GJohn Perkins compares American economic hit men with China's economic hit men. China presents itself as rescuing poor countries from the former but it offers basically the same sort of trap for those countries.

Perkins is the author of _Confessions of an Economic Hit Man_ .

More information about toxins that come from gas stoves.

It seems that generation of oxides of nitrogen occurs only when there's a flame on the stove, and the other pollutants enter as part of the gas being used, which leaks at a small rate all the time.

*Call for new taxes on super-rich after 1% pocket two-thirds of all new wealth.*

John Deere, Inc., is trying to deflect real right-to-repair by making small concessions and exaggerating their significance. I decided not to post about the initial announcement, since it would predictably be one-sided. I figured we would get a clear picture soon, and we have.

John Deere made it explicitly clear that the aim is to stop states from passing the laws that do the whole job right to repair.

As for what American farmers _deserve_, that goes far beyond right to repair. They deserve tractors whose software is free, libre -- all of it. Tractors which will not communicate anything with anyone except as the tractor's driver decides, and will not obey remote commands unless the tractor's driver allows it.

The right to repair is the first battle, and a big one. Please help farmers win it -- and please explain to them the rest of our fight.

Pirate school pun:

Q: What do pirate kids study in pirate school?
A: Baking — so they can qualify for pie rating.