TMI Show Ep 203: “The Future Is Plastics”

Ted is back from his ICE deportation gulag! On “The TMI Show with Ted Rall and Manila Chan,” we’re finishing the week talking about the news you need to know but aren’t hearing anywhere else.

A sixth round of UN negotiations to create a landmark treaty to end plastic pollution collapsed, missing the deadline yesterday. There’s a between roughly 100 nations pushing to curb plastic production, and oil-producing states like Saudi Arabia who want more recycling—though that’s been a failure. Microplastics, containing toxic chemicals, are increasingly found in soil, water, air, and human organs, raising urgent health and environmental concerns. Island nations like Palau are furious, facing disproportionate impacts from a crisis they have nothing to do with. Will humanity get its act together?

Plus:

• Felony Assault with a Sandwich: Sean Dunn, a former DOJ employee, has been slammed felony assault charges after he tossed a Subway sandwich at a federal agent in DC, striking a Customs and Border Protection goon and calling him a “fascist.” In an odd effort to show they’re not really “fascists,” Trump’s Attorney General Pam Bondi fired Dunn, condemning the act as disrespectful to fascist goons.

• Adidas’ Cultural Appropriation: Homage or theft? Adidas and designer Willy Chavarria’s “Oaxaca Slip On” sneaker, inspired by Mexico’s huarache, faces accusations of cultural appropriation for not involving Oaxacan artisans or obtaining indigenous consent. Mexican authorities are exploring legal action under laws protecting cultural heritage, while Adidas negotiates compensation.

• Meno-Divorce Surge: Divorce rates among adults over 50 are rising, with menopause and perimenopause playing a role. Symptoms like irritability and low sex drive, combined with life stress, push many to end unhappy marriages. Are they really unhappy or are they crazy? Untreated menopausal symptoms contribute to relationship breakdowns, and treatment can sometimes repair partnerships.

• Trump High on Marijuana Reclassification: The President is considering reclassifying marijuana from a Schedule I to a less dangerous drug at the federal level, potentially aligning it with things like Tylenol with codeine. The move would mark a historic shift in federal drug policy but not legalize recreational use.