it to inflation thereafter. H.B. 567 eliminates the inflation adjustment.
snip...
July 5, 2025
Is it quiet in your neighborhood???
The silence is eerie. In past years you could hear firecrackers go off sporadically during the days leading up to the 4th. Now, nothing - not one single noisemaker, no whining of whizzing sparklers. I don't even smell the smoke from the bar-b-que grills in the neighbors' yards. 
Update: As of the original posting, no change other than 2 firecrackers going off. This is unusual.
Update #2: Nothing since last update. I am happy that it's quiet, but it's very odd.
June 24, 2025
Apple does a better job than most when it comes to privacy. But not all your iPhone's default settings are in your best interest. Some prioritize convenience over security, while others assume you're fine sharing more information than you might expect.
(list and diagrams follow)
I found this article very helpful.
9 iPhone Privacy Settings You Should Turn On Right Now
https://www.makeuseof.com/change-these-iphone-privacy-settings/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-usApple does a better job than most when it comes to privacy. But not all your iPhone's default settings are in your best interest. Some prioritize convenience over security, while others assume you're fine sharing more information than you might expect.
(list and diagrams follow)
I found this article very helpful.
June 13, 2025
The 4,000 California National Guard soldiers who President Donald Trump surged into Los Angeles remain unpaid due to delays in issuing official activation orders, leaving compensation and benefits in limbo.
According to more than a dozen Guardsmen across four units who spoke to Military.com, none has received formal activation orders, the critical paperwork that not only authorizes their duty status, but also unlocks pay, Tricare health benefits and eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs services. Without those orders, troops remain in a legal and administrative limbo.
Multiple defense officials with direct knowledge of the situation told Military.com the chaotic and sudden activation of troops has effectively clogged up the flow of administrative work.
Those Guardsmen will likely receive formal orders and the proper backpay within the next few days, but that hasn't eased the concerns for troops anxious over potential financial strains and juggling family logistics, as the Guard does not assist with child or pet care. Though with the mission only a few days old, troops haven’t missed a paycheck yet.
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Guard Soldiers Deployed in Trump's LA Crackdown Aren't Getting Paid Yet
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/06/11/guard-soldiers-deployed-trumps-la-crackdown-arent-getting-paid-yet.htmlThe 4,000 California National Guard soldiers who President Donald Trump surged into Los Angeles remain unpaid due to delays in issuing official activation orders, leaving compensation and benefits in limbo.
According to more than a dozen Guardsmen across four units who spoke to Military.com, none has received formal activation orders, the critical paperwork that not only authorizes their duty status, but also unlocks pay, Tricare health benefits and eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs services. Without those orders, troops remain in a legal and administrative limbo.
Multiple defense officials with direct knowledge of the situation told Military.com the chaotic and sudden activation of troops has effectively clogged up the flow of administrative work.
Those Guardsmen will likely receive formal orders and the proper backpay within the next few days, but that hasn't eased the concerns for troops anxious over potential financial strains and juggling family logistics, as the Guard does not assist with child or pet care. Though with the mission only a few days old, troops haven’t missed a paycheck yet.
snip...
May 18, 2025
Cooking the books? Fears Trump could target statisticians if data disappoints
Proposed rule change could pave way for president to fire economists whose figures prove politically inconvenient
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/18/trump-statisticians-economy-figures
snip...
A proposed rule change making it easier to fire civil servants deemed to be “intentionally subverting presidential directives” could pave the way for the White House to fire statisticians employed to produce objective data on the economy but whose figures prove politically inconvenient, experts warn.
Statistics released by agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are used by the Federal Reserve Bank to set inflation policy and interest rates. They also form the basis on which businesses and investors take decisions.
The US’s global reputation as a stable economic power and a reliable partner goes hand-in-hand with its long history of producing accurate data, dating back to the establishment of the BLS in 1884. Interfere with the latter and you risk sacrificing the former, experts warn.
But with Trump under pressure to explain shrinking gross domestic product (GDP) figures amid economists’ warnings that tariffs could trigger a recession, the administration could use new employment rules to pressure workers into “cooking the books”.
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