The Daily Populous

Thursday October 14th, 2021 evening edition

image for Justice Alito complains, but the evidence is clear: This Supreme Court was built by dark money

Justice Samuel Alito wants desperately for us to believe that everything is just fine at the Supreme Court.

Before an audience at Notre Dame on Sept. 30, Alito denounced "unprecedented efforts to intimidate the court."

The problem for Justice Alito's sense of grievance is that the evidence supports our concerns.

Americans' perception that the court lacks independence, and the court's related drop in approval, doesn't flow from some left-wing conspiracy.

It's a recognition that the evidence shows a pattern whenever certain interests come before the court.

All of this required boatloads of anonymous money; what people who study this clandestine activity call "dark money."

And the Court That Dark Money Built has squandered the benefit of the doubt. »

UK's Prince William says great minds should focus on saving Earth not space travel

Authored by reuters.com
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"We need some of the world's greatest brains and minds fixed on trying to repair this planet, not trying to find the next place to go and live," William said of the space race.

"We need to do that to solve the problems here on Earth," said Bezos, who on Wednesday celebrated sending Star Trek actor William Shatner into space in his New Shepard spacecraft.

1/2 Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge visits to officially open The Balfour, Orkney Hospital in Kirkwall, Scotland, Britain May 25, 2021. »

Deere & Co. workers go on strike after rejecting contract

Authored by apnews.com
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MOLINE, Ill. (AP) — More than 10,000 Deere & Co. workers went on strike Thursday, the first major walkout at the agricultural machinery giant in more than three decades.

Swenson said the impact of the strike could spread further if companies that supply Deere factories have to begin laying off workers.

So Deere will face pressure from suppliers and from customers who need parts for their Deere equipment to settle the strike quickly. »

Woman who allegedly pretended to be a doctor and issued fake COVID exemptions 'doesn't believe she's done anything wrong'

Authored by abc.net.au
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Key points: Police said the woman does not hold a medical doctorate and is not registered as a health practitioner within Australia.

She was charging up to $150 for fake "medical exemption" certificates She faces fines up to $10,000 and potential jail time.

She was charged under Health Practitioner National Law with five counts of taking a title indicating a person is a health practitioner. »

Analysis-With an eye on China, Japan's ruling party makes unprecedented defence spending pledge

Authored by mobile.reuters.com

TOKYOTOKYO (Reuters) - An unprecedented election pledge by Japan's ruling party to double defence spending underscores the nation's haste to acquire missiles, stealth fighters, drones and other weapons to deter China's military in the disputed East China Sea.

Experts don't expect new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to double spending anytime soon, given Japan's debt-saddled public finances and a pandemic-stricken economy.

For now, however, the LDP defence spending pledge does not say how any extra money would be spent or indicate when the 2% goal would be reached. »