Another Monday, more bullsh*t. Pay attention to the real stuff, not the distractions. Almost October. When was the last time you cleaned your email inbox? Measles outbreaks continue.  POTUS still trying to limit freedom of the press. Snowflake…  Support local and national NPR and PBS stations. Check out the Presidential Term Countdown Clock. 845 more days.   

Kintsugi 9/28/26

 

News You Can Use

Math and reading scores are in a decade-long slump. We asked three dozen experts: What could turn things around?

 

Four supporting acts dropped out of Ed Sheeran’s tour, citing free speech rights after the rapper Macklemore was removed over pro-Palestinian comments he made onstage.

 

What is true cinnamon, and how do you know if you have it? (more)

 

Trump asked China’s president if he wanted to buy US arms, ambassador says. (more) So what did the USA get from their summit?

 

Did you know that Novo Nordisk, now called Novo, has discontinued Rybelsus tablets and replaced them with Ozempic tablets?

 

Here are the 40 worst foods for your heart, according to cardiologists and dietitians. Some of my favorite things are on this list (sigh). Moderation or substitution are the keys for me. 

 

POTUS moves to strip pollution limits from power plants near Black communities. Black Americans are most likely to live near power plants and die at the highest rate from their pollution.

 

WNBA playoffs are here. Current status after the first game?

• Las Vegas Aces v Indiana Fever: Aces won
• Minnesota Lynx v New York Liberty: Liberty won
• Atlanta Dream v. Washington Mystics: Dream won
• Golden State Valkyries v Dallas Wings: Valkyries won

 

Pennsylvania health officials said 890 measles cases have been reported across 39 counties so far this year. (more)

 

Speedy Baked Ziti

Ingredients

1 pound sweet or spicy Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups store-bought marinara sauce, such as Rao’s
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
12 ounces ziti or rigatoni
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 ½ cups chopped mozzarella, divided
¾ cup ricotta
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

 

Directions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat the oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook,
breaking up with the back of a spoon, until browned in places and cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Step 2: Stir in marinara sauce and 1 cup water. Season with salt and pepper; simmer 10 minutes.
Step 3: Meanwhile, cook 12 ounces ziti or rigatoni in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente, about 2
minutes less than package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain. Add pasta, reserved pasta
water, basil, and 3/4 cup chopped mozzarella to skillet; toss to combine. Season to taste.
Step 4: In a bowl, whisk together ricotta and heavy cream; season. Spoon mixture evenly on top of pasta.
Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup chopped mozzarella and Parmigiano. Transfer skillet to oven and bake
until ziti is browned and bubbly and edges begin to crisp, about 20 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before
serving.

 

From Leaders of the People on LinkedIn

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, but, hey, I got here. Watch out for measles. Very contagious. Fifty miles to the gulf of mexico.  Don’t forget to support local and national NPR and PBS stations. Check out the Presidential Term Countdown Clock. 851 more days.   

Kintsugi  9/22/26

 

 

Keeping up with the 411

 

 

 

“Never forget that intelligence rules the world and ignorance carries the burden. ”

– Marcus Garvey

 

 

Can you guess the real size of each country on the new world map? Take the quiz here.

 

 

Looking for a new news source? Try Ground News. Read the news from multiple perspectives. See through media bias with reliable news from local and international sources.

 

 

Republicans control all elected federal institutions, i.e., the Senate and the House of Representatives, the executive branch, and the unelected, lifetime-appointed  Supreme Court. The party in power generally bears the greatest responsibility for budgets, executive policy, appointments, and the legislative agenda. So why isn’t America great?

 

Looking for good music? Have you listened to Rhiannon Giddens? Do you know about her?  Here is a great interview on Fresh Air with Terry Gross.

 

Books on my desk…

• The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn 
• When You Loved Me by Beatriz Williams
• The Beauty of What Remains by Steve Leder
• Ransom by Daniel Silva
• We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman
• The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State by Jill Lepore 
• Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead  

 

German Chocolate Dump Cake

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking or baking spray
• 1 pkg. 2-layer-size German chocolate cake mix
• 1(5.9-oz.) pkg. chocolate instant pudding 
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans, plus more for garnish if you want
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

Directions 

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×12 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 2: Sprinkle pan with coconut and chopped pecans.

Step 3: Mix cake mix and dry pudding mix. Evenly sprinkle on top of the coconut and pecans.

Step 4: Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk,  melted butter,  and eggs until combined. Pour milk mixture over the cake mix. 

Step 5: Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Enjoy.