Actives Percent

Percent Increase in Health Insurance Premiums

Active Employees: 2026-2027

 

Back on Oct. 26, we showed you side-by-side dollar comparisons for various groups of employees and retirees on what out-of-pocket health insurance premiums would be paid for various insurance plans, 2026 versus 2027. Above is another cut on the comparison, this time showing the percent change in the premiums. For active employees, they are big changes, notably higher than the general rate of price inflation which has been running in the 3-4%/annum range.

Straws in the Wind - Part 512

From the Daily Pennsylvanian: ...Mass antigovernment protests in France [have] escalated into some of the most destructive riots the country has witnessed in decades. As the unrest spread, a safety alert system issued a public warning to [U of] Penn students studying in France. The University currently operates three active semester-long study abroad programs in Paris: Columbia in Paris at Reid Hall, HEC Paris, and the Institute of Political Studies. International SOS — an alert system all University students studying abroad are subscribed to — notified students to “expect disruption nationwide over the coming days” during the “widespread unrest.” 

“Major incidents of looting, arson and clashes with the police occurred in urban centres, including the capital Paris,” the... message read. “The gatherings carry a heightened risk of unrest, with protesters likely to erect roadblocks, set objects alight, throw projectiles and engage in looting.” ...The safety alert warned that police officers may use “forceful measures” — such as tear gas and water cannons or baton charges — to “disperse unruly crowds.”

“Leave an area at the first sign of unrest,” the message instructed. “Expect heightened security around gatherings and comply with all official directives.”

Full story at https://www.thedp.com/article/2026/10/penn-paris-protests-study-abroad-students.

If our scary Halloween offering yesterday was too much for you, here's a shorter one

Or direct to https://ia600406.us.archive.org/14/items/newsom-briefings-oct.-1-2026/Halloween%20Larry%20David.mp4.

Did you fall back?

Yes, you were supposed to fall back (set your clock back one hour) early this morning to go back to standard time. And it's also time for grumbling about why we have to change the clock. Here is a bit of AI on the current status of the debate:

Trump's Push for Permanent Daylight Saving Time

• The Legislative Status: The House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act (H.R. 139) by a wide bipartisan margin in July 2026, sending it to the Senate.

• Senate Resistance: The bill has stalled in the Senate as of late October 2026, with several senators—led by opponents like Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and lawmakers from northern states—blocking or expressing skepticism over the measure due to concerns about very late winter sunrises (such as children commuting or going to school in the dark).

• Trump's Arguments: Trump has urged the Senate to pass the bill via social media (including Truth Social), arguing that Americans are tired of changing clocks twice a year, that evening sunlight is preferable, and that more afternoon light benefits safety and recreation.

• Current Law: Permanent daylight saving time is not yet law. The country continues to follow standard federally mandated clock changes, with daylight saving time ending and clocks "falling back" an hour.

Some readers may also recall voting several years ago on a California proposition that seemed to suggest ending clock changing. So we present our semi-annual video (from 2022 when masks were still required at UCLA) on the mysteries of time (standard, daylight, and zones):

https://archive.org/details/mitchell-time-edited