Author: David Donovan

Due to a calendar error, millions of Social Security beneficiaries will not receive benefits this month. The issue affects seniors with low incomes and disabled adults who receive Social Security’s Supplemental Security Income, or SSI. The anomaly is not new since the Social Security Administration establishes its annual payment schedule well in advance of the year.  Rude Surprise Source: Social Security Administration/Facebook However, for some beneficiaries who were neither prepared for nor aware of the change in payment dates, the absence of a payment this month may still come as a rude surprise. SSI beneficiaries typically receive their checks on…

Seven conservative dominant states filed a lawsuit on Tuesday to challenge President Joe Biden’s administration’s most recent student debt forgiveness plan. They say the U.S. Department of Education was taking steps to begin canceling loans as early as this week. The lawsuit was filed less than a week after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the Biden administration’s attempt to revive a different student debt relief plan. 27.6 Million Borrowers Source: qwesy qwesy/Wikimedia Commons The plan knocked back by the Supreme Court was meant to speed up loan forgiveness for some borrowers and reduce monthly payments for millions of borrowers. State…

In response to the increasing involvement of Western nations in the conflict with Ukraine, Russia may be considering updating its nuclear doctrine. State media announced the move as they cited Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov saying there is an aim to roll out changes to the nuclear doctrine which had previously been agreed upon. “Clear Intent” Source: U.S. Department of State/Flickr Ryabkov stated, “The work is at an advanced stage, and there is a clear intent to make corrections.” The current nuclear doctrine was established by President Vladimir Putin in 2020. According to the Kyiv Post, Russia may “use nuclear…

Is your supervisor messaging you after work? Do you get a “please fix” email while you’re vacationing? In certain countries, you can now overlook these notes once you’re off the clock. Australia just joined the ranks of nations like France, Spain, and Belgium by passing a “right to disconnect” law, which became effective on August 26.  Personal Time Remaining Personal Source: ABCSharkTank/X This law ensures that personal time remains personal by allowing employees to disconnect from work-related communications outside of work hours. While many Australian workers welcome this development, not everyone is on board. One of the legislation’s outspoken critics…

Medicare Part D will undergo some changes in 2025, according to a glimpse provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. In addition, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022’s Medicare rules will begin to take effect in 2025, transforming how you pay for medications.  The Social Security Administration determines how much the Medicare program will cost each year.  Social Security Act Source: Medicare/https://www.medicare.gov/newcard Utilizing the guidelines outlined in the Social Security Act, the Social Security Administration then either raises or lowers deductibles and premiums. In the coming weeks and months, the CMS is expected to fill in the changes…

An imminent and important cosmic event will soon majorly change our perspective on Saturn. By March 2025, Earth-based observers will barely be able to see Saturn’s majestic rings. This peculiarity happens because of the unique tilt of Saturn’s axis, which will situate the rings edge-on to our point of view. Temporary Disappearance Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI As a result, citizens and astronomers alike will have the rare opportunity to witness this celestial transformation, which will also serve as a reminder of the universe’s ever-changing nature. Fortunately, this change is temporary. It is a brief cosmic occurrence that happens once every 29.5 years,…

Seattle recently carried out a $26.40 minimum wage for app-based workers. As part of the “PayUp” initiative, this law has sparked a lot of controversy in the gig economy industry. Tech company CEOs like Uber’s Dara Khosrowshahi contend that it’s hurting the economy. In the meantime, some workers have celebrated their increased income. Order Drop Source: Uber/X Delivery services report a critical drop in order volume. According to one major platform, Seattle orders have decreased by 30% since the law was implemented. This decrease has prompted an expected $5 million in lost income for local businesses. The long-term viability of…

In the event that your Social Security number was stolen in the huge theft of a reported 2.9 billion records last December, you can verify whether your own data was leaked in the National Public Data breach and safeguard your sensitive information “A third-party bad actor” hacked into the data and leaked the stolen information on the dark web, according to an August statement from National Public Data, a data broker that sells personal information to private investigators, consumer public record sites, human resources, and staffing agencies.  Class Action Lawsuit Source: Speaker Paul Ryan/Facebook National Public Data got the data…

After supporters stated that the bills would not move forward, a pair of reparations-related bills for the descendants of enslaved Black Americans were unable to pass the California legislature on Saturday. Written by Democrat state Sen. Steven Bradford of Inglewood, Senate Bill 1331 would have made another state fund for restitutions, while Senate Bill 1403 would have laid out a state agency to manage these endeavors and determine who might be eligible. Addressing Disparity Source: Coolcaesar/Wikimedia Commons These measures were thought to be crucial to the ambitious efforts of some lawmakers to pass legislation to atone for what they said…

Microbiologists have issued a warning that as humid temperatures become more common as a result of climate change, food poisoning is likely to affect a greater number of people in the future. The type of microorganism called Salmonella enterica (also known as salmonella) causes illness in approximately 1.2 million individuals in the U.S. every year, as indicated by a recent study. Salmonella Symptoms Source: FoodResearch/X In a statement, study author Professor Jeri Barak of the University of Wisconsin-Madison said, “Climate change will increase the risk of foodborne illness from consumption of raw produce.” Food contamination with salmonella might cause sickness,…