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Humanity’s earliest irrational fear of forests had to do with “evil spirits,” along with anxiety over mostly harmless wildlife. Soon it was fretting over bandits, outlaws, and (gasp!) Native Americans. Sad to say, each of these phobias have been exploited by corporate and government interests to cut down forests in a cynical ploy to tame wild nature. Today in Colorado and across the West the boogeyman used to scare us into cutting down forests is the natural and essential process of wildfire.

Dear Eric: My husband and I have been married for more than 30 years and enjoy each other’s company. As many couples, after many years there are certain things that we do that get on each other’s nerves. He has always been a neat and organized person, and I have always been a bit messy.

Moon Alert: Avoid shopping or big decisions from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. EST today (5 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. PST). After that, the Moon moves from Virgo into Libra. Happy Birthday for Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024: You are sensitive and giving. You work extremely hard because you’re a perfectionist. This year you have helped others.

Today is Sunday, Dec. 22, the 357th day of 2024. There are nine days left in the year. Today in history: On Dec. 22, 1984, New York City resident Bernhard Goetz shot and wounded four young Black men on a Manhattan subway, alleging they were about to rob him. (Goetz was acquitted of attempted murder and assault charges but convicted on a weapons possession charge, ultimately serving eight months of a one-year sentence.) Also on this date: In 1894, French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason in a court-martial that triggered worldwide charges of antisemitism.

With so much new music being put out and new stars created each year, it's ironic that one of the most played songs on Spotify in 2024 was Journey' "Don't Stop Believing" Billboard: More than a billion Spotify streams, a Library of Congress National Recording Registry placement and plays at virtually every sporting event around the world don’t lie — this one is Journey’s pinnacle of success.

After six years at the helm of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, dedicated to "building the infrastructure" necessary to effectively fight for key policies on Capitol Hill, term-limited Rep. Pramila Jayapal is determined to ensure that the CPC's incoming leaders "are as successful as possible." Jayapal (D-Wash.) spoke with Common Dreams on Wednesday about her time leading the caucus of nearly 100 lawmakers whose legislative priorities include "comprehensive immigration reform, good-paying jobs, fair trade, universal healthcare, debt-free college, climate action, and a just foreign policy." She was elected first vice chair of the CPC in June 2017, just months into her freshman term in Congress.