There’s no sunshine when you’re gone.

During this Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate Elena Odio, the proud daughter of a Mexican diplomat father and an Illinois mother. She is happily married to her loving husband, Arnold Odio, Ph.D., my Cuban-born colleague and a devoted lifelong educator.

Since our nation’s founding, millions of Hispanics have arrived in the U.S., shaping our food, music, and overall culture, while strengthening and powering our democracy and economic prosperity. We are to this day the champions of the American dream.

Desde la fundación de nuestra nación, millones de hispanos han llegado a Estados Unidos, moldeando nuestra gastronomía, música y cultura en general, a la vez que fortalecen e impulsan nuestra democracia y prosperidad económica. Somos hasta el día de hoy los defensores del sueño americano.

This phrase has double meanings. It can signify go to hell, or something worse, and it can also have a nautical meaning.

Why does the Pope prefer the White Sox? Neither the Cubs nor the White Sox is consistently the "better" team; their quality fluctuates, but the White Sox have slightly more overall success in terms of World Series titles, while the Cubs have been more consistently good more recently. In any given year, the better team is determined by current performance, which varies, making it a subjective choice for fans to decide based on their loyalties.

For generations, America has stood as a beacon of freedom, defending the principles of democracy, transparency, and the free flow of information. The US has carried that legacy across international datelines and through time, delivering truth where lies prevail and hope where silence reigns. Trump blaming Joe Biden “for bad economic news won’t work as an excuse for much longer,” warned the newspaper’s conservative editorial board. There’s more from other sources. Key Data & Claims 911,000 fewer jobs in the 12 months to March 2025 (benchmark revision) Politico: “Revised figures show US added 900,000 fewer jobs than previously estimated” Politico Investopedia: “A preliminary annual revision by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revealed that the U.S. economy added 911,000 fewer jobs between March 2024 and March 2025 than previously estimated.” Investopedia AP News: “New data shows the US job market was much weaker than thought in 2024, and this year as well” (includes this revision) AP News Financial Times: “US hiring growth revised down by 911,000 jobs in year to March” Financial Times White House / Trump response / blaming Biden & Fed CNBC: “Trump admin hits Biden economy, BLS, Powell after jobs data” details how the administration used the revised data to criticize Biden and the Fed. CNBC Washington Post: Reporting on how the Trump administration seized on the revision to criticize the BLS and Biden‐era policies. The Washington Post BLS Commissioner fired / concerns about data integrity AP News: “Trump removes official overseeing jobs data after dismal employment report” covers the firing of Erika McEntarfer, the BLS commissioner, citing weak job growth and revisions. AP News CNBC: internal watchdog probe; concerns about BLS collecting employment and inflation data. CNBC +1 Washington Post: “Bureau of Labor Statistics aims for calm after Trump fires commissioner …” gives context of the firing and reaction. The Washington Post Economy’s fragility, slower job growth, signs of cooling CBS News: “The U.S. labor market added 911,000 fewer jobs … the major downward revision signals that the labor market was slowing more last year than had earlier been reported.” CBS News Investopedia: on what the revision suggests about labor‑market strength and momentum. Investopedia

Advice, no matter how well-intentioned or insightful, often doesn’t hit home until life puts us in a situation where we see and feel the truth.