Current Events in October 2025

• Harsh reality sets in as funding for SNAP food program runs out this weekend
• Political parties blame each other, MTG warns that voters are "pissed"
• Policy group says it's not true there are no contingency funds available

It’s day 28 of the federal shutdown and funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) runs out this weekend, cutting off food aid to 42 million Americans. Politicians from both parties are using the prospect of human suffering to further their goals, seeking to shift blame for the shutdown onto the opposite party.

There are scattered efforts to keep the program running:

• A coalition of 23 state attorneys general filed suit to block the blockage;
• Scattered legislative attempts have so far produced nothing. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) picked up ten new sponsors for his bill that would keep SNAP alive. Needy families in Missouri should not be going hungry because a bunch of politicians in DC can’t figure out how to open the government,” said Hawley;
• The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities said that reserve funds to keep SNAP operating are available and should be used, as they recently were to keep the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program in operation. 

Congress has no plans

The House of Representatives is in recess and House Speaker Mike Johnson told House GOP members that party leaders have no plans for legislation that would put expiring food benefits up for a vote. "Things are getting real" this week, Johnson said as he urged members to brace for mounting pressure from their constituents, Politico reported. 

Johnson said the "pain register is about to hit level 10," saying that would put maximum pressure on Democrats to cave in to GOP demands that any resolution includes cuts in Affordable Care Act funding. Some Republicans, including Missouri's Hawley, have said the stand-off has gone on long enough and 42 million poor and disabled Americans must not be left without food. 

"Congress must not let that happen," Hawley said in an op-ed. "America is a great and wealthy nation, and our most important wealth is our generosity of spirit. We help those in need. We provide for the widow and the orphan. Love of neighbor is part of who we are. The Scripture’s injunction to “remember the poor” is a principle Americans have lived by. It’s time Congress does the same."

States file suit against the "unlawful" shutdown

A coalition of 23 state of attorneys general and governors have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Secretary Brooke Rollins for their role in the aid cut-off. 

“It is clear President Trump and his USDA are making a deliberate, illegal, and inhumane choice to not fund the SNAP program during the federal government shutdown despite the availability of contingency funds. The government is legally required to make payments to those who meet the program requirements,” said Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. “We are asking the court to resume essential food assistance for the more than 600,000 Coloradans who use SNAP benefits to feed themselves or their families.”

The lapse in benefits will have dire consequences for the health and well-being of Americans who rely on the program to feed themselves and their families and will also put unnecessary strain on state and local governments and community organizations, as families increasingly rely on emergency services and local food pantries that are already struggling to fill a growing nutrition gap. It will affect school systems and college and university communities, where food insecurity will stand in the way of educating our students.

Suspending SNAP benefits will also harm the hundreds of thousands of grocers and merchants that accept SNAP payment for food purchases. USDA has estimated that in a slowing economy, every $1 in SNAP benefits generates $1.54 in economic activity.

Joining in the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. The Governors of Kansas, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania have also joined.

Money is available: CBPP

The Trump Administration's claim that no contingency funds are available to keep SNAP benefits coming is not accurate, according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.  "This stands in opposition to the law and prior practice, including by the Trump Administration itself, the CBPP said in a published statement.

"The Administration could use its legal transfer authority — the same authority it already used to provide additional funds to WIC — to supplement the contingency reserves, which alone are not enough to fund families’ full benefits for November. The Administration must use all available options to fund November benefits for the 1 in 8 people in the U.S. who need SNAP to afford their grocery bill.

• Do the math: unit price − waste + storage/time; keep your target unit prices on your phone for quick retrieval

• Bulk wins: paper goods, trash bags, laundry/dish tabs, AA/AAA, cheese/meat if you freeze, coffee you’ll finish in 6–8 weeks

• Buy small on promos: condiments, cereal, pasta/sauce, spices, snack packs, short-fuse produce, bread (unless you freeze), brand-name drinks; follow finish windows (berries 2–4d, deli 3–5d, oils 4–6mo)

If you’ve ever tossed a 16-count package of guacamole in your cart and thought, “This is definitely cheaper… right?”, this one’s for you. Warehouse math isn’t just about unit price, you need to factor in unit price minus waste, plus storage space, plus time, minus any coupons or loss-leaders you’d grab at a regular grocery store. Do the math wrong and your “deal” turns into a science experiment in the back of the fridge.

Here’s a no-nonsense playbook: 8 items where bulk wins at Costco/Sam’s, and 8 items that are usually better as non-bulk buys with grocery coupons or weekly ads.

First, the quick “warehouse math” rules

Be sure to start with the unit price (price ÷ ounces/sheets/loads) and use that as your baseline. Then adjust for your reality. Meaning what you’ll use before it spoils, the storage it takes up, and the time you save by making fewer trips.

And always keep in mind that coupons and loss-leaders (pasta, cereal, condiments) can often beat warehouse pricing when buying smaller packs.

Pro tip: write down the target unit price on your phone for the top 20 products you always buy. Then when you see it below the target, you buy it, regardless of the store.

8 bulk buys that usually win at Costco/Sam’s

1. Toilet paper & paper towels

A giant pack equals a lower cost per 100 sheets/square feet, and zero spoilage. Which means as long as you keep it dry, you’ll use it and save money.

Math cue: Compare cost per 100 sheets (TP) or per sq ft (towels). Warehouse pricing almost always beats grocery store “sale” pricing over a month.

2. Trash bags

With the Kirkland and Member’s Mark brand you’re getting the same (or better) brand-level quality for less per bag, thicker plastic that’s less likely to poke/tear, and enough on hand that you’re not doing the “last bag” panic.

Math cue: Compare cost per bag on the size you actually use (13-gal kitchen or 30–33-gal outdoor). Example: 200-ct box for $22 = $0.11/bag; grocery 45-ct for $8 = $0.18/bag which equates to about 40% more

3. Laundry detergent (pods or big jugs)

Club sizes bring Kirkland/Member’s Mark down to rock-bottom ¢/load, so one purchase covers months without emergency restocks at a very competitive price.

Watch-out: Don’t buy a scented variety that you’re unsure of in a 2-gallon drum. Try a small bottle first before you go all in.

4. Dishwasher detergent tab

Cost per tab plunges at the warehouse. Plus, dishwasher tabs store forever and won’t spill.

Math cue: Price ÷ tab count. Easy win.

5. Batteries (AA/AAA)

Crazy high unit savings, especially when you buy Kirkland or Member’s Mark, plus they still have a long shelf life. The Costco CEO even revealed that Duracell makes Kirkland batteries so you know the quality is good.

Pro tip: Store a sleeve in a Ziploc bag in a cool spot to keep them fresh.

6. Cheese blocks & shredded (if you freeze)

Cheese from Costco and Sam's wins on unit price, and most firm/semi-hard cheeses (cheddar, low-moisture Mozzarella, Jack, Colby, provolone, Parm) freeze well so waste won’t be an issue. I recommend portioning or pre-shredding before freezing and use straight from frozen for hot dishes.

Math cue: Buy a 2-lb block, shred half, freeze in flat bags. No waste = true savings.

7. Meat in value packs (when you portion + freeze)

Warehouse meats often win on price per pound, and you get to control the cuts and serving sizes. I’m a huge fan of splitting big packs into meal-size portions, press flat, label, and freeze.

Pro tip: Skip the “enhanced” chicken (you’re paying for brine), factor in trim/bones for true $/lb, and thaw in the fridge or cold water for easy weeknight meals.

8. Coffee beans/grounds

Coffee from warehouse clubs typically wins on cents-per-ounce, with solid house and national brands. Buy what you’ll drink in 6–8 weeks (or portion and freeze).

Watch-out: I recommend buying whole bean and grind as you go as pre-ground stales quickly once the bag has been open.

8 things to skip at the warehouse (buy smaller with coupons/weekly sales)

1. Condiments (ketchup, mayo, mustard) you use slowly

Why grocery wins: You’ll find frequent BOGO/coupons at most supermarkets that undercuts the warehouse club price. Not to mention that the jumbo tub may expire before you finish it.

Rule: If it takes you 6+ months to finish, buy smaller.

2. Cold cereal

Grocery stores beat the warehouse on most cold cereal because they run constant promos like digital coupons, BOGOs, and “mix & match” deals. These drive the unit price way down on, especially on family-sized boxes.

Math cue: Warehouse is fine for in-house brands, but flashy name brands often go cheaper at Kroger, Publix, Winco, and Grocery Outlet on promo.

3. Pasta & pasta sauce

Grocery stores treat pasta and mainstream sauces as classic loss leaders, so weekly promos and digital coupons often push unit prices well below what you’ll see at Costco or Sam’s Club.

Strategy: Stack a store sale with a manufacturer coupon and beat warehouse per-unit easily.

4. Spices you use once a month

Big jars of spices lose potency before you’re halfway through.

Buy: Smaller bottles on sale, or hit the ethnic aisle/bulk bins for even more savings.

5. Snack variety packs for picky families

At warehouse clubs, you end up paying for a bigger assortment of snacks like chips or cookies, then half of the flavors end up not getting eaten.

Buy: Focus on the smaller sale boxes of the specific flavor your kids will actually eat.

6. Fresh produce with a short shelf-life

Things like berries and spring mix lettuce spoil quickly, so if you buy the larger Costco size they often spoil before you can finish them.

Rule: If you can’t eat it in 3–4 days, buy the grocery-size on sale and restock more often.

7. Bread and buns (unless you freeze)

Mold happens. Grocery stores run weekly deals and bakery markdowns that often make more sense unless you have the freezer space.

Do this: If you do end up buying bread in bulk, keep a few days’ worth, then freeze the rest in a zip bag with the air pressed out. Then periodically take out what you need and the rest will last for 2-3 months in the freezer.

8. Soda, sparkling water, and brand-name beverages

Grocery chains treat beverages like a weekly foot-traffic magnet.

Math cue: Watch for “4 for $12” or “Buy 2, get 2” style promos that easily beat warehouse per-can prices.

How to make the math brain-dead simple

I’m a big fan of setting “finish windows” which is how long it usually takes my family to finish a product.

Quick freshness rules (buy only what you’ll finish in this window):

• Milk: 5–7 days after opening. Yogurt: 1–2 weeks. Deli meat: 3–5 days.
• Produce: berries 2–4 days, leafy greens 3–5 days, hardy vegetables (carrots/onions) 1–2 weeks.
• Cheese: soft cheese 1 week after opening; shredded 1–2 weeks; hard/block 3–4 weeks.
• Pantry staples: about 60–90 days once opened. Oils: 4–6 months (with cool, dark storage).

If you won’t finish it in that time window, and freezing is not an option, don’t buy it in bulk.

• First-ever NFL x Lululemon line landed Oct. 28th; buy at NFLShop, Fanatics, and select team stores (Lululemon stores may follow)
• Core Lulu pieces (Align, Define, Scuba, Steady State, tees, joggers, hoodies, bags) with team logos—same fabrics/fit, premium price
• Hot teams/sizes may sell out—set restock alerts; check returns per retailer and follow care instructions for logo prints

Lululemon is teaming up with the NFL on a new line of officially licensed apparel that features all 32 team logos. It’s the first time the brand has offered NFL-branded products, and the collection officially rolled out on October 28th.

What’s in the collection

Lululemon says the launch spans men’s and women’s apparel and accessories with team logos. Core pieces from the lineup include Steady State men’s styles and women’s favorites such as Define, Scuba and Align. Expect the same fabrics and fits Lululemon is known for, with team branding layered in.

For those of us who aren’t familiar with Lululemon “favorites”, the lineup includes hoodies, sweatshirts, half-zip hoodie (women), jackets, joggers, sweats, tees, and accessories (Everywhere Belt Bag).

Where you’ll be able to buy it

Products will be sold through the following three channels:

• NFLShop.com
• Select team retail locations
• Fanatics, online and in-store

Lululemon is expected to carry NFL items in their actual stores as the partnership ramps up. But initially, you’ll have to purchase from the NFLShop, Fanatics, or individual team retail locations.

Why is Lululemon doing this

The company has been pushing deeper into performance and mainstream sports beyond its yoga roots. Over the past year it’s inked a team-branded deal with the NHL and added high-profile athlete ambassadors across golf, tennis, football and hockey, plus F1 champion Lewis Hamilton. Bringing in NFL logos is another step toward courting fans who want premium, everyday wear that also shows team loyalty.

What it means for consumers

Fit and feel first, logos second. If you like how Align, Define or Steady State pieces wear, you’ll recognize the same fabrics and cuts.

Premium price point. Expect NFL versions to come in at the standard Lululemon pricing. Licensed logos typically add cost, and early demand may limit promotions.

Gifting potential. The timing lines up perfectly with holiday shopping as the NFL season reaches its second half.

Availability could vary by team and size. If your favorite team is a large-market franchise like the Cowboys, Bears, Pats, or Giants, you may find availability and sizing to be challenging at first. If something you want is out of stock, I recommend signing up for restock alerts and check team stores and Fanatics listings.

A note on returns and care

Before you buy, be sure to check the return window as policies can differ across retailers, especially with licensed merchandise.

Also, confirm care instructions as heat-pressed or specialty prints sometimes have specific wash guidelines to preserve the NFL logos.

The bigger trend

Pro sports and premium athleisure brands are blending everyday wear with fan identity. For consumers, that means more choices beyond jerseys and hoodies. Think leggings, joggers, and tops that you’d wear to the gym, or on errands, that also rep your team.

• National home value growth slows, with prices falling in nine of 20 major metro areas.

• U.S. home prices rose just 1.5% in August from a year earlier — the weakest pace since 2023.

• Homeowners lose ground to inflation, while easing mortgage rates offer buyers some relief.

Home buyers who have remained patient and kept socking away cash are finally being rewarded. The latest data show the housing market continued to cool in August, with national home prices rising just 1.5% compared to a year earlier.

According to the latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Home Price Index, that marks a slowdown from July’s 1.7% increase and represents the slowest annual growth since 2023, when prices briefly dipped.

But perhaps more important for buyers, nine of the 20 major metro areas tracked by the index saw year-over-year price declines, signaling that the market’s post-pandemic surge continues to lose steam.

“August's data shows U.S. home prices continuing to slow,” said Nicholas Godec, head of fixed income tradables and commodities at S&P Dow Jones Indices. “For the fourth straight month, home values have lost ground to inflation, meaning homeowners are seeing their real wealth decline even as nominal prices inch higher.”

The 1.5% rise in home values trails the 2.9% inflation rate over the same period — meaning home prices are falling in real, inflation-adjusted terms.

Northeast and Midwest hold firm

The slowdown isn’t hitting all regions equally. Northeast and Midwest markets continue to post solid gains, while many Sun Belt and Western metros are seeing sharper corrections.

New York led all markets with a 6.1% annual price gain, followed by Chicago (5.9%) and Cleveland (4.7%). Meanwhile, Tampa recorded the largest drop among major metros, with values down 3.3% year-over-year — its 10th straight month of annual declines.

“Markets that experienced the sharpest pandemic-era gains are now seeing the largest corrections, while more affordable metros with stable local economies are holding up better,” Godec noted.

Realtor.com Senior Economist Anthony Smith said “markets in the Northeast and Midwest continue to perform relatively better, supported by tighter resale supply and steadier demand,” while many Sun Belt cities “are showing clearer signs of softening, with inventory recovering, homes taking longer to sell, and price cuts rising.”

Cooling prices, falling mortgage rates

For prospective buyers, the silver lining shines even brighter. Mortgage rates have fallen to their lowest level in over a year — 6.19%, according to Freddie Mac — as the Federal Reserve continues to ease its benchmark interest rate.

With inflation outpacing home value growth, falling borrowing costs, and a patchwork of local market conditions, the housing market appears to be entering a new equilibrium — one that could offer opportunities for patient buyers while testing the resilience of homeowners who bought at the peak.

• NVIDIA and Uber are teaming up to build the world’s largest Level 4-ready autonomous mobility network, beginning in 2027.

• Up to 100,000 self-driving vehicles will join Uber’s global fleet, powered by NVIDIA’s next-gen DRIVE AGX Hyperion 10 platform.

• AI and generative technology will help vehicles navigate complex, real-world environments with humanlike reasoning.
  

NVIDIA and Uber have announced a major new partnership designed to fast-track the era of autonomous transportation. How it will impact Uber drivers is not exactly clear, though in the beginning, it may make their jobs easier.

The two tech leaders plan to deploy the world’s largest Level 4-ready robotaxi and autonomous delivery network. Level 4 refers to vehicles capable of operating safely without human intervention in most environments – starting as soon as 2027.

At the heart of this collaboration is NVIDIA’s DRIVE AGX Hyperion 10, a new autonomous vehicle development platform that provides the computing power and sensors needed to make vehicles “Level 4-ready.” The system combines AI, radar, lidar and camera data to enable safe, real-time decision-making on the road.

From rides to robotaxis

Uber’s vision is to create a single mobility network that connects human drivers and autonomous vehicles. In the near future, riders may not notice whether their trip is handled by a person or an AI-powered robotaxi – both will operate on one unified Uber platform.

“Robotaxis mark the beginning of a global transformation in mobility — making transportation safer, cleaner and more efficient,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. “Together with Uber, we’re creating a framework for the entire industry to deploy autonomous fleets at scale.”

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi called NVIDIA “the backbone of the AI era,” adding that the collaboration will help autonomous vehicles reach consumers faster while transforming city transportation.

Building a scalable autonomous future

To support Uber’s massive rollout goal of 100,000 autonomous vehicles, the companies are developing a global “data factory” powered by NVIDIA Cosmos, a platform that curates and processes real-world and simulated data for AI model training.

Other major automakers and mobility partners—including Stellantis, Lucid, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and Aurora—are also joining the broader NVIDIA ecosystem to integrate Level 4 capabilities into their fleets. 

This collaboration means consumers could soon see NVIDIA-powered automation not only in robotaxis but also in delivery vans, trucks and even luxury sedans.

• Consumers find creative ways to stretch every dollar amid inflation fatigue
• Companies like Procter & Gamble report lower sales as shoppers use less
• Many say the frugality is here to stay — even if prices eventually fall

A new wave of household thrift

Saddled with ever-rising grocery and cleaning costs, a consumer in Mississippi began adding water to her Dawn dish liquid and Clorox floor cleaner, and switched to refillable bottles so she could stretch her supplies further. She even considered watering down her Sensodyne toothpaste, but drew the line — instead squeezing out every last bit.

She is part of a growing number of Americans embracing “creative frugality” — diluting products, cutting doses, and shopping secondhand to cope with stubbornly high prices. From Facebook Marketplace to backyard gardens, many are finding ways to reduce what they buy rather than simply switching to cheaper brands.

Companies feel the pinch

The shift is starting to show up in corporate earnings. Procter & Gamble reported a 2% volume decline in its home and fabric care division last quarter, which includes brands like Tide, Dawn and Swiffer. But private-label brands haven’t seen a matching bump — meaning consumers aren’t just trading down, they’re using less overall.

“Consumers are a little bit more cautious,” said Andre Schulten, P&G’s chief financial officer, in a Wall Street Journal story highlighting the shift to household frugality. “They are trying to be more thoughtful on usage.”

Schulten said the behavior reflects paycheck-to-paycheck stress. “Consumers who want to make it to the next paycheck tend to squeeze a bit more out of the bottle, or skimp a little bit on dosing.”

Making it last longer

In Virginia Beach, a Navy veteran abandoned Tide Pods in favor of generic laundry powder — and uses half the recommended amount, boosting it with vinegar. He dilutes his dish soap, buys Febreze overstock on Facebook Marketplace, and recently purchased half a cow from a North Carolina farmer for $2,500 — about 300 pounds of beef to last two years.

“I’ve realized you don’t need as much as you think,” he said. “There are so many ways to make the suds stretch further.”

In Atlanta, an entrepreneur grows okra, kale and broccoli in her backyard to feed her family. She’s trading down from Publix to Aldi, swapping Iams for store-brand dog food — and even mixing in cat food when stretching the last bag.

Frugality as a long-term habit

While companies like P&G expect thriftiness to fade once inflation cools, many consumers say the habit is sticking. One person quoted in the WSJ report said she has cut her family’s grocery bill by more than $400 a month, to $1,265 from a July peak of $1,696.

Her daughters are banned from grocery runs and from doing laundry. She now monitors Tide powder in a glass jar, using one scoop per load instead of two, and even splits paper towels in half for packed lunches.

Whether inflation stays high or not, America’s new thrift economy — one diluted bottle at a time — seems likely to last.

• Paxton accuses Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue of hiding safety risks
• Suit follows Trump’s statements that Tylenol use in pregnancy causes autism
• Medical experts say science remains inconclusive and warnings could harm maternal care

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue, the makers of Tylenol, alleging that the companies concealed potential risks of the drug’s use during pregnancy on children’s brain development.

The lawsuit claims the companies “knowingly withheld evidence” linking acetaminophen, Tylenol’s active ingredient, to autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (A.D.H.D.). It also asserts that Johnson & Johnson spun off Kenvue in 2023 to shield itself from liability related to the drug.

The case echoes claims made by President Trump that Tylenol use in pregnancy could cause autism.

Scientific debate and political overtones

Medical experts and regulators say there is no proven causal link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders in children. While some studies have shown correlations, others have found no connection once factors like genetics and maternal health are considered.

A recent scientific review from Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Mount Sinai found that more than half of 46 studies showed a correlation — but none proved causation. Major health agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency, have concluded that the evidence remains inconclusive.

The FDA recently announced it was considering adding a label warning about possible neurodevelopmental effects, a move Kenvue said it would oppose.

“We will defend ourselves against these baseless claims,” said Melissa Witt, a spokeswoman for Kenvue, in a New York Times report. “We stand firmly with the global medical community that acknowledges the safety of acetaminophen.”

Public health officials warn that spreading fear about Tylenol could have unintended consequences. Medical groups note that acetaminophen is often the only safe pain reliever during pregnancy, particularly for treating high fevers that could endanger both mother and baby.

While hundreds of families nationwide have sued the companies over similar claims, federal courts have largely dismissed the cases for lack of scientific proof. Paxton’s new case — filed in a conservative Texas county — takes a different approach, focusing on alleged consumer deception under state law.