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- Executive Producers:
- Sir Jack of the Heartland
- Donny Fraser in the Fraser Valley
- Sir Addison CEO of Shitposts
- Sir Cal of Lavender Blossoms
- Associate Executive Producers:
- David Fugazzotto, Duke of America's Heartland and the Arabian Peninsula
- Become a member of the 1383 Club, support the show here
- Knights & Dames
- John Aaron Jr -> Sir Jack of the Heartland
- End of Show Mixes: Sound Guy Steve - Hugh Allison - Sir Chris and Sir Felix Wilson - Tom Starkweather - Gucci Dragons
- Engineering, Stream Management & Wizardry
- Mark van Dijk - Systems Master
- Ryan Bemrose - Program Director
- Clip Custodian: Neal Jones
- M5M is Dying
- MTV butt awards. Highly sexualized
- AGA finds interesting tax credits for journalists
- Mandates and Marketing
- People like living by the numbers, but don't know how to interpret them
- Nazis never left our country
- Data emerge showing more differences between COVID vaccines
- Recent data suggests that Moderna's coronavirus vaccine may maintain a higher effectiveness over time than Pfizer's.
- Between the lines: Pfizer was the first vaccine authorized for use in the U.S. and began being administered several weeks before the Moderna vaccine.
- "Because of the way the rollouts happened, the oldest and most vulnerable and sickest people, like nursing home residents, got Pfizer," said Cornell virologist John Moore.
- That means it's possible that some of the effectiveness gap showing up in some studies is a result of Pfizer being administered earlier and in more vulnerable populations.
- However, the large CDC study that found a significant difference in the vaccines' effectiveness found that Moderna's was higher across all ages.
- Possible reasons for the difference include that Moderna has a much higher dosing regimen than Pfizer, and the second shot is given after a slightly longer interval.
- And, while the vaccines are both made using mRNA technology, they have structural differences.
- Minaj black balls tweet
- "They want you to get vaccinated for the Met. if I get vaccinated it won’t for the Met. It’ll be once I feel I’ve done enough research. I’m working on that now. In the meantime my loves, be safe. Wear the mask with 2 strings that grips your head & face. Not that loose one," she tweeted afterward.
- Minaj added that her cousin's account of his friend getting vaccinated had also influenced her decision to not get inoculated.
- "My cousin in Trinidad won’t get the vaccine cuz his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen. His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding. So just pray on it & make sure you’re comfortable with ur decision, not bullied," she tweeted.
- Queensland BOTG
- Just listened to your segment about covid in Australia. Thought I would give you an update, I am living in the Sunshine Coast, just north of Brisbane, I believe there have been about 10 covid cases in total, and maybe 1 or 2 deaths, not sure as I can't find regional data.
- Queensland has had a total of 7 deaths with Covid.
- Queensland, has one of the most extreme reactions to covid, almost on par with New Zealand. In the south east we currently have a mask mandate for everyone over 12 who is inside public spaces, except if your eating or drinking. And the boarder is completely closed even to Queensland residents, non-queenslad residents cannot enter the state. Queensland residents can entre by plane, and need to do 14 days hotel quarantine. These current restrictions came from 4 or 5 cases, I cannot imagine what they would do if we had hundreds of cases daily.
- In Australia the Federal liberal (Republican) government is fighting the states to keep them open. Queensland has a Labor government, similar to your Democrat. So Queensland has the communist government, NSW, who are deploying the military onto the streets to enforce crazy restrictions have a Liberal government. Victoria is Labor, so they are all fucked. The really crazy part is that the Qld policies are actually popular with allot of people here, not sure how bad things will need to get before people wake up and smell the horse shit.
- The sunshine coast had a person with covid, in their life, wandering around going to every place you can imagine, and there were no cases as a result. There has not been a single locally acquired case in over a year but we are still required to mask up. Everyone I know is either fully vaccinated or getting vaccinated.
- I believe that the fear generated by the threat of Covid without any contact with it is more potent and even more divisive.
- Hope this is interesting to you
- Sir Jobiwan company questionnaire unvaccinated
- Boosters
- Berenson Booster FDA Data
- The FDA just released its briefing book for Pfizer’s request for a third dose of Comirnaty (or is that BNT162b2? No matter! It’s approved either way, sorta).
- It is every bit the mess we all expected.
- Let’s go to the highlights:
- Pfizer basically hasn’t bothered to test the booster AT ALL in the people actually at risk - it conducted a single “Phase 1” trial that covered 12 people over 65. The main Phase 2/3 booster trial (beware efforts to cover multiple “phases” of drug research at once, you want it bad you get it bad) included no one over 55.
- Which makes total sense - why test the booster in people who actually need it because they’re at high risk from the ro? Nothing good can come of that.
- So that’s our trial design.
- Of the 300 people who received the booster, one had a heart attack two months later. No worries, Pfizer concluded it wasn’t related. Yay!
- Five percent of recipients had enlarged lymph nodes.
- Well, we don’t have enough data - or any data, really - telling us how well the booster will work.
- But the FDA made Pfizer go back and review its data from the pivotal clinical trial from last year. Pfizer compared people who received the vaccine with those who received the placebo and THEN the vaccine (the best we can do at this point, since Pfizer blew up the trial by giving placebo subjects the vaccine, double-yay!)
- Pfizer concluded that your annual risk of getting Covid-19 IF YOU ARE VACCINATED is about 7 percent.
- “An additional analysis appears to indicate that incidence of COVID-19 generally increased in each group of study participants with increasing time post-Dose 2 at the start of the analysis period.”
- But don’t worry, Uncle Joe already told you you can get your booster on September 20. If it’s good enough for our fearless leader, it should be good enough for the FDA, amirite?
- OTG
- Social Sentinel spying on the kids
- Here in Chesterfield County Va, every kids is issued a chrome book, the school has software on these chromebooks which tracks all of their activity. Which I don’t care about because it is their property and they can do what they want. HOWEVER!!!!! When they kids connect their phones to the chromebook via a USB charging cable (to charge their phones) the software scans their phones and checks up on all of their phone data. I told my son to let his phone completely discharge if you must, but under no circumstance should he attach his phone to the chrome book.
- Healthcare Collapse
- Travelling Nurses
- You guys have talked about the nursing shortage a little bit and I just wanted to offer some insight that I don't think has been brought up yet. My spouse is an ER doctor at a hospital in the south and tells me the nursing shortage is due to nurses being offered more to be traveling nurses than to work regularly at one main hospital. She showed me a screenshot from a group chat where nurses were being offered $8300/wk (housing stipend, per diem, $1100 before tax deduction). This kinda irked her because she said some traveling nurses are earning more than doctors. And to qualify as a traveling nurse you only have to be 50 miles outside of your home area. So an Austin nurse can go to Killeen or Waco and earn big bucks. At the hospital she works at, she's constantly complaining about not having enough nurses, and this doesn't account for any mandatory vax issues they're dealing with (she's vaxxed, had C-19 before the shot).
- Another note is that at this particular hospital, she says they don't pay the in-town nurses enough so they leave, but to make up for the staffing shortfall they bring in traveling nurses and pay them the higher rate, which doesn't make financial sense to me.
- Healthcare Professional Responds to doctors suck
- Hippocratic oath: Yes - we say a truncated form of the oath upon graduation from medical school. The entire version is long and makes references to not charging for education (ha! doesn't quite work out for the average medical student who has an educational debt around $250,000)
- Please stop saying that doctors suck and nurses are what are saving healthcare! A doctor has a minimum of 11 years of training during which time they are going into debt, then earning minimum wage, giving up their prime partying, reproductive, and earning years to take care of people. Being a doctor is no longer the lucrative profession it was and you have a far greater chance of being well off as an RN than an MD if you calculate debt to earning timing and ratio. Ex. certain specialty nurses in Portland make more than the average hospitalist physician, are part of a union, only require 2-4 years total of schooling, get regular breaks, may work 3 days a week, average maybe 45k in debt, and are ready to work in their 20s. I'll stop there as RNs are VALUABLE team members, but in no way is their role similar to physicians - is no way is their training similar - and is in no way do they have nearly as much "skin in the game".
- There is an important caveat to above - John's beloved Indian physicians whom he often refers to as his doc of choice. India is the biggest exporter of physicians, has an entirely corrupt and mismanaged education system, is well known for bribery, and is viewed as a profession rather than a calling. I'll leave it at that as I have some great Indian colleagues and some not-so-great BS'ing, short-cutting, wouldn't want my loved ones cared for by them colleagues.
- Missed public health opportunity of enormous magnitude: You can draw a linear graph correlating someone's BMI/obesity with probability of developing severe COVID. There is a direct correlation with diabetes and the chance of developing severe COVID. This is what needs to be told to the American public!
- Takedowns
- USAG - USOC and FBI for Gymnasts
- Instagram bad for girls - Also a Mueller FBI takedown
- Would you let your child he a child star?
- Ivermectin etc
- Grotesque conflicts of interest on NIH ivermectin non-recommendation
- However, NIH has gone to extreme efforts to avoid stating whether a vote was held to endorse the ivermectin non-recommendation. This includes fighting a Freedom of Information Act request in federal court. A deceptive non-vote would constitute an atrocity. NIH has also been secretive about the composition of the working group that proposed the ivermectin non-recommendation. The names of those individuals were redacted by the NIH from a document obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request for the agenda of a meeting considering ivermectin.
- However, the group responsible for the ivermectin non-recommendation has been discovered through a FOIA request to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The FOIA response shows that the working group has nine members. Three members of the working group, Adaora Adimora, Roger Bedimo, and David V. Glidden, have disclosed a financial relationship with Merck. Merck has campaigned against the use of ivermectin in COVID-19. A fourth member, Susanna Naggie, had an extraordinary potential conflict of interest. She received a $155 million grant for the study of ivermectin following the non-recommendation. Funding for the study would have been difficult to justify if the drug was recommended for use in COVID-19. It is not known, however, if the panelist was aware of that opportunity or was planning to apply for that grant at the time of the deliberations on ivermectin.
- The Biden Administration is metering how many doses of Regeneron are sent to Texas
- While we were preparing for our emergency response to Hurricane Nicholas yesterday, I received some news that not only disappointed me but to be brutally honest it infuriated me. 
- For over a month Montgomery County has been hosting a regional monoclonal antibodies infusion center. Successfully doing over 2,000 infusions. Both vaccinated and unvaccinated patients have received infusions at this facility. All of our patients to my knowledge have successfully gone on to beat COVID without complications or the need for hospitalization.
- All of this came to a halt yesterday. As of yesterday the Biden Administration is metering how many doses of Regeneron are sent to Texas and thus limiting how many are sent to the Montgomery County location. Telling Texas to reduce its use of the therapeutic treatment that has literally been saving lives and reducing hospitalizations.
- Now I’d like to think this is because of a supply issue and it will be temporary at best. But it’s not. The manufacturer has confirmed supplies are ample but due to the Defense Production Act, the White House and it’s agencies are the only entities who can purchase and distribute this treatment.
- So less than a week after the president tells us his patience is wearing thin and he is mandating vaccines to millions of Americans his administration limits and all but removes a non-controversial and highly successful treatment from our war chest of combating this virus.
- I have repeatedly said that I am pro vaccine choice and support your individual rights to determine whether the vaccine is right for you. I believe the unconstitutional mandate will be struck down in federal court but while we wait for those cases to make their way through the system we can’t just stop treating people vaccinated or not with a proven therapeutic. Mr. Biden has gone from dangling the proverbial carrot, with his so called national strategy to combat the virus, to throwing out the carrot and favoring the stick instead.
- I will not stand for this and no one in Montgomery County or Texas for that matter should either. I will be reaching out to our federal congressional delegation in the coming days to seek their help at reversing this deadly position in favor of keeping every tool in the war chest available for use for every citizen not just the presidentially favored vaccinated ones.
- Supply Chains
- Stolen cars up 30% and catalytic converters up to $500
- State of the Auto Industry
- Climate Change
- Get Ready for the Blackouts - WSJ
- Three things are weakening the grid. One is the rush to add renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, which depend on amenable weather to function. Second, over the past few years, numerous coal and nuclear plants that provide baseload power and help keep the grid stable have closed. Third, regional transmission organizations such as Ercot in Texas and Caiso in California are mismanaging the system. They are not providing enough incentives to ensure reliability such as providing payments to generators that have on-site fuel storage.
- Renewable energy promoters don’t want to admit that wind and solar are undermining the grid. But the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, a nonprofit trade group, said in a report last month that “changing resource mix” is the most urgent challenge for reliability. The group says America’s electric generation capacity “is increasingly characterized as one that is sensitive to extreme, widespread, and long duration temperatures as well as wind and solar droughts.”
- The decline in reliability is especially important because President Biden has said he wants to “decarbonize” the power industry by 2035, a move that will likely require retiring all coal- and gas-fired generators in the country. In addition, activists are demanding more reliance on renewables and “electrifying everything,” including industry and transportation. Yet the grid is struggling even under existing loads.
- BLM LGBBTQQIAAP+ Noodle Gun
- AOC will look good with a shaven head
- M5M
- I'm concerned M5M will die before we do
- STORIES
- Europe's energy crisis is making the market nervous ahead of winter
- Round bales of straw drying on the field are seen in front of the power station operated by RWE AG near Rommerskirchen, Germany on August 10, 2021. The cost of natural gas and electricity has surged across Europe.
- Ying Tang | NurPhoto | Getty Images
- LONDON '-- European power prices have spiraled to multi-year highs on a variety of factors in recent weeks, ranging from extremely strong commodity and carbon prices to low wind output.
- What's more, the record run in energy prices is not expected to end any time soon, with energy analysts warning market nervousness is likely to persist throughout winter.
- The October gas price at the Dutch TTF hub, a European benchmark, was seen to climb to a record high of 79 euros ($93.31) a megawatt-hour on Wednesday. The contract has risen more than 250% since January, according to Reuters, while benchmark power contracts in France and Germany have both doubled.
- In the U.K., where electricity bills are now the most expensive in Europe, power prices have soared amid the country's high dependence on gas and renewables to generate electricity.
- British day-ahead electricity prices rose nearly 19% to reach 475 pounds ($656.5) on Wednesday, Reuters reported. The contract was already trading near record highs shortly after a fire at a U.K.-France power link cut electricity imports to Britain.
- "By far the biggest factor is gas prices," Glenn Rickson, head of European power analysis at S&P Global Platts Analytics, told CNBC via email.
- Higher gas prices have also been a "big driver" in lifting carbon and coal prices to record highs too, Rickson said, although he noted there are other supporting factors at play, such as low wind generation and nuclear plant unavailability across the continent.
- Carbon prices in Europe have nearly trebled this year as the European Union reduces the supply of emissions credits. The EU's benchmark carbon price climbed above 60 euros per metric ton for the first time ever in recent weeks, trading slightly below this threshold on Thursday.
- Read more about clean energy from CNBC ProThe EU's Emissions Trading System is the world's largest carbon trading program, covering around 40% of the bloc's greenhouse gas emissions and charging emitters for every metric ton of carbon dioxide they emit. Record carbon prices have made highly polluting sources of energy generation even less attractive because coal, for example, emits more carbon dioxide when burnt.
- Rickson said the outlook for European power prices this winter will be "highly dependent" on gas prices, adding that he expects gas prices to rise even further in the coming months. "Aside from the 'average' picture, we expect prices to be highly volatile, with swings from low or even negative hourly prices when wind generation is high, to very high prices as already seen when wind is low, and demand is high."
- How did we get here?European gas prices have accelerated since the start of April, when unseasonably cold weather conditions meant Europe's gas in storage dipped below the pre-pandemic five-year average, indicating a potential supply crunch.
- Europe has since struggled to bring gas supplies that are necessary for the winter period back to where they should be. An economic rebound as countries eased Covid-19 restrictions also coincided with higher-than-expected demand that led to a shortage of gas.
- This deficit is "making the market nervous as we approach winter," Stefan Konstantinov, senior analyst at ICIS Energy, a commodity intelligence service, told CNBC. "That is coupled with the very significant competition for LNG supplies from Asia and South America, which is driving gas prices up."
- Further to this, Russia has been seen to slow its delivery of piped natural gas to the region, raising questions about whether this may be a deliberate move to bolster its case for starting flows via Nord Stream 2.
- The controversial pipeline, bringing natural gas to Europe from Russia, bypassing Ukraine and Poland, is soon expected to be fully operational and could potentially resolve some of the region's supply problems.
- "It is worth noting our view is that the start-up of flows in Nord Stream 2 is not going to materially reduce prices this winter," Murray Douglas, research director at Wood Mackenzie, told CNBC's "Street Signs Europe" on Thursday.
- "We look like we are going to be locked into pretty high prices through the winter and I think particularly once we get into the New Year in January and February, where we get more of those cold snaps, we are going to be quite vulnerable to some sort of big intraday spikes," he added.
- Climate crisis concernsEarlier this month, soaring gas prices and low wind output prompted the U.K. to fire up an old coal power plant to meet its electricity needs.
- The move raises serious questions about the government's environmental commitments amid the climate crisis. To be sure, coal is the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel in terms of emissions and therefore the most important target for replacement in the proposed pivot to renewable alternatives.
- When asked how the U.K.'s decision to turn to coal could possibly be squared with the urgent need to dramatically scale down fossil fuel use, Konstantinov replied: "It's a bit ironic isn't it?"
- Activists march with flags and placards, during the march at Extinction Rebellion's Nature Protest held in Central London about how nature is in crisis.
- Loredana Sangiuliano | SOPA Images | LightRocket | Getty Images
- "If there was enough wind, it could maybe meet more than half or two-thirds of U.K. power demand on a relatively low power demand day. But instead what we are seeing is that actually we've got no wind and we are forced to fire up polluting coal-fired generation."
- "At first glance, that doesn't tally up with the government's ambition to decarbonize. But this is very much driven by the intermittent nature of renewables: both wind and solar," he added.
- The U.K. has committed to phasing out coal power completely by Oct. 2024 to cut carbon emissions.
- "The fundamental drivers, i.e. high gas prices and high carbon prices, we at ICIS believe they are here to stay for the coming months," Konstantinov said.
- Energy Prices in Europe Hit Records After Wind Stops Blowing - WSJ
- Heavy reliance on wind power, coupled with a shortage of natural gas, has led to a spike in energy prices
- Sept. 13, 2021 6:17 am ETNatural gas and electricity markets were already surging in Europe when a fresh catalyst emerged: The wind in the stormy North Sea stopped blowing.
- The sudden slowdown in wind-driven electricity production off the coast of the U.K. in recent weeks whipsawed through regional energy markets. Gas and coal-fired electricity plants were called in to make up the shortfall from wind.
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- Natural gas and electricity markets were already surging in Europe when a fresh catalyst emerged: The wind in the stormy North Sea stopped blowing.
- The sudden slowdown in wind-driven electricity production off the coast of the U.K. in recent weeks whipsawed through regional energy markets. Gas and coal-fired electricity plants were called in to make up the shortfall from wind.
- Natural-gas prices, already boosted by the pandemic recovery and a lack of fuel in storage caverns and tanks, hit all-time highs. Thermal coal, long shunned for its carbon emissions, has emerged from a long price slump as utilities are forced to turn on backup power sources.
- The episode underscored the precarious state the region's energy markets face heading into the long European winter. The electricity price shock was most acute in the U.K., which has leaned on wind farms to eradicate net carbon emissions by 2050. Prices for carbon credits, which electricity producers need to burn fossil fuels, are at records, too.
- ''It took a lot of people by surprise,'' said Stefan Konstantinov, senior energy economist at data firm ICIS, of the leap in power prices. ''If this were to happen in winter when we've got significantly higher demand, then that presents a real issue for system stability.''
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- At their peak, U.K. electricity prices had more than doubled in September and were almost seven times as high as at the same point in 2020. Power markets also jumped in France, the Netherlands and Germany.
- Prices for power to be dispatched the next day rocketed to £285 a megawatt hour in the U.K. when wind speeds dropped last week, according to ICIS. That is equivalent to $395 a megawatt hour and marked a record on figures going back to 1999.
- In electricity markets, the cost of generation at the most expensive supplier determines prices for everyone. That means that when countries derive power from thermal plants with comparatively high running costs, it boosts prices for the whole market. Operating costs at fossil-fuel power plants are high right now after a relentless climb in prices for gas, coal and carbon permits.
- Energy prices could shoot even higher if cool temperatures stop gas stores replenishing before the period of peak winter demand, said Tom Lord, a carbon trader at U.K.-based Redshaw Advisors. ''You've got a gas market that's extremely tight,'' he said.
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- Electricity, gas, coal and carbon markets have a way of feeding on one another. High gas prices prompted utilities to burn more coal, so they had to buy more emissions allowances. Expensive carbon permits then prodded energy companies to turn back to gas, whose price rose again because the fuel is in short supply.
- The feedback loop has the potential to ripple into the broader economy. European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde this month referred to energy markets as one of the main forces driving inflation higher.
- Wind accounted for about a quarter of Great Britain's power last year, according to the system operator National Grid . After the wind dropped this month, National Grid asked lectricit(C) de France SA to restart its West Burton A coal power station in Nottinghamshire. That won't be possible in the future: The government has said all coal plants must close by late 2024.
- To be sure, abundant wind power has at times led to periods of cheap electricity. This month, however, U.K. wind farms produced less than one gigawatt on certain days, according to Mr. Konstantinov. Full capacity stands at 24 gigawatts. Maintenance work on subsea cables restricted electricity imports from France.
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- Losers from the jump in prices include power-intensive companies that are due to renew multiyear energy deals and firms that haven't hedged their electricity bills.
- Two U.K. energy retailers'--PFP Energy and MoneyPlus Energy'--went out of business when electricity prices spiked this month. The companies, with a combined 94,000 gas and power customers, didn't return requests for comment.
- Winners include U.S. and Russian companies exporting gas to Europe, as well as renewable-power suppliers producing electricity with near-zero operating costs. Shares of Cheniere Energy Inc., a major U.S. exporter of liquefied natural gas, have risen 47% this year.
- The price surge shows the need to have backup power supplies for moments when the wind doesn't blow and the sun doesn't shine, said Mark Dickinson, chief executive of Inspired PLC, which advises companies on energy costs and climate change.
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- Options include reserve thermal power plants, battery storage or cables for importing electricity from other markets.
- Write to Joe Wallace at Joe.Wallace@wsj.com
- Office tensions rise between the vaccinated and unvaccinated
- Protesters rally against vaccine mandates at City Hall on August 25, 2021 in New York City.
- Michael Loccisano | Getty Images News | Getty Images
- Office politics have been a thing of the past for most of us over the last 18 months, as millions of people worked from home throughout Covid-induced lockdowns.
- Now, as many employees return to their offices, tensions appear to be emerging along new lines: those who are vaccinated against Covid, and those who are not.
- In the U.S. in particular, companies have taken a rigorous approach toward employees' Covid vaccination status, with many announcing that their staff must be fully vaccinated in order to return to the workplace.
- Then, in late August, the FDA granted full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid shot.
- That approval is already inflaming workplace conflicts because it has meant that fewer employees can remain "on the fence" regarding vaccine safety, with some workers now hardening their stance on whether vaccines should be mandatory, particularly when it comes to their co-workers, according to one workplace consultancy.
- Seyfarth at Work conducted surveys of hundreds of employees through to late August and found there was an increasing number of workplace conflicts related to vaccination.
- Dividing respondents into two camps '-- the "vexed vaxxed" and "unnerved unvaxxed" '-- it reported that both sides of the debate, those for vaccination and those against it, felt a growing sense of resentment.
- Darren Ford reacts to a mask mandate while presenting his vaccine card at Liberty Theatre on May 14, 2021 in Camas, Washington.
- Nathan Howard | Getty Images News | Getty Images
- Some 37% of companies surveyed by Seyfarth at Work reported that vaccinated staff were angry and frustrated at the transmission risk posed by unvaccinated workers. The consultancy cited one East Coast fix-it company worker as saying: "I have a grandma and a toddler at home. Why should some twenty-something science denier put them both at risk?"
- Vaccinated staff are also reportedly annoyed at the prospect of having to cover for colleagues who may become ill, while others object to differing workplace rules (such as two sets of masking protocols) due to those that are unvaccinated.
- The unvaccinated, meanwhile, are complaining about their treatment at work, with 21% of the companies surveyed noting that unvaccinated staff are "crying foul at what they consider harsh judgment by others or better opportunities for vaccinated office-mates" as well as the burdens of regular testing requirements.
- Read more: Mask-wearing becomes a new battleground in England as Covid rules are eased
- At one engineering firm, a group of unvaccinated staff have formed an ad-hoc support group (calling itself the "Vexcluded") with one group member explaining that "our vaccine fears have turned us into veritable office outcasts."
- Corporate law expert Philippe Weiss, the president of Seyfarth at Work, told CNBC that workplace disputes fell into four categories:
- Verbal and email/Slack/intranet altercations/argumentsSeparation '-- people refusing to sit or work near one-otherProtest '-- conflicts between employees and managers over policies affecting vaxxed vs. unvaxxed workersAngry online posts"In some workplaces we have seen a significant spike in hostility," Weiss said. "Human Resources contacts report the stress of attempting to manage the introduction of oft-changing Covid safety policies with, in some cases, an inundation of gripes from both the vaxxed and unvaxxed."
- A protest against vaccine mandates in St. Paul, Minnesota on August 28, 2021.
- UCG | Universal Images Group | Getty Images
- Weiss said he expected the divisions to grow as more people returned to the office.
- "Those individuals who were required to remain on site '-- or had to come to offices regularly during the last year '-- are already accustomed to changing workplace rules and have often developed some understanding and elasticity," he said.
- "Now, millions of formerly remote workers returning, many of whose views on vaccine and other measures were reinforced after months associating with like-minded acquaintances, and they are apt to be less adaptable and open-minded."
- Vaccine mandatesAnthony Mingione, an employment lawyer and partner in the New York office of law firm Blank Rome, said disputes and resentment over vaccination and mask-wearing in the workplace are coming to the fore '-- and it's having an impact on the return to the office.
- "The tension between vaccinated and unvaccinated colleagues is a key issue behind the slowing rate of large-scale office returns," he told CNBC on Wednesday.
- "One of the conflicts we are seeing is the clash between vaccinated workers who have returned to the workplace and unvaccinated workers who continue to work remotely," he said. "Many times vaccinated employees feel like they are being unfairly forced to shoulder work responsibilities for unvaccinated colleagues."
- Read more: Fully vaccinated people are still getting infected with Covid. Experts explain why
- Mingione said employers were now having to impose their own Covid policies, as governments relax the required safety protocols, finding themselves in a gray area.
- "Without the cover provided by hard and fast rules, businesses seeking a return to the office must adopt work rules that get employees back onsite while also keeping them safe '-- all against the backdrop of a polarizing political climate," he said.
- A sign is viewed at a restaurant in New York's Upper West Side on August 17, 2021, the first day where you have to show proof of having a Covid-19 vaccination to participate in indoor dining.
- Timothy A. Clary | AFP | Getty Images
- Lucy Lewis, a partner with global HR lawyers Lewis Silkin, agreed that this was proving difficult for businesses.
- "Almost invariably, employers want to act in a way which is both fair and protects the health and safety of their workforce and customers," Lewis told CNBC Tuesday. "The biggest challenge is the lack of specific government guidance on the parameters of what they should be doing to achieve that and, in particular, the part that vaccinations should play."
- Job retentionThere are a growing number sectors, both public and private, where employees are required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
- Although the U.S. ruled out making Covid vaccination mandatory earlier this year, some states are moving to make the shots compulsory for some trades and activities. Such action has proved controversial, sparking large protests in parts of the country.
- Last week, President Joe Biden was notably tougher on the issue, however, pressuring more private employers to immunize their workforce, as well as mandating the shots for federal employees, contractors and health-care workers.
- The U.S. is not alone in this, with similar moves being introduced in the U.K. and other parts of Europe.
- Vaccine policies in the workplace could determine whether employees remain in or leave their jobs, however, according to one study of more than 1,051 American workers over the age of 21 by Qualtrics, a customer experience company.
- The survey, conducted in August, found that while most (60%) of employees support vaccine mandates for in-person work, almost a quarter of employees (23%) said they would strongly consider leaving their place of work if their employers mandated vaccines.
- The survey found that support for vaccine mandates differs across industries, with 75% of workers in tech supporting vaccine mandates at work, while 58% of government employees support mandates.
- More men (63%) support vaccine mandates at work than women (56%), and political affiliation also affected the evident level of support, with 81% of those who identifying as Democrats saying they support vaccine mandates at work, while only 45% of Republicans said the same.
- Some employers have been reluctant to enforce workplace rules on vaccines and masks in an effort to avoid conflict, Blank Rome's Mingione added, but that could lead to more conflicts down the road.
- "Selective enforcement of any policy '-- even with good intentions '-- can lead to dropping morale, employee conflicts and low productivity," he said. "As the Delta variant runs rampant and stories of breakthrough infections permeate the news cycle, these workplace conflicts have continued to increase.
- Read more: Fully vaccinated people are still getting infected with Covid. Experts explain why
- Youth Climate Anxiety - Launch of global study Tickets, Tue, Sep 14, 2021 at 2:00 PM | Eventbrite
- Join us for the launch of a groundbreaking new scientific study - largest international survey of climate anxiety in children & young people
- About this eventTo watch the livestream of this launch, visit:
- reveal findings from a survey* of 10,000 children and young peopleshow clearly how the reality of climate change, together with government inaction, is linked to high levels of psychological distress bring together world-leading experts in the field of mental health and human rights, alongside powerful youth activists, to discuss the problem and what can be done Panelists:
- Caroline Hickman: lead author of the study, psychotherapist, academic and researcher at the University of Bath, Climate Psychology Alliance.Elizabeth Marks: lead author of the study, clinical psychologist, lecturer in Psychology at the University of Bath. Luisa Neubauer: German youth activist.Jennifer Uchendu: Nigerian youth activist.Elouise Mayall: co-author of the study, Member of the UK Youth Climate Coalition, and co-organiser of the Local Council of Youth 2019.Natasa Mavronicola: human rights expert at the University of Birmingham.*This is the first large-scale, global study of climate anxiety in children and young people. It was funded by Avaaz and conducted by an international group of psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists and young people with expertise in mental health, trauma and climate change, across six different universities:
- Caroline Hickman, University of Bath | Dr. Elizabeth Marks, University of BathDr. Panu Pihkala, University of HelsinkiDr. Susan Clayton, The College of WoosterDr. Eric Lewandowski, NYU Langone Health, Department of Child and Adolescent PsychiatryElouise E. Mayall, University of East AngliaDr. Britt Wray, Stanford University and London School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineDr. Catriona Mellor, Oxford Health NHS Foundation TrustDr. Lise van Susteren, Climate Psychiatry AllianceDate and timeLocationOnline event
- Elizabeth Warren Asks Amazon To Deplatform Books, Products With 'COVID-19 Misinformation' | The Daily Caller
- Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren urged Amazon to remove books and other products that spread ''COVID-19 misinformation'' from its online marketplace.
- Warren identified a variety of products that are among the top results when consumers search for certain items and books about COVID-19 in a letter sent Wednesday to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. The products promote ''false and misleading'' conspiracy theories about the coronavirus, Warren alleged.
- ''This pattern and practice of misbehavior suggests that Amazon is either unwilling or unable to modify its business practices to prevent the spread of falsehoods or the sale of inappropriate products '-- an unethical, unacceptable, and potentially unlawful course of action from one of the nation's largest retailers,'' Warren wrote.
- ''On the heels of the [Food and Drug Administration's] full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and amidst the rapid spread of the Delta variant, it is vital that Americans have access to accurate information about COVID-19 prevention and treatment '-- and about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines in particular,'' Warren continued. (RELATED: Amazon Employees Quit Over Sale Of Book About 'Transgender Craze')
- Warren's staff conducted numerous searches using coronavirus terms on the Amazon marketplace during the week of Aug. 22. Among the product recommendations were repeatedly products that spread misinformation, Warren told Jassy in the letter.
- The top results were often books based on ''falsehoods about COVID-19 vaccines and cures.''
- Orders move down a conveyor belt at the Amazon fulfillment center in Staten Island. (Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images)
- The book ''The Truth About COVID-19: Exposing the Great Reset, Lockdowns, Vaccine Passports, and the New Normal,'' a best-seller on the massive online marketplace written by Joseph Mercola and Ronnie Cummins, is consistently a top Amazon search result, according to the Massachusetts senator. She said the book perpetuates dangerous conspiracies about coronavirus vaccines.
- ''It asserts that vitamin C, vitamin D, and quercetin '-- supplements sold on Mercola's website '-- can prevent COVID-19 infection, a claim with such little scientific basis that the FDA sent a letter instructing Mercola to cease selling these supplements for the unapproved and unauthorized treatment of COVID-19,'' Warren wrote.
- Warren also criticized Amazon's promotion of several other books that advocate for unproven coronavirus cures including four written by Alex Berenson, who has shared information countering mainstream opinion throughout the pandemic. In August, Twitter suspended Berenson from its platform for allegedly spreading misinformation.
- Amazon briefly banned one of Berenson's books last year over potential violations to the company's guidelines, The Washington Post reported.
- Warren concluded the letter by applauding Amazon for its previous actions banning ''books that frame LGBTQ+ identity as a mental illness'' and asked Jassy to answer a series of questions about its policies on preventing coronavirus misinformation. She asked Jassy to respond to her questions by Sept. 22.
- ''We are constantly evaluating the books we list to ensure they comply with our content guidelines, and as an additional service to customers, at the top of relevant search results pages we link to the CDC advice on COVID and protection measures,'' an Amazon spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation in a statement.
- Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
- Grotesque conflicts of interest on NIH ivermectin non-recommendation
- Note that views expressed in this opinion article are the writer's personal views and not necessarily those of TrialSite. This article is currently FREE to read and share without paying.
- The National Institutes of Health provided a non-recommendation for the use of ivermectin in COVID-19, stating that there was:
- ''insufficient evidence '... to recommend either for or against the use of ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19.''
- The process for reaching that non-recommendation, however, is opaque. The Panel members responsible for therapy recommendations are disclosed and also that:
- '''... working groups propose updates to the Guidelines based on the latest published research findings and evolving clinical information.''
- However, NIH has gone to extreme efforts to avoid stating whether a vote was held to endorse the ivermectin non-recommendation. This includes fighting a Freedom of Information Act request in federal court. A deceptive non-vote would constitute an atrocity. NIH has also been secretive about the composition of the working group that proposed the ivermectin non-recommendation. The names of those individuals were redacted by the NIH from a document obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request for the agenda of a meeting considering ivermectin.
- However, the group responsible for the ivermectin non-recommendation has been discovered through a FOIA request to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The FOIA response shows that the working group has nine members. Three members of the working group, Adaora Adimora, Roger Bedimo, and David V. Glidden, have disclosed a financial relationship with Merck. Merck has campaigned against the use of ivermectin in COVID-19. A fourth member, Susanna Naggie, had an extraordinary potential conflict of interest. She received a $155 million grant for the study of ivermectin following the non-recommendation. Funding for the study would have been difficult to justify if the drug was recommended for use in COVID-19. It is not known, however, if the panelist was aware of that opportunity or was planning to apply for that grant at the time of the deliberations on ivermectin.
- The deception and secrecy surrounding the NIH ivermectin non-recommendation should have raised serious doubts about its integrity. The grotesque conflicts of interest of Panel members should make it clear that the NIH, as the FDA with its slandering of ivermectin as a ''horse dewormer,'' should not be taken seriously.
- PeterYimBiography: Peter J. Yim, PhD is a computer scientist and educator. He held a fellowship in the Clinical Center at the National Institutes of Health and was on the faculty of the Dept. of Radiology at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He is the founder of Virtual Scalpel, Inc. a technology startup. He is also a certified public high school physics teacher.
- Evergrande Is Collapsing - Will Not Make Its Massive Debt Payments - 5 Times Bigger than Lehman Brothers
- This is really scary. These are big numbers that may affect the entire world.Hong Kong real estate holding company in China, Evergrande, is in dire straights. This company has $300 billion in debt and it is unable to make its payments. [After living in Hong Kong the past decade, my hunch is that Evergrande is not the only company unable to make debt payments on real estate in China.]
- EXCLUSIVE: The Beginning of China's Economic Collapse? Largest Issuer of China's Commercial Paper, Evergrande, Is Facing Bankruptcy, Entire World Economy Likely Impacted
- A couple of days ago we warned that Evergrande is preparing for bankruptcy.
- TRENDING: HUGE: Uttar Pradesh, India Announces State Is COVID-19 Free Proving the Effectiveness of "Deworming Drug" IVERMECTIN
- Hong Kong Behemoth in China Real Estate Readying for Bankruptcy '' Is This the Beginning of a Massive China Real Estate Crash?
- The problem is Evergrande is five times the size of Lehman Brothers, made famous in the 2008 crash in the US. On September 7, Zerohedge shared:
- With algos busy chasing upward momentum in futures and global stocks, the biggest '' if largely ignored story '' remain the ongoing collapse of ''China's Lehman'', the $300+ billion China Evergrande, where following our earlier reports (see below) that a bank run emerged among creditors of the biggest and most indebted Chinese developer as its bonds were no longer eligible collateral in the repo market after a ratings downgrade, on Monday the rout went from bad to catastrophic as various Evergrande bonds crashed amid a liquidation frenzy, prompting China's stock exchanges to halt trade.
- The Shanghai Stock Exchange said in a statement that it had temporarily suspended trading in China Evergrande Group's 6.98% July 2022 corporate bond following ''abnormal fluctuations.'' The exchange had also suspended trading in the bond on Friday. Tether commercial paper could be Chinese and it is one of the largest commercial paper traders in existance.
- [Personal comment '' there are numerous billionaires in Hong Kong and many, if not all, are in Chinese real estate. They may have been encouraged to do so. If these companies have problems similar to Evergrande, this could be a very big problem.]
- This really could make 2008 in the US look like nothing. Hold tight.
- Bill and Melinda Gates back UK A.I. startup developing antiviral drugs
- Bill and Melinda Gates attend the Presidential Medals of Freedom ceremonies in the East Room of the White House in Washington, November 22, 2016.
- LONDON '' Bill and Melinda Gates have backed a U.K. start-up that's trying to design new drugs with artificial intelligence software.
- Oxford-headquartered Exscientia announced Wednesday that it has signed a four-year deal worth up to $70 million with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
- The start-up, which competes with the likes of BenevolentAI, said it will use part of the funding to try to develop novel antiviral pills that could be used to treat Covid-19 and stop future pandemics from spreading.
- Exscientia is focusing on developing treatments for Covid-19 and other coronaviruses, as well as influenza and animal-to-human virus Nipah, which can cause respiratory problems.
- "The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic underscores the urgency to develop safe and effective broad-spectrum drugs to expand our armory against viruses and their variants," Exscientia CEO Andrew Hopkins said in a statement.
- Exscientia's "small molecule therapeutics" aim to fight the parts of viruses that are least likely to change, allowing scientists to develop treatments that could theoretically take on future viruses.
- "Small molecule therapeutics could provide a superior approach to guard global health," said Denise Barrault, director of portfolio management at Exscientia, in a statement.
- "Certain targets are prevalent across families of viruses, meaning that potent therapeutics could be broadly effective across multiple virus families. This collaboration will focus on evaluating protein targets that are evolutionarily conserved and are less likely to develop resistance."
- While vaccines have provided populations with protection against Covid, there are a limited number of treatments available for patients who have tested positive.
- The efficacy of remdesivir, the only antiviral that has been approved for Covid treatment, isn't perfect, and many doctors are relying on medications that alleviate symptoms such as the steroid dexamethasone, or certain antibody treatments.
- Exscientia claims that its AI software can reduce the amount of time it takes to discover new drugs by up to 80%.
- The firm, which signed a $1.2 billion deal with U.S. pharma firm Bristol Myers Squibb, already has several drugs involved in clinical trials.
- Two of the company's drugs, which are designed to treat psychiatric conditions, are being tested in partnership with Japanese drugmaker Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, for example. There's also an oncology drug that Exscientia has developed independently.
- The Gates Foundation has taken an undisclosed equity stake in the company in exchange for the investment, which is its second in the company.
- Bill and Melinda Gates announced they were splitting up after 27 years of marriage in May, but the pair said they would keep collaborating at the foundation.
- In July, the foundation said Melinda will resign as co-chair and trustee if after two years either of the two concludes that they cannot work together as co-chairs.
- AMA updates CPT codes for Pfizer vaccine's new formulation
- The American Medical Association on Sept. 3 updated the Current Procedural Terminology codes for Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine so that they're unique to the vaccine's new formulation.
- The new codes are based on a tris-sucrose buffer rather than the phosphate buffer present in the original formulation.
- The CPT code for Pfizer's tris-sucrose buffer COVID-19 vaccine is 91305. It also has CPT codes for the administration of three doses: 0051A, 0052A and 0053A.
- The tris-sucrose buffer formulation has not yet received approval from the FDA. The new codes will be effective for use once and if the approval is granted.
- GM advising some Bolt EV owners to park 50 feet away from other cars
- The Vermont State Police released this photo of the 2019 Chevrolet Bolt EV that caught fire on July 1, 2021 in the driveway of state Rep. Timothy Briglin, a Democrat.
- DETROIT '' General Motors is advising some Chevrolet Bolt owners to not park their electric cars within 50 feet of other vehicles to reduce the risk of a potential fire spreading to nearby cars and trucks.
- The warning follows the Detroit automaker recalling more than 140,000 of the EVs produced since 2016 due to the risk of batteries spontaneously catching fire from "two rare manufacturing defects."
- GM has confirmed fires in at least 12 vehicles, but more continue to be reported. At least one of the recalled vehicles reportedly caught fire and spread to a Maserati and Hyundai in Sacramento, California.
- The parking advice is being given to customers that call into the company's call center about parking their recalled vehicles in parking lots or structures, according to GM spokesman Dan Flores. That's different from previous warnings involving parking the vehicle outside, not charging it unattended overnight and changing the car's charging settings that were issued to all owners.
- "In an effort to reduce potential damage to structures and nearby vehicles in the rare event of a potential fire, we recommend parking on the top floor or on an open-air deck and park 50 feet or more away from another vehicle," Flores said in an email.
- The updated parking guidance was first reported by Bloomberg News.
- The recall is expected to cost $1.8 billion, some of which the company plans to get from its battery supplier, LG Chem, which produced the defective batteries in South Korea and Michigan.
- GM has said it is working with LG to rectify the issues and increase production of the new modules for the potentially defective battery packs. It will notify customers when replacement parts are ready.
- GM says owners with questions should visit www.chevy.com/boltevrecall, contact its Chevrolet EV helpline at 1-833-EVCHEVY or contact their preferred Chevrolet EV dealer.
- NYT: John Durham seeks indictment of Clinton Campaign Lawyer - by Techno Fog - The Reactionary
- Breaking report from the New York Times (Savage and Goldman, et al.): Special Counsel John Durham ''will ask a grand jury to indict'' former DNC/Clinton campaign lawyer (and Perkins Coie partner) Michael Sussman for giving false statements. The false statement charges would relate to a September 19, 2016 meeting FBI lawyer James Baker had with Sussman, where Sussman relayed to the FBI the discredited theory that the Trump Organization was communicating with Alfa Bank.
- The New York Times states:
- Mr. Baker, the former F.B.I. lawyer, is said to have told investigators that he recalled Mr. Sussmann saying that he was not meeting him on behalf of any client.
- This was contradicted by (1) Sussman's testimony to Congress; and (2) Sussman's own billing records. Sussman's lawyers acknowledged ''they expected him to be indicted.''
- As to Sussman's testimony, here is a portion where he discusses the Alfa Bank information was given to him by a client.
- As we have discussed, the New Yorker first reported back in 2020 that Durham had impaneled a grand jury relating to the false Alfa Bank/Trump Organization story. There is the potential that former Feinstein staffer Daniel Jones - as well as the researches behind the Alfa Bank matter - will also face charges of giving false information to federal officials.
- More recently, we noted that Fusion GPS has been fighting to keep secret its communications about Trump/Alfa Bank secret in a civil suit. Court records we reviewed appear to show the degree with which Fusion GPS, Glenn Simpson, and their associates went in drafting and promoting the false Alfa Bank/Trump Organization story.
- One court document of interest is this August 26, 2016 e-mail from Fusion GPS to Michael Sussman.
- That Fusion GPS-Sussman correspondence occurred not long before Sussman met with FBI General Counsel James Baker weeks later.
- The e-mails correspond to the dates the Alfa Bank/Trump Organization was getting media exposure. One has to wonder what other correspondence Sussman had with Fusion GPS.
- Questions have long been asked about Sussman's involvement in the potential cover-up of the DNC hack in 2016. It was Sussman who brought in CrowdStrike (given his close relationship with founder Shawn Henry) to look into the DNC hack. According to Politico:
- In late April [2016], the DNC's IT department noticed some suspicious behavior and contacted DNC chief executive officer Amy Dacey, according to a DNC official. Dacey reached out to DNC lawyer Michael Sussmann, a partner at the Perkins Coie law firm and a former federal prosecutor specializing in cybercrimes. Sussmann called Shawn Henry, the president of cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, to get his company's help.
- This CrowdStrike/Perkins Coie links put into perspective this information in the the New York Times article, where Durham
- has been pursuing a theory that the Clinton campaign used Perkins Coie to submit dubious information to the F.B.I. about Russia and Mr. Trump in an effort to gin up investigative activity to hurt his 2016 campaign.
- If that is the case, then we doubt it would be limited to the Alfa Bank allegations.
- We'll be following the Sussman story closely and will post the charging documents and criminal information once - or if - Durham gets the indictment.
- Federal Court Sides With DeSantis--Won't Stop Ban On School Mask Mandate
- Major win for freedom from masks.
- A federal judge sided with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis(R) and refused to stop his ban on school mask mandates.
- BREAKING: Federal court sides with Flordia Governor Ron DeSantis, refusing to temporarily stop the governor from enacting a ban on required masks in schools
- Court order: https://t.co/jctKdZNzpi pic.twitter.com/T7wyLycdQb
- '-- Election Wizard (@ElectionWiz) September 16, 2021
- A federal judge in Miami Wednesday declined to block Gov. Ron DeSantis' ban on public school mask mandates, saying the parents of students with disabilities who sued the governor had not exhausted all remedies at their schools to accommodate their children's needs before bringing the case to court.
- The 12 parents, whose children go to school in eight school districts across the state, including Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, had argued that their children, due to health conditions, were at particular risk of becoming ill or dying from COVID-19 if any of their peers attend school in-person without facial coverings.
- U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore sided with DeSantis, whose lawyer, Rocco Testani, countered that the parents' dissatisfaction stemmed from remote learning options at their schools, and they had to address those issues with their schools.
- ''Thus, the Court finds that under the circumstance presented in this case, Plaintiffs' failure to exhaust their administrative remedies renders their requested relief to be out of line with the public interest,'' Moore wrote in his order, denying the parents' suit to stop DeSantis' July 30 executive order. ''Only after Plaintiffs have availed themselves of their administrative remedies would their requested relief be, potentially in line with the public interest.''
- DeSantis announced the ban on school mask mandates back on July 30th.
- DeSantis said ''Many of these kids are already immune through prior infection. They're at virtually zero risk for significant illness.''
- Governor Ron DeSantis is promising parents their kids won't have to wear masks in school.
- He made that announcement in Cape Coral Friday morning, saying he would back up that promise with an executive order.
- Despite the current surge of COVID-19 cases in Florida, DeSantis said he wants parents to choose whether their kid should wear a mask in the classroom. The room at the Two Meatballs in the Kitchen restaurant was filled with applause as Governor DeSantis made the announcement.
- ''I'll be signing an executive order which directs the Florida Department of Education and Department of Health to issue emergency rules protecting the rights of parents to make this decision about wearing masks for their children,'' said DeSantis.
- The Palmieri Report is a Pro-America News Outlet founded by Jacob Palmieri. The Palmieri Report is dedicated to giving people the truth so that they can form their own informed political opinions. You can help us beat Big Tech by following us on GETTR , Telegram, and Rumble.
- CLICK TO SUPPORT US AND BUY OUR SHIRTSShare Your ThoughtsWe have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
- The Extreme Right's Favorite Web Provider Just Got Hacked '' Mother Jones
- Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via ZUMA Press
- Fight disinformation. Get a daily recap of the facts that matter. Sign up for the
- free Mother Jones newsletter.
- Epik, the domain registrar known for hosting far-right websites and social media services, was recently hacked, according to a release from someone claiming to be associated with the online collective known as Anonymous.
- ''This dataset is all that's needed to trace actual ownership and management of the fascist side of the Internet.''As first reported Monday by journalist Steven Monacelli, the hacker claims that ''a decade's worth of data from the company'' has been obtained, including all domain purchases, domain transfers, and unredacted website registration data that could shed light on individuals and groups behind extremist or hate sites.
- ''This dataset is all that's needed to trace actual ownership and management of the fascist side of the Internet that has eluded researchers, activists, and, well, just about everybody,'' the hacker boasted in announcing the attack.
- The company has called itself the ''Swiss Bank of Domains,'' with company CEO Rob Monster joking earlier this year to NPR that he's ''the Lex Luthor of the internet.'' In that story, Monster likened white supremacist leaders to ''shock jocks,'' and claimed that while he does not personally think such content needed ''to be available to people on the internet'' publishing it remained ''the decision of our client organizations.'' Epik's clients include Gab, the social networking platform where a user boasted about targeting a Pittsburgh synagogue just before carrying out his deadly assault, and Parler, whose links to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol got it booted by major tech providers.
- Emma Best, a key figure with DDoS Secrets, a web archive with a public interest mission of hosting hacked and leaked data, tweeted Tuesday morning that the site was working to obtain the materials and share them with researchers and journalists. The group says it is preparing 180 gigabytes of data from ''Epik, known for hosing fascist, white supremacist and other right-wing content.'' In a separate tweet, Best noted the group's history with the hacked-domain registrar, noting that Epik's services ''were used to defame, stalk, and threaten #DDoSSecrets'' members after the site hosted data obtained from Gab. ''Epik knew. Gab's CEO knew. They all enabled it,'' Best wrote.
- While a spokesperson for the company did not respond to a Mother Jones request for comment Tuesday afternoon, Gizmodo reported that a company spokesperson claimed Epik had mounted an investigation but was ''not aware of any breach.''
- Monday's release announcing the hack called for support for ''#OperationJane,'' an online pro-abortion rights campaign that promotes flooding websites and tip lines with fake reports after Texas enacted an anti-abortion rights law soliciting citizens to identify anyone participating in or encouraging the procedure. An Epik subsidiary briefly provided support to a prominent tip site related to the new law, but cut virtually all services, with the company telling reporters such a site violated its terms of service.
- Alabama man dies from cardiac event after 43 hospitals turn him away
- The family of a man who died of heart issues in Mississippi is asking people to get vaccinated for COVID-19 after 43 hospitals across three states were unable to accept him because of full cardiac ICUs.
- Ray Martin DeMonia died last week in Meridian, Mississippi. He was three days shy of his 74th birthday and a well-known native in Cullman, Alabama, his family said.
- DeMonia suffered from a cardiac event, and emergency staff at Cullman Regional Medical Center had to bring him to the nearest available bed, which was nearly 200 miles away at a Mississippi hospital.
- In his obituary, DeMonia's family urged people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
- ''In honor of Ray, please get vaccinated if you have not, in an effort to free up resources for non-COVID related emergencies,'' the obituary read. ''He would not want any other family to go through what his did.''
- ''Ray DeMonia was like no other,'' his obituary read.
- DeMonia spent 40 years in the antiques business in Alabama.
- Coronavirus Watch:What to know about Biden's new COVID-19 plan
- Pandemic:Pediatric ICUs 'under stress' as more kids get hospitalized for COVID, RSV or both at the same time
- As of Thursday, there are 60 more ICU patients in Alabama than there are beds, and 51% of those patients have tested positive for COVID-19.
- The U.S. has recorded more than 40.6 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 655,800 deaths. Cases have surged in areas across the country in recent months due to the delta variant of the virus.
- Hadley Hitson covers the rural South for the Montgomery Advertiser and Report for America. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com.
- Durham mandates contact tracing for gatherings in people's homes | Toronto Sun
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- (Getty Images file photo) Article contentIf you thought your home was the one place where you could relax without worrying about getting fined over pandemic rules, think again.
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- Article contentDurham Region's top doctor has quietly passed new rules mandating that all residents must conduct contact tracing of anyone who comes to their house for a ''social gathering.'' This is regardless of how many people are in attendance, how well they know each other, and the purpose of the visit.
- If someone is found to not be complying, they can be hit with a $5,000 fine.
- Dr. Robert Kyle, Durham Region's medical officer of health, issued this as a Sec. 22 class order under the Ontario Health and Protection and Promotion Act that came into effect on Sept. 10.
- The new rule means that coffee dates with a best friend or a play date between toddlers must now be documented and handed over to the regional health department upon request.
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- Article contentAn official fact sheet clarifies the rules for residents of the Greater Toronto Area neighbourhood:
- '-- Maintain a list of full names and contact information (including phone numbers) for all attendees at the social gathering, regardless of age, in a private dwelling and/or commercial premises and, upon request, shall provide Durham Region Health Department (DRHD) with this information within 24 hours of the request, or other time specified.
- '-- Maintain the list of names and contact information (including phone numbers) for attendees at the social gathering for a period of at least one month.
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- The fact sheet specifies that ''(a) social gathering is a gathering of two or more people who do not reside in the same household.''
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- Article contentThis means that private residences in Durham now face similar rules as public-facing businesses. It also means the government is now setting rules for private social interactions.
- They claim that most people already voluntarily hand such information over, and that the new order is because of ''some who do not cooperate.''
- The health department further explains: ''This class order was issued as a result of an increase in the numbers of people contracting COVID-19 in Durham Region and the importance of timely and efficient case and contact management in order to reduce transmission in the community.''
- While the number of cases has gone up slightly from where they stood in July, they are still at some of their lowest points of the year. The Durham Region daily case count currently hovers in the 20s and 30s and they had 36 cases on Sept. 10, the day the new rule came into effect.
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- Article contentDr. Neil Rau, an infectious diseases physician based out of Oakville, calls these rules ''extreme'' and doubts they will even accomplish anything.
- ''Any order that's calling for contact tracing like this is moving backward rather than moving forwards in terms of our evolving towards an endemic (live with it) response,'' says Dr. Rau. ''I don't think it has much value in terms of disease containment.''
- One lawyer familiar with COVID-19 rules notes that those who object have the right to challenge the new rule.
- ''Anyone affected by the order, including homeowners who disagree with it, have the right to appeal the order before the Health Services Appeal and Review Board, and have the right to a hearing within 15 days,'' explains Ryan O'Connor, a partner at the Toronto-based Zayouna law firm.
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- Article content''It is notable that the province currently permits indoor social gatherings in private residences but does not mandate the collection of guests' personal information,'' O'Connor adds. ''This is another instance of a local public health unit imposing orders above and beyond the province's COVID-related restrictions.''
- FUREY FACTOR: Vaccine passport plan backlash! FUREY FACTOR: Vaccine passports for our youth?! FUREY: Ford calls vax passports 'temporary' -- but offers no end date Above and beyond, indeed.
- There have been some truly ridiculous fines issued in Ontario throughout the course of the pandemic. It'll be interesting to see if Durham actually enforces this questionable new tool.
- Shouldn't we be beyond such things at this point?
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- Ziekenhuis Nice schorst 450 werknemers omdat ze niet gevaccineerd zijn. Dat is het nieuwe Franse beleid | De Volkskrant
- Zorgmedewerkers in een ziekenhuis in Lyon verzorgen een covid-patint. Werknemers in de Franse gezondheidsdienst worden geschorst zonder salaris als zij zich niet hebben laten inenten. Beeld AFP
- Volgens de Franse regering is de vaccinatieplicht een groot succes. Door de dreiging van een schorsing is de vaccinatiegraad onder het zorgpersoneel aanzienlijk verhoogd.
- In Nederland zei demissionair minister De Jonge van Volksgezondheid dinsdag dat hij studeert op een coronapas voor de zorg, waardoor werknemers slechts aan de slag kunnen als zij gevaccineerd zijn, recent hersteld zijn van een besmetting of zich iedere dag laten testen. Donderdag debatteert de Tweede Kamer hierover.
- Frankrijk is van oudsher een land waar een groot wantrouwen tegen vaccinatie bestaat. Hiermee geconfronteerd koos president Macron voor powerplay. Werknemers in de zorg moesten zich laten vaccineren, kondigde hij in juli aan. Aanvankelijk wilde hij weigeraars laten ontslaan, maar het Constitutioneel Hof verbood dat.
- Nu worden niet-gevaccineerde medewerkers gestraft met een schorsing zonder salaris. De regering heeft strenge controles aangekondigd en boetes voor werkgevers die niet-gevaccineerden toch aan het werk zetten. De controles worden uitgevoerd door regionale agentschappen die inzage hebben in de vaccinatiegegevens van werknemers. Ziekmelden zal niet worden getolereerd, zei minister van Volksgezondheid Olivier V(C)ran. Verdachte gevallen zullen systematisch worden onderzocht. 'We hopen dat de werknemers die aarzelen, overtuigd zullen worden door de getoonde strengheid', zei directeur Am(C)lie Verder van het regionale agentschap voor gezondheid in de regio le-de-France.
- Het beleid heeft zijn werk gedaan, zegt de Franse regering. De vaccinatiegraad in de zorg steeg van 64 procent begin mei naar ruim 90 procent nu. Minister van Ambtenarenzaken Am(C)lie de Montchalin verwacht zelfs dat uiteindelijk slechts 1 procent van de zorgwerknemers zal blijven weigeren. 'Ons beleid is op maar (C)(C)n ding gericht: het beschermen van ziekenhuizen, zorgmedewerkers en kwetsbare groepen', zei Gabriel Attal, de woordvoerder van de regering. 'We stigmatiseren niemand. We laten iedereen zijn verantwoordelijkheid nemen.'
- Protest neemt af Eind juli nog demonstreerden 161 duizend mensen tegen de vaccinatieplicht, maar het verzet lijkt te zijn uitgedoofd. Dinsdag demonstreerden enkele honderden mensen bij het ministerie van Volksgezondheid in Parijs. Toch blijft een aanzienlijke groep werknemers, door sommigen geschat op 6 tot 8 procent, weigeren zich te laten inenten.
- Een van de weigeraars is medisch secretaresse Vanessa Perotti uit de Parijse voorstad Clichy. Ze had woensdag een zeer korte laatste werkdag in haar ziekenhuis. Ze ontving een brief waarin haar werd meegedeeld dat ze voorlopig geschorst is en kon weer vertrekken. 'Het is walgelijk. Ik laat me niet injecteren alleen om te werken', zei Perotti tegen persbureau Reuters. 'Misschien is het vaccin schadelijk, misschien niet, maar ik wil niet dat iemand me zoiets oplegt. Dat is niet ethisch, we zijn vrij om te doen wat we willen met onze lichamen.'
- Hoewel een grote meerderheid van het zorgpersoneel zich aan de vaccinatieplicht conformeert, weigeren nog altijd honderdduizenden werknemers zich te laten inenten. Een groot probleem, zei Pascal Champvert, voorzitter van de vereniging van directeuren van instellingen voor ouderenzorg tegen de radiozender France Info. 'Men vraagt ons om de weigeraars te schorsen terwijl onze sector lijdt aan een chronisch personeelstekort waarvoor de staat verantwoordelijk is', aldus Champvert. 'Bij sommige instellingen zullen geen medicijnen worden rondgebracht en geen injecties worden toegediend als verpleegkundigen moeten worden geschorst. Zo wordt het leven van sommige bewoners in gevaar gebracht.'
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- Pope Francis: Abortion Is 'Homicide,' Catholic Church's Position Will Not Change To 'Accept Daily Murder' | The Daily Wire
- Pope Francis spoke on the topic of abortion and Catholic politicians who publicly support the barbaric practice during a flight back to Rome from Slovakia, telling reporters that the Catholic Church has no plans to change its teachings on abortion, but that Catholic leaders should seek to counsel abortion-supporting politicians privately before taking the extreme step of excommunicating them from the Church.
- ''Answering questions aboard the papal plane from Bratislava, Slovakia, to Rome on Sept. 15, the pope emphatically said that abortion ends a human life and that human life must be respected,'' EWTN News reported.
- ''Abortion is more than an issue. Abortion is homicide,'' Pope Francis said, definitively. ''It's a homicide. No middle terms. Whomever does an abortion, kills.''
- The Church, Pope Francis added, will remain strict on the issue, despite Catholic politicians like President Joe Biden and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) who claim that their conscience leads them to support ''reproductive rights'' and publicly support not just the right to obtain an abortion, but take affirmative action to protect abortion as a practice.
- ''Scientifically it's a human life. The textbooks teach us that. But is it right to take it out to solve a problem? And this is why the Church is so strict on this issue because it is kind of like accepting this is accepting daily murder,'' Pope Francis noted.
- The theology of the issue, he added, is ''simple.''
- As for whether to deny a pro-abortion politician the ability to participate in communion, the Pope was less decisive, suggesting that bishops and priests should seek to be pastoral and counsel those who seem confused about Church teachings because a pastor's responsibility does not end when an individual has been excommunicated or has excommunicated themselves by disagreeing publicly with core dogma.
- ''The problem is pastoral, how do we, as bishops, manage this principle,'' Pope Francis said. ''If we look at the history of the Church, we will see that every time the bishops acted not as pastors in a problem, they became politicians.''
- ''And what should the pastor do? He shouldn't go around condemning. And he must also be a pastor with those who are excommunicated and be so with God's style, which is closeness, compassion and tenderness,'' Pope Francis said. ''Those people who are not in the community cannot take communion, because they are out of the community. It is not a punishment: Communion is linked to the community.''
- Pope Francis was responding to a question specifically about the U.S. Catholic bishops' plan to issue pastoral guidance on the subject of denying communion to pro-abortion politicians. Although the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops determined, weeks ago, to compile the guidance, the issue has arisen more forcefully in recent weeks, with both Biden and Pelosi expressing support for efforts to overturn a Texas ''heartbeat'' bill that effectively outlaws abortion after around six weeks of pregnancy, when fetal cardiac activity can be detected.
- Both Biden and Pelosi claim to be Catholic, but both openly support abortion, with Biden recently confirming that his thoughts on the subject have evolved from when he claimed, in 2012 to be personally against the practice.
- Both Biden's and Pelosi's local archbishops, who would ultimately authorize a decision to deny them communion, have opined on the subject. Biden's, Washington, D.C., Archbishop Cardinal Wilton Gregory, told reporters last week that the president ''is not demonstrating Catholic teaching.'' Pelosi's, San Francisco's Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, wrote in the Washington Post that ''[y]ou cannot be a good Catholic and support expanding a government-approved right to kill innocent human beings,'' and suggested that excommunication could be on the table for Pelosi and other abortion-supporting Catholics.
- The Daily Wire is one of America's fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a member.
- FBI Apologizes To Molested Gymnasts After Botched 'Investigation' | ZeroHedge
- FBI Director Christopher Wray apologized to US gymnasts who were molested by former team doctor Larry Nassar.
- "I am deeply and profoundly sorry to each and every one of you," said Wray during Wednesday testimony into the agency's mishandling of the investigation, also known as a coverup.
- "I am sorry that so many people let you down over and over again and I am especially sorry that there were people at the FBI who had their own chance to stop this monster back in 2015 and failed, and that is inexcusable, it never should have happened, and we are doing everything in our power to make sure it never happens again," he added.
- A July report by the FBI's watchdog revealed that the FBI 'gravely mishandled' multiple sexual assault allegations against Nassar, who was the subject of 70 women who accused him of abuse during just the time since the FBI knew of the abuse, yet failed to act.
- Despite multiple allegations against Nassar that were reported numerous times to FBI field offices from 2015-2017, a formal FBI investigation wasn't opened until the Michigan State University Police Department found Nassar's stash of child pornography after receiving a complaint of sexual abuse from an MSU athlete. Subsequently, the Indianapolis Field Office lied about its handling of the original reports. At least two field offices failed to notify state and local authorities of Nassar's alleged wrongdoings.
- During this time, Nassar kept his positions at MSU, children's gymnastics club Twistars, and a high school athletic building for months before authorities caught on. -The Federalist
- Several Nassar victims - McKayla Maroney, Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and Maggie Nichols - testified during the hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
- "I am tired of waiting for people to do the right thing," said Maroney.
- The FBI is corrupt and rotten to the coreMcKayla Maroney exposes how the FBI criminally covered up for Larry Nassar, allowed him to keep molesting young girls, and lied about her allegations
- "I am tired of waiting for people to do the right thing." pic.twitter.com/PLjEU6dwPx
- '-- Liz Harrington (@realLizUSA) September 15, 2021"To be clear, I blame Larry Nassar and I also blame an entire system that enabled and perpetrated his abuse," said Simone Biles in her opening statement.
- "To be clear, I blame Larry Nassar and I also blame an entire system that enabled and perpetrated his abuse," Simone Biles gives her opening statement at a Senate hearing on the FBI's handling of the Larry Nassar investigation. pic.twitter.com/yPJX0ejnLg
- '-- MSNBC (@MSNBC) September 15, 2021"We suffered and continue to suffer because no one at @FBI or U.S. AG or USOPC did what was necessary to protect us. We have been failed and we deserve answers. Nassar is where he belongs but those who enabled him deserve to be held accountable," added Biles.
- .@Simone_Biles: "We suffered and continue to suffer because no one at @FBI or U.S. AG or USOPC did what was necessary to protect us. We have been failed and we deserve answers. Nassar is where he belongs but those who enabled him deserve to be held accountable." pic.twitter.com/fnfWU8RhCw
- '-- Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) September 15, 2021"The survivors of Larry Nassar have a right to know why their well-being was placed in jeopardy by these individuals who chose not to do their jobs," said gymnast Maggie Nichols.
- Gymnast Maggie Nichols blasts FBI's handling of the Larry Nassar investigation in opening statement: "The survivors of Larry Nassar have a right to know why their well-being was placed in jeopardy by these individuals who chose not to do their jobs." https://t.co/VDlVUemWkr pic.twitter.com/meX5FVi5Nt
- '-- ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) September 15, 2021Is anyone shocked?
- The FBI covered up pedophile crimes. pic.twitter.com/UlxvtdOEC6
- '-- Cernovich (@Cernovich) September 15, 2021If believing the FBI should have thrown more agents at the Nassar pedophile investigation than they did at NASCAR garage door pull makes me a "far right wing conspiracy theorist," then so be it.
- '-- Cernovich (@Cernovich) September 15, 2021
- Jamie Gangel - Wikipedia
- Jamie Sue Gangel (born 1955)[1] is an American television news reporter working as a CNN special correspondent. She became a national correspondent for the NBC News' Today show in February 1992. Since joining NBC News in 1983 as a general assignment and political correspondent based in Washington, DC, Gangel had been a frequent contributor to NBC Nightly News, Today, Dateline NBC and MSNBC.[2]
- Early life and education Edit Gangel was born and raised in New York City, the daughter of Richard I. Gangel and Phyllis Gangel-Jacob.[3] Her parents divorced eleven months after her birth.[1] Her mother is a retired justice of the New York Supreme Court.[1] Gangel was raised in the Jewish faith.[4] Gangel earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service in 1977. She attended Harvard University in 1976, where she studied international economics.
- Career Edit Gangel began her career in broadcast journalism in 1978 as an assignment editor for WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C. At the same time, she worked for all-news radio station WTOP-AM, the CBS affiliate in Washington. In 1982, she joined television station WPLG-TV in Miami, Florida as a general assignment reporter and substitute anchor.
- Gangel provided some of the first reports of the September 11, 2001 attacks from New York, including confirming that the Pentagon had been hit by a plane and that the CIA offices had been evacuated. Her exclusive interviews have included Frank Zappa and former Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
- On August 24, 2015, Gangel began a new phase of her career as a Special Correspondent for CNN.[2]
- Personal life Edit Gangel is married to New York Times bestselling author Daniel Silva and they have two children, twins Lily and Nicholas. The family resides in Florida.[5] Silva converted to Judaism as an adult.[4]
- Awards Edit Gangel has won numerous awards for reporting, including the
- Edward R. Murrow Award, presented by the Radio-Television News Directors Association;Gracie Award, by the American Women in Radio and Television;Clarion Award, and theAssociated Press Award for Best Spot News Coverage.References Edit External links Edit Jamie Gangel at CNN.com
- Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Wikipedia
- The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States' primary federal law enforcement agency, and is responsible for its day-to-day operations. The FBI Director is appointed for a single 10-year term by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate.[1][2][3] The FBI is an agency within the Department of Justice (DOJ), and thus the Director reports to the Attorney General of the United States.[4]
- The Director briefed the President on any issues that arose from within the FBI until the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 was enacted following the September 11 attacks. Since then, the Director reports in an additional capacity to the Director of National Intelligence, as the FBI is also part of the United States Intelligence Community.[5]
- The current director is Christopher A. Wray, who assumed the role on August 2, 2017, after being confirmed by the United States Senate, taking over from Acting Director Andrew McCabe after the dismissal of former Director James Comey by President Donald Trump.[6]
- Term of office Edit The FBI Director is appointed by the President and, since 1972, subject to confirmation by the Senate.[2][3][7] J. Edgar Hoover, appointed by President Calvin Coolidge to the predecessor office of Director of the Bureau of Investigation in 1924, was by far the longest-serving Director, holding the position from its establishment under the current title in 1935 until his death in 1972. In 1976, in response to Hoover's lengthy tenure and during the Watergate era, by an amendment to the 1968 Omnibus Crime Control Act,[8][9] Congress limited the term of future FBI directors to ten years, "an unusually long tenure that Congress established to insulate the director from political pressure."[10] This rule was waived by the Senate for Robert Mueller on July 27, 2011, due to serious security concerns at that time.[11] Since 1976, Directors serve a ten-year term unless they resign, die, or are removed, but in practice, since Hoover, none have served a full ten years, except Mueller who served twelve years with the leave of Congress.
- The Director of the FBI can be removed from office by the President of the United States.[6] After removal and until a replacement is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, the Deputy Director automatically acts in the role. The appointment of the Deputy Director is not a presidential appointment and does not require Senate confirmation. The President can appoint an Interim Director pending Senate confirmation[12] or nomination of permanent Director.[13]
- Responsibilities Edit Along with the Deputy Director, the Director is responsible for ensuring that cases and operations are handled correctly. The Director also is in charge of staffing the leadership in any one of the FBI field offices with qualified agents.
- Lists of officeholders Edit Bureau of Investigation chiefs and directors (1908''1935) Edit When the Bureau of Investigation (BOI) was established in 1908, its head was called Chief of the Bureau of Investigation.[14] It was changed to the Director of the Bureau of Investigation in the term of William J. Flynn (1919''1921) and to its current name when the BOI was renamed FBI in 1935.
- No.PortraitNameTerm[14]LengthPresident(s)1 Stanley Finch July 26, 1908 '' April 30, 19123 years, 279 daysTheodore RooseveltWilliam H. Taft2 A. Bruce Bielaski April 30, 1912 '' February 10, 19196 years, 286 daysWoodrow Wilson'-- William E. Allen (Acting)February 10, 1919 '' June 30, 1919140 days3 William J. Flynn July 1, 1919 '' August 21, 19212 years, 51 daysWarren Harding4 William J. Burns August 22, 1921 '' May 10, 19242 years, 262 daysCalvin Coolidge5 J. Edgar Hoover May 10, 1924 '' June 30, 193511 years, 51 daysHerbert HooverFranklin D. Roosevelt Federal Bureau of Investigation directors (1935''present) Edit The FBI became an independent service within the Department of Justice in 1935.[15] In the same year, its name was officially changed to the present-day Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), with J. Edgar Hoover receiving the current title of Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Since 1972, the United States Senate has to confirm the nomination of a permanent officeholder.
- No.PortraitNameTerm[14]LengthPresident(s)1 J. Edgar Hoover July 1, 1935 '' May 2, 197236 years, 306 daysFranklin D. RooseveltHarry S. TrumanDwight D. EisenhowerJohn F. KennedyLyndon JohnsonRichard Nixon'-- Clyde Tolson (Acting)May 2, 1972 '' May 3, 19721 day'-- L. Patrick Gray (Acting)May 3, 1972 '' April 27, 1973359 days'-- William Ruckelshaus (Acting)April 30, 1973 '' July 9, 197370 days2 Clarence M. Kelley July 9, 1973 '' February 15, 19784 years, 221 daysGerald FordJimmy Carter'-- James B. Adams (Acting)February 15, 1978 '' February 23, 19788 days3 William H. Webster February 23, 1978 '' May 25, 19879 years, 91 daysRonald Reagan'-- John E. Otto (Acting)May 26, 1987 '' November 2, 1987160 days4 William S. Sessions November 2, 1987 '' July 19, 19935 years, 259 daysGeorge H. W. BushBill Clinton'-- Floyd I. Clarke (Acting)July 19, 1993 '' September 1, 199344 days5 Louis Freeh September 1, 1993 '' June 25, 20017 years, 297 daysGeorge W. Bush'-- Thomas J. Pickard (Acting)June 25, 2001 '' September 4, 200171 days6 Robert Mueller September 4, 2001 '' September 4, 201312 yearsBarack Obama7 James Comey September 4, 2013 '' May 9, 20173 years, 247 daysDonald Trump'-- Andrew McCabe (Acting)May 9, 2017 '' August 2, 201785 days8 Christopher A. WrayAugust 2, 2017 '' Present4 years, 43 daysJoe BidenLine of succession Edit The line of succession for the Director of the FBI is as follows:[16]
- Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of InvestigationAssociate Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of InvestigationExecutive Assistant Director of the National Security BranchExecutive Assistant Director for Criminal, Cyber, Response and ServicesAssistant Director of Counterterrorism DivisionAssistant Director of Criminal Investigative DivisionAssistant Director of Counterintelligence DivisionAssistant Director, Washington Field OfficeAssistant Director, New York Field OfficeAssistant Director, Los Angeles Field OfficeDismissals Edit Since the office's inception, only two Directors have been dismissed: William S. Sessions by President Bill Clinton in 1993, and James Comey by President Donald Trump in 2017. It is accepted that the holder of this post serves at the pleasure of the President.[17]
- William S. Sessions Edit Just before Bill Clinton was inaugurated as the 42nd President of the United States on January 20, 1993, allegations of ethical improprieties were made against Sessions. A report by outgoing Attorney General William P. Barr presented to the Justice Department that month by the Office of Professional Responsibility included criticisms that he had used an FBI plane to travel to visit his daughter on several occasions, and had a security system installed in his home at government expense.[18] Janet Reno, the 78th Attorney General of the United States, announced that Sessions had exhibited "serious deficiencies in judgment."[19]
- Although Sessions denied that he had acted improperly, he was pressured to resign in early July, with some suggesting that President Clinton was giving Sessions the chance to step down in a dignified manner. Sessions refused, saying that he had done nothing wrong, and insisted on staying in office until his successor was confirmed. As a result, President Clinton dismissed Sessions on July 19, 1993, five and a half years into a ten-year term. Clinton's public explanation was that there had been a loss of confidence in Sessions' leadership, and then-Attorney General Reno recommended the dismissal.[20]
- Ronald Kessler's book, The FBI: Inside the World's Most Powerful Law Enforcement Agency, led to the dismissal by President Clinton of Sessions as FBI director over his abuses. According to The Washington Post, "A Justice Department official...noted that the original charges against Sessions came not from FBI agents but from a journalist, Ronald Kessler [who uncovered the abuses while writing a book about the FBI, leading to Sessions' dismissal by President Clinton]..."[21] The New York Times said Kessler's FBI book "did indeed trigger bureau and Justice Department investigations into alleged travel and expense abuses [by FBI Director William Sessions, leading to his departure]...[22]
- Clinton nominated Louis Freeh to be FBI Director on July 20. Then-FBI Deputy Director, Floyd I. Clarke, who Sessions suggested had led a coup to force his removal, served as Acting Director until September 1, 1993, when Freeh was sworn in.[23]
- James Comey Edit On May 9, 2017, President Trump dismissed Comey after the recommendation of United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.[24] Rosenstein's memorandum to Sessions objected to Comey's conduct in the investigation into Hillary Clinton's emails.[25] This was contradicted by multiple unnamed sources to news outlets, who said that Trump and high-level officials personally asked for Comey to be fired.[26][27] Comey was fired after he asked for more money for the investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections.[28] Many members of Congress, mostly Democrats, expressed concern over the firing and argued that it would put the integrity of the investigation into jeopardy.[29]
- Comey's termination was immediately controversial, even being characterized as corrupt by news commentators. It was compared, by the aforementioned news outlets, to the Saturday Night Massacre, President Richard Nixon's termination of special prosecutor Archibald Cox, who had been investigating the Watergate scandal,[30][31] and to the firing of Acting Attorney General Sally Yates in January 2017.
- In the dismissal letter Trump stated that Comey had asserted ''on three separate occasions that I am not under investigation" which was later confirmed by Comey to the Senate while under oath.[32] This is disputed by reporting from multiple news agencies with multiple sources. According to the reporting, Trump had been openly talking about firing Mr. Comey for at least a week before his dismissal. Trump and Democratic leaders had long questioned Comey's judgment. Moreover, Trump was angry that Comey would not support his claim that President Barack Obama had his campaign offices wiretapped, frustrated when Comey revealed in Senate testimony the breadth of the counterintelligence investigation into Russia's effort to sway the 2016 U.S. presidential election and that Comey was giving too much attention to the Russia probe and not to internal leaks within the government. On May 8, 2017, he gave Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein a directive to explain in writing a case against Comey. That directive was forwarded to Trump as a recommendation to dismiss Comey the following day, which Trump did.[33][34][35]
- Comey first learned of his termination from television news reports that flashed on screen while he was delivering a speech to agents at the Los Angeles Field Office.[36] Sources said he was surprised and caught off guard by the termination. Comey immediately departed for Washington, D.C., and was forced to cancel his scheduled speech that night at an FBI recruitment event at the Directors Guild of America in Hollywood, California.[37]
- In the absence of a Senate-confirmed FBI Director, Deputy Director Andrew McCabe automatically became the acting director, serving until the confirmation of Christopher Wray.[38]
- See also Edit Chief, IRS Criminal InvestigationDirector of the Central Intelligence AgencyDirector of the United States Marshals ServiceDirector of the United States Secret ServiceFederal law enforcement in the United StatesReferences Edit ^ "Directors, Then and Now". Federal Bureau of Investigation . Retrieved March 21, 2017 . On October 15, 1976, in reaction to the extraordinary 48-year term of J. Edgar Hoover, Congress passed Public Law 94-503, limiting the FBI Director to a single term of no longer than 10 years. ^ a b "28 U.S. Code § 532 - Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation". LII / Legal Information Institute . Retrieved July 19, 2018 . ^ a b "FBI Director: Appointment and Tenure" (PDF) . Congressional Research Service . Retrieved July 19, 2018 . ^ "Organization, Mission & Functions Manual: Attorney General, Deputy and Associate". US Department of Justice. August 27, 2014 . Retrieved July 19, 2018 . ^ "FBI Intelligence Reform Since September 11, 2001: Issues and Options for Congress". Federation of American Scientists . Retrieved July 19, 2018 . ^ a b The New York Times, May 9, 2017, "F.B.I. Director James Comey Is Fired by Trump" ^ Hogue, Henry B. (May 29, 2018). FBI Director Nominations, 1973-2017 (PDF) . Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service . Retrieved June 14, 2018 . ^ Kutner, Max (May 4, 2017). "Can President Donald Trump Fire FBI Director James Comey". Newsweek. ^ Chesney, Robert (May 10, 2017). "Backgrounder: The Power to Appoint & Remove the FBI Director". Lawfare Blog. ^ Shear, Michael D.; Apuzzo, Matt (May 9, 2017). "F.B.I. Director James Comey Is Fired by Trump". The New York Times. ^ "Senate Extends Term of F.B.I. Director". The New York Times. July 27, 2011 . Retrieved September 13, 2011 . ^ Wilber, Del Quentin (May 11, 2017). "Top Officials Being Interviewed for Interim FBI Director After James Comey's Ouster" . Retrieved July 19, 2018 '' via www.wsj.com. ^ "Interim FBI director likely to be named as soon as Wednesday" . Retrieved July 19, 2018 . ^ a b c "The FBI Director: Background on the Position". Federal Bureau of Investigation . Retrieved February 7, 2011 . ^ "Timeline of FBI History". Federal Bureau of Investigation. Archived from the original on March 16, 2015 . Retrieved March 20, 2015 . ^ "Designation of Officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation". Federal Register. February 14, 2007 . Retrieved October 30, 2016 . ^ Ostrow, Ronald J.; Jackson, Robert L. (July 20, 1993). "Defiant FBI Chief Is Fired by President : Law enforcement: Alleged ethical abuses by Sessions are cited as reason for dismissal. He refused to resign". Los Angeles Times. ^ Johnston, David (January 19, 1993). "F.B.I. Chief Plans to Fight for Job". The New York Times. ^ "Time's Up for William Sessions". The New York Times. January 22, 1993. ^ "How independent is the FBI's director? - National Constitution Center". National Constitution Center '' constitutioncenter.org . Retrieved July 19, 2018 . ^ The Washington Post, June 19, 1993, p. A1; The Washington Post, July 20, 1993, p. A1. ^ MacKenzie, John (September 12, 1993). "How the G-Men Measure Up Now". The New York Times. ^ Johnston, David (July 20, 1993) "Defiant FBI chief removed from job by the President", The New York Times. ^ Michael D. Shear; Matt Apuzzo (May 10, 2017). "Trump Fires Comey Amid Russia Inquiry '' Clinton Email Investigation Cited '' Democrats Seek Special Counsel". The New York Times. p. A1 . Retrieved May 10, 2017 . ^ Smith, David (May 9, 2017). "Donald Trump fires FBI director Comey over handling of Clinton investigation". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved May 9, 2017 . ^ Sommer, Will (May 9, 2017). "Sessions was told to find reasons to fire Comey: reports". TheHill . Retrieved May 10, 2017 . ^ Pramuk, Jacob (May 9, 2017). "Justice Department was told to come up with reasons to fire Comey, reports say". CNBC . Retrieved May 10, 2017 . ^ Rosenberg, Matthew; Apuzzo, Matt (May 10, 2017). "Days Before He Was Fired, Comey Asked for Money for Russia Investigation". The New York Times . Retrieved May 10, 2017 . ^ "Comey firing: Reaction from members of Congress on FBI director's dismissal". The Washington Post. ^ Wilstein, Matt (May 9, 2017). "CNN's Jeffrey Toobin Goes Off on Trump for Firing Comey: 'What Kind of Country Is This? ' ". The Daily Beast. ^ Abbruzzese, Jason (May 9, 2017). "Everyone is comparing Donald Trump to Richard Nixon". The Silicon Times. Archived from the original on July 30, 2017 . Retrieved May 11, 2017 . ^ "FBI Director James Comey fired by President Trump". Fox59. Associated Press. May 9, 2017. ^ Haberman, Maggie; Thrush, Glenn (May 10, 2017). " ' Enough Was Enough': How Festering Anger at Comey Ended in His Firing". The New York Times . Retrieved May 11, 2017 . ^ Dawsey, Josh. " ' He got tired of him ' ". POLITICO . Retrieved May 11, 2017 . ^ Rucker, Philip; Parker, Ashley; Barrett, Devlin; Costa, Robert. "Inside Trump's anger and impatience '' and his sudden decision to fire Comey". The Washington Post. ^ The Associated Press (May 9, 2017). "The Latest: Comey Learned of Ouster as He Spoke at FBI in LA". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved May 10, 2017 . ^ Winton, Richard; Queally, James (May 9, 2017). "Comey was 'caught flat-footed' and learned of firing from TV while talking to FBI agents in L.A., source says". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035 . Retrieved May 10, 2017 . ^ "Trump fires Comey: McCabe takes over as FBI's acting director". Fox News. May 9, 2017 . Retrieved May 10, 2017 . External links Edit Official website
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- Larry Nassar - Wikipedia
- Lawrence Gerard Nassar (born August 16, 1963) is an American former physician, professor, and a convicted sex offender. For 18 years, he was the team doctor of the United States women's national gymnastics team, which gave him access to hundreds of girls and young women whom he sexually abused. He is also a former osteopathic physician and former professor at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.
- BornLawrence Gerard Nassar
- ( 1963-08-16 ) August 16, 1963 (age 58) EducationOccupationOsteopathic physician, professorYears active1978''2016OrganizationUSA Gymnastics Conviction(s) July 11, 2017 (pleaded guilty, federal)November 22, 2017 (pleaded guilty, Ingham County)November 29, 2017 (pleaded guilty, Eaton County)Criminal chargeFederal: Receiving child pornography, possession of child pornography, tampering with evidenceState: First-degree criminal sexual conduct (10 counts in two counties)PenaltyDe facto life without parole as his earliest release date given his multiple sentences means that it would be at an age where it is guaranteed he will be dead.Federal: 60 years in prison, lifetime of supervised releaseState (Ingham County): 40 to 175 years in prisonState (Eaton County): 40 to 125 years in prisonCountryUnited StatesImprisoned atUnited States Penitentiary, Coleman II; Federal Bureau of Prisons Register #21504-040;[1]Nassar's sexual abuse of young girls and women and the subsequent cover-up ultimately led to the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal that began in 2015, alleging that Nassar repeatedly sexually assaulted at least 265[2] young women and girls under the guise of medical treatment.[3][4] His victims included numerous Olympic and United States women's national gymnastics team gymnasts.[5]
- Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison on December 7, 2017 after pleading guilty to child pornography and tampering with evidence charges on July 11, 2017. On January 24, 2018, Nassar was sentenced to an additional 40 to 175 years in Michigan State prison after pleading guilty in Ingham County to seven counts of sexual assault of minors.[6][7] On February 5, 2018, he was sentenced to an additional 40 to 125 years in Michigan State prison after pleading guilty to an additional three counts of sexual assault in Eaton County. The Eaton County sentence will run concurrently with the Ingham County sentence.[8]
- On the orders of the judge in charge of the federal case, his state prison sentences are to run consecutively with his federal sentence, amounting to a sentence of de facto life imprisonment without parole.[9][7]
- Personal life Edit Nassar was born in Farmington Hills, Michigan, U.S. to a family of Lebanese background. He began working as a student athletic trainer for the women's gymnastics team at North Farmington High School at age 15 in 1978 on the recommendation of his older brother Mike, who was an athletic trainer at the school. Nassar graduated from North Farmington High School in 1981.[10][11] He studied kinesiology at the University of Michigan, where he earned his undergraduate degree in 1985.[11] During this time, he worked for the university's football and track & field teams.[12]
- He was married from 1996 to 2017. The couple separated after he was arrested on suspicion of sex crimes, and later his wife was granted a divorce in July 2017, while gaining full custody of their three children.[13][14] Nassar lived in Holt, Michigan at the time of his December 2016 arrest.
- Medical career Edit In 1993, Nassar graduated from the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine as a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency training in family practice at St. Lawrence Hospital before completing a fellowship in sports medicine in 1997.[12]
- He began working as an assistant professor at MSU's Department of Family and Community Medicine in the College of Human Medicine in 1997, where he earned $100,000 a year.[10] Nassar is listed as a co-author on at least six research papers on the treatment of gymnastics injuries.[15]
- Gymnastics career Edit Nassar began working as an athletic trainer for the USA Gymnastics national team in 1986.[12] In 1988, Nassar began working with John Geddert at Twistars, a gymnastics training club.[12] He began working as a team doctor at Holt High School in 1996.[12] He served as the national medical coordinator for USA Gymnastics from 1996 until 2014.[12]
- Sexual assault accusations and convictions Edit Accusations Edit While some gymnasts have said they complained in the 1990s about Nassar's behavior, it was not until 2015 that USA Gymnastics took action against him. The organization cut ties with Nassar "after learning of athlete concerns."[16] In September 2016, The Indianapolis Star reported that Rachael Denhollander and another former gymnast had accused Nassar of sexual abuse.[17] He was fired by Michigan State on September 20, after having been reassigned from clinical and teaching duties a month earlier.[16]
- In February 2017, three former gymnasts, Jeanette Antolin, Jessica Howard and Jamie Dantzscher, gave an interview for 60 Minutes in which they said that Nassar had sexually abused them. They also alleged that the "emotionally abusive environment" at the national team training camps run by B(C)la and Mrta Krolyi, at the Karolyi Ranch near Huntsville, Texas, gave Nassar an opportunity to take advantage of the gymnasts and made them afraid to speak up about the abuse.[18] Rachael Denhollander, one of the first women to publicly accuse Nassar,[19] said in court in May 2017 that Nassar had sexually abused her on five doctor's visits in 2000 when she was 15 years old.[20]
- Olympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney, using the #MeToo hashtag on Twitter, said that Nassar had repeatedly molested her from 2008, when she was 13 years old, until she retired from the sport eight years later in 2016.[21] Maroney subsequently filed a lawsuit against Nassar, Michigan State University, the United States Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics.[22] The lawsuit accused USA Gymnastics of covering up the sexual abuse by requiring her to sign a non-disclosure agreement in her $1.25 million settlement. Maroney's attorney John Manly called Nassar a "paedophile doctor".[23]
- During a 60 Minutes interview, Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman said that Nassar had also sexually abused her.[24] Raisman said that Nassar molested her when she was 15 years old.[25] Gabby Douglas sent a tweet saying that "dressing in a provocative/sexual way incites the wrong crowd."[26] She was criticized for it by fellow Olympic teammate Simone Biles and others, who interpreted the tweet as criticism of Raisman and "victim-shaming".[25] Douglas later apologized for the tweet,[27] and said she was also a victim of Nassar's abuse.[28]
- Former national team member Maggie Nichols also said that Nassar abused her. Nassar connected with her on Facebook and complimented her appearance on numerous occasions. Nichols stated, "I was only 15 and I just thought he was trying to be nice to me. Now I believe this was part of the grooming process".[5] According to court filings and interviews, Nichols and her coach Sarah Jantzi reported Nassar to USA Gymnastics officials on June 17, 2015 after the coach overheard Nichols and another gymnast talking about Nassar's behavior.[29] Biles came forward shortly after with accounts that she too had been sexually abused by Nassar.[30] Jordyn Wieber made an impact statement at Nassar's court sentencing in which she also accused Nassar of sexually abusing her during her time at USA Gymnastics and talked of its effects.[31][32]
- During pre-trial hearings, victim impact statements during sentencing, and later interviews, several victims described Nassar's modus operandi: after having gained the trust and friendship of a girl, he would insert his ungloved finger into her vagina during physical therapy, describing this as normal "pressure point" therapy for pain relief. On some of these occasions a parent was in the room, unaware of what happened.[33][34]
- Convictions Edit Nassar was indicted on November 22, 2016 on several state charges of "sexual assault of a child" from 1998 to 2005. The crimes allegedly began when the victim was six years old.[35] He was charged with 22 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with minors: fifteen in Ingham County and seven in neighboring Eaton County. The allegations asserted that Nassar had molested seven girls under the guise that he was providing legitimate medical treatment, both at his home and at a clinic on the MSU campus.[36] Bail was set at $1 million, and Nassar was released from jail the same day after posting bond.[37] He was arraigned on December 8, 2016, where he pleaded not guilty to all charges.[38] He remained free on bail until his December 16 arrest on federal charges.
- Nassar was arrested on December 16, 2016 after the FBI found more than 37,000 images of child pornography and a video of Nassar allegedly molesting underage girls. He was denied bail and was ordered to remain in federal prison.[39] On April 6, 2017, his medical license was revoked for three years.[40] Nassar pleaded guilty on July 11 to receiving child pornography in 2004, possession of pornographic images of children dating from 2004 to 2016, and tampering with evidence by destroying and concealing the images. Judge Janet T. Neff sentenced Nassar to 60 years in federal prison on December 7, 2017.[9]
- Nassar pleaded guilty in Ingham County Circuit Court, on November 22, 2017, to seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with minors under the age of sixteen. He admitted to molesting seven girls, three of whom were under the age of thirteen. He pleaded guilty to an additional three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in Eaton County on November 29.[41] As of January 18, 2018, 135 women had accused Nassar of sexual assault while he worked for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University.[42] During the following week, the number rose to 150.[43] In a lawsuit that was filed in April 2017, a woman claimed that Nassar had sexually assaulted her while he was still in medical school in 1992.[4]
- On January 24, 2018, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina of Ingham County sentenced Nassar to 40 to 175 years in prison for the sexual assault of minors to which he pleaded on November 22.[6] Aquilina allowed Nassar's accusers to present extended victim impact statements and dismissed objections raised to this ruling by Nassar.[42] During the sentencing, the judge informed Nassar that he had missed numerous chances to receive treatment for his sexual urges, as Nassar had been aware of these urges himself from a young age. She also said that there were likely dozens of additional victims who had not come forward, and made it clear that Nassar will never be free again.[7]
- Nassar was practicing without a Texas medical license while he worked at the Karolyi Ranch in Huntsville. According to McKayla Maroney, this was where Nassar molested young women for more than 15 years. Practicing medicine without a license in Texas is a third-degree felony, although it is rarely prosecuted.[44] On January 31, 2018, a Michigan judge said that there were "over 265 identified victims and an infinite number of victims" of sexual misconduct.[2]
- On February 5, 2018, Judge Janice Cunningham of Eaton County sentenced Nassar to 40 to 125 years in prison for the three counts of criminal sexual assault to which he had pleaded November 29.[45] Nassar apologized for his years of abuse, saying that the strong effects that his victims' statements had on him "pales in comparison" to the suffering he inflicted on them. Despite this, Cunningham stated that Nassar was still in "denial" about the "devastating impact" of his crimes.[8] The Eaton County sentence will run concurrently with the Ingham County sentence. Nassar's state sentences will begin upon completion of his federal child pornography sentence. Neff ordered any sentences imposed at the state level to run consecutively with the federal sentence.[9][7][45]
- Incarceration Edit Nassar spent time in Eaton county jail and the federal detention center at FCI Milan near Milan, Michigan. In February 2018, he was transferred to the United States Penitentiary (USP) in Tucson, Arizona.[46] According to his lawyers, Nassar was assaulted almost as soon as he was placed in the general population at USP Tucson, and an investigation subsequently determined that Nassar could not be safely held at Tucson.[47] In August 2018, The Detroit News reported that Nassar was transferred to the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Also in August, Nassar was moved to the United States Penitentiary, Coleman in Florida.[48]
- His release date from federal custody is January 30, 2068, after which he would be immediately transferred to a Michigan state prison to serve out his consecutive state sentence of 40 to 175 years (which will run concurrently with the other state sentence of 40 to 125 years), before being eligible for parole.
- Aftermath Edit More than 150 federal and state lawsuits have since been filed against Nassar, Michigan State University, the US Olympic Committee, USA Gymnastics, and the Twistars Gymnastics Club.[49] The entire 18-member board of USA Gymnastics, including Steve Penny, tendered their resignations. Michigan State University (MSU) President Lou Anna Simon and MSU Director of Athletics Mark Hollis have both resigned, and other MSU officials are also under scrutiny.[50]
- Nassar's crimes committed at MSU and USA Gymnastics have drawn comparisons to coach Jerry Sandusky's sexual abuse crimes at Penn State University.[51] In both of these cases, institutional authorities "turned the other way" or tried to hide the activities of a child molester instead of immediately contacting law enforcement.[52][53]
- Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette promised a full investigation into how Nassar was able to abuse young women for decades while working at the state's university.[54] MSU agreed to pay $500 million to 332 alleged victims of Nassar, settling lawsuits filed by the victims. This was the largest amount of money in history settled by a university for a sexual abuse case.[55] On Christmas Eve 2019, Schuette's successor Dana Nessel announced that she was suspending the investigation.[56]
- More than 140 victims of Nassar's abuse appeared on stage together at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California, on July 18, 2018, to receive the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the 2018 ESPY Awards ceremony. Gymnasts Sara Klein and Aly Raisman and softball player Tiffany Thomas Lopez accepted the award on everyone's behalf and served as spokeswomen. Klein identified herself as Nassar's first victim 30 years before.[57][58] They acknowledged lead detective Andrea Munford of the Michigan State Police, former assistant Attorney General Angela Povilaitis, and Judge Rosemarie Aquilina of the 30th circuit court in Ingham County, Michigan, for their work. Aquilina also attended the ceremony, and singer MILCK performed her song "Quiet'',[59] written from her own experience of sexual abuse.[60]
- In late July 2018, it was reported that Nassar was seeking a new sentencing hearing due to concerns of perceived bias by Judge Aquilina,[61] but his request was later denied by Eaton County Judge Janice Cunningham.[62]
- In 2019, HBO released a documentary about Nassar's serial sexual abuse and subsequent coverups by the various institutions he worked with, titled At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal. The 2020 Netflix documentary Athlete A is also based on Nassar's scandal and crimes. Later that year, Nassar's request for a sentencing hearing for the Ingham County charges, in addition to the accusations of Judge Aquilina being biased, were rejected by the Michigan Court of Appeals.[63]
- References Edit ^ "Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator". Federal Bureau of Prisons. United States Department of Justice . Retrieved April 17, 2020 . Register Number: 21504-040 ^ a b "Larry Nassar case: USA Gymnastics doctor 'abused 265 girls ' ". BBC News. January 31, 2018 . Retrieved December 4, 2020 . ^ Nasser sentencing hearing, day 3, part 3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kdcuXBedjc ^ a b Murphy, Dan (April 19, 2017). "Four new complaints filed against Larry Nassar, including one dating to '92". ESPN. Bristol, Connecticut: ESPN, Inc. ^ a b Barr, John (January 9, 2018). "Gymnast Maggie Nichols writes in letter she was first to alert USAG to abuse by Larry Nassar". ESPN . Retrieved June 18, 2019 . ^ a b "Larry Nassar: Disgraced US Olympics doctor jailed for 175 years". BBC News. 2018 . Retrieved January 24, 2018 . ^ a b c d "Read Judge Rosemarie Aquilina's powerful statement to Larry Nassar". CNN. Atlanta, Georgia: Turner Broadcasting Systems. January 24, 2018 . Retrieved January 25, 2018 . ^ a b Levinson, Eric (February 5, 2015). "Larry Nassar apologizes, gets 40 to 125 years for decades of sexual abus". CNN. Atlanta, Georgia: Turner Broadcasting Systems. ^ a b c "Lawrence Nassar Sentenced To 60 Years In Federal Prison". United States Department of Justice. December 7, 2017 . Retrieved January 23, 2018 . Lawrence Gerard Nassar, 54, of Holt, Michigan... ^ a b Kozlowski, Kim (August 10, 2017). "How MSU Doc Became Suspect in Dozens of Rapes". The Detroit News. Archived from the original on August 11, 2017 . Retrieved January 19, 2018 . ^ a b Mack, Julie; Lawler, Emily (February 12, 2017). "MSU doctor's alleged victims talked for 20 years. Was anyone listening?". MLive.com . Retrieved January 19, 2018 . ^ a b c d e f "Dr. Larry Nassar: A history of preying on people". The Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on October 27, 2018 . Retrieved January 19, 2018 . ^ Mencarini, Matt (June 16, 2017). "State wants to terminate Larry Nassar's parental rights". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan: Gannett Company . Retrieved February 4, 2018 . ^ Adams, Dwight (January 31, 2018). "Here's how long Larry Nassar could spend behind bars". Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis, Indiana: Gannett Company . Retrieved February 4, 2018 . ^ Barthel, W.; Markwardt, F. (1975). "Nassar L [Author]". Biochemical Pharmacology. 24 (20): 1903''4. doi:10.1016/0006-2952(75)90415-3. PMID 20. ^ a b Conner, Tracy (September 20, 2016). "Dr. Larry Nassar, Accused of Abuse by Olympic Gymnast, Is Fired". NBC News. New York City: NBCUniversal. ^ "Gymnast accuses former USAG doctor of abuse". Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis, Indiana: Gannett Company. September 12, 2016 . Retrieved May 2, 2018 . ^ McCandless, Brit (February 19, 2017). "On 60 Minutes, former gymnasts allege sexual abuse". CBS News. ^ Cacciola, Scott; Mather, Victor (January 24, 2018). "Larry Nassar Sentencing: 'I Just Signed Your Death Warrant ' ". The New York Times. New York City. ^ Almasy, Steve; Woolsey, Anne (May 14, 2017). "Doctor's accuser: 'I froze, because I knew it was sexual abuse ' ". CNN. Atlanta, Georgia: Turner Broadcasting Systems . Retrieved December 4, 2017 . ^ Park, Alice (October 18, 2017). "Who Is Larry Nassar, the Former USA Gymnastics Doctor McKayla Maroney Accused of Sexual Abuse?". Time. New York City: Meredith Corporation. ^ Winton, Richard; Wharton, David; Garcia-Roberts, Gus (December 20, 2017). "McKayla Maroney accuses USOC and USA Gymnastics of covering up sexual abuse with secret settlement". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. ^ Barr, John (December 20, 2017). "USA Gymnastics struck deal with McKayla Maroney to keep Larry Nassar abuse quiet, lawyer says". ESPN. ^ "Aly Raisman says she was sexually abused by U.S. national team doctor". CBS News. November 10, 2017. ^ a b Chavez, Nicole; Levenson, Eric (November 23, 2017). "Ex-USA Gymnastics doctor pleads guilty to criminal sexual conduct". CNN. Atlanta, Georgia . Retrieved December 4, 2017 . ^ Guardian sport (November 19, 2017). "Gabby Douglas apologizes after Simone Biles calls out victim shaming tweet". The Guardian. London, England . Retrieved December 4, 2017 . ^ Withiam, Hannah (November 22, 2017). "Gabby Douglas opens up in Aly Raisman apology: I was abused, too". New York Post. New York City: News Corp. Retrieved December 4, 2017 . ^ Stevens, Matt (November 21, 2017). "Gabby Douglas Says She Also Was Abused by Gymnastics Team Doctor". The New York Times. New York City. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved November 22, 2017 . ^ Green, Lauren (January 9, 2018). "U.S. Gymnast Maggie Nichols Says She Was Abused By Larry Nassar, Dissuaded From Coming Forward By USA Gymnastics". Sports Illustrated. New York City: Meredith Corporation. ^ Alexander, Harriet (January 15, 2018). "Simone Biles says she too was sexually abused by US gymnast doctor Larry Nassar". The Daily Telegraph. London, England. ^ Levenson, Eric (January 19, 2018). "Jordyn Wieber says Larry Nassar also abused her". CNN. Atlanta, Georgia: Turner Broadcasting Systems. ^ Barr, John (January 24, 2018). "Olympian Jordyn Wieber tells court: 'I am a victim of Larry Nassar ' ". ESPN. Bristol, Connecticut: ESPN Inc. ^ Wells, Kate (May 13, 2017). "Three alleged victims testify against Nassar in graphic, tense court hearing". www.michiganradio.org . Retrieved August 2, 2021 . ^ Erin Lee Carr (director) (2019). At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal (Motion picture). HBO. ^ Chowdhury, Saj (December 16, 2016). "USA Gymnastics: How the sport has become beset by allegations of sex abuse". BBC Sport . Retrieved January 25, 2018 . ^ Tucker, Heather (November 21, 2017). "AP: Larry Nassar expected to plead guilty, faces at least 25 years in prison". USA Today. Mclean, Virginia: Gannett Company . Retrieved December 4, 2017 . ^ "Ex-USA gymnastics doctor faces sex-abuse charges; 'tip of the iceberg,' AG says". Mlive.com. November 22, 2016 . Retrieved February 25, 2021 . ^ "Who is Larry Nassar? Timeline of his career, prison sentences". Usatoday.com . Retrieved February 25, 2021 . ^ Park, Alice (October 18, 2017). "Who Is Larry Nassar, the Former USA Gymnastics Doctor Aly Raisman Accuses of Sexual Abuse?". Time. New York City: Meredith Corporation . Retrieved January 25, 2018 . ^ Mencarini, Matt (April 6, 2017). "Nassar's medical license revoked for 3 years". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan: Gannett Company . Retrieved January 19, 2018 . ^ Rosenblatt, Kahlan (November 29, 2017). "Ex-gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar pleads guilty to 3 more criminal sex charges". NBC News . Retrieved January 25, 2018 . ^ a b Murphy, Dan (January 18, 2018). "Michigan judge dismisses complaints made by Larry Nassar about his sentencing hearing". ESPN . Retrieved January 19, 2018 . Part of the plea deal allowed all of the 135 women who have accused Nassar of abusing them '' many when they sought him out for medical treatment '' to confront him and share their stories with the court. ^ Eggert, David; Householder, Mike (January 24, 2018). "Larry Nassar sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison; judge says 'I just signed your death warrant ' ". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press . Retrieved January 25, 2018 . ^ Epstein, Jori; Langford, Terri (January 24, 2018). "Ex-USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar treated athletes in Texas without license, board confirms". The Dallas Morning News . Retrieved January 24, 2018 . ^ a b Winowiecki, Emma (February 5, 2018). "Larry Nassar Sentenced to 40''125 Years in Eaton County Circuit Court". Michigan Radio. Archived from the original on February 5, 2018 . Retrieved February 5, 2018 . ^ Mencarini, Matt (February 10, 2018). "Larry Nassar transferred to Arizona prison where Elizabeth Smart kidnapper, Mafia hit man reside". USA Today. Mclean, Virginia: Gannett Company . Retrieved April 5, 2018 . ^ Kozlowski, Kim (August 18, 2018). "Nassar transferred to a holdover prison after assault". The Detroit News. Detroit, Michigan: Digital First Media. ^ Bieler, Des (August 28, 2018). "Larry Nassar moved to Florida prison that also houses Whitey Bulger". The Washington Post. Washington DC: Nash Holdings LLC. ^ Connor, Tracy; Chuck, Elizabeth (January 24, 2018). "Gymnastics doctor scandal: What's next in the Larry Nassar case?". NBC News. New York City: NBCUniversal . Retrieved January 28, 2018 . ^ Hanna, Jason (January 27, 2018). "The fallout from Larry Nassar's sexual abuse is just beginning". cnn.com . Retrieved January 27, 2018 . ^ Zamudio-Suar(C)z, Fernanda (January 22, 2018). "Michigan State's Abuse Scandal Draws Comparisons to Penn State's". The Chronicle of Higher Education. San Francisco, California: Hearst Corporation . Retrieved January 27, 2018 . ^ Lavigne, Paula; Noren, Nicole (January 27, 2018). "OTL: Michigan State secrets extend far beyond Larry Nassar case". ESPN. Bristol, Connecticut: ESPN, Inc. Retrieved January 27, 2018 . ^ "Penn State Scandal Fast Facts". CNN. Atlanta, Georgia: Turner Broadcasting Systems. November 28, 2017 . Retrieved January 27, 2018 . ^ "Larry Nassar: Michigan vows full inquiry at university". BBC. January 27, 2018 . Retrieved January 27, 2018 . ^ Hobson, Will; Boren, Cindy (May 16, 2018). "Michigan State settles with Larry Nassar victims for $500 million". The Washington Post. ^ "Investigation into Michigan State's handling of Larry Nassar suspended". NBC News . Retrieved December 25, 2019 . ^ "Scores of gymnasts who survived doctor's abuse take stage at ESPYs". Free Malaysia Today. July 19, 2018 . Retrieved July 19, 2018 . ^ Harris, Beth (July 18, 2018). "More Than 140 Larry Nassar Sexual Abuse Survivors Honored With ESPY Courage Award". Archived from the original on July 21, 2018 . Retrieved July 19, 2018 . ^ Rinc"n, Alessandra (July 19, 2018). "MILCK Gives Powerful Performance of 'Quiet' at 2018 ESPYS With Larry Nassar Survivors". Billboard. Los Angeles, California: Eldridge Industries . Retrieved May 17, 2019 . ^ Schiller, Rebecca (March 5, 2018). "Get to Know 'Quiet' Singer-Songwriter MILCK". Billboard. Los Angeles, California: Eldridge Industries . Retrieved May 17, 2019 . ^ Barr, John; Murphy, Dan (July 25, 2018). "Larry Nassar thinks sentence too harsh". ESPN. Bristol, Connecticut: ESPN, Inc. Retrieved May 17, 2019 . ^ Gibbons, Lauren (September 6, 2018). "Larry Nassar's request for new sentencing hearing denied by Eaton County judge". MLive.com. ^ Banta, Megan. "State court finds Aquilina's comments not biased, denies Larry Nassar's request for a new sentencing hearing". Lansing State Journal . Retrieved July 11, 2021 .
- Opinion | Bitcoin in El Salvador Shows the Fantasy Is Getting Real - The New York Times
- Opinion | Bitcoin Cosplay Is Getting Real https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/14/opinion/bitcoin-el-salvador.htmlBinyamin Appelbaum
- Credit... The New York Times It's been a good month for Bitcoin believers. The currency of the future '-- or is it the future of currency? '-- became legal tender in El Salvador.
- Some might dismiss as a publicity stunt the embrace of a digital currency by a country where only a third of the population has internet access. Some Salvadorans took to the streets to protest. But let's not minimize this moment. Esperanto, the language of the future, never managed to become an official language in any country.
- Bitcoin, for the uninitiated, is a technology that purports to solve a host of problems with old-fashioned national currencies. It is designed to safeguard wealth against the depredations of inflation, public authorities and financial intermediaries.
- Unfortunately, it doesn't work. Some products become popular because they're useful. Bitcoin is popular despite being mostly useless. Its success rests on the simple fact that the value of a Bitcoin has increased dramatically since its introduction in 2009, making some people rich and inspiring others to hope they can ride the rocket, too.
- It's not really a virtual currency at all. It's virtual gold, a vehicle for speculative investment made possible by some interesting technical innovations. It's the absurd apotheosis of our financialized economy, an asset unmoored from any productive purpose. In the beginning were bonds and then synthetic bonds and then Bitcoin.
- The popularity of Bitcoin and its hundreds of imitators is also a product of understandable confusion and uncertainties. In this era of technological disruption, it's hard to tell which parts of human life might be improved by the internet, and those who didn't foresee the rise of, say, Amazon should be hesitant to write off the future of Bitcoin.
- But it's worth being clear about what Bitcoin is right now.
- The supply of Bitcoin is capped by design, which is meant to prevent inflation. That doesn't mean the value of Bitcoin is stable. Sometimes it goes up, which is a nice benefit not generally available with traditional currencies. On the other hand, sometimes the value goes down just as fast as during a bout of hyperinflation. El Salvador, which is requiring businesses to accept Bitcoin, has promised to make it possible to rapidly convert it into real money. That's not exactly the hallmark of a useful currency.
- The rigidity of Bitcoin's design also makes it dangerously impractical as a replacement for national currencies. It is part of a long tradition of trying to prevent politicians from making bad economic policy decisions by preventing them from making any decisions. The gold standard is an older example of this disastrous concept.
- The security of Bitcoin is greatly overstated. It can be lost. Indeed, by some estimates, 20 percent of all the Bitcoin in existence is no longer accessible because the passwords have been lost or forgotten. In 2018, more than 100,000 people lost the Bitcoin and other virtual currencies they had entrusted to a Canadian company, Quadriga, after the founder died suddenly, leaving behind no record of the password to the company's virtual vault.
- Bitcoin also can be seized or stolen. During World War II, the German government relied on a code called Enigma that its mathematicians insisted was impossible to break. The British famously broke it, basically by figuring out the password. That's also how the federal government apparently recovered part of a Bitcoin ransom payment worth several million dollars from hackers who took down the Colonial Pipeline and blackmailed its owners this year.
- Perhaps most important, Bitcoin is difficult and expensive to use as a currency. To the extent any people manage to use it, they mostly rely on a growing infrastructure that looks a lot like the traditional financial system. El Salvador hired a financial firm to create digital wallets for its citizens '-- which are basically what used to be called bank accounts.
- Virtual currencies, much like pickup trucks, are marketed for off-road use. But the reality is that the vast majority of users choose to stay on the streets and highways.
- It's possible, but hardly evident, that this new infrastructure will improve upon the existing financial system '-- for example, by making it cheaper to move money across borders. But that hasn't happened yet. For now, the people using Bitcoin are basically a bunch of cosplay libertarians participating in a game of make-believe on the playgrounds of the nanny state.
- Most Bitcoin holders, of course, don't even see it as a currency. They're in it to get rich, which is the one service that Bitcoin has managed to deliver.
- There are reasons to worry about this, too. Bitcoin mining is an environmental disaster, requiring vast amounts of electricity '-- more than the nation of Finland.
- Speculative frenzies divert resources and attention from productive investments.
- And the bigger the bubble, the greater the damage when it pops.
- But until this month, I wasn't all that worried about Bitcoin. The current frenzy is sometimes compared to other famous bubbles, like the Dutch tulip craze of the 17th century. One key commonality is that both involve a relatively small group of investors with money to burn. Most Dutch didn't buy tulips; most Americans don't own Bitcoin.
- If politicians start taking Bitcoin seriously, however, that would be reason for greater concern. It is a pleasant illusion that the problems in the financial system can be solved by replacing it rather than doing the hard work of fixing it. That kind of escapism makes for entertaining chatter on the internet. National leaders really should know better.
- Sen. Warren goes after Ethereum network fees in committee hearing
- Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, known by many as an outspoken cryptocurrency skeptic in the United States government, criticized outages at exchanges and high transaction fees during periods of price volatility.
- In a Tuesday hearing of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs with Securities and Exchange Commission chair Gary Gensler, Warren claimed the crypto industry had fallen short on providing solutions for financial inclusion in the United States. She mentioned the price drops among cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH) last week, saying ''$400 billion in market value disappeared'' while many users reported problems accessing major exchanges like Coinbase.
- Warren hinted that investing in decentralized finance, or DeFi, projects was ''pretty risky'' given the fact many have not registered with the SEC and aren't necessarily within its regulatory umbrella. In addition, she highlighted some of the high transaction fees during periods of volatility '-- in this case, on Sept. 7, when the BTC price fell from $52,920 to an intraday low of $42,843.
- ''The fee to swap between two crypto tokens on the Ethereum network was more than $500,'' said Warren, referring to trading a hypothetical token worth $100. ''In the face of these high, unpredictable fees, small investors could easily get jammed and wiped out entirely.''
- ''Advocates say crypto markets are all about financial inclusion, but the people who are most economically vulnerable are the ones who are most likely to have to withdraw their money the fastest when the market drops [...] high, unpredictable fees can make crypto trading really dangerous for people who aren't rich."Gensler addressed several questions from U.S. lawmakers during the two-hour hearing regarding a policy framework on cryptocurrencies, requiring companies to disclose climate risks to investors, and other issues potentially affecting the SEC. In a prepared statement for his testimony released yesterday, he encouraged crypto projects to meet with SEC officials regarding securities the platforms may be offering in the form of digital assets.
- Related: Sen. Elizabeth Warren calls crypto the 'new shadow bank'
- Senator Warren has often criticized cryptocurrencies as being tied to many illegal activities, including ''unreliable tech,'' scams, and the industry's impact on climate change. Last month, she proposed banning U.S. banks from holding the reserves to back private stablecoins.
- Why A.O.C.'s Met Gala Dress Made People Mad - The New York Times
- While some championed the provocation, the congresswoman's ''Tax the Rich'' gown drew sharp statements from across the political spectrum.
- Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at the Met Gala on Monday in a dress emblazoned with the phrase ''Tax the Rich.'' Credit... Jun Lu Sept. 15, 2021 Updated 2:20 p.m. ET
- Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York arrived at the Met Gala on Monday evening dressed in a custom Brother Vellies ivory wool jacket dress with an organza flounce and the message ''Tax the Rich'' emblazoned in red across her back.
- In video footage shot before her arrival, she can be seen making her way to the vehicle that delivered her to the gala, a masked aide holding up the train of her dress while she smiled brightly and waved at her fans.
- Designers and corporate sponsors generally pay the hefty price of admission '-- $35,000 a ticket, or $200,000 to $300,000 a table '-- for the gala's guests, who typically include a quorum of Kardashians, Hollywood A-listers and supermodels. The star-studded event is often referred to as the Oscars of fashion.
- Many New York City elected officials are invited as well, as ''guests of the museum'' who do not pay to attend.
- Regardless, Representative Ocasio-Cortez's attendance '-- and dress '-- provided easy fodder for her most reliably triggered critics. On Twitter, Donald Trump Jr., the former president's eldest son, tagged her as a fraud for sending a message about taxing the rich ''while she's hanging out with a bunch of wealthy leftwing elites.''
- Representative Jim Banks, Republican of Indiana, tweeted that Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is the ''gift that keeps on giving.''
- But more surprising than the rote judgments from her political opponents was the criticism Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat, generated from the left '-- a chorus of dissatisfaction from progressives and self-described socialists disappointed by a gesture they said caricatured a progressive cause and underscored their sense that she is not maximizing her ability to fight for working people from Congress.
- Briahna Gray, the former national press secretary for Senator Bernie Sanders's 2020 campaign and the co-host of the ''Bad Faith'' podcast, said that Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is ''held to a unique standard exactly because people expect more of her.'' She said some of the progressive backlash to the dress grew out of a more general disappointment with some of her policy stances.
- ''People are disappointed in her behavior outside of this context, and this seems to be reflective of a lack of commitment that has been demonstrated in a purely political context,'' Ms. Gray said.
- Ms. Ocasio-Cortez was first invited to the Met Ball in 2019, the year after her victory over former Representative Joe Crowley '-- the most significant upset of a Democratic incumbent in more than a decade. She did not attend, and the following year's gala was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
- This year, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez was seated at the table of Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue and artistic director of Cond(C) Nast, who is the longtime co-host of the gala.
- Some supporters had a simple, negative gut reaction to her decision to attend. ''The Met Gala is an event best shunned by sincere socialists,'' wrote John Ganz, a columnist for Gawker.com who described himself as a supporter who at other times has viewed Ms. Ocasio-Cortez as a ''beacon of hope.''
- Danny Haiphong, a socialist activist and writer, said what offended him was not the dissonance of a self-described democratic socialist hobnobbing with the elite, but that ''A.O.C. and the Squad are not leveraging their enormous base of support to demand the very thing she put on her dress.''
- Many progressives still credit Ms. Ocasio-Cortez with being a consistent advocate for progressive causes. She was the sole Democrat to oppose the $484 billion coronavirus relief package last year, saying she found it too generous to corporations without providing enough assistance to working-class people.
- Alongside Mr. Sanders, she has pushed for tripling the amount of money President Biden has proposed to improve the country's aging public housing system.
- Recently, she joined the marathon protests on the Capitol steps against the expiration of a pandemic-era federal eviction moratorium that neither the White House nor Congress had up until then acted to stop.
- ''She's generally happy to make people excited about a different vision for America,'' said Faiz Shakir, the manager of Mr. Sanders's 2020 presidential campaign. ''There's an art to it: Politics is theater. You're figuring out ways to animate it.''
- Indeed, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez has used the ''Tax the Rich'' slogan before, on campaign merchandise, which Republicans have criticized in the past.
- But a group of more left-leaning activists has tried to push the party further and has become increasingly critical of Ms. Ocasio-Cortez.
- Some had demanded that Ms. Ocasio-Cortez and others withhold their votes for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unless she agreed to bring Medicare for All bill to a floor vote. They have also pressed Ms. Ocasio-Cortez to use her position to force a vote on a $15 minimum wage and deliver more pointed critiques of the Biden administration for fending off calls for blanket student debt cancellation.
- Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is viewed as a purported outsider in Congress, Ms. Gray said, but is ''not really doing the kinds of things that could actually attract real backlash and struggle that some people anticipated she would, given how she styled herself coming in.'' The image of her ''rubbing elbows with those people'' on Monday night irked some on the left, she said.
- The slogan on the dress was a problem, too, according to Ms. Gray '-- not because it was too radical but because it was too anodyne; according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll from 2020, a majority of American voters support a wealth tax on the very rich.
- ''If she had chosen to highlight a message that wasn't already so broadly well received, then her act would have been seen as more subversive, as opposed to pageantry comparable to Cara Delevingne's 'Peg the Patriarchy' shirt,'' Ms. Gray said '-- another Met Gala outfit that attracted attention for the message it bore.
- Other New York politicians were in attendance at the gala this year, including Representative Carolyn Maloney, who represents Manhattan's old Silk Stocking district, and New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer.
- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio skipped the ball for years before breaking his inattendance streak on Monday night, in the final months of his mayoralty.
- ''It's not my cup of tea,'' Mr. de Blasio said in an NY1 appearance in 2019 when asked about his absence. ''It's an elite gathering, I'm not an elite guy. It really '-- let's make it real simple, it's just not my thing. This is the kind of place where the elite goes and likes to be with each other, and I have a different approach.''
- Among Ms. Ocasio-Cortez's defenders was Maya Wiley, the former New York City mayoral candidate whose campaign Ms. Ocasio-Cortez endorsed earlier this year. Ms. Wiley said the Met Gala is part of the fabric of New York City, and self-identifying as a democratic socialist doesn't mean hating on or avoiding the wealthy who show up.
- ''We turn everything into a purity contest,'' Ms. Wiley said. ''Politics shouldn't be about purity. She did the right thing by not avoiding it, by saying this is part of who we are, and let's have a conversation that includes the Met Gala.''
- ''To walk into a space that's about art, fashion, luxury and wealth and say, 'Here is the conversation we have to confront, but I'm going to confront it in the vernacular of the event,' is brilliant,'' Ms. Wiley said.
- Ms. Ocasio-Cortez may have succeeded in putting on display an issue at the core of what Democrats are pushing for in the reconciliation bill they are trying to pass by the end of the month. But mostly, the dress served as the latest Rorschach test about Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, and whether she is viewed as fighting for the people or aligning with the elites.
- ''I do not envy her,'' said Sumathy Kumar, a chair of the New York City Democratic Socialist Association. ''Faced with this question, 'Do I go to this event and use it as an opportunity to spread the message, or do I boycott it?,' she usually chooses to broadcast that message.''
- Ms. Kumar added: ''Whether you agree with a tactic or not, more people are talking about taxes on the wealthy and at least that conversation is happening. We'll take what we can get.''
- On Tuesday, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, who declined to comment for this article, defended herself against criticism in a long post on Instagram. ''I and my body have been so heavily and relentlessly policed from all corners politically since the moment I won my election,'' she wrote.
- Ultimately, she said, ''we all had a conversation about Taxing the Rich in front of the very people who lobby against it, and punctured the 4th wall of excess and spectacle.'' In a follow-up fund-raising email, she directed supporters to buy their own ''Tax the Rich'' attire. A T-shirt costs $27, and the hoodie goes for $58.
- Microsoft accounts can go passwordless, making ''password123'' a thing of the past '' Ars Technica
- Microsoft has been working to make passwordless sign-in for Windows and Microsoft accounts a reality for years now, and today those efforts come to fruition: The Verge reports that starting today, users can completely remove their passwords from their Microsoft accounts and opt to rely on Microsoft Authenticator or some other form of verification to sign in on new devices. Microsoft added passwordless login support for work and school accounts back in March, but this is the first time the feature has been offered for regular, old individual Microsoft accounts.
- Passwordless accounts improve security by taking passwords out of the equation entirely, making it impossible to get any kind of access to your full account information without access to whatever you use to verify your identity for two-factor authentication. Even if you protect your Microsoft account with two-factor authentication, an attacker who knows your Microsoft account password could still try that password on other sites to see if you've reused it anywhere. And some forms of two-factor authentication, particularly SMS-based 2FA, have security problems of their own.
- The warning message you'll see when you turn on the passwordless account feature.
- Microsoft has offered passwordless authentication for Windows 10 and Microsoft accounts for a while now, and if you're already taking advantage of those features, nothing about how you sign in to your devices has to change. You just need to visit the Microsoft Account site, go to the Security tab, select "Advanced security options," and turn on the passwordless account feature to remove your password entirely.
- If you want to go fully passwordless, the easiest and most secure way for most people is to use the Microsoft Authenticator app on your phone; if you already have it installed, all you need to do to confirm the removal of your account's password is open the app and approve the change. Other authenticator apps like Authy or Google Authenticator won't work with the QR code format that Microsoft uses to enable passwordless accounts. You could also use a physical security token like a Yubikey or a PC with Windows Hello support to log in.
- With $20 trillion between them, Blackrock and Vanguard could own almost everything by 2028 | Financial Post
- Two towers of power are dominating the future of investing
- Rachel Evans, Sabrina Willmer, Nick Baker and Brandon Kochkodin, Bloomberg News
- Imagine a world in which two asset managers call the shots, in which their wealth exceeds current U.S. GDP and where almost every hedge fund, government and retiree is a customer.
- It's closer than you think. BlackRock Inc. and Vanguard Group '-- already the world's largest money managers '-- are less than a decade from managing a total of US$20 trillion, according to Bloomberg News calculations. Amassing that sum will likely upend the asset management industry, intensify their ownership of the largest U.S. companies and test the twin pillars of market efficiency and corporate governance.
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- None other than Vanguard founder Jack Bogle, widely regarded as the father of the index fund, is raising the prospect that too much money is in too few hands, with BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street Corp. together owning significant stakes in the biggest U.S. companies.
- ''That's about 20 per cent owned by this oligopoly of three,'' Bogle said at a Nov. 28 appearance at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. ''It is too bad that there aren't more people in the index-fund business.''
- Vanguard is poised to parlay its US$4.7 trillion of assets into more than US$10 trillion by 2023, while BlackRock may hit that mark two years later, up from almost US$6 trillion today, according to Bloomberg News projections based on the companies' most recent five-year average annual growth rates in assets. Those gains in part reflect a bull market in stocks that's driven assets into investment products and may not continue.
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- Investors from individuals to large institutions such as pension and hedge funds have flocked to this duo, won over in part by their low-cost funds and breadth of offerings. The proliferation of exchange-traded funds is also supercharging these firms and will likely continue to do so.
- Global ETF assets could explode to US$25 trillion by 2025, according to estimates by Jim Ross, chairman of State Street's global ETF business. That sum alone would mean trillions of dollars more for BlackRock and Vanguard, based on their current market share.
- ''Growth is not a goal, nor do we make projections about future growth,'' Vanguard spokesman John Woerth said of the Bloomberg calculations.
- While bigger may be better for the fund giants, passive funds may be blurring the inherent value of securities, implied in a company's earnings or cash flow.
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- The argument goes like this: The number of indexes now outstrips U.S. stocks, with the eruption of passive funds driving demand for securities within these benchmarks, rather than for the broader universe of stocks and bonds. That could inflate or depress the price of these securities versus similar un-indexed assets, which may create bubbles and volatile price movements.
- Stocks with outsize exposure to indexed funds could trade more on cross-asset flows and macro views, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc. The bank found that, for the average stock in the S&P 500, 77 per cent might trade on fundamentals, versus more than 90 per cent a decade ago.
- That's not BlackRock's experience. ''While index investing does play a role, the price discovery process is still dominated by active stock selectors,'' executives led by Vice Chairman Barbara Novick wrote in a paper in October, citing the relatively low turnover and small size of passive accounts compared with active strategies.
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- Another concern is that without the prospect of being part of an index, fewer small or mid-sized companies have an incentive to go public, according to Larry Tabb, founder of Tabb Group LLC, a New York-based firm that analyzes the structure of financial markets. That's because their stock risks underperforming without the inclusion in an index or an ETF, he said. Benchmarks are governed by rules or a methodology for selection and some require that a security has a certain size or liquidity for inclusion.
- We're not near a tipping point yet. Roughly 37 per cent of assets in U.S.-domiciled equity funds are managed passively, up from 19 per cent in 2009, according to Savita Subramanian at Bank of America Corp. By contrast, in Japan, nearly 70 per cent of domestically focused equity funds are passively managed, suggesting the U.S. can stomach more indexing before market efficiency suffers.
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- There's even further to go if you look globally: Only 15 per cent of world equity markets '-- including funds, separately managed accounts and holdings of individual securities '-- are passively managed, said Joe Brennan, global head of Vanguard's equity index group, in an interview.
- BlackRock and Vanguard's dominance raises questions about competition and governance. The companies hold more than 5 per cent of more than 4,400 stocks around the world, research from the University of Amsterdam shows.
- That's making regulators uneasy, with SEC Commissioner Kara Stein asking in February: ''Does ownership concentration affect the willingness of companies to compete?'' Common ownership by institutional shareholders pushed up airfares by as much as 7 per cent over 14 years starting in 2001 because the shared holdings put less pressure on the airlines to compete, according to a study led by Jose Azar, an assistant professor of economics at IESE Business School. BlackRock and Vanguard are among the five largest shareholders of the three biggest operators.
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- ''As BlackRock and Vanguard grow, and as money flows from active to large passive investors, their per centage share of every firm increases,'' said Azar in an interview. ''If they cross the 10 per cent threshold, I think for many people that would make it clearer that the growth of large asset managers could create serious concerns for competition in many industries.''
- BlackRock has called Azar's research ''vague and implausible'' while other academics have questioned his methodology. One of those is Edward Rock. A law professor at New York University, Rock says a variety of legal rules in fact discourage stakes above 10 per cent and he favors creating a safe harbor for holdings up to 15 per cent to incentivize shareholder engagement. The firms are among the biggest holders of some of the world's largest companies across a range of industries including Google parent Alphabet Inc.and Facebook Inc. in technology, and lenders like Wells Fargo & Co. In the U.S., both companies supported or didn't oppose 96 per cent of management resolutions on board directors in the year ended June 30, according to their own reports.
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- ''We've put more and more efforts behind it but we've always had a substantial effort,'' said Vanguard's Brennan. ''We're permanent long-term holders and, given that, we have the strongest interest in the best outcomes.'' Their size could also help companies change for the good. Both firms were among the first to join the Investor Stewardship Group, a group of institutional asset managers seeking to foster better corporate governance, according to the organization's website. Vanguard has doubled its team dedicated to this over the last two years and supported two climate-related shareholder resolutions for the first time. BlackRock has more than 30 people engaging with its portfolio companies. Active managers will be watching these developments closely. While many concede that stemming the passive tide is a challenge, they may see better days as central banks start unwinding a decade of easy monetary policy that's sapped volatility.
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- Data show performance among active managers is improving. Some 57 per cent of large-cap stock pickers underperformed the S&P 500 in the year ended June 30, compared with 85 per cent the year before, data from S&P Dow Jones Indices show. And if indexing distorts the market so much that it's easier to beat, more investors will flock to stock pickers, says Richard Thaler, Nobel laureate, University of Chicago professor and principal at Fuller & Thaler Asset Management.
- Right now, though, the duo's advance appears unstoppable, and the benefits they've brought with low-cost investments may outweigh some of the structural issues.
- ''Given that they've grown so big because their fees are so small, these are the kinds of monopolies that don't keep me up at night,'' said Thaler.
- In-depth reporting on the innovation economy from The Logic, brought to you in partnership with the Financial Post.
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- Michigan Hospital System Says Workers With COVID-19 Natural Immunity Don't Need Vaccine
- Workers at Michigan-based Spectrum Health can avoid the company's COVID-19 vaccine mandate if they can prove they have natural immunity to the virus.
- ''While we still recommend vaccination for people with prior COVID-19 infection, according to this new research, there is increasing evidence that natural infection affords protection from COVID-19 reinfection and severe symptoms for a period of time,'' Spectrum said in a statement, according to local media. ''Current studies are not clear on how long natural immunity protects from reinfection.''
- Under the hospital policy, workers will have to submit to an antibody test to prove they're immune.
- Natural immunity, meaning that a person has contracted COVID-19 and recovered, is rarely discussed in national conversations about vaccines, although some studies have shown that individuals who were previously infected have displayed significant resistance to the virus.
- Researchers in Israel found that previous infection has provided better protection to individuals against the Delta variant than the Pfizer mRNA vaccine.
- ''This analysis demonstrated that natural immunity affords longer-lasting and stronger protection against infection, symptomatic disease, and hospitalization due to the Delta variant,'' researchers from Maccabi Healthcare and Tel Aviv University said.
- On Sept. 11, Biden administration COVID-19 advisor Anthony Fauci said that another, new study from Israel regarding natural immunity has triggered discussion among experts.
- ''I don't have a really firm answer for you on that,'' Fauci responded to a question about whether individuals who were previously infected should get the vaccine.
- ''That's something that we're going to have to discuss regarding the durability of the response. The one thing that paper from Israel didn't tell you is whether or not'--as high as the protection is with natural infection'--what's the durability compared to the durability of a vaccine?'' Fauci asked rhetorically. ''So it is conceivable that you got infected, you're protected, but you may not be protected for an indefinite period of time,'' he added.
- A landmark study from Emory University and published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine in July revealed that individuals who have natural immunity display long and robust protection against COVID-19, the illness caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.
- ''We saw that antibody responses, especially IgG antibodies, were not only durable in the vast majority of patients but decayed at a slower rate than previously estimated, which suggests that patients are generating longer-lived plasma cells that can neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein,'' Rafi Ahmed, director at Emory Vaccine Center and lead author, told Emory News Center on July 22.
- Jack Phillips is a reporter at The Epoch Times based in New York.
- Closely Watched Atlanta Fed's GDP Forecast Cuts U.S. Growth by 41 Percent
- By Pam Martens and Russ Martens: September 9, 2021 ~
- The highly respected and closely watched Atlanta Fed's GDPNow forecast for the third quarter has been slashed by 41 percent since August 2 '' from 6.3 percent GDP growth to a tepid 3.7 percent projected GDP growth on September 2. The next update to its forecast will occur tomorrow after the Producer Price Index (PPI) is released at 10 a.m. (The GDPNow update typically occurs within a few hours of a new data release.)
- The Atlanta Fed's GDPNow model is the seasonally adjusted annual rate. It comes with the following caveat:
- ''GDPNow is not an official forecast of the Atlanta Fed. Rather, it is best viewed as a running estimate of real GDP growth based on available economic data for the current measured quarter. There are no subjective adjustments made to GDPNow '' the estimate is based solely on the mathematical results of the model. In particular, it does not capture the impact of COVID-19 and social mobility beyond their impact on GDP source data and relevant economic reports that have already been released. It does not anticipate their impact on forthcoming economic reports beyond the standard internal dynamics of the model.''
- Despite this dramatic deceleration in growth prospects for the U.S. economy in the current quarter, the following headline ran at Bloomberg News yesterday: ''Fed Says Growth Downshifted Slightly July-Aug, Cites Delta.''
- Downshifted slightly? Seriously? Take a close look at the above chart.
- The Bloomberg News report was based on the Federal Reserve's Beige Book '' which looks at economic conditions across the 12 Federal Reserve Districts. One sentence stands out in the newly released Beige Book:
- ''Economic growth downshifted slightly to a moderate pace in early July through August.''
- That entire sentence is problematic. The Atlanta Fed's GDPNow forecast for the third quarter took a dramatic turn for the worse from mid-August to the end of August, dropping from 6.2 percent on August 17 to 5.1 percent on August 27. That's a deceleration of 18 percent in 10 days.
- The Federal Reserve, where Jerome Powell would like to keep his job as Chair, is now between a rock and a hard place. If it presents the hard facts on the ground it risks further dampening the mood of the consumer '' who represents two-thirds of GDP growth in the U.S.
- That mood is already pretty gloomy. The survey of Consumer Confidence from the Conference Board on August 31 dropped from a reading of 125.1 in July to 113.8 in August.
- And the Conference Board's report was downright cheery compared to the University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index for August. It found the following:
- ''There was no lessening in late August in the extent of the collapse in consumer sentiment recorded in the first half of the month. The Consumer Sentiment Index fell by 13.4% from July, recording the least favorable economic prospects in more than a decade. The Sentiment Index has only recorded larger losses in six other monthly surveys since 1978. The losses were especially large in the Expectations Index, and widespread across all demographic groups, regions, and the outlook for the economy. Personal financial prospects continued to worsen due to smaller income gains amid higher inflationary trends'...Consumers' extreme reactions were due to the surging Delta variant, higher inflation, slower wage growth, and smaller declines in unemployment. The extraordinary falloff in sentiment also reflects an emotional response, from dashed hopes that the pandemic would soon end and lives could return to normal.''
- Comedian and 'SNL' alum Jim Breuer cancels shows at venues requiring Covid vaccination
- Comedian and "Saturday Night Live" alum Jim Breuer said in a Facebook Live over the weekend that he will not be performing at venues that require proof of Covid vaccination for guests.
- "Two quick updates on shows that you may think you may be getting tickets to or you already have tickets to: The Wellmont Theater in New Jersey '-- not doing it," Breuer said in the 22 minute Facebook live.
- "Also the Royal Oak Theater in Michigan, due to the segregation of them forcing people to show up with vaccinations ... I am also not doing those shows," said Breuer, 54.
- "I know I'm going to sacrifice a lot of money, but I'm not going to be enslaved to the system or money," the comedian added.
- Breuer said getting vaccinated was "a choice," and he didn't care what his fans might have to say about his decision to cancel his shows.
- He said patrons were being "forced" and "bribed" before they could attend shows.
- "If you have anything else to say, I honestly don't care," Breuer said. "Due to, I have to stick to my morals, I have to sick to what i know is right."
- Breuer said in some cases, he doesn't blame venues for enforcing vaccine mandates, but rather governors and ticketing vendors. He said the venues were being held "hostage."
- Neither the Wellmont Theater or the Royal Oak Theater responded to requests for comment Monday.
- More and more venues and localities are starting to require proof of vaccination for indoor entertainment as Covid cases continue to rise.
- Comedian Patton Oswalt recently canceled his upcoming tour dates in Florida and Salt Lake City because the venues would not comply with his request that attendees either show proof of full vaccination or a negative Covid test.
- Breuer was on "SNL" from 1995 to 1998, playing recurring characters such as Goat Boy and doing celebrity impersonations that included Joe Pesci, and starred alongside Dave Chappelle in the 1998 film "Half Baked."
- Elisha Fieldstadt is a breaking news reporter for NBC News.
- 3 former US officials charged in UAE hacking scheme
- WASHINGTON (AP) '-- Three former U.S. intelligence and military officials have admitted providing sophisticated computer hacking technology to the United Arab Emirates and agreed to pay nearly $1.7 million to resolve criminal charges in an agreement that the Justice Department described Tuesday as the first of its kind.
- The defendants '-- Marc Baier, Ryan Adams and Daniel Gericke '-- are accused of working as senior managers at a UAE-based company that conducted hacking operations on behalf of the government. Prosecutors say the men provided hacking and intelligence-gathering systems that were used to break into computers in the United States and elsewhere in the world.
- The Justice Department alleges that the men committed computer fraud and violated export control laws by providing defense services without the required license. The case also appears to be part of a growing trend highlighted earlier this year by the CIA of foreign governments hiring former U.S. intelligence operatives to bolster their own spycraft '-- a practice officials have said risks exposing U.S. secrets.
- ''This is a loud statement'' that the Justice Department takes such cases seriously, said Bobby Chesney, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law who specializes in national security issues.
- The charges were filed under a deferred prosecution agreement that, in addition to requiring a $1.68 million payment, will also force the men to cooperate with the Justice Department's investigation, to sever any ties with any UAE intelligence or law enforcement agencies and to forego any security clearances. If they comply with those and other terms for three years, the Justice Department will abandon the prosecution.
- As part of the agreement, the three men did not dispute any of the facts alleged by prosecutors.
- The Justice Department described it as the ''first-of-its-kind resolution of an investigation into two distinct types of criminal activity,'' including providing unlicensed technology for the purposes of hacking.
- ''Hackers-for-hire and those who otherwise support such activities in violation of U.S. law should fully expect to be prosecuted for their criminal conduct,'' Mark Lesko, acting assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department's national security division, said in a statement.
- According to court documents, the trio left a U.S.-based company that was operating in the UAE to join an Emerati company that would give them ''significant increases'' in their salaries.
- The companies aren't named in charging documents, but Lori Stroud, a former National Security Agency employee, said she worked with the three men in the UAE at U.S.-based CyberPoint and then for UAE-based DarkMatter.
- Stroud said she quit because she saw DarkMatter hacking U.S. citizens. She said she assisted the FBI in its investigation and was glad to see the case come to a resolution.
- ''This is progress,'' Stroud said.
- The Emirati government did not immediately respond to a request for comment early Wednesday. Questions sent by email to officials at Abu Dhabi-based DarkMatter could not be delivered.
- Since details of DarkMatter's hacking campaign became public, the company's profile has dropped over the last few years, with some staff moving onto a new Abu Dhabi-based firm called G42. That firm has been linked to a mobile app suspected of being a spying tool as well as Chinese coronavirus tests that American officials warned against using over concerns about patient privacy, test accuracy and Chinese government involvement.
- DarkMatter's founder and CEO, Faisal al-Bannai, told The Associated Press in 2018 that the company takes part in no hacking, although he acknowledged the firm's close business ties to the Emirati government, as well as its hiring of former CIA and NSA analysts.
- Prosecutors said that between January 2016 and November 2019, the defendants increased operations being providing to the UAE government. They bought exploits to break into computers and mobile devices from companies around the world, including those based in the U.S., according to the Justice Department. That includes one so-called ''zero-click'' exploit '-- which can break into mobile devices without any user interaction '-- that Baier bought from an unnamed U.S. company in 2016.
- Lawyers for Adams and Gericke did not immediately return messages seeking comment, and a lawyer for Baier declined to comment.
- The Justice Department described each of them as former U.S. intelligence or military personnel. Baier previously worked at the NSA, according to a former colleague who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity surrounding the matter.
- The CIA warned in a letter earlier this year about ''an uptick in the number of former officers who have disclosed sensitive information about CIA activities, personnel, and tradecraft.''
- The letter sent to former CIA officials was signed by Sheetal Patel, the agency's assistant director for counterintelligence. It described as a ''detrimental trend'' a practice of foreign governments hiring former intelligence officers ''to build up their spying capabilities.'' Some listed examples included using access to CIA information or contacts for business opportunities as well as ''working for state-sponsored intelligence related companies in non-fraternization countries.''
- ''We ask that you protect yourself and the CIA by safeguarding the classified tradecraft that underpins your enterprise,'' Patel wrote.
- Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia. Associated Press writers Nomaan Merchant in Washington and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.
- Facebook Knows Instagram Is Toxic for Teen Girls, Company Documents Show - WSJ
- Its own in-depth research shows a significant teen mental-health issue that Facebook plays down in public
- Sept. 14, 2021 7:59 am ETAbout a year ago, teenager Anastasia Vlasova started seeing a therapist. She had developed an eating disorder, and had a clear idea of what led to it: her time on Instagram.
- She joined the platform at 13, and eventually was spending three hours a day entranced by the seemingly perfect lives and bodies of the fitness influencers who posted on the app.
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- About a year ago, teenager Anastasia Vlasova started seeing a therapist. She had developed an eating disorder, and had a clear idea of what led to it: her time on Instagram.
- She joined the platform at 13, and eventually was spending three hours a day entranced by the seemingly perfect lives and bodies of the fitness influencers who posted on the app.
- ''When I went on Instagram, all I saw were images of chiseled bodies, perfect abs and women doing 100 burpees in 10 minutes,'' said Ms. Vlasova, now 18, who lives in Reston, Va.
- Around that time, researchers inside Instagram, which is owned by Facebook Inc., were studying this kind of experience and asking whether it was part of a broader phenomenon. Their findings confirmed some serious problems.
- ''Thirty-two percent of teen girls said that when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse,'' the researchers said in a March 2020 slide presentation posted to Facebook's internal message board, reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. ''Comparisons on Instagram can change how young women view and describe themselves.''
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- For the past three years, Facebook has been conducting studies into how its photo-sharing app affects its millions of young users. Repeatedly, the company's researchers found that Instagram is harmful for a sizable percentage of them, most notably teenage girls.
- ''We make body image issues worse for one in three teen girls,'' said one slide from 2019, summarizing research about teen girls who experience the issues.
- ''Teens blame Instagram for increases in the rate of anxiety and depression,'' said another slide. ''This reaction was unprompted and consistent across all groups.''
- Among teens who reported suicidal thoughts, 13% of British users and 6% of American users traced the desire to kill themselves to Instagram, one presentation showed.
- Expanding its base of young users is vital to the company's more than $100 billion in annual revenue, and it doesn't want to jeopardize their engagement with the platform.
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- More than 40% of Instagram's users are 22 years old and younger, and about 22 million teens log onto Instagram in the U.S. each day, compared with five million teens logging onto Facebook, where young users have been shrinking for a decade, the materials show.
- On average, teens in the U.S. spend 50% more time on Instagram than they do on Facebook.
- ''Instagram is well positioned to resonate and win with young people,'' said a researcher's slide posted internally. Another post said: ''There is a path to growth if Instagram can continue their trajectory.''
- In public, Facebook has consistently played down the app's negative effects on teens, and hasn't made its research public or available to academics or lawmakers who have asked for it.
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- ''The research that we've seen is that using social apps to connect with other people can have positive mental-health benefits,'' CEO Mark Zuckerberg said at a congressional hearing in March 2021 when asked about children and mental health.
- In May, Instagram head Adam Mosseri told reporters that research he had seen suggests the app's effects on teen well-being is likely ''quite small.''
- In a recent interview, Mr. Mosseri said: ''In no way do I mean to diminish these issues.'...Some of the issues mentioned in this story aren't necessarily widespread, but their impact on people may be huge.''
- He said he believes Facebook was late to realizing there were drawbacks to connecting people in such large numbers. ''I've been pushing very hard for us to embrace our responsibilities more broadly,'' he said.
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- He said the research into the mental-health effects on teens was valuable, and that Facebook employees ask tough questions about the platform. ''For me, this isn't dirty laundry. I'm actually very proud of this research,'' he said.
- Some features of Instagram could be harmful to some young users, and they aren't easily addressed, he said. He added: ''There's a lot of good that comes with what we do.''
- What Facebook knowsThe Instagram documents form part of a trove of internal communications reviewed by the Journal, on areas including teen mental health, political discourse and human trafficking. They offer an unparalleled picture of how Facebook is acutely aware that the products and systems central to its business success routinely fail.
- The documents also show that Facebook has made minimal efforts to address these issues and plays them down in public.
- The company's research on Instagram, the deepest look yet at what the tech giant knows about its impact on teens and their mental well-being, represents one of the clearest gaps revealed in the documents between Facebook's understanding of itself and its public position.
- Its effort includes focus groups, online surveys and diary studies in 2019 and 2020. It also includes large-scale surveys of tens of thousands of people in 2021 that paired user responses with Facebook's own data about how much time users spent on Instagram and what they saw there.
- The researchers are Facebook employees in areas including data science, marketing and product development who work on a range of issues related to how users interact with the platform. Many have backgrounds in computer science, psychology and quantitative and qualitative analysis.
- In five presentations over 18 months to this spring, the researchers conducted what they called a ''teen mental health deep dive'' and follow-up studies.
- They came to the conclusion that some of the problems were specific to Instagram, and not social media more broadly. That is especially true concerning so-called social comparison, which is when people assess their own value in relation to the attractiveness, wealth and success of others.
- ''Social comparison is worse on Instagram,'' states Facebook's deep dive into teen girl body-image issues in 2020, noting that TikTok, a short-video app, is grounded in performance, while users on Snapchat, a rival photo and video-sharing app, are sheltered by jokey filters that ''keep the focus on the face.'' In contrast, Instagram focuses heavily on the body and lifestyle.
- The features that Instagram identifies as most harmful to teens appear to be at the platform's core.
- The tendency to share only the best moments, a pressure to look perfect and an addictive product can send teens spiraling toward eating disorders, an unhealthy sense of their own bodies and depression, March 2020 internal research states. It warns that the Explore page, which serves users photos and videos curated by an algorithm, can send users deep into content that can be harmful.
- ''Aspects of Instagram exacerbate each other to create a perfect storm,'' the research states.
- The research has been reviewed by top Facebook executives, and was cited in a 2020 presentation given to Mr. Zuckerberg, according to the documents.
- At a congressional hearing this March, Mr. Zuckerberg defended the company against criticism from lawmakers about plans to create a new Instagram product for children under 13. When asked if the company had studied the app's effects on children, he said, ''I believe the answer is yes.''
- In August, Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Marsha Blackburn in a letter to Mr. Zuckerberg called on him to release Facebook's internal research on the impact of its platforms on youth mental health.
- In response, Facebook sent the senators a six-page letter that didn't include the company's own studies. Instead, Facebook said there are many challenges with conducting research in this space, saying, ''We are not aware of a consensus among studies or experts about how much screen time is 'too much,' '' according to a copy of the letter reviewed by the Journal.
- Facebook also told the senators that its internal research is proprietary and ''kept confidential to promote frank and open dialogue and brainstorming internally.''
- A Facebook spokeswoman said the company welcomed productive collaboration with Congress and would look for opportunities to work with external researchers on credible studies.
- ''Facebook's answers were so evasive'--failing to even respond to all our questions'--that they really raise questions about what Facebook might be hiding,'' Sen. Blumenthal said in an email. ''Facebook seems to be taking a page from the textbook of Big Tobacco'--targeting teens with potentially dangerous products while masking the science in public.''
- Mr. Mosseri said in the recent interview, ''We don't send research out to regulators on a regular basis for a number of reasons.'' He added Facebook should figure out a way to share high-level overviews of what the company is learning, and that he also wanted to give external researchers access to Facebook's data.
- He said the company's plan for the Instagram kids product, which state attorneys general have objected to, is still in the works.
- When told of Facebook's internal research, Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University who has published research finding that social media is harmful for some kids, said it was a potential turning point in the discussion about how social media affects teens.
- ''If you believe that R.J. Reynolds should have been more truthful about the link between smoking and lung cancer, then you should probably believe that Facebook should be more upfront about links to depression among teen girls,'' she said.
- Race for teen usersWhen Facebook paid $1 billion for Instagram in 2012, it was a tiny startup with 13 employees and already a hit. That year, Facebook for the first time had observed a decline in the number of teens using its namesake Facebook product, according to the documents. The company would come to see Instagram as Facebook's best bet for growth among teens.
- Facebook had been tracking the rise of buzzy features on competitor apps, including Snapchat, and in 2016 directed employees to focus on winning what they viewed as a race for teen users, according to former Instagram executives.
- Instagram made photos the app's focus, with filters that made it easy for users to edit images. It later added videos, feeds of algorithmically chosen content and tools that touched up people's faces.
- Before long, Instagram became the online equivalent of the high-school cafeteria: a place for teens to post their best photos, find friends, size each other up, brag and bully.
- Facebook's research indicates Instagram's effects aren't harmful for all users. For most teenagers, the effects of ''negative social comparison'' are manageable and can be outweighed by the app's utility as a fun way for users to express themselves and connect with friends, the research says.
- But a mounting body of Facebook's own evidence shows Instagram can be damaging for many.
- In one study of teens in the U.S. and U.K., Facebook found that more than 40% of Instagram users who reported feeling ''unattractive'' said the feeling began on the app. About a quarter of the teens who reported feeling ''not good enough'' said the feeling started on Instagram. Many also said the app undermined their confidence in the strength of their friendships.
- Instagram's researchers noted that those struggling with the platform's psychological effects weren't necessarily logging off. Teens regularly reported wanting to spend less time on Instagram, the presentations note, but lacked the self control to do so.
- ''Teens told us that they don't like the amount of time they spend on the app but feel like they have to be present,'' an Instagram research manager explained to colleagues, according to the documents. ''They often feel 'addicted' and know that what they're seeing is bad for their mental health but feel unable to stop themselves.''
- During the isolation of the pandemic, ''if you wanted to show your friends what you were doing, you had to go on Instagram,'' said Destinee Ramos, 17, of Neenah, Wis. ''We're leaning towards calling it an obsession.''
- Ms. Ramos and her friend Isabel Yoblonski, 18, believed this posed a potential health problem to their community, so they decided to survey their peers as a part of a national science competition. They found that of the 98 students who responded, nearly 90% said social media negatively affected their mental health.
- In focus groups, Instagram employees heard directly from teens who were struggling. ''I felt like I had to fight to be considered pretty or even visible,'' one teen said of her experience on Instagram.
- After looking through photos on Instagram, ''I feel like I am too big and not pretty enough,'' another teen told Facebook's researchers. ''It makes me feel insecure about my body even though I know I am skinny.''
- ''For some people it might be tempting to dismiss this as teen girls being sad,'' said Dr. Twenge. But ''we're looking at clinical-level depression that requires treatment. We're talking about self harm that lands people in the ER.''
- 'Kick in the gut'Eva Behrens, a 17-year-old student at Redwood High School in Marin County, Calif., said she estimates half the girls in her grade struggle with body-image concerns tied to Instagram. ''Every time I feel good about myself, I go over to Instagram, and then it all goes away,'' she said.
- When her classmate Molly Pitts, 17, arrived at high school, she found her peers using Instagram as a tool to measure their relative popularity. Students referred to the number of followers their peers had as if the number was stamped on their foreheads, she said.
- Now, she said, when she looks at her number of followers on Instagram, it is most often a ''kick in the gut.''
- For years, there has been little debate among medical doctors that for some patients, Instagram and other social media exacerbate their conditions. Angela Guarda, director for the eating-disorders program at Johns Hopkins Hospital and an associate professor of psychiatry in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, said it is common for her patients to say they learned from social media tips for how to restrict food intake or purge. She estimates that Instagram and other social-media apps play a role in the disorders of about half her patients.
- ''It's the ones who are most vulnerable or are already developing a problem'--the use of Instagram and other social media can escalate it,'' she said.
- Lindsay Dubin, 19, recently wanted to exercise more. She searched Instagram for workouts and found some she liked. Since then the app's algorithm has filled her Explore page with photos of how to lose weight, the ''ideal'' body type and what she should and shouldn't be eating. ''I'm pounded with it every time I go on Instagram,'' she said.
- Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist at New York University's Stern School of Business and co-author of the bestseller ''The Coddling of the American Mind,'' has been concerned about the effects of social media on teens since he started studying it in 2015. He has twice spoken with Mr. Zuckerberg about Facebook's effects on teen mental health, the first time after the CEO reached out in 2019.
- Mr. Zuckerberg indicated that on the issues of political polarization and teen mental health, he believed that the research literature was contradictory and didn't point clearly to any harmful causal effects, according to Mr. Haidt. He said he felt Mr. Zuckerberg at the time was ''a partisan, but curious.''
- ''I asked Mark to help us out as parents,'' he said. ''Mark said he was working on it.''
- In January 2020, Facebook invited Mr. Haidt to its Menlo Park, Calif., headquarters, where Mr. Mosseri and Instagram staff briefed him on the platform's efforts to combat bullying and reduce social pressure on the platform. Mr. Haidt said he found those efforts sincere and laudable but warned that they likely weren't enough to battle what he believes is a mounting public-health epidemic.
- ''It was not suggested to me that they had internal research showing a problem,'' he said.
- The Facebook spokeswoman declined to comment on the interaction.
- Some Instagram researchers said it was challenging to get other colleagues to hear the gravity of their findings. Plus, ''We're standing directly between people and their bonuses,'' one former researcher said.
- Instead of referencing their own data showing the negative effects of Instagram, Facebook executives in public have often pointed to studies from the Oxford Internet Institute that have shown little correlation between social-media use and depression.
- Other studies also found discrepancies between the amount of time people say they use social media and the amount of time they actually use such services. Mr. Mosseri has pointed to these studies as evidence for why research using self-reported data might not be accurate.
- Facebook has in the past been a donor to a researcher at the Oxford institute, which is part of the research and teaching department of Britain's Oxford University.
- Oxford's lead researcher on the studies, Andrew Przybylski, who said he didn't receive funding from Facebook, said companies like Facebook need to be more open about their research. ''The data exists'¯within the tech industry,'' he said. ''Scientists just need to be able to access it for neutral and independent investigation.''
- In an interview, Mr. Przybylski said, ''People talk about Instagram like it's a drug. But we can't study the active ingredient.''
- Facebook executives have struggled to find ways to reduce Instagram's harm while keeping people on the platform, according to internal presentations on the topic.
- For years, Facebook experimented with hiding the tallies of ''likes'' that users see on their photos. Teens told Facebook in focus groups that ''like'' counts caused them anxiety and contributed to their negative feelings.
- When Facebook tested a tweak to hide the ''likes'' in a pilot program they called Project Daisy, it found it didn't improve life for teens. ''We didn't observe movements in overall well-being measures,'' Facebook employees wrote in a slide they presented to Mr. Zuckerberg about the experiment in 2020.
- Nonetheless, Facebook rolled out the change as an option for Facebook and Instagram users in May 2021 after senior executives argued to Mr. Zuckerberg that it could make them look good by appearing to address the issue, according to the documents.
- ''A Daisy launch would be received by press and parents as a strong positive indication that Instagram cares about its users, especially when taken alongside other press-positive launches,'' Facebook executives wrote in a discussion about how to present their findings to Mr. Zuckerberg.
- When Facebook rolled out Project Daisy, Mr. Mosseri acknowledged publicly that the feature didn't actually change much about how users felt.
- In the interview, he said he doesn't think there are clear-cut solutions to fixing Instagram. He said he is cautiously optimistic about tools Instagram is developing to identify people who are in trouble and to try to ''nudge'' them toward more positive content.
- Facebook made two researchers available to discuss their work. They said they are also testing a way to ask users if they want to take a break from Instagram. Part of the challenge, the researchers said, is they struggle to determine which users face the greatest risk. The researchers also said that the causality of some of their findings was unclear, and noted some of the studies had small sample sizes.
- ''I think anything and everything should be on the table,'' Mr. Mosseri said. ''But we have to be honest and embrace that there's trade-offs here. It's not as simple as turning something off and thinking it gets better, because often you can make things worse unintentionally.''
- Zeroed in on selfiesIn the internal documents, Facebook's researchers also suggested Instagram could surface ''fun'' filters rather than ones around beautification. They zeroed in on selfies, particularly filtered ones that allow users to touch-up their faces. ''Sharing or viewing filtered selfies in stories made people feel worse,'' the researchers wrote in January.
- Sylvia Colt-Lacayo, a 20-year-old at Stanford University, said she recently tried out a face filter that thinned her cheeks and made them pink. But then Ms. Colt-Lacayo realized the filter had minimized her cheeks that she inherited from her Nicaraguan father, and made them look more European. That gave her ''a bitter taste in my mouth,'' she said.
- Ms. Colt-Lacayo uses a wheelchair, and in the past Instagram made her feel like she didn't look the way she was supposed to, or do the things that other teen girls on the app were doing, she said.
- She said she began following people who use wheelchairs, or who are chronically ill or refer to other disabilities, and the platform became a place she could see images of older disabled people just being happy.
- In March, the researchers said Instagram should reduce exposure to celebrity content about fashion, beauty and relationships, while increasing exposure to content from close friends, according to a slide deck they uploaded to Facebook's internal message board.
- A current employee, in comments on the message board, questioned that idea, saying celebrities with perfect lives were key to the app. ''Isn't that what IG is mostly about?'' he wrote. Getting a peek at ''the (very photogenic) life of the top 0.1%? Isn't that the reason why teens are on the platform?''
- A now-former executive questioned the idea of overhauling Instagram to avoid social comparison. ''People use Instagram because it's a competition,'' the former executive said. ''That's the fun part.''
- To promote more positive use of Instagram, the company has partnered with nonprofits to promote what it calls ''emotional resilience,'' according to the documents. Videos produced as part of that effort include recommending that teens consider daily affirmations to remind themselves that ''I am in control of my experience on Instagram.''
- Facebook's researchers identified the over-sexualization of girls as something that weighs on the mental health of the app's users. Shevon Jones, a licensed clinical social worker based in Atlanta, said this can affect Black girls especially because people often assume Black girls are older than they are and critique the bodies of Black girls more frequently.
- ''What girls often see on social media are girls with slimmer waists, bigger butts and hips, and it can lead them to have body image issues,'' Ms. Jones said. ''It's a very critical time and they are trying to figure out themselves and everything around them.''
- Teen boys aren't immune. In the deep dive Facebook's researchers conducted into mental health in 2019, they found that 14% of boys in the U.S. said Instagram made them feel worse about themselves. In their report on body image in 2020, Facebook's researchers found that 40% of teen boys experience negative social comparison.
- ''I just feel on the edge a lot of the time,'' a teen boy in the U.S. told Facebook's researchers. ''It's like you can be called out for anything you do. One wrong move. One wrong step.''
- Many of the teens interviewed for this article said they didn't want Instagram to disappear. Ms. Vlasova, who no longer uses Instagram, said she is skeptical Facebook's executives have tried hard enough to make their platform less toxic.
- ''I had to live with my eating disorder for five years, and people on Instagram are still suffering,'' she said.
- '--Design by Andrew Levinson.
- Write to Georgia Wells at georgia.wells+1@wsj.com, Jeff Horwitz at Jeff.Horwitz@wsj.com and Deepa Seetharaman at Deepa.Seetharaman@wsj.com
- Lieutenant Colonel resigns over Biden's vaccine mandate as forfeits pension after serving 19 years | Daily Mail Online
- US Lieutenant Colonel RESIGNS over Biden's 'tyrannical' vaccination mandate and warns of 'Marxist takeover of military' as he refuses jab and forfeits his pension after 19 years of service Lt Col Paul Douglas Hague has resigned and given up his pension because he refuses President Biden's 'unethical, immoral and tyrannical' vaccine mandateHe listed many other reasons for his resignation, including a 'complete lack of confidence in the presidential administration' 'I cannot and will not contribute to the fall of this great nation and its people,' the father of seven wroteHis resignation comes a month after active duty Marine Lt Col Stuart Scheller was relieved of duty after calling out senior leaders in a widely shared videoBy Shannon Thaler For Dailymail.Com
- Published: 21:36 EDT, 14 September 2021 | Updated: 21:59 EDT, 14 September 2021
- A US Army Lieutenant Colonel has resigned and given up his pension after more than 19 years of service because he refuses President Joe Biden's 'unethical, immoral and tyrannical' vaccine mandate.
- Lt Col Paul Douglas Hague's resignation letter has been shared nearly 10,000 times since his wife tweeted the memo and announced the Army vet is 'walking away from all he's worked for and believed in since he was an ROTC kid'.
- In the letter - which he wrote on August 23, the day after the Pentagon announced all active military were to get vaccinated immediately - Hague said he refused to 'sit still and allow a serum to be injected into my flesh against my will and better judgement'.
- Lt Col Paul Douglas Hague (pictured) has resigned and given up his pension after more than 19 years of service because he refuses President Joe Biden's 'unethical, immoral and tyrannical' vaccine mandate
- Hague (pictured left with his wife), who is stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, listed many other reasons for his resignation, including 'an ideologically Marxist takeover of the military and United States government' and a 'complete lack of confidence in the presidential administration'
- He wrote: 'It is impossible for this so-called "vaccine" to have been studied adequately to determine the long term effects.
- 'It simply has not existed for enough time and any claim otherwise is blatantly ignorant and likely an outright lie driven by negligent political agenda.'
- Aside from the vaccine mandate Hague, who is stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, listed many other reasons for his resignation, including 'an ideologically Marxist takeover of the military and United States government' and a 'complete lack of confidence in the presidential administration'.
- 'We are watching the fall of liberty at this moment,' he penned.
- Lt Col Paul Douglas Hague's resignation letter has been shared nearly 10,000 times since his wife tweeted the memo and announced the Army vet is 'walking away from all he's worked for and believed in since he was an ROTC kid'
- The father of seven went on to blame the Biden administration for the suicide bombings that took place in Kabul and resulted in the death of 13 service members, saying the president also 'undoubtedly set our nation up for many more attacks both in Afghanistan and within our own borders'.
- 'I cannot and will not contribute to the fall of this great nation and its people,' Hague wrote, adding that he will 'continue (to) uphold the constitution of the United States' but can no longer do it while serving in the military as he believes 'the military is currently being used to the contrary'.
- As a result of his resignation Hague has also forfeited his ability to retire with a pension.
- He noted that while he 'would like nothing more than to continue in the Army to reach my 20 years of active federal service and retire with my pension... I instead will join those who have served before me in pledging... to continue resisting the eternal and ever-mutable forms of oppression and tyranny'.
- Hague's wife Katie Phipps Hague told Fox News that her husband submitted the letter on August 30 and it has since been 'sent up his chain of command' and appears to be 'going smoothly'.
- Marine Corp Lt Col Stuart Steller said in a widely shared video that military leaders need to take accountability for botched, fatal evacuation out of Afghanistan
- Critics on social media tried to debunk the memo, pointing out that it was dated August 23 and referenced the Kabul attacks even though they happened three days later.
- According to Fox, Katie said Hague began drafting the letter on August 23, revised it multiple times and never updated the date before he submitted it a week later on August 30.
- Other commenters were skeptical, saying Hague had to receive a slew of other vaccines before serving in the military.
- Her response, as reported by Fox: 'He didn't resign over a vaccine. He said he felt the vaccine was being used as a political tool to divide and segregate Americans.
- 'He then went on to list many other reasons for his resignation '' none of which have anything to do with vaccines.'
- The follow-up post to the video where Scheller said he was relived of his duty
- Scheller was relieved of his duties as a battalion commander after a stellar 17-year career. 'I have been fighting for 17 years. I am willing to throw it all away to say to my senior leaders, "I demand accountability,"' he said
- Hague is not the only military member to leave his position in light of the Biden administration's vaccine mandate and hasty exit from Kabul.
- Last month active duty Marine Lt Col Stuart Scheller was relieved of his duty after publicly calling out senior leaders in a widely shared video.
- In the post he demanded leadership to take accountability for the deadly disaster in Afghanistan and slammed Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen Mark Milley and others for not 'raising their hands and accepting accountability or saying, "We messed this up."'
- 'The reason people are so upset on social media right now is not because the Marine on the battlefield let someone down,' Scheller said in a nearly five-minute video posted on Facebook and LinkedIn.
- Judge BLOCKS New York's vaccine mandate for Christian healthcare workers | Daily Mail Online
- Judge BLOCKS New York's vaccine mandate for Christian healthcare workers on grounds it interferes with their religious freedomsU.S. District Judge David Hurd in Utica, New York in a written order said he was blocking the mandate from taking effect on Sept. 27The order came in a lawsuit filed Monday by 17 doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionalsThe healthcare workers said New York's requirement violates their constitutional rights in various waysThe plaintiffs are all Christians who say they object to receiving the vaccines because the cell lines of aborted fetuses were used in their testingJust last week, President Joe Biden announced the federal government's aggressive new approach to fight the COVID-19 pandemic The new approach includes new vaccine rules that the White House says will affect two-third of the American workforceBy Reuters and Sandra Salathe For Dailymail.Com
- Published: 15:50 EDT, 14 September 2021 | Updated: 09:56 EDT, 15 September 2021
- A New York judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked the state from enforcing a requirement that healthcare workers receive COVID-19 vaccines against the wishes of employees with religious objections.
- U.S. District Judge David Hurd in Utica, in a written order, said he was blocking the mandate from taking effect on September 27 because it does not allow for exemptions based on workers' religious beliefs.
- The order came in a lawsuit filed Monday by 17 doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals who say New York's requirement violates their constitutional rights in various ways.
- A lawsuit was filed Monday by 17 doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals who say New York's requirement violates their constitutional rights in various ways
- New York resident Krystel Walk interacts with a large crowd rainsing their voices against a mandate to get vaccinated or lose their jobs at Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, New York on August 25, 2021
- The plaintiffs are all Christians who say they object to receiving the vaccines because the cell lines of aborted fetuses were used in their testing and development.
- Hurd gave the state until September 22 to respond to the lawsuit, and said he will hold a hearing on September 28 whether to block the vaccine requirement from taking effect pending the outcome of the case.
- The mandate was issued last month by former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who said at the time that about 75% of the state's roughly 450,000 hospital workers were fully vaccinated.
- The New York Attorney General's office, which represents the state, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Nor did lawyers for the plaintiffs.
- U.S. District Judge David Hurd in Utica, in a written order, said he was blocking the mandate from taking effect on September 27 because it does not allow for exemptions based on workers' religious beliefs.
- New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference, Monday, May 10, 2021
- Just last week, President Joe Biden announced the federal government's aggressive new approach to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, which included new vaccine rules that the White House says will affect two-third of the American workforce.
- The strategy involves six steps all aimed at boosting the US vaccination rate, which fell over the summer as a new wave fueled by the Delta variant plunged health care systems in areas with largely unvaccinated populations back into disarray.
- About 73.4 percent of Americans over the age of 12 have at least one vaccine dose, but less than 63 percent are fully vaccinated - far short of the threshold to reach herd immunity.
- President Joe Biden announced the federal government's aggressive new approach to fight the COVID-19 pandemic on Thursday, which include new vaccine rules that the White House says will affect two-third of the American workforce
- The rate of COVID vaccinations slowed down going into summer, sending the White House into a frenzy looking for ways to encourage people to get the shot
- Biden's approach includes mandating all federal employees and federal contractors get vaccinated, requiring vaccinations for more than 17 million healthcare workers at Medicare and Medicaid-participating facilities and requiring all businesses with 100 or more employees to tell their workers to get vaccinated or submit to weekly COVID testing.
- On Saturday, a hospital in upstate New York announced it will temporarily stop delivering babies after six employees in a maternity ward resigned instead of getting vaccinated for COVID-19.
- Lewis County General Hospital in Lowville said on Friday that it will pause delivering babies after September 24.
- In Texas, employees at the Houston Methodist hospital walked out of their shifts to protest the health system's COVID-19 vaccine requirement in June.
- Ashton Handley, a worker who resigned a few weeks before the protest, said she believes getting the vaccine is a choice.
- 'I'm not on either side, I'm not anti-vaxxer, I've received my vaccine, but I believe it should be someone's choice," she told Houston's FOX 26 at the time.
- Covid US: BABIES could be given low-dose of Pfizer's jab this winter | Daily Mail Online
- Babies could be given Pfizer's Covid vaccine in the US this winter: Company plans to seek approval for jabbing six-month-olds in NovemberPfizer seeking approval to jab kids aged six months to five years by this winterTimeline will depend on findings of in-house trials of vaccines on young childrenPfizer's jab already being used for over-12s in majority of countries in the WestBy Connor Boyd Assistant Health Editor For Mailonline
- Published: 09:42 EDT, 15 September 2021 | Updated: 10:17 EDT, 15 September 2021
- Pfizer's Covid vaccine could be rolled out to babies as young as six months in the US this winter, under plans being drawn up by the pharmaceutical giant.
- In a move likely to cause international controversy, the company intends to apply for authorisation to immunise American infants within the next two months.
- The timeline will depend on the findings of in-house trials looking into whether the vaccines are safe and effective in youngsters aged six months to five years.
- Frank D'Amelio, chief financial officer at Pfizer, told an industry conference yesterday that the firm plans to 'go file' by November, the Financial Times reports.
- 'We would expect to have... data for children between the ages of six months and five years old that we would file with the FDA,' D'Amelio said at the Morgan Stanley Global Healthcare Conference. 'I'll call it in the weeks shortly thereafter the filing of the data for the five- to 11-year-olds.'
- Pfizer was already planning to seek approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the jabs to be given in children aged five to 11 by October.
- But the latest comments confirm the firm's intention to work its way down much younger age groups. They will be given a lower dose than adults.
- Pfizer's jab, made alongside German partner BioNTech, is already approved for over-12s in Britain.
- Pfizer's Covid vaccine could be rolled out to babies as young as six months this winter in the US (file)
- THE RISK OF COVID VERSUS RISK OF PFIZER VACCINE AMONG 12 TO 15-YEAR-OLDS IN THE UK: British regulators looked at the risk of a child being admitted to ICU with Covid. They also looked at the risk of vaccine-induced health inflammation - known as myocarditis - in young people given the Pfizer jab, which was still very small but slightly more common after a second dose
- The Pfizer vaccine given to children is weaker than the version given to adults, with those aged between six months and five years injected with a 3 microgram vaccine.
- Six to 11-year-olds are given 10 micrograms, while children over 12 and adults receive the full 30 micrograms.
- Children may get 'better' immunity from catching Covid naturally Children may get 'better' immunity from catching Covid naturally instead of getting one dose of a vaccine.
- Professor David Livermore, a microbiologist at the University of East Anglia, claimed it was 'pretty pointless' to inoculate youngsters, who face such a vanishingly small risk of falling seriously ill with Covid.
- He told MailOnline they would probably develop more protection from catching the virus, in a similar way as to how they build up immunity against other seasonal illnesses.
- Covid vaccines work by teaching the immune system to recognise the virus and give it the power to fight it off in the future.
- But some studies have suggested vaccine-triggered immunity starts to wane within six months, while some data has suggested people who have recovered from the virus may be protected for at least a year.
- One Israeli study claimed people who get the vaccine are 13 times more likely to catch Covid than those who have recovered from a previous infection.
- Preliminary trials of the Pfizer vaccine in young children suggests it is safe, but there are ethical concerns as well as fears about the small risk of side complications.
- For teenage children and young adults, there is about a less than one in 10,000 risk of heart inflammation known as myocarditis.
- While the vast majority of people who get myocarditis are treated within days, it's unclear what the long-term effects are.
- The US has been vaccinating children aged 12 and above since the start of the summer and elementary-aged pupils are expected to be given the jabs in the fall.
- Britain only this week signed off on those plans, with officials claiming the benefit was only 'marginal' because Covid poses such a low risk to children.
- British children under 16 are only being offered one dose of Pfizer's vaccine, until more data has been gathered on the safety of giving them two doses.
- There are also ethical questions about vaccinating youngsters mostly to protect older adults.
- Latest official US data shows that in the week ending August 14, the Covid hospitalisation rate among children aged four or younger was just 2.2 per 100,000.
- That was more than six times lower than the 15.8 per 100,000 rate among the highly-vaccinated over-65 age group.
- In states reporting pediatric cases, children have accounted for fewer than 0.25 per cent of all Covid deaths.
- Seven states have reported no child deaths, while other states reported that children made up as low as 0.03 per cent of all fatalities, according to analysis by National Public Radio.
- American children between the ages of five and 11 could be eligible for the Covid vaccine by the end of October, according to the former head of the FDA.
- Scott Gottlieb, who headed the FDA under former President Donald Trump and now sits on the board of directors at Pfizer, says that the emergency use approval process for vaccinating young children could be done in a matter of weeks.
- Gottlieb says the pharmaceutical giant is expected to file the paperwork with the federal government requesting authorization to vaccinate kids as early as September.
- MTV's Video Music Awards Scored Less Than a Million Viewers on MTV, Down 31%, And Not Much More Anywhere Else | Showbiz411
- Home Television MTV's Video Music Awards Scored Less Than a Million Viewers on MTV,... READ ALL TODAY'S SHOWBIZ411 NEWS, REVIEW OF NEW CLINT EASTWOOD MOVIE
- You know things are bad when MTV's Video Music Awards barely score ratings on MTV.
- Sunday's show had 900,000 viewers on the main channel, and a smattering elsewhere on channels like VH1 and BET. On MTV itself it was a 31% drop from last year's 1.3 million.
- The VH1 numbers were 149,000. The Paramount channel was 159,000. Nick-at-Nite and BET were better, around 200,000 each. TV Land came in at 186,000. Total viewers for the show were probably 3 million.
- On the CW Network, the VMAs scored just 606,000 viewers, down from last year's 871,000. That's a 31% drop.
- The good news for Viacom was that the key demo was high. Half of those MTV watchers were 18 to 49, But what else would they be? The Video Music Awards are not a tolerable experience for anyone over 20, frankly.
- The show opened with a ''surprise'' performance by Madonna, who turned to show the camera her robustly manufactured derriere.
- Other acts included the usual customers: Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello, Doja Cat, and old timers like Foo Fighters and Alicia Keys. No Gaga, Taylor Swift or Miley. Ed Sheeran was there. But nothing really exceptional. And no Beyonce or Adele, Drake or Kanye.
- Elsewhere, the really good news is that ''Billions'' fans started returning. The show added 200,000 viewers in week 2, up to 392,000. I guess they didn't know the show was on until the second week. But they're coming back.
- Biden In Hot Water As It's Revealed His Ancestors Owned Slaves
- President Joe Biden is undoubtedly in full panic mode right now over potentially being ''canceled'' by the ''woke'' race-baiting left after it was revealed this week that his ancestors were slave owners.
- Politico reported that it was confirmed in the new book ''The Bidens'' that Jesse Robinett, Biden's great-great-great-grandfather, owned two enslaved people in Maryland. This appears to be a revered ancestor of the president, given the fact that his full name is Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.
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- Another ancestor of Biden's reportedly owned a 14-year-old male slave in Maryland. This great-great-great-grandfather of Biden's was Thomas Randle, who owned the teenager in 1850 in Baltimore County, according to slave schedules and census records.
- This damning history of the Biden family was uncovered by Alexander Bannerman, a West Virginia genealogist who organized the first complete genealogy of Biden for publication. On top of everything else, Biden reportedly shares a ''distant tie'' to the wife of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
- Daily Mail contacted the White House for comment on this, but they have yet to hear anything back.
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- Elected officials have come under fire in recent years after their family ties to slavery were exposed. After it was found that former Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-Texas) had ancestors who owned slaves, he apologized in a groveling July 2019 Medium post. He was running for president at the time in a bid that would fail miserably.
- ''We all need to know our own story as it relates to the national story, much as I am learning mine,'' he wrote. ''It is only then, I believe, that we can take the necessary steps to repair the damage done and stop visiting this injustice on the generations that follow ours.''
- Both former President Barack Obama and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) also had ancestors who were slave owners.
- ''You know, I find myself in the same position as President Obama,'' McConnell told reporters in July of 2019. ''We both oppose reparations, and we both are the descendants of slave owners.''
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- This new information about Biden's family owning slave owners is the last thing the president needs right now, given that he has come under fire for his treatment of minorities in the past.
- Between 1971 and 1974, Biden even lived in a house that had a ''restrictive covenant'' that said it couldn't be ''owned or occupied by any Negro or person of Negro extraction.'' Biden's father had bought the home in 1969, and the future president then switched houses with his dad to remain within the council district he then served.
- When this came to light in 1986, Biden fired back by claiming that his parents ''filed a declaration of disavowal saying they find the restriction morally repugnant and they are not bound by it.'' He also alleged that the deed his father signed did not include the restrictive covenant.
- It remains to be seen how the ''woke'' left will react to this latest revelation of their beloved president.
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- Cipher
- Dispatches on Climate, Technology and Getting to Zero.
- Cipher is a publication by Breakthrough Energy.
- Cipher means zero, which we at Breakthrough find intriguing because our goal is simple, but hard. Going from the 51 billion tons of greenhouse gases we emit a year today to zero by 2050.
- Cipher also means code. We aim to decode complex topics and make them clear to people at all levels working to solve the climate crisis '-- and anyone who wants to be an informed, concerned citizen.
- We publish our newsletter most Wednesday mornings U.S. Eastern Time. We also have a regular video series where we interview newsmakers and innovators.
- Amy Harder, a longtime energy and climate change journalist, is the executive editor of Cipher. Before joining Breakthrough in early 2021, Amy has covered these topics for Axios, The Wall Street Journal and more.
- Breakthrough Energy is a network of investment vehicles, philanthropic programs, policy advocacy and other activities committed to scaling the technologies we need to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Its founder is Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
- The mission of Cipher is to help accelerate the technological transformations required to get to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 through trustworthy and objective journalism.
- We will facilitate the critical conversations that help us understand the challenges and opportunities of these needed transformations.
- Cipher editorial leadership has final say over our journalism. We include disclaimers as needed when we cover topics, people and/or companies that are in or connected to the Breakthrough Energy network.
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- (C) Cipher 2021. All rights reserved.
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- Bill Gates to further expand influence by launching his own news publication
- A Bill Gates-backed advocacy organization is now going to tell the world everything climate change alarmists want us to know.
- A publication called Cipher will debut at the end of September, according to Axios.
- Breakthrough Energy, which is bankrolling the venture, says on its website that it "supports the innovations that will lead the world to net-zero emissions."
- The organization describes itself as "building on the proven model of public-private partnerships that Gates has already used to transform health, education, and public welfare around the world."
- "Breakthrough Energy is a network of entities and initiatives, including investment funds, nonprofit and philanthropic programs, and policy efforts linked by a common commitment to scale the technologies we need to achieve a path to net zero emissions by 2050."
- TRENDING: Christian superstar urges faithful to demand probe of Afghanistan catastrophe
- Axios reported that the publication will begin with a weekly newsletter from Amy Harder, who formerly worked for Axios and The Wall Street Journal, and scale up to a full website next year once staff is hired.
- How to get a big write-up from Axios? Hire a former Axios staffer. | Bill Gates backs news outlet dedicated to climate change https://t.co/iClUfwXyrV
- '-- Dan Gainor (@dangainor) September 14, 2021
- The publication will also produce a series of videos.
- On its website, Cipher claims it will not simply be a mouthpiece for its funder.
- "Cipher editorial leadership has final say over our journalism. We include disclaimers as needed when we cover topics, people and/or companies that are in or connected to the Breakthrough Energy network," the website says.
- However, the publication does have a clear bias.
- "The mission of Cipher is to help accelerate the technological transformations required to get to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050," the site's "mission" page says, adding that it will achieve its end through "trustworthy and objective journalism."
- "Cipher means zero, which we at Breakthrough find intriguing because our goal is simple, but hard. Going from the 51 billion tons of greenhouse gases we emit a year today to zero by 2050.
- "Cipher also means code. We aim to decode complex topics and make them clear to people at all levels working to solve the climate crisis '-- and anyone who wants to be an informed, concerned citizen."
- The publication will be free, according to Axios.
- I'm thrilled to introduce Cipher (@CipherClimate), a new publication by @Breakthrough Energy. I'll cover the tech transformations we need to fight climate change. Read @axios for more: https://t.co/c4Ajg3Rwop
- Sign up to get the first newsletter Sept. 29: https://t.co/4rlGpjDEAM pic.twitter.com/F5VBmGiUoc
- '-- Amy Harder (@AmyAHarder) September 14, 2021
- Although Harder said Cipher will have editorial independence from the Gates-linked Breakthrough, she also said that readers should "consider Breakthrough Energy the driver '-- and Cipher the narrator."
- This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
- Hudson mayor: School board must resign over material prompting kids to write about sex
- The Hudson mayor is asking all five school board members to resign or face possible criminal charges over high school course material that he said a judge called "child pornography."
- Mayor Craig Shubert made the statement during Monday night's board of education meeting after multiple parents complained about the content of some writing prompts contained in a book called "642 Things to Write About" provided to high school students who are taking a college credit course called Writing in the Liberal Arts II.
- Parents said there was a prompt that asked students to "write a sex scene you wouldn't show your mom," and another which said "rewrite the sex scene from above into one that you'd let your mom read."
- Another prompt asked students to drink a beer and describe how it tastes. Parents said they felt these writing prompts and others were not appropriate for high school students.
- One speaker said he was "appalled" by the content and requested that cameras be put into the classroom so parents could monitor what is being taught to their children. Another speaker said the material was "disgusting" and that it amounted to "grooming."
- In a prepared statement, Superintendent Phil Herman said the "inappropriate and offensive writing prompts" were part of a supplemental resource used in the high school senior-level College Credit Plus writing sections.
- "The district immediately determined this writing resource should not be in the hands of our students, and on Monday, collected the books from the students enrolled in the course," Herman said. "It is important to note that at no time were any of these inappropriate writing prompts assigned as part of the class."
- High school principal Brian Wilch said the class is offered in association with Hiram College but is taught at the high school. He also said the "642 Things" book has been used in the past.
- Wilch told the board Monday that he and his administrative team apologized to the students' parents. The school is searching for replacement material that is suitable for high school students, he said.
- "We did not exercise due diligence when we reviewed this resource and as a result, we overlooked several writing prompts among the 642 that are not appropriate for our high school audience," Wilch said. "'...We feel terrible. At no time were any of these inappropriate prompts selected or discussed, but still they were there and they were viewable, and you can't unsee them."
- Shubert on Monday night gave the board an ultimatum.
- "It has come to my attention that your educators are distributing essentially what is child pornography in the classroom," Shubert told the board. "I've spoken to a judge this evening. She's already confirmed that. So I'm going to give you a simple choice: You either choose to resign from this board of education or you will be charged."
- His statement was met with cheers and applause from many of the audience members.
- The mayor said he would like to see all five members resign by the end of the month.
- It's not clear whether the board can be held criminally liable for material that was being used in a class.
- "We've never heard of criminal charges [filed against a school board] for curriculum," said Ralph Lusher, staff attorney with the Ohio School Boards Association.
- Having not seen the book that was used in the writing class at Hudson High School, Lusher said he wouldn't want to judge whether the material "would cross a line or not."
- While emphasizing he is not familiar with the Hudson Board of Education's process to approve curriculum, Lusher said school boards typically have a process where curriculum is reviewed by committees before it comes before the board for its approval. He said he believes it's "unlikely that something would get to them that is of such moral turpitude that it would bring criminal charges."
- Lusher said state House Bill 110 '-- which takes effect Sept. 30 '-- will require school districts to have parents of high school students sign permission slips for College Credit Plus classes. The Ohio departments of Education and Higher Education are working together to create a permission slip that will notify parents about mature subject material that could be part of the College Credit Plus course. There is not currently such a requirement.
- Herman said an independent investigation is underway "to determine how these supplemental materials were reviewed and approved, and if any additional action should be taken."
- "It is clear that as a district we did not properly review this resource, and for that, we sincerely apologize," he said. "We take great pride in the instructional experience of our students and take very seriously anything that negatively impacts our mission to provide an educational program that provides for the development of each child in a safe, nurturing environment.
- "Again, we are reviewing our approval processes to make sure that nothing similar happens in the future."
- Reporter Phil Keren can be reached at pkeren@thebeaconjournal.com, or on Twitter at @keren_phil.
- Has Biden Now Lost Saudi Arabia?
- Has Biden Now Lost Saudi Arabia? By F. William Engdahl6 September 2021 Image: Ð'ÑÑÑеÑа ÐÑезиденÑа РоÑÑии Ð'Ð>>адимиÑа ÐÑÑина Ñ Ð·Ð°Ð¼ÐµÑÑиÑеÐ>>ем Ð'аÑÐ>>едноÐ"о ÐÑинÑа, Ð'иниÑÑÑом обоÑÐ¾Ð½Ñ ÐаÑдовÑкой ÐÑавии Ð'ÑÑ
аммедом бен ÐаÐ>>Ñманом Author: ÐÑеÑÑ-ÑÐ>>Ñжба ÐÑезиденÑа РоÑÑии Source: http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/49724/photos License: This file comes from the website of the President of the Russian Federation and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. In short: you are free to distribute and modify the file as long as you attribute www.kremlin.ru. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vladimir_Putin_and_Mohammad_bin_Salman_Al_Saud_3.jpg
- The ignominious US withdrawal from Afghanistan has blown a global hole in the post-1945 American Century system of elaborate world domination, a power vacuum that likely will lead to irreversible consequences. The immediate case in point is whether Biden's Washington strategists'--as he clearly makes no policy'--have already managed to lose the support of its largest arms buyer and regional strategic ally, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Since the first days of Biden's inauguration in late January, US policies are driving the Saudi monarchy to pursue a dramatic shift in foreign policy. The longer-term consequences could be enormous.
- Within their first week in office the Biden Administration indicated a dramatic shift in US-Saudi relations. It announced a freeze in arms sales to the Kingdom as it reviewed the Trump arms deals. Then in late February US intelligence issued a report condemning the Saudi government for the killing of Saudi Washington Post journalist Adnan Khashoggi in Istanbul in October, 2018, something the Trump Administration refused to do. That was joined by Washington's lifting the anti-Saudi Yemeni Houthi leadership from the US terrorist list while ending US military support to Saudi Arabia in its Yemen war with Iran-backed Houthi forces, a move that emboldened the Houthis to pursue missile and drone attacks on Saudi targets.
- While Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has so far been careful to avoid a rupture with Washington, the motion of his feet since the Biden regime shift in January has been significant. At the center is a series of secret negotiations with former arch-enemy Iran, and its new President. Talks began in April in Baghdad between Riyadh and Teheran to explore a possible rapprochement.
- Washington geopolitical strategy for the past two decades has been to fire up the conflicts and bring the entire Middle East into chaos as part of a doctrine first endorsed by Cheney and Rumsfeld after September 11, 2001, sometimes referred to by the George W. Bush Administration as the Greater Middle East. It was formulated by the late US Admiral Arthur Cebrowski of Rumsfeld's post-911 Pentagon Office of Force Transformation. Cebrowski's assistant, Thomas Barnett , described the new strategy of deliberate chaos in his 2004 book, The Pentagon's New Map : War and Peace in the Twenty-first Century, just after the unprovoked US invasion of Iraq. Recall that no one ever found evidence of Saddam's Weapons of Mass Destruction.
- Barnett was a professor at the US Naval War College and later strategist for the Israeli Wikistrat consultancy. As he described it, the entire national boundaries of the post-Ottoman Middle East carved out by the Europeans after World War I, including Afghanistan were to be dissolved, and present states balkanized into Sunni, Kurd, Shiite, and other ethnic or religious entities to ensure decades of chaos and instability requiring a ''strong'' US military presence to control. That became the two decades of US catastrophic occupation in Afghanistan and Iraq and beyond. It was deliberate chaos. Secretary of State Condi Rice said in 2006 that the Greater Middle East aka New Middle East would be achieved through 'constructive chaos'. Because of a huge backlash from Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region the name was buried, but the chaos strategy remains.
- The Obama ''Arab Spring'' Color Revolutions, which were launched in December 2010 with the CIA and Clinton State Department destabilizations of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya by US-backed networks of the Muslim Brotherhood, were further implementation of the new US policy of chaos and destabilization. The proxy US invasion of Syria then followed, as did Yemen with the covertly US-backed Houthi revolution against Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh in 2012.
- The ongoing Teheran vs Riyadh conflict has its roots in that Cebrowski-Barnett Pentagon-CIA strategy. It marked and fed the split between pro-Muslim Brotherhood Qatar and anti-Brotherhood Riyadh in 2016, after which Qatar sought support from Iran and Turkey. It has marked the bitter proxy war in Syria between forces backed by Saudi Arabia against forces backed by Iran. It has marked the Saudi vs Teheran proxy war in Yemen, and the political stalemate in Lebanon. Now the Saudi regime under MBS appears to be embarking on a major turn away from that Shiite-Sunni war for domination of the Islamic world by pursuing peace with its foes including Iran.
- Under the Trump Administration, policy shifted from an apparent US backing of Iran under Obama with the 2015 nuclear JCPOA, and to the disadvantage of Saudis and Israel, over to a one-sided Trump-Kushner backing for Saudi Arabia and Israel, exiting the JCPOA, and imposing draconian economic sanctions on Teheran and other moves last embodied in the ill-conceived Abraham Accords aimed against Teheran.
- MBS and the Saudis are clearly reading the handwriting on the wall from Washington and are moving to defuse multiple zones of conflict which had led it down a US-scripted dead end. Washington under Trump had fed MBS with arms galore (paid for with Saudi petrodollars) to fuel the conflicts. It has been a catastrophe for the Saudis. Now as it became clear that a Biden Administration also means no good for them, MBS and the Saudis have begun a strategic pivot towards ending all its conflicts within the Islamic world. The key to it all is Iran.
- In April the Saudis began the first of what now have been three bilateral negotiations on stabilizing their relations with Iran, back-channel secret talks first in Iraq, then Oman. Baghdad has a major stake in such a peace as US policy in Iraq since 2003 has been to create chaos by pitting a majority Shiite against a 30% minority Sunni to sow civil war. In July Prime Minister al Kadhimi secured a Biden pledge to end US troop presence by year-end.
- The Teheran-Riyadh back-channel talks reportedly involve Iran's stance towards Washington under Biden Pentagon policies, as well as Iran's willingness to de-escalate military presence in Syria and Yemen and Lebanon. Indirect talks between the US and Iran about a return to the 2015 nuclear deal were suspended after the Iranian elections in June. Iran also announced it was stepping up uranium enrichment.
- The Saudi-Iran talks have included high-level persons from both sides, including Saudi chief of General Intelligence Directorate Khalid al-Humaidan and Iranian Deputy Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council , Saeed Iravani. Ongoing protests inside Iran over the economic costs of deployment of troops and aid to groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria and Houthis in Yemen, are reportedly growing. This, at a time economic hardships caused by the US sanctions are severe, creates a strong incentive for Teheran to eventually compromise in a rapprochement with Riyadh. If it happens it will be a huge blow for US regional chaos strategy.
- While no agreement is yet at hand, a fourth talk has just been announced which indicates a will to forge a compromise as soon as the government of newly-elected Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is approved by the Majlis or parliament. A deal will not be easy, but both sides realize the status quo is a lose-lose proposition.
- At the same time Iran under Raisi is playing hardball with Biden negotiators. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is reportedly demanding that the Biden administration lift all sanctions on Iran and compensate it for the damage they caused, and have Iran recognized as a nuclear threshold state with the ability to produce a nuclear bomb within a short time. The US sanctions imposed in 2018 have caused a 250% annual rise in food prices and a free fall in the currency as oil revenues have plunged. Raisi is under enormous domestic pressure to change this, though Biden's Washington to date refuses to lift sanctions as precondition to resuming JCPOA talks.
- For Teheran the question is whether it is better to trust a rapprochement with the Saudi-led Arab Sunni Gulf states, or rely on Washington whose track record of broken promises is underscored by their catastrophic exit from Kabul.
- Most recently Teheran has mended relations with the Afghan Taliban and US military equipment from Afghanistan taken by Taliban reportedly has been seen in Iran, suggesting a close Iran-Afghan cooperation that further works against Washington. At the same time Iran has agreed a $400 billion, 25-year economic strategic cooperation with China. However so far Beijing is apparently being cautious not to challenge US sanctions in any major way and is also pursuing closer ties with Saudi Arabia, Gulf Arab states as well as Israel. A Saudi-Iran rapprochement would further ease pressures on Iran.
- The dramatic collapse of US presence in Afghanistan gives all parties a clear idea that, regardless of who is US President, US institutional powers behind the scenes pursue an agenda of destruction, and can no longer be relied on to be true to their promises of support.
- The implications of a genuine Saudi-Iran agreement would be a major pivot in geopolitical terms. In addition to ending the Yemen war and the proxy Syrian war, it could end the destructive stalemate in Lebanon between Iran-backed Hezbollah and major Saudi interests there. Here is where the recent arms talks between Riyadh and Moscow become more than interesting.
- Into this geopolitical cocktail of competing interests, the role of Russia becomes strategic. Russia is the one major foreign military power that has aimed at ending the Sunni-Shiite proxy wars and creating stability across Eurasia into the Middle East, a direct challenge to Washington's Cebrowski-Barnett strategy of deliberate instability and chaos.
- In April this year Russian President Vladimir Putin and a delegation of business leaders made a rare visit to Riyadh, the first by Putin in 12 years. It was billed as an energy partnership meeting, but clearly was far more. Deals worth $2 billion were reported with agreements covering oil, space and satellite navigation, health, mineral resources, tourism and aviation. Both countries agreed to cooperate to stabilize oil prices, a major step. Putin and MBS stressed that oil and natural gas would continue to play a major role for years to come, a slap in the face of the Davos Great Reset green agenda. Russia's RDIF Sovereign Wealth Fund also opened its first foreign office in Riyadh.
- Taken alone it was interesting, but the fact it has been followed four months later by a visit by Saudi Arabia's Vice Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman to Russia to the annual International Military Technical Forum (ARMY 2021) near Moscow, gives new significance to growing Saudi-Russian ties as well at a time Biden & Co. are ''recalibrating'' US-Saudi ties as the State Department put it, whatever that means. Khalid tweeted, ''I signed an agreement with the Russian Deputy Minister of Defense Colonel General Alexander Fomin between the Kingdom and the Russian Federation aimed at developing joint military cooperation between the two countries.'' Bin Salman also added, ''Met with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu to explore ways to strengthen the military and defense cooperation and discussed our common endeavor to preserve stability and security in the region.'' Notably, Russia has conducted joint military exercises with Iran for the past several years and is also well suited to foster a Saudi-Iran detente.
- The Moscow talks came only weeks after the Pentagon and Biden Administration announced it was removing eight Patriot anti-missile systems from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, and Iraq, as well as removing a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system from the Saudi Kingdom, and accelerating the withdrawal of US troops from the region, moves that hardly boost confidence in Washington as protector of Saudi Arabia. The world's finest anti-missile defense technology, the S-400 air defense system, happens to be made in Russia, as do a broad array of other military equipment.
- All these moves by the Saudis are clearly not going to lead to an overnight break with Washington. But clear is that the Saudi monarchy has understood, especially in the wake of the abrupt Biden abandonment of Afghanistan to the Taliban, that continued dependence on a US security umbrella it has enjoyed since the 1970's oil shocks, is a fading illusion. MBS clearly realizes that he has been played by both Trump and now Biden. The tectonic plates of Middle East and Eurasian geopolitics are shifting and the implications are staggering.
- F. William Engdahl is strategic risk consultant and lecturer, he holds a degree in politics from Princeton University and is a best-selling author on oil and geopolitics, exclusively for the online magazine''New Eastern Outlook''
- 'Peril,' by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, reports Gen. Mark A. Milley called a Chinese general twice to pledge the U.S. wouldn't strike - The Washington Post
- One call took place on Oct. 30, 2020, four days before the election that unseated President Donald Trump, and the other on Jan. 8, 2021, two days after the Capitol siege carried out by his supporters in a quest to cancel the vote.
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- ''General Li, I want to assure you that the American government is stable and everything is going to be okay,'' Milley told him. ''We are not going to attack or conduct any kinetic operations against you.''
- In the book's account, Milley went so far as to pledge he would alert his counterpart in the event of a U.S. attack, stressing the rapport they'd established through a backchannel. ''General Li, you and I have known each other for now five years. If we're going to attack, I'm going to call you ahead of time. It's not going to be a surprise.''
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- Li took the chairman at his word, the authors write in the book, ''Peril,'' which is set to be released next week.
- In the second call, placed to address Chinese fears about the events of Jan. 6, Li wasn't as easily assuaged, even after Milley promised him, ''We are 100 percent steady. Everything's fine. But democracy can be sloppy sometimes.''
- Li remained rattled, and Milley, who did not relay the conversation to Trump, according to the book, understood why. The chairman, 62 at the time and chosen by Trump in 2018, believed the president had suffered a mental decline after the election, the authors write, a view he communicated to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in a phone call on Jan. 8. He agreed with her evaluation that Trump was unstable, according to a call transcript obtained by the authors.
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- Believing that China could lash out if it felt at risk from an unpredictable and vengeful American president, Milley took action. The same day, he called the admiral overseeing the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the military unit responsible for Asia and the Pacific region, and recommended postponing the military exercises, according to the book. The admiral complied.
- Milley also summoned senior officers to review the procedures for launching nuclear weapons, saying the president alone could give the order '-- but, crucially, that he, Milley, also had to be involved. Looking each in the eye, Milley asked the officers to affirm that they had understood, the authors write, in what he considered an ''oath.''
- The chairman knew that he was ''pulling a Schlesinger,'' the authors write, resorting to measures resembling the ones taken in August 1974 by James R. Schlesinger, the defense secretary at the time. Schlesinger told military officials to check with him and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs before carrying out orders from President Richard M. Nixon, who was facing impeachment at the time.
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- Though Milley went furthest in seeking to stave off a national security crisis, his alarm was shared throughout the highest ranks of the administration, the authors reveal. CIA Director Gina Haspel, for instance, reportedly told Milley, ''We are on the way to a right-wing coup.''
- The book's revelations quickly made Milley a target of GOP ire.
- Trump, speaking Tuesday evening on the conservative television network Newsmax, labeled the chairman's reported actions ''treason'' and said, ''I did not ever think of attacking China.'' Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, wrote a letter to President Biden urging him to dismiss the Joint Chiefs chairman, saying he had undermined the commander in chief and ''contemplated a treasonous leak of classified information to the Chinese Communist Party in advance of a potential armed conflict ...'' A White House spokeswoman earlier Tuesday declined to comment on the book. Milley's office did not respond to a request for comment.
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- ''Peril'' also provides new reporting on Biden's 2020 campaign '-- waged to unseat a man he told a top adviser ''isn't really an American president'' '-- and his early struggle to govern. During a March 5 phone call to discuss Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus plan, his first major legislative undertaking, the president reportedly told Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va), ''if you don't come along, you're really f---ing me.'' The measure ultimately cleared the Senate through an elaborate sequencing of amendments designed to satisfy the centrist Democrat.
- The president's frustration with Manchin is matched only by his debt to House Majority Whip Rep. James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, whose endorsement before that state's primary propelled Biden to the nomination and gave rise to promises about how he would govern.
- When Clyburn offered his endorsement in February 2020, it came with conditions, according to the book. One was that Biden would commit to naming a Black woman to the Supreme Court, if given the opportunity. During a debate two days later, Clyburn went backstage during a break to urge Biden to reveal his intentions for the Supreme Court that night. Biden issued the pledge in his final answer, and the congressman endorsed him the next day.
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- ''Peril,'' the authors say, is based on interviews with more than 200 people, conducted on the condition they not be named as sources. Exact quotations or conclusions are drawn from the participant in the described event, a colleague with direct knowledge or relevant documents, according to an author's note. Trump and Biden declined to be interviewed.
- The Post's White House team discusses what was really going on inside the White House as President Biden attempted to end America's 20-year war in Afghanistan. (Zach Purser Brown/The Washington Post)On Afghanistan, the book examines how Biden's experience as vice president shaped his approach to the withdrawal. Convinced that President Barack Obama had been manipulated by his own commanders, Biden vowed privately in 2009, ''The military doesn't f--- around with me.''
- ''Peril'' also documents how Biden's top advisers spent the spring weighing, but ultimately rejecting, alternatives to a full withdrawal. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin returned from a NATO meeting in March envisioning ways to extend the mission, including through a ''gated'' withdrawal seeking diplomatic leverage. But they came to see that meaningful leverage would require a more expansive commitment, and instead came back around to a full exit.
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- Milley, for his part, took what the authors describe as a deferential approach to Biden on Afghanistan, in contrast to his earlier efforts to constrain Trump. The book reveals recent remarks the chairman delivered to the Joint Chiefs in which he said, ''Here's a couple of rules of the road here that we're going to follow. One is you never, ever ever box in a president of the United States. You always give him decision space.'' Referring to Biden, he said, ''You're dealing with a seasoned politician here who has been in Washington, D.C., 50 years, whatever it is.''
- His decision just months earlier to place himself between Trump and potential war was triggered by several important events '-- a phone call, a photo op and a refusal to rule out war with another adversary, Iran.
- The immediate motivation, according to the book, was the Jan. 8 call from Pelosi, who demanded to know, ''What precautions are available to prevent an unstable president from initiating military hostilities or from accessing the launch codes and ordering a nuclear strike?'' Milley assured her that there were ''a lot of checks in the system.''
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- The call transcript obtained by the authors shows Pelosi telling Milley, referring to Trump, ''He's crazy. You know he's crazy. '... He's crazy and what he did yesterday is further evidence of his craziness.'' Milley replied, ''I agree with you on everything.''
- The Washington Post reconstructed who did what to clear protesters from Lafayette Square, which sits north of the White House, on June 1. Watch how it unfolded. (Sarah Cahlan, Joyce Lee, Atthar Mirza/The Washington Post)Milley's resolve was deepened by the events of June 1, 2020, when he felt Trump had used him as part of a photo op in his walk across Lafayette Square during protests that began after the killing of George Floyd. The chairman came to see his role as ensuring that, ''We're not going to turn our guns on the American people and we're not going to have a 'Wag the Dog' scenario overseas,'' the authors quote him saying privately.
- Trump's posture, not just to China but also to Iran, tested that promise. In discussions about Iran's nuclear program, Trump declined to rule out striking the country, at times even displaying curiosity about the prospect, according to the book. Haspel was so alarmed after a meeting in November that she called Milley to say, ''This is a highly dangerous situation. We are going to lash out for his ego?''
- Trump's fragile ego drove many decisions by the nation's leaders, from lawmakers to the vice president, according to the book. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was so worried that a call from President-elect Biden would send Trump into a fury that the then-Majority Leader used a backchannel to fend off Biden. He asked Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, formerly the No. 2 Senate Republican, to ask Sen. Christopher A. Coons, the Democrat of Delaware and close Biden ally, to tell Biden not to call him.
- So intent was Pence on being Trump's loyal second-in-command '-- and potential successor '-- that he asked confidants if there were ways he could accede to Trump's demands and avoid certifying the results of the election on Jan. 6. In late December, the authors reveal, Pence called Dan Quayle, a former vice president and fellow Indiana Republican, for advice.
- Quayle was adamant, according to the authors. ''Mike, you have no flexibility on this. None. Zero. Forget it. Put it away,'' he said.
- But Pence pressed him, the authors write, asking if there were any grounds to pause the certification because of ongoing legal challenges. Quayle was unmoved, and Pence ultimately agreed, according to the book.
- When Pence said he planned to certify the results, the president lashed out. In the Oval Office on Jan. 5, the authors write, Pence told Trump he could not thwart the process, that his role was simply to ''open the envelopes.''
- ''I don't want to be your friend anymore if you don't do this,'' Trump replied, according to the book, later telling his vice president, ''You've betrayed us. I made you. You were nothing.''
- Within days, Trump was out of office, his governing power reduced to nothing. But if stability had returned to Washington, Milley feared it would be short-lived, the authors write.
- The general saw parallels between Jan. 6 and the 1905 Russian Revolution, which set off unrest throughout the Russian Empire and, though it failed, helped create the conditions for the October Revolution of 1917, in which the Bolsheviks executed a successful coup that set up the world's first communist state. Vladimir Lenin, who led the revolution, called 1905 a ''dress rehearsal.''
- A similar logic could apply with Jan. 6, Milley thought as he wrestled with the meaning of that day, telling senior staff: ''What you might have seen was a precursor to something far worse down the road.''
- Hackers claim significant Epik breach - Domain Name Wire | Domain Name News
- A group claims that it has hacked Epik and downloaded significant data.
- An anonymous group said it has hacked domain name registrar Epik and downloaded significant data.
- A group says it has hacked domain name registrar Epik and released a trove of data online.
- A posting (see PDF version) claims that the hackers gained access to data about all domain purchases, transfers, all Whois history (unredacted), all email forwards, account credentials for customers, internal systems, and a lot more.
- I have not independently verified the veracity of the claims, nor reviewed the large file the hackers released. I reached out to Epik CEO Rob Monster this morning to ask for a comment but did not immediately hear back. At the time of publishing, Epik has not posted anything to its blog, news page, or official twitter account regarding the apparent incident.
- However, Monster responded to one of the people who tweeted about the hack yesterday, linking to a domain registered at Epik that says negative things about the person who posted the link. The tweet states, ''Chad '' I know that you are keen to get a client of Epik to take down a damning URL that does not reveal your highest self. I try hard to give everyone the benefit of the doubt but your latest tactic needs to stop right now.''
- It's unclear if Monster is suggesting that the person had anything to do with the hack, and the tweet doesn't deny that Epik was hacked.
- The apparent hack appears to be in response to Epik being a favored registrar for far-right sites. The hack notice states:
- NOTORIOUS ''HACKERS ON ESTRADIOL'' PRESENT GRAND REVEAL OF ROB ''HITLER SHOULD'VE WON'' MONSTER'S EPIK FAILURE
- You know, when you name a company ''Epik'',that implies something really big's going to happen.Deserving of the name.Well, after years of bolstering the worst trash the Internet has to offer,this is, truly, the Epik moment we've all been waiting for.
- It also mentions recent efforts to take down an anti-abortion website.
- Epik came under fire this month when a Texas anti-abortion group moved its ''whistleblower'' domain name to Epik after GoDaddy asked it to leave. Epik quickly shut the site down too. Epik said the site, which asked people to submit information about people in Texas getting abortions, violated its terms and asked the group to remove the content.
- On Tuesday evening, Rob Monster responded: ''We are assessing and don't have any evidence of any domains compromised. Our team has been diligently assessing the claims and proactively securing systems.''
- Lil Nas X Announces He's 'Pregnant' In New Photos | iHeartRadio
- Congratulations are in order for Lil Nas X!
- On Thursday (September 2), the "Industry Baby" artist announced that he is expecting '-- his debut album.
- In an interview with People, Lil Nas poses for stunning pregnancy announcement photos, fake belly and all, as he prepares for the "birth" of his first full-length album Montero, out September 17. He shared some of the photos on social media, seen below, but the full pregnancy shoot can be found here.
- "SURPRISE! I can't believe i'm finally announcing this," he captioned the pics on Instagram. "My little bundle of joy 'MONTERO' is due September 17, 2021."
- Lil Nas got the idea for the photoshoot after hearing Megan Thee Stallion's verse on his song "Dolla Sign Slime," one of the many features on Montero. He was so excited that he called his stylist.
- "She was like, 'Wow, this all comes together. Your album. Your baby.' I was like, 'Yeah, this is baby, huh?' As a joke, she was like, 'Yeah, you should do a pregnancy shoot," he told the magazine, adding, "I was like, 'You know what? That's actually brilliant.'"
- The "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)" artist, who also calls himself both the mother and the father of his baby, revealed the cover art and tracklist for the album earlier this week.
- 'You're getting a lot of stories about me," he says of the 15-track record. "You're getting a lot of stories about my past and where I want to be in my love life. But they're also a bop. I feel like I finally found a great balance between being real as possible within my music and making a hit song."
- Atrazine - Wikipedia
- AtrazineNamesPreferred IUPAC name6-Chloro-N2-ethyl-N4-(propan-2-yl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine
- Other namesAtrazine1-Chloro-3-ethylamino-5-isopropylamino-2,4,6-triazine2-Chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine6-Chloro-N-ethyl-N'-(1-methylethyl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine
- IdentifiersChEBIChEMBLChemSpiderDrugBankECHA InfoCard 100.016.017 KEGGUNIIInChI=1S/C8H14ClN5/c1-4-10-7-12-6(9)13-8(14-7)11-5(2)3/h5H,4H2,1-3H3,(H2,10,11,12,13,14)
- YKey: MXWJVTOOROXGIU-UHFFFAOYSA-N
- Y InChI=1/C8H14ClN5/c1-4-10-7-12-6(9)13-8(14-7)11-5(2)3/h5H,4H2,1-3H3,(H2,10,11,12,13,14)
- Key: MXWJVTOOROXGIU-UHFFFAOYAJ
- PropertiesC 8H 14Cl N 5Molar mass 215.69 g·mol''1 Appearancecolorless solidDensity1.187 g/cm3Melting point 175 °C (347 °F; 448 K) Boiling point 200 °C (392 °F; 473 K) decomposes[1]7 mg/100 mLHazardsFlash pointnoncombustible [1]NIOSH (US health exposure limits):none[1]TWA 5 mg/m3[1]N.D.[1]Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their
- standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
- Y verify (what is Y N ?)Infobox referencesChemical compound
- Atrazine is a herbicide of the triazine class. It is used to prevent pre-emergence broadleaf weeds in crops such as maize (corn) and sugarcane and on turf, such as golf courses and residential lawns. Atrazine's primary manufacturer is Syngenta and it is one of the most widely used herbicides in the United States[2] and Australian agriculture.[3]
- As of 2001[update], atrazine was the most commonly detected pesticide contaminating drinking water in the U.S.[4]:'44 ' Studies suggest it is an endocrine disruptor, an agent that can alter the natural hormonal system.[5] However, in 2006 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had stated that under the Food Quality Protection Act "the risks associated with the pesticide residues pose a reasonable certainty of no harm",[6] and in 2007, the EPA said that atrazine does not adversely affect amphibian sexual development and that no additional testing was warranted.[7] EPA's 2009 review[8] concluded that "the agency's scientific bases for its regulation of atrazine are robust and ensure prevention of exposure levels that could lead to reproductive effects in humans".[9] However, in their 2016 Refined Ecological Risk Assessment for Atrazine, it was stated that "it is difficult to make definitive conclusions about the impact of atrazine at a given concentration but multiple studies have reported effects to various endpoints at environmentally-relevant concentrations."[10] EPA started a registration review in 2013.[11]
- The EPA's review has been criticized, and the safety of atrazine remains controversial.[12][13][14] EPA has however stated that "If at any time EPA determines there are urgent human or environmental risks from atrazine exposure that require prompt attention, we will take appropriate regulatory action, regardless of the status of the registration review process."[2] Its use was banned in the European Union in 2004, when the EU found groundwater levels exceeding the limits set by regulators, and Syngenta could not show that this could be prevented nor that these levels were safe.[15][16]
- Uses [ edit ] Atrazine is a herbicide that is used to stop pre- and post-emergence broadleaf and grassy weeds in crops such as sorghum, maize, sugarcane, lupins, pine, and eucalypt plantations, and triazine-tolerant canola.[3]
- In the United States as of 2014, atrazine was the second-most widely used herbicide after glyphosate,[12] with 76 million pounds (34 thousand metric tons) of it applied each year.[17][18] Atrazine continues to be one of the most widely used herbicides in Australian agriculture.[3] Its effect on corn yields has been estimated from 1% to 8%, with 3''4% being the conclusion of one economics review.[19][20] In another study looking at combined data from 236 university corn field trials from 1986 to 2005, atrazine treatments showed an average of 5.7 bushels more per acre (~400 kg per hectare) than alternative herbicide treatments.[21] Effects on sorghum yields have been estimated to be as high as 20%, owing in part to the absence of alternative weed control products that can be used on sorghum.[22]
- Chemistry and biochemistry [ edit ] Atrazine was invented in 1958 in the Geigy laboratories as the second of a series of 1,3,5-triazines.[23]
- Atrazine is prepared from cyanuric chloride, which is treated sequentially with ethylamine and isopropyl amine. Like other triazine herbicides, atrazine functions by binding to the plastoquinone-binding protein in photosystem II, which animals lack. Plant death results from starvation and oxidative damage caused by breakdown in the electron transport process. Oxidative damage is accelerated at high light intensity.[24]
- Atrazine's effects in humans and animals primarily involve the endocrine system. Studies suggest that atrazine is an endocrine disruptor that can cause hormone imbalance.[5]
- Atrazine has been found to act as an agonist of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1.[25] Atrazine has been shown to covalently bind to (chemically react with) a large number of mammalian proteins.[26]
- Environment [ edit ] Levels [ edit ] Atrazine contamination of surface water (lakes, rivers, and streams) in the U.S. has been monitored by the EPA and has consistently exceeded levels of concern in two Missouri watersheds and one in Nebraska.[27] Monitoring of atrazine levels in community water systems in 31 high-use states found that levels exceeded levels of concern for infant exposure during at least one year between 1993 and 2001 in 34 of 3670 community water systems using surface water, and in none of 14,500 community water systems using groundwater.[28] Surface water monitoring data from 20 high atrazine use watersheds found peak atrazine levels up to 147 parts per billion, with daily averages in all cases below 10 parts per billion.
- Biodegradation [ edit ] Atrazine remains in soil for a matter of months (although in some soils can persist to at least 4 years)[5] and can migrate from soil to groundwater; once in groundwater, it degrades slowly. It has been detected in groundwater at high levels in some regions of the U.S. where it is used on some crops and turf. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency expresses concern regarding contamination of surface waters (lakes, rivers, and streams).[5]
- Atrazine degrades in soil primarily by the action of microbes. The half-life of atrazine in soil ranges from 13 to 261 days.[29] Atrazine biodegradation can occur by two known pathways:
- Hydrolysis of the C-Cl bond is followed by the ethyl and isopropyl groups, catalyzed by the hydrolase enzymes called AtzA, AtzB, and AtzC. The end product of this process is cyanuric acid, itself unstable with respect to ammonia and carbon dioxide. The best characterized organisms that use this pathway are of Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP.Dealkylation of the amino groups gives 2-chloro-4-hydroxy-6-amino-1,3,5-triazine, the degradation of which is unknown. This path also occurs in Pseudomonas species, as well as a number of bacteria.[30][31]Rates of biodegradation are affected by atrazine's low solubility; thus surfactants may increase the degradation rate. Though the two alkyl moieties readily support growth of certain microorganisms, the atrazine ring is a poor energy source due to the oxidized state of ring carbon. In fact, the most common pathway for atrazine degradation involves the intermediate, cyanuric acid, in which carbon is fully oxidized, thus the ring is primarily a nitrogen source for aerobic microorganisms. Atrazine may be catabolized as a carbon and nitrogen source in reducing environments, and some aerobic atrazine degraders have been shown to use the compound for growth under anoxia in the presence of nitrate as an electron acceptor,[32] a process referred to as a denitrification. When atrazine is used as a nitrogen source for bacterial growth, degradation may be regulated by the presence of alternative sources of nitrogen. In pure cultures of atrazine-degrading bacteria, as well as active soil communities, atrazine ring nitrogen, but not carbon are assimilated into microbial biomass.[33] Low concentrations of glucose can decrease the bioavailability, whereas higher concentrations promote the catabolism of atrazine.[34]
- The genes for enzymes AtzA-C have been found to be highly conserved in atrazine-degrading organisms worldwide. In Pseudomonas sp. ADP, the Atz genes are located noncontiguously on a plasmid with the genes for mercury catabolism. AtzA-C genes have also been found in a Gram-positive bacterium, but are chromosomally located.[35] The insertion elements flanking each gene suggest that they are involved in the assembly of this specialized catabolic pathway.[31] Two options exist for degradation of atrazine using microbes, bioaugmentation or biostimulation.[31] Recent research suggests that microbial adaptation to atrazine has occurred in some fields where the herbicide is used repetitively, resulting in more rapid biodegradation.[36] Like the herbicides trifluralin and alachlor, atrazine is susceptible to rapid transformation in the presence of reduced iron-bearing soil clays, such as ferruginous smectites. In natural environments, some iron-bearing minerals are reduced by specific bacteria in the absence of oxygen, thus the abiotic transformation of herbicides by reduced minerals is viewed as "microbially induced".[37]
- Photolysis [ edit ] In 2016, photolytic degradation with 254 nm ultraviolet was seen by the authors of a particular study as an efficient process, which could be used in pilot plants to reduce or eliminate compounds of the atrazine class or similar emerging contaminants, in effluents.[38]
- Health effects [ edit ] According to Extension Toxicology Network in the U.S., "The oral median Lethal Dose or LD50 for atrazine is 3090 mg/kg in rats, 1750 mg/kg in mice, 750 mg/kg in rabbits, and 1000 mg/kg in hamsters. The dermal LD50 in rabbits is 7500 mg/kg and greater than 3000 mg/kg in rats. The 1-hour inhalation LC50 is greater than 0.7 mg/L in rats. The 4-hour inhalation LC50 is 5.2 mg/L in rats." The maximum contaminant level is 0.003 mg/L and the reference dose is 0.035 mg/kg/day.[39]
- Atrazine use in pounds per square mile by county. Atrazine is one of the most commonly used herbicides in the United States.
- [40]Mammals [ edit ] A September 2003 review by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) stated that atrazine is "currently under review for pesticide re-registration by the EPA because of concerns that atrazine may cause cancer", but not enough information was available to "definitely state whether it causes cancer in humans." According to the ATSDR, one of the primary ways that atrazine can affect a person's health is "by altering the way that the reproductive system works. Studies of couples living on farms that use atrazine for weed control found an increase in the risk of preterm delivery, but these studies are difficult to interpret because most of the farmers were men who may have been exposed to several types of pesticides. Little information is available regarding the risks to children, however "[m]aternal exposure to atrazine in drinking water has been associated with low fetal weight and heart, urinary, and limb defects in humans".[41] Incidence of a birth defect known as gastroschisis appears to be higher in areas where surface water atrazine levels are elevated especially when conception occurs in the spring, the time when atrazine is commonly applied.[42]
- The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified atrazine as "not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans" (Group 3).[43]
- The EPA determined in 2003 "that atrazine is not likely to cause cancer in humans".[44]
- In 2006, the EPA stated, "the risks associated with the pesticide residues pose a reasonable certainty of no harm".[6][7]
- In 2007, the EPA said, "studies thus far suggest that atrazine is an endocrine disruptor". The implications for children's health are related to effects during pregnancy and during sexual development, though few studies are available. In people, risks for preterm delivery and intrauterine growth retardation have been associated with exposure. Atrazine exposure has been shown to result in delays or changes in pubertal development in female rats; conflicting results have been observed in males. Male rats exposed via milk from orally exposed mothers exhibited higher levels of prostate inflammation as adults; immune effects have also been seen in male rats exposed in utero or while nursing.[5] EPA opened a new review in 2009[8] that concluded that "the agency's scientific bases for its regulation of atrazine are robust and ensure prevention of exposure levels that could lead to reproductive effects in humans."[9] Deborah A. Cory-Slechta, a professor at the University of Rochester in New York has said in 2014, "The way the E.P.A. tests chemicals can vastly underestimate risks." She has studied atrazine's effects on the brain and serves on the E.P.A.'s science advisory board. She further stated, "There's still a huge amount we don't know about atrazine."[12]
- A Natural Resources Defense Council report from 2009 said that the EPA is ignoring atrazine contamination in surface and drinking water in the central United States.[45]
- Research results from the U.S. National Cancer Institute's 2011 Agricultural Health Study concluded, "there was no consistent evidence of an association between atrazine use and any cancer site". The study tracked 57,310 licensed pesticide applicators over 13 years.[46]
- A 2011 review of the mammalian reproductive toxicology of atrazine jointly conducted by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concluded that atrazine was not teratogenic. Reproductive effects in rats and rabbits were only seen at doses that were toxic to the mother. Observed adverse effects in rats included fetal resorption in rates (at doses > 50 mg/kg per day), delays in sexual development in female rats (at doses >30 mg/kg per day), and decreased birth weight (at doses >3.6 mg/kg per day).[47]
- A 2014 systematic review, funded by atrazine manufacturer Syngenta, assessed its relation to reproductive health problems. The authors concluded that the quality of most studies was poor and without good quality data, the results were difficult to assess, though it was noted that no single category of negative pregnancy outcome was found consistently across studies. The authors concluded that a causal link between atrazine and adverse pregnancy outcomes was not warranted due to the poor quality of the data and the lack of robust findings across studies. Syngenta was not involved in the design, collection, management, analysis, or interpretation of the data and did not participate in the preparation of the manuscript.[48]
- Amphibians [ edit ] Atrazine has been a suspected teratogen, with some studies reporting causing demasculinization in male northern leopard frogs even at low concentrations,[49] and an endocrine disruptor.[50] A 2002 study by Tyrone Hayes, of the University of California, Berkeley, found that exposure caused male tadpoles to turn into hermaphrodites '' frogs with both male and female sexual characteristics.[51] However, this study has not been able to be replicated,[52] and a 2003 EPA review of this study concluded that overcrowding, questionable sample handling techniques, and the failure of the authors to disclose key details including sample sizes, dose-response effects, and the variability of observed effects made it difficult to assess the study's credibility and ecological relevance.[52][53] A 2005 study, requested by EPA and conducted under EPA guidance and inspection, was unable to reproduce Hayes´ results.[54]
- The EPA's Scientific Advisory Panel examined relevant studies and concluded in 2010, "atrazine does not adversely affect amphibian gonadal development based on a review of laboratory and field studies".[7] It recommended proper study design for further investigation. As required by the EPA, two experiments were conducted under Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) and were inspected by EPA and German regulatory authorities, concluding 2009 that "long-term exposure of larval X. laevis to atrazine at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 100 μg/l does not affect growth, larval development, or sexual differentiation".[55] A 2008 report cited the independent work of researchers in Japan, who were unable to replicate Hayes' work. "The scientists found no hermaphrodite frogs; no increase in aromatase as measured by aromatase mRNA induction; and no increase in vitellogenin, another marker of feminization."[56]
- A 2007 study examined the relative importance of environmentally relevant concentrations of atrazine on trematode cercariae versus tadpole defense against infection. Its principal finding was that susceptibility of wood frog tadpoles to infection by E. trivolvis is increased only when hosts were exposed to an atrazine concentration of 30 mg/L and not to 3 mg/L.[57]
- A 2008 study reported that tadpoles developed deformed hearts and impaired kidneys and digestive systems when chronically exposed to atrazine concentrations of 10 ppm in their early stages of life. Tissue malformation may have been induced by ectopic programmed cell death, although a mechanism was not identified.[58]
- In 2010, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) tentatively concluded that environmental atrazine "at existing levels of exposure" was not affecting amphibian populations in Australia consistent with the 2007 EPA findings.[59] APVMA responded to Hayes' 2010 published paper,[60] that his findings "do not provide sufficient evidence to justify a reconsideration of current regulations which are based on a very extensive dataset."[59]
- A 2015 EPA article discussed the Hayes/Syngenta conflict to illustrate both financial and nonfinancial conflicts of interest. The authors concluded, "Statements by Hayes and Syngenta suggest that their scientific differences have developed a personal aspect that casts doubt on their scientific objectivity".[61]
- [ edit ] In 2012, Syngenta, manufacturer of atrazine, was the defendant in a class-action lawsuit concerning the levels of atrazine in human water supplies. Syngenta agreed to pay $105 million to reimburse more than one thousand water systems for "the cost of filtering atrazine from drinking water". The company denied all wrongdoing.[12][62][63]
- See also [ edit ] Pesticides in the United States '' AtrazineEndocrine disruptorSimazineReferences [ edit ] ^ a b c d e NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. "#0043". National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). ^ a b "Ingredients Used in Pesticide Products-Atrazine". US Environmental Protection Agency. ^ a b c "Chemical Review: Atrazine". Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority. 2014-05-28 . Retrieved 2015-02-11 . ^ Gilliom RJ et al. US Geological Survey The Quality of Our Nation's Waters: Pesticides in the Nation's Streams and Ground Water, 1992''2001 March 2006, Revised February 15, 2007 ^ a b c d e Atrazine: Chemical Summary. Toxicity and Exposure Assessment for Children's Health (PDF) (Report). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2007-04-24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-16. ^ a b Triazine Cumulative Risk Assessment and Atrazine, Simazine, and Propazine Decisions Archived June 1, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, June 22, 2006, EPA. ^ a b c Atrazine Updates: Amphibians, April 2010, EPA. ^ a b EPA Begins New Scientific Evaluation of Atrazine, October 7, 2009, EPA. ^ a b EPA Atrazine Updates: Scientific Peer Review'--Human Health Current as of January 2013. Accessed March 15, 2014 ^ "Refined Ecological Risk Assesment for Atrazine". EPA. p. 184 . Retrieved 12 October 2020 . ^ EPA [ww.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/atrazine/atrazine_update.htm#amphibian Atrazine Updates: Scientific Peer Review'--Amphibians] Current as of January 2013. Accessed March 15, 2014 ^ a b c d "A Valuable Reputation: Tyrone Hayes said that a chemical was harmful, its maker pursued him" by Rachel Aviv, The New Yorker, 10 February 2014 ^ Duhigg, Charles (August 22, 2009). "Debating How Much Weed Killer Is Safe in Your Water Glass". The New York Times . Retrieved 2015-05-02 . ^ Tillitt DE, Papoulias DM, Whyte JJ, Richter CA (2010). "Atrazine reduces reproduction in fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)". Aquat. Toxicol. 99 (2): 149''59. doi:10.1016/j.aquatox.2010.04.011. PMID 20471700. ^ European Commission. 2004/248/EC: Commission Decision of 10 March 2004 concerning the non-inclusion of atrazine in Annex I to Council Directive 91/414/EEC and the withdrawal of authorisations for plant protection products containing this active substance (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2004) 731) Decision 2004/248/EC - Official Journal L 078, Decision 2004/248/EC. March 16, 2004: Quote: "(9)Assessments made on the basis of the information submitted have not demonstrated that it may be expected that, under the proposed conditions of use, plant protection products containing atrazine satisfy in general the requirements laid down in Article 5(1)(a) and (b) of Directive 91/414/EEC. In particular, available monitoring data were insufficient to demonstrate that in large areas concentrations of the active substance and its breakdown products will not exceed 0,1 μg/l in groundwater. Moreover it cannot be assured that continued use in other areas will permit a satisfactory recovery of groundwater quality where concentrations already exceed 0,1 μg/l in groundwater. These levels of the active substance exceed the limits in Annex VI to Directive 91/414/EEC and would have an unacceptable effect on groundwater." (10) Atrazine should therefore not be included in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC. (11) Measures should be taken to ensure that existing authorisations for plant protection products containing atrazine are withdrawn within a prescribed period and are not renewed and that no new authorisations for such products are granted." ^ Danny Hakimfeb for the New York Times. February 23, 2015. A Pesticide Banned, or Not, Underscores Trans-Atlantic Trade Sensitivities ^ Walsh, Edward (2003-02-01). "EPA Stops Short of Banning Herbicide". Washington Post. pp. A14 . Retrieved 2007-04-27 . ^ "Restricted Use Products (RUP) Report: Six Month Summary List". Environmental Protection Agency. Archived from the original on 11 January 2010 . Retrieved 1 December 2009 . ^ Ackerman, Frank (2007). "The economics of atrazine" (PDF) . International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health. 13 (4): 437''445. doi:10.1179/oeh.2007.13.4.437. PMID 18085057. S2CID 2655422. ^ Swanton, Clarence J; Gulden, Robert H; Chandler, Kevin (2017). "BioOne Online Journals - A Rationale for Atrazine Stewardship in Corn". Weed Science. 55: 75''81. doi:10.1614/WS-06-104.1. S2CID 86209323. ^ Fawcett, Richard S. "Twenty Years of University Corn Yield Data: With and Without Atrazine", North Central Weed Science Society Archived March 5, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, 2008 ^ Mitchell, P. D (2014). "Market-level assessment of the economic benefits of atrazine in the United States". Pest Management Science. 70 (11): 1684''1696. doi:10.1002/ps.3703. PMC 4282455 . PMID 24318916. ^ Wolfgang Kr¤mer (2007). Modern Crop Protection Compounds, Volume 1. Wiley-VCH. ISBN 9783527314966. ^ Appleby, Arnold P.; M¼ller, Franz; Carpy, Serge (2001). "Weed Control". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. doi:10.1002/14356007.a28_165. ISBN 978-3-527-30673-2. ^ Prossnitz, Eric R.; Barton, Matthias (May 2014). "Estrogen biology: New insights into GPER function and clinical opportunities". Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. 389 (1''2): 71''83. doi:10.1016/j.mce.2014.02.002. PMC 4040308 . PMID 24530924. ^ Dooley, G. P.; Reardon, K. F.; Prenni, J. E.; Tjalkens, R. B.; Legare, M. E.; Foradori, C. D.; Tessari, J. E.; Hanneman, W. H. (April 2008). "Proteomic Analysis of Diaminochlorotriazine Adducts in Wister Rat Pituitary Glands and LβT2 Rat Pituitary Cells". Chemical Research in Toxicology. 21 (4): 844''851. doi:10.1021/tx700386f. PMID 18370413. ^ "Atrazine Updates | Pesticides | US EPA". Epa.gov . Retrieved 2015-02-08 . ^ "www.epa.gov" (PDF) . Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-06-25. ^ Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision for Atrazine Archived June 25, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, U.S. EPA, January, 2003. ^ Zeng Y, Sweeney CL, Stephens S, Kotharu P. (2004). Atrazine Pathway Map. Wackett LP. Biodegredation Database. ^ a b c Wackett, L. P.; Sadowsky, M. J.; Martinez, B.; Shapir, N. (January 2002). "Biodegradation of atrazine and related s-triazine compounds: from enzymes to field studies". Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 58 (1): 39''45. doi:10.1007/s00253-001-0862-y. PMID 11831474. S2CID 2998290. ^ Crawford, J. J., G.K. Sims, R.L. Mulvaney, and M. Radosevich (1998). "Biodegradation of atrazine under denitrifying conditions". Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 49 (5): 618''623. doi:10.1007/s002530051223. PMID 9650260. S2CID 5126687. CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link) ^ Bichat, F., G.K. Sims, and R.L. Mulvaney (1999). "Microbial utilization of heterocyclic nitrogen from atrazine". Soil Science Society of America Journal. 63 (1): 100''110. Bibcode:1999SSASJ..63..100B. doi:10.2136/sssaj1999.03615995006300010016x. CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link) ^ Ralebitso TK, Senior E, van Verseveld HW (2002). "Microbial aspects of atrazine degradation in natural environments". Biodegradation. 13 (1): 11''19. doi:10.1023/A:1016329628618. PMID 12222950. S2CID 21098999. ^ Cai B, Han Y, Liu B, Ren Y, Jiang S (2003). "Isolation and characterization of an atrazine-degrading bacterium from industrial wastewater in China". Letters in Applied Microbiology. 36 (5): 272''276. doi:10.1046/j.1472-765X.2003.01307.x. PMID 12680937. S2CID 8003165. ^ Krutz, L.J., D.L. Shaner, C. Accinelli, R.M. Zablotowicz, and W.B. Henry (2008). "Atrazine dissipation in s-triazine-adapted and non-adapted soil from Colorado and Mississippi: Implications of enhanced degradation on atrazine fate and transport parameters". Journal of Environmental Quality. 37 (3): 848''857. doi:10.2134/jeq2007.0448. PMID 18453406. CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link) ^ Xu, J., J. W. Stucki, J. Wu, J. Kostka, and G. K. Sims (2001). "Fate of atrazine and alachlor in redox-treated ferruginous smectite". Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 20 (12): 2717''2724. doi:10.1002/etc.5620201210. PMID 11764154. CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link) ^ Felix de Lima et al, "Photolytic Degradation of Herbicide Atrazine by Radiation Ultraviolet (UVC): An Application of Green Chemistry", Chemical Science International Journal 17(3): 1-10, 2016 ^ Pesticide Information Profile: Atrazine, Extension Toxicology Network (Cooperative Extension Offices of Cornell University, Oregon State University, the University of Idaho, and the University of California at Davis and the Institute for Environmental Toxicology, Michigan State University), June 1996. ^ "USGS NAWQA: The Pesticide National Synthesis Project". water.usgs.gov. ^ "Public Health Statement for Atrazine". Toxic Substances Portal - Atrazine. Center for Disease Control, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences. September 2003 . Retrieved May 2, 2015 . ^ Waller, Sarah A; Paul, Kathleen; Peterson, Suzanne E; Hitti, Jane E (March 2010). "Agricultural-related chemical exposures, season of conception, and risk of gastroschisis in Washington State". American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 202 (3): 241.e1''241.e6. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2010.01.023. PMID 20207240. ^ "IARC MONOGRAPHS ON THE EVALUATION OF CARCINOGENIC RISKS TO HUMANS" (PDF) . IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. International Agency for Research on Cancer. 73. ^ Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision for Atrazine, U.S. EPA, January, 2003. ^ "How the EPA is Ignoring Atrazine Contamination in Surface and Drinking Water in the Central United States" (PDF) . Natural Resources Defense Council. The New York Times. August 2009. ^ Beane Freeman, Laura E. (2011) Atrazine and Cancer Incidence Among Pesticide Applicators in the Agricultural Health Study (1994''2007) Archived 2012-03-28 at the Wayback Machine. Environmental Health Perspectives. ^ "Chemical Hazards in Drinking Water - Atrazine" (PDF) . Retrieved 2015-02-08 . ^ Goodman, M; Mandel, J. S.; Desesso, J. M.; Scialli, A. R. (2014). "Atrazine and pregnancy outcomes: A systematic review of epidemiologic evidence". Birth Defects Research Part B: Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology. 101 (3): 215''36. doi:10.1002/bdrb.21101. PMC 4265844 . PMID 24797711. ^ Jennifer Lee (2003-06-19). "Popular Pesticide Faulted for Frogs' Sexual Abnormalities". The New York Times. ^ Mizota, K.; Ueda, H. (2006). "Endocrine Disrupting Chemical Atrazine Causes Degranulation through Gq/11 Protein-Coupled Neurosteroid Receptor in Mast Cells". Toxicological Sciences. 90 (2): 362''8. doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfj087 . PMID 16381660. ^ Briggs, Helen. (April 15, 2002), Pesticide 'causes frogs to change sex'. BBC News. Retrieved on 2007-10-16. ^ a b "Summary of Atrazine Reregistration Activities" (PDF) . ^ "www.epa.gov" (PDF) . EPA Scientific Advisory Panel. June 2003. ^ Jooste, Alarik M.; Du Preez, Louis H.; Carr, James A.; Giesy, John P.; Gross, Timothy S.; Kendall, Ronald J.; Smith, Ernest E.; Van Der Kraak, Glen L.; Solomon, Keith R. (July 2005). "Gonadal Development of Larval Male Xenopus laevis Exposed to Atrazine in Outdoor Microcosms". Environmental Science & Technology. 39 (14): 5255''5261. Bibcode:2005EnST...39.5255J. doi:10.1021/es048134q. PMID 16082954. ^ Kloas, Werner; Lutz, Ilka; Springer, Timothy; Krueger, Henry; Wolf, Jeff; Holden, Larry; Hosmer, Alan (February 2009). "Does Atrazine Influence Larval Development and Sexual Differentiation in Xenopus laevis?". Toxicological Sciences. 107 (2): 376''384. doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfn232. PMC 2639758 . PMID 19008211. ^ Renner, Rebecca (May 2008). "Atrazine Effects in Xenopus Aren't Reproducible". Environmental Science & Technology. 42 (10): 3491''3493. Bibcode:2008EnST...42.3491R. doi:10.1021/es087113j . PMID 18546678. ^ Koprivnikar, Janet; Forbes, Mark R.; Baker, Robert L. (2007). "Contaminant Effects on Host''Parasite Interactions: Atrazine, Frogs, and Trematodes". Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 26 (10): 2166''70. doi:10.1897/07-220.1. PMID 17867892. ^ Lenkowski JR, Reed JM, Deininger L, McLaughlin KA (2008). "Perturbation of organogenesis by the herbicide atrazine in the amphibian Xenopus laevis". Environ. Health Perspect. 116 (2): 223''30. doi:10.1289/ehp.10742. PMC 2235211 . PMID 18288322. ^ a b Chemicals in the News: Atrazine, Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, Original June 30, 2010, Archived by Internet Archive July 4, 2010 ^ Hayes, TB; Khoury, V; Narayan, A; Nazir, M; Park, A; Brown, T; Adame, L; Chan, E; et al. (2010). "Atrazine induces complete feminization and chemical castration in male African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis)". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 107 (10): 4612''7. Bibcode:2010PNAS..107.4612H. doi:10.1073/pnas.0909519107 . PMC 2842049 . PMID 20194757. ^ Suter, Glenn; Cormier, Susan (2015). "The problem of biased data and potential solutions for health and environmental assessments". Human and Ecological Risk Assessment. 21 (7): 1''17. doi:10.1080/10807039.2014.974499. S2CID 84723794. ^ City of Greenville v. Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc., and Syngenta AG Case No. 3:10-cv-00188-JPG-PMF, accessed August 23, 2013 ^ Clare Howardfor Environmental Health News. June 17, 2013 Special Report: Syngenta's campaign to protect atrazine, discredit critics. External links [ edit ] Atrazine- PubChem(National library of medicine) - atrazineAtrazine Fact Sheet - National Pesticide Information Center - Atrazine Fact SheetAtrazine - CDC - NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical HazardsAtrazine in the Pesticide Properties DataBase (PPDB)ERAgonistsSteroidal: 2-Hydroxyestradiol2-Hydroxyestrone3-Methyl-19-methyleneandrosta-3,5-dien-17β-ol3α-Androstanediol3α,5α-Dihydrolevonorgestrel3β,5α-Dihydrolevonorgestrel3α-Hydroxytibolone3β-Hydroxytibolone3β-Androstanediol4-Androstenediol4-Androstenedione4-Fluoroestradiol4-Hydroxyestradiol4-Hydroxyestrone4-Methoxyestradiol4-Methoxyestrone5-Androstenediol7-Oxo-DHEA7α-Hydroxy-DHEA7α-Methylestradiol7β-Hydroxyepiandrosterone8,9-Dehydroestradiol8,9-Dehydroestrone8β-VE210β,17β-Dihydroxyestra-1,4-dien-3-one (DHED)11β-Chloromethylestradiol11β-Methoxyestradiol15α-Hydroxyestradiol16-Ketoestradiol16-Ketoestrone16α-Fluoroestradiol16α-Hydroxy-DHEA16α-Hydroxyestrone16α-Iodoestradiol16α-LE216β-Hydroxyestrone16β,17α-Epiestriol (16β-hydroxy-17α-estradiol)17α-Estradiol (alfatradiol)17α-Dihydroequilenin17α-Dihydroequilin17α-Epiestriol (16α-hydroxy-17α-estradiol)17α-Ethynyl-3α-androstanediol17α-Ethynyl-3β-androstanediol17β-Dihydroequilenin17β-Dihydroequilin17β-Methyl-17α-dihydroequileninAbirateroneAbiraterone acetateAlestramustineAlmestroneAnabolic steroids (e.g., testosterone and esters, methyltestosterone, metandienone (methandrostenolone), nandrolone and esters, many others; via estrogenic metabolites)AtrimustineBolandiolBolandiol dipropionateButolameClomestroneCloxestradiolCloxestradiol acetateConjugated estriolConjugated estrogensCyclodiolCyclotriolDHEADHEA-Sent-EstradiolEpiestriol (16β-epiestriol, 16β-hydroxy-17β-estradiol)EpimestrolEquileninEquilinERA-63 (ORG-37663)Esterified estrogensEstetrolEstradiolEstradiol estersLipoidal estradiolPolyestradiol phosphateEstramustineEstramustine phosphateEstrapronicateEstrazinolEstriolEstriol estersPolyestriol phosphateEstrofurateEstrogenic substancesEstromustineEstroneEstrone estersEstrone methyl etherEstropipateEtamestrol (eptamestrol)EthinylandrostenediolEthandrostateEthinylestradiolEthinylestradiol 3-benzoateEthinylestradiol sulfonateEthinylestriolEthylestradiolEtynodiolEtynodiol diacetateHexolameHippulinHydroxyestrone diacetateLynestrenolLynestrenol phenylpropionateMestranolMethylestradiolMoxestrolMytatrienediolNilestriolNorethisteroneNoretynodrelOrestratePentolameProdiameProlamePromestrieneRU-16117QuinestradolQuinestrolTiboloneNonsteroidal: (R,R)-THC(S,S)-THC2,8-DHHHCβ-LGND1β-LGND2 (GTx-878)AC-186AllenestrolAllenolic acidBenzestrolBifluranolBisdehydrodoisynolic acidButestrolCarbestrolD-15414DCW234DiarylpropionitrileDienestrolDienestrol diacetateDiethylstilbestrolDiethylstilbestrol estersDimestrol (dianisylhexene)DimethylstilbestrolDoisynoestrol (fenocycline)Doisynolic acidEfavirenzERB-196 (WAY-202196)Erteberel (SERBA-1, LY-500307)Estrobin (DBE)FenestrelFERb 033Fosfestrol (diethylstilbestrol diphosphate)Furostilbestrol (diethylstilbestrol difuroate)GTx-758HexestrolHexestrol estersICI-85966 (Stilbostat)M2613meso-Butestrolmeso-HexestrolMestilbolMethallenestrilMethestrolMethestrol dipropionateParoxypropionePentafluranolPhenestrolPrinaberel (ERB-041, WAY-202041)PropylpyrazoletriolQuadrosilanSC-3296SC-4289SERBA-2SKF-82,958TerfluranolTriphenylbromoethyleneTriphenylchloroethyleneTriphenyliodoethyleneTriphenylmethylethylene (triphenylpropene)WAY-166818WAY-169916WAY-200070WAY-204688 (SIM-688)WAY-214156Unknown/unsorted: ERB-26ERA-45ERB-79ZK-283197Xenoestrogens: Anise-related (e.g., anethole, anol, dianethole, dianol, photoanethole)Chalconoids (e.g., isoliquiritigenin, phloretin, phlorizin (phloridzin), wedelolactone)Coumestans (e.g., coumestrol, psoralidin)Flavonoids (incl. 7,8-DHF, 8-prenylnaringenin, apigenin, baicalein, baicalin, biochanin A, calycosin, catechin, daidzein, daidzin, ECG, EGCG, epicatechin, equol, formononetin, glabrene, glabridin, genistein, genistin, glycitein, kaempferol, liquiritigenin, mirificin, myricetin, naringenin, penduletin, pinocembrin, prunetin, puerarin, quercetin, tectoridin, tectorigenin)Lavender oilLignans (e.g., enterodiol, enterolactone, nyasol (cis-hinokiresinol))Metalloestrogens (e.g., cadmium)Pesticides (e.g., alternariol, dieldrin, endosulfan, fenarimol, HPTE, methiocarb, methoxychlor, triclocarban, triclosan)Phytosteroids (e.g., digitoxin (digitalis), diosgenin, guggulsterone)Phytosterols (e.g., β-sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol)Resorcylic acid lactones (e.g., zearalanone, α-zearalenol, β-zearalenol, zearalenone, zeranol (α-zearalanol), taleranol (teranol, β-zearalanol))Steroid-like (e.g., deoxymiroestrol, miroestrol)Stilbenoids (e.g., resveratrol, rhaponticin)Synthetic xenoestrogens (e.g., alkylphenols, bisphenols (e.g., BPA, BPF, BPS), DDT, parabens, PBBs, PHBA, phthalates, PCBs)Others (e.g., agnuside, rotundifuran)Mixed(SERMs)AntagonistsGPER
- Tyrone Hayes - Wikipedia
- Tyrone B. Hayes (born July 29, 1967) is an American biologist and professor of Integrative Biology at University of California, Berkeley known for his research concluding that the herbicide atrazine is an endocrine disruptor that demasculinizes and feminizes male frogs. He is also an advocate for critical review and regulation of pesticides and other chemicals that may cause adverse health effects. He has presented hundreds of papers, talks, and seminars on his conclusions that environmental chemical contaminants have played a role in global amphibian declines and in the health disparities that occur in minority and low income populations.
- Hayes' research into atrazine as an endocrine disruptor has been contested by Syngenta (the manufacturer of atrazine) and the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority.
- Early life and education [ edit ] Tyrone Hayes was born in Columbia, South Carolina to Romeo and Susie Hayes in 1967. As a child he studied lizards and frogs, particularly interested in the way that frogs morphed from tadpoles to their adult form. He won a state science fair with research that showed anole lizards had to be awake to change color.[1] He graduated from Dreher High School in 1985 and earned B.A. and M.A. degrees in biology in 1989 from Harvard University. His dissertation was on the genetic and environmental mechanisms determining the gender of the wood frog. He continued his studies at the University of California, Berkeley, where he received his Ph.D. degree in integrative biology in 1993 for his study of the role of hormones in mediating developmental responses to environmental changes in amphibians.[2]
- Career [ edit ] After graduating from Harvard University, Hayes worked as a technician and freelance consultant from 1990 to 1992 for Tiburon, California-based Biosystems, Inc.[3] Hayes has held an academic appointment (professorship) at the University of California, Berkeley since completing his doctoral research there in 1992;[1] he was hired as a graduate student instructor in 1992, became an assistant professor in 1994, associate professor in 2000, and professor in 2003 in the Department of Integrative Biology, Molecular Toxicology, Group in Endocrinology, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Energy and Resources Group, University of California, Berkeley.[3]
- Hayes' scientific research has focused on the potential of genetic adaptation and the role of hormones in the development of the amphibian. His investigations have shown that chemical agents, such as a commonly used herbicide, have the ability to negatively impact the sexual development of the amphibian, even when such toxins are present in low concentrations. Hayes has taken an interest in the hormonal regulation and development of aggressive behavior. He has also been active with the National Science Foundation Review Panel since 1995, and he has served on several other advisory boards as well.
- Atrazine research [ edit ] Xenopus laevis, the African Clawed frog
- In 1997, the consulting firm EcoRisk, Inc. paid Hayes to join a panel of experts conducting studies for the Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis (later Syngenta) on the herbicide atrazine.[1][4] When Hayes' research found unexpected toxicities for atrazine, he reported them to the panel, however the panel and company were resistant to his findings. He wanted to repeat his work to validate it but Novartis refused funding for further research; he resigned from the panel and obtained other funding to repeat the experiments.[1][4]
- In 2002 Hayes published findings that he says replicate what he found while he was working for EcoRisk,[1] that developing male African clawed frogs and leopard frogs exhibited female characteristics after exposure to atrazine, first in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)[5] and then in Nature.[6][7]
- In 2007, Hayes was a co-author on a paper that detailed atrazine inducing mammary and prostate cancer in laboratory rodents and highlighted atrazine as a potential cause of reproductive cancers in humans.[8] In 2007, Hayes presented results of his studies to the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences showing chemical castration in frogs; individuals of both sexes had developed bisexual reproductive organs.[9]In 2010, Hayes published research in PNAS[10] describing laboratory work showing how exposure to atrazine turned male tadpoles into females with impaired fertility.[4]
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its independent Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) examined all available studies on this topic and concluded that "atrazine does not adversely affect amphibian gonadal development based on a review of laboratory and field studies.".[11] The EPA and its SAP made recommendations concerning proper study design needed for further investigation into this issue. As required by the EPA, two experiments were conducted under Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) and inspection by the EPA and German regulatory authorities. The paper concluded "These studies demonstrate that long-term exposure of larval X. laevis to atrazine at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 100 microg/l does not affect growth, larval development, or sexual differentiation."[12] A report written in Environmental Science and Technology (May 15, 2008) cites the independent work of researchers in Japan, who were unable to replicate Hayes' work. "The scientists found no hermaphrodite frogs; no increase in aromatase as measured by aromatase mRNA induction; and no increase in vitellogenin, another marker of feminization."[13]In 2010, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) responded to Hayes' 2010 published paper,[14] by stating that his findings "do not provide sufficient evidence to justify a reconsideration of current regulations which are based on a very extensive dataset."[15]
- Advocacy [ edit ] A map of pounds per square mile of atrazine application in the U.S. in 1997
- Since publishing his research on atrazine as an endocrine disruptor, Hayes has become an advocate for banning atrazine.[16]According to Hayes, the link between atrazine and altered "aromatase and estrogen production has been demonstrated... in fish, frogs, alligators, birds, turtles, rats and human cells", and, "I believe that the preponderance of the evidence shows atrazine to be a risk to wildlife and humans. I would not want to be exposed to it, nor do I think it should be released into the environment."[16][17] He travels and lectures extensively to both scientific and lay audiences, almost never declining an invitation.[4]
- He also has raised issues of environmental racism, warning that "if you're black or Hispanic, you're more likely to live or work in areas where you're exposed to crap".[4] While a biologist on the Public Broadcasting Service, National Geographic program Strange Days, he expressed his concerns for human health, particularly that of minority and low-paid workers exposure to agricultural chemicals.[18]
- Research published by Hayes and other scientists was used as evidence in a class action lawsuit against Syngenta by 15 water providers in Illinois that was settled for 105 million dollars in May 2012,[7][19][20] which reimbursed more than 1,000 water systems for the costs of filtering atrazine from drinking water, although the company denies any wrongdoing.[4][21]
- Conflict with atrazine manufacturer Syngenta [ edit ] A long running conflict between Hayes and agricultural chemical manufacturer Syngenta was described as "one of the weirdest feuds in the history of science,'' by Dashka Slater in her 2012 profile of Hayes in Mother Jones magazine.[1][22]
- In 2014, New Yorker writer Rachel Aviv reported that Syngenta might have been orchestrating an attack not only on Hayes' scientific credibility, but on other scientists as well whose studies have shown atrazine to have adverse effects on the environment and/or human and animal health.[4]
- Aviv reported that Syngenta had criticized Hayes' science and conduct in press releases, letters to the editor, and through a formal ethics complaint filed at University of California-Berkeley.[4] Internal Syngenta documents from 2005 released by a class-action lawsuit in 2014 show ways that Syngenta conspired to discredit Hayes, including attempting to get journals to retract his work, and investigating his funding and private life.[4][23][24]In one of the 2005 e-mails obtained by class-action lawsuit plaintiffs, the company's communications consultants had written about plans to track Hayes' speaking engagements and prepare audiences with Syngenta's counterpoints to Hayes's message on atrazine. Syngenta subsequently stated that many of the documents unsealed in the lawsuits refer to "ideas that were never implemented."[4]
- In 2010, Syngenta forwarded an ethics complaint to the University of California Berkeley, complaining that Hayes had been sending sexually explicit and harassing e-mails to Syngenta scientists, including quoting the rapper DMX.[25] Some of these emails were obtained and published by Gawker.[26] Legal counsel from the university responded that Hayes had acknowledged sending letters having "unprofessional and offensive" content, and that he had agreed not to use similar language in future communications.[25][27] According to Hayes, the situation had escalated after Syngenta executive Tim Pastoor had threatened Hayes and his family.[28]
- Filmography and other work [ edit ] Hayes' work was featured in the 2008 documentary film Flow: For Love of Water.[29] He appeared in the 2012 documentary film Last Call at the Oasis.[30][31]
- Hayes is the subject of The Frog Scientist, a biographical book for children, first published in 2009.[32]
- Personal life [ edit ] Hayes lives in California with his wife, Kathy Kim, and their two children, Tyler and Kassina. He has won several awards for his teaching and his research, including the Distinguished Teaching Award from University of California, Berkeley in 2002 and the President's Citation Award from the American Institute of Biological Science in 2004. He was also awarded the National Geographic Emerging Explorer Award and the Jennifer Altman Award in 2005.[2]
- See also [ edit ] EcophysiologyEnvironmental toxicologyEnvironmentalismPesticides in the United StatesReferences [ edit ] ^ a b c d e f Slater, Dashka (January''February 2012). "The Frog of War". Mother Jones. ^ a b "Biography". The History Makers . Retrieved September 24, 2020 . ^ a b "Tyrone Hayes Curriculum Vita". Atrazine Lovers Website . Retrieved August 23, 2013 . ^ a b c d e f g h i j Aviv, Rachel (February 10, 2014). "A Valuable Reputation: After Tyrone Hayes said that a chemical was harmful, its maker pursued him". The New Yorker . Retrieved February 7, 2014 . ^ Hayes TB, Collins A, Lee M, et al. (April 2002). "Hermaphroditic, demasculinized frogs after exposure to the herbicide atrazine at low ecologically relevant doses". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 99 (8): 5476''80. Bibcode:2002PNAS...99.5476H. doi:10.1073/pnas.082121499. PMC 122794 . PMID 11960004. ^ Hayes T, Haston K, Tsui M, Hoang A, Haeffele C, Vonk A (October 2002). "Herbicides: feminization of male frogs in the wild". Nature. 419 (6910): 895''6. Bibcode:2002Natur.419..895H. doi:10.1038/419895a. PMID 12410298. S2CID 4364535. ^ a b Dalton R (August 2010). "E-mails spark ethics row". Nature. 466 (7309): 913. doi:10.1038/466913a . PMID 20725013. ^ Fan, W.; T. Yanase; H. Morinaga; S. Gondo; T. Okabe; M. Nomura; T. Komatsu; K.I. Morohashi; T.B. Hayes (2007). "Atrazine-Induced Aromatase Expression is SF-1 Dependent: Implications for Endocrine Disruption in Wildlife and Reproductive Cancers in Humans". Environmental Health Perspectives. 115 (5): 720''7. doi:10.1289/ehp.9758. PMC 1867956 . PMID 17520059. ^ Ball, Eddy (April 2007). "Amphibian Specialist Challenges EPA and Pesticide Manufacturers". Environmental Factor NIEHS News. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences . Retrieved February 7, 2014 . I could take tap water that is regulated by the U.S. EPA," Hayes noted, "and I could chemically castrate frogs. ^ Hayes TB, Khoury V, Narayan A, et al. (March 2010). "Atrazine induces complete feminization and chemical castration in male African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis)". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 107 (10): 4612''7. Bibcode:2010PNAS..107.4612H. doi:10.1073/pnas.0909519107. PMC 2842049 . PMID 20194757. ^ Atrazine Updates: Amphibians, April 2010, EPA. ^ Kloas, W; Lutz, I; Springer, T; Krueger, H; Wolf, J; Holden, L; Hosmer, A (2009). "Does atrazine influence larval development and sexual differentiation in Xenopus laevis?". Toxicological Sciences. 107 (2): 376''84. doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfn232. PMC 2639758 . PMID 19008211. ^ Renner, Rebecca (May 2008). "Atrazine Effects in Xenopus Aren't Reproducible (Perspective)" (PDF) . Environmental Science & Technology. 42 (10): 3491''3493. Bibcode:2008EnST...42.3491R. doi:10.1021/es087113j . PMID 18546678. ^ Hayes, TB; Khoury, V; Narayan, A; Nazir, M; Park, A; Brown, T; Adame, L; Chan, E; et al. (2010). "Atrazine induces complete feminization and chemical castration in male African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis)". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 107 (10): 4612''7. Bibcode:2010PNAS..107.4612H. doi:10.1073/pnas.0909519107. PMC 2842049 . PMID 20194757. ^ "Chemicals in the News: Atrazine". Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority. April 5, 2011. Archived from the original on February 24, 2014 . Retrieved June 9, 2020 . ^ a b "Hormone Disruptors Linked To Genital Changes and Sexual Preference", Living on Earth, National Public Radio, January 7, 2011 , retrieved February 7, 2014 ^ Randall Amster (March 19, 2010). "Silent Spring Has Sprung". Truthout . Retrieved February 7, 2014 . ^ "Tyrone Hayes, PhD". Strange Days, Biographies. Public Broadcasting System. 2013 . Retrieved August 23, 2013 . I am concerned about the adverse impacts of Atrazine on endangered species and on racial/ethnic minorities. Prostate and breast cancer are two of the top causes of death in Americans age 25-40, but in particular Black and Hispanic Americans are several times more likely to die from these diseases. Ethnic minorities and people of low income are also more likely to hold the "unskilled" laborer positions in agriculture and pesticide production that would put them at higher risk of exposure and are least likely to have access to the emerging science demonstrating the dangers of exposure. Thus, this environmental and public health issue is also a racial/social justice issue because minority and working class people are the primary targets of pesticide exposure. ^ "City of Greenville v. Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc., and Syngenta AG Case No. 3:10-cv-00188-JPG-PMF". City of Greenville . Retrieved August 23, 2013 . ^ Staff (June 19, 2013). "Tillery planning to file new litigation involving atrazine". Madison County Record . Retrieved August 23, 2013 . ^ Berry, Ian (May 25, 2012). "Syngenta Settles Weedkiller Lawsuit". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved February 9, 2014 . ^ Basken, Paul (August 14, 2013). "Berkeley Researcher Who Questioned Herbicide's Safety Loses Lab Financing". www.chronicle.com . Retrieved May 28, 2021 . ^ "Court-released documents: Exhibit 19, part1" (PDF) . Source Watch. Center for Media and Democracy . Retrieved February 7, 2014 . ^ Howard, Clare (June 17, 2013). "Special Report: Syngenta's campaign to protect atrazine, discredit critics". Environmental Health News . Retrieved August 23, 2013 . ^ a b Dalton, Rex (August 18, 2010). "E-mails spark ethics row". Nature. 466 (7309): 913. doi:10.1038/466913a . ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 20725013. ^ Nolan, Hamilton. "Dr. Tyrone Hayes: Biologist, Cock-Fixated Megalomaniac Email Addict". Gawker . Retrieved June 9, 2020 . ^ "Ethics complaint from Syngenta" (PDF) . ^ Slater, Dashka. "The Frog of War". Mother Jones . Retrieved October 28, 2020 . ^ Collins, Cyn (July 31, 2008). "Film note: All dried up". Twin Cities Daily Planet . Retrieved August 23, 2013 . ^ "Tyrone Hayes". www.imdb.com . Retrieved June 24, 2014 . ^ Scott, A.O. (May 3, 2012). "When There Really Is Not a Drop to Drink 'Last Call at the Oasis,' a Documentary About Water Supplies". New York Times . Retrieved February 7, 2014 . Tyrone Hayes, a biologist, shows us mutant frogs, their endocrine systems scrambled by pesticide-borne chemicals. ^ Pamela S. Turner (2009). The Frog Scientist. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN 978-0-618-71716-3. Further reading [ edit ] Elliott, John E.; Bishop, Christine A.; Morrissey, Christy (2011). Wildlife Ecotoxicology: Forensic Approaches. Springer. pp. 301''. ISBN 978-0-387-89432-4. McGarity, Thomas O.; Wagner, Wendy Elizabeth (2008). Bending Science: How Special Interests Corrupt Public Health Research. Harvard University Press. pp. 51''. ISBN 978-0-674-02815-9. Mooney, Chris (2007). The Republican War on Science. Basic Books. pp. 297''. ISBN 978-0-465-00386-0. Wagner, Wendy Elizabeth; Steinzor, Rena (2006). Rescuing Science from Politics: Regulation and the Distortion of Scientific Research. Cambridge University Press. pp. 52''. ISBN 978-0-521-85520-4. External links [ edit ] Tyrone Hayes biography"The Atrazine Rap" '-- part of a scientific lecture by Hayes in rhymeAgriculture's Effect on Frogs'-- video excerpt from: "Frogs: The Thin Green Line" (Nature) featuring Hayes' researchDemocracy Now! '' video interview with HayesTyrone Hayes at TED
- Isiah Whitlock Jr. - Wikipedia
- Isiah Whitlock Jr. (born September 13, 1954) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as corrupt state senator Clay Davis on the HBO television series The Wire as well as being a frequent collaborator of Spike Lee.
- He has also appeared in films including Goodfellas, Pieces of April, 1408, Enchanted, Cedar Rapids, Pete's Dragon, Cars 3, The Old Man and the Gun, All Square and I Care a Lot, and television series including The Good Cop, Veep, Chappelle's Show, Your Honor, and several roles across installments of the Law and Order franchise.
- Early life [ edit ] Whitlock was born in South Bend, Indiana. He attended college at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minnesota, where he enrolled earned a football scholarship and studied theater. Injuries led him to stop playing football and focus on acting.[1] After graduating in 1976, he moved to San Francisco and joined the American Conservatory Theater.[2]
- Career [ edit ] Whitlock is best known for his role on the HBO television series The Wire as corrupt state senator Clay Davis. He has also appeared in the Spike Lee films She Hate Me, 25th Hour, Red Hook Summer, Chi-Raq, BlacKkKlansman and Da 5 Bloods. In those projects, Whitlock established a catchphrase from his character's distinct pronunciation of the word "shit" ("sheeeeeeeee-it").[3] Whitlock also made appearances on Chappelle's Show and has made several appearances as various characters on Law & Order. He appeared as Eugene, a supporting role, in the 2003 film Pieces of April. He had a bit part in Goodfellas as a doctor who gives Henry Hill Valium while attending to his brother. He also made an appearance in the film 1408, as the engineer of the Dolphin Hotel, as well as appearing in promotional spots for the Wii video game Punch-Out!! portraying the character Doc Louis. In 2007, he played Ethan Banks in Enchanted.
- Whitlock played an insurance agent named Ronald Wilkes in the 2011 film Cedar Rapids. Wilkes is a self-described fan of The Wire and does an impersonation of character Omar Little. Whitlock has said that the references to the series were written in before he became involved in Cedar Rapids.[4] Whitlock filmed a separate promotion for the film, where Wilkes is seen in an insurance office reading lines from The Wire.[5] He recurred on the HBO comedy series Veep as General George Maddox. Whitlock has also made appearances on The Good Wife, Louie, Gotham, The Carmichael Show, and Elementary. He recently appeared as the sheriff in the 2016 remake of the 1977 film of Pete's Dragon.
- SMSU now offers the Isiah Whitlock Jr. Endowed Scholarship.[1] He was SMSU's commencement speaker in 1999 and guest artist for the school's celebration of Black History Month in 2007.[2]
- Capitalizing on his catch phrase "Sheeeeeeeee-it" and his public notoriety, Whitlock launched a successful Kickstarter Talking Bobblehead campaign.[6] The campaign has raised over $100,000 from 1,828 backers.
- Filmography [ edit ] Film [ edit ] Television [ edit ] Video games [ edit ] References [ edit ] ^ a b Isiah Whitlock Jr. Endowed Scholarship, Southwest Minnesota State University Foundation, accessed June 14, 2012. ^ a b Karin Elton, A perfect fit, Marshall Independent, February 11, 2011, accessed June 14, 2012. ^ Swansburg, John (March 12, 2008). "The Wire Final Season: Week 10: How Sheee-it Started". Slate.com . Retrieved November 2, 2009 . ^ Rich, Katey (February 10, 2011), "Interview: The Wire's Isiah Whitlock Jr. Plays Against Type In Cedar Rapids", CinemaBlend.com , retrieved February 21, 2011 ^ CEDAR RAPIDS: Ronald vs. Omar from the Wire on YouTube, Fox Searchlight official channel via YouTube.com, February 7, 2011. ^ "Isiah Whitlock, Jr. Talking Bobblehead". Kickstarter . Retrieved December 25, 2017 . External links [ edit ]
- Clay Davis - Wikipedia
- R. Clayton "Clay" Davis is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Isiah Whitlock, Jr. Davis is a corrupt Maryland State Senator with a reputation for pocketing bribes. However, throughout the series Davis remains protected by other ranking politicians and Baltimore Police Commissioner Ervin Burrell.
- Davis was known for his idiosyncratic profanity, often when confronted with bad news, comically elongating the word shit as sheeeeeeeee-it.[1]
- Storylines [ edit ] These are summaries of events depicted in Davis' career in each season of the television show:
- Season 1 [ edit ] When Lt. Cedric Daniels' detail discovers $20,000 belonging to Baltimore drug lord Avon Barksdale in the car of Davis's driver, they try to expand the wiretap-based investigation to include Davis. Deputy Commissioner Ervin Burrell calls Daniels into a private meeting with Davis, pressuring him into excluding the senator's alleged involvement. However, Daniels is unwilling to drop the case. Nevertheless, Burrell pulls the plug on the investigation, and Davis's involvement is effectively left buried. However, it is mentioned that Davis has a reputation for taking bribes, and has been under federal investigation for the last two years.
- Season 2 [ edit ] Davis attends a Democratic Party fundraiser thrown by stevedore union leader Frank Sobotka, accepting contributions in return for assurances that he will vote to construct the granary pier that Sobotka believes will help revitalize the union. After the press reports on criminal activities within the union, Sobotka's lobbyist advises him that none of the politicians'--including Davis, presumably'--will follow through. Davis is later seen at the groundbreaking ceremony for a dockside condominium being built on the site of the proposed granary pier.
- Season 3 [ edit ] Davis acts as a consultant for Stringer Bell, taking bribes from the Barksdale Organization while claiming to win state government contracts for the drug empire's legitimate business front, B&B. However, Bell becomes suspicious when he learns that block grants have been given to several city developers instead of B&B. Maurice Levy, Bell's lawyer, concludes that Davis has "rain made" Bell; the senator has played off Stringer's inexperience in legitimate business, taking the money and doing nothing in return. Stringer, furious, tells Slim Charles that he wants him to assassinate Davis, but Barksdale warns him that murdering a public figure will bring too much unwanted attention from the authorities.
- Season 4 [ edit ] Davis acts as Mayor Clarence Royce's deputy campaign chairman, and is a key fundraiser in his re-election campaign. When Detective Leander Sydnor serves a subpoena for Davis's financial records as part of the Major Crimes Unit's ongoing investigation into the Barksdale Organization's finances, the senator is outraged. In retaliation, he goes to Royce and threatens to cut off the campaign's funding unless Royce interferes with the subpoenas.
- The day before the mayoral primary, Davis approaches candidate Tommy Carcetti, offering to hold off on bringing out the vote for Royce in exchange for a $20,000 payment. On Election Day, Davis campaigns for the mayor as if his offer to Carcetti had not taken place. After Carcetti defeats Royce, Davis explains that Royce gave more money, pointing out that he could easily have fleeced Carcetti for even more.
- Davis strikes a deal with City Council President Nerese Campbell, offering a $25,000 jump in salary to a replacement commissioner in an attempt to appear as if Carcetti is an ally while believing the amount insufficient to attract any serious candidate. Davis is especially motivated to help Burrell when he learns that the most likely replacement is Daniels, whom he regards as too uncontrollable. Davis opposes Daniels's potential appointment based on his attitude regarding Price.[2]
- He realizes that Daniels may continue investigations into Davis's alleged money laundering. Davis convinces Campbell and Burrell that Daniels is more interested in serving Carcetti and is unwilling to be of use to the city's black community. To keep Daniels from being promoted, Davis agrees with Burrell's plans to present information regarding illegal activities from Daniels's past.[2]
- Season 5 [ edit ] Davis becomes a target of prosecution for State's Attorney Rupert Bond following the MCU investigation. Detectives Sydnor and Lester Freamon are assigned to Bond's unit to lead the investigation at his behest following the rest of the unit's reassignment.[3][4] Davis approaches Burrell and demands that he stop the investigation. Burrell explains that he would have to go around Daniels to interfere in the case and that acting against Daniels would put him in conflict with Bond and Mayor Carcetti. As a result, Davis and Burrell have a falling-out.[5][6]
- Meanwhile, Assistant State's Attorney Rhonda Pearlman begins a series of grand jury depositions to prepare evidence against Davis, with one of the key witnesses being Price. Learning that Carcetti has planned to replace Burrell, Davis offers to use his connections to smooth the transitions in exchange for help with the case; Carcetti refuses.[7][8]
- Having uncovered evidence that Davis lied on a mortgage application, Freamon and Sydnor suggest taking the case to federal law enforcement. However, Bond elects to ignore the evidence, hoping to gain recognition by prosecuting Davis himself. Called to testify, Davis invokes his Fifth Amendment rights to avoid incriminating himself. Davis confronts a press opportunity staged by Bond on the courthouse steps, turning on the charm and denying any wrongdoing.[9]
- When called to the stand in his own defense, Davis gives a rousing speech defending his public role, claiming the money he took from public funds was his attempt to help constituents and cut through red tape. The jury acquits him, and Davis beams before the assembled cameras and reporters afterward while Bond and Pearlman look on, unable to believe what they have just witnessed.
- With Bond's case concluded but the mortgage fraud uncharged, Freamon approaches Davis in a bar with the incriminating mortgage paperwork. Not knowing that Freamon has been unable to bring these charges, Davis gives up information about back-room deals involving the city's political elite, including dirt on Levy's leakage of court documents to drug dealers. In a second conversation, Davis is last seen giving Freamon additional information, as well as boasting about conning Stringer.
- Production [ edit ] Origins [ edit ] Creator David Simon has said that Clay Davis is based on three politicians in the Maryland State Senate, and that his affectionate use of the word "partner" is based on one of them, saying that everybody in Baltimore knows who this is.[citation needed ]
- In an essay in the official series guide The Wire: Truth Be Told, William Zorzi implies that Davis is patterned on former Maryland State Senator Larry Young.[10]
- Mannerisms [ edit ] The character is well known for his elongated pronouncement of the word "shit" as "sheeeeeeeee-it".[1] This mannerism originated with Whitlock's uncle, from whom Whitlock picked up the habit. It is featured in the films 25th Hour (2002) and BlacKkKlansman (2018), after Spike Lee encouraged him to use it. When Whitlock received his first script for The Wire it was already written into the part.[11] Davis is also known to speak differently depending on his company: he freely uses black vernacular when among blacks but adjusts his speech to sound "whiter" when dealing with his (largely) white business partners.
- References [ edit ] External links [ edit ]
- Michael K. Williams Never Hid His Addiction Struggles - Addiction Center
- Michael K. Williams Was Open About His Addiction Struggles Emmy nominated actor Michael K. Williams was found dead in his Brooklyn apartment on Monday, September 6th, 2021. The 54-year-old, best known for playing Omar Little on HBO's ''The Wire,'' more than once spoke publicly about his substance use. He described addiction as an everyday struggle that he had to continue to fight.
- In a 2012 interview with Inside Jersey, Williams made it clear that his openness on the subject was intended to help others. The actor said, ''God saved me for a purpose. So, I decided to get clean and then come clean. I'm hoping I can reach that one person.''
- Williams's Addiction Journey Williams, whose mother was an immigrant from the Bahamas, had a childhood characterized by sexual molestation and bullying. By age 19, Williams had developed a substance use problem and was already experiencing the cycle of treatment and relapse. To maintain his dependency on illicit substances, the actor turned to credit card fraud and carjacking which ultimately left him with an arrest record. At age 25, a mugger took a razor blade to his chest and face and gave Williams his signature face scar. The next day William's mother took out a second insurance policy on his life and told the actor he was not likely to live past the age of 30.
- Williams' struggles with addiction continued as his acting career began. During his time on ''The Wire,'' Williams got lost in the character of Omar Little, a notorious robber in the Baltimore drug scene. To cope with the intense character traits of Little, Williams began using Cocaine. According to the New York Times, he spent most of his earnings from the show on drugs which led to him being kicked out of his apartment. He began living out of hotels and also the floor of a drug house in Newark, NJ. Producers of ''The Wire'' have said they knew he was struggling and that they refrained from firing him in fear of how it could worsen his substance use.
- In his 2012 interview, Williams credited a pastor at Christian Love Baptist Church in Irvington, NJ with helping the actor to get clean. Reverend Ronald Christian, who passed away in 2015, was the first person that Williams felt he could be completely open with.
- ''I laid it all out. It was the first time I really laid everything out to anyone. I was a total stranger to him, but I felt very comfortable with him,'' Williams told Inside Jersey.
- The current pastor at the New Jersey church, Brandon K. Washington, has said that Williams would visit the parish unannounced a few times each year. ''All the times he would come, he would always reference his struggles. He was always confident in his relationship with God,'' Washington said.
- Williams continued to be open about his struggles with addiction up until February 2020 when he spoke at an event for former prisoners seeking to re-enter society. He told the group, ''This Hollywood thing that you see me in, I'm passing through. Because I believe this is where my passion, my purpose are supposed to be.''
- Celebrity Overdose Deaths And The Opioid Crisis Although the cause and manner of Williams's death have not yet been confirmed, officials have said that Williams likely overdosed. The New York Police Department found drug paraphernalia and what appeared to be Heroin on the kitchen table in the actor's apartment. Williams' possible drug overdose may be added to a list of recent celebrity drug related deaths that speak to the Opioid epidemic in the US.
- Along with Williams, 2 comedians, Faquan Johnson and Enrico Colangeli, were found dead at a party in Los Angeles this past Saturday. Their deaths were determined to be overdoses after ingesting Cocaine that was laced with Fentanyl, a synthetic Opioid which can be 80 to 100 times stronger than Morphine. This substance has been frequently found laced with other substances like Heroin, pain pills, Cocaine, and even Marijuana over the past few years.
- Because Fentanyl is cheaper to produce and lighter to transport, manufacturers of illicit substances may be using it for economical reasons. It is also possible that the substance becomes laced with others as a result of cross-contamination. In either case, it is extremely dangerous when those who do not have a tolerance for Fentanyl or other Opioids unknowingly consume it. Additionally, Fentanyl is almost impossible to visibly detect so determining how much has been laced is very difficult. These factors can lead to unintentional overdoses which have been on the rise. In 2020, the highest number of overdose deaths were reported in a 12-month period at 81,000 in May. Of these reported drug related deaths, synthetic Opioids were the primary cause which increased by 38%.
- Addiction Is An Everyday Struggle Michael K. Williams was open about his struggle with substance use in an effort to help others. He wanted to let others know that an addiction doesn't just go away and that recovery is something to work towards everyday. If Williams' death is proven to be an overdose, along with Johnson's and Colangeli's deaths, they will speak to the Opioid crisis in the US which has caused an increased amount of unintentional deaths.
- Marijuana Laced With Fentanyl | The Recovery Village Palm Beach at Baptist Health
- Over the past year, multiple reports have come out about marijuana being laced with fentanyl. While at least one of these reports was later announced to be an error, other reports have been confirmed by the federal government. So far, marijuana laced with fentanyl has been found in Ohio and Canada. Because substances tend to spread across the United States, law enforcement officers think that more states will begin to see fentanyl in marijuana as time goes on. This may be very dangerous. Fentanyl is a narcotic that is 100 times stronger than morphine. It can take as little as 2 mg of fentanyl to kill someone, especially if they are not used to taking opioids. For this reason, fentanyl-laced marijuana may be a serious public health problem.
- Fentanyl-Mixing TrendFentanyl has long been mixed in some street drugs like narcotics. It is unclear why fentanyl has ended up in some recent marijuana samples. Possibilities include:
- Cross-ContaminationDrug dealers often handle multiple substances. It is possible that the fentanyl found in marijuana was not intentionally put there. During the distribution process, fentanyl may have gotten mixed into marijuana accidentally.
- Drug MarketingSome drug dealers may be intentionally adding other drugs like fentanyl into marijuana so that their product stands out amongst other marijuana products.
- Fentanyl Disguised As MarijuanaIn October 2019, the federal government put out an international law enforcement bulletin about a recent drug seizure. At first glance, the substance appeared to be marijuana. However, when tested, the substance contained not only marijuana but also fentanyl, heroin, tramadol, and methamphetamine.
- This news report came on the heels of a May 2019 report from Canada. Two teens in Canada had bought illegal marijuana and smoked it, not knowing that the product also contained fentanyl. The teens lost consciousness and began having convulsions, and police were called. The teens were able to be saved after law enforcement administered naloxone, an opioid-reversal agent that works to stop fentanyl overdose.
- Dangers Of Mixing Marijuana & FentanylPeople taking marijuana are not necessarily mixing it with fentanyl on purpose. People may not be aware that their marijuana has been laced with the drug. Even so, because fentanyl overdose can happen easily and be deadly, it is very dangerous to use marijuana that has been mixed with the drug. Opioid overdose can happen quickly. Symptoms include:
- Signs of an Opioid OverdoseSmall pupils
- Sounds that are similar to choking or gurgling
- Skin that is pale, blue or cold
- If someone begins to have opioid overdose symptoms, even if they are not aware they have taken an opioid, it is important to act quickly. Naloxone should be given if it is available, and 911 should be called. The person may need more than one dose of naloxone and may, therefore, require a doctor's care.
- Avoiding Fentanyl-Laced DrugsIt is possible to take precautions to avoid fentanyl-laced drugs, including marijuana. These precautions include:
- Buy only legal marijuana. Although marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, some states like California have legalized its use.Make sure to only use street drugs if there is someone nearby who has naloxone and knows how to use it. Naloxone is available in many states without a prescription and can reverse an opioid overdose.Try a small sample of any new drug before taking a usual dose.Buy fentanyl test swabs. These swabs will detect fentanyl residue and can be used on drugs. The swabs provide a warning if a drug contains fentanyl.If you or someone you love struggles with marijuana, help is here. Our trained professionals at The Recovery Village Palm Beach at Baptist Health are here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our evidence-based treatment programs.
- SourcesAssociated Press. ''Sheriff who warned of fentanyl-laced weed says test erred.'' June 3, 2019. Accessed November 10, 2019.
- Spiewak, Jim. ''It looks like weed, but it's not: Law enforcement warn of fentanyl disguised as cannabis.'' KUTV, October 22, 2019. Accessed November 10, 2019.
- Toronto Vibe. ''All about fentanyl.'' Accessed November 10, 2019.
- Mandel, Michele. ''Were teens poisoned with fentanyl-laced pot?'' Toronto Sun, May 16, 2019. Accessed November 10, 2019.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ''Overdose prevention.'' August 31, 2017. Accessed November 10, 2019.
- Medical Disclaimer: The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
- Johns Hopkins - Wikipedia
- Entrepreneur and philanthropist
- Johns Hopkins (May 19, 1795 '' December 24, 1873) was an American entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist of Baltimore, Maryland. His bequests founded numerous institutions bearing his name, most notably Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Johns Hopkins University (including its academic divisions such as Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies). Although historically noted as an abolitionist, recent research indicates that Johns Hopkins was a slave owner for at least part of his life.
- Early life [ edit ] Johns Hopkins was born on May 19, 1795.[2][3][4] He was one of eleven children born to Samuel Hopkins of Crofton, Maryland, and Hannah Janney, of Loudoun County, Virginia.[5] His home was Whitehall, a 500-acre (200 ha) tobacco plantation in Anne Arundel County.[6] His first name was inherited from his grandfather Johns Hopkins, who received his first name when his mother Margaret Johns married Gerard Hopkins.[5]
- The Hopkins family were of English descent and members of the Society of Friends (Quakers). They emancipated their slaves in 1778 in accordance with their local Society decree, which called for freeing the able-bodied and caring for the others, who would remain at the plantation and provide labor as they could.[7] The second eldest of eleven children, Johns was required to work on the farm alongside with his siblings and indentured and free Black laborers. From 1806 to 1809, he likely attended The Free School of Anne Arundel County, which was located in modern-day Davidsonville, Maryland.
- In 1812, at the age of 17, Hopkins left the plantation to work in his uncle Gerard Hopkins' Baltimore wholesale grocery business. While living with his uncle's family, Johns and his cousin, Elizabeth, fell in love; however, the Quaker taboo against marriage of first cousins was especially strong, and neither Johns nor Elizabeth ever married.[6]
- As he became able, Hopkins provided for his extended family, both during his life and posthumously through his will. He bequeathed a home for Elizabeth, where she lived until her death in 1889. He also gave $5,000 to his longest serving servant, James Jones.
- Whitehall Plantation is located in today's Crofton, Maryland. Its home, since modified, is on Johns Hopkins Road, adjacent to Riedel Road. The heavily landscaped property is surrounded by Walden Golf Course and bears a historic marker.
- Business years [ edit ] Share of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-Road Company, issued July 26, 1856; signed by Johns Hopkins as president pro. tem.
- Hopkins' early experiences and successes in business came when he was put in charge of the store while his uncle was away during the War of 1812. After seven years with his uncle, Hopkins went into business together with Benjamin Moore, a fellow Quaker. The business partnership was later dissolved with Moore alleging Hopkins' penchant for capital accumulation as the cause for the divide.[6]
- After Moore's withdrawal, Hopkins partnered with three of his brothers and established Hopkins & Brothers Wholesalers in 1819.[8] The company prospered by selling various wares in the Shenandoah Valley from Conestoga wagons, sometimes in exchange for corn whiskey, which was then sold in Baltimore as "Hopkins' Best". The bulk of Hopkins' fortune however was made by his judicious investments in myriad ventures, most notably the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O), of which he became a director in 1847 and chairman of the Finance Committee in 1855. He was also President of Merchants' Bank as well as director of a number of other organizations.[9] After a successful career, Hopkins was able to retire at the age of 52 in 1847.[8]
- A charitable individual, Hopkins put up his own money more than once to not only aid Baltimore City during times of financial crises, but also to twice bail the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad company out of debt, in 1857 and 1873.[10]
- In 1996, Johns Hopkins ranked 69th in "The Wealthy 100: From Benjamin Franklin to Bill Gates - A Ranking of the Richest Americans, Past and Present".[11]
- Civil War [ edit ] One of the first campaigns of the American Civil War was planned at Johns Hopkins' summer estate, Clifton, where he had also entertained a number of foreign dignitaries including the future King Edward VII.[6] Hopkins was a strong supporter of the Union, unlike some Marylanders, who sympathized with and often supported the South and the Confederacy.[12] During the Civil War, Clifton became a frequent meeting place for local Union sympathizers, and federal officials.
- Hopkins' support of Abraham Lincoln also often put him at odds with some of Maryland's most prominent people, particularly Supreme Court Justice Roger B. Taney, who continually opposed Lincoln's presidential decisions, such as his policies of limiting habeas corpus and stationing troops in Maryland. In 1862 Hopkins wrote a letter to Lincoln requesting the President not to heed the detractors' calls and continue to keep soldiers stationed in Maryland. Hopkins also pledged financial and logistic support to Lincoln, in particular the free use of the B&O railway system.[13][14]
- Abolitionism [ edit ] In 2020, Johns Hopkins University researchers discovered that Johns Hopkins may have owned or employed enslaved people who worked in his home and on his country estate, citing census records from 1840 and 1850.[15][16]
- Johns Hopkins' reputation as an abolitionist is currently disputed. An email sent from the Johns Hopkins University to all employees on December 9, 2020 stated "The current research done by Martha S. Jones and Allison Seyler finds no evidence to substantiate the description of Johns Hopkins as an abolitionist, and they have explored and brought to light a number of other relevant materials. They have been unable to document the story of Johns Hopkins' parents freeing enslaved people in 1807, but they have found a partial freeing of enslaved people in 1778 by Johns Hopkins' grandfather, and also continued slaveholding and transactions involving enslaved persons for decades thereafter. They have looked more closely at an 1838 letter from the Hopkins Brothers (a firm in which Johns Hopkins was a principal) in which an enslaved person is accepted as collateral for a debt owed, and recently located an additional obituary in which Johns Hopkins is described as holding antislavery political views (consistent with the letter conveying his established support for President Lincoln and the Union) and as purchasing an enslaved person for the purpose of securing his eventual freedom. Still other documents contain laudatory comments by Johns Hopkins' contemporaries, including prominent Black leaders, praising his visionary philanthropic support for the establishment of an orphanage for Black children."[17]
- A second group of scholars disputes the university's December 2020 declarations. In a paper published by the Open Science Foundation, these scholars argue that Johns Hopkins' parents and grandparents were devout Quakers who liberated the family's enslaved laborers prior to 1800, that Johns Hopkins was an emancipationist who supported the movement to end slavery within the limits of the laws governing Maryland, and that the available documentation, including relevant tax records these researchers have uncovered, does not support the university's claim that Johns Hopkins was a slaveholder.[18]
- Before the discovery of possible slaveholding or employment, Johns Hopkins had been described as being an "abolitionist before the word was even invented", having been represented as such both prior to the Civil War period, as well as during the Civil War and Reconstruction Era.[9][19][20] There are several accounts that describe the abolitionist influence Hopkins was privy to as a 12-year-old participant in his parents' emancipation of their family's slaves before 1800.[6] Prior to the Civil War, Johns Hopkins worked closely with two of America's most famous abolitionists, Myrtilla Miner[21] and Henry Ward Beecher.[21] During the Civil War, Johns Hopkins, being a staunch supporter of Lincoln and the Union, was instrumental in bringing fruition to Lincoln's emancipatory vision.[22]
- After the Civil War and during Reconstruction, Johns Hopkins' stance on abolitionism infuriated many prominent people in Baltimore.[23][24] During Reconstruction and up to his death[25] his abolitionism was expressed in the documents founding the Johns Hopkins Institutions, and reported in newspaper articles before, during, and after the founding of these institutions. Before the war, there was significant written opposition to his support for Myrtilla Miner's founding of a school for African American females (now the University of the District of Columbia).[26] In a letter to the editor, one subscriber to the widely circulated De Bow's Review wrote:
- "It now seems that the Abolitionists not only propose to colonize Virginia from their own numbers, but that they are about to make the District of Columbia, in the midst of the slave region, and once under the jurisdiction of a slave State, the centre of an education movement, which shall embrace the free negroes of the whole North. A vast negro boarding school or college is proposed to be established in the City of Washington, the site for which has been purchased. The proposed edifice is designed to accommodate 150 scholars, and to furnish homes for the teachers and pupils from a distance ... The names of the Trustees ought to be mentioned particularly, as some of them are Southern men, and it might interest the South to know who they are..."[26]
- Similarly, opposition (and some support) was expressed during Reconstruction, such as in 1867, the same year he filed papers incorporating the Johns Hopkins Institutions, when he attempted unsuccessfully to stop the convening of the Maryland Constitutional Convention where the Democratic Party came into power and where a new state Constitution, the Constitution still in effect, was voted to replace the 1864 Constitution of the Radical Republicans previously in power.[24]
- Apparent also in the literature of the times was opposition, and support for, the various other ways he expressed opposition to the racial practices that were beginning to emerge, and re-emerge as well, in the city of Baltimore, the state of Maryland, the nation, and in the posthumously constructed and founded institutions that would carry his name.[27] A Baltimore American journalist praised Hopkins for founding three institutions, a university, a hospital, and an orphan asylum, specifically for colored children, adding that Hopkins was a "man (beyond his times) who knew no race" citing his provisions for both blacks and whites in the plans for his hospital. The reporter also pointed to similarities between Benjamin Franklin's and Johns Hopkins' views on hospital care and construction, such as their shared interest in free hospitals and the availability of emergency services without prejudice. This article, first published in 1870, also accompanied Hopkins' obituary in the Baltimore American as a tribute in 1873. Cited in many of the newspaper articles on him during his lifetime and immediately after his death were his provisions of scholarships for the poor, and quality health services for the under-served without regard to their age, sex, or color, the colored children asylum and other orphanages, and the mentally ill and convalescents.
- A biography entitled Johns Hopkins: A Silhouette written by his cousin, Helen Hopkins Thom, was published in 1929 by the Johns Hopkins University Press. This biography was one source for the story that Hopkins was an abolitionist. In 2020 evidence was discovered that "the historical record makes clear that Hopkins claimed four men as his property on the 1850 Census and, before that, his business dealings included transactions in which Black Americans were among collateral for a loan."[3]
- Philanthropy [ edit ] Living his entire adult life in Baltimore, Hopkins made many friends among the city's social elite, many of them Quakers. One of these friends was George Peabody, who was also born in 1795, and who in 1857 founded the Peabody Institute in Baltimore. Other examples of public giving were evident in the city, as public buildings housing free libraries, schools, and foundations sprang up along the city's widening streets. On the advice of Peabody, some believe, Hopkins determined to use his great wealth for the public good.
- The Civil War had taken its toll on Baltimore, however, as did the yellow fever and cholera epidemics that repeatedly ravaged the nation's cities, killing 853 in Baltimore in the summer of 1832 alone. Hopkins was keenly aware of the city's need for medical facilities, particularly in light of the medical advances made during the war, and in 1870 he made a will setting aside seven million dollars '-- mostly in B&O stock '-- for the incorporation of a free hospital and affiliated medical and nurse's training colleges, as well as an orphanage for colored children and a university. The hospital and orphan asylum would each be overseen by the 12-member hospital board of trustees, and the university by the 12-member university board of trustees. Many board members were on both boards. Johns Hopkins' bequest was used to posthumously found the Johns Hopkins Colored Children Orphan Asylum[28] first as he requested, in 1875; the Johns Hopkins University in 1876; the Johns Hopkins Press, the longest continuously operating academic press in America, in 1878; the Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing in 1889; the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1893; and the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health in 1916.[citation needed ]
- Johns Hopkins' views on his bequests, and on the duties and responsibilities of the two boards of trustees, especially the hospital board of trustees led by his friend and fellow Quaker Francis King, were formally stated primarily in four documents, the incorporation papers filed in 1867, his instruction letter to the hospital trustees dated March 12, 1873, his will, which was quoted from extensively in his Baltimore Sun obituary,[29] and in his will's two codicils, one dated 1870 and the other dated 1873.[30]
- In these documents, Hopkins also made provisions for scholarships to be provided for poor youths in the states where Johns Hopkins had made his wealth, as well as assistance to orphanages other than the one for African American children, to members of his family, to those he employed, black and white, his cousin Elizabeth, and, again, to other institutions for the care and education of youths regardless of color, and the care of the elderly, and the ill, including the mentally ill, and convalescents.
- John Rudolph Niernsee, one of the most famous architects of the time, designed the orphan asylum and helped to design the Johns Hopkins Hospital. The original site for the Johns Hopkins University had been chosen personally by Hopkins. According to his will, it was to be located at his summer estate, Clifton. However, a decision was made not to found the university there. The property, now owned by the city of Baltimore, is the site of a golf course and a park named Clifton Park. While the Johns Hopkins Colored Children Orphan Asylum was founded by the hospital trustees, the other institutions that carry the name of "Johns Hopkins" were founded under the administration of the first president of the Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Hospital, Daniel Coit Gilman and his successors.
- Colored Children Orphan Asylum [ edit ] As per Johns Hopkins' instruction letter, the Johns Hopkins Colored Children Orphan Asylum (JHCCOA)[31] was founded first, in 1875, a year before Gilman's inauguration, now the founding date of the university. The construction of the asylum, including its educational and living facilities, was praised by The Nation and the Baltimore American, the latter stating that the orphan asylum was a place where "nothing was wanting that could benefit science and humanity". As was done for other Johns Hopkins Institutions, it was planned after visits and correspondence with similar institutions in Europe and America.
- The Johns Hopkins Orphan Asylum opened with 24 boys and girls. Under Gilman and his successors, this orphanage was later changed to serve as an orphanage and training school for black female orphans principally as domestic workers, and next as an "orthopedic convalescent" home and school for "colored crippled" children and orphans. The asylum was eventually closed in 1924 nearly fifty years after it opened, and was never reopened.
- Hospital, university, press, and schools of nursing and medicine [ edit ] As per Hopkins' March 1873 Instruction Letter, the school of nursing was founded alongside the hospital in 1889 by the hospital board of trustees in consultation with Florence Nightingale. Both the nursing school and the hospital were founded over a decade after the founding of the orphan asylum in 1875 and the university in 1876. Hopkins' instruction letter explicitly stated his vision for the hospital; first, to provide assistance to the poor of "all races", no matter the indigent patient's "age, sex or color"; second, that wealthier patients would pay for services and thereby subsidize the care provided to the indigent; third, that the hospital would be the administrative unit for the orphan asylum for African American children, which was to receive $25,000 in annual support out of the hospital's half of the endowment; and fourth, that the hospital and orphan asylum should serve 400 patients and 400 children respectively; fifth, that the hospital should be part of the university, and, sixth, that religion but not sectarianism should be an influence in the hospital.
- By the end of Gilman's presidency, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Press, Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and Johns Hopkins Colored Children Orphan Asylum had been founded; the latter by the trustees, and the others in the order listed under the Gilman administration. "Sex" and "color" were major issues in the early history of the Johns Hopkins Institutions. The founding of the school of nursing is usually linked to Johns Hopkins' statements in his March 1873 instruction letter to the trustees that: "I desire you to establish, in connection with the hospital, a training school for female nurses. This provision will secure the services of women competent to care for those sick in the hospital wards, and will enable you to benefit the whole community by supplying it with a class of trained and experienced nurses".
- Legacy [ edit ] Hopkins died on December 24, 1873 in Baltimore.[4]
- Following Hopkins' death, The Baltimore Sun wrote a lengthy obituary that closed thus: "In the death of Johns Hopkins a career has been closed which affords a rare example of successful energy in individual accumulations, and of practical beneficence in devoting the gains thus acquired to the public." His contribution to the university that has become his greatest legacy was, by all accounts, the largest philanthropic bequest ever made to an American educational institution.
- Johns Hopkins' Quaker faith and his early life experiences, in particular the 1778 emancipation, had a lasting influence throughout his life and his posthumous legacy as a businessman, railroad man, banker, investor, ship owner,[32] philanthropist, and a founder of several Institutions. From very early on, Johns Hopkins had looked upon his wealth as a trust to benefit future generations. He is said to have told his gardener that: "like the man in the parable, I have had many talents given to me and I feel they are in trust. I shall not bury them but give them to the lads who long for a wider education"; his philosophy quietly anticipated Andrew Carnegie's much-publicized Gospel of Wealth by more than 25 years.[6]
- In 1973, Johns Hopkins was cited prominently in the Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Americans: The Democratic Experience by Daniel Boorstin, former Librarian of Congress. From November 14, 1975, to September 6, 1976, a portrait of Hopkins was displayed at the National Portrait Gallery in an exhibit on the democratization of America based on Boorstin's book. In 1989, the United States Postal Service issued a $1 postage stamp in Johns Hopkins' honor, as part of the Great Americans series.[33]
- References [ edit ] ^ Klepper, Michael; Gunther, Michael (1996), The Wealthy 100: From Benjamin Franklin to Bill Gates'--A Ranking of the Richest Americans, Past and Present , Secaucus, New Jersey: Carol Publishing Group, p. xiii, ISBN 978-0-8065-1800-8, OCLC 33818143 ^ "Reexamining the history of our founder". December 9, 2020 . Retrieved December 9, 2020 . ^ a b Jones, Martha S. (9 December 2020). "The founder of Johns Hopkins owned enslaved people. Our university must face a reckoning". Washington Post . Retrieved 13 December 2020 . ^ a b "Death of Johns Hopkins", The Baltimore Sun, December 25, 1873 ^ a b Jacob, Kathryn A. "Mr. Johns Hopkins." Mr. Johns Hopkins. Johns Hopkins University, n.d. Web. 07 Oct. 2013. <"Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-10-17 . Retrieved 2009-10-04 . CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) >. ^ a b c d e f Kathryn A. Jacob (January 1974). "Mr. Johns Hopkins". The Johns Hopkins Magazine. 25 (1). The Johns Hopkins University. pp. 13''17. Archived from the original on 2004-08-25 . Retrieved 2009-10-04 . ^ Hopkins Thom, Helen (1929), Johns Hopkins: A Silhouette, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press , retrieved 2009-10-04 '-- the first and only book-length biography on Johns Hopkins. Used as source by Jacob cited above, Findalibrary. ^ a b "Hopkins, Johns." Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Chicago: Encyclop...dia Britannica, 2012. Credo Reference. Web. 07 October 2013. ^ a b "If He Could See Us Now: Mr. Johns Hopkins' Legacy Strong University, hospital benefactor turned 200 on May 19, 1995, Mike Field, Staff Writer, The Gazette, The Newspaper of the Johns Hopkins University". Jhu.edu . Retrieved 2009-10-04 . ^ Johns Hopkins, Maryland State Archives [dead link ] ^ "The Wealthy 100: From Benjamin Franklin to Bill Gates - A Ranking of the Richest Americans, Past and Present". Adherents.com. Archived from the original on 2019-08-12 . Retrieved 2009-10-04 . ^ [1] [permanent dead link ] Baltimore and the Nineteenth of April, 1861: A Study of the War is the memoir of George William Brown an ex-mayor of Baltimore city. ^ "The Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress". Library of Congress . Retrieved 2009-10-04 . ^ "Border Town, Style Magazine, 2005". Baltimorestyle.com. Archived from the original on 2009-11-03 . Retrieved 2009-10-04 . ^ "Contrary to century-old family lore, Johns Hopkins was an enslaver". The Johns Hopkins News-Letter . Retrieved 2020-12-11 . ^ "Hopkins researchers discover namesake benefactor owned slaves". wbal.com . Retrieved 9 December 2020 . ^ Phil Helsel (December 9, 2020). "Johns Hopkins, long believed by university to be abolitionist, owned slaves, records show". NBC News. ^ Van Morgan, Sydney; Becker, Stan; Hopkins, Samuel B.; Papenfuse, Edward C. (2021-05-18). "Johns Hopkins and Slavery". Open Science Framework. Center for Open Science. doi:10.31219/osf.io/zra5f . ^ [2] The Racial Record of Johns Hopkins University in the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, No. 25, Autumn, 1999, pp. 42''43 in JSTOR ^ [3] See Jacob's 1974 article and Thom's 1929 biography]. ^ a b "Myrtilla Miner, 2007 Encyclop...dia Britannica's Guide to Black History". Britannica.com . Retrieved 2009-10-04 . ^ "Johns Hopkins' letter to Lincoln". Library of Congress . Retrieved 2009-10-04 . ^ The Baltimore Sun articles, which can be found online in the Maryland Archives, and William Starr Myers' book on "self-reconstruction" in Maryland, ^ a b William Starr Myers (1857). The Self-Reconstruction of Maryland, 1864''1867. Johns Hopkins University Studies in Historical and Political Science, Under the Direction of the Departments of History, Political Economy, and Political Science. [clarification needed ] ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-04-15 . Retrieved 2013-04-17 . CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Documents cited in "Chronology", Johns Hopkins University's website. See also "The History of African Americans @ Johns Hopkins University", in particular its chronology and the paper by Danton Rodriguez, "The Racial Record of Johns Hopkins University in the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, No. 25, Autumn, 1999, pp. 42''43 in JSTOR ^ a b [https://books.google.com/books?id=5iUoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA669&lpg=PA664&ots=LEIrCzvPh1&dq=DeBow,+%22Johns+Hopkins%22&output=text#c_top DeBow's Review, Volume 22. ^ [4] Archived 2016-12-01 at the Wayback Machine "The History of African Americans @ Johns Hopkins University"; see in particular its chronology and the paper by Danton Rodriguez and the chronology on Johns Hopkins University's website cited immediately above. Wolff in a recent article on Baltimore and education during Reconstruction stated that what he saw emerging, during Reconstruction was "slavery under a different name", the disenfranchisement and other practices proposed before the war being carried out after the Civil War. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2006-09-01 . Retrieved 2006-10-28 . CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Johns Hopkins University's Website, The Institutional Records of The Johns Hopkins Hospital Colored Orphan Asylum ^ [5] Obituary, The Baltimore Sun, December 25, 1873 in Johns Hopkins Gazette, Jan. 4, 1999, v. 28, no. 16 ^ [6] The Chronicles of Baltimore: Being a Complete History of "Baltimore Town and Baltimore City from the Earliest Period to the Present Time published in 1874, John Thomas Scharf cited the 1873 instruction letter to the hospital trustees and a city council resolution thanking Johns Hopkins for his philanthropy. Thom's biography and New York and Maryland newspapers were sources that published parts or all of this letter. ^ [7] Archived July 21, 2006, at the Wayback Machine Johns Hopkins Dream for a Model of its Kind: The JHH Colored Orphans Asylum, abstract, 2000 Conference International Society for the History of Medicine By Dr. P. Reynolds ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-04-20 . Retrieved 2008-05-20 . CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) "Merchants & Miners Transportation Co.", [8] "Troopships of World War II" ^ Scott catalog # 2194A. External links [ edit ] Hopkins Family Papers, Sheridan Libraries, Johns Hopkins UniversityThom and Jacob discuss his love for his cousin and Quaker traditionsIn his 1887 memoir, Baltimore and the Nineteenth of April, 1861: A Study of the War, George William Brown cites Johns Hopkins as a wealthy Union man in Baltimore, a city with strong Confederate and Southern leaningsIn The Chronicles of Baltimore: Being a Complete History of "Baltimore Town" and Baltimore City from the Earliest Period to the Present Time published in 1874, John Thomas Scharf cited the 1873 instruction letter to the hospital trustees and a city council resolution thanking Johns Hopkins for his philanthropy. Thom's biography and New York and Maryland newspapers were sources that published parts or all of this letter"If He Could See Us Now: Mr. Johns Hopkins' Legacy Strong University, Hospital Benefactor Turned 200 on May 19, 1995" by Mike Field a writer for the Johns Hopkins Gazette. Field, Thom, and Jacob called Johns Hopkins an abolitionist. See also The Racial Record of Johns Hopkins University in the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, No. 25, Autumn, 1999, pp. 42''43/ JSTORJohns Hopkins, Maryland State Archives
- Israel admits Ethiopian women were given birth control shots - Israel News - Haaretz.com
- A government official has for the first time acknowledged the practice of injecting women of Ethiopian origin with the long-acting contraceptive Depo-Provera.
- Why is the birth rate in Israel's Ethiopian community declining? Israeli minister appointing team to probe Ethiopian birth control shot controversy Culture Fop / Broadway shines a spotlight on Israel's racism problem Is this Israel's Michael Brown? Click here to subscribe to Haaretz.com ($1 for the first 4 weeks).Health Ministry Director General Prof. Roni Gamzu has instructed the four health maintenance organizations to stop the practice as a matter of course.
- Gamzu's letter instructs all gynecologists in the HMOs "not to renew prescriptions for Depo-Provera if for any reason there is concern that they might not understand the ramifications of the treatment.''
- He also instructed physicians to avail themselves of translators if need be.Gamzu's letter came in response to a letter from Sharona Eliahu-Chai of the Association of Civil Rights in Israel, representing several women's rights and Ethiopian immigrants' groups. The letter demanded the injections cease immediately and that an investigation be launched into the practice.
- About six weeks ago, on an Educational Television program journalist Gal Gabbay revealed the results of interviews with 35 Ethiopian immigrants. The women's testimony could help explain the almost 50-percent decline over the past 10 years in the birth rate of Israel's Ethiopian community. According to the program, while the women were still in transit camps in Ethiopia they were sometimes intimidated or threatened into taking the injection. ''They told us they are inoculations,'' said one of the women interviewed. ''They told us people who frequently give birth suffer. We took it every three months. We said we didn't want to.''
- Henrietta Lacks family hires attorney Ben Crump in bid to seek funds over famous cells - The Washington Post
- BALTIMORE '-- The family of Henrietta Lacks has hired a prominent civil rights attorney, who says he plans to seek compensation for them from big pharmaceutical companies across the country that made fortunes off medical research with her famous cancer cells.
- An attorney for the Lacks family said a legal team is investigating lawsuits against as many as 100 defendants, mostly pharmaceutical companies, but they haven't ruled out a case against the Johns Hopkins Hospital.
- A Hopkins doctor collected a sample of cancer cells from the young mother without her knowledge or permission nearly 70 years ago. Those cells '-- the first to live outside the body in a glass tube '-- brought decades of medical advances. Her cells later became the most widely used human cells in scientific research.
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- Dubbed the ''HeLa'' cells, they have been used to develop everything from coronavirus vaccines to sunscreen, attorney Ben Crump said. Vaccines, cancer treatments and in vitro fertilization are among the many medical techniques derived from her cells. Crump said it's an example of the long and troubling history of the medical exploitation of Black people in America.
- ''Never was that more apparent than with the tragedy of how they exploited Henrietta Lacks,'' he said.
- Crump, who represented the families of George Floyd, Michael Brown and other Black men killed by police, appeared Thursday at Greater Faith Baptist Church in North Baltimore with some of Lacks's descendants, ranging from her 86-year-old oldest son to great-grandchildren.
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- Individual family members have talked publicly for years about pursuing legal action against Hopkins and other institutions that used her cells. On Thursday, for the first time, more than a dozen family members stood united in that effort behind one of the country's leading civil rights attorneys.
- Retropolis: Can the 'immortal cells' of Henrietta Lacks sue for their own rights?
- In addition to Crump, the family is represented by the New York-based trial lawyer Christopher Seeger, who helped win billion-dollar settlements against such companies as Volkswagen and the producer of the painkiller Vioxx. Seeger said the team plans to file the first lawsuits Oct. 4, the day Lacks died 70 years ago.
- ''This is the greatest example of corporate theft I've seen in my career, and I've been pursuing pharmaceutical companies for 25 years,'' Seeger said. ''They took something from this family and have offered them nothing, yet they've gone out and made millions of dollars.''
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- The news conference signals a shift in strategy as Lacks's family seeks to collect from pharmaceutical companies, though neither Crump nor Seeger would name a specific company they might sue on behalf of the Lacks family.
- Lawrence Lacks, her eldest son, said in a 2017 interview that he intended to sue the Johns Hopkins University. But Hopkins officials have long contended the institution never patented her cell line and therefore doesn't own the rights to it and never profited.
- Hopkins officials have noted that when her cells were taken there was no established practice for informing or obtaining consent from donors, nor were there regulations on the use of cells in research.
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- Lacks's story won national attention after Rebecca Skloot wrote a bestseller, ''The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,'' which was made into an HBO movie with Oprah Winfrey four years ago.
- In its effort to honor Lacks's contributions to clinical research and health, Johns Hopkins has worked with some of her family members to develop programs, including scholarships and engagement with local schools. It's also naming a building on Hopkins medical campus in East Baltimore after her.
- Johns Hopkins names building to honor Henrietta Lacks and her 'immortal' cells
- Some of Lacks's descendants, however, said her memory has been smeared over the years by myriad false claims, including suggestions that she was illiterate and signed her name with an ''X.'' They spoke of not only ''reparations'' for the taking of her cells but reclaiming the story of their mother and grandmother.
- ''At what point does a person's property and cells belong to them?'' said Alan Wilks, one of her grandsons.
- Wilks and his relatives wore red face masks with her picture and buttons with her name at Thursday's event. Inside the church, when Crump called out, they shouted back in unison.
- ''Say her name!'' ''Henrietta Lacks!'' ''Say her name!'' ''Henrietta Lacks!''
- Henrietta Lacks and her contribution to Covid-19 vaccine | World News - Hindustan Times
- Everywhere in the world the scientific community is racing against time to save humanity from the ongoing pandemic. Scientists and frontline workers are being hailed for their selfless service, but one individual who awaits her due is Henrietta Lacks '-- a black tobacco farmer who died at 31 from an aggressive form of cancer. Her cells, says American Virologist Angela Rasmussen, were used to study the effect of SARS-CoV on humans, providing inputs for the development of a vaccine.
- Who is Henrietta Lacks and why is she important?
- Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1951 at the age of just 31. At the time, many hospitals in the US practised segregating black patients from white patients, which reduced her options for seeking treatment. She ended up at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, in a ward located down the hall from George Gey, a researcher who had been attempting to grow human cells in his lab for decades. Her doctor sent some of her cells to Gey without her consent, changing the course of medicine forever.
- Lacks's cell had the ability to divide and replicate indefinitely, whereas normal human cells are able to do that around 50 times, making it easier for researchers to grow the culture of identical cells quickly. Soon scientists all over the world started using her cell lines for furthering their research. They were used to carry out research for the first polio vaccine, for in-vitro fertilization, for cancer, and most recently for studying the effects of SARS-CoV replication in the human body. Scientists began to dub the cell line cultivated from her as HeLa, in her honour, but for the longest time, her own family was not aware of her contribution.
- What are the ethical issues behind HeLa cells?
- Journalist Rebecca Skloot was the first one to connect the dots and trace her DNA 50 years later, raising questions on ethics and racial injustice. HeLa cells brought in enormous profits for biotech companies but none of that ever benefited her family and her community. As Covid-19 wreaks havoc on America's racial minorities, scientists are being forced to confront the historically unequal treatment meted out to blacks and other minorities.
- Cells are also derived from elective abortions, one such cell line actively used in vaccine research in the past is the HEK-293, a human embryo that was selectively aborted in the Netherlands, much to the dismay of the Catholic leaders in North America. This group urged the US Food and Drug Administration to instead provide incentives for Covid-19 vaccines that do not use fetal cell lines.
- The HeLa cells, however, spell out a different set of questions and possibilities. While asking the scientific community to not disregard the many contributions blacks have made over the years, also brings up the prospect of 'restorative justice', according to Yolonda Wilson, a bioethicist at Howard University in Washington. Lacks's descendants who recently marked her 100th anniversary of her birth in August have expressed similar hopes.
- Once vaccination commences in full swing, a chance to correct a historical wrong will present itself.
- Henrietta Lacks - Wikipedia
- African-American woman whose cancer cells produced the HeLa immortalised cell line
- Henrietta Lacks circa 1945''1951
- ( 1920-08-01 ) August 1, 1920DiedOctober 4, 1951 (1951-10-04) (aged 31)MonumentsHenrietta Lacks Health and Bioscience High School; historical marker at Clover, VirginiaOccupationHousewife, Tobacco farmer[1]Height5 ft (150 cm) tall Spouse(s) David Lacks (1915''2002) m. 1941ChildrenLawrence LacksElsie Lacks (1939''1955)David "Sonny" Lacks Jr.Deborah Lacks Pullum (1949''2009)Zakariyya Bari Abdul Rahman (born Joseph Lacks)Parent(s)Eliza (1886''1924) and John Randall Pleasant I (1881''1969)Henrietta Lacks (born Loretta Pleasant; August 1, 1920 '' October 4, 1951)[1] was an African-American woman[4] whose cancer cells are the source of the HeLa cell line, the first immortalized human cell line[A] and one of the most important cell lines in medical research. An immortalized cell line reproduces indefinitely under specific conditions, and the HeLa cell line continues to be a source of invaluable medical data to the present day.[6]
- Lacks was the unwitting source of these cells from a tumor biopsied during treatment for cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., in 1951. These cells were then cultured by George Otto Gey who created the cell line known as HeLa, which is still used for medical research.[7] As was then the practice, no consent was required to culture the cells obtained from Lacks's treatment. Consistent with contemporary standards, neither she nor her family were compensated for their extraction or use.
- Even though some information about the origins of HeLa's immortalized cell lines was known to researchers after 1970, the Lacks family was not made aware of the line's existence until 1975. With knowledge of the cell line's genetic provenance becoming public, its use for medical research and for commercial purposes continues to raise concerns about privacy and patients' rights.
- Biography [ edit ] Early life [ edit ] Henrietta Lacks was born Loretta Pleasant on August 1, 1920,[1] in Roanoke, Virginia, to Eliza Pleasant (nee Lacks) (1886''1924) and John "Johnny" Randall Pleasant (1881''1969). She is remembered as having hazel eyes, a small waist, size 6 shoes, and always wearing red nail polish and a neatly pleated skirt.[10] Her family is uncertain how her name changed from Loretta to Henrietta, but she was nicknamed Hennie.[1] When Lacks was four years old in 1924, her mother died giving birth to her tenth child. Unable to care for the children alone after his wife's death, Lacks's father moved the family to Clover, Virginia, where the children were distributed among relatives. Lacks ended up with her maternal grandfather, Thomas "Tommy" Henry Lacks, in a two-story log cabin that was once the slave quarters on the plantation that had been owned by Henrietta's white great-grandfather and great-uncle.[1] She shared a room with her nine-year-old first cousin (their mothers were sisters) and future husband, David "Day" Lacks (1915''2002).
- Like most members of her family living in Clover, Lacks worked as a tobacco farmer starting from an early age. She fed the animals, tended the garden, and toiled in the tobacco fields. She attended the designated black school two miles away from the cabin until she had to drop out to help support the family in the sixth grade.[11] In 1935, when Lacks was 14 years old, she gave birth to a son, Lawrence Lacks. In 1939, her daughter Elsie Lacks (1939''1955) was born. Both children were fathered by Day Lacks. Elsie had epilepsy and cerebral palsy[12] and was described by the family as "different" or "deaf and dumb".[1]
- Marriage and family [ edit ] On April 10, 1941, David "Day" Lacks and Henrietta Lacks were married in Halifax County, Virginia.[1] Later that year, their cousin, Fred Garrett, convinced the couple to leave the tobacco farm in Virginia and move to Turner Station, near Dundalk, Maryland, in Baltimore County, so Day could work in Bethlehem Steel at Sparrows Point Maryland. Not long after they moved to Maryland, Garrett was called to fight in World War II. With the savings gifted to him by Garrett, Day Lacks was able to purchase a house at 713 New Pittsburgh Avenue in Turner Station. Now part of Dundalk, Turner Station was one of the oldest and largest African-American communities in Baltimore County at that time.[13][14]
- Living in Maryland, Henrietta and Day Lacks had three more children: David "Sonny" Lacks Jr. in 1947, Deborah Lacks (later known as Deborah Lacks Pullum) in 1949 (died 2009), and Joseph Lacks (later known as Zakariyya Bari Abdul Rahman after converting to Islam) in 1950.[15] Henrietta gave birth to her last child at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore in November 1950, four and a half months before she was diagnosed with cervical cancer.[1] Zakariyya believes his birth to be a miracle as he was "fighting off the cancer cells growing all around him". Around the same time, Elsie was placed in the Hospital for the Negro Insane, later renamed Crownsville Hospital Center, where Elsie died in 1955 at the age of 15 years old.[1] Historian Paul Lurz says that it is possible that Elsie was subjected to the pneumoencephalography procedure where a hole was drilled into a patient's head to drain fluid from the brain which was then replaced with oxygen or helium to make it easier to see the patient's brain in X-rays.[12]
- Both Lacks and her husband were Catholic.[16]
- Illness [ edit ] Diagnosis and treatment [ edit ] On January 29, 1951, Lacks went to Johns Hopkins, the only hospital in the area that treated black patients, because she felt a "knot" in her womb. She had previously told her cousins about the "knot" and they assumed correctly that she was pregnant. But after giving birth to Joseph, Lacks had a severe hemorrhage. Her primary care doctor tested her for syphilis, which came back negative, and referred her back to Johns Hopkins. There, her doctor, Howard W. Jones, took a biopsy of a mass found on Lacks's cervix for laboratory testing. Soon after, Lacks was told that she had a malignant epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix.[B] In 1970, physicians discovered that she had been misdiagnosed and actually had an adenocarcinoma.[C] This was a common mistake at the time, and the treatment would not have differed.
- Lacks was treated with radium tube inserts as an inpatient and discharged a few days later with instructions to return for X-ray treatments as a follow-up. During her treatments, two samples were taken from Lacks's cervix without her permission or knowledge; one sample was of healthy tissue and the other was cancerous. These samples were given to George Otto Gey, a physician and cancer researcher at Johns Hopkins. The cells from the cancerous sample eventually became known as the HeLa immortal cell line, a commonly used cell line in contemporary biomedical research.[1]
- Death and burial [ edit ] On August 8, 1951, Lacks, who was 31 years old, went to Johns Hopkins for a routine treatment session and asked to be admitted due to continued severe abdominal pain. She received blood transfusions and remained at the hospital until her death on October 4, 1951. A partial autopsy showed that the cancer had metastasized throughout her entire body.[1][24]
- Lacks Town Road in Clover, Virginia, near where Lacks grew up and is buried
- Lacks was buried in an unmarked grave in the family cemetery in a place called Lackstown in Halifax County, Virginia. Lackstown is the name that was given to the land in Clover, Virginia, that was originally owned by slave-owning members of the Lacks family in the antebellum South.
- Lacks's exact burial location is unknown, but the family believes that it is within a few feet of her mother's grave site, which for decades was the only one in the family to have been marked with a tombstone.[1][24][25] In 2010, Roland Pattillo, a faculty member of the Morehouse School of Medicine who had worked with George Gey and knew the Lacks family, donated a headstone for Lacks.[27] This prompted her family to raise money for a headstone for Elsie Lacks as well, which was dedicated on the same day.[27] The book-shaped headstone of Henrietta Lacks contains an epitaph written by her grandchildren that reads:[1]
- Henrietta Lacks, August 1, 1920 - October 4, 1951 In loving memory of a phenomenal woman, wife and mother who touched the lives of many.Here lies Henrietta Lacks (HeLa). Her immortal cells will continue to help mankind forever.Eternal Love and Admiration, From Your Family[28]
- Medical and scientific research [ edit ] Dividing HeLa cells in culture. The cells can be seen
- telophase, different stages of cell division.
- George Otto Gey, the first researcher to study Lacks's cancerous cells, observed that these cells were unusual in that they reproduced at a very high rate and could be kept alive long enough to allow more in-depth examination.[29] Until then, cells cultured for laboratory studies survived for only a few days at most, which was not long enough to perform a variety of different tests on the same sample. Lacks's cells were the first to be observed that could be divided multiple times without dying, which is why they became known as "immortal". After Lacks's death, Gey had Mary Kubicek, his lab assistant, take further HeLa samples while Henrietta's body was at Johns Hopkins' autopsy facility.[30] The roller-tube technique[D] was the method used to culture the cells obtained from the samples that Kubicek collected.[32] Gey was able to start a cell line from Lacks's sample by isolating one specific cell and repeatedly dividing it, meaning that the same cell could then be used for conducting many experiments. They became known as HeLa cells, because Gey's standard method for labeling samples was to use the first two letters of the patient's first and last names.[1]
- The ability to rapidly reproduce HeLa cells in a laboratory setting has led to many important breakthroughs in biomedical research. For example, by 1954, Jonas Salk was using HeLa cells in his research to develop the polio vaccine.[24] To test his new vaccine, the cells were mass-produced in the first-ever cell production factory. Additionally, Chester M. Southam, a leading virologist, injected HeLa cells into cancer patients, prison inmates, and healthy individuals in order to observe whether cancer could be transmitted as well as to examine if one could become immune to cancer by developing an acquired immune response.
- HeLa cells were in high demand and put into mass production. They were mailed to scientists around the globe for "research into cancer, AIDS, the effects of radiation and toxic substances, gene mapping, and countless other scientific pursuits".[24] HeLa cells were the first human cells successfully cloned in 1955,[35] and have since been used to test human sensitivity to tape, glue, cosmetics, and many other products.[1] There are almost 11,000 patents involving HeLa cells.[1]
- In the early 1970s, a large portion of other cell cultures became contaminated by HeLa cells. As a result, members of Henrietta Lacks's family received solicitations for blood samples from researchers hoping to learn about the family's genetics in order to differentiate between HeLa cells and other cell lines.[36][37]
- Alarmed and confused, several family members began questioning why they were receiving so many telephone calls requesting blood samples. In 1975, the family also learned through a chance dinner-party conversation that material originating in Henrietta Lacks was continuing to be used for medical research.[24] The family had never discussed Henrietta's illness and death among themselves in the intervening years but with the increased curiosity about their mother and her genetics, they now began to ask questions.[1]
- Consent issues and privacy concerns [ edit ] Neither Henrietta Lacks nor her family gave her physicians permission to harvest her cells. At that time, permission was neither required nor customarily sought.[38] The cells were used in medical research and for commercial purposes.[24][1] In the 1980s, family medical records were published without family consent. A similar issue was brought up in the Supreme Court of California case of Moore v. Regents of the University of California in 1990. The court ruled that a person's discarded tissue and cells are not their property and can be commercialized.
- In March 2013, researchers published the DNA sequence of the genome of a strain of HeLa cells. The Lacks family discovered this when the author Rebecca Skloot informed them.[36] There were objections from the Lacks family about the genetic information that was available for public access. Jeri Lacks Whye, a grandchild of Henrietta Lacks, said to The New York Times, "the biggest concern was privacy'--what information was actually going to be out there about our grandmother, and what information they can obtain from her sequencing that will tell them about her children and grandchildren and going down the line." That same year another group working on a different HeLa cell line's genome under National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding submitted it for publication. In August 2013, an agreement was announced between the family and the NIH that gave the family some control over access to the cells' DNA sequence found in the two studies along with a promise of acknowledgement in scientific papers. In addition, two family members will join the six-member committee which will regulate access to the sequence data.[E][36]
- Recognition [ edit ] In 1996, Morehouse School of Medicine held its first annual HeLa Women's Health Conference. Led by physician Roland Pattillo, the conference is held to give recognition to Henrietta Lacks, her cell line, and "the valuable contribution made by African Americans to medical research and clinical practice".[41][27][42] The mayor of Atlanta declared the date of the first conference, October 11, 1996, "Henrietta Lacks Day".
- Lacks's contributions continue to be celebrated at yearly events in Turner Station.[44][45] At one such event in 1997, then-U.S. Congressman from Maryland, Robert Ehrlich, presented a congressional resolution recognizing Lacks and her contributions to medical science and research.[46]
- In 2010, the Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research established the annual Henrietta Lacks Memorial Lecture Series[47] to honor Henrietta Lacks and the global impact of HeLa cells on medicine and research.[48] During the 2018 lectures, the University announced the naming of a new building on the medical campus for Lacks.[49]
- In 2011, Morgan State University in Baltimore granted Lacks a posthumous honorary doctorate in public service.[50] Also in 2011, the Evergreen School District in Vancouver, Washington, named their new high school focused on medical careers the Henrietta Lacks Health and Bioscience High School, becoming the first organization to memorialize her publicly by naming a school in her honor.[51][52]
- In 2014, Lacks was inducted into the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame.[53][54] In 2017, a minor planet in the main asteroid belt was named "359426 Lacks" in her honor.[55][56]
- In 2018, The New York Times published a belated obituary for her,[57] as part of the Overlooked history project.[58][59] Also in 2018, the National Portrait Gallery and the National Museum of African-American History and Culture jointly announced the accession of a portrait of Lacks by Kadir Nelson.[60]
- On October 6, 2018, Johns Hopkins University announced plans to name a research building in honor of Lacks.[61] The announcement was made at the 9th annual Henrietta Lacks Memorial Lecture in the Turner Auditorium in East Baltimore by Johns Hopkins University President Ronald J. Daniels and Paul B. Rothman, CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine and dean of the medical faculty of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, surrounded by several of Lacks's descendants. "Through her life and her immortal cells, Henrietta Lacks made an immeasurable impact on science and medicine that has touched countless lives around the world," Daniels said. "This building will stand as a testament to her transformative impact on scientific discovery and the ethics that must undergird its pursuit. We at Johns Hopkins are profoundly grateful to the Lacks family for their partnership as we continue to learn from Mrs. Lacks's life and to honor her enduring legacy." The building will adjoin the Berman Institute of Bioethics' Deering Hall, located at the corner of Ashland and Rutland Avenues and "will support programs that enhance participation and partnership with members of the community in research that can benefit the community, as well as extend the opportunities to further study and promote research ethics and community engagement in research through an expansion of the Berman Institute and its work."[61]
- In 2020, Lacks was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.[62]
- In 2021, the Henrietta Lacks Enhancing Cancer Research Act of 2019 became law; it states the Government Accountability Office must complete a study about barriers to participation that exist in cancer clinical trials that are federally funded for populations that have been underrepresented in such trials.[63]
- In 2021, the University of Bristol in the UK commissioned a statue of Henrietta Lacks to be displayed in the University. The sculpture will be created by Helen Wilson-Roe and will be the first statue of a black woman made by a black woman in the UK.[64]
- In popular culture [ edit ] The question of how and whether her race affected her treatment, the lack of obtaining consent, and her relative obscurity, continues to be controversial.[65][66]
- The HeLa cell line's connection to Henrietta Lacks was first brought to popular attention in March 1976 with a pair of articles in the Detroit Free Press[67] and Rolling Stone written by reporter Michael Rogers.[68] In 1998, Adam Curtis directed a BBC documentary about Henrietta Lacks called The Way of All Flesh.[69]
- Rebecca Skloot documented extensive histories of both the HeLa cell line and the Lacks family in two articles published in 2000[25] and 2001[70] and in her 2010 book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Skloot worked with Deborah Lacks, who was determined to learn more about her mother, on the book.[10] She used her first royalty check from the book to start the Henrietta Lacks Foundation, which has provided funds like college tuition and medical procedures for Henrietta's family.[71]
- HBO announced in 2010 that Oprah Winfrey and Alan Ball were developing a film project based on Skloot's book,[27] and in 2016 filming commenced.[72][73] with Winfrey in the leading role of Deborah Lacks, Henrietta's daughter.[74][75] The film The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was released in 2017, with Ren(C)e Elise Goldsberry portraying Lacks. Sons David Lacks Jr. and Zakariyya Rahman and granddaughter Jeri Lacks, were consultants for the film.
- HBO also commissioned Kadir Nelson for an oil painting of Lacks. In 2018, the Portrait was jointly acquired by the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. The wallpaper in the painting is made up of the ''Flower of Life'' alluding to the immortality of her cells. The flowers on her dress resemble images of cell structures, and the two missing buttons on her dress symbolize her cells taken without permission.[76][77]
- NBC's Law & Order aired its own fictionalized version of Lacks's story in the 2010 episode "Immortal", which Slate referred to as "shockingly close to the true story"[78] and the musical groups Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine and Yeasayer both released songs about Henrietta Lacks and her legacy.[79][80]
- Members of the Lacks family authored their own stories for the first time in 2013 when Lacks's oldest son and his wife, Lawrence and Bobbette Lacks, wrote a short digital memoir called "Hela Family Stories: Lawrence and Bobbette" with first-hand accounts of their memories of Henrietta Lacks while she was alive and of their own efforts to keep the youngest children out of unsafe living environments following their mother's death.[81]
- The HeLa Project, a multimedia exhibition to honor Lacks, opened in 2017 in Baltimore at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture. It included a portrait by Kadir Nelson and a poem by Saul Williams.[82]
- HeLa, a play by Chicago playwright J. Nicole Brooks, was commissioned by Sideshow Theatre Company in 2016, with a public staged reading on July 31, 2017. The play was produced by Sideshow at Chicago's Greenhouse Theater Center from November 18 to December 23, 2018. The play uses Lacks's life story as a jumping point for a larger conversation about Afrofuturism, scientific progress, and bodily autonomy.[83]
- In the series El Ministerio del Tiempo, the immortality of her cells in the lab is cited as the precedent for the character Arteche's "extreme resistance to infections, to injuries, and to cellular degeneration. In other words to aging": that his cells are immortal.[84]
- In the Netflix original movie Project Power, her case is cited by one of the villains of the story as an example of unwilling trials giving rise to advances for the greater good.[85]
- See also [ edit ] List of contaminated cell linesReferences [ edit ] Notes [ edit ] ^ "In Steve Silberman's Book Review of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (Nature 463, 610; 2010), ... Your lead-in claims that the death of Henrietta Lacks "led to the first immortal cell line", but that distinction belongs to the L929 cell line, which was derived from mouse connective tissue and described almost a decade earlier (W. Earle J. Natl Cancer Inst. 4, 165''212; 1943). As Silberman notes, Lacks's was the first mass-produced human cell line."[5] ^ Squamous cell carcinoma is a cancer of the squamous cells, a type of epithelial cell, and is the second most-common type of skin cancer. They are found on the neck, head, cervix, anus as well as other body sites.[18] ^ Adenocarcinomas are a type of cancerous tumor or an abnormal growth of epithelial tissue. 10% to 15% of cancers of the cervix are adenocarcinomas, the rest more commonly being squamous cell carcinomas.[20] ^ The roller-tube technique was invented by George Gey in his lab at the University of Pittsburgh. "And then there was the roller drum, the invention that churned in the enormous incubator room Gey built to keep the cell cultures warm. The huge metal drum with holes covering its inner surface gyrated like a cement mixer 24 hours a day. And tucked within each hole, at the bottom of Gey's home-blown-glass roller tubes, were tiny pieces of tissue bathed in nutrient-rich fluids, gathering the nourishment necessary for survival. As the drum rotated one turn every hour, the cells surfaced, free to breathe and excrete until the liquid bathed them again. If all went well, the cells adhered to the walls of the tubes and began to flourish." - Rebecca SklootThis method of growing tissue cultures was also used in the development of Jonas Salk's polio vaccine and by John Enders in his Nobel prize-winning polio research.[31] ^ "The Lacks family and the N.I.H. settled on an agreement: the data from both studies should be stored in the institutes' database of genotypes and phenotypes. Researchers who want to use the data can apply for access and will have to submit annual reports about their research. A so-called HeLa Genome Data Access working group at the N.I.H. will review the applications. Two members of the Lacks family will be members. The agreement does not provide the Lacks family with proceeds from any commercial products that may be developed from research on the HeLa genome."[40] Citations [ edit ] ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Batts, Denise Watson (May 10, 2010). "Cancer cells killed Henrietta Lacks - then made her immortal". The Virginian-Pilot. pp. 1, 12''14. Archived from the original on May 13, 2010 . Retrieved February 20, 2021 . Note: Some sources report her birthday as August 2, 1920, vs. August 1, 1920. ^ Butanis, Benjamin. "The Legacy of Henrietta Lacks" . Retrieved August 2, 2018 . ^ Hayflick, Leonard (March 4, 2010). "Myth-busting about first mass-produced human cell line". Nature. 464 (7285): 30. Bibcode:2010Natur.464...30H. doi:10.1038/464030d . ^ Zielinski, Sarah (January 2, 2010). "Cracking the Code of the Human Genome. Henrietta Lacks' 'Immortal' Cells". Smithsonian . Retrieved December 31, 2016 . ^ Grady, Denise (February 1, 2010). "A Lasting Gift to Medicine That Wasn't Really a Gift". The New York Times . Retrieved August 19, 2012 . ^ a b White, Tracie. "Descendants of Henrietta Lacks Discuss Her Famous Cell Line". Stanford Medicine News Center . Retrieved May 10, 2021 . ^ "Henrietta Lacks Biography". Biography . Retrieved May 10, 2021 . ^ a b Marquardt, Tom. "Tragic Chapter of Crownsville State Hospital's Legacy". Capital Gazette . Retrieved May 10, 2021 . ^ "Turner's Station African American Survey District, Dundalk, Baltimore County 1900''1950" (PDF) . Baltimore County . Retrieved August 19, 2012 . ^ "Baltimore county architectural survey African American Thematic Study" (PDF) . Baltimore County Office of Planning and The Landmarks Preservation Commission . Retrieved August 19, 2012 . ^ Skloot 2010, p. [page needed ]. ^ Nott, Rohini (October 9, 2020). "Henrietta Lacks (1920''1951)". The Embryo Project Encyclopedia . Retrieved December 14, 2020 . ^ "Squamous Cell Carcinoma". Skin Cancer Foundation . Retrieved December 31, 2016 . ^ World Cancer Report 2014. World Health Organization. 2014. pp. Chapter 5.3. ISBN 978-92-832-0429-9. ^ a b c d e f Smith, Van (April 17, 2002). "Wonder Woman: The Life, Death, and Life After Death of Henrietta Lacks, Unwitting Heroine of Modern Medical Science". Baltimore City Paper. Archived from the original on August 14, 2004 . Retrieved September 19, 2016 . ^ a b Skloot, Rebecca (April 2000). "Henrietta's Dance". Johns Hopkins Magazine. Johns Hopkins University . Retrieved October 12, 2016 . ^ a b c d Batts, Denise Watson (May 30, 2010). "After 60 years of anonymity, Henrietta Lacks has a headstone". The Virginian-Pilot. pp. HR1, 7 . Retrieved August 19, 2012 . ^ McLaughlin, Tom (May 31, 2010). "An epitaph, at last | South Boston Virginia News". The News Record . Retrieved December 21, 2012 . ^ Skloot, Rebecca (March 2001). "An Obsession With Culture". PITT Magazine. University of Pittsburgh. Archived from the original on September 24, 2018 . Retrieved December 31, 2016 . By 1950, when Henrietta Lacks walked into Hopkins Hospital complaining of abnormal bleeding, George and Margaret Gey had spent almost thirty years trying to establish an immortal human cell line. ... ^ Gold, Michael (1986). A Conspiracy of Cells: One Woman's Immortal Legacy-And the Medical Scandal It Caused. SUNY Press. p. 20. ^ Skloot, Rebecca (March 2001). "An Obsession With Culture". PITT Magazine. University of Pittsburgh. Archived from the original on September 24, 2018 . Retrieved December 31, 2016 . ^ Lucey, Brendan P.; Nelson-Rees, Walter A.; Hutchins, Grover M. (September 1, 2009). "Henrietta Lacks, HeLa Cells, and Cell Culture Contamination". Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine. 133 (9): 1463''1467. doi:10.5858/133.9.1463. ISSN 0003-9985. PMID 19722756. ^ ^ Puck TT, Marcus PI. A Rapid Method for Viable Cell Titration and Clone Production With Hela Cells In Tissue Culture: The Use of X-Irradiated Cells to Supply Conditioning Factors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1955 Jul 15;41(7):432-7. URL: PNASJSTOR ^ a b c Ritter, Malcolm (August 7, 2013). "Feds, family reach deal on use of DNA information". Seattle Times . Retrieved December 31, 2016 . ^ Schwab, Abraham P.; Baily, Mary Ann; Hirschhorn, Kurt; Rhodes, Rosamond; Trusko, Brett (August 15, 2013). Rhodes, Rosamond; Gligorov, Nada; Schwab, Abraham Paul (eds.). The Human Microbiome: Ethical, Legal and Social Concerns. Oxford University Press. pp. 98''99. ISBN 978-0-19-982942-2. In 1973, researchers at Johns Hopkins contacted Lacks family members and asked them to provide blood samples ^ Washington, Harriet (October 1994), "Henrietta Lacks: An Unsung Hero", Emerge Magazine ^ Zimmer, Carl (August 7, 2013). "A Family Consents to a Medical Gift, 62 Years Later". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved December 12, 2016 . ^ Roland A. Pattillo, MD; Roland Matthews, MA (Spring 2006). "Tenth Annual HeLa Women's Health Conference:An Overview and Historical Perspective" (PDF) . Journal of Ethnicity and Disease. International Society on Hypertension in Blacks . Retrieved October 28, 2016 . ^ "2011 First Year Book Program - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks". University of Maryland . Retrieved September 26, 2016 . ^ Wenger, Yvonne (August 4, 2012). "Henrietta Lacks honored in 15th annual Turners Station celebration". The Baltimore Sun . Retrieved October 27, 2016 . ^ Rodman, Nicole (August 4, 2016). "Honoring the legacy of Henrietta Lacks". The Dundalk Eagle . Retrieved October 27, 2016 '' via PressReader.Com. ^ "In Memory Of Henrietta Lacks -- Hon. Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. (Extension of Remarks - June 4, 1997)", Congressional Record 105th Congress (1997''1998), The Library of Congress, June 4, 1997 , retrieved May 3, 2016 ^ "Family Recognition, Community Awards, And Author Highlight Henrietta Lacks Memorial Lecture 2010". The Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. October 2, 2010. Archived from the original on January 16, 2017 . Retrieved June 17, 2016 . ^ "Past Lectures". The Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016 . Retrieved June 17, 2016 . ^ "Johns Hopkins to name research building in honor of Henrietta Lacks". October 6, 2018. ^ "Henrietta Lack Receives an Honorary Degree". All Things Considered. NPR. May 23, 2011 . Retrieved December 30, 2016 . ^ Buck, Howard (September 14, 2011). "Bioscience school gets official name". The Columbian . Retrieved August 19, 2012 . ^ Laufe, Anne (October 2, 2012). "New Vancouver high school will focus on health and medical careers". The Oregonian . Retrieved March 31, 2017 . ^ Squires, Emily Oland. "Maryland Women's Hall of Fame Online". The Maryland State Archives . Retrieved November 6, 2014 . ^ "Henrietta Lacks (1920 - 1951) (Maryland Women's Hall of Fame)". Maryland State Archives . Retrieved January 7, 2017 . ^ "IAU Minor Planet Center". minorplanetcenter.net . Retrieved April 21, 2017 . ^ Chamberlin, Alan (March 14, 2017). "JPL Small-Body Database Browser". Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology . Retrieved April 23, 2017 . ^ Adeel Hassan (March 8, 2018). "Henrietta Lacks, Whose Cells Led to a Medical Revolution". The New York Times . Retrieved March 9, 2018 . ^ Padnani, Amisha (March 8, 2018). "How an Obits Project on Overlooked Women Was Born". The New York Times . Retrieved March 24, 2018 . ^ Padnani, Amisha (March 8, 2018). "Remarkable Women We Overlooked in Our Obituaries". The New York Times . Retrieved March 24, 2018 . ^ "National Portrait Gallery Presents a Portrait of Henrietta Lacks, a Co-Acquisition With the National Museum of African American History and Culture". newsdesk.si.edu . Retrieved May 8, 2018 . ^ a b "Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins Medicine and Family of Henrietta Lacks Announce Plans to Name a Research Building in Honor of Henrietta Lacks". Johns Hopkins Medicine Newsroom. October 6, 2018 . Retrieved October 8, 2018 . ^ "National Women's Hall of Fame Virtual Induction Series Inaugural Event December 10, 2020" (PDF) . November 11, 2020 . Retrieved November 12, 2020 . ^ ð"Bill Announcement". whitehouse.gov '' via National Archives. ^ "Statue of Henrietta Lacks 'mother of medicine' ordered for Bristol campus". BBC News. March 9, 2021. ^ Coats, Ta-Neshi (February 3, 2010). "Henrietta Lacks And Race". The Atlantic . Retrieved January 15, 2018 . ^ Lynch, Holly Fernandez; Joffe, Steven (April 21, 2017). "A Lesson From the Henrietta Lacks Story: Science Needs Your Cells". The New York Times. ^ Rogers, Michael (March 21, 1976). "The HeLa Strain" . Detroit Free Press. p. 47 . Retrieved March 2, 2017 '' via Newspapers.com. ^ Rogers, Michael (March 25, 1976). "The Double-Edged Helix". Rolling Stone . Retrieved March 2, 2017 . ^ Curtis, Adam (June 25, 2010). "The Undead Henrietta Lacks And Her Immortal Dynasty". BBC . Retrieved January 6, 2017 . ^ Cells That Save Lives are a Mother's Legacy, The New York Times, November 17, 2001. ^ Hendrix, Steve. "On the Eve of an Oprah Movie about Henrietta Lacks, an Ugly Feud Consumes the Family". The Washington Post . Retrieved May 10, 2021 . ^ Britto, Brittany (September 21, 2016). "Oprah Winfrey spotted in Baltimore as 'Henrietta Lacks' movie films in city". The Baltimore Sun . Retrieved December 31, 2016 . ^ Stanhope, Kate (May 2, 2016). "Oprah Winfrey to Star in HBO Films' 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks ' ". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved May 3, 2016 . ^ Jordan, Tina (December 22, 2016). "See the first photos of Oprah Winfrey in HBO's Henrietta Lacks movie". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved December 31, 2016 . ^ Blas, Lorena (May 2, 2016), "Oprah Winfrey to star in HBO's 'Henrietta Lacks' movie", USA Today ^ "Henrietta Lacks". Smithsonian Institution . Retrieved May 10, 2021 . ^ Smith, Ryan. "Famed for 'Immortal' Cells, Henrietta Lacks Is Immortalized in Portraiture". Smithsonian Magazine . Retrieved May 10, 2021 . ^ Thomas, June (May 19, 2010). "Ripped From Which Headline? "Immortal " ". Slate . Retrieved August 19, 2012 . ^ Kamen, Jess (June 23, 2014). "Holiday In Baltimore". Baltimore City Paper. ^ "Yeasayer reveal new track 'Henrietta' '' listen". NME. May 16, 2012. ^ Welcome to HeLa Family Stories, HeLa Family Enterprise, LLC, 2013 , retrieved May 3, 2016 ^ "HeLa". Sideshow Theatre Company. 2018 . Retrieved September 27, 2018 . ^ " " The HeLa Project" Exhibition Travels to NY, ATL to Honor Mortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Before Premiere of HBO Film". Good Black News. 2017 . Retrieved April 5, 2017 . ^ El Ministerio Del Tiempo episode 11, season 3, HBO ^ " ' Project Power' Is a Secret Lesson About Science's Dark Side". Wired. August 13, 2020 . Retrieved March 28, 2021 . Bibliography [ edit ] External links [ edit ] Curtis, Adam, Modern Times: The Way of All Flesh (1997) Full documentary Film via YouTubeThe Henrietta Lacks Foundation, a foundation established to, among other things, help provide scholarship funds and health insurance to Henrietta Lacks's family."Henrietta's Tumor", RadioLab segment featuring Deborah Lacks and audio of Skloot's interviews with her, and original recordings of scenes from the book."The Immortal Henrietta Lacks", February 2010 CBS Sunday Morning segment featuring the Lacks Family, February 2010"Henrietta Everlasting: 1950s Cells Still Alive, Helping Science", Wired Magazine 2010 article with timeline of HeLa contributions to scienceE. Fannie Granton and Ronald E. Kisner, "Family Talks about Dead Mother Whose Cells fight Cancer", Jet Magazine (Vol. 50, No. 2), April 1, 1976"25 Years after Death, Black Mother's Cells Live for Cancer Study", Jet Magazine, April 1, 1976Henrietta Lacks at Find a Grave
- COVID Misinformation Pushed By Some Doctors Without Penalty : Shots - Health News : NPR
- Dr. Simone Gold discourages vaccination against COVID-19 and promotes alternative, unproven therapies. She has spent much of the past year speaking at events like this one held in West Palm Beach, Fla., in December. The conference was aimed at young people ages 15 to 25. Gage Skidmore hide caption
- toggle caption Gage Skidmore Dr. Simone Gold discourages vaccination against COVID-19 and promotes alternative, unproven therapies. She has spent much of the past year speaking at events like this one held in West Palm Beach, Fla., in December. The conference was aimed at young people ages 15 to 25.
- Gage Skidmore Last month, Dr. Simone Gold stood before a crowd at a conservative church in Thousand Oaks, Calif., and delivered a talk riddled with misinformation. She told people to avoid vaccination against the coronavirus. As an alternative, she pushed drugs that have not been proven effective at treating COVID-19 '-- drugs that she also offered to prescribe to the audience in exchange for $90 telehealth appointments.
- "Don't text me when you've gotten a positive test; I don't want to hear it," she said to the gathering. "I've told you ahead of time to get the medicines. It can take a week because we're so swamped."
- Almost everything Gold said in her 45-minute talk was contrary to the best science and medical standards of care for treating COVID-19. But there was one thing she said that was at least partially true: "I am an emergency physician."
- NPR found that Gold's emergency medicine certification lapsed in December of last year, but she still is, as she claims, a licensed physician in the state of California (her license lists her professional address as a UPS shipping store in Beverly Hills).
- Despite more than a year spent spreading misinformation about a pandemic that has killed more than 650,000 Americans, she has what might be considered a professional clean bill of health with no complaints, disciplinary actions or malpractice lawsuits on her record. The California Medical Board, which oversees her license, told NPR it expects doctors to "follow the standard of care when treating patients at all times." But the medical board declined to say whether it was investigating Gold, citing reasons of confidentiality.
- Gold is not the only physician promoting misinformation while avoiding professional censure. NPR looked at medical licenses for 16 doctors, including Gold, who have proven track records of doing so online and in media interviews. Fifteen of the 16 had active licenses in good standing. One appeared to have let his license expire, but there was no suggestion in his record that it was because of any disciplinary action.
- Now, some organizations affiliated with medical licensing are encouraging action.
- Late last month, the American Board of Emergency Medicine, which had until this year certified Gold under her maiden name, Tizes, put out a statement warning it could revoke certification for any of its specialists for spreading "inaccurate information."
- The Federation of State Medical Boards issued a statement in late July warning that "Physicians who generate and spread COVID-19 vaccine misinformation or disinformation are risking disciplinary action by state medical boards, including the suspension or revocation of their medical license."
- Why professional censure has laggedSo, why hasn't more punitive action already been taken? At its heart, the problem is the fragmented medical licensing system in the United States. Individual states have licensing boards made up of a mix of doctors, lawyers and private citizens. These boards, with an eye toward medical malpractice, usually respond only to complaints against individual physicians.
- "People assume that licensing boards are on the lookout, they're on the internet," says Dr. Humayun Chaudhry, president of the Federation of State Medical Boards. "They actually don't have the resources '-- neither the money nor the manpower '-- to monitor what happens on the internet or social media."
- In the absence of oversight, doctors such as Gold have been able to spread misinformation with impunity. Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, which tracks vaccine misinformation online, says that even though the number of doctors involved in spreading this sort of bad information is tiny, they're having an outsized influence. Other people in the anti-vaccine movement promote their posts "because they have the 'Dr.' before their name and they appear to understand what they're talking about."
- Ahmed says that having a medical degree may also be helping these doctors skirt social media bans on coronavirus misinformation. "We will find that social media companies will hide behind any excuse that they can to leave up [the profiles of] those people spreading misinformation, and one of the excuses they use is citing their medical credentials," Ahmed says.
- A few doctors with bad information have been given big megaphonesIn fact, while other promoters of bad information saw their Twitter profiles suspended this summer, Gold's followers swelled to more than 300,000. And it's not just happening via social media: Doctors who discourage vaccination have found regular spots on conservative radio and TV talk shows and on cable networks. Among the most prominent promoters of this brand of false information is former Trump strategist Steve Bannon, who regularly interviews a small, rotating cast of these physicians on his talk show.
- The misinformation '-- which usually involves inflating the risks of vaccines and offering the false promise of alternative therapies '-- is coming as cases of COVID-19 surge nationwide, mainly in areas with low rates of vaccination. Other doctors working in those places are understandably frustrated.
- "We would like there to be some easy answer out there, some medication that's been around forever that we could just take from home," says Sonja Rasmussen, a pediatrician and epidemiologist at the University of Florida in Gainesville. The problem, she says, is that so far the alternative therapies such as ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine have not been proven effective against COVID-19.
- In reality, ICUs are packed with sick, unvaccinated people"There are outliers out there who are preaching nonsense," says Dr. Kendall McKenzie, the chair of the department of emergency medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. While Gold has been giving talks to packed audiences, McKenzie has been dealing with packed ICUs filled with sick, unvaccinated people. He says he sees patients every day being influenced by the kind of misinformation that Gold and others are promoting.
- "What it's doing is filling up my emergency department with intubated patients and ultimately leading to deaths," he says.
- Chaudhry says there have been some recent cases where disciplinary action has moved forward. In May, the Oregon Medical Board suspended the license of a doctor for encouraging patients to go unmasked, and Hawaii's medical board is pursuing a complaint against a state health official and a physician, both of whom are reportedly promoting alternative therapies for treating COVID-19 '-- alternatives that federal agencies have specifically warned are not helpful and can sometimes be harmful.
- Chaudhry thinks many licensing boards may already be conducting additional confidential investigations against doctors promoting misinformation. Those investigations, he adds, are typically only triggered by a complaint, but the complaint can come from anyone. "People don't realize it doesn't have to be the patient themselves. It can be a patient's family member; it can be another doctor," he says.
- Gold has new problems: She participated in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and is now awaiting trial on criminal charges of forcing her way into the building and engaging in disorderly behavior. She has pleaded not guilty and through her lawyer declined NPR's request for an interview.
- While she awaits trial, Gold continues to give talks as a fully licensed physician.
- Members of Congress, Staffers, Federal Judges Exempt From Biden Vax Mandate - Headline USA
- Members of Congress, the federal court system, and their staffers are exempt from President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate.
- Biden's new rule requires all federal employees to be vaccinated, and forces employers with more than 100 employees to either mandate vaccination or weekly testing.
- However, the mandate does not apply to the legislative or judicial branches of government, according to the White House.
- It was also reported last week that more than 600,000 United States Postal Service employees would be exempt from the mandate. However, the Biden administration clarified that USPS will still be subject to the mandate since it is an employer with more than 100 employees.
- ...article continued below
- ''USPS is not included in the executive order requiring vaccination of Federal employees. USPS has a separate statutory scheme and is traditionally independent of federal personnel actions like this,'' a Biden administration official explained, according to the New York Post.
- ''That said, USPS is strongly encouraged to comply'','' the official continued. ''Also, [the Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration] will cover USPS through the [emergency temporary standards], meaning that postal workers will be subject to the vaccination or testing policy announced today.''
- In April, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she would not mandate the vaccine for lawmakers out of concerns for privacy.
- ''So here's the thing: We cannot require someone to be vaccinated''that's just not what we can do,'' she said at the time.
- ...article continued below
- ''It is a matter of privacy to know who is or who isn't,'' she continued. ''I can't go to the Capitol physician and say, 'Give me the names of people who aren't vaccinated so I can go encourage them to,' or make it known to others to encourage them to be vaccinated.''
- Several states have already vowed to sue the Biden administration over the vaccine mandate, slamming it as an abuse of power.
- The governors who've expressed opposition include those from Arizona, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, with whom Biden has sparred over mask mandates and vaccine passports, said Florida would be one of several states fighting back.
- ''When you have a president like Biden issuing unconstitutional edicts against the American people, we have a responsibility to stand up for the Constitution and to fight back, and we are doing that in the state of Florida,'' he said. ''This is a president who has acknowledged in the past he does not have the authority to force this on anybody, and this order would result potentially in millions of Americans losing their jobs.''
- Milley, Fearful of Trump's Rhetoric, Called China to Promise US Wouldn't Strike, Book Says | Military.com
- WASHINGTON '-- Fearful of Donald Trump's actions in his final weeks as president, the United States' top military officer twice assured his Chinese counterpart that the two nations would not go to war, according to a forthcoming book.
- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley told Gen. Li Zuocheng of the People's Liberation Army that the United States would not strike. One call took place on Oct. 30, 2020, four days before the election that defeated Trump. The second call was on Jan. 8, 2021, just two days after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by supporters of the outgoing chief executive.
- Milley went so far as to promise Li that he would warn his counterpart in the event of a U.S. attack, according to the book ''Peril,'' written by Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Robert Costa.
- ''General Li, I want to assure you that the American government is stable and everything is going to be okay,'' Milley told him in the first call, according to the book. ''We are not going to attack or conduct any kinetic operations against you.''
- ''If we're going to attack, I'm going to call you ahead of time. It's not going to be a surprise," Milley reportedly said.
- Selections from the book, which is set to be released next week, were first reported by The Washington Post on Tuesday.
- The second call was meant to placate Chinese fears about the events of Jan. 6. But the book reports that Li wasn't as easily assuaged, even after Milley promised him, ''We are 100 percent steady. Everything's fine. But democracy can be sloppy sometimes.''
- Milley believed the president suffered a mental decline after the election, according to the book, a view he relayed in a Jan. 8 phone call with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi has previously said she spoke to Milley that day about ''available precautions'' to prevent Trump from initiating military action or ordering a nuclear launch, and she told colleagues she was given unspecified assurances that there were longstanding safeguards in place.
- Milley, according to the book, called the admiral overseeing the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the military unit responsible for Asia and the Pacific region, and recommended postponing upcoming military exercises. He also asked senior officers to swear an ''oath'' that Milley had to be involved if Trump gave an order to launch nuclear weapons, according to the book.
- Milley was appointed by Trump in 2018 and later drew the president's wrath when he expressed regret for participating in a June 2020 photo op with Trump after federal law enforcement cleared a park near the White House of peaceful protesters so Trump could stand at a nearby damaged church.
- Requests for comment from Milley were not immediately returned. Milley's second warning to Beijing came after Trump had fired Secretary of Defense Mike Esper and filled several top positions with interim officeholders loyal to him.
- The book also offers new insights into Trump's efforts to hold on to power despite losing the election to Democrat Joe Biden.
- Trump refused to concede and offered false claims that the election had been stolen. He repeatedly pressed his vice president, Mike Pence, to refuse to certify the election results at the Capitol on Jan. 6, the event that was later interrupted by the mob.
- Pence, the book writes, called Dan Quayle, a former vice president and fellow Indiana Republican, to see if there was any way he could acquiesce to Trump's request. Quayle said absolutely not.
- ''Mike, you have no flexibility on this. None. Zero. Forget it. Put it away,'' Quayle said, according to the book.
- Pence ultimately agreed. He defied Trump to affirm Joe Biden's victory.
- Show Full Article (C) Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
- Prosecution witness in Netanyahu trial and his wife killed in Greek plane crash | The Times of Israel
- Haim Geron, a witness in the corruption trial of former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was one of the two Israelis killed in a light plane crash in Greece on Monday. The other was his wife, Esti.
- The names of the Gerons, the only two casualties of the crash, were cleared for publication on Tuesday.
- Geron was a past deputy director-general for engineering and licensing at the Communications Ministry.
- According to the Foreign Ministry, the couple took off from Haifa on a single-engine plane in the afternoon and were flying close to the island of Samos, near Turkey, when their light aircraft went down Monday evening.
- Their bodies were recovered by the Greek coastguard several hours later with the help of divers.
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- termsThe ministry said consular officials at the embassy in Athens were in touch with the family and that it was helping to bring them to Israel for burial.
- Officials said Tuesday that Greece's Air Accident Investigation and Aviation Board was investigating the causes of the crash.
- ''Shortly before landing, communication with the control tower on Samos was lost and the Civil Aviation Authority informed the search and rescue center about the loss of communication,'' the authority said in a statement.
- Greek media have said the Cessna 172 plane appeared to have suffered a technical problem and disappeared from radar, but the cause of the crash remains unclear.
- Netanyahu is on trial for three corruption cases known as Case 1000, Case 2000, and Case 4000. In Case 4000, the most serious of the three, Netanyahu is alleged to have abused his powers when he served as both premier and communications minister from 2014 to 2017.
- Then-prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu seen as he arrives for a court hearing at the District Court in Jerusalem on April 5, 2021. (Oren Ben Hakoon/POOL)
- Netanyahu is accused of using his position in order to illicitly and very lucratively benefit the business interests of Shaul Elovitch, the controlling shareholder of the telecom company Bezeq. In exchange, Elovitch allegedly provided Netanyahu and his family with positive coverage on the Elovitch-owned Walla news website, including allowing the then-prime minister's associates and family members to dictate editorial content and policy on a regular basis.
- In May 2020, Geron, an attorney by training, spoke with Radio 103FM about the testimony he had given in the Netanyahu trial and said it related to the development of the country's optical fiber infrastructure, the communications industry, and telephone services. Probed as to whether he had ever witnessed any criminal activity at the ministry, Geron respond that ''the court is the only one that can determine if something is criminal or not.''
- He stressed that he was not questioned about the Bezeq-Yes deal, which is a key element of the trial. That deal, which went ahead in 2015, was worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Elovitch, according to the state prosecution, and Netanyahu's alleged intervention to approve it as communications minister was part of his illicit quid pro quid arrangement with Elovitch, according to the charges.
- The Netanyahu trial resumed on Monday with the continued cross-examination of key state witness former Walla website CEO Ilan Yeshua.
- Case 1000 involves allegations that Netanyahu receiving illicit gifts from billionaire benefactors. Case 2000 involves a separate alleged quid pro quo deal with the publisher of the Yedioth Ahronoth daily, Arnon Mozes, for positive media coverage in exchange for legislation weakening a rival newspaper.
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- Personal carbon allowances revisited | Nature Sustainability
- AbstractHere we discuss how personal carbon allowances (PCAs) could play a role in achieving ambitious climate mitigation targets. We argue that recent advances in AI for sustainable development, together with the need for a low-carbon recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, open a new window of opportunity for PCAs. Furthermore, we present design principles based on the Sustainable Development Goals for the future adoption of PCAs. We conclude that PCAs could be trialled in selected climate-conscious technologically advanced countries, mindful of potential issues around integration into the current policy mix, privacy concerns and distributional impacts.
- MainClimate change could undermine the achievement of at least 72 Targets across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)1. The development of a just and equitable transition to a net-zero society is vital to avoiding the worst impacts of climate change1. However, by May 2021, Climate Action Tracker2 estimated that climate policies implemented across the world at present, including the effect of the pandemic, will lead to a temperature rise of 2.9'°C by the end of the century. Thus, although many countries have made pledges of net-zero emissions by 2050, implemented policies and pledges are insufficient to deliver the Paris Agreement ambition of limiting global warming to well below 2'°C (ref.'3). To take a national example, the United Kingdom has made strong progress in reducing carbon emissions, and was an early adopter of a net-zero by 2050 target. However, the government's independent advisory climate body advises that policy steps taken so far ''do not yet measure up to meet the size of the net-zero challenge''4.
- In this context, the introduction of personal carbon allowances (PCAs), a mitigation policy proposal developed in the 1990s5, is ripe for revisitation. This policy aims to link personal action with global carbon reduction goals. A PCA scheme would entail all adults receiving an equal, tradable carbon allowance that reduces over time in line with national targets. In its original design, the allowance could cover around 40% of energy-related carbon emissions in high-income countries, encompassing individuals' carbon emissions relating to travel, space heating, water heating and electricity6. Allowances were envisioned to be deducted from the personal budget with every payment for transport fuel, home-heating fuels and electricity bills. People in shortage would be able to purchase additional units in the personal carbon market from those with excess to sell. New, more ambitious PCA proposals include economy-wide emissions, encompassing food, services and consumption-related carbon emissions7, for example.
- Several variations of mandatory PCAs or personal carbon-trading schemes have been proposed in the literature under different names8. For instance, centrally allocated and tradable PCAs have been examined by the UK government, looking at a design covering household energy and personal travel9. Electronic Tradable Energy Quotas (TEQs) were also proposed in the United Kingdom, covering the whole economy and divided among individuals (40%) and other energy users (60%)10. In Ireland, cap and share certificates covering the whole economy were proposed, giving all adults emission certificates for an equal share of national emissions. Such certificates were proposed to be sold by individuals via banks and post offices to fossil fuel companies11. In California, household carbon trading was proposed for household energy, and managed by the utilities12. In France, centrally managed tradable transport carbon permits were assessed related to private transport13. Scholars from the University of Groningen have proposed European Union (EU)-wide emissions trading for households and transport, embedded in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) design. In this design, free carbon allowances are allocated to each category of small emitters on the basis of their historic emissions (grandfathering), then surrendered with the purchase of energy from distributors, which in turn give them up as they obtain fuel from fuel producers and importers, who then have to match with allowances their supply of fuel14. Furthermore, tradable consumption quotas have been proposed to cover all consumption emissions related to manufacturing processes15. The mandatory nation-wide designs described above are complemented by voluntary schemes, some of which have been trialled in several locations8.
- The literature highlights the importance of economic incentives, cognitive awareness, prevailing social norms and education as drivers for pro-environmental decision-making and behaviour16,17. Research indicates that behavioural change could be engendered by creating a direct and visible incentive to reduce carbon emissions14,18. Studies show that people tend to adhere to the prevailing norm and that descriptive social norms and comparison with others influence decisions about electricity use19,20 and mode of transport21. Building on this literature, PCAs are envisaged to deliver carbon-emissions-related behavioural change via three interlinked mechanisms: economic, cognitive and social22 (Fig. 1). Similar to a carbon tax, a policy with which it is often compared, the economic mechanism of PCAs is envisaged to influence decision-making by assigning a visible carbon price to the purchase and use of fossil-fuel-based energy in the first instance, and possibly also to consumption-related emissions in more advanced PCA designs. However, in addition to the economic mechanism, PCAs aim to influence energy and consumption behaviour by increasing carbon visibility, by evoking users' cognitive awareness of carbon in their daily routines and by encouraging carbon budgeting. Moreover, the shared goal of emissions reduction and the equal-per-capita allocation of PCAs is envisaged to create a social norm of low-carbon behaviour. These three interlinked mechanisms are hypothesized to promote low-carbon lifestyles in a synergetic manner.
- Fig. 1: PCA influence mechanisms for delivering emission reductions.Key mechanisms through which PCAs encourage and promote a low-carbon lifestyle. Adapted from Parag and Strickland64.
- Furthermore, end-user emission cap-and-trade schemes have been described in the literature as a means to rationalize individual engagement in sustainability activities, regulate voluntary offset markets, cap uncapped sectors such as the residential and transport sectors, and stimulate energy-efficiency interventions7.
- In the 2000s, when the UK government explored the adoption of PCA scheme to reduce carbon emissions from households, the idea was rejected due to claimed low social acceptability, technological barriers and high implementation costs8,9,23. PCAs were defined in the early 2010s as ''a big idea that never took off''24, and '''a policy ahead of its time''5,9. No large-scale national programmes have so far investigated PCAs as a policy option. By 2021, arguably, the policy window of opportunity provided by the COVID-19 crisis25, in combination with the need to address worsening climate and biodiversity crises26, and by the advancements in information and communication technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI)27, could improve the feasibility and attractiveness of PCAs to policymakers and the public.
- The purpose of this Perspective is not to advocate for the widespread adoption of PCAs, but rather to restart a science and policy dialogue on a policy option that could help achieve climate mitigation goals by re-evaluating the attractiveness of PCA schemes in the 2020s and beyond. We first analyse the barriers that were recognized a decade ago to the widespread adoption of PCAs and reflect on recent social and technical changes that may increase the appeal of PCA schemes in the 2020s. We then develop SDG-based design principles for guiding future applications of PCAs, and present recommendations for the future exploration of PCAs. In our evaluation we are not referring to any specific PCA design; we consider PCAs as a national mandatory policy, with diverse potential designs depending on the local context. To limit the boundaries of this Perspective, PCAs are assessed here as a scheme for more developed countries'--those with high per-capita emissions and the administrative capability to implement such policies.
- Barriers to the adoption of PCAsIn 2008, after concluding that involving households was critical to reach climate goals28, the UK government commissioned a pre-feasibility study on PCAs. The study, developed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), investigated the effects of a mandatory household-level scheme with free equal-per-capita carbon credits for all UK adults. The study highlighted some substantial challenges with PCAs, which resulted in PCAs and trading being characterized as an ''idea ahead of its time''9. Starting from that landmark assessment, and adding analysis from the subsequent literature, we identify the main barriers to the adoption of PCAs.
- Political resistance and crowded policy landscapesAs mentioned above, at the time of consideration in the United Kingdom, PCAs were considered a radical approach for mitigation. This is still true: PCAs have been described as radical in more recent literature29. There are clear political risks in advocating for challenging or radical policies, particularly if they have never been implemented elsewhere and there is no previous policy experience to learn from. Aside from the United Kingdom's early interest, no European country has expressed clear political interest in examining, let alone adopting, PCAs7. Furthermore, existing climate and energy policies may be perceived as creating a barrier to the inclusion of PCAs. In particular, some argue that PCAs as a downstream measure combined with the existing EU ETS could result in double-pricing of certain emissions, if not properly planned7,14,30. Although the need for a combination of policy instruments to address the multiple market failures that have led to the excessive generation of environmental pollutants has long been recognized in the literature31, and a policy mix is a normal characteristic of policy landscapes32, incorporating a radical policy that has never been implemented before into an existing policy landscape is nevertheless risky, and therefore challenging for politicians.
- Technological barriers and high implementation costsA key question about PCAs is how could they be implemented in practice? What technology is needed to manage carbon accounts? How will people keep track of their carbon allowances? And how would allowances be traded? In the 2000s, the vision was of carbon accounts, analogous to bank accounts, and a carbon card to which allowances would be charged and from which deductions would be made. This option was chosen as it was the most suitable given the existing technological capabilities and was perceived as the most appropriate for a public that was not very 'carbon capable'33. However, surveys indicated that the proposed system was perceived by the public as challenging and complex9. The DEFRA 2008 study evaluated and costed the option of assigning carbon credits in a national account system run by private sector organizations such as banks9. Costs were higher than other mitigation policy measures, such as the United Kingdom's Climate Change Agreements9. Although lower cost estimations than the one in the 2008 DEFRA report for PCAs existed, all were higher than the cost of upstream schemes, mostly due to high administrative costs30. As a result, it was concluded that significant cost reductions would be needed for PCAs to be economically feasible. As discussed later, advances in technology and increased awareness of carbon and climate change mean there are now different options available.
- Low social acceptabilityFrom its inception, there have been concerns about the social acceptability of PCAs and their potential to result in unfair distributional effects. Social acceptability was investigated by applying a range of methods including interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, choice experiments and modelling8. When the public perception of PCAs was evaluated through interviews in the United Kingdom in 2008, opinions ranged from quite positive to negative9. While interviewees were generally willing to accept some responsibility over their emissions, the perceived complexity and the central control over people's activities were identified as key challenges9. Furthermore, surveys in other contexts suggest that the perceived complexity of a PCA scheme could limit its public acceptability34.
- Distributional impactsAnother factor that influences the social acceptability of PCAs is the need for them to be perceived as fair, such that certain groups are not being disproportionately affected. When a PCA scheme was evaluated in the United Kingdom in the 2000s, 71% of low-income households were identified as 'winners' and 55% of high-income households 'losers' from the policy9. In other words, due to the variation in energy use, most low-income households were likely to have more allowances than needed to cover their energy needs, and hence could sell excess allowances for money (winners), whereas most high-income households were likely to have fewer allowances relative to their energy needs, and therefore would need to buy extra units in the market (losers). However, a small percentage of low-income loser households were also identified, most of which were living in rural areas9. Public perceptions of fairness, as well as the distributional effects of PCAs, depend on how fairness is defined35, on the detailed design of the PCAs scheme and on any associated compensatory policies.
- A changing landscape for PCAsVisible negative effects of the escalating climate and biodiversity crises on many sustainable development issues1,36 have led to increased public concern over climate change, particularly by the young, as shown in the Fridays for Future movement and climate strikes around the globe. The global climate strike of 2019 was one of the largest events organized by environmental social movements so far37. Recent evidence shows the significant impact of wide participation in these protests on political responsiveness, and on the dissatisfaction with current climate action among young adults and their families38,39. Mounting public pressure may have played a part in the increasing number of countries and regions including the EU, the United States, the United Kingdom and China that by 2021 had presented pledges to have net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 or 2060. To achieve such pledges, mitigation policies have been put in place to reduce emissions through a wide array of interventions and programmes. However, as both energy and carbon are invisible, it remains difficult for individuals to estimate the contribution of their lifestyles and activities to the nations' emissions. While energy prices contain some costs related to carbon (for example, the EU ETS, to the extent that this is passed on to energy consumers40), and this may be expected to have some impact on consumers' decision-making, the large participation in social movements demonstrates that many individuals also consider themselves as citizens with responsibilities to the environment and future generations. To this extent, PCAs may be effective as a 'symbolic policy''--a practical measure that encapsulates a vision or story about a wider change, and signals and engages citizens in this wider vision and project41. If that is a good description of PCAs, then the route to political acceptability may be to show that it can deliver both practical and symbolic benefits. Given the public demand for more ambitious action and the political commitment to ambitious targets, PCAs could be of increased public and political interest.
- PCAs should also be re-evaluated in the context of the COVID-19 experience and lessons that are being learned. Recent research has shown the pervasive negative effects of the pandemic on almost 90% of the SDG targets25'--drawing a strong parallel to the climate crisis, which in different ways may negatively influence a similar number of SDG targets1. It was estimated that a low-carbon pandemic recovery could reduce carbon emissions in 2030 by 25% compared with pre-COVID-19 projections42. The aspiration of the international community for a 'sustainable recovery' from the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with heightened awareness of the effect of individuals' actions on the spread of the pandemic, the global connectivity that means that people everywhere are affected by global problems, and the new behavioural and social norms formed during the pandemic, may favour PCAs.
- In particular, during the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions on individuals for the sake of public health, and forms of individual accountability and responsibility that were unthinkable only one year before, have been adopted by millions of people. People may be more prepared to accept the tracking and limitations related to PCAs to achieve a safer climate and the many other benefits (for example, reduced air pollution and improved public health) associated with addressing the climate crisis. Other lessons that could be drawn relate to the public acceptance in some countries of additional surveillance and control in exchange for greater safety. For instance, in many countries, mobile apps designed for COVID-19 infection tracking and tracing played an important part in limiting the spread of the pandemic. The deployment and testing of such apps provide technology advances and insights for the design of future apps for tracking personal emissions. Recent studies show how COVID-19 contact-tracing apps were successfully implemented with mandatory schemes in several East Asian countries, such as China, Taiwan and South Korea43. In these countries, the apps assessed each user's travel history and health status, playing a key role in tracking infections43. These unique natural experiments give insights into possible strategies to use apps to track PCAs. For instance, the many digital contact-tracing algorithms that were developed and tested43,44 provide initial valuable information for the design of future apps that'--for example'--estimate emissions on the basis of tracking the user's movement history. However, the adoption of such apps also raised issues regarding the balance between data privacy concerns and public health45. A recent review showed that only 16 of 50 reviewed contact-tracing apps explicitly state that the user's data will be made anonymous, encrypted and secured and reported only in an aggregated format46. Such a balance is also perceived differently in diverse countries. Initial evidence points to various issues related to adopting such schemes in liberal democracies such as in Europe and the United States'--where data privacy, trust and ethical issues strongly limited participation in contact-tracing efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic46. Such resistance itself also provides important lessons for future PCA-tracking apps. For instance, new regulations have been suggested to address data privacy concerns and security vulnerabilities when using these apps43 and significant technological advances were made for privacy-preserving contact-tracing apps44. These advances could help pave the way for the adoption of PCA schemes. However, citizen engagement and participatory approaches would be needed to design and implement PCA schemes that balance personal liberties with delivering climate aims in a socially acceptable manner.
- Finally, advances in digitalization and AI for sustainable development27 promise to shrink implementation costs and logistical challenges for PCAs'--and to improve personalized feedback, information and advice. Recent advances in smarter home and transport options make it possible to easily track and manage a large share of individuals' emissions. Evidence from the roll-out of smart meters and informative displays can be used to design feedback that is highly effective in engaging individuals to reduce their energy-related emissions47. Furthermore, AI breakthroughs combined with very high ownership of smartphones will allow the low-cost development of new personalized apps to account for PCAs and trade personal emissions. For instance, machine-learning algorithms could be trained to automatically gather all the available information on someone's emissions, and to fill data gaps and accurately estimate an individual's carbon emissions on the basis of limited data inputs such as stops at petrol stations, check-ins at venues and travel histories. AI could be especially beneficial for PCA designs that also include food- and consumption-related emissions. Many voluntary smartphone apps can already capture personal travel and dietary behaviours for estimating carbon emissions and potential health consequences. Algorithms in those apps can intelligently understand the mode of transport on the basis of the user's speed and trajectory, and can estimate food-related emissions on the basis of purchasing habits48. More importantly, machine learning could also support our understanding of what information and advice are most effective for promoting behaviour change through PCAs. An ever-increasing number of decision-making tasks are being delegated to software systems49, allowing the presentation of targeted personalized information to future users on their emissions patterns. The latest science on AI for learning, including the use of virtual agents50,51, could help refine the type of information that users are shown to manage and reduce their carbon emissions. To the user, all of the above could be packaged in an easy-to-use smartphone app that presents tailored information and advice on personal carbon emissions and facilitates carbon savings.
- Given the above, the adoption of PCA schemes to support climate action in the 2020s does not seem as challenging to implement5 as it did previously (Table 1).
- Table 1 Summary of discussed PCA barriers and drivers of changeSustainable design of PCAsInformed by recent methods assessing SDGs interlinkages1,27,52, Table 2 explores how PCAs could interact with outcomes in various SDGs, to provide information for their future design.
- Table 2 SDG-based design principles for future PCA applicationsThe way forwards to sustainable PCAsAdopting PCAs at scale in any given region or country will be a challenging research and policy task. It is unlikely that the same PCAs design would work everywhere'--or that PCAs are a suitable policy for all regions or countries53. Climate-ambitious technologically advanced countries with high trust in the government would potentially have more success in implementing just and equality-based PCAs. Such countries would have to investigate how PCAs could be designed to work in their specific social, economic and geographical context, and how such a policy could be practically implemented and harmonized with existing climate policies1,54 to reduce the risk of incompatibilities55,56. Nevertheless, scholars argue that existing policies are unlikely to be effective in meeting emission targets57 and therefore policymakers should use the full range of instruments58. In the EU, insight could be gained from the way the EU ETS is linked to offset markets such as certified emission reductions and the Clean Development Mechanism7, and from proposals on how to harmonize PCAs with the EU ETS scheme14. This Perspective does not present an analysis of how PCAs would cohere with existing policy mixes; this analysis would need to be done at national level before implementation.
- In terms of implementation platforms, while in the 2000s carbon allowances were expected to be managed by a card, in the 2020s high ownership would make smartphones the preferred option for accounting and trading (while providing alternative options for the few without smartphones). Innovative AI and machine-learning capabilities would facilitate the expansion of PCAs to include embedded emissions in goods and services, which are harder to calculate, and could help in providing individuals with tailored and timely advice on how to reduce their lifestyle emissions.
- The SDG-based design principles for PCAs in Table 2 give an overview of the potential benefits, as well as challenges, that policymakers considering PCAs may encounter. PCAs could be designed to encompass only certain emissions (such as travel, or the household use of fossil fuel methane for heating) or be more comprehensive and cover the whole economy (for example, including all household direct and indirect emissions such as food- and other consumption-related emissions). Therefore, positive and negative impacts on the SDGs are likely to vary significantly.
- Possible negative impacts of PCAs on vulnerable consumers will need to be carefully assessed to avoid situations in which they are negatively affected and do not have the means to change their emissions. The design of PCAs should strive to be fair, while acknowledging that it is not possible to have a policy with no losers. In particular, as people vary in their energy needs, an equal-per-capita allowance is not necessarily fair9, even if overall PCAs significantly reduce income inequality. Country-specific compensation59 or additional policies (for example, initiatives to tackle under-occupancy or improve thermal performance in rural homes) are likely to be needed for some vulnerable loser groups9.
- Technology-enabled PCA designs will need to consider issues around privacy, cybersecurity and digital ethics. Some lessons from the loss of privacy associated with the use of tracking apps during the COVID-19 pandemic46 could provide initial insights into ethical and secure app design60 (for example, new regulations and new algorithms for privacy-preserving apps44,45).
- The research community will need to step up to support a more detailed investigation of carbon allowances. Voluntary PCA initiatives and PCA-like schemes will be essential to trial various designs. Evidence from those trials should be incorporated into models that evaluate the impacts of various designs on different income groups. Participatory research methods and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders could help to advance the knowledge of this policy option.
- With the world not on track to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement using current policy tools, PCAs might offer a new approach. Although a PCA scheme would not be easy to design or implement, given the need for very ambitious reduction targets, climate-ambitious countries should ask: if not PCAs, what other scheme should be put in place to affect high-carbon behaviours in support of the objective of net-zero carbon emissions?
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- AcknowledgementsF.F.N. acknowledges the KTH Climate Action Centre for providing a platform for this research. T.F. acknowledges funding from UK Research and Innovation via the Centre for Research into Energy Demand Solutions (grant agreement number EP/R035288/1).
- Author informationAffiliationsKTH Climate Action Centre & KTH division of Energy Systems, School of Industrial Engineering and Management, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
- Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- School of Sustainability, Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Herzliya, Israel
- Institute for Sustainable Resources, University College London, London, UK
- ContributionsF.F.N. led the manuscript conception, design, writing and revisions. T.F., Y.P. and P.E. all contributed to the design of the work, content development, writing and revisions.
- Corresponding authorCorrespondence to Francesco Fuso Nerini.
- Ethics declarations Competing interestsThe authors declare no competing interests.
- Additional informationPeer review information: Nature Sustainability thanks Jing Wan and Edwin Woerdman for their contribution to the peer review of this work.
- Publisher's note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
- About this articleCite this articleFuso Nerini, F., Fawcett, T., Parag, Y. et al. Personal carbon allowances revisited. Nat Sustain (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-021-00756-w
- Published : 16 August 2021
- DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-021-00756-w
- Nicki Minaj Skips Met Gala Over Vaccine Mandate, Gets Into Twitter Fight With MSNBC's Joy Reid | The Daily Wire
- Rapper Nicki Minaj revealed Monday that she didn't attend Monday night's Met Gala because she didn't want to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.
- When asked why she wouldn't be attending the event this year, the 38-year-old tweeted, ''They want you to get vaccinated for the Met. If I get vaccinated it won't for the Met. It'll be once I feel I've done enough research. I'm working on that now. In the meantime my loves, be safe.''
- When fans pointed out the bad press Minaj was drawing for her comments, she clapped back, ''Who cares what blogs gon do? Y'all always worried about blogs. This my real fkn life. They can choke.''
- Later the same day, Minaj claimed she had family members whose friends have experienced adverse reactions from the shot, saying, ''My cousin in Trinidad won't get the vaccine cuz his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen. His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding. So just pray on it & make sure you're comfortable with ur decision, not bullied.''
- Minaj then entered into something of a Twitter fight with MSNBC host, Joy Reid.
- Reid posted a clip of herself on her show, ''The Reid Out,'' saying that she was disappointed in Minaj. ''For you to use your platform to encourage our community to not protect themselves and save their lives,'' commented Reid, ''As a fan, I am so sad that you did that.''
- The Grammy-nominated artist quote-tweeted the clip, replying, ''This is what happens when you're so thirsty to down another black woman (by the request of the white man), that you didn't bother to read all my tweets. 'My God SISTER do better' imagine getting ur dumb ass on tv a min after a tweet to spread a false narrative about a black woman.''
- A short time after Minaj she leveled a racial slur at Reid. ''The two white men sittin there nodding their heads cuz this uncle tomiana doing the work chile,'' she said, adding, ''How sad.''
- Some Twitter users thanked Minaj for sharing her feelings publicly.
- One woman lamented that she had to get the vaccine in order to get a job. ''I had to get the vaccine cause they wouldn't let me look for a job or get a job and to earn some money and know [I'm] unsure about getting the second vaccine.''
- Minaj replied that she would likely eventually get it as well for the sake of her career. ''I know babe,'' she said. ''A lot of countries won't let [people] work [without] the vaccine. I'd def recommend they get the vaccine. They have to feed their families. I'm sure I'll b vaccinated as well cuz I have to go on tour, etc.''
- Minaj retweeted one fan who said, ''I love how Nicki is having this dialogue utilizing her platform.'' The woman added, ''She's showing people it's safe & ok to have these conversations, to share our questions, experiences, concerns, reassurances, differences, etc. We can all benefit from this discussion. Stay safe y'all.''
- The Daily Wire is one of America's fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a member.
- Robert Costa (journalist) - Wikipedia
- Robert Costa (born October 14, 1985) is an American journalist. He is a national political reporter for The Washington Post, a political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, and the former moderator of Washington Week on PBS.[3]
- Education and early life Edit Costa was born October 14, 1985, in Richmond, Virginia, the son of attorneys Thomas E. Costa and Anne-Dillon D. Costa.[1] His father worked as an attorney for pharmaceutical giant Bristol-Myers Squibb.[4] He has three siblings.[5]
- He grew up in Lower Makefield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where he attended Pennsbury High School and graduated in 2004. While Costa was at Pennsbury, Sports Illustrated writer Michael Bamberger profiled him in the book Wonderland: A Year in the Life of an American High School.[6] He was also friends with actor Zach Woods and journalist Hallie Jackson, two fellow Pennsbury students.[7]
- Costa gained notice during high school for bringing rock musicians such as John Mayer, Eve 6, and Maroon 5 to perform at the school. He also reported for The Bucks County Courier Times, interviewing bands and reviewing concerts in the Philadelphia area, and covered professional and local sports for PHS-TV, the student television station.[8]
- He earned a bachelor's degree in American studies from the University of Notre Dame in 2008 and a master's degree in politics from the University of Cambridge in 2009. During his time at Notre Dame, Costa held internships at PBS' Charlie Rose, ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos, and in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. On campus, he hosted and produced an interview program for ND-TV called Office Hours.
- At Cambridge, Costa was an active member of The Cambridge Union debating society and focused his research on Winston Churchill and United Kingdom''United States relations. His adviser was Andrew Gamble, a British academic and author.
- Costa was on the board of trustees at Notre Dame from 2014 to 2017 and currently serves on the advisory council for the Donald R. Keough School of Global Affairs.[9]
- Career Edit Costa was a Robert L. Bartley Fellow at The Wall Street Journal.[10] In 2010, he was hired as a reporter by the conservative magazine National Review.[11][12] In December 2012, he was promoted to the position of Washington editor for National Review.[12] While at National Review, Costa was a contributor for CNBC, appearing on The Kudlow Report, and for MSNBC.[12]
- In 2013, during the United States federal government shutdown, Costa's reporting on the Republican party in Congress was widely praised.[13][10] The New Republic called him "the most important reporter in the country over the past few weeks"[11] and Slate writer David Weigel called him "omnipresent."[14] New York magazine called him "the golden boy of the government shutdown."[13]
- Costa has not identified his political views publicly, saying only that he's not on the "conservative team."[11] He has cited Robert Caro[15] and Tim Russert[16] as influences.
- In November 2013, he left National Review and was hired by The Washington Post, joining the paper officially in January 2014.[17][10] Newsbusters, a media watchdog website for the conservative organization Media Research Center, said that it was "perhaps the first time in decades that a top-tier 'mainstream' news outlet has hired away a reporter from a right-leaning publication."[18]
- On December 10, 2015, Costa was named a political analyst for both NBC and MSNBC.[19] Costa is known for his deep sourcing within national political circles. He has interviewed President Donald Trump on multiple occasions. Politico has called him the "Trump whisperer."[20]
- In March 2016, Costa interviewed Trump with Bob Woodward,[21] who has been a mentor to him.[22] Costa served as guest host of PBS' Charlie Rose in March 2017.
- In April 2017, Costa was announced as the permanent moderator of the long-running Washington Week newsmagazine program on PBS, following the death of long-running moderator Gwen Ifill, of cancer.[23] Costa frequently hosted top mainstream news reporters on the program. "I've always worked to be highly disciplined in my reporting. ... to be sensitive to constant objectivity," Costa told the Associated Press in 2017.[24] On January 1, 2021, Costa hosted his last episode of the Washington Week program on PBS. He left the television program to write a book with Bob Woodward.[25]
- References Edit ^ a b "Q&A Robert Costa, Sep 11 2015 - Video - C-SPAN.org". C-SPAN.org. ^ "Thomas E. Costa and Miss Dalton Lawyers Married", The New York Times, wedding announcenent, October 26, 1980. ^ "Meet Robert Costa, new Washington Week moderator". Washington Week. 2017-04-20 . Retrieved 2017-04-20 . ^ "I Love My Job: Robert Costa, From Pennsbury High to WashPo's Donald Trump Guy". Philadelphia Magazine. 2017-05-01 . Retrieved 2020-06-09 . ^ Vineberg, Andy. "New 'Washington Week' host Robert Costa's journalism career began in Courier Times cafeteria". ^ Smerconish, Michael (2013-10-27). "The Pulse: Bucks native makes a splash in Washington". Philly.com . Retrieved 2017-04-24 . ^ "BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Robert Costa, WaPo national political reporter, moderator of PBS's "Washington Week," and a political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC". ^ "Interview: Yardley's Robert Costa, from Maroon 5 to Trump - Philly". ^ ENR/PAZ // University Communications: Web // University of Notre Dame (2014-05-16). "Notre Dame makes additions to Fellows and Board // News // Notre Dame News // University of Notre Dame". News.nd.edu . Retrieved 2017-04-24 . ^ a b c Gold, Hadas. "Robert Costa to The Washington Post". POLITICO . Retrieved 2016-11-15 . ^ a b c Tracy, Marc (2013-10-14). "Robert Costa: I'm Not On the "Conservative Team " ". New Republic . Retrieved 2016-11-15 . ^ a b c "Morning Hire: National Review Names Costa D.C. Editor" . Retrieved 2014-08-31 . ^ a b Coscarelli, Joe. "How Robert Costa Became the Golden Boy of the Government Shutdown". New York Magazine . Retrieved 2016-11-15 . ^ Weigel, David (2013-07-19). "After Losing Big on Senate Strategy, Ted Cruz Pledges to Shut Down the Government Unless Obamacare Is Defunded". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339 . Retrieved 2016-11-15 . ^ "How Robert Costa Became the Golden Boy of the Government Shutdown". Nymag.com. 2013-10-17 . Retrieved 2017-04-24 . ^ Costa, Robert (2008-06-16). "Russert's Career Advice: Just Do It". WSJ . Retrieved 2017-04-24 . ^ "Robert Costa to The Washington Post" . Retrieved 2014-08-31 . ^ "Washington Post Hires National Review Reporter Robert Costa". NewsBusters . Retrieved 2016-11-15 . ^ Gold, Hadas (December 10, 2015). "NBC, MSNBC name Robert Costa political analyst". politico.com. Politico . Retrieved August 18, 2016 . ^ Glasser, Susan B. "2016 election 16 breakout media stars". Politico . Retrieved 2017-04-24 . ^ Woodward, Bob (2016-04-02). "Transcript: Donald Trump interview with Bob Woodward and Robert Costa". The Washington Post . Retrieved 2017-04-24 . ^ Chotiner, Isaac (2016-04-12). "Bob Woodward of the Washington Post on Trump, Bush, and web journalism". Slate.com . Retrieved 2017-04-24 . ^ McCarthy, Ellen (April 20, 2017). "Post reporter Robert Costa takes over helm of PBS's Washington Week". The Washington Post . Retrieved April 22, 2017 . ^ "No snark allowed PBS Washington Week stays true to form". www.usnews.com. ^ "Washington Week Host Robert Costa Departs Program". New York Public Media. December 23, 2020 . Retrieved 8 January 2021 . External links Edit Appearances on C-SPAN
- Met Gala 2021: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Tax The Rich Dress - Hypocritical Or Iconic? Twitter's Torn
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attended Met Gala 2021 in a white Brother Vellies gown. (AFP Image)
- For her first-ever Met Gala appearance, representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez chose a statement-making dress which has drawn mixed reactions on social media. The Democratic congresswoman from New York attended the star-studded event in a white gown by Brother Vellies with the message "Tax the Rich" splashed across the back in red -- an inflammatory statement at an event where tickets cost $35,000 apiece and tables were up to $300,000, reports AFP. It was a polarising choice of outfit from a politician who has repeatedly called for billionaires to pay higher taxes and previously courted controversy by selling sweatshirts with "Tax the Rich" emblazoned on them.
- The Met Gala, held in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, made a return Monday after its cancellation in 2020 due to the pandemic. The theme for this year's Met Gala was 'In America: A Lexicon of Fashion'.
- While Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - or AOC, as she is popularly known - raised eyebrows by wearing a couture gown with the words "Tax the Rich" to an event attended by some of Hollywood's wealthiest stars, she also offered an explanation for doing so.
- "When we talk about supporting working families and when we talk about having a fair tax code, oftentimes this conversation is happening among working and middle class people (on) the senate floor," she told reporters at the event, according to CNN. "I think it's time we bring all classes into the conversation," she said.
- On social media, reactions varied from critical to supportive.
- Donald Trump Jr criticised the politician for sending mixed signals with her dress while hanging out with wealthy celebrities.
- What makes @AOC a bigger fraud:The "tax the rich" dress while she's hanging out with a bunch of wealthy leftwing elites or the lack of masks after spending the past 18 months as one of the biggest authoritarian mask Karens in the country? https://t.co/pE84Pjquh1
- '-- Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 14, 2021"'Tax the rich' says AOC's dress ... at the Met Gala ... where tickets cost $30,000," a Twitter user said.
- ''Tax the rich'' says AOC's dress '... at the Met Gala '... where tickets cost $30,000.But AOC doesn't mean them; she means you. You're rich. Because you work. Tax you. That's the reality. The Met Gala guys get tax breaks. You don't. pic.twitter.com/awGxEdT2xB
- '-- Marina Medvin ???????? (@MarinaMedvin) September 13, 2021Many said it was "hypocritical" of AOC to be wearing the message to an exclusive event for Hollywood's biggest and richest stars.
- I'm starting to think AOC is a parody congresswoman.There's simply no way she thought wearing a designer "Tax The Rich" dress to an event with $30,000 tickets would be received well.
- '-- Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) September 14, 2021Let me get this straight. AOC is wearing an expensive dress that says "Tax the Rich" at one of the dumbest events that the wealthy elite put on? LOL. https://t.co/8gKQIvvJ3f
- '-- Jacob Airey (@realJacobAirey) September 14, 2021Others branded her outfit "iconic"
- AOC wearing a ''tax the rich'' dress at the Met Gala is truly the most iconic outfit I've ever SEEN pic.twitter.com/zcVS4uChgq
- '-- ' '
'" ???????? (@JeimiVentura) September 13, 2021aoc wears a ''tax the rich'' dress in an apparent mockery of joy villa's ''build the wall'' dress from the 2019 grammys. inch resting pic.twitter.com/vWxtIATOU8
- '-- matt (@mattxiv) September 14, 2021Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's decision to wear white may not have been accidental either. It is a colour that many American congresswomen have worn in the past for its association with the suffragette movement.
- Meanwhile, AOC was not the only one who chose to make a political statement at the Met Gala 2021. Fellow congresswoman Carolyn B Maloney showed up in a dress adorned with colourful sashes, each with the words "Equal Rights for Women" emblazoned on it. She also carried a purse which said "ERA YES".
- With this choice of outfit, she called for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, a Constitutional amendment that would guarantee legal gender equality for women and men. "Across the country, women's rights are under attack," Ms Maloney wrote on Twitter. "I have long used fashion as a force 4 change. As the Met Costume Institute reopens w/ their inaugural exhibit celebrating American designers, I am calling for the certification of the ERA so women can be equal once and for all."
- Across the country, women's rights are under attack.I have long used fashion as a force 4 change. As the Met Costume Institute reopens w/ their inaugural exhibit celebrating American designers, I am calling 4 the certification of the ERA so women can be equal once and for all. pic.twitter.com/ONbAJq4rOK
- '-- Carolyn B. Maloney (@CarolynBMaloney) September 13, 2021The Met Gala is usually held in May, but this year it was postponed to September in hopes that Covid-19 restrictions would be lifted. The honorary co-chairs were Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue, who has turned the gala into a global event, designer Tom Ford and Adam Mosseri, director of Instagram, which is sponsoring the extravaganza.
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- Elon Musk Objects to Bill That Could Benefit Unionized EV Makers
- Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO. Matt Rourke/AP Photo Democrats proposed a bill with a tax incentive for electric vehicles built by unionized companies. Elon Musk said the bill was written by lobbyists for Ford and the United Auto Workers union. The bill could benefit unionized companies such as Ford. Historically, Tesla has been anti-union. See more stories on Insider's business page. Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO, has criticized a bill that could benefit electric-vehicle manufacturers with unions.
- Democratic House lawmakers on Friday put forward a bill that would give a $4,500 tax incentive to consumers buying electric vehicles assembled at US facilities with a union.
- Musk tweeted on Sunday that the bill had been engineered by lobbyists for Ford and the United Auto Workers union.
- "This is written by Ford/UAW lobbyists, as they make their electric car in Mexico. Not obvious how this serves American taxpayers," the Tesla billionaire tweeted, linking to a Bloomberg article about Ford's production of its Mustang Mach-E cars at its Mexico plant.
- The $4,500 incentive could give an advantage to unionized US automakers such as GM, Ford, and Chrysler, while Tesla '-- which has historically opposed unionization '-- could lose out.
- Musk did not provide any evidence of lobbying by Ford and UAW. A UAW spokesperson did not respond to Musk's comments when asked by Insider, but he highlighted a statement from UAW President Ray Curry praising the bill.
- Ford did not immediately reply to Insider's request for comment.
- The bill also grants a $7,500 base consumer incentive for new EVs sold in the US, and it would allow foreign-made cars to claim that incentive for five years. This provision would apply to Ford cars assembled in Mexico.
- In a follow-up tweet replying to a Twitter user who said President Joe Biden should be making American-made cars a priority, Musk said "ahem" and tagged the president's official account.
- There were already signs of tension between Tesla and the Biden administration over the company's anti-union stance. Biden held an event celebrating American electric vehicles in August '-- Tesla was notably absent. Musk tweeted at the time that it was "odd that Tesla wasn't invited."
- Foreign companies without US unions would also lose out under the incentive. Toyota and Honda also opposed the bill in statements on Saturday, Reuters reported. Toyota said the bill discriminated against "American autoworkers based on their choice not to unionize."
- The bill is due to be voted on by the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
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- Fauci says he supports vaccine mandates for air travel. Will it actually fly? - The Washington Post
- Top infectious-disease expert Anthony S. Fauci says air travelers should get the coronavirus vaccine to fly.
- ''I would support that if you want to get on a plane and travel with other people, that you should be vaccinated,'' he told theSkimm in an interview Friday.
- The news site posted a clip of the interview on social media with Fauci along with the caption: ''Would you support vaccine mandates for airline travel?'' The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director spoke to the site for a podcast, which airs in full Thursday.
- In an interview Monday with The Washington Post, Fauci said he is supportive of a mandate, but isn't proposing it. He is President Biden's chief medical adviser.
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- ''It's on the table; we haven't decided yet,'' he said. ''But if the president said, 'You know, let's go ahead and do it,' I would be supportive of it.''
- Biden announces sweeping new vaccine mandates for businesses, federal workers
- He pointed out that Biden last week said the Transportation Security Administration would double fines for those who refuse to wear masks in airports.
- ''So he hasn't taken the step of mandating vaccines,'' he said.
- While Biden has not yet extended mandates to air travel, the administration last week announced widespread new vaccine requirements for businesses with more than 100 workers, certain health-care facilities and federal employees.
- Some airlines including United, Frontier and Hawaiian have required employees '-- but not passengers '-- to be fully vaccinated. Most cruise lines are going further, with vaccine requirements for crew and the vast majority of passengers.
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- Australian airline Qantas is expected to become the first carrier to mandate vaccinations for passengers after CEO Alan Joyce's announcement last week.
- ''Qantas will have a policy that internationally, we will only be carrying vaccinated passengers,'' Joyce said.
- Rep. Don Beyer introduces bill to require vaccines or negative coronavirus test for domestic travel
- U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, a Democrat from Virginia, introduced a bill last week that would require domestic air or Amtrak travelers to provide proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test.
- In news briefings last week, Biden administration officials did not suggest vaccine mandates for domestic flights were imminent '-- but also did not rule them out.
- ''We are always looking at more we can do to protect and save lives,'' press secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday, the day after the new mandates were issued. ''Obviously, he made a significant and bold announcement yesterday, so I don't have anything to predict or preview for you, but we'll continue to look for ways to save more lives.''
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- Jeff Zients, coordinator of the White House's covid-19 response team, pointed to the workplace mandates and TSA mask fines on Friday.
- ''Overall, I think we have a very strong track record that shows we're pulling available levers to acquire vaccinations and we're not taking any measures off the table,'' he said.
- Airline executives have publicly cast doubt on the likelihood of vaccine mandates for domestic travel, though they said the requirements are typical for international flights.
- TSA doubles fines for people who refuse to wear masks at airports, in other transportation settings
- United CEO Scott Kirby said on MSNBC that such a mandate in the United States would be ''logistically impractical.''
- ''I think it would require government response and government tracking to make that practical, and make it work, and so it's probably unlikely to happen domestically,'' he said.
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- On ''CBS This Morning,'' Delta CEO Ed Bastian was similarly dubious, saying he didn't see it happening in the country.
- ''You also look at the logistical dilemma '-- we're carrying millions of people a week '-- of trying to figure out who's been vaccinated, who's not, who qualifies for an exemption,'' he said. ''It would actually bottleneck the domestic travel system.''
- And American Airlines CEO Doug Parker told the New York Times interview show Sway in early August that it would be ''incredibly cumbersome'' to implement a vaccine rule in the United States, ''even if we decided that was something we wanted to do.''
- ''It wouldn't be physically possible to do without enormous delays in the airline system,'' he said.
- Your vacation is around the corner. But first: time to scramble for a coronavirus test.
- The U.S. Travel Association said Monday that it does not endorse a vaccine mandate for domestic travel, pointing to studies showing the safety of air travel when travelers wear masks.
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- ''U.S. Travel has long maintained that there should be no mandatory vaccination requirement for domestic travel,'' Tori Emerson Barnes, executive vice president of public affairs and policy, said in a statement. ''Such a policy would have an unfair, negative impact on families with young children who are not yet eligible to get the vaccine.''
- The trade group said it ''strongly'' encouraged anyone who is eligible to get vaccinated as ''the fastest path back to normalcy for all.''
- In his interview with The Washington Post, Fauci said he is, in general, ''favorably disposed'' to vaccine mandates given the number of eligible Americans who remain unvaccinated, which he put at 75 million. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 179 million people '-- 54 percent of the population '-- is fully vaccinated.
- ''We're making headway, but not at the rate that I would like to see it,'' he said. ''I would like to see us enter into the fall and the winter with the overwhelming majority of those 75 million people vaccinated.''
- "Transitory" Inflation Cooling As "Sticky" Heats Up: Here Is The Heatmap From Today's CPI Report | ZeroHedge
- Markets breathed a sigh of relief today when the latest CPI print came in weaker than expected, missing consensus expectations for the first time since October, and prompting economists from Pantheon Macro to declare that "in one line: The surge is over." We doubt it, but first here is the data.
- Core CPI inched up 0.1% (0.10% unrounded) mom in August, marking the softest sequential gain since February. This was below consensus expectations and led to the % yoy rate moderating to a still elevated 4.0% yoy clip, from 4.3% previously. Headline CPI rose 0.3% (0.27% unrounded) mom, boosted by a 2.0% surge in energy prices and solid 0.4% rise in food. Headline % yoy edged down to 5.3% yoy from 5.4%.
- The winds of transitory inflation became crossed this month:
- On one hand, used car prices started to see a negative payback after the record smashing rally over the past year, declining 1.5% mom. The timing is consistent with wholesale used car prices, which began to turn lower in June and are now down 4.2% from the peak through August. Reopening pressures also saw a sharp reversal with lodging prices plunging 2.9% mom and airline fares collapsing 9.1% mom. The broader transportation services sector also fell 2.3% mom, pulled down further by a 2.8% drop in motor vehicle insurance (which reflects seasonal factors that will likely bounce by +2.0% mom in September) and an 8.5% collapse in car & truck rental prices. Together, these components sliced 0.26% from core % mom.
- On the other hand, there were signs of continued shortage related pressures as price gains were seen across commodity items. Both new car prices and household furnishings & supplies jumped 1.2% mom in August, recreation commodities soared 1.0% mom, apparel and other goods both rose 0.4% mom, and alcohol rose 0.3% mom. These categories added 0.16% to core, meaning net transitory disinflation this month.
- Yet despite the softer core reading, there was continued pressure from a persistent inflation perspective. Both OER and rent of primary residence rose 0.3% mom, the latter improving from its recent 0.2% trend and catching up to the former. If 3rd party subscription-based sources like Zillow, Apartment List, CoreLogic and YardiMatrix are any indication, OER is set to soar in the coming months.
- Medical care services also held in at 0.3% mom. There was also broad price pressures across other major services, with labor constraints and resilient wages potentially playing a role.
- With CPI and PPI data feeding into PCE inflation, the Fed's preferred inflation metric, BofA estimates a solid August core PCE of 0.3% (0.34% unrounded) mom, which would keep the % yoy rate at 3.6% (3.65% unrounded). Both % mom and % yoy have risk of rounding up. The PPI data point to better autos and transportation prices within core PCE, versus core CPI, and strong food services also feeds into core PCE.
- The market response to the fading of transitory readings at a faster pace than priced-in, is consistent with what we would expect. Inflation breakevens declined across the curve with moves concentrated in the front-end of the curve while real rates rose. Market measures of forward inflation, like 5y5y breakevens were little changed as transitory inflation should have little impact on longer term inflation expectations.
- A heatmapped summary of the data looks like this, first on a M/M basis...
- World Peace And The Bitcoin Charity - Bitcoin Magazine: Bitcoin News, Articles, Charts, and Guides
- In July 2021, during an event featuring Cathie Wood, Jack Dorsey and Elon Musk, the panelists were asked: ''What do you hope for Bitcoin?''
- Dorsey replied, ''My hope is that it creates world peace or helps create world peace.''
- While many will laugh at Dorsey and call him naive, those who truly understand the long-term implications of Bitcoin know that this is a perfectly realistic hope. In fact, it doesn't need to be a hope, there is a charity that exists that can hurry Bitcoin along on its path to ''fixing this.''
- A little while back, somebody asked me about dollar-cost averaging (DCA) as an investment strategy. I replied, ''What's dollar-cost averaging?'' They answered, almost dumbfounded, ''You know, DCA, that thing you've hinged your entire online persona on and bang on about multiple times daily.''
- Flabbergasted, I said, ''Dollar-cost averaging? I thought DCA stood for ''daily charitable act!''
- I firmly believe that a small daily act of charity, done by everyone, within their means, would truly make this a beautiful world. But while many already do this in some way, it seems that the more we've been giving, the worse the problems seem to get. Inequality is getting worse, the environment is becoming more polluted, more species are becoming extinct and endangered, hundreds of millions of humans are still hungry and without access to even basic toilets and sanitation. This can't keep dragging on forever '-- a sustainable long-term solution needs to be found now. This means no more band-aid solutions and aiming our charitable efforts at solving the root causes of the problems, such as the Cantillon effect, and ending this painful cycle of misery for so many, once and for all.
- In a recent podcast with Stephan Livera, I made the case that Bitcoin may be the biggest charitable and humanitarian movement in human history. I will spell out the case in far more specific detail here.
- To do this, I will first define what charity is, as well as discuss the contemporary state of global charity. This will include some data on the world's biggest charities in terms of revenue and impact. We will then have a look at the Bitcoin charity, along with its mission, structure and the benefits it provides both its beneficiaries and its benefactors.
- What Is Charity?We all know what charity or ''a charity'' is, but to make the rest of this piece possible, I will turn to the Wikipedia page on charity to get the broadest definitions. To that end, charity can be many things; ''a non-profit organisation whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons,'' ''a practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing,'' or a ''religious virtue and concept of unlimited love and kindness.''
- In the past, I have written about Bitcoin as a startup organization and about Bitcoin and religion to use as mental frameworks to (inaccurately and incompletely!) help explain or describe Bitcoin, so the leap to ''Bitcoin as a charity'' isn't a far one to make, especially considering the broad Wikipedia definitions we saw earlier. Let's have a look at these three definitions closer:
- With regards to being a non-profit organization, in my startup framework piece I wrote:
- ''An organization is defined as 'an organized group of people with a particular purpose.' If that's the case, then Bitcoin is a well-oiled 'un-organization' with founders but no CEOs, many volunteers but no employees, and provably non-diluting equity, available to anyone who is willing to trade their energy for it.''
- Obviously, ''Bitcoin'' makes no profit, so we can tick that box. In terms of the ''primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons'' definition, I lazily look to the abstract of the Bitcoin white paper, verbatim, and see the following objectives:
- ''[A]llow online payments to be sent directly from one party to another without going through a financial institution''''[N]odes can leave and rejoin the network at will, accepting the longest proof-of-work chain as proof of what happened while they were gone''To rephrase the above in layman's terms, everybody has the right to send and receive value, and to store value, with absolute, energy-backed certainty '-- no exceptions. Coupling this with fixed supply (which is, funnily, not explicitly mentioned in the white paper), and this may be the only possible way to truly maximize the economic, and by extension, social, well-being of all people around the world.
- I won't be able to dive deep into the human element of Bitcoin to the extent that it deserves, but followers of my dear colleague Alex Gladstein will know the depth of Bitcoin's humanitarian power, especially among the down-trodden. There is legitimate love and kindness in the Bitcoin community, and some of the efforts we are seeing around the world in Cuba, El Salvador, Nigeria and many other places clearly demonstrate this. I would strongly recommend spending a few hours on a slow Sunday morning going through Gladstein's entire catalogue here on Bitcoin Magazine to comprehend the full extent.
- The History Of CharityCharity is not a new thing, with its religious roots stretching back over 4,500 years, and secular roots over 2,500, as shown in the infographic below.
- In terms of religious charity, the tithe (or tenth, or 10%) features in all Abrahamic religions, as well as Sikhism, often on a mandatory basis. There is even a secular tithing movement, Giving What We Can, which encourages their members to commit to tithe 10% of their income to the most effective charities.
- By the end of this piece, I hope to show that ''donating'' 10% of your income to Bitcoin is the most charitable activity in which you could ever partake. Indeed, ''10% of your income into Bitcoin'' is a growing meme, and I've previously demonstrated the mechanics of how a relatively small group of dedicated Bitcoin tithers could indeed bring about a $20 trillion bitcoin market, and by extension, the significant weakening (possibly destruction) of the proof-of-stake legacy fiat system, resulting in world peace.
- Indeed, ''Bitcoin Is The Successor To Violence.''
- Figure one: A brief history of charity. Source: Winspire.
- The Global State Of CharityAs we can see from the numbers presented in the 2018 Harvard ''Global Philanthropy Report'' in the three figures below, despite a huge geographical gap in data, there is a minimum of a quarter of a million charitable foundations in the world, with at least $1.5 trillion in assets, that collectively spend around 10% of their assets, or $150 billion each year.
- Figure two: Number of charitable foundations around the world
- Figure three: Charitable foundation assets
- Figure four: Foundation spend rate
- So, we know that $150 billion is spent by foundations globally, but how much is raised? The Charities Aid Foundation assesses global charitable giving as a percentage of GDP. As shown in figure five below, this amounts to over $400 billion dollars given per year, based on data from almost 80% of world GDP. Yes, that's right, more than $250 billion of raised funds, over 60%, unfortunately goes toward simply shoring up the balance sheets of foundations.
- Do I actually need to say anything more about the effectiveness of ''Big Charity''?
- Figure five: Donations as a percentage of GDP and total donated
- It pains me to say it, but donating to basically any centralized charity is a waste of time and money at best, or perpetuating continuing and increased suffering at worst. These high-overhead charities will never solve any social, economic or environmental problems so long as the proof-of-stake legacy system and Cantillon effect are allowed to proliferate. Focus on the Bitcoin charity, and soon enough, no one in the world will be starving. Obviously, this sounds ridiculous now, but by the end of this piece, I hope that it won't.
- If the above level of giving was put into Bitcoin each year, well over $1 billion per day, then we would see a $1 million bitcoin price very quickly, and the power of the Bitcoin charity would be on display for all to witness and take part in.
- The Bitcoin CharityFor well over a decade, the Bitcoin charity has been hard at work, rescuing the world from the social, economic and environmental effects of proof-of-stake legacy systems, such as governments, central banking and finance, as well as the military industrial complex.
- We've already spoken about the structure and mission of the organization earlier in this piece, so let's talk about the finer details of how the charity actually functions in practice.
- How To Donate To The Bitcoin Charity (And Why)The typical charitable foundation follows a centralized model, in which the foundation raises donor funds and distributes parts of these funds in pursuit of the primary objective of the foundation. I earlier defined Bitcoin as a ''well-oiled un-organization,'' so obviously, it would be impossible for ''Bitcoin'' to even collect donations, let alone distribute them. So how does one ''donate'' and how is the benefit accrued?
- Obviously, when people say ''Bitcoin fixes this,'' it doesn't mean that Bitcoin is the solution to literally every single problem in the world. Indeed, the spirit of the saying is more along the lines of ''if we had honest money, the world would be a far more honest place.''
- There is a thesis, and it is a strong one, that only a move to a Bitcoin standard would bring the peace, sustainability and economic prosperity required for our civilization to endure. But there is also the harsh reality that, at only a fickle $50,000 per coin, a tiny $1 trillion in market cap, bitcoin pales in comparison to the hundreds of trillions of dollars in global wealth, and hundreds of trillions more in derivative products, and Bitcoin's major benefits will not and cannot accrue until it is no longer fickle or tiny in terms of price.
- This is definitely not to say that millions of people are not already reaping huge benefits, but indeed, these are only being reaped because Bitcoin has already grown to a particular size. It would be far less beneficial to Salvadorans in El Zonte if bitcoin was worth $10 and it fluctuated by 90% every day. People need to accept that the price, while being the least interesting thing about Bitcoin, is the single metric on which it is judged by outsiders, and more importantly, why it is either demanded or rejected. When it's going up, people want it; when it's going down, people fear it. If they only knew!
- To put it simply, the way to donate to the Bitcoin charity is by increasing demand for bitcoin in any way you are able to, on a consistent basis. Charities prefer small regular donations as opposed to lump sums, as it allows them stability and predictability. This is no different to when people lump into bitcoin, causing huge, short-term price spikes, only for it to list lazily back to its ''real'' level over time '-- sometimes an 85% correction. Again, this is not useful for Salvadorans. We saw this on September 7, ''Bitcoin Day'' in El Salvador, when new Bitcoin adopters were subject to a 20% wealth drop in under an hour, followed by a 10% recovery in four hours, on their first day. I'm sure that inspired a ton of confidence in new Salvadoran Bitcoiners moving forward.
- People get excited for new things, like all getting together on one specific day, with one specific meme lump sum ''in support of El Salvador'' (''let's all buy $30 of bitcoin every September 7t''), but as shown on September 7, 2021, this is the absolute worst possible thing you can do. The best thing is to increase demand for bitcoin on a daily basis, consistently and predictably. One-off buys can be worse than useless. ''Upward stability'' is the aim of the game
- In terms of ''increasing demand for bitcoin,'' this could be via protocol and product development to make Bitcoin more useful and usable, or it could be education, evangelism, entertainment or enterprise for others. Some increase demand by getting paid in bitcoin, or migrating fiat-pay to bitcoin via automated regular buying. Finally, we have the bedrock of demand itself, the miners. Importantly, ''creation of supply'' should be avoided at all costs, and counter intuitively, the more expensive bitcoin gets, the less likely it is to be exchanged for fiat currency, and the more likely that a circular economy will have formed.
- By simply increasing demand for bitcoin, you will increase future demand for bitcoin '-- a virtuous cycle of increasing demand. This almost sounds stupid to say. The more you demand it, the more everyone else will too, and the better it will become. This is a universal law '-- the more a product is demanded, the better it gets. With an upwardly-stable price, the benefits start to accrue, and I'll talk about ''upwards stability'' and what it means for the bringing on of world peace that Dorsey so hopes for, in the next section.
- The Benefactors: Creating Upward StabilityThere is no thing that is bad for Bitcoin, and there is no thing that is not good for Bitcoin. But there are things that are especially good for Bitcoin '-- and they are ''the benefactors.''
- In an earlier piece, I referred to them as ''The DCA Army,'' and demonstrated that through their generosity, time and general attrition, Bitcoin could grow to $1 million per bitcoin well before the next halving. As I always say, ''If you want the price to be stable, you've gotta put your nuts on the table!'' and the benefactors I know are among the bravest, most selfless people in the world.
- The Bitcoin benefactor is philosophically and economically aligned with the underlying ethos of Bitcoin. They believe that all people have the right of free expression and association, and the right to economic sovereignty and the fairness of a hard money standard '-- and that this system of economic and philosophical beliefs is what will make the world a better place.
- The true believers believe that Bitcoin will grow regardless, forever, due to the nature of Bitcoin's built-in incentive structure '-- and I totally agree '-- however, I do believe a relatively small committed group of benefactors could drive Bitcoin from being fickle to ''upwardly stable,'' and from tiny to huge in a few short easy years. This would hopefully avoid us all having to spend 30 grueling years in the figurative trenches, for Bitcoin to just inevitably win anyway.
- People who want to save the trees put their money where their mouths are through various charities. Bitcoin benefactors increase the demand for bitcoin in hope of establishing a hard money standard, where more efficient and sustainable resource allocation will result in the saving of nature.
- I'm not saying that donating to Greenpeace instead of buying bitcoin is a waste, but you're probably making a far greater positive impact on nature simply by turning away from the proof-of-stake fiat system and increasing demand for bitcoin. The Harvard Global Philanthropy Report shows us what the world's philanthropic priorities are in the figure below '-- typically education, health and human services. Outcomes in education, health and human services would be dramatically improved by simply providing sovereign economic infrastructure to the poorest of the poor, and providing them a fair, work-based economic playing field to put them on the path to building and securing wealth, no matter how small the amount.
- The social and environmental justice warriors mean well, but the economic justice warriors deliver. It is literally as simple as increasing demand for bitcoin.
- Figure six: World philanthropic priorities
- Most importantly, the beneficiary creates ''upward stability.'' The oxymoronic state of upward stability means that the price of bitcoin is either constant, or listing lazily upwards toward infinity at a steady rate (not necessarily slowly, just steadily) '-- never down.
- For further clarification, the parabolic function of y = x2 can also be defined as ''upwardly stable,'' but the parabola I foresee for bitcoin is a little flatter. You see, for the merchant in El Zonte, a bitcoin that goes up and down like a yoyo, or even worse, drifts downward until the next 10x hype bubble in three years' time, is not a useful economic platform to build on.
- What is useful is something stable. What's really useful is something that always goes up. Upward stability would obviously require stabilizing forces, as well as forces that drive upwards. As demonstrated in my hypothetical DCA scenario, the stabilizing force would be enough beneficiaries buying up and holding the entire daily issuance (and then some), every single day, eventually depleting the stores of many speculators over several years and guaranteeing a rock-solid floor price. The upwards force is any new marginal demand. If the new demand is a lump sum purchase, it will likely cause a temporary spike in price before a reversion to the floor. However, if the new demand comes in the form of a ''recurring gift,'' the floor is permanently lifted. Upward stability '-- a beautiful thing.
- The Benefits And BeneficiariesTo be sure, bitcoin will never be ''stable,'' because it will go up forever. Volatility in both directions, however, will reduce dramatically with time, distribution and market size. But what would the benefits be if the benefactors' goal of upward stability was achieved? Indeed, every human on the planet, even the ones who hate Bitcoin the most, are beneficiaries of this charitable movement.
- When the price is upwardly stable, bitcoin ''volunteers,'' working for little pay or none at all, can dip into less and less of their savings over time. Instead of trying to find the best and most honest developers or projects to support and donate to, just create demand for bitcoin, and the best will rise to the top in time. You never know if a dev is malicious or incompetent '-- safer to just make ''Number Go Up'' and the good devs will become wealthier and not need your charity.
- When the price is upwardly stable, no one will ever fear earning in and keeping their earnings in bitcoin, as most rightfully do now due to the nauseating volatility. This provides every person in the world with a robust, reliable, liquid, circular parallel economy and technology on which they can confidently build their futures. I struggle to think of anything more meaningful or charitable.
- When the price is upwardly stable, bitcoin becomes a truly irresistible force; everybody will want it '-- whether it is by free choice and discovery, or the economic realities of life. It most certainly won't be resisted at a political level due to risk of political and economic suicide. You can easily ''resist'' or legislate against something when nobody supports it '-- but if there are enough benefactors to create upward stability, bitcoin would be untouchable. The U.S. senate hearing in early August would have looked very different were bitcoin currently at $1 million per coin, and not down 50% from its recent highs. Few, however, remember that it increased 1,000% prior to the 50% drop.
- Bitcoin can and will survive on its own merits, with or without an army of benefactors '-- but do we really have much more time to waste? Sure, charity is a fantastic thing, and you should continue doing charitable things in your life, especially when they cause tangible and immediate impacts on someone personally close to you '-- true peer-to-peer charity. But Greenpeace, et. al? Forget about it '-- the world is so much better off with everyone in the world opting out of the destructive proof-of-stake legacy system, building uncensorable and unseizable wealth, and bringing peace and prosperity to their homes, neighborhoods, towns, states and countries, and ultimately, the world.
- Just increase demand for bitcoin, and teach and encourage others to do so, and the world will be a better place. This is literally playing life with cheat codes '-- enrich yourself, enrich the world. There is no greater act of charity that you will ever do in your life than commit to stacking sats. I am not trying to minimize the efforts of the tens of millions of people working in charity today, but basically, they would all have far more impact by simply converting a fixed portion of their salary to bitcoin than whatever it is they think they're accomplishing for eight hours every day.
- This is a guest post by Hass McCook. Opinions expressed are entirely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.
- Elizabeth Warren Accuses Amazon of Peddling Covid Misinformation - The New York Times
- World | Elizabeth Warren asks Amazon to 'stop peddling misinformation about Covid vaccines and treatments.' https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/08/world/elizabeth-warren-amazon-covid-misinformation.html Sen. Elizabeth Warren wants Amazon to change search algorithms and stop directing shoppers to Covid-19 misinformation. Credit... Stefani Reynolds for The New York Times Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusets sent a letter to Amazon this week demanding the company do more to stop ''peddling misinformation about Covid-19 vaccines and treatments'' through dubious products sold on the site.
- The letter, addressed to Amazon's chief executive, Andy Jassy, and dated Sept. 7, asserts that the online retailer's search algorithm contributes to the spread of misinformation about Covid-19 by promoting books on the site's best-seller list that are riddled with falsehoods about the pandemic and vaccines.
- Ms. Warren said her staff had searched Amazon using terms including ''Covid-,'' ''Covid-19 vaccine'' and ''pandemic,'' they found that the top results included books like ''The Truth About Covid-19: Exposing the Great Reset, Lockdowns, Vaccine Passports, and the New Normal,'' which contains multiple claims that have been proven false. The book was also labeled a best seller in Amazon's ''Political Freedom'' books category.
- One of the book's authors, Dr. Joseph Mercola, was issued a warning letter by the Food and Drug Administration in February accusing him of representing vitamin supplements for sale on his website as being effective against the coronavirus.
- The searches by Ms. Warren's office also yielded first-page results of books that claimed Covid-19 vaccines were ''making people sick and killing them'' and literature that touted ivermectin, a deworming drug often used for livestock, ''as a Covid-19 miracle cure,'' which it is not.
- ''Collectively, this is an astonishing sample of misinformation that appeared in only a few potential searches relating to Covid-19,'' the letter states.
- A search by The New York Times came up with similar results.
- Ms. Warren acknowledged that Amazon had removed ''sponsored'' search results for pandemic-related terms and has made an effort to direct customers to accurate information by placing a banner at the top of all pandemic-related searches linking to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ''But the results of my staff's review are nevertheless deeply troubling,'' the senator wrote.
- Ms. Warren asked Amazon to conduct a review within 14 days and provide public reports on both the extent to which Amazon's algorithms are directing consumers products containing misinformation and on a plan to change the algorithms.
- In a statement to The Times, an Amazon spokesperson said: ''We are constantly evaluating the books we list to ensure they comply with our content guidelines. As an additional service to customers, at the top of relevant search results pages we link to the C.D.C. advice on Covid and protection measures.''
- White House abruptly cuts feed of Biden mid-sentence as he asks question at wildfires briefing | Fox News
- The White House abruptly cut the feed of President Biden's briefing on wildfires with federal and state officials.
- During Monday's visit to Boise, Idaho, Biden received a briefing about the ongoing wildfires that have plagued several states out west.
- While Biden spoke for much of the briefing, at one point he said he wanted to hear more from George Geissler of the National Association of State Foresters.
- BIDEN AGAIN SUGGESTS HE'S NOT CALLING THE SHOTS: 'I'M SUPPOSED TO STOP AND WALK OUT'
- "Can I ask you a question?" Biden asked.
- "Of course," Geissler responded.
- "One of the things that I've been working on with some others is-" Biden said before being cut off mid-sentence.
- The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.
- This isn't the first time the White House intervened in blocking Biden from being heard by the general public. Last month, the president's audio feed was cut as he was about to respond to a reporter's question on his administration's military withdrawal deadline from Afghanistan.
- In March, the White House cut the feed as Biden said he was "happy to take questions" while speaking to Democratic lawmakers at a virtual event.
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- This latest incident comes just days after Politico reported how White House staffers will "either mute [Biden] or turn off his remarks" out of "anxiety" that he will veer away from "the West Wing's carefully orchestrated messaging."
- White House press secretary Jen Psaki previously admitted during an interview that Biden is often advised by her staff not to take questions.
- Biden raised eyebrows last week when he told a crowd "I'm supposed to stop and walk out of the room" at a White House event following his prepared remarks.
- New study proves that chlorine dioxide (MMS) blocks SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins from binding with human receptors '' Dr. Eddy Bettermann MD
- Japanese researchers have confirmed that chlorine dioxide, also known as Miracle Mineral Solution or MMS, is a safe and effective remedy for the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19).
- A paper published in the journal Annals of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutics explains how MMS blocks the spike proteins associated with SARS-CoV-2 that are said to bind with human receptors such as Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), allowing disease to form.
- ''Chlorine Dioxide (ClO2) is a powerful disinfectant that is known to inactivate both viruses and bacteria,'' the study's abstract reveals.
- The stated purpose of the study was to see if chlorine dioxide directly inhibits the binding of the Chinese Virus Spike protein (S protein) to ACE2 receptors. The team conducted in vitro experiments with the British and South African ''variants'' of the Fauci Flu.
- ''Spike protein coated onto a microtiter plate was treated with chlorine dioxide aqueous solution or chlorine dioxide spray solution,'' the study explains.
- In the end, what they found is that MMS does, in fact, inactivate the binding of covid variant spike proteins to the human ACE2 receptor protein, ''indicating that this strategy may be useful in blocking the transmission of variant SARS-CoV-2 viruses.''
- Can chlorine dioxide protect your cells against a spike protein invasion?Since we now know that the variants are being spread by the ''vaccines,'' and thus also by the ''vaccinated,'' chlorine dioxide could help the ''unvaccinated'' to protect themselves against infection.
- It may also be useful in helping the vaccinated and those who test ''positive'' for the China Virus to rid themselves of spike proteins by preventing them from attaching to ACE2 receptors.
- Much more study is likely needed to determine whether or not this applies to people who took the mRNA injections (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna), as these shots program human cells to continue producing spike proteins constantly.
- For everyone else, taking MMS could provide a shield of protection against the type of spike protein damage that is causing some people to suffer cardiovascular events or worse.
- ''The powerful disinfection action of CD (chlorine dioxide) against microbes is due to its strong oxidizing activity against proteins,'' the study explains. ''Moreover, safe and permissible concentrations of CD have been well documented.''
- Covid spike proteins do not like chlorine dioxide, which blocks them from damaging the bodyFor their experiments, the team sprayed a 50 ?L aliquot of chlorine dioxide or chlorine dioxide spray solution diluted to the appropriate concentration onto microtiter plates containing purified Receptor-Binding Domain (RBD) spike proteins. The solutions were then incubated at 25ºC for 5 minutes.
- Next, a 20 ?L aliquot of 10 mmol/L sodium thiosulfate in Blocking Buffer 2 was added to terminate the reaction of chlorine dioxide with the spike proteins. This rapidly converted the chlorine dioxide to ClO2-, causing it to become unreactive.
- Then, a 35 ?L aliquot of biotin-labeled ACE2 diluted to 1.5 ?g/mL by Blocking Buffer 2 was added to the solution, while a biotin-labeled ACE2 was bound to streptavidin-labeled horseradish peroxidase and detected using a substrate of horseradish peroxidase.
- After one minute, a luminometer was used to measure the chemiluminescence signal emitted from the solution, which was assayed in four different wells due to the intensity fluctuation of the chemiluminescence.
- Upon analysis, it was determined that the intensity of the binding of human ACE2 protein to covid spike RBD decreased as a result of chlorine dioxide. The higher the concentration of chlorine dioxide, the fewer spike protein binding events were observed.
- Put more simply, coronavirus spike proteins do not like chlorine dioxide. And since chlorine dioxide has been proven to be a safe and effective remedy for a variety of ailments, there is no reason why it should not at least be considered as a potential option in the fight against covid.
- Just like hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, the government does not want you using chlorine dioxide to protect yourself against covidDr. Manuel Aparicio told The New American in an interview back in the summer all about chlorine dioxide and its potential use as a treatment for the Chinese Virus.
- Back during the early days of the plandemic, the Sacramento Regional Transit District was using chlorine dioxide to clean its buses, further demonstrating its external use as a weapon against the Wuhan Flu.
- For many years, chlorine dioxide has also been used as a treatment for autism. Kerri Rivera, a homeopathic doctor, has seen noteworthy success using it as a biomedical protocol to help autistic children regain normalcy in their lives.
- ''I started researching and [found that] it destroys viruses, bacteria, candida, parasites, reduces overall body inflammation, and neutralizes heavy metals, so I'm all in, [because] that's what autism is,'' Rivera told the Health Ranger in an interview.
- There are so many beneficial uses for MMS that it would be a crime not to allow people to have access to it. Thankfully, it is not a prescription-only drug like hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and ivermectin, so it remains easily accessible as a dietary supplement.
- Check it out for yourself to see if chlorine dioxide might be a helpful addition to your health arsenal. And be sure to tell others about it so they, too, can keep themselves protected against covid spike proteins, especially now that the ''fully vaccinated'' spike protein ''factories'' are potentially spreading them all around us.
- For more helpful information about how to keep you and your loved ones safe and protected against Chinese Germs, be sure to visit Cures.news.
- Sources for this article include:
- Related PostsDoes the cure for covid-19 already exist? Andreas Kalcker interviewed about chlorine dioxide as a lifesaving therapy for humanityBREAKING: Researchers claim 100 percent cure rate vs. covid-19 in 100+ patient trial conducted in Ecuador, using intravenous chlorine dioxideThe tide is turning: 50 steps for survival and VICTORY against the destroyersMSN exaggerates MMS risks with false headline but downplays COVID-19 vaccine dangersPublished by dreddymd
- Dr Eddy Bettermann MD focus on Biological Medicine (Biologische Medizin), Darkfield Microscopy (Dunkelfeld Mikroskopie), Orthomolecular Medicine (Orthomolekulare Medizin), Ayurvedic Medicine (Ayurveda), Psychosomatic Medicine (Psychosomatische Medizin), raw food (Rohkost), fasting (Fasten):Our primary integrative medicine goal is the maintenance of your health and wellness, and we are committed to safe and effective healthcare.Our specialties include online integrative medicine education by alternative doctor: food and allergy management through the use of Integrative medical therapy, Environmental Medicine, General Family Medicine, Ayurveda, Panchakarma, Chronic Fatigue, ADHD, autism, Fibromyalgia, Yeast/Fungus related diseases '' Candidacies, mercury dental replacement and detoxification, Natural Thyroid Replacement, Weight loss, Lyme Disease, Irritable Bowel Disease, Attention Deficit Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Addiction related programs, Intestinal Dysbiosis, as well as trigger point therapy using Neural Therapy.Dr. Eddy Bettermann MD, physician from Germany, consultant and teacher in biological medicine, especially dark field microscopy known as Live Blood Analysis in Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines. But he lecture also in the USA, Canada and the U.A.E. He speaks english and german.https://dreddymd.com/2017/01/17/the-interactive-live-blood-cd-and-the-certified-training-live-blood-analysis-online-course/https://dreddymd.com/courses/https://dreddymd.com/2017/01/17/live-blood-microscopy-analysis-darkfield-course/''Let thy Food be thy Medicine and thy Medicine be thy Food.'' '-- HippocratesPhysician Member of the Medical Board at AOX Singapore,Medical Doctor at Nurse Mobile Clinic andPhysician at DrEddy ClinicOur Mission:The mission of the Integrative Medicine is to search for the most effective treatments for patients by combining both conventional and alternative approaches that address all aspects of health and wellness '' biological, psychological, social and spiritual. Biological Medicine is a big part of my work and so is Dark field Microscopy, what I use in my daily practice and what I teach more then 15 years in Asia and around the world: Live Blood Analysis in dark field based on Haematology.We utilize Live blood analysis since 2004, conventional as well as specialty laboratories for a thorough diagnostic work up of the disease in question. Our integrative medicine treatment regimens are especially unique and are tailored specifically to the individual needs of each patient.Our Mission: don't harm, prevent, use food as medicineWe are a reliable partner for integrative medicine in Medical Spa & Clinic Development and integrative medicine Education Training for alternative doctors '' we bring different holistic approaches, like Integrative Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda Medicine together. On your request we offer our service in your place as well.Heavy metal poisoningHeavy metal poisoning is much more common than most people realize, and if you're thinking that it doesn't apply to you because you haven't been exposed to any, think again. If you've eaten fish regularly, had amalgam fillings, received vaccinations, drank contaminated water, or done industrial or agricultural work or pharmaceutical manufacturing, there's a good chance that you have a fair amount of toxic metals in your system..We are here to help and to educate!Wishing your health and happinessDr Eddy Bettermann MDMultimedia library https://bit.ly/2Wgqsd3Protect you and your family from harmful radiation https://bit.ly/synergyscience-dreddymdMore information about 5G and EMF: https://dreddymd.com/?s=5G+and+EMFProtocol https://amzn.to/2NxsfqlView all posts by dreddymd
- Modern Hippocratic Oath holds the underlying values of medicine in a digital world - David Geffen School of Medicine - Los Angeles, CA
- After four years of hard work, graduating students at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA stand together and recite the Hippocratic Oath before officially beginning their careers as physicians. The oath upholds timeless ethics and values, but it has changed since Hippocrates first wrote it 2,500 years ago.
- A modern Hippocratic Oath keeps original values in place while meeting the needs of our advanced medical practices and societal values.
- Modernizing the Hippocratic Oath
- Written in the 5th century B.C., the Hippocratic Oath is one of the oldest documents in history. While the creators intended it to be a binding covenant, modern doctors see the oath as a promise to uphold the art of medicine and act in patients' interests.
- In today's graduation ceremonies, students typically recite some variation of the oath:
- The Modern Hippocratic Oath, attributed to Dr. Louis Lasagna in 1948An oath that "Bears the Name of Hippocrates"The Declaration of Geneva (adopted by the World Medical Association)Fragment of Hippocratic Oath
- At the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, students recite a version of the oath adapted by the late Dean Emeritus Sherman Mellinkoff.
- How the oath applies today
- The medical community has changed the oath to accommodate shifts in medicine and society over centuries. For example, the original oath swears by Apollo and other Greek gods of medicine. Many of today's oaths swear by ''whatever each of us holds most sacred," or they simply begin with a promise to uphold medical principles.
- The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons lists many oaths new doctors have taken over the years.
- Despite how much time has passed, the core values of the oath have held firm throughout different iterations; all versions promise to act in the best interest of the patient and to protect patient privacy.
- Dr. Christine Thang, a 2015 graduate of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, said the oath is a reminder that a physician's job is to "treat not just the diseases we encounter but to think of each individual patient as a whole person."
- Protecting patient privacy, swearing to keep secret anything one may see or hear in the course of treatment, was a key component of the original oath. Even in a modern digital world, where it's easy to access and share information, privacy protection remains central to the oath and also guides medical policies.
- As values and practices continue to shift, the legacy of the original Hippocratic Oath will surely live on.
- Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
- Alabama allocation of monoclonal antibodies temporarily cut by estimated 30% - al.com
- State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris gave his weekly update on the COVID-19 pandemic and took questions this morning at the Alabama Department of Public Health.
- Harris said the state's allocation of monoclonal antibodies, which he said are highly effective at preventing serious illness from the virus, is being reduced to about 70% of the amount requested by providers.
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services imposed the limitations. Harris said the restriction on supply is expected to be over sometime in October. Previously the availability of monoclonal antibodies has not been limited, Harris said.
- ''We actually learned last week from HHS that Alabama is going to be on an allocation in terms of the amount of antibodies that we can order,'' Harris said. ''Providers in our state have been told that they are likely to get about 70% of the monoclonal antibody supply that they are asking for.
- ''We had not had any limitation before last week. But several states in the southeastern U.S., states with low vaccination rates, are seeing real surges and a demand for monoclonal products. So, that's led to this temporary allocation process. They tell us that will be over in October. Don't know exactly how long that will last, if that's early October or late October.''
- Harris said about 228 providers have been administering monoclonal antibodies.
- Harris said good candidates for the treatment are generally people who are at high risk for serious illness or death because of their age or because of chronic health problems. He urged people to talk to their doctors about it.
- ''Please talk to your doctor or your provider if you've been exposed to COVID as a close contact or if you have COVID to see if you qualify for a monoclonal antibody product,'' Harris said. ''These are for people who are at risk of getting sick, but aren't sick enough to be in the hospital yet. And you really have to do them quickly. We want to do them as quickly as possible but always within 10 days of your illness beginning.''
- Related: Who can get monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID? Montgomery doctor explains
- Harris gave the latest on the surge in Alabama that started in early July and that officials say is fueled by the highly contagious Delta variant and the state's low vaccination rate.
- Harris talked about the sharp increase on reported cases of COVID in public schools as compared to last year, the shortage of intensive care beds in the state, and a leveling of what had been a steady rise in the number of people hospitalized with COVID.
- The update comes one day after President Joe Biden announced sweeping mandates aimed at getting more people vaccinated. Gov. Kay Ivey and others have spoken out against Biden's decision.
- Asked about Biden's mandates, Harris declined to give his opinion. The president's rules require employers with more than 100 employees to require vaccinations or weekly tests for their workers, a mandate that will cover about 80 million Americans, the Associated Press reported. About 17 million workers at health facilities that receive federal Medicare or Medicaid will have to be fully vaccinated, the AP reported.
- ''The politics of the issue, I'm not in a position to talk about that,'' Harris said. ''I would just say our goal is we want everybody to be vaccinated as quickly as possible. It's the best possible way to get out of this.''
- Harris said the ADPH is still reviewing Biden's directives to see how the agency will be affected. For example, he said ADPH has federal contractors that inspect health care facilities. Biden's executive order requires vaccinations for federal employees and contractors hired by the federal government.
- ''We're still studying what that means for our agency,'' Harris said. ''We have federal contractors who do health care facility inspections, for example. We have the home health agency that works in public health. So we're still not quite sure what that means for us. We're still trying to figure that out.
- ''But the takeaway is we just want everybody vaccinated as quickly as we possibly can.''
- Other topics Harris covered:
- Alabama public school systems reported about 8,400 cases of COVID-19 among students in the past week. Harris said that's a 605% increase over the same week last year.
- Harris reiterated the ADPH position supporting universal masking in K-12 schools. About 90% of Alabama schools now require masks. Harris said it's a good policy for helping children stay in classrooms for face-to-face instruction.
- ''I know that's not without controversy,'' Harris said. ''I know that there's a lot of debate about that. But it is clearly a very easy, straightforward way to help reduce infections in our schools.''
- Harris also encouraged vaccinations for children ages 12 and older.
- Harris said hospitals reported they have 2,667 patients with confirmed cases of COVID, a slight decrease after weeks of rising numbers. He said 53 are pediatric patients. The shortage of intensive care beds is a crisis, Harris said.
- ''Yesterday, there were about 60 or so more patients requiring ICU care than we have ICU beds in the state,'' Harris said. ''So, that's 60 patients who are receiving critical care because they are critically ill, and yet don't have an ICU bed.''
- Harris said there have been 145 known deaths since April 1st among people who were fully vaccinated. He said about 90% of all deaths are occurring in people who are not fully vaccinated.
- ''There's a 9-to-1 increased risk of dying if you're an unvaccinated person, which is very consistent with what we know about how well the vaccine works,'' Harris said. ''Out of all the people in the state who are fully vaccinated, 0.01% have died because of a breakthrough infection.''
- Harris said about 2.36 million Alabamians have received one or more doses of a vaccine, including 1.85 million who are fully vaccinated. He said Alabama ranks in the bottom two in the percentage of people fully vaccinated but is ahead of eight other states in the percentage of people who have gotten at least one shot.
- Harris said ADPH, working with the Bruno Event Team and colleges, would have vaccine and testing availability on most of the state's college campuses on Saturday, an initiative announced last week in conjunction with the start of football season.
- Federal assistance for hospital staffing
- Harris said a 14-member team of health care professionals from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that was helping at South Baldwin Regional Medical Center in Foley has moved on. Harris said the team's work in Alabama was not extended after its two-week deployment.
- But Harris said a federal team working in Dothan did receive an extension and will be there several more weeks. Also, a Department of Defense team is assisting Dale Medical Center in Ozark and will remain several weeks.
- Teams from Health and Human Services are doing assessments at five other Alabama hospitals to see if they will receive staffing assistance -- Monroe County, Flowers Hospital in Houston County, North Baldwin Medical Center, Troy Regional, and Thomas Hospital in Mobile County.
- Harris said testing of specimens from Alabama by the CDC indicates 95% or more of cases in the state are from the Delta variant.
- Harris said there have been three known cases of the Mu variant in Alabama. He said the level of concern about the Mu variant is unclear.
- ''It's not clear that it causes worse disease,'' Harris said. ''It may be more infectious. It's not clear whether it's covered well by our current vaccine products. It certainly is not occurring in high numbers. It certainly has not displaced Delta at this point.''
- Related: Ivey: Biden's 'outrageous, overreaching mandates' on COVID 'missed the mark'
- Half of Alabamians now have at least one COVID vaccine dose, but rate slowing again
- Biden's new COVID mandates: What will it mean for unvaccinated people? Vaccinated?
- Almost all Alabama schools require masks as COVID cases increase
- Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.
- Funds Go Green, but Sometimes in Name Only - WSJ
- Fund companies are rebranding their out-of-fashion investment offerings as green, hoping to grab a portion of the cash pouring into sustainable products. In some cases, the rebranding has been in name only.
- Last year, companies that manage mutual funds and exchange-traded funds rebranded a record 25 funds as sustainable, according to Morningstar. They say these funds have adopted investment strategies that utilize data on companies' environmental, social and governance performance to pick stocks. Since 2013, fund companies have rebranded 64 funds, which had $35 billion in assets as of June.
- The American Century Fundamental Equity Fund is now the Sustainable Equity Fund, the USAA World Growth Fund is the USAA Sustainable World Fund and the Putnam Multi-Cap Growth Fund is now the Putnam Sustainable Leaders Fund. Assets for all three are up since the rebrandings.
- Many of these funds are actively managed and were experiencing chronic outflows prior to rebranding, said Morningstar Head of Sustainability Research Jon Hale. ''You have big fund companies with an inventory of funds, a lot of which aren't really attracting assets anymore, saying 'OK, here's this new investment trend happening; what do we do?''' Mr. Hale said.
- The shift is akin to a car company freshening up a tired model. Actively managed funds, which are run by stock pickers, have been losing investor cash for years. Similar funds with a sustainable label have been raking in money, according to Morningstar.
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- Of the 64 rebranded funds, 35 were suffering from investor withdrawals in the three years before they went green, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of Morningstar data. At 13 of the funds, investors began putting in cash again. At 45, new cash plus the rising stock market have boosted overall assets.
- The $1.5 billion USAA Sustainable World Fund holds nearly $100 million in shares of 47 fossil-fuel companies, according to data from shareholder advocacy group As You Sow, the most of any repurposed fund. Last year, Victory Capital Management Inc. changed the fund's name from USAA World Growth Fund.
- A disclosure was added to the fund's prospectus noting ESG ratings are considered but fund managers may disagree with a raters' conclusion. The Sustainable World Fund continued to hold shares of companies such as mining firm Rio Tinto PLC and purchased shares in oil-and-gas companies after rebranding.
- ''We believe incorporating ESG considerations into a portfolio should be an input under a larger mosaic of considerations any manager evaluates to achieve a well-balanced, diversified portfolio,'' said Mannik S. Dhillon, president of VictoryShares & Solutions, an investment adviser for USAA.
- Investors had been pulling cash out of American Century Investment's Fundamental Equity Fund for years before its 2016 rebranding. Three years later and under a new name, the Sustainable Equity Fund brought in a net $1.7 billion.
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- ''To us, that was an affirmation that we made the right changes,'' said American Century Vice President Joe Reiland. ''The performance was getting better, the investment community was more interested in investing sustainably and it made us more marketable to clients.''
- The fund beat the S&P 500 over the past five years and boasts its portfolio companies emit 67% fewer greenhouse gases than the index, according to the fund's sustainability report. The fund dumped shares of 12 firms during the transition including Exxon Mobil Corp. while adding electric-vehicle maker Tesla Inc.
- It kept ConocoPhillips , even though it is a big greenhouse-gas emitter, because it was shifting more toward sustainability, Mr. Reiland said. ''After analyzing the two, ConocoPhillips was demonstrating the ability to become an ESG leader over Exxon,'' Mr. Reiland said.
- Other companies frequently dumped by rebranded funds were oil-and-gas producer Devon Energy Corp. , tobacco firm Philip Morris International Inc. and aerospace companies General Dynamics Corp. and Boeing Co. , according to a Journal analysis of constituents of 43 funds with historical data.
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- Rebranded funds typically bought tech companies such as chip maker Texas Instruments Inc. and software maker Cadence Design Systems Inc. One reason sustainable funds have done well is because technology companies have trounced energy stocks in the past few years. Nearly 70% of 286 sustainable funds ranked in the top half of their performance category last year, according to Morningstar.
- Assets in Putnam Investments' Putnam Multi-Cap Growth and Multi-Cap Value funds were hovering near their lowest point since the early 2000s when the company rebranded both funds.
- Assets of the rechristened Putnam Sustainable Leaders Fund rose by 66% to $6.5 billion as of this June. The Putnam Sustainable Future Fund grew its assets by 93% to $649 million, according to the Journal's analysis. Both funds have outperformed their benchmarks and the S&P 500 in the past three years after periods of mixed performance prior to rebranding.
- The Sustainable Future Fund underwent the most dramatic change, shifting 75% of its portfolio to focus on sustainable firms, according to Putnam's head of sustainable investing, Katherine Collins. ''There are a wide range of approaches that folks are taking in developing sustainable funds, and for Putnam it was pretty far into the heavy-lift side of things.''
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- Stocks in energy firms like ConocoPhillips were dropped, and renewable-resource firms were added such as solar-panel maker Sunrun Inc., which was a top contributor to the fund's 2020 performance.
- ''We're happy not just with the numbers but with how those numbers have been generated,'' Ms. Collins said.
- Write to Shane Shifflett at Shane.Shifflett@wsj.com
- Get Ready for Smart Water: Graphene Oxide for Water Supply Quality Control '' SILVIEW.media
- As Klaus Schwab promised, The Great Reset / 4th Industrial Revolution is ''a tsunami of digitalization''.Sorry I didn't have time to make a story today, life's hard and likely short now.However, the resources below follow a storyline.
- Since 2014, the Smart Water Summit has been bringing Vendor Partners together with North American Water Utilities '' in an intimate setting to begin updating technology and improving North American Water Utility Infrastructure. The Smart Water Summit is a quality, hands-on experience where high level Utility Executives interact with Industry Leading Vendors, analysts and federal agencies. Summit Attendees are able to stay current with the latest advances in technology by participating in Vendor Boardroom Presentations, The Summit Solution Showcase, and Executive Premier Presentations.
- They're simply spying on the waste-water and, if you pay attention they're not just screening for viruses!by University of Manchester
- Credit: University of ManchesterResearchers at The University of Manchester's National Graphene Institute (NGI) have achieved a long-sought-after objective of electrically controlling water flow through membranes, as reported in Nature.
- This is the latest exciting membranes development benfitting from the unique properties of graphene. The new research opens up an avenue for developing smart membrane technologies and could revolutionise the field of artificial biological systems, tissue engineering and filtration.
- Graphene is capable of forming a tuneable filter or even a perfect barrier when dealing with liquids and gases. New 'smart' membranes developed using an inexpensive form of graphene called graphene oxide, have been demonstrated to allow precise control of water flow by using an electrical current. The membranes can even be used to completely block water from passing through when required.
- Is this what water does after attending classes at a liberal college?We need to find the location of these people to see if they got any 'smart water' projects going on there!The team, led by Professor Rahul Nair, embedded conductive filaments within the electrically insulating graphene oxide membrane. An electric current passed through these nano-filaments created a large electric field which ionises the water molecules and thus controls the water transport through the graphene capillaries in the membrane.
- Prof Nair said: ''This new research allows us to precisely control water permeation, from ultrafast permeation to complete blocking. Our work opens up an avenue for further developing smart membrane technologies.
- ''Developing smart membranes that allow precise and reversible control of molecular permeation using external stimuli would be of intense interest for many areas of science; from physics and chemistry, to life-sciences.
- PlayCredit: University of Manchester
- The achievement of electrical control of water flow through membranes is a step change because of its similarity to several biological process where the main stimuli are electrical signals. Controlled water transport is a key for renal water conservation, regulation of body temperature and digestion. The reported electrical control of water transport through graphene membranes therefore opens a new dimension in developing artificial biological systems and advanced nanofluidic devices for various applications.
- Previously, the research group have demonstrated that graphene oxide membranes can be used as a sieve to remove salt from seawater for desalination alternatives. Last year they also showed that the membranes could remove the colour pigment from whisky without affecting its other properties.
- For the ground breaking research in graphene-based membranes, Professor Andre Geim and Professor Rahul Nair have won 8th Award of the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW)
- Scientists have long been trying to control water flow through membrane by using an external stimuli due to its importance for healthcare and related areas. Currently, such adjustable membranes are limited to the modulation of wetting of the membranes and controlled ion transport, but not the controlled mass flow of water.
- Dr. Kai-Ge Zhou, lead author for the research paper said, ''The reported graphene smart membrane technology is not just limited to controlling the water flow. The same membrane can be used as a smart adsorbent or sponge. Water adsorbed on the membrane can be preserved in the membrane even in desert conditions if a current is applied. We could release this water on demand by switching the current off.''
- Dr. Vasu, second lead author commented, ''Our work not only opens new applications for graphene membranes but it allows us to understand the effect of electrical field on the nanoscale properties of confined water. Despite many conflicting theoretical predictions ranging from freezing of water molecules to melting of ice under an electric field, the experimental evidence for electric field effects were missing. Our work shows that large electric field can ionise water in to its constituent ions.''
- The work was done in collaboration with scientists from the University of York, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Iran, and the University of Antwerpen, Belgium.
- Graphene and related two-dimensional materials have shown promise for developing new applications as well as enhancing currently used processes for areas as diverse as; electronics, composites, sensors and biomedical. Membranes have become as key research and development theme for desalination, gas separation and healthcare.
- Welcome to the Smart Water Utilities USA 2021 Exhibition and Conference where global water utilities and network services will meet with water leakage experts and smart water technology providers in California to explore efficient and cost-effective solutions for the water utilities industry.
- Water is one of the most valuable resources across the globe and as rapid urbanisation has led to the rise in water demand, pressures across the water network caused by climate change and an ageing infrastructure have significantly impacted the availability of water. Non-revenue water (NRW) is water that is lost before it reaches end users, with water leakage being a key contributor of global water loss, currently valued at $40 billion per year, which is now driving the demand for smart technology solutions.
- The face of water supply networks is fast changing as operators navigate through the 'digital water age' and introduce new technologies across their water networks with advances in IoT and AI for network automation and control to efficiently manage and reduce water leakage. As operators work to meet new regulations and leakage targets, new initiatives towards more efficient water networks have become essential in order to satisfy an ever-increasing demand for water.
- With new developments in smart water technologies and technical know-how, recent advancements in leak detection offer new hope for water companies looking for operational efficiencies under challenging market conditions, and to better manage their water networks. The Smart Water Utilities USA 2021 event is set to become the region's leading exhibition and conference exclusively for water companies and smart water technology experts, to present new solutions for water leakage and how to develop smarter systems across their water networks.
- The key focus for this year's conference will be to ''efficiently manage and reduce water leakage'', and the objective will be to bring water utilities and network services together with leading industry experts to collaborate and examine new opportunities in smart water technologies, and to address the key challenges in water utilities from a global perspective.
- Key topics on this year's agenda include:
- Making an economic assessment for water utilities developmentIntegrating smart water technologies into existing water infrastructureStrategies for managing and reducing water leakage across the networkLooking at real-time data and cutting-edge communication technologiesNew technologies and know-how in IoT and AI for network automationEnd-user case studies and how to develop an optimal networkThis exhibition and conference will provide a forum for all stakeholders from water utilities and network service providers to leading water leakage experts and smart technology companies, to network and build cross-market relationships, and to discuss the latest results in smart water networks for the benefit of the water utilities industry.
- UK technology business awarded first commercial business contract for industrial wastewater treatmentGraphene technology slashes energy costs and reduces fouling for water treatmentInitial applications in commercial laundry, produced water, food, beverages and dairy industries30/07/2021Companies
- G2O is a fast-growing technology business with a portfolio of products that reduce the cost and environmental impact of water treatment. Our products harness the transformational potential of 2D materials, such as Graphene Oxide.
- INDUSTRIAL |WATER TREATMENT
- UK technology business G2O Water Technologies has landed its first commercial contract for the enhancement of water filtration membranes with graphene oxide. This is particularly significant for both the technology company as well as the water sector globally, as it is the first commercially successful application of the recently developed ''wonder'' material for water treatment.
- The advantages of using graphene oxide lie in the enhancement of membrane performance, as it mitigates the effects of fouling '' one of the biggest challenges operators of membrane-based water filtration systems face. With a coating of graphene oxide, successfully developed and piloted by the company in the northwest of England in collaboration with Hydrasyst Limited, operators can improve operational efficiency, reduce energy consumption and decrease chemical usage. It is anticipated that this will extend the lifetime of the membranes, as well as significantly reducing the cost and environmental impact of water treatment.
- Hydrasyst, the earliest adopter of the technology, is a British turnkey solution provider of advanced membrane technology systems, particularly in industrial processes. Commenting on its work with G2O, Managing Director Kyle Wolff stated, ''We're thrilled to have been closely involved for some time now with the piloting and application of G2O Water Technology's graphene oxide coatings. They have ultimately succeeded in proving their value for some of the most difficult water treatment challenges our customers face; for example in the industrial laundry sector. With the graphene oxide coating, our ceramic hollow-fibre membrane systems deliver significant operational advantages, enabling end-users to enhance the efficiency of their water usage, whilst delivering significant savings in energy costs .''
- ''This is a significant milestone for the company and the whole water sector. It's the first commercially successful application of graphene oxide for water treatment'', said Chris Wyres, CEO of G2O Technologies. ''The results of industrial trials with Hydrasyst validate the real-world advantages the solution delivers. We will be working closely with Hydrasyst to roll-out Nanopulse systems for a range of water treatment applications. We envisage that wide-scale deployment of this transformational solution can contribute to addressing the challenges of water scarcity and climate change.''
- https://g2owatertech.com/July 27, 2021 ''wateronline.com/
- UK technology business completes equity funding boostInvestors back G2O to accelerate growthSignificant potential demonstrated in industrial, oil and gas, food & beverage and energy sectorsUK technology business G2O Water Technologies recently completed an equity funding round, with existing and new investors backing the business to accelerate growth.
- G2O's innovative graphene oxide coating products that reduce the cost and environmental impact of water treatment, have developed significant market traction, with a rapidly growing pipeline of opportunities across a broad range of sectors including industrial, oil & gas, food & beverage and domestic water filtration.
- Chris Wyres, CEO of G2O stated ''Strong market traction for our Graphene oxide coating products has enabled us to secure additional capital from investors to accelerate growth and delivery of the strong pipeline of opportunities we have generated. As part of this strategy, we will be expanding our facilities and team, ramping up marketing and business development and commercialising an exciting range of new products.''
- The company will be focusing on converting a rapidly growing pipeline of opportunities, gearing the business to support partners and expedite progression through prototyping and industrial testing. G2O are currently applying their innovative technology to solve critical challenges in a broad range of water treatment processes, including desalination and the oil and gas, food and beverage and energy sectors. In each case, the proven solutions deliver enhanced operational efficiency, reducing energy costs, maintenance and chemical usage, as well as extending the lifetime of the membranes. This enables end-users to not only reduce costs, but also to minimise their environmental impact and contribute to addressing climate change.
- ''We're delighted that all our current investors have recognised the excellent progress made by the company in the last 12 months and have continued to support us. It is also a pleasure to welcome our new industrial investors to G2O, which is a tremendous vote of confidence in the future of the company. The timing of this investment comes as the company has just achieved a key milestone with the signing of its first commercial licensing agreement and I look forward to an exciting future as we progress through to full scale commercialisation of the technology with our development partners.'' commented Andrew Greenaway, Chairman of G2O
- Source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125003
- AbstractThis article reports a smart water-based ferrofluid that can transform from stable state to unstable state for separating the contained magnetic nanoparticles after use.
- The ferrofluid is synthesized by preparing polyethylenimine modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles via a one-pot method, and then improved by acidification treatment and ultracentrifugation-based washing. The resultant ferrofluid and intermediate products have been systematically characterized, verifying that the ferrofluid possesses superparamagnetism, high saturation magnetization as well as strong colloidal stability, and the magnetic nanoparticles contained in the ferrofluid have small aggregation size, strong electropositivity and high saturation magnetization.
- It has been confirmed that the acidification treatment and ultracentrifugation-based washing greatly activate the positive charge and reduce the aggregation size of polyethylenimine modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles, which is the key to our successful synthesis of this new type of ferrofluid. Furthermore, the adsorption behavior of the ferrofluid on the anionic Ponceau S dye has been systematically investigated, demonstrating that the ferrofluid can adsorb anionic Ponceau S dye in a short time (<5 min) with a maximum adsorption capacity of 140.26 mg/g.
- The experimental data show that the adsorption kinetics follows the pseudo-second-order mode and the Langmuir isotherm model is applicable to describe the adsorption processes.
- Importantly, the magnetic nanoparticles in the ferrofluid can be easy to separate from solution after adsorbing anionic Ponceau S dye, preventing secondary pollution and showing great potential in wastewater treatment.
- By Dr Parva Chhantyal, PhD. Oct 6 2020
- GRAPHIL, the new Spearhead project, brings together Icon Lifesaver (UK), Medica SpA (Italy) and Polymem S.A (France) along with other academic partners, Chalmers Institute of Technology (Sweden), Manchester University (UK), and the National Research Council (Italy). The consortium is committed to the production of innovative filters for household water treatment.
- According to WHO and UNICEF, 2.2 billion people lacked access to safe drinking water in 2019 (United Nations, n.d.). Each year, approximately 88% of the four billion worldwide annual cases of diarrhea have been attributed to a lack of safe drinking water (Schroth, Lanfair, & Ambulkar, n.d.).
- The Graphil project responds to the urgency of producing an easy to use microfiltration membrane that can be connected directly onto a household sink or used as a portable device for water purification. The filter is expected to go into the market in 2023 and can remove contaminants, pesticides, heavy metals, and dangerous pathogens from drinking water (Graphene Flagship, 2019).
- Water PurificationThe undesired chemical compounds, organic and inorganic materials, and biological contaminants, such as suspended particles, parasites, bacteria, algae, viruses, and fungi are removed from water through multiple physical, chemical, or biological processes (Schroth, Lanfair, & Ambulkar, n.d.).
- In the United States, the safety of drinking water quality is regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), whereas the European Union is regulated by Article 10 of the EU Drinking Water Directive (Directive 98/83/EC) (European Drinking Water, n.d.). On 18 February 2020, the environment and public health committee updated the EU rules of drinking tap water, which is expected to update quality standards and sets out minimum hygiene requirements for materials in contact with drinking water (European Parliament, 2020).
- In Europe, most countries use chlorine as a drinking water disinfectant since the discovery of water disinfectant abilities in 1905 by the London Metropolitan Water Board. The U.S quickly followed the use of Chlorine, reaching 64% of all community water systems by 1995 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). According to the WHO, the standard drinking water state is 2-3 mg/L chlorine to achieve satisfactory drinking water (Lenntech, n.d.).
- Portable Water FiltrationThe filter membrane performance depends on the amount of water passing through the membrane per unit of time and surface area, and the concentration ratio of a component between the filtered particles and the feed water solution.
- Following the discovery of Graphair (Smith, 2020), a conventional one-step water filtration system by a team of scientists from Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), graphene has successfully entered as a competitive next-generation solution for the portable water purification process. Graphair is a 4 cm2 graphene film filtration membrane with microscopic nano-channels that prevents larger contaminants such as salt enter the water (Bold Business, 2018). The filter was proved to be low-cost, removing 99% of impurities faster than other conventional filters without using chlorine.
- Graphene as a Water Filter MembraneGraphene's large surface area, versatile surface chemistry, and exceptional mechanical properties allow it to bind ions and metals. This process reduces the number of inorganic contaminants in water. The graphene-based membrane also offers a simpler setup compared to other traditional membranes, such as reverse osmosis and microfiltration train systems, leading to lower operating pressure and maintenance costs for end-users.
- Last year, the researchers from Russia's National University of Science and Technology (MISiS), Derzhavin Tambov State University, and Saratov Chernyshevsky State University experimented with graphene oxide to purify water by injecting graphene oxide into E. coli containing saline solutions. The results demonstrated the bacterias forming flakes inside the solution along with the graphene oxide, which can be easily extracted, making water free of bacteria (Smart Water Magazine, 2019).
- Find out more about graphene and graphene-based products here
- OCTOBER 15, 2019 '' realtyexecutives.com
- Originally published in inman.com.
- We are in an era where sustainability, energy savings, solar options, innovations, engineering and smart home tech knowledge are all extremely important to consumers, business leaders and employees trying to make a difference in the world. In 2018 alone, the U.S. spent $19.8 billion on smart home technology. I predict a new material called graphene will revolutionize the smart home industry and become a key factor in smart home technology advancements and innovations.
- Although there have been attempts to study graphene since the mid-1800s, it wasn't until 2004 when scientists discovered and isolated a single atomic layer of carbon for the first time. Since then, research has skyrocketed, and graphene is now considered to be the strongest substance known to science and might be one of the world's most useful ''wonder'' materials.
- Graphene forms a nearly transparent, flexible sheet about one atom thick (which, to put in perspective, is one million times smaller than the diameter of a single human hair). It is 200 times stronger than steel yet six times lighter. It is a conductor of electrical and thermal energy, and it is eco-friendly and sustainable, with unlimited possibilities to create the perfect smart home (and more).
- Concrete is the most common building material, along with steel, but greenhouse gas emissions from concrete and cement-making remain high. Cement-making accounts for 6 percent of global carbon emissions.
- Use of graphene, when incorporated into concrete and cement, makes for a stronger, more water-resistant composite material that could reduce emissions. This material can be used directly on building sites, enabling the construction of strong and durable buildings using less concrete and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This process reduces roughly half the amount of materials used to make concrete, all at a lower cost.
- Imagine being able to paint your house with a special coating that changes color when it senses that the underlying structure is in need of repairs. Researchers have created a smart graphene coating that indicates breaks and fractures by changing color. This could revolutionize the home inspection process.
- Graphene also has been used to make eco-friendly paint. Because graphene is a superconductor, the addition of graphene to paint can improve the thermal regulation of buildings, requiring less heating and air conditioning. Graphene's inclusion in paints, coatings and other building materials greatly enhances strength, durability and coverage.
- Solar panels on a home are a great source of energy. Graphene can be made into transparent solar cells that can turn virtually any surface into a source of electric power. This technology could give homeowners the opportunity to turn something like a garage door, window or roof into a solar conductor, all while maintaining the desired look of the home.
- Glowing walls could soon replace the light bulb, allowing for the introduction of glowing ''wallpaper.'' This would provide a more pleasant, adjustable light across a room compared to lightbulbs, and it can also be made more energy-efficient.
- It's also a highly efficient conductor of both heat and electricity and conducts electricity better than copper.
- To produce sound, regular speakers create a pressure wave in the air by physically moving back and forth. Graphene can create a non-moving solid-state audio device that would eliminate the need for a large sound system and speakers.
- Researchers believe they can incorporate speakers into ultra-thin touch screen technologies, in which the screen is able to produce sound on its own and could probably be incorporated onto walls.
- Graphene can make batteries that are light, durable and suitable for high capacity energy storage, as well as shorten charging times. It will extend the battery's lifetime and will add conductivity without requiring the amounts of carbon that are used in conventional batteries. Graphene can also be used to create new batteries that recharge quickly.
- Water conservation is a high priority in our country. It is expected that by 2020, 25 million people (in seven states), including Arizona and Nevada, will be forced to cut back on water usage as Lake Mead and Lake Powell essentially run dry. Graphene membranes can be used as water filters, filtering 85 percent of salt out of seawater.
- Although this percentage is not quite pure enough for drinking purposes, it is perfect for agricultural and landscaping use. This can help regions affected by the drought, that are located near large bodies of water and maintain modern, low-water landscaping using a better eco-friendy solution.
- Combining all of graphene's amazing properties could create a holistic impact on the world of smarter homes, and its participation as a change agent is not far away.
- Household Water FilteringThe Water Resource Group notifies that the worldwide water supply-to-demand gap is likely to reach approximately 40% by 2030, which warns the issue of water scarcity to be a worldwide priority.
- Although already-existing water filtration methods shown in the following table have controlled the market (European Commision, 2010), they are expensive, complicated or highly inaccurate, which prevents most parts of the world from getting access to clean drinking water. (Shull, 2012):
- Filtration MethodParticle Capture SizeContaminants RemovedMicrofiltration0.1-10 µm suspended solids, bacteria, protozoaUltrafiltrationca.0.003-0.1 µmcolloids, proteins, polysaccharides, most bacteria, viruses (partially)Nanofiltrationca.0.001 µmviruses, natural organic matter, multivalent ionsReverse Osmosisca.0.0001 µmalmost all impurities, including monovalent ionsThe Graphil project has helped to develop affordable and easy to use portable or household water filters. According to Mrs. Letizia Bocchi, who is the leader of the project, their filters are made with hollow plastic fiber membranes blended with graphene to enhance the adsorption of chemical contaminants (Diamante, 2020). Once completed, the Graphil filters could be directly mounted on a household water filtration system or portable water purifier devices, which also means a reduction in bottled water consumption, contributing to positive environmental impacts.
- References and Further ReadingBold Business. (2018). Graphair Water Filter '-- A Graphene Film Making Polluted Water Drinkable. [Online] Bold Business: https://www.boldbusiness.com/health/graphair-water-filter-polluted-drinkable/ (Accessed on 04 October, 2020)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Disinfection with Chlorine. [Online] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/public/chlorine-disinfection.html (Accessed on 04 October, 2020)
- Diamante, L. (2020). Spotlight: Exploring Graphil's graphene-based water filters with Letizia Bocchi. [Online] Graphene Flagship: https://graphene-flagship.eu/news/Pages/Spotlight-Exploring-Graphil%E2%80%99s-graphene-based-water-filters-with-Letizia-Bocchi.aspx (Accessed on 04 October, 2020)
- European Commision. (2010). Membrane technologies for water applications. Brussels. doi:10.2777/25163
- European Drinking Water. (n.d.). Background. [Online] from European Drinking Water: https://www.europeandrinkingwater.eu/initiative/background/ (Accessed on 04 October, 2020)
- European Parliament. (2020). Drinking water in the EU: better quality and access. [Online] News European Parliament: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20181011STO15887/drinking-water-in-the-eu-better-quality-and-access (Accessed on 04 October, 2020)
- Graphene Flagship. (2019). Purifying Europe's Water with Graphene Filtration. [Online] Graphene Flagship: https://graphene-flagship.eu/project/spearhead/Pages/GRAPHIL.aspx (Accessed on 04 October, 2020)
- Lenntech. (n.d.). Water Treatment. [Online] Lenntech: https://www.lenntech.com/processes/disinfection/chemical/disinfectants-chlorine.htm (Accessed on 04 October, 2020)
- Schroth, S. T., Lanfair, J. K., & Ambulkar, A. (n.d.). Water Purification. [Online] Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/water-purification/Other-purification-steps (Accessed on 04 October, 2020)
- Shull, A. (2012). The Design and Creation of a Portable Water Purification System. [Online] Andrews University: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/honors/39 (Accessed on 04 October, 2020)
- Smart Water Magazine. (2019). How to purify water with graphene? [Online] Smart Water Magazine: https://smartwatermagazine.com/news/national-university-science-and-technology-nust-misis/how-purify-water-graphene (Accessed on 04 October, 2020)
- Smith, B. (2020). Graph Air: Revolutionary Water Filtration Using Graphene. [Online] AZoM: https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=19275 (Accessed on 04 October, 2020)
- El Salvador Runs a Bitcoin Scam - WSJ
- Ever since Iran was denied access in 2012 to the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, a Brussels-based global banking network known as Swift, the axis of evil and its allies have intensified their search for a way to move illicit money electronically, outside the legal banking system.
- Getting kicked off Swift is ''like getting knocked back into the financial Stone Age,'' says Joseph Humire, executive director for the Center for a Secure Free Society. ''Without it, governments are reduced to physically moving around pallets of cash.''
- Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele doesn't have to worry about that possibility anymore because on Sept. 7 El Salvador made bitcoin obligatory legal tender. By adopting a nonbanking currency that will coexist with the U.S. dollar but trade outside the internationally protected banking system, Mr. Bukele ensures that he will be able to move money electronically, even if his government should face sanctions.
- The bitcoin law also gives Mr. Bukele a path to end dollarization and return to a government fiat currency that can be printed as politicians desire. This has alarmed advocates of stable money because, by dollarizing in 2001, El Salvador ended the specter of hyperinflation and devaluation.
- It may be that Mr. Bukele believes that bitcoin will behave better than the dollar as a medium of exchange and a store of value. But if so, he got an education on the day of the launch. The website of the e-wallet Chivo, which the government is using to circulate bitcoin, crashed. Meanwhile the dollar value of the cryptocurrency traded down as much as 17%.
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- The rocky start highlighted the dangers of obligatory bitcoin for a poor country that needs investment and growth. Salvadorans who receive bitcoin'--in remittances or in commercial transactions for example'--will either have to accept the possibility of losses incurred by holding this volatile asset or sell it through Chivo, which is a government-sponsored enterprise with little transparency.
- Article 8 of the law says that the government guarantees ''automatic and instant convertibility'' to dollars. It's unclear how that works in real time or the risks to taxpayers. But as Florida Atlantic University economist William Luther points out ''those who make the exchange won't be getting dollars in their Chivo accounts but rather dollar-stable coins.'' As you will see in a moment, this opens the door to a possible de-dollarization of the economy without the public's approval.
- A 2015 paper published by Mr. Humire's center'--titled ''The Anti-Dollar Alliance'''--discussed an effort, led by Russia, China and Ecuador ''against the global dominance of the U.S. dollar.''
- The paper described a 2014 meeting in Bolivia of foreign delegations from these countries, along with dozens more. ''One of the loudest voices came from Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa who held several conversations with his Chinese counterparts to affirm the need to reform the international financial architecture.''
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- As Mr. Bukele's government grows ever closer to China and tensions with Washington increase, it isn't unreasonable to see his bitcoin law as an experiment in circumventing the laws that Mr. Correa so detested.
- There is no evidence that Mr. Bukele dislikes dollars. He undoubtedly knows they are the world's monetary standard and surely would like to have more of them. But he wants to get around the rules governing their circulation in the international financial system. Still, the bigger near-term risk to the nation may be the threat to currency stability.
- The Chivo e-wallet allows Salvadorans in the U.S. to send money home without incurring money-gram fees. But it could also be the first step to breaking dollarization, which is popular.
- The stable-dollar coin is a parallel digital asset with a fixed exchange-rate to the dollar. In other words, it's a new currency created by the government.
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- To get it into circulation, the government has to get the largely unbanked nation into digital money. The bitcoin law does this by forcing merchants to accept the digital currency'--Article 7 of the law'--via Chivo.
- When Salvadorans convert their bitcoin to dollars, they don't receive dollars in the e-wallet. Instead they become holders of stable-dollar coins, which are only a claim to real dollars.
- At that point, Salvadorans hold an asset backed by the full faith and credit of, well, Mr. Bukele's government. It can rename that stable-dollar coin at any time, but it is most likely to do so only after it gains widespread use. It can also renege on its promise to peg it at one-to-one to the dollar, essentially devaluing the asset.
- It would be impossible to stop this unpopular confiscation of assets because the dollar-equivalent coin in the Chivo e-wallet would be issued and backed by the government, which, by the way, is highly indebted. If this looks familiar it's because it's a gussied-up version of Argentine convertibility.
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- ALL CLIPS
- VIDEO - (22) Avaaz on Twitter: "''I grew up being afraid of drowning in my own bedroom'' - #ClimateAnxiety affects young people globally and #WeFeelThisToo Join the launch of the first global study linking #ClimateAnxiety in children and young people to
- Avaaz : ''I grew up being afraid of drowning in my own bedroom'' - #ClimateAnxiety affects young people globally and'... https://t.co/HqUeKqls8h
- Mon Sep 13 17:37:19 +0000 2021
- VIDEO - MSNBC's Wallace: 'Lack of Masculinity' in Republicans Who Claim Fraud
- MSNBC anchor Nicolle Wallace said Tuesday on her show ''Deadline'' that Republicans like former President Donald Trump and gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder lacked ''masculinity'' for claiming election fraud.
- Reporter Jacob Soboroff said, ''Governor Newsom saying that the Republicans are trying to dismantle democracy and that he will accept the results of the election win or lose, full stop, a very different message than we heard from Larry Elder yesterday.''
- He added, ''This is straight out of the Donald Trump playbook. You heard the governor refer to that as well. Is there a Republican icon in California that's done this? I don't believe so. Clearly, there is one in national American politics, the former president of the United States.''
- Wallace said, ''You're right. I worked for Dan Lungren, who was behind who never questioned the election results. I came up in politics in California working for Republicans who faced long odds, and not a single one of them ever debased the state's voters. They never debased democracy itself. They were not sore losers. They were real men.''
- She added, ''I wonder, Jason Johnson if you can speak to the lack of masculinity in these male Republican candidates who can't take a punch politically. They can't win on the merits. They're too weak and unpopular, so they cry foul, they cry rigged. It goes counter to all the over bogus machismo coming out of the sickest, most toxic elements of the political right.''
- Johnson said, ''Masculinity continues to be defined down, up, right and left depending on what works for Republicans. Like when they're attacking women, they're being masculine, but when they're trying to control women, they're being masculine. When they lose, they say they have been cheated, and they cry, but when they win, they still say they're victims. I don't know what they're trying to do.''
- Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
- VIDEO - Simone Biles testifies at Senate hearing on Larry Nassar investigation - (FULL LIVE STREAM) - YouTube
- VIDEO - Hochul News Briefing: Sept. 15 - YouTube
- VIDEO - ð--´ PALMER SAID WHAT?????? ð'£ | GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN - YouTube
- VIDEO - WATCH: Jimmy Kimmel Openly Mocks Florida Residents Who Have Died From Covid
- When we say ''the left wants us dead'', we truly mean it, in every sense of the phrase.
- Earlier this week, far-left late night host Jimmy Kimmel openly mocked Floridians who have died of Covid. Yes, since they no longer have Trump in office to wish death upon, they have turned their sights to his supporters.
- During a monologue where he peddled fake news about how ''terrible'' red states are doing against COVID, Kimmel celebrated the death of Florida residents.
- ''Of the 54,000 Americans who died from Covid since the start of the summer, almost one of five '-- one in five of them died in Florida, which my God, all those orphaned ferrets, it's a shame,'' Kimmel said as his audience laughed.
- ''Basically if your state has more GED's than PHD's, stay indoors,'' he further mocked.
- @jimmykimmel mocks Floridians who've died of Covid: ''Of the 54,000 Americans who died from Covid since the start of the summer, almost one of five '-- one in five of them died in Florida, which my God, all those orphaned ferrets, it's a shame.'' pic.twitter.com/U9jMgCVyKt
- '-- Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) September 14, 2021
- As bad as his comments were, this wasn't the first time he wished death upon a certain group of people in the last few days.
- Just last week, Kimmel said that unvaccinated Americans should be refused treatment at hospitals.
- I give you all'...Jimmy Kimmel pic.twitter.com/aYFtvkUYVH
- '-- Defiant L's (@DefiantLs) September 8, 2021
- ''Rest in peace, weezy,'' Kimmel said, further mocking Americans who have died of Covid.
- What is your response to Kimmel celebrating death? Comment below'....
- VIDEO - (21) The New York Times on Twitter: "Simone Biles and other elite gymnasts told senators that the system "enabled and perpetrated" Larry Nassar's sexual abuse in emotional testimony on Wednesday. The FBI director apologized to the victims for th
- The New York Times : Simone Biles and other elite gymnasts told senators that the system "enabled and perpetrated" Larry Nassar's sexual'... https://t.co/Trrn1wrjPc
- Wed Sep 15 21:24:11 +0000 2021
- VIDEO - CBS' New Competition Show 'The Activist' To Air in October - YouTube
- VIDEO - WATCH: Sen. Chuck Grassley asks how FBI agents involved in Nassar case were disciplined - YouTube
- VIDEO - (21) Curtis Houck on Twitter: "What was Joy Reid suggesting here about #Tucker Carlson. Was she suggesting that he really wants to personally examine the testicles of the person in Nicki Minaj's tweet? So, in other words, is she arguing that #Tuck
- Curtis Houck : What was Joy Reid suggesting here about #Tucker Carlson. Was she suggesting that he really wants to personally exam'... https://t.co/xQuqDwCIVc
- Thu Sep 16 00:23:57 +0000 2021
- VIDEO - Nuclear submarine deal with US and UK 'all about China', says defence analyst | ABC News - YouTube
- VIDEO - How U.S., UK and Australia plan to counter China's rise through strategic partnership - YouTube
- VIDEO - Anti Vaccine-Mandate protestors gather outside of the CDC in Atlanta, chant FAUCI LIED PEOPLE DIED, and say they'll be back on Friday, let's support these patriots! - The Donald - America First!
- This made me laugh. Blacks are turning against the establishment. I think I even saw a raised fist. This is good.
- Just wait until they figure out that BLM was establishment astroturf.
- ''Smubbs 37 points 11 hours ago + 39 / - 2 They know. They just wanted their gibs.
- ''Barbs 38 points 9 hours ago + 38 / - 0 Uh, BLM was like 95% white.
- They filled their ranks with Antifa.
- Just spam the black population with memes about the Tuskegee siphilus jabs.
- I've been trying to tell my black friends about this.
- Bill Clinton apologized for it during his Presidency. This also wasn't the only time that horrible medical experiments were done on the black community. There's a looooong history.
- Also, did you know that there is an epidemic of vaccine-caused polio in 15 African countries right now?
- Something fishy is going on worldwide. From 19 August 2021:
- With Nigeria now experiencing the vaccine-derived poliovirus, we have joined the list of countries experiencing the VDPV in Africa, ramping up the total to 15 countries. The other countries are: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, C´te d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Togo and Zambia.
- https://www.msn.com/en-xl/africa/other/the-reappearance-of-polio-in-nigeria/ar-AANNR3h
- VDPV= Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus
- Complements of Bill Gates
- I laughed too, but not for the same reason. They are championing NM as the main reason for their awakening and anger while also wearing mask outdoors. 𤣠Whatever it take, I guess. ð¤·ð¼''¸
- I'm NOT sorry, but these are not my countrymen. This country is so fucked. ð¤...ð¼''¸
- ''Barbs 20 points 9 hours ago + 20 / - 0 We need to start organizing around single issues, because honestly any more of a purity test than that and we'll never organize again. They could be the exact opposite of me politically, but if we're both against mandatory vaccines then on that issue they're my best friend.
- My single issue is to be left the fuck alone to be free and prosper. Unfortunately, I'm in the 1%
- No you're not. It's just that that is never going to happen. The only way to get anywhere close to that is to defend yourself against these authoritarians. Which may mean teaming up with other people who have different views but who also hate authoritarians and tyrants.
- you are not alone, i believe you (we) are the majority but people are too afraid or too comfortable so until they get truly uncomfortable people will still sit down at home hoping that things will somehow get better.
- This is such an important point. We need to build a coalition to tear down the deep state FIRST. Then we can sort out who's going to run things.
- I'll take a temporary ally if only to fight a single cause. We can fight each other again afterwards.
- The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
- In 2019 Gavin Newsom spoke out against mandating vaccines..... oh how times have changed.
- ''bck- 8 points 8 hours ago + 8 / - 0 The government mandating masks set the precedent that its always okay to cover your face. Everywhere you go, you can now disguise yourself. You can use this in your favor
- It just empowers evil even more IMHO.
- ''bck- 3 points 8 hours ago + 3 / - 0 How so? You can use it to your advantage. Going to a protest to fight Covid mandates? Wear a mask, and disguise yourself and protect your identity. No one will be able to pick you out in a crowd.
- After 1/6 the CIA and FBI were searching through thousands of media footage to identify people and proceed to arrest them. More of those people should have been wearing masks to disguise themselves and keep their identity hidden
- Normalizing anything that hides basic ways of human communications like facial expressions is a bad thing IMHO. With that said, I do realize we live in ð¤ð, and must accelerate.
- Wearing masks and waiting to cross when the crosswalk sign said it was ok.
- This is Gazi Kodzo, aka Black Hitler and the Black Hammer organization, of the "Laaand Back!" Colorado ethnostate/commune/cult grift.
- They've been against the establishment for a long time, but, uh, maybe not in the way you were hoping. For a while, Gazi even officially had a white slave.
- If anyone does go to support them thinking they're patriots, please bring a camera because it'll be hilarious. The fact that The Black "we'll stay warm by burning copies of the Diary of Anne Frank" Hammer Org has somehow become involved in all this has just kicked the clown world element up to stratospheric levels. The absurdity of this timeline is absolutely glorious and chef kiss perfection.
- I'm telling you the fact that Nicki Minaj is the one person that is starting to speak out of this in the industries may very well turn out to be a boon for waking people up
- cracker did you just call me a boon
- Only we can call each other crackers.
- You better soften that 'R'.
- You taking back porch monkey :-P
- ''Mildad 5 points 8 hours ago + 5 / - 0 And maybe other famous people will get some balls and speak out too. Many of them know whatsup, but are too pussy to speak up because their careers would end.
- If that doesn't scare the living shit out of you, nothing will. That's pathetic, and once again proves this country is lost, and/or not worth saving.
- I agree. The level of the "average American" IQ is down right terrifying
- ''Barbs 9 points 9 hours ago + 9 / - 0 Nikki's a lot like Paris Hilton. Both are relatively smart businesswomen who have to play dumb because it's part of their brand. In Hilton's case her ''airhead debutante'' persona from her TV show made her so much money she just ran with it, and in Minaj's case blacks don't want to appear too much smarter than other blacks, or they're ''actin white.''
- You don't get to be that successful by being an idiot.
- Tekashii69 and lil pump says hello.
- Yup, and it's dropping by the day.
- Na she's an insider being used to create a "You get your info from Nicki Minaj?? DAMN YOU DUMB" camp of people that are easy to discredit.
- The thing she said about enlarged balls and impotent is impossible to verify. If it was blood clot or bells palsy, it would be different. But we just gotta take his word that he wasn't already impotent before the vacks.
- They want people to fall for Minaj so they stupid can be identified and "re-educated".
- "Impossible to verify?" Have you heard of VAERS?
- I've realized the horrific truth that most cops are really assholes, and have no problem enforcing ALL the ruling class's edicts. Same with most of the military.
- Yeah. I still absolutely despise the ACAB and BLM rioters, but I actually do think that those movements last summer were infiltrated and abused by the feds - just like the 1/6 ''insurrection.''
- It isn't hard to manipulate an already emotional crowd.
- Listen to The Quash latest episode. https://podcastaddict.com/episode/128370353
- He goes on a rant why the fuck conservatives back the blue or cheer military at this point.
- He gives good points of view from a legal/attorney perspective.
- They think they are in the club.
- It's been like this for decades fren. You just haven't been paying attention. I worked in the CJS for a long time, and it's corrupt from the street level cop all the way up to the DAs and judges. It's pretty awful. It's filled with nothing but cowards and bullies with the very very rare extreme exception to the rule that never lasts very long, because the squeaky wheel is always demonized, and made an example of.
- ''Cyer6 7 points 11 hours ago + 7 / - 0 Wait, now the cops want to engage black protestors? What happened?
- The protestors have shifted their focus off of whites and onto the true enemy of all of the people - the government
- ''Cyer6 4 points 9 hours ago + 4 / - 0 I hope.
- ''AL_Rise 23 points 11 hours ago + 23 / - 0 In fucking Atlanta, of all places. Good! People need to wake the fuck up!!
- ''phzoe 20 points 11 hours ago + 20 / - 0 I was here about 2 weeks ago. Corner CVS can be seen (too posh for label). There's a lot of nice parks nearby. No one in them or at CDC can be seen wearing masks. No one. Nada. Zip. Zilch.
- you should go back and support! i'm a decent drive but thinking of supporting friday if i can swing it with work
- ''Susurro 19 points 10 hours ago + 19 / - 0 Oh, snap! Boys, this might be a game changer. The entire BLM infrastructure was set up by these commies to thwart Trump. What happens when they realize Trump was the good guy? Hmmmmm....ð¤--
- I know i'll support them to get to that end, enemy of my enemy is my friend
- All black People!!! Look at them. They ain't scared of no glowie FBI.
- damn back people Nicki Minaj is the one?
- White people can't be bothered
- To be fair not many are left in that area.
- To be fair, anyone would do, given how fucked the country is now. And if it takes someone like Nicki Minaj to wake people up, then might as well roll with it.
- 𤣠exactly. It's fucking pathetic. This country isn't worth saving.
- This why we should combine forces with the Left. We have different ideas, but we hate the same people.
- After years of being told we're the evil ones, maybe we can wake them up and help them realize the elites have lied to them this whole time.
- I want to believe we can join forces and find that we have a LOT more in common with one another... but we have to get past decades of brainwashing.
- ''pelt 12 points 12 hours ago + 12 / - 0 Ho-Lee-Shit
- The merger of BLM and Trump supporters. I love it!! Time to team up against a common enemy, the establishment will shit bricks
- It's already happening. Look at the new york protesters
- "I never thought I'd end up protesting side-by-side with a Trump supporter."
- "What about side-by-side with a friend?"
- Lmfao they still wear the cuck masks and ridiculous gloves. Unless they plan on doing illegal activities it's the only reason I could see that as a plausible excuse
- that officer is dhs, might not be great to have your whole mug out when dealing with the glowies like that
- What's really bothersome about that officer is his ''come get it'' gesture. That is totally inappropriate and straight up stupid. Any good CO would chew his ass out for that.
- Yeah that's true. Also since everyone today even in their own group love to film them, they probably don't want their employer to see what they are up to'...strange world when fear overrules our constitutional rights isn't it!??
- Lol it's very strange, but ok whatever. Unlike the ''wear your mask'' Nazis, we are fine if y'all wanna do that. At least their against Fauci and the vaxx though. That's a very big start.
- ''bck- 5 points 8 hours ago + 5 / - 0 The government mandating masks will backfire on them in the end. They have now set a precedent that it's okay to cover your face wherever you are. You can use this to your advantage and disguise yourself.
- That protest needs to grow.
- you should come down to atlanta and support them on friday, i'm hoping to be there with some patriots from my town a couple hours away to show the cdc it's not just "inner city youths" like this who are tired of their lies. Let's mobilize pedes!
- Hell yeah! Wish I didn't live several states away or I would be there in a heartbeat. Hopefully this spreads. It's time.
- Lol at the comment thinking these are paid activists. They genuinely think you'd have to be paid to not believe the establishment narrative. They probably also thought no one who rioted last year received any money to do so, but genuinely believed in that cause.
- Fauci: "We came. We jabbed. They died." Cackles
- Don't thank me, just spread the info'....
- The Whole Nikki thing put a glitch in the Twitter matrix.
- That's great I would love to see more of that. We need a ton more of this and it could unite some moderates from the left on our side.
- ''OXIE 3 points 8 hours ago + 3 / - 0 That is around Clifton Road and Clifton Way, there are a lot of sandwich shops and other places for lunch around there.
- I once did a project for a couple of months inside their building there. It really focuses your mind to be very careful when you are standing next to refrigerators containing samples of such things as samples of HIV, LASSA Fever and many others.
- So as you are making your point try to keep it as friendly as possible with the police and security guards because they are very nervous about having out of control mobs in the vicinity because of what is there and will hit back very very hard if they sense any danger.
- ''Mildad 3 points 8 hours ago + 3 / - 0 These guys look like BLM retards, but I will happily walk side by side with them to protest real government tyranny.
- The principle of co-belligerants.
- Hell yea. Let's stand together.
- ''germ-x 2 points 6 hours ago + 2 / - 0 Imagine Nicki Minaj being the catalyst to cause the "normies" to finally start seeing what's going on.
- The enemy of my enemy is my friend, even if just temporarily.
- I don't trust these guys...sorry. Blm may be getting paid off to do some other underhanded shit nowadays to pay the bills like posing as anti vaxxers or trump supporters. Then they'll riot and burn shit just like nanc and Soros, who just had a meet up recently by the way, paid them to.
- Jesus, Nikki Minaj is now a defender of truth!? Clown world just gets crazy ever day.
- Finally... people are getting their balls back
- I may have to join in on the reindeer games
- What's the POS cocksucker "Homeland Security" cop think he's gonna do ?
- Glad to see the employees at the cdc looking at real people protesting..... the lying commiecocksuckers were thinking...uh-oh.. no one was suppose to see me.. I'm suppose to be aynonmous... I can change the definition of words... deny effective treatments.. all for communism.
- Pan-African flag. Communists turning against communists.
- Looks like Nicki Minaj a little fire under some peoples asses!
- ''Yz450f 2 points 7 hours ago + 2 / - 0 I'm confused. They know Fauci lied, and yet they wear the face diaper.
- Habit? Or to hide their faces. At this point it's not a terrible idea to wear a mask at any protest.
- Start a riot, burn shit, ATL loves that right?
- ''MicsMD1 1 point 33 minutes ago + 1 / - 0 You think they'll try to burn down a Level 4?
- They really are sheep aren't they.... even when they eventually get it right they can't resisting beh behing like sheeps: "Nicki Minaj said" wow that really makes me see you as free thinkers...
- 10 people... who do as they are told. " Move along people. you can not gather here."
- Kemp is gonna need to make sure his kids' cars are outside.
- Pisses me off to no end that people hang on the words of celebrities instead of just looking at what's right in front of their fucking faces.
- I think that gay dude is some crazy off shoot of blm/antifa. Very fucking nutzy. More of an attention whore than anything real.
- if he's against the cdc then i'm right beside him brother
- If its the same guy. He is a total grifter, more so than just right wing grifters. Gay attention whore with suspected paid "followers". So, I can agree with him on this issue, but I am not pretending that he is one of us.
- Be careful, this might be the FF they are planning... would be unexpected
- HEIL FAUCIHEIL FAUCIHEIL FAUCI!
- I'll be honest - I'm happy that they happen to be on our side for this one issue, but they're most likely retards if they follow any advice - especially medical - from Nicki Minaj.
- ''h203h 1 point 8 hours ago + 1 / - 0 CDC IS GOING DOWN! POLITICAL MAFIA JUST LIKE THE OTHERS
- Why are they wearing masks? They think the CDC told the truth about the effectiveness of masks, while they think thebCDV lied about the jab? LOL
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- VIDEO - 1 out of every 500 Americans has died from COVID-19 | Coronavirus headlines for Sept. 15, 2021 - YouTube
- VIDEO - Travis County OKs plan to spend $110 million to house homeless
- Travis County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to allocate $110 million in federal funds to build housing units for people experiencing homelessness in the Austin area.
- The vote was met by applause from the group of homelessness service providers and community leaders gathered in the commissioners' court chambers. The vote marks a significant investment in housing projects from the county '-- a change from the commissioners' initial reluctance to spend money directly on housing units.
- Commissioner Margaret G"mez, who developed and sponsored the plan with Commissioner Ann Howard and a diverse coalition of local community leaders and organizations, said after years of discussion on the need to address affordable housing issues and homelessness in the Austin area, it was time for something different.
- ''I think it's time we take some action here,'' G"mez said.
- More: Amid Austin's homeless crisis, debate rages over who should pay for solution
- More: Austin moved 147 people from homeless camps into shelters this summer. Most of them are still there.
- More: Statewide homeless camping ban now in effect; could lead to stronger enforcement in Austin
- The $110 million comes from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, which was the second of two federal stimulus programs created during the coronavirus pandemic. Travis County received $247 million from the program and had wide discretion on how to spend the one-time funds.
- "This is our golden opportunity," G"mez said.
- The funding is to be used on the construction of 10 or so projects that would total more than 2,000 new housing units. That would represent a major portion of a community goal established this year of 3,000 new housing units over the next three years for unsheltered people.
- The organizations likely to receive the funds under the proposal provide services for several different groups of people who are considered at-risk for homelessness or already living on the streets, including single mothers with children, the elderly, disabled residents, formerly incarcerated people, domestic violence survivors, and people of color disproportionately affected by housing costs.
- Travis County's decision also comes months after Austin City Council members '-- then weighing how to spend their own federal funds '-- presented the county a challenge. The council agreed to allocate $106 million to homelessness-related services with the caveat that all but $23 million would stay locked up in a reserve fund until others in the community, including Travis County, agreed to contribute a combined $200 million to the effort.
- With the $110 million now allocated by Travis County, local leaders will likely be looking for the remaining $90 million from businesses, private donors and nonprofits.
- In the plan proposed by commissioners Howard and G"mez, the $110 million from the county would fund these projects, along with others:
- Burleson Village, a new supportive housing community through Foundation Communities and Mobile Loaves & Fishes/Community First! Village. The cost to serve 700 residents is $50 million and is to be matched by $50 million from private donations. The village will sit on 76 acres at 7905 Burleson Road that a private donor gave to Mobile Loaves & Fishes.
- Foundation Communities says it needs $6.5 million to acquire a property in North Austin at Lamar Boulevard and Braker Lane. Foundation has budgeted $20 million. The plan is to establish an apartment community with 100 units priced at affordable rates. On-site services would include case managers, parent support, after-school child care and a food pantry.
- Six to eight new affordable housing communities serving 1,000 new residents. Like with Burleson Village, this would cost $50 million. Half of the communities would be west of Interstate 35. The money is being requested by the Austin Area Urban League, Caritas, Family Eldercare, Integral Care, LifeWorks and SAFE Alliance.
- Two hundred additional tiny home units at the state-owned Camp Esperanza in Southeast Austin. Each home would house one or two people. The Other Ones Foundation, which operates the camp, is asking for $3 million from the county. In addition to the tiny homes, it plans to provide shelter and support services for 300 more people with a goal of rehousing 400 to 475 people per year.
- All of the funded projects will be required to go through community engagement processes prior to final approval.
- Before Tuesday's vote, community organizations slated to receive funds thanked the county for investing in the issues of homelessness and affordable housing, while other speakers urged the commissioners to uphold their professed commitment to equity, both in making sure to equitably fund projects led by people of color, and serving people of color.
- Commissioner Jeff Travillion, while expressing his support for the investment, echoed their concerns about equity and asked for careful accounting of the fund distribution going forward. He warned that the county and partnering organizations would need to carefully ensure that the funds actually helped the people who needed it most, as well as Black and brown communities that historically did not benefit from such unexpected windfalls.
- "The devil is in the details," Travillion said. "And I want to see the details."
- American-Statesman reporter Ryan Autullo contributed to this report.
- VIDEO - Austin pharmacist gets 300 prescriptions a day for Ivermectin | kvue.com
- AUSTIN, Texas '-- Conventional is not the way Tom Schnorr operates. He owns Austin Compounding Pharmacy.
- Traditional pharmacies dispense standard manufactured drugs, but Schnorr is licensed to mix and tailor the drug to the patient. He said that, right now, most people want the drug Ivermectin. Schnorr says he gets 300 prescriptions a day.
- His website shows ''COVID ORDERS." The page lists more than a dozen drugs. The first 10 items are prescription-only, and Schnorr said not everyone needed every drug. Number one, Ivermectin, he said is needed by all.
- ''If you treat it when you get infected, you don't have to go to the hospital,'' Schnorr said.
- The National Institutes of Health's treatment guidelines show there's ''insufficient evidence'' for Ivermectin to be used for COVID-19 as of July 8, 2021. Schnorr disagrees but adds context.
- ''If you have comorbidities, you probably should vaccinate. If you have comorbidities, you might want to look at lowering your inflammatory response,'' Schnorr said.
- Schnorr said Ivermectin helps treat COVID-19, and there is no cure for the virus.
- ''There is no evidence that Ivermectin is beneficial as a treatment or a preventative agent for COVID-19 infection,'' F. Perry Wilson, MD, MSCE.
- Wilson is an associate professor term at Yale School of Medicine. He is the director for Clinical and Translational Research Accelerator (CTRA) and Interpretation of the Medical Literature. Plus, Wilson is a co-director in Human Genetics and Clinical Research Core.
- ''The reason this came up is because there was a really fascinating study in test tubes which showed that if you infected some cells with COVID and then put in Ivermectin, the COVID replication was decreased. That's very promising data,'' Wilson said.
- Wilson added that what was done in a test tube cannot be done in humans.
- ''These were not just mega doses, super-mega doses that would be toxic to a human,'' Wilson said.
- Other studies looked promising for Ivermectin, but experts got concerned.
- One studied only hospital workers. Experts say it's too limited. And a meta-analysis showed Ivermectin had a significant impact on COVID-19 treatment, but that study is now pulled.
- ''They've retracted on the basis of this fraudulent study that they included and have recalculated their meta-analysis without that study, finding that there's no benefit of Ivermectin,'' Wilson said.
- ''The things we want to do for every single person, regardless of vaccination status, are Ivermectin once a week and then vitamin D. It's so easy,'' Schnorr said.
- The Food and Drug Administration investigators look for people selling products for COVID-19 treatment, prevention or response.
- FDA sent warning letters to dozens of businesses. One warning to a business included Ivermectin. The company was based outside the U.S. FDA cited unapproved drugs and misbranded drugs in what the company labeled as its ''Ziverdo Kit.''
- Schnorr said he isn't concerned.
- ''The Texas Medical Board (TMB) and Texas State Board of Pharmacy (TSBP) do not endorse or prohibit any particular prescribed drugs or treatment for COVID-19 that meet the standard of care. Drugs are permitted to be prescribed off-label. It is the professional judgment of each physician to write their prescriptions while meeting all applicable federal and state statutes and rules. Similarly, each pharmacist must use their professional judgment in dispensing valid prescriptions while meeting all applicable federal and state statutes and rules,'' a joint statement posted on the TSBP website shows.
- Schnorr said many doctors in Austin are not in his corner. They will not prescribe Ivermectin to treat or prevent COVID-19.
- ''The prescription was for five days,'' local patient David Kohler said.
- David Kohler asked his doctor for Ivermectin when he got the virus.
- ''Around day two, I started noticing a difference. That, in conjunction with the other prescriptions and the vitamins or everything like that,'' Kohler said.
- Kohler said he was prescribed some of the other items on Schnorr's list too.
- Credit: KVUE, Austin Compounding Pharmacy
- ''I also had another prescription in conjunction with the Ivermectin, vitamins, sleep, water, fluids. I mean, everything put together. That's when I started feeling better, after the medical prescriptions from my doctor,'' Kohler said.
- Ivermectin is a drug primarily used to fight off parasites in animals and humans.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted a health advisory because people were taking a different version of the drug and getting sick.
- ''Educate patients about the risks of using Ivermectin without a prescription, or ingesting Ivermectin formulations that are meant for external use or Ivermectin-containing products formulated for veterinary use,'' the advisory shows.
- ''Believe me or don't believe me. Even though I can tell you that I took it, call your doctor and ask your medical physician about Ivermectin. Don't just go to the pet store or the feed store,'' Kohler said.
- The FDA issued five warnings this year, starting with a product safety letter and a frequently asked questions page. Then, the FDA sent out a safety alert and posted a letter to veterinarians and retailers showing ''continued concerns.'' All of them warned against people using animal medications.
- It is happening in Texas.
- The KVUE Defenders obtained information from the Texas Poison Center Network. Calls for help in 2020 totaled 195. By the end of July 2021, Texas jumped past last year with 212 calls. Another 71 people needed help in August.
- Local hospitals do not track overdoses of Ivermectin.
- While it is not FDA-approved for treating COVID-19, the FDA allows the human version of Ivermectin to be prescribed for off-label use.
- Schnorr goes against government recommendations. He still stands behind his list of meds.
- ''So even if it doesn't work, it's better than doing nothing,'' Schnorr said.
- Researchers need volunteers for COVID-19 clinical studies, including Ivermectin treatment and prevention. Information is available on the ClinicalTrials.gov website.
- 'No other choice but to cancel' | Michael Bubl(C) calls off Austin performance due to venue disagreement
- 7.3% of Austin-Travis County deaths between Jan. 1 and Sept. 10 were fully vaccinated people
- VERIFY: Yes, USPS workers will be required to get vaccinated, but not under executive order for federal workers
- VIDEO - Woodward/Costa book: Worried Trump could 'go rogue,' Milley took secret action to protect nuclear weapons - CNNPolitics
- Editor's Note: (The story below contains explicit language)
- Washington(CNN) Two days after the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, President Donald Trump's top military adviser, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, single-handedly took secret action to limit Trump from potentially ordering a dangerous military strike or launching nuclear weapons, according to "Peril," a new book by legendary journalist Bob Woodward and veteran Washington Post reporter Robert Costa.
- Woodward and Costa write that Milley, deeply shaken by the assault, 'was certain that Trump had gone into a serious mental decline in the aftermath of the election, with Trump now all but manic, screaming at officials and constructing his own alternate reality about endless election conspiracies.'
- Milley worried that Trump could 'go rogue,' the authors write.
- "You never know what a president's trigger point is," Milley told his senior staff, according to the book.
- In response, Milley took extraordinary action, and called a secret meeting in his Pentagon office on January 8 to review the process for military action, including launching nuclear weapons. Speaking to senior military officials in charge of the National Military Command Center, the Pentagon's war room, Milley instructed them not to take orders from anyone unless he was involved.
- "No matter what you are told, you do the procedure. You do the process. And I'm part of that procedure," Milley told the officers, according to the book. He then went around the room, looked each officer in the eye, and asked them to verbally confirm they understood.
- "Got it?" Milley asked, according to the book.
- 'Milley considered it an oath,' the authors write.
- "Peril" is based on more than 200 interviews with firsthand participants and witnesses, and it paints a chilling picture of Trump's final days in office. The book, Woodward's third on the Trump presidency, recounts behind-the-scenes moments of a commander in chief unhinged and explosive, yelling at senior advisers and aides as he desperately sought to cling to power.
- It also includes exclusive reporting on the events leading up to January 6 and Trump's reaction to the insurrection, as well as newly revealed details about Trump's January 5 Oval Office showdown with his vice president, Mike Pence.
- Woodward and Costa obtained documents, calendars, diaries, emails, meeting notes, transcripts and other records.
- The book also examines Joe Biden's decision to run for office again; the first six months of his presidency; why he pushed so hard to get out of Afghanistan; and how he really feels about Trump. CNN obtained a copy of "Peril" ahead of its release on September 21.
- 'You know he's crazy'Milley's fear was based on his own observations of Trump's erratic behavior. His concern was magnified by the events of January 6 and the 'extraordinary risk' the situation posed to US national security, the authors write. Milley had already had two back-channel phone calls with China's top general, who was on high alert over the chaos in the US.
- Then Milley received a blunt phone call from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, according to the book. Woodward and Costa exclusively obtained a transcript of the call, during which Milley tried to reassure Pelosi that the nuclear weapons were safe.
- "What I'm saying to you is that if they couldn't even stop him from an assault on the Capitol, who even knows what else he may do? And is there anybody in charge at the White House who was doing anything but kissing his fat butt all over this?"
- Pelosi continued, "You know he's crazy. He's been crazy for a long time."
- According to Woodward and Costa, Milley responded, "Madam Speaker, I agree with you on everything."
- Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, top center, watches as President Donald Trump signs the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, December 2019.
- After the call, Milley decided he had to act. He told his top service chiefs to watch everything "all the time." He called the director of the National Security Agency, Paul Nakasone, and told him, "Needles up ... keep watching, scan." And he told then-CIA Director Gina Haspel, "Aggressively watch everything, 360."
- The authors write, 'Milley was overseeing the mobilization of America's national security state without the knowledge of the American people or the rest of the world.'
- Woodward and Costa also write that 'some might contend that Milley had overstepped his authority and taken extraordinary power for himself,' but he believed his actions were 'a good faith precaution to ensure there was no historic rupture in the international order, no accidental war with China or others, and no use of nuclear weapons.'
- Trump going rogueMilley's fear that Trump could do something unpredictable came from experience. Right after Trump lost the election, Milley discovered the President had signed a military order to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by January 15, 2021, before he left the White House.
- The memo had been secretly drafted by two Trump loyalists. No one on the national security team knew about it, according to the book. The memo was eventually nullified, but Milley could not forget that Trump had done an end run around his top military advisers.
- Woodward and Costa write that after January 6, Milley 'felt no absolute certainty that the military could control or trust Trump and believed it was his job as the senior military officer to think the unthinkable and take any and all necessary precautions.'
- Milley called it the 'absolute darkest moment of theoretical possibility,' the authors write.
- "Peril" is one of several books released this year that have documented the tumultuous final days of Trump's presidency. In "I Alone Can Fix It," Washington Post reporters Phil Rucker and Carol Leonnig detailed how Milley discussed a plan with the Joint Chiefs to resist potential illegal orders from Trump amid fears that he or his allies might attempt a coup.
- 'Wag the Dog'Woodward and Costa write that top national security officials were worried Trump might pull a "Wag the Dog" -- provoking a conflict domestically or abroad to distract from his crushing election loss.
- When Trump refused to concede in November 2020, Haspel warned Milley, "We are on the way to a right-wing coup. The whole thing is insanity. He is acting out like a six-year-old with a tantrum." Haspel also worried that Trump would try to attack Iran.
- "This is a highly dangerous situation. We are going to lash out for his ego?" she asked Milley, according to the book.
- President Donald Trump speaks in the Diplomatic Room of the White House on November 26, 2020.
- Even some of Trump's most loyal advisers privately expressed concern after the election. Then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Milley that Trump was "in a very dark place right now."
- Milley had just one goal: ensuring a peaceful transfer of power on January 20. As he told Pompeo, "We've got a plane with four engines and three of them are out. We've got no landing gear. But we're going to land this plane and we're going to land it safely."
- 'We're going to bury Biden on January 6th'"Peril" offers a behind-the-scenes account of Trump's refusal to concede the election and how those around him tried -- and failed -- to contain his desperation.
- On November 4, the day after the election, Trump seemed privately ready to acknowledge defeat, asking adviser Kellyanne Conway, "How the hell did we lose the vote to Joe Biden?" But after making phone calls to loyalists, including Rudy Giuliani, Trump embraced the false and damaging conspiracy theories of election fraud.
- Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump took a light touch, the authors write, and Kushner told aides he did not want to be the point person for an intervention. Then-Attorney General William Barr tried to talk sense into Trump, telling him the claims of fraud were bogus. "The problem is this stuff about the voting machines is just bullshit," Barr said, according to the book.
- "Your team is a bunch of clowns," he told Trump.
- President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani speaks to supporters from The Ellipse near the White House on January 6, 2021.
- According to the book, a key figure from Trump's earliest days as president reemerged: former White House adviser Steve Bannon. The authors write that Bannon, who had been indicted in April 2020 and later pardoned by Trump, played a critical role in the events leading up to January 6.
- On December 30, Bannon convinced Trump to come back to the White House from Mar-a-Lago to prepare for the events of January 6, the date Congress would certify the election results.
- "You've got to return to Washington and make a dramatic return today," Bannon told Trump, according to the book. "You've got to call Pence off the fucking ski slopes and get him back here today. This is a crisis."
- The authors write that Bannon told Trump that January 6 was "the moment for reckoning."
- "People are going to go, 'What the fuck is going on here?' " Bannon believed. "We're going to bury Biden on January 6th, fucking bury him," Bannon said.
- Trump to Pence: 'I don't want to be your friend anymore'"Peril" also describes the tense encounter in the Oval Office on January 5 when Trump pressured Pence to overturn the results of the election. While the showdown went on inside, the two men could hear MAGA supporters cheering and chanting outside near Pennsylvania Avenue.
- "If these people say you had the power, wouldn't you want to?" Trump asked.
- "I wouldn't want any one person to have that authority," Pence said.
- "But wouldn't it be almost cool to have that power?" Trump asked, according to Woodward and Costa.
- "No," Pence said. He went on, "I've done everything I could and then some to find a way around this. It's simply not possible."
- When Pence did not budge, Trump turned on him.
- "No, no, no!" Trump shouted, according to the authors. "You don't understand, Mike. You can do this. I don't want to be your friend anymore if you don't do this."
- Trump called Pence again the morning of January 6. "If you don't do it, I picked the wrong man four years ago," Trump said, according to the authors. "You're going to wimp out," he said, his anger visible to others in the office.
- Even though Pence stood up to Trump in the end, "Peril" reveals that after four years of abject loyalty, he struggled with the decision. Woodward and Costa write that Pence reached out to Dan Quayle, who had been the vice president to George H.W. Bush, seeking his advice.
- Vice President Mike Pence speaks during a visit to Rock Springs Church to campaign for GOP Senate candidates on January 4, 2021 in Milner, Georgia.
- Over and over, Pence asked if there was anything he could do.
- "Mike, you have no flexibility on this. None. Zero. Forget it. Put it away," Quayle told him.
- "You don't know the position I'm in," he said, according to the authors.
- "I do know the position you're in," Quayle responded. "I also know what the law is. You listen to the parliamentarian. That's all you do. You have no power."
- 'You really should do a tweet'According to the authors, Trump ignored repeated requests by both staff and his daughter Ivanka Trump to call off the rioters at the Capitol on January 6.
- In one episode, retired Gen. Keith Kellogg, who served as Pence's national security adviser, was in the White House with Trump while he watched the insurrection unfold on television.
- Kellogg urged Trump to act.
- Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, who advises Donald Trump on foreign policy and military issues, speaks to the media in the lobby at Trump Tower, November 15, 2016 in New York City.
- "You really should do a tweet," Kellogg said, according to the authors. "You need to get a tweet out real quick, help control the crowd up there. This is out of control. They're not going to be able to control this. Sir, they're not prepared for it. Once a mob starts turning like that, you've lost it."
- "Yeah," Trump said. The authors write, 'Trump blinked and kept watching television.'
- Ivanka Trump also repeatedly tried to intervene, talking to her father three times. "Let this thing go," she told him. "Let it go," she said, according to the book.
- Rage 2.0Woodward's previous book on Trump was called "Rage," but "Peril," filled with expletive-laced shouting matches, takes the rage up a notch.
- Top officials told the authors that Trump's outbursts reminded them of "Full Metal Jacket" at times and "Doctor Strangelove" at others.
- In June 2020, after Black Lives Matter protests near the White House, Trump lit into then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who had just announced at a news conference that he opposed invoking the Insurrection Act in response to the protests.
- "You took away my authority!" Trump screamed at Esper in the Oval Office. "You're not the president! I'm the goddamn president."
- But Trump wasn't done, according to the book, turning to the rest of his team in the room. "You're all fucked up," he yelled. "Everybody. You're all fucked. Every one of you is fucked up!"
- In the aftermath of the election, Trump's rage was directed at Barr for daring to even mention the incoming Biden administration.
- US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper (left), US President Donald Trump, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army General Mark A. Milley (right) wait for a meeting with senior military leaders in the Cabinet Room of the White House in October 2019.
- "First part of the Biden administration!" Trump shouted, according to the authors. Trump was so mad, Barr thought, 'if a human being can have flames come out of his ears, this was it,' Woodward and Costa write.
- The book also reveals that Trump is still angry with Republicans who blamed him for the insurrection, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
- "This guy called me every single day, pretended to be my best friend, and then, he fucked me. He's not a good guy," Trump said, according to the book.
- While McCarthy has walked back his initial comments after the insurrection, Trump is quoted as dismissing McCarthy's attempts to get back into his good graces.
- "Kevin came down to kiss my ass and wants my help to win the House back," Trump said, according to the authors.
- The book ends with Trump allies speculating about his plans for 2024. Privately, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham is quoted as saying, "if he wants to run, then he's going to have to deal with his personality problems ... we've got a very damaged team captain."
- But in a conversation with Trump directly, Graham was much more optimistic.
- "You've been written off as dead because of January the 6th. The conventional wisdom is that the Republican Party, under your leadership, has collapsed," Graham told Trump, according to the book. Graham continued, telling Trump that if "you came back to take the White House, it would be the biggest comeback in American history."
- In July, Trump's former campaign manager Brad Parscale, who had been demoted and then stepped aside from the campaign in September 2020, asked the question.
- "Sir, are you going to run?"
- "I'm thinking about it ... I'm really strongly thinking about running," Trump said, according to the book.
- "He had an army. An army for Trump. He wants that back," Parscale later told others. "I don't think he sees it as a comeback. He sees it as vengeance."
- VIDEO - China Evergrande investors protest at headquarters; Strong winds, rain: typhoon heads for China - YouTube
- VIDEO - Covid clash: Why did Nicki Minaj call out Boris Johnson on Twitter? - YouTube
- VIDEO - Nicholas Fondacaro on Twitter: "On NBC Nightly News, Andrea Mitchell essentially made the argument that Milley was right to commit treason and promise aid to China. Despite the fact Milley's delusions had no merit, she argued it really looked like
- Nicholas Fondacaro : On NBC Nightly News, Andrea Mitchell essentially made the argument that Milley was right to commit treason and prom'... https://t.co/7OLdQ3hqH1
- Wed Sep 15 00:03:00 +0000 2021
- Belly : @NickFondacaro #NBC @nbc @LesterHoltNBC is a total spin fest. It's pathetic.
- Wed Sep 15 17:19:08 +0000 2021
- BayAreaFrau : @NickFondacaro @mitchellreports In what way did it look like President Trump was going to start a war with China.'... https://t.co/tPjSR2tbm3
- Wed Sep 15 17:17:24 +0000 2021
- Daniel Westmoreland : @NickFondacaro Misinformation..
- Wed Sep 15 17:11:56 +0000 2021
- PoliticiansAreCorruptThieves : @NickFondacaro "made it look" like HOW????? NOT A SINGLE FACT IN EVIDENCE, RIGHT?
- Wed Sep 15 17:07:42 +0000 2021
- Michael : @NickFondacaro Thank goodness the Commander and Cheeto is no where near the button anymore.
- Wed Sep 15 17:05:46 +0000 2021
- Patriot : @NickFondacaro TREASON! But ok if you are a Democrat!
- Wed Sep 15 17:00:17 +0000 2021
- Carol G Blanchard : @NickFondacaro How can o get off your list?? Drop@me please!!!!
- Wed Sep 15 16:58:37 +0000 2021
- Carol G Blanchard : @NickFondacaro Drop me please
- Wed Sep 15 16:57:51 +0000 2021
- The ABAM Foundation : @NickFondacaro Massive DEM Donkey SHIT!
- Wed Sep 15 16:57:18 +0000 2021
- lhkm : @NickFondacaro @mitchellreports has no idea what she's talking about. #journalismisdead #fakenews
- Wed Sep 15 16:54:05 +0000 2021
- GregBoudreaux : @NickFondacaro Andrea is a comie
- Wed Sep 15 16:51:32 +0000 2021
- Lucy Charles : @NickFondacaro The left is still sooo bothered by Trump. Treason is one of many crimes sanctioned by the left if so'... https://t.co/xq7fZpCFss
- Wed Sep 15 16:47:02 +0000 2021
- Oysterhaven : @NickFondacaro .@mitchellreports loves her some political hyperbole. She's missing the point but not surprising. N'... https://t.co/WsaJtE0QZ4
- Wed Sep 15 16:40:24 +0000 2021
- VIDEO - Virginia high school English teacher says expecting children to sit quietly is 'White Supremacy' | Daily Mail Online
- A Virginia high school teacher has sparked outrage on social media after posting a TikTok video in which he argues that expecting students to behave, follow directions and sit quietly is 'the definition of white supremacy.'
- Josh Thompson, an English teacher at Blacksburg High School in Montgomery County, specifically referred to his district's use of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a model educators use to keep students focused and respectful in school.
- It is not clear how parents or students at the school are reacting to Thompson's video or if they've seen it, but many Twitter users are asking that the district address it and some have even demanded that he be fired.
- Josh Thompson, an English teacher at Blacksburg High School in Montgomery County, said in a TikTok video that expecting kids to behave is white supremacy
- Josh Thompson, an English teacher at Blacksburg High School in Montgomery County, specifically referred to his district's use of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a model educators use to keep students focused and respectful in school
- In the since-deleted video, which was originally posted in May, Thompson says, 'I stated that PBIS is white supremacy with a hug and a lot of y'all wanted to know more about that . . . so if PBIS concerns itself with positive behaviors, we have to ask ourselves, ''Okay well what are those positive behaviors?'' And it's things like making sure that you're following directions, and making sure that you're sitting quietly, and you are in your seat and all these things that come from white culture.'
- He adds, 'The idea of just sitting quiet and being told stuff and taking things in, in a passive stance, is not a thing that's in many cultures. So if we're positively enforcing these behaviors, we are by extension positively enforcing elements of white culture. Which therefore keeps whiteness at the center, which is the definition of white supremacy.'
- Conservative author Brigitte Gabrielle shared the clip with the caption, 'FIRE this teacher,' and Max Lugavere, also an author, shared it with the caption, 'This is actual racism. And condescending af to people of color.'
- Blogger Ian Miles Cheong shared the video with the caption, 'Where does he teach? Do the parents know?' And Twitter user Jovon, a black athlete and alumnus from Florida A&M University, tweeted the clip with the caption, 'We are at the most comfortable period in human history.'
- Thompson's TikTok and Twitter accounts have since been set to private and the original TikTok has been taken down, but not before it was been shared on the Twitter page 'Libs of TikTok' where it collected 192,100 views.
- The satirical account, whose bio reads 'All things insane & hypocritical,' mockingly shares various TikTok videos from left-leaning users. It posted two of Thompson's other TikTok clips, which have since received 23,500 and 18,200 views.
- The Montgomery County School District said that they support Thompson's right to free speech, but asserted that his views are not their own and defended their use of PBIS.
- District officials told Fox News that, "A teacher is entitled to their personal belief regarding any division program. The statements made by this teacher do not reflect our PBIS program or the behavioral expectations that we have of students in our schools."
- The district added that it 'has used PBIS in our schools for eight years. We are proud of our PBIS work. This work helps create a standard for social-emotional learning and behavior expectations in the school building.'
- In another video of Thompson shared by Libs of TikTok, which yielded 23,500 views, he asserts that police brutality is 'directly connected' to education
- In another video of Thompson shared by Libs of TikTok, which yielded 23,500 views, he asserts that police brutality is 'directly connected' to education.
- He said, 'I want to remind educators that instances of police brutality and the murders of black and brown people by police officers is directly connected to the work that we do Because if any of those people had been white, chances are they wouldn't have been murdered. Chances are they wouldn't have been brutalized. And if you don't believe me, just take a look at all the instances of white people, especially white men, who oftentimes are brandishing weapons and who were taken into custody alive.'
- He adds, 'But much of this is wrapped up in implicit bias and we have incredible power to changes peoples' biases when they're young. We have to talk about these issues in school because every bit of it impacts our work. The ways in which we teach, the ways we interact with students, the practices and policies we have, the way in which they're implemented. There's so much. And many of us our talking about this, many of us are advocating for these changes, but not enough of us are.'
- Thompson's videos come after two teachers in California faced backlash for politicizing their classrooms earlier this month. In one case, an Orange County teacher was fired after admitting on TikTok that she hid her classroom's American flag and told students to say the pledge to a pride flag instead. And in another, a Sacramento teacher displayed an Antifa flag and Mao Zedong flag in his classroom and suggested that students were fascist if it made them uncomfortable.
- Kristin Pitzen of Newport Mesa School District in Orange County sparked outrage when she boasted she'd got her class to say the pledge of allegiance to the gay pride flag
- Kristin Pitzen, of Newport Mesa School District in Orange County, said in her viral video, 'My room does not have a flag,' before whispering to the camera, 'because it made me uncomfortable.'
- 'In the meantime, I tell this kid, ''We do have a flag in the class that you can pledge your allegiance to. And he like, looks around and goes, 'Oh, that one?' " and pointed to the pride flag.
- She added of the American flag that she 'packed it away' but doesn't know where, laughing in a way that implied otherwise. 'And I haven't found it yet,' Pitzen added, as she put her hand over her mouth to stifle another laugh.
- She has since been removed from the classroom and placed on administrative leave
- AP Government teacher Gabriel Gipe, of Inderkum High School in Sacramento, was put on unpaid leave after he displayed an Antifa flag and Mao Zedong flag in his classroom
- Meanwhile, AP Government teacher Gabriel Gipe, of Inderkum High School in Sacramento, was put on unpaid leave and will be fired by the school district for 'clear violations of political activity' after he was caught on video being interviewed by Project Veritas, a far-right media group, over his use of an Antifa flag in his classroom.
- He said, 'I have an Antifa flag on my [classroom] wall and a student complained about that '-- he said it made him feel uncomfortable. Well, this [Antifa flag] is meant to make fascists feel uncomfortable, so if you feel uncomfortable, I don't really know what to tell you . . . 'I have 180 days to turn [students] into revolutionaries.'
- The teacher also had posters of Chinese Communist Party leader Mao Zedong in the classroom, had stamps with images of Josef Stalin, Fidel Castro and Kim Jung Un to mark student's school work, and had offered extra-credit to students who attended protests, the New York Post reports.
- VIDEO - Canon-McMillan School Board Meeting Adjourned After Some People Refused To Wear Masks - YouTube
- VIDEO - Boris Johnson: Covid winter Plan A and Plan B ð¬ð§ Government Press Conference @BBC News live ð--´ BBC - YouTube
- VIDEO - Fauci responds to Nicki Minaj's vaccine worries | TheHill
- Chief White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci Anthony FauciOvernight Health Care '-- Nicki Minaj stokes uproar over vaccines Fauci responds to Nicki Minaj's vaccine worries Fauci pushes back on coronavirus vaccine booster criticism MORE responded to Nicki Minaj's vaccine worries after her comments on Twitter sparked controversy on Monday.
- The rap star explained her decision to not get the coronavirus vaccine, saying her cousin's friend allegedly experienced reproductive issues after receiving the shot.
- '' My cousin in Trinidad won't get the vaccine cuz his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen. His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding,'' Minaj stated.
- CNN's Jake Tapper Jacob (Jake) Paul TapperOvernight Health Care '-- Nicki Minaj stokes uproar over vaccines Fauci responds to Nicki Minaj's vaccine worries Tapper presses top Biden aide on Afghanistan: 'How are you going to get those Americans out?' MORE questioned Fauci about the tweet, asking whether there is any evidence that vaccines approved for use in the U.S. could cause such problems.
- ''The answer to that, Jake, is a resounding no,'' Fauci responded. ''There's no evidence that it happens, nor is there any mechanistic reason to imagine that it would happen, so the answer to your question is no.''
- ''She should be thinking twice about propagating information that really has no basis except a one-off anecdote, and that's not what science is all about,'' Fauci added.
- "The answer to that, Jake, is a resounding no" -- asked about Nicki Minaj's tweet regarding her cousin's friend's balls, Dr. Fauci Anthony FauciOvernight Health Care '-- Nicki Minaj stokes uproar over vaccines Fauci responds to Nicki Minaj's vaccine worries Fauci pushes back on coronavirus vaccine booster criticism MORE says there's no evidence the Covid vaccines cause reproductive issues pic.twitter.com/2wuqy14fDi
- '-- Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 14, 2021 Tapper asked Fauci how difficult it is to combat misinformation that is espoused by popular celebrities such as Minaj, who has more than 22 million followers on Twitter alone.
- Fauci said it is ''very difficult'' and that the only way to counter misinformation is to ''provide a lot of correct information'' and ''debunk these kinds of claims.''
- Minaj was heavily criticized on Twitter for her remarks, with many saying it was more likely her cousin's friend contracted a sexually transmitted disease.
- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was also asked about Minaj's tweet Tuesday. He said he's not "as familiar ... as I probably should be" with the rap star but used the opportunity to encourage everyone to get vaccinated.
- VIDEO - Full video: Covid-19 update with Chris Hipkins, Dr Ashley Bloomfield on Wednesday, September 15 - YouTube
- VIDEO - 33 on Twitter: "@Gerard38delaney @adamcurry @THErealDVORAK This whole fucking thread. Holy balls." / Twitter
- 33 : @Gerard38delaney @adamcurry @THErealDVORAK This whole fucking thread. Holy balls.
- Wed Sep 15 13:48:28 +0000 2021
- VIDEO - THE GREAT VACCINE COVER-UP! | LibertyNZ Podcast
- This is my neighbour Irene's story about her granddaughter.
- THE GREAT VACCINE COVER-UP!
- Following hospitalisation after her first jab, Olivia McGregor-Hay and her parents were not only warned not to take the second dose but they were encouraged not to speak about the event.
- This comes after a recently vaccinated 17-year-old Auckland girl was reportedly in an induced coma and died with blood clots.
- Counterspin can confirm we spoke to the grandmother of 14 year old Olivia, a Whangarei Girls High School student.
- Irene Pabirowski said her granddaughter had the shot, along with her mother Sheryl Pabirowski on Thursday, September 2.
- Immediately afterwards, Olivia's face went bright red and she was not feeling well.
- The next morning she couldn't feel her head and feet. After going out to the ute to collect something for her father, she returned, her whole body shaking as though she had Parkinson's disease.
- By Saturday morning, Olivia's father Gene, was so worried about her, he took her to White Cross, where they were advised to go to the hospital, immediately.
- Olivia's heart rate peaked at 175bpm and doctors warned her not to get the second jab or she would die.
- Their position then changed, saying her adverse effects were due to underlying health conditions which remain unsubstantiated, as this claim is contested by the family who are adamant Olivia was a fit, healthy teenager, always on the move, prior to getting the jab.
- A NZ Outdoors Party press release stated that 'deaths from Covid vaccine are government-mandated genocide.'
- Sue Grey, lawyer & NZ Outdoors Party co-leader said ''The PM is floundering as the community networks are proving far more efficient at collecting and sharing information than the bureaucrats.''
- Information obtained under the OIA shows that Medsafe, the government regulator, declined consent for the Pfizer vaccine in January because it was not satisfied that the benefits exceeded the risks.
- Since then Medsafe has acknowledged the Pfizer Vax may cause myocarditis, pericarditis and thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (blood clots).
- In February the Pfizer vax was given ''provisional consent for the restricted treatment of a limited number of patients'' and subject to 58 conditions requiring more research and information.
- After the High Court case raised questions about the legality of the vaccine rollout, the government undertook an emergency law reform within 24 hours, to remove the restricted use.
- The government, with their sanctioned experts, supported by MSM, continue to suppress the spread of truth, logic and reason by accusing anyone with a counter-narrative, to their ''one source of truth,'' of being spreaders of misinformation.
- Vaccine confidence is difficult with non-disclosure of ingredients and adverse reactions by our health professionals, due to suppression and gagging by government officials and vested interests.
- A petition calling for an immediate suspension of the vaccine rollout to teenagers is underway at
- www.oursay.co.nz Counterspin
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- VIDEO - (340) Michael K. Williams' New Film Caused Him to Reflect on His Battle with Drug Addiction - YouTube
- VIDEO - COVID NYC Update: Black communities finding influence from historical figure over coronavirus vaccine - ABC7 New York
- NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- As Bronx resident John Lemon headed into a church in the Bronx to get a COVID-19 vaccine, the 84-year-old was skeptical -- a sentiment shared by many in Black communities.
- "I'm not all excited about it," Lemon said. "I'm going to go on the side of caution."
- In order to understand that distrust in the health care system, history must be understood first.
- Henrietta Lacks is the subject of an HBO film. The mother of five had cervical cancer, and while undergoing treatment --having had no idea -- doctors harvested cells from the tumor.
- So-called "Hela cells" have led to groundbreaking treatments with everything from cancer to HIV. Even now, scientists are using those very cells to study COVID-19.
- The problem is Henrietta's family also didn't know about the sample, not until long after she died in 1951, something her great granddaughter and grandson says haunts them.
- "Her cells launched a multi-million dollar industry, which took over 20 years for my family to learn about the significance of her story," great granddaughter Veronica Robinson said.
- The driving force behind the family's non-profit Hela 100 focuses on advocacy and education.
- "We're no longer the victim," grandson Alfred Lacks Carter said. "We are victors, because our grandmother has us this platform, so we encourage our community to be active in their own health, overcoming fear by asking questions."
- Dr. Sampson Davis did get a COVID-19 vaccine and believes in order to get past this moment of uncertainty, we must first start the healing process.
- "I believe in stepping into the community, you have to meet people where they live," Emergency Medicine Physician Dr. Sampson Davis said. "You have to be part of the fabric of the community, so churches, barber shops, beauty salons, local grocery stores, have to be there to engage the community."
- Despite making up 24% of the city's population, recent data shows only 11% of blacks have been vaccinated - many, however, did not disclose race.
- Back at Greater Eternal Baptist, Bruce Rivera did roll up his sleeve. He had COVID-19, along with his son Elias.
- "Somebody's got to do it," Bronx resident Bruce Rivera said. "And if this is a way out or way to normalcy, then I think it's worth the risk."
- Lawrence Lacks knows all too well as he's Henrietta's oldest child, and during this incredible full-circle moment, he got a COVID-19 vaccine.
- Robinson kept in mind what her grandfather always says.
- "My mother was a bad woman in life, and she's even badder in death," she said. "How powerful."
- CLICK HERE to learn more about Henrietta Lacks and her life story.
- MORE NEWS: Maryland man reunited with dog after house explosion leads to 4 months in coma
- MORE CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 COVERAGEPositive COVID-19 cases by zip code - New York City
- New York City COVID-19 Vaccine TrackerNew Jersey COVID-19 Vaccine TrackerFind out if you are eligible and where you can go to get your vaccineDo you have coronavirus symptoms?Where to get tested in New York, New Jersey and ConnecticutWATCH: Eyewitness to a PandemicCenters for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus
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- VIDEO - 2030 UnMasked - For those Preparing for what's Coming After Covid-19
- 2030UnMasked Published August 24, 2021 20,230 Views 101 rumbles
- Rumble '-- A Documentary revealing the connection between Covid-19 >> Vaccines >> Masks >> The Banking System and The Great Reset
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- VIDEO - The Science Behind Calmer Canine | Calmer Canine®
- Where Technology Meets LoveAs the fight or flight center, the amygdala is the area in the brain responsible for producing fear and emotional responses, which express themselves as the signs and symptoms of anxiety. An anxious brain is out of balance '' with overactive brain cells that produce harmful substances causing inflammation and cell death instead of beneficial substances that reduce inflammation and protect the cells.
- Utilizing a specifically tuned microcurrent signal, targeted at the anxiety-center in your dog's brain, the Calmer CanineTM device reaches the core of the problem and stimulates your dog's natural ability to restore emotional balance '-- bringing your dog back to a calm state.
- Watch to learn about the science behind the Calmer Canine solution.
- VIDEO - (7) The ReidOut on Twitter: ".@JoyAnnReid responds to @NICKIMINAJ's tweets on the #COVID19 vaccine: "For you to use your platform to encourage our community to not protect themselves and save their lives... As a fan, I am so sad that you did that.
- The ReidOut : .@JoyAnnReid responds to @NICKIMINAJ's tweets on the #COVID19 vaccine: "For you to use your platform to encourage o'... https://t.co/jn4adsbyDm
- Mon Sep 13 23:22:29 +0000 2021
- . : @thereidout @JoyAnnReid @NICKIMINAJ ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤ð¤
- Tue Sep 14 16:33:39 +0000 2021
- PhoenixVision : @thereidout @JoyAnnReid @NICKIMINAJ She literally never said that. She was actually encouraging ppl to get vaxd https://t.co/DqK3fGyIHA
- Tue Sep 14 16:33:24 +0000 2021
- Vickie Wells : @thereidout @JoyAnnReid @NICKIMINAJ Thank you @NICKIMINAJ
- Tue Sep 14 16:32:30 +0000 2021
- Focus on Blue Statehouses : @thereidout @JoyAnnReid @NICKIMINAJ Who they hell cares what whoever Nicki Minaj is cousin's cousin's boyfriend's b'... https://t.co/9O3gM0LQbJ
- Tue Sep 14 16:31:51 +0000 2021
- Alwayzchillin07 ðºð¸ð...
: @thereidout @JoyAnnReid @NICKIMINAJ @JoyAnnReid https://t.co/yfgiGcvzEp
- Tue Sep 14 16:31:21 +0000 2021
- Pegpod : @thereidout @JoyAnnReid @NICKIMINAJ You shredded her. Thank You.
- Tue Sep 14 16:28:23 +0000 2021
- VIDEO - It's Offical: United States Senate Announced Today "Big Pharma, Big Tech, Big Media, WHO Lying"
- Rumble '-- It's official. The United States Senate announced today: The media is hiding the truth Big Pharma, Big Tech, Big Media, WHO, The Intelligence Agencies and other Traitors accountable.
- VIDEO - The Dark Side Of Spotify - YouTube
- VIDEO - The Universal Antidote '' The Science and Story of Chlorine Dioxide
- Press play to watch The Universal Antidote documentary above.The Universal Antidote DocumentaryThe science and story of Chlorine Dioxide. NASA proclaimed it a universal antidote in 1987. Since that time thousands have recovered from illness using this substance, and now many physicians and scientists are saying it is powerfully effective for many applications. The documentary explores the history, safety, and efficacy of the universal antidote and provides interviews with physicians and people who have used it. The Universal Antidote Documentary released free to the public on February 1, 2021.
- Keep this site bookmarked and watch for the release of further videos on scientific literature reviews, recovery/healing interviews, and physician/scientist interviews.
- Find out more and keep up with TUA at any of the links below.
- Download documentary free here:
- Watch the documentary on these channels:
- VIDEO - (17) ð'±ð'ð'ð''ð' ð'"ð'--ð'--ð'ð'ð'ð'ð'ð'ð'ð' on Twitter: "Israel has the highest vaccination rate with 3-4 shots per individual only Pfizer vaccines. Now listen to Israeli TV. Arad Nir has a Zoom recording confirming that
- ð'±ð'ð'ð''ð' ð'"ð'--ð'--ð'ð'ð'ð'ð'ð'ð'ð' : Israel has the highest vaccination rate with 3-4 shots per individual only Pfizer vaccines. Now listen to Israeli T'... https://t.co/sW37gOSgGW
- Sat Sep 11 19:59:27 +0000 2021
