Harv's Corner

Ignoring global warming is profoundly dangerous, as it accelerates the accumulation of greenhouse gases, resulting in more frequent and intense heat waves, droughts, and storms. This escalating climate disruption threatens global food and water supplies, causes catastrophic sea-level rise that endangers coastal communities, and triggers widespread ecosystem collapse, jeopardizing the stability of human civilization and the natural world.

​CLIMATE DECLINE IS SPEEDING UP
Release of greenhouse gas nears key limit.

By SETH BORENSTEIN • The Associated Press

​WASHINGTON - Humans are on track to release so much greenhouse gas in less than three years that a key threshold for limiting global warming will be nearly unavoidable, according to a study scheduled for release on Thursday.

The report predicts that society will have emitted enough carbon dioxide by early 2028, making it more likely than not that crossing an important long-term temperature boundary will occur. The scientists calculate that by that point, there will be enough of the heat-trapping gas in the atmosphere to create a 50-50 chance or greater that the world will be locked into 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) of long-term warming since preindustrial times. That level of gas accumulation, which comes from the burning of fuels such as gasoline, oil, and coal, is sooner than the same group of 60 international scientists calculated in a study last year.

"Things aren't just getting worse. They're getting worse faster," said study co-author Zeke Hausfather of the tech firm Stripe and the climate monitoring group Berkeley Earth. "We're actively moving in the wrong direction in a critical period of time that we would need to meet our most ambitious climate goals. In some reports, there's a silver lining. I don't think there really is one in this one."

The 1.5 degrees Celsius goal, first set in the 2015 Paris Agreement, has been a cornerstone of international efforts to curb the worsening effects of climate change. Scientists say that crossing this limit would mean worse heatwaves and droughts, bigger storms, and sea-level rise that could imperil small island nations. Over the last 150 years, scientists have established a direct correlation between the release of specific levels of carbon dioxide, along with other greenhouse gases such as methane, and corresponding increases in global temperatures.

In Thursday's Indicators of Global Climate Change report, researchers calculated that society can spew only 143 billion more tons of carbon dioxide before the 1.5 limit becomes technically inevitable. The world is producing 46 billion tons a year, so the inevitability should occur around February 2028, as the report is measured from the start of this year, the scientists wrote. The world now stands at approximately 1.24 degrees Celsius (2.23 degrees Fahrenheit) of long-term warming since pre-industrial times, the report stated.

Earth's energy imbalance
The report, published in the journal Earth System Science Data, shows that the rate of human-caused warming per decade has increased to nearly half a degree (0.27 degrees Celsius) per decade, according to Hausfather. And the imbalance between the heat Earth absorbs from the sun and the amount it radiates out to space, a key climate change signal, is accelerating, the report said.
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"It's quite a depressing picture, unfortunately, where if you look across the indicators, we find that records are really being broken everywhere," said lead author Piers Forster, director of the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures at the University of Leeds in England. "I can't conceive of a situation where we can really avoid passing 1.5 degrees of very long-term temperature change."

The increase in emissions from burning fossil fuels is the main driver. However, reduced particle pollution, which includes soot and smog, is another factor because those particles have a cooling effect that masks even more warming from appearing, scientists said. Changes in clouds also factor in. That all shows up in Earth's energy imbalance, which is now 25% higher than it was just a decade or so ago, Forster said.

Earth's energy imbalance "is the most important measure of the amount of heat being trapped in the system," Hausfather said. The Earth continues to absorb more heat than it releases. "It is very clearly accelerating. It's worrisome," he said.

Crossing the temperature limit
The planet temporarily passed the key 1.5 limit last year. The world experienced 1.52 degrees Celsius (2.74 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming since preindustrial times for an entire year in 2024, but the Paris threshold is intended to be measured over a longer period, typically 20 years. Still, the globe could reach that long-term threshold in the next few years, even if individual years haven't consistently hit that mark, due to how the Earth's carbon cycle works.

That 1.5 is "a clear limit, a political limit for which countries have decided that beyond which the impact of climate change would be unacceptable to their societies," said study co-author Joeri Rogelj, a climate scientist at Imperial College London.

The mark is so important because once it is crossed, many small island nations could eventually disappear because of sea level rise, and scientific evidence shows that the impacts become particularly extreme beyond that level, especially hurting poor and vulnerable populations, he said. He added that efforts to curb emissions and the effects of climate change must continue even if the 1.5-degree threshold is exceeded.

Crossing the threshold "means increasingly more frequent and severe climate extremes of the type we are now seeing all too often in the U.S. and around the world — unprecedented heat waves, extreme hot drought, extreme rainfall events, and bigger storms," said University of Michigan environment school dean Jonathan Overpeck, who wasn't part of the study.

Andrew Dessler, a Texas A&M University climate scientist who wasn't part of the study, said the 1.5 °C goal was aspirational and not realistic, so people shouldn't focus on that particular threshold.
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"Missing it does not mean the end of the world," Dessler said in an email, though he agreed that "each tenth of a degree of warming will bring increasingly worse impacts."

Really?  
Deploying the military, and specifically the Marines, to counter domestic demonstrations is fundamentally at odds with the principles of a democratic society and risks escalating tensions rather than resolving them. Military forces are trained and equipped for combat against foreign adversaries, a mission centered on the use of overwhelming and lethal force, which is entirely inappropriate for managing civilian protests protected by rights of assembly and free speech. The introduction of troops, who are not trained in de-escalation or crowd control techniques used by civilian police, can be perceived as an act of war against the citizenry, irrevocably damaging the trust between the people and their government.This can lead to a rapid and tragic escalation of violence, turning a protest into a conflict zone and undermining the very liberties the armed forces are sworn to defend.

U.S. troops could be sent to more American cities
Trump administration could surge National Guard; Newsom calls it “brazen abuse of power.”
By SHAWN HUBLER, ERIC SCHMITT and THOMAS FULLER • The New York Times

​
LOS ANGELES - Trump administration officials said Wednesday that they were prepared to deploy more troops and National Guard units to counter the growing number of demonstrations against the White House's immigration crackdown, threatening to expand what California Gov. Gavin Newsom condemned as a "brazen abuse of power."

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators at an Appropriations Committee hearing on Wednesday that the same legal authorities the Pentagon used to send nearly 5,000 Marines and National Guard troops to Los Angeles in recent days could be employed in other cities "if there are riots in places where law enforcement officers are threatened."

"We would have the capability to surge National Guard there, if necessary," he said.

A spokesperson for the U.S. military's Northern Command said that the Marines, who have arrived in the Los Angeles area, were receiving training on how to handle civil disturbances and not yet assisting the National Guard troops or federal immigration agents.

Under Department of Defense policy, they can detain, but not arrest, people, and then they must hand them over to local officials as soon as possible.

The decision to deploy Marines and National Guard troops in Los Angeles was made without the consultation of Newsom, who in a nationally televised address Tuesday night urged Americans to stand up to Trump, calling it a "perilous moment" for democracy and the country's long-held legal norms.

"California may be first, but it clearly won't end here," Newsom said, speaking to cameras from a studio in Los Angeles. "Other states are next. Democracy is next."

California has requested a temporary order that would limit the National Guard and Marines' presence in Los Angeles to guarding federal buildings. On Wednesday, the Trump administration filed its response, arguing that the state's legal objections — including that the guard callup order did not go through Newsom — are meritless. The Justice Department cited memos from the Vietnam War era, written by the future Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist, for the idea that presidents have inherent power to use the military to protect federal buildings and functions against protesters, notwithstanding a 19th-century law that generally makes it illegal to use troops for law enforcement.

Newsom's televised comments on Tuesday, the first night of a curfew in downtown Los Angeles, came as Gov.

Greg Abbott of Texas said he would deploy National Guard troops ahead of expected protests across the state, a move that aligns with the governor's long-standing calls for more aggressive action to stem illegal immigration.

The mayor of San Antonio, Ron Nirenberg, called the extra presence unnecessary and said the Trump administration's approach was "theater and provocation."

Protesters have gathered in a growing number of cities across the country, including Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Boston; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; New York; Minneapolis; Philadelphia; Santa Ana, Calif.; San Antonio; San Francisco; and Seattle.

In Los Angeles, where the protests ignited last week, the police department said Wednesday that 203 people were arrested and charged with failure to disperse after the overnight curfew began downtown on Tuesday. More than a dozen other people were arrested and charged with curfew violations, according to the police.
In many cities, the protests have been small and localized, although the number of arrests has been rising.

Police in New York City arrested 86 protesters on Tuesday night during an hourslong demonstration against Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to an internal police report obtained by the New York Times.

In Chicago, where some demonstrators threw water bottles at police officers and vandalized at least two vehicles, police arrested 17 people during protests that drew thousands Tuesday, a department spokesperson said.

The portrayal of the protests varied widely across the political spectrum, with Democrats strongly criticizing the deployment of U.S. troops to quell the demonstrations, arguing that troops should be used inside the United States only in the rarest and most extreme situations. Republicans have cast the protests as chaotic and violent and necessitating a forceful response.

Many Americans are likely to have caught glimpses on television or social media of burning vehicles and tussles between protesters and police officers in Los Angeles and elsewhere. Where the public will come down on the demonstrations and federal response remains unclear, but curtailing illegal immigration is among the most popular Trump administration policies in opinion polls.

The Department of Homeland Security echoed the language of administration officials on Wednesday in describing the Los Angeles protests as "riots." The department noted that ICE officials had arrested a man on an attempted murder charge and accused him of throwing a Molotov cocktail at law enforcement officers during the protests.

The department said the man, Emiliano Garduno- Galvez, is a Mexican national in the country illegally.

The administration appears set on hastening the pace of immigration raids in the face of the demonstrations against them.

Mario Trujillo, a member of the Downey, Calif., City Council, in Los Angeles County, said at a news conference that federal immigration officials had raided a Home Depot and an LA Fitness location on Wednesday and arrested a man who was with his granddaughter in front of a place of worship.

"These raids at Home Depots, restaurants, places of worship or schools are not keeping our community safe," Trujillo said. "They are creating havoc and fear."

Heightened tensions over the administration's use of the military in domestic affairs seem likely to extend into the weekend, given Trump's plans on Saturday for a parade in Washington to mark the Army's 250th anniversary.
The event will coincide with his 79th birthday.

On Tuesday, Trump warned that any protests at the parade would "be met with very big force."
​
Activist groups are organizing protests on Saturday, in what they are calling the "No Kings Nationwide Day of Defiance." The organizers said the protests are intended to "reject corrupt, authoritarian politics in the United States."

Harv's Corner

Understanding Artificial Intelligence is no longer optional; it's essential for navigating our modern world. As this transformative technology increasingly shapes everything from our daily routines and job market to critical societal and ethical questions, a basic comprehension is vital for informed participation in the future.

Artificial Intelligence - What is it?

​​Does the concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI) scare you or intimidate you? Or do you figure it won’t actually impact your life, so why bother learning about it? Well, AI is definitely entering – and improving – your life, whether you choose it or not.

When I first wrote about ChatGPT several years ago, AI was viewed as a powerful tool to collect information from huge databases, and sort it out to provide answers to questions. Since then AI has quickly morphed into a useful tool for business and individuals, creating accurate and life-like interactions that make outcomes easier.

For example, the new Social Security Commissioner, a former tech payments CEO, has announced that Social Security will soon be using AI in its call centers. If the idea of talking to a “robot” sends chills down your spine, think again. In this column, I’ll show you a company that is already using AI in its call center – and generating responses that truly make you think you’re talking to a helpful person.

A Reality Check
It’s a generational thing. When I want help after calling a toll-free number for product information or credit card adjustments or insurance issues, I want to talk to an intelligent human being. I guess there aren’t enough to go around! One of my pet peeves is being transferred to a voice messaging system that tries to “help” me decide how to get answers to a simple question. They offer five choices, none of which is helpful.

Representative, please!
The only thing worse than a voice-activated decision tree is getting transferred to a live person who just happens to live in the Philippines or some remote island, and who is obviously responding off a pre-arranged script. If I ask to talk to a supervisor, I’m told there is no supervisor available! Don’t these companies care about their customers? (Insert your own swear word here!)

Artificial Intelligence That’s Real
So I must say I was absolutely shocked to hear a demonstration of Artificial Intelligence being used by eHealth to start the process of guiding seniors to the appropriate choices for Medicare programs. For many years, eHealth has been a popular health insurance marketplace that helps people find the right insurance coverage by comparison-shopping plans from over 180 insurers for coverage ranging from Medicare Advantage and supplemental plans to individual and family health policies, along with other benefits such as dental and vision. Many people access eHealth through their website – eHealth.com. Others use their toll-free number 1-800-EHEALTH (1-800-343-2584) to reach their licensed and helpful insurance agents. Getting to the agent licensed in your state of residence, and knowledgeable about your specific product request, could take a lot of time during busy days around Medicare enrollment. And what about calls that come in late at night?

That’s why eHealth created “Alice” –
an AI “agent” who does not actually sell insurance policies, but who asks relevant questions to direct you to the correct licensed agent. You’d swear that you are talking to a live person, since “her” responses are not only appropriate but friendly. Listening to the demo that eHealth sent me, I was absolutely blown away. I knew that you’d want to hear the same thing, so if you are reading this column online at my website – www.TerrySavage.com – you can click on this link in the article  

(Note - to listen to this you may have to copy and paste into your URL)
​https://news.ehealthinsurance.com/ehealth-ai-voice-screener-demo

​In this case, an audio demo is worth a thousand words! Even if you’re not shopping for health insurance, I recommend listening to this short clip of an interaction between someone calling the toll-free line late at night and the AI agent, “Alice.” This company has taken AI to the next level. Suddenly, you’ll understand how much more helpful an AI agent can be than a call center in the middle of nowhere! And, on a personal level, you’ll see how AI has so much potential to change our lives for the better (yes, or for the worse)
.
I spoke with Ketan Babaria, Chief Digital and AI Officer of eHealth. He notes that while AI is not (yet) selling policies, it is making a big difference in their processes:

“Our new AI agents are trained to be patient, caring and sympathetic. As a result, we are making it easier and faster for people to start the shopping process for a Medicare plan, enabling them to more quickly connect with a licensed agent who can help them comparison shop for the right health coverage.”

So the next time you hear that your call will be answered by AI, don’t hang up in fear, hoping that the next time you’ll get a “real person.” Odds are that soon you’ll be connecting with many AI agents. And there are even better odds are that you’ll get the correct answer from a compassionate robot than you’d get from the overworked and underinformed call center worker.

​That’s The Savage Truth.

Harv's Corner

I believe . . . 
The U.S. government should support free college for its young citizens because it represents a strategic investment in the nation's future prosperity and global competitiveness. By eliminating the financial barrier of tuition, a larger segment of the population, particularly those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, would be able to access higher education. This would lead to a more educated and skilled workforce, fostering innovation, boosting economic growth through increased consumer spending and tax revenues, and reducing reliance on social safety nets. Ultimately, free college is an investment in human capital that yields substantial returns for individuals and the nation as a whole, ensuring a more equitable and robust society.

Millions with late student loans are hit with bad credit
Drop is akin to filing for bankruptcy and could lead to pricier loans.
By ABHA BHATTARAI
​The Washington Post

​
Millions of Americans are suddenly facing dramatically lower credit scores from delinquent student loans, making it tougher for them to secure housing, insurance, car loans, even employment at a vulnerable time for the U.S. economy.

Credit scores dipped by more than 100 points for 2.2 million delinquent student loan borrowers and 150 points or more for over 1 million in the first three months of 2025, according to an analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. It's the kind of credit score drop that follows a personal bankruptcy filing. About 2.4 million of those Americans previously had favorable credit scores and would have qualified for car loans, mortgages or credit cards before these delinquencies were reported, researchers said.

The slide in credit scores could lead to pricier loans for millions as borrowing costs are near 20-year highs. The Federal Reserve has signaled that it doesn't plan to cut interest rates right away.

Already there are signs that lower credit scores are making it harder for more Americans to get loans, with rejection rates for auto loans, credit cards and mortgage refinancing all ticking up in February, compared with a year earlier.

Tina Johnson was two days away from finalizing the purchase of a used Nissan Pathfinder when she got notice that her preapproved loan was no longer valid. Her credit score had fallen from 650 to 418 after she missed $440 worth of student loan payments that she didn't realize were required again. Although the U.S. Department of Education said lenders would send borrowers a bill at least three weeks before it was due, Johnson said she was never notified that payments needed to resume.

"Nothing, no email, no phone call, no letter — I could've avoided all this if I had known," said Johnson, 44, who lives in Fleming County, Ky.
Johnson's expected car payment of $350 a month nearly doubled overnight, making it unaffordable for the DoorDash delivery driver. She's stuck with her 12-year-old Nissan Altima for now. Johnson says she's also putting off other plans, including borrowing against her home to repair her roof and going back to school for a bachelor's degree .

"I took care of the accounts, but there's nothing else I can do," she said. "It'll take me years to get those 200 points back."

Federal student loan payments were paused early in the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020, offering millions of Americans relief at a time of economic upheaval and high unemployment. Although payments started back up in late 2023, the Biden administration offered a yearlong grace period. That ended on Sept. 30, but millions of borrowers have yet to make a payment on their student loans.

This month the federal government restarted collection efforts for defaulted student loans and said it will resume seizing wages, tax returns and Social Security payments this summer, making the stakes even higher.

Nearly 1 in 4 borrowers required to make loan repayments were more than 90 days behind at the end of March, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York analysis. And although younger Americans tend to hold the most student debt, borrowers ages 40 and older are most likely to be behind on their loans, suggesting that years of inflation are making it harder for middle-aged Americans to keep up with payments.

"This is the beginning of something big, and we need to be paying attention," said Dominik Mjartan, chief executive of American Pride Bank in Macon, Ga. "There's a very high cost to having a low credit score in America. Your cost of living goes up — your cellphone bill, your utilities, your insurance payments, everything. And that trickles down through the economy."

Credit scores, which generally range from 300 to 850, offer a snapshot of a person's financial history that takes into account debt levels, bill-paying record and length of credit background. They're used by lenders of all types, as well as landlords, employers, insurance firms, cellphone providers and utility companies to gauge how likely someone is to make loan payments on time. A good credit score, generally 670 or higher, can translate to lower interest rates and higher credit limits, while a subprime score, under 620, can disqualify borrowers from most conventional loans.

"It's been a major hit to credit scores, and for a lot of people, has been enough to put them in subprime territory, making it very difficult to get loans at decent interest rates," said Stefania Albanesi, an economics professor at the University of Miami and a former researcher at the New York Fed. "And while credit scores can drop quickly, they recover very slowly. Even if you've gotten back on track with your payments, it can take years to get back to where you were before."

Kayla Moore found out in March that her credit score — a "good" 730 — had fallen by more than 100 points to become subprime after three missed student loan payments of $30 apiece.

Moore, who had already paid off $5,500 in loans, said her father had offered to cover the last $1,000. She didn't realize those payments had slipped through the cracks until she got emails from Credit Karma and Experian. She immediately paid the balance in full but says her credit score has barely budged, to the mid-600s.
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"I basically lost my mind when I saw what had happened," said Moore, 24, who works at a bank in Chicago. "I really wanted to move to a nicer apartment this year, and now I'm worried they're going to see my credit score and immediately deny me."