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Outlander has done some gross things in its time, medically speaking. Just a few episodes ago, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) thumbed through a guy’s intestines looking for a bullet. In season four, she performed hernia surgery on a crown official in the lobby of a theater in front of an audience of horrified spectators. She’s healed hands, delivered babies, set broken bones, performed a tracheotomy in the field on her son-in-law, and treated patients for countless viral illnesses. You would think viewers are finally desensitized to whatever she finds her hands in next, and yet this week proved the squeamish still have plenty of reasons to turn their heads. Though, as the episode’s title suggests, “Ye Dinna Get Used To It” because war is hell, as they say, and there are bound to be plenty of battle wounds ahead as Jamie (Sam Heughan) assumes his new post as Brigadier General under the command of George Washington. But before the bombs start bursting in air, the most dire injury that needs Claire’s attention is one of Jamie’s own making : his battered best friend, Lord John (David Berry). When Jamie found out Claire and Lord John slept together as a means of mourning his “death,” Jamie punched him repeatedly in the left eye before handing him over to the Patriots. When Lord John arrives in Jamie’s camp this week, Claire immediately recognizes the damage done since she last saw the man she was temporarily married to. Upon inspection, she reveals Jamie fractured the orbit around Lord John’s eye, and he can’t move it because the inner textual muscle is trapped in the crack of that fracture. I will take her word for it as long as she doesn’t show us proof. But it gets worse! Back at Lord John’s home, Claire directs Jamie to hold him down while she grabs his eyeball and twists it to free the nerve. The look of horror on his face matched the chill sent down my spine as she moved in for the painful procedure, becoming the second Fraser to assault his eyeball in a matter of days. Mercifully, the scene cuts away before any finger-to-eye contact can be seen. But the only thing more painful for Lord John than the world’s worst eye exam might be the sight of the Betsy Ross-sewn stars and stripes that’s now hung over his mantle. Since his absence, there’s been a changing of the guard and the times. As Claire states when she is given the flag by George Washington earlier in the episode, “A nation without a flag is like a furnace without a fire.” America is finding its footing, and the British and its supporters are faltering. The reality of how quickly things can change is not lost on Lord Grey, but the sight of it under his roof probably doesn’t make it any easier to stomach either. Outlander spent seasons ramping up to the American Revolution and now it has to navigate the reality that as the war went on, loyalties changed. Allegiance is a living, breathing thing that evolves with the tides of war. The series dispensed rather quickly with its melodrama earlier this season (weddings, funeral sex, kidnappings, oh my!), and now, it wisely has to take a beat and find where its characters stand several years into this struggle. Lord John, for instance, swore allegiance to the Continental Army to keep himself alive this week, a decision that breaks the vow he swore to his brother Harold in the flashback cold open to the episode. As Lord John’s stock falls exponentially, the Frasers’ has risen. Start to finish, the episode name drops more historical figures than a high-school history book, starting with the return of last week’s surprise guest George Washington, who commandeers the Frasers residence (a.k.a. Lord John’s residence) for a dinner as he moves through the newly captured Philadelphia. Also in attendance is the Marquis de Lafayette, the Frenchman who becomes a formidable force in Washington’s army; and General Charles Lee, Washington’s second in command, who believed he was better suited to lead the Patriot forces. Also among the dinner guests is Percy Wainwright, who introduces himself to Claire and Jamie as Percy Beauchamp, which just so happens to be Claire’s maiden name. Percy returns later while Claire is doctoring Lord John’s eye and she immediately recognizes there are more than busted blood vessels between them. Percy and Lord John were lovers, and the latter sprung him from an English prison after he was caught with another man. In return, Wainwright has come to tell Lord John that William (Charles Vandervaart) is being set up by Loyalist officer/Patriot spy Captain Richardson (Ben Lambert) as leverage to force Lord John and his brother to fall back in line behind the British. Jamie would normally spring into action in a situation like this, but he has 300 soldiers at the ready for the impending Battle of Monmouth. So he sends Ian (John Bell) to escort Lord John to find and save William before he falls into Richardson’s trap. Like last week’s lackluster outing , this episode plays out as a standard midseason installment meant to get you from point A to point B–with slightly more optical horrors than usual. The real value here is watching Lord John’s drastically deteriorating circumstances. What started as a kind gesture to save the wife of his best friend and life-long crush has nearly cost him his eye, his loyalty to his king, his freedom as an aristocrat, and, possibly now, his son. Few can charge Outlander with not moving the needle on its story, even if its obstacles and traumas can get repetitive. But the focus on Lord John this season has given the series a new perspective when it counts. Claire and Jamie’s story needs new voices, and the price being paid by Lord John right now affords him a loud one. Stray observations
Fuel crisis looms as PTI march disrupts supply chain in key cities
The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on the founder of Georgia’s ruling political party, which has steered the country away from a pro-Western stance and towards Russia, US officials said. The US State and Treasury departments said they hit Georgian Dream party founder and honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili with penalties “for undermining the democratic and Euro-Atlantic future of Georgia for the benefit of the Russian Federation”, according to a statement. The designation of Mr Ivanishvili is the latest in a series of sanctions the US has placed on Georgian politicians and others this year. Those sanctions include freezes on assets and properties those targeted may have in US jurisdictions or that might enter US jurisdictions as well as travel bans on the targets and members of their families. “We strongly condemn Georgian Dream’s actions under Ivanishvili’s leadership, including its ongoing and violent repression of Georgian citizens, protesters, members of the media, human rights activists, and opposition figures,” the State Department said in a statement. “The United States is committed to promoting accountability for those undermining democracy and human rights in Georgia.” Mr Ivanishvili is a billionaire who made his fortune in Russia and served briefly as Georgia’s prime minister. In 2012, he founded Georgian Dream, Georgia’s longtime ruling party. Critics have accused Georgian Dream of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted towards Moscow. The party recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBT+ rights, prompting the European Union to suspend Georgia’s membership application process indefinitely. In October, Georgian Dream won another term in a divisive parliamentary election that has led to more mass protests. Last month, the country’s prime minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, announced a four-year suspension of talks on Georgia’s bid to join the European Union, fuelling further public outrage.As previously reported , former NWA World’s Heavyweight Champion Jax Dane passed away at the age of 48. Both TNA Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling have paid tribute to Dane on social media. NJPW said in a statement: “ New Japan Pro-Wrestling is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jax Dane, a former NWA Champion who wrestled in NJPW in 2013 and 2014. He was 48. Born in Tennessee, Dane trained under Bruce Pritchard and made his debut in 2009. Finding success in the NWA, his IronGodz tag team captured the NWA Tag Team Championships at Power Struggle 2013 in a three way match involving Lance Archer and Davey Boy Smith as well as TenCozy. The team held the titles until being defeated by TenCozy the following spring, but Dane would be a part of both the 2013 and 2014 World Tag League lineups alongside Conway. After wrestling his final match for NJPW in the 2014 World Tag League, he would become NWA World Heavyweight Champion in 2015. The thoughts and deepest sympathies of all at NJPW are with Dane’s family, friends and fans.” Meanwhile, TNA wrote on Twitter: “ We’re deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jax Dane. We offer our sincere condolences to his friends and family. ” We're deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jax Dane. We offer our sincere condolences to his friends and family. pic.twitter.com/dihk4xvsVw — TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) December 27, 2024Starting January 2025, the U.S. Outbound Investment Security Program (OISP) will require U.S. investors to report or avoid certain technology investments in China, Hong Kong, and Macau. U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and U.S.-registered entities must comply with the OISP, and prevent their foreign branches and subsidiaries from engaging in prohibited transactions. The OISP targets specific investment types, including acquisitions, loans, joint ventures, and certain fund interests, especially if they involve critical technologies. U.S. investors must submit notifications for relevant transactions within 30 days of completion, detailing transaction parties, rationale, and post-transaction plans. Violations can lead to civil and criminal penalties, including fines and potential transaction nullification. Because the OISP program is new, as is the Treasury office responsible for implementing and enforcing the regulations, we expect iterative and changing guidance and interpretations as the program matures and evolves. Accordingly, it is important for investors and targets of investment to seek current and refreshed advice for any proposed transactions they may wish to undertake. On Oct. 28, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a final rule implementing President Biden’s Executive Order 14105 , “Addressing United States Investments in Certain National Security Technologies and Products in Countries of Concern.” Effective Jan. 2, 2025, the Outbound Investment Security Program (OISP) imposes new notification requirements and prohibitions on U.S. persons making certain types of investments in “countries of concern” (currently defined to include China, Hong Kong, and Macau). The OISP covers investments in three categories of technologies: semiconductors and microelectronics; quantum information technologies; and artificial intelligence. Treasury’s Office of Investment Security will administer the OISP. While the United States has long regulated inbound foreign investment through the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) process, the OISP is the first time the United States has established a broad framework to regulate U.S. investment in other countries. Eleanor M. Ross also contributed to this article. Continue reading the full GT Alert.Safesky Energy announces the completed Series A Financing nearly US$ 10 Millions 12-27-2024 07:02 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: Stones_PR Recently, Safesky Energy Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Safesky Energy"), an fast growing ESS technology company specializing in energy storage inverters, announced the completion of 10 Millions US dollars in Series A financing round, most of funds from overseas investors. Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2024/12/3e1fa3bfd0b83e07e447f444e290fbf0.jpgImage: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2024/12/97e6b8e6f4318ad35f13f33531f38af7.jpgImage: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2024/12/1ab299ee8952899df4fe3716e15e3c59.jpg Since the angel round of financing in 2022, Safesky Energy focus on Energy storage inverter, include hybrid, off-grid inverter mainly for china market. the stable application and underlying hardware platform with complete intellectual property rights has been improved a lot in just two years. Currently, low-voltage and high-voltage energy storage systems are advancing launched in market and have achived differentiated competitive advantages to meets the channel customization needs of ToB integrators/distributors. This round of financing is mainly used to support the company's targeted development of high-voltage energy storage systems and overseas market expansion. "We are thrilled to welcome our new shareholders. Above and beyond the funding, they bring invaluable strategic insights, resources, and experiences. Together, we are committed to spearheading the much-needed green revolution in Solar Renewable Energy Sector," says by the founder/CEO of Safesky Energy-Mr.Wu. "The funding will accelerate Safesky Energy's strategy to drive intelligence of Solar Energy Storage system in Europe and Africa alot." About Safesky Energy: At Safesky Energywe are proud to help our global customers solve their electricity problem easily with our cutting-edyge solutions on residential, commercial, and utility-scale customers, we deliver value across the solar supply chain by provides standardized #hybrid inverter#off-grid inverter#on-grid string inverter, #customized energy solutions and #energy consulting services to support customers achive energy independence, clean energy, and make a positive impact on our planet. - Focus on Solar Energy Storage inverter design/manufacture/distribution/consulting since 2018. - 20,000-square-meter automated production plant located in DongGuan. - Full series Certification for Europ, Australia,America markets certified by BV,TUV.etc - Global investors/institutions in Singapore, UK, HongKong provide finance supports. Visit http://www.safesky-energy.com [ http://www.solisinverters.com/ ] Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2024/12/1fb2002f67b5bcce3d608ff661fd16cc.jpgImage: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2024/12/0e12329ac082133edaba163ec387847a.jpg For further questions, pls contact us : marketing@safesky-energy.com [mailto:marketing@safesky-energy.com,], +8675587601330 Safesky Energy Marketing Dept. Media Contact Company Name: Safesky Energy Co.Ltd Contact Person: Jimmy Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=safesky-energy-announces-the-completed-series-a-financing-nearly-us-10-millions ] Country: China Website: http://www.safesky-energy.com This release was published on openPR.
Maryland sues maker of Gore-Tex over pollution from toxic 'forever chemicals'Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou has called for clubs to be allowed bigger squads to mitigate the impact of the schedule after his injury crisis deepened this week. Postecoglou may be without a single senior centre-back for this weekend's visit of Wolves after Radu Dragusin was forced off with an ankle complaint in the Boxing Day defeat by Nottingham Forest and Ben Davies suffered a setback in his recovery from a hamstring injury. Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were among the seven senior players missing for Spurs at the City Ground as they suffered their fourth loss in the last five Premier League games, while Djed Spence will be suspended this weekend after a late red card. Premier League clubs and those competing in Europe are limited to 25 senior players but Postecoglou believes either the calendar or the rules must change. "One of two things needs to happen: either you somehow change the fixture schedule, which doesn't seem feasible, or you allow clubs bigger squads," Postecoglou said. "Then you have other issues with that, as well. "The attrition rate you're seeing, it's not just us [but] we're going through a particularly bad moment. Newcastle went through it last year and it affected them pretty badly, they were obviously in the Champions League as well and probably didn't have the squad to cope with it. "It hits certain clubs at different times and is probably becoming more prevalent and for all of us it's a challenge as to how we navigate this process to keep our players healthy. It's not just a physical thing, it's a mental thing. "For us it's been constant since August and we're not even halfway through the year, and they're not going to get a break now." Spurs will have their first week off since August - excluding international breaks - between Sunday's game and the visit of Newcastle on January 4. Postecoglou believes his side have had a raw deal from the schedule but is hopeful of welcoming back forwards Mikey Moore and Richarlison after the Wolves game. "We’ve always for some bizarre reason seemed to have a day less than every opponent we’ve played so far so it affects us both ways," he said. "We all know how it works. We’re at the behest of higher authorities and broadcasters when it comes to fixturing. There’s very little say we have apart from accepting the fact this is going to be our schedule. "Mikey and Richy are in the final phases," he added. "Next week they can start training. We've got a bit of a gap before the Newcastle game. The plan is Mikey and Richy come back into first-team training next week." Postecoglou was hopeful of having Davies fit again to face Wolves for the first time since he pulled up in the defeat to Bournemouth on December 5. But the Wales international is the latest Spurs player to suffer a setback shortly after returning to training or action after Wilson Odobert, Van de Ven, Romero and Richarlison. "That's been our major problem this year: guys who are coming back from injury rather than us losing players, as such," Postecoglou said. "Knock on wood but the core group of players who are training and playing games have no issues. So we're looking at those things and why they're happening. It's certainly happened too often this year where guys have come back and they're the ones who are missing. "I think just about all of them, apart from Vic [Guglielmo Vicario], are recurrences of an injury. Even with Romero, it was a different injury, but it's still a guy coming back, so it's something we're looking at."Canadians are so desperate to move to US they'd swim there and liken liberal nation to old dog that needs shot
In Georgia Tech's final nonconference contest, the Yellow Jackets host Alabama A&M in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon. Georgia Tech (5-7) has yet to beat a power conference team this season, earning wins over West Georgia, Texas Southern, Charleston Southern, Central Arkansas and UMBC. Losers in four of their last five games, the Yellow Jackets were stomped at home last time out by then-No. 5 Duke, extending a concerning trend against high-major opponents this season. In its six meetings with power conference teams, Georgia Tech has been outscored by an average of 14.3 points per game. Making matters worse for head coach Damon Stoudamire's team has been the absences of Kowacie Reeves Jr. (ankle) and Luke O'Brien (foot). Reeves, who is averaging 9.3 points in six games, hasn't played since Nov. 27, while O'Brien (6.4 ppg, 4.4 rebounds per game) didn't play in the loss to Duke. "Kowacie and Luke are both seniors, they've both got experience, but you can't really dwell on it," Stoudamire said. "They're injured but I'm not going to allow that to be an excuse. I'm not going to go down that path. They're missed, obviously, but you have be a next-man-up team at times." Lance Terry leads the team with 14.8 points per game, followed by Baye Ndongo's 13.0 and Naithan George's 10.4. Saturday marks Alabama A&M's last nonconference game before SWAC play begins Jan. 4 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The Bulldogs (4-8) have dropped their last five games since a Nov. 23 win over Coastal Carolina. Led by AC Bryant's 13.1 points per game and Chad Moodie's 12.6, Alabama A&M is vying for what would be a monumental victory. "We're doing some things now that are going to make the other team prepare," Bulldogs coach Otis Hughley Jr. said. "And you know that you're coming out of a contest when you play us." Georgia Tech is 6-0 all-time against the Bulldogs, including a 70-49 win on Dec. 9, 2023. --Field Level MediaWOODLAND PARK, N.J. , Nov. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Anterix (NASDAQ: ATEX) Chief Operating Officer Ryan Gerbrandt will participate in a panel discussion related to the 900 MHz private wireless broadband revolution and its impact on helping our nation's utilities transform critical infrastructure. This panel will be held on December 5, 2024 , from 2:30 p.m. - 3:20 p.m. , during Janney's 2nd Annual Clean Energy Investment Symposium, taking place in New Orleans, LA . Additionally, Anterix Vice Chairman Tom Kuhn will deliver keynote remarks for the symposium at 7:30 p.m. on December 4 at the National WWII Museum. This keynote address will cover a range of strategic challenges and opportunities for utilities and critical infrastructure. Anterix will also host one-on-one meetings with interested investors during the event. Please contact your Janney representative to schedule a meeting. Shareholder Contact Natasha Vecchiarelli Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications Anterix 973-531-4397 nvecchiarelli@anterix.com About Anterix At Anterix, we partner with leading utilities and technology companies to harness the power of 900 MHz broadband for modernized grid solutions. Leading an ecosystem of more than 100 members, we offer utility-first solutions to modernize the grid and solve the challenges that utilities are facing today. As the largest holder of licensed spectrum in the 900 MHz band (896-901/935-940 MHz) throughout the contiguous United States , plus Alaska , Hawaii , and Puerto Rico , we are uniquely positioned to enable private wireless broadband solutions that support cutting-edge advanced communications capabilities for a cleaner, safer, and more secure energy future. To learn more and join the 900 MHz movement, please visit www.anterix.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/anterix-to-present-at-janney-clean-energy-investment-symposium-december-4-5-2024-302316828.html SOURCE Anterix Inc.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson kept the overall lead in fan voting numbers revealed Monday for the NFL Pro Bowl Games with Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley a close second. Jackson topped vote-getters with 82,402 and Barkley was next, only 320 votes behind. Barkley was 4,079 votes back of Jackson in last week's first voting results. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad: Dec. 23 The Washington Post on President Biden's commutation of death sentences President Joe Biden’s Monday announcement that he would commute the death sentences of 37 federal inmates should not be seen as an act of mercy for people convicted of awful crimes. It was a substantial move to align the United States with the rest of the democratic world, which has largely abandoned the practice of killing people as an instrument of justice. In other words, Mr. Biden’s use of his commutation power was extraordinary — and insufficient. Three men will remain on federal death row, and more people could be put there in future years. Meanwhile, many states continue to execute people. We say this while acknowledging the horrors these people committed; the three men Mr. Biden left on death row were convicted of mass shootings or terrorist attacks. We also acknowledge that a majority of Americans still favors the death penalty, despite a downward trend in recent years. Mr. Biden’s attempt to split the difference, leaving what he considered the worst of the worst on death row, is therefore understandable. Yet the death penalty is expensive, impractical and too often unjustly applied. And, even if the death penalty posed none of these problems, the government should not purposely take lives outside of war or similar conflict. The state should be better — far better — than those who unnecessarily and premeditatedly extinguish human life. Our view has seen substantial wins in recent years. Executions have plummeted as public support for the practice has moderated. But 2024 offered multiple signs that the momentum may be ebbing. President-elect Donald Trump promised during his campaign to expand the death penalty . And the Death Penalty Information Center, in its annual end-of-year report, shows that the number of executions nationwide, though still far below their heights at the turn of the century, have been ticking upward in recent years. Twenty-five people were executed in the United States in 2024, slightly up from the previous year and more than twice the three-decade low reached in 2021. That’s largely the result of efforts by officials in Republican-run states to reactivate the death penalty. Three states this year — Utah, South Carolina and Indiana — carried out their first executions in more than a decade. Alabama also experimented with a new way to kill its inmates : asphyxiating them with nitrogen gas. The first person subjected to this method, Kenneth Smith, convulsed and gasped for air for four minutes. Following the execution, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall encouraged other states to adopt the method. “Alabama has done it, and now so can you,” he said. Increasingly, states are carrying out these executions behind a veil of secrecy. Just last week, Indiana, citing state law, executed Joseph Corcoran with no media witnesses . This year also saw an increase in the number of people sentenced to death, from 21 in 2023 to 26. About a third of those sentences were imposed by nonunanimous juries, thanks to laws in Florida and Alabama that allow jurors to recommend the death sentence even if they don’t reach consensus. In fact, Florida in 2023 enacted legislation allowing death sentences to be imposed if just 8 out of 12 jurors vote in favor. Of course, as Mr. Biden acknowledged in his Monday announcement, most people with death sentences in the United States committed heinous crimes and deserve little sympathy. But one can condemn such acts while also maintaining that executing criminals cannot bring back victims of those crimes or make whole those who lost loved ones. Also, mistakes happen, even in an advanced criminal justice system such as that of the United States. In July, Larry Roberts became the 200th person sentenced to death to be exonerated of his alleged crime since the DPIC starting tracking wrongful convictions in 1973. No one should be comfortable with that number. Since 1976, when the Supreme Court ended its four-year moratorium on the death penalty, more than 1,600 people have been executed in the United States. How many of them were likewise innocent? ONLINE: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/12/23/death-penalty-trump-criminal-justice/ Dec. 24 The New York Times on the teen mental health crisis Rates of anxiety and depression in adolescents have been rising for years . Millions of Americans with mental health problems are not getting the treatment they need for myriad reasons. Many families can’t afford it. And many young people also don’t know where to turn for help. The UJA-Federation of New York, an organization created in 1917 to provide Jewish New Yorkers with economic and social support, is trying to fill the coverage gap for young adults of all backgrounds. The organization helps them get care from its network of mental health professionals through educational outreach at schools, community centers and even coffee shops. This kind of localized approach has long been recommended by experts because it has been shown to reach people who might not otherwise seek treatment or support. “Since UJA was founded — and that’s now well over 100 years ago — we have focused on critical issues facing New Yorkers in need,” said Alex Roth-Kahn, a managing director at the organization. That mission has led to decades of supporting people with mental health challenges. Just this year, Marcellus Williams was executed in Missouri for a 1998 murder, even though the prosecuting attorney in St. Louis County filed a motion to vacate his death sentence because DNA testing of the murder weapon ruled him out. And in Texas, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is fighting the death sentence of Robert Robertson, convicted in the death of his 2-year-old, who prosecutors said died of shaken baby syndrome — though Robertson’s lawyers have cited medical and forensic experts who concluded she likely died from undiagnosed pneumonia. Mr. Biden’s intervention this week is a nod to the flaws of the death penalty, but also a need for a system that claims human dignity and equal application of the law as its driving values. State and federal lawmakers should finish the job by abolishing the practice. ONLINE: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/24/opinion/communities-fund-uja-federation.html Dec. 23 The Wall Street Journal on rising life expectancy in the United States Some good news as 2024 nears the end: Life expectancy in the U.S. last year made an unusually sharp increase as deaths from most major causes declined, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. Americans can expect more longevity gains in the future—as long as Washington doesn’t introduce harmful policies. Life expectancy in 2023 rose 0.9 years to 78.4 while the overall mortality rate adjusted for age declined 6%. Death rates among all age groups fell, and more sharply for middle-aged Americans and seniors. A typical 65-year-old can expect to live another 19.5 years, up from 18.9 years in 2022. The large rebound in a single year owes largely to a decline in Covid deaths as the pandemic receded into the past. Covid deaths last year were roughly the same as those from the flu during a bad flu season. Death rates from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and unintentional injuries (e.g., drug overdoses) also declined. It’s true that U.S. life expectancy is still lower, and deaths from most causes somewhat higher, than before the pandemic when it reached an overall average of 78.8 years. But that’s because of an increase in chronic illnesses, which may have been exacerbated by the pandemic lockdowns. Forced to stay home, many Americans ate and drank more and used more drugs. The Biden Administration claimed credit for the lifespan increase because drug overdoses declined slightly in 2023. Perhaps political attention to the fentanyl scourge is making a difference. But overdoses were still 50% higher last year than in 2019. The truth is that the Administration’s “harm reduction” policies—e.g., distributing sterile needles and opioid-overdose medicine naloxone to addicts—have failed to reduce addiction. A common lament on the political left and right is that the U.S. has a lower life expectancy despite spending more on healthcare than most developed countries. But America also has more chronic disease and drug addiction, which aren’t from failings in private healthcare. Americans have access to more treatments than any country in the world. This is why U.S. cancer survival rates are higher than in most developed countries and continue to improve. Personalized cancer vaccines and CAR T-cell therapies have shown potential to treat deadly cancers like pancreatic and glioblastoma. GLP-1 medicines like Ozempic could help extend lifespans by reducing obesity, diabetes and even drug addictions. The policy risk is that government drug price controls will discourage innovation. Expanding government control over healthcare isn’t the way to make Americans healthier. ONLINE: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/cdc-u-s-life-expectancy-rises-covid-mortality-chronic-illness-drugs-pharma-e2f03030?mod=editorials_article_pos3 Dec. 24 The Boston Globe says Republicans taking directions from Elon Musk might want to reconsider Until last week’s budget debacle, Elon Musk was a warm-up act for President-elect Donald Trump. Like the many adulatory openers at Trump rallies and Republican gatherings, he amped up the crowd — but strictly in preparation for the main act. While Democrats like to flash star power at events — A-listers, movie stars, and pop icons — in today’s Republican Party, Trump is the star power. But the rise of Musk as a political figure means that another successful, powerful businessman is potentially poised to eclipse Trump’s voice in the Republican Party, whether he intends to or not. That’s a problem for Trump, who isn’t exactly used to sharing the limelight. The MAGA movement, as Trump allies describe it, is built around the idea that politicians of all stripes are too blinded by corruption, political complications, and self-interest to serve the needs of the American people. Such a movement necessitates an audacious leader who isn’t afraid to break with the pack and stand out — someone exactly like Trump. His no-holds-barred style of leadership has allowed him to quickly overhaul the Republican Party, elevating loyalists and his favored policies with little regard for pushback from liberals or traditional Republicans. Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, owner of X (formerly Twitter), and the world’s richest man, has been one of Trump’s most important allies in spreading that message. His endorsement, his campaigning efforts, his nearly quarter of a billion dollar America PAC, his energizing rally appearances, and even his transformation of X into a “town square” have been vital to spreading Republican messaging. Musk has been a dutiful “First Buddy.” But he could become more than that, as he revealed last week. Starting early Wednesday morning, a mere series of X posts from Musk helped to derail a bipartisan congressional deal to fund the government and avert a shutdown. That Musk had concerns about a 1,500-page budget bill isn’t the issue here; it’s safe to assume that any impenetrable packet of government spending contains eyebrow-raising allocations. What is of concern is how Musk seemingly single-handedly hijacked the process — and how Republicans let him. On X, Musk and his sidekick Vivek Ramaswamy praised Republicans who bowed to his opposition of the bill and put on notice those who didn’t. “Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!” Musk posted early Wednesday afternoon, generating more than 47 million views. He beat Trump to the punch — or, maybe, pushed the president-elect into action. Twelve hours after Musk’s first post opposing the bill, JD Vance and Trump released a statement condemning the bill. And that evening, Trump posted on Truth Social that “Any Republican that would be so stupid as to do this should, and will, be primaried.” So Republican leaders dutifully withdrew the bill and replaced it with a slimmed-down alternative that met Musk and Trump’s demands. That bill failed on Thursday. So on Friday, rather than allow the government to shut down, the House voted on and passed a third bill — which looked suspiciously like the initial version with some face-saving changes to placate Musk and Trump — with Democratic votes. That Musk is using his platform to share his views isn’t an issue. As he often points out, he has made X a public square for many different viewpoints — including many of his own detractors. The problem is that Republicans have allowed Musk to disproportionately sway their leadership. That’s not necessarily a problem when Musk is advocating for budget cuts and bureaucratic overhaul in his self-conceived Department of Government Efficiency. DOGE will be an extragovernmental advisory board that might have the potential to help trim some federal fat. In this advisory role, an innovator like Musk, along with his cochair Ramaswamy, have the potential to make helpful recommendations unburdened by the political pressures of being in the federal government. But advisers advise, they don’t direct. Will it be a problem when the new ascendant voice on the right wants to, say, protect his business interests with American adversaries like China ? He has many potential conflicts of interest in dictating how the American government should spend and not spend its money. His companies Tesla and SpaceX, for example, have had over $15 billion in government contracts over the past decade. Musk is doing more than swaying policy. He’s also creating a new line of attack for Democrats who are more than pleased to point out that Republicans’ reimagined “working people’s party” is being led by a billionaire puppeteered by a far richer billionaire. On X, Democrats lined up to highlight “President Musk’s” pull, with Senator Chris Murphy posting about the Trump administration’s “Billionaire First” agenda. Trump is no stranger to criticisms from the left, nor is he particularly stringent about consistency in his policy positions. Like any good populist, Trump has shown himself willing to adapt to his supporters’ whims. He might bristle, however, at the prospect of being relegated to an opening act, a mere figurehead for a party driven by someone younger, richer, and more influential. The bristling may have already started. Trump’s transition spokesperson immediately went on the defense: “President Trump is the leader of the Republican Party. Full stop,” Karoline Leavitt said . And maybe some resistance from Team Trump is for the best. Even if Trump agrees with Musk, an unelected billionaire with a long list of conflicts of interest should not have such a direct line of influence over our government. Trump was elected, he should be making the decisions — not waiting for his rich friend to endorse them before Trump himself has even weighed in. Republicans are going to have to answer plenty of tough questions about Musk’s influence on their party over the next four years. None might be as difficult as this: Is Trump willing to let Musk steal his show? ONLINE: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/12/24/opinion/elon-musk-trump-congress/?event=event12 Dec. 24 The Philadelphia Inquirer says RFK Jr. cannot be taken seriously as HHS Secretary America’s public health could be at risk if the incoming administration doesn’t correct some of the campaign rhetoric that may have helped Donald Trump win an election but has no merit now that voting is over. For example, inaccurate comments about water fluoridation that prospective U.S. Department of Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has not taken back. “ Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis , bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease,” Kennedy said in a November social media post in which he also claimed the president-elect would advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water. As is typical with Trump, he has neither embraced nor denied Kennedy’s assertions, preferring to instead suggest support of ideas that he may later reject by nebulously saying of Kennedy: “I’m going to let him go wild on health. I’m going to let him go wild on the food. I’m going to let him go wild on medicines.” Please, don’t. America doesn’t need anyone “wild” in charge of public health. Kennedy can’t be taken seriously when he makes misleading comments about water fluoridation that may have a veneer of truth but don’t hold up when someone takes the time to review the facts. Fluoride is not an industrial waste product. It is a mineral found in rocks and soil that leaches naturally into streams and other water supplies. Its effectiveness in preventing tooth decay was discovered in the 1920s when it was observed that Colorado Springs, Colo., residents whose teeth were stained by excessive fluoride in their water sources had fewer than normal cavities. Kennedy is wrong to suggest the subsequent fluoridation of community water supplies across America occurred hastily and without due investigation of potential dangers. The National Institutes of Health began investigating how fluoride affects the human body in the 1930s, but the first major trial of fluoridation of a community’s water supply didn’t occur until 1945 in Grand Rapids, Mich. President Harry S. Truman signed an act creating the National Institute of Dental Research in 1948 in large part because 20% of young men being drafted for military service were rejected because their teeth were so bad. Meanwhile, 10 years after the Michigan study began, the cavity rate among Grand Rapids children was reduced by more than 60%. Subsequent research shows drinking fluoridated water not only reduces cavities and associated dental pain but correspondingly cuts missed school and work days. Such results prompted cities and towns across America — including Philadelphia — to begin fluoridating their water, so much so that by 2010 the tap water of more than 200 million Americans was flowing from fluoridated systems. There have been virtually zero instances in which putting fluoride in a water system has been blamed for a public health issue since the fluoridation of most of America’s water supplies began. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has ranked water fluoridation as one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. Kennedy is trying to solve a problem that doesn’t seem to exist. The National Institutes of Health did complete a study that concluded there might be a connection between the lower IQs of children after long-term exposure to more than twice the federal government’s recommended level of fluoride in drinking water. But why would any town knowingly exceed the government’s fluoridation guidelines by such a large margin? There’s no incentive for local officials to risk their children’s or adults’ health. Kennedy also says fluoridating water systems is no longer necessary. “ Fluoride made sense in the 1940s when they put it in, but now we have fluoride in toothpaste,” he said. That’s true, fluoride today is in toothpaste, mouthwashes, and other oral hygiene products, but that’s why the recommended level of fluoride in water supplies was reduced from 1.0 parts per million to 0.7 parts per million in 2011. Future research may lead to more reductions in recommended fluoride levels, but there’s no basis for Kennedy’s call for a ban now. Trump’s choice to plot the course of public health agencies that make life-and-death decisions based on scientific evidence is a bad one. Kennedy comes across as someone who loves basking in the limelight too often afforded contrarians who pay little attention to facts. In that same vein, Kennedy has criticized vaccines that have long protected millions of Americans from crippling and deadly diseases. Surely the president-elect can do better with his nominations. ONLINE: https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/editorials/health-water-fluoride-robert-kennedy-20241224.html
Eagles receivers Smith and Brown complain about vanishing pass offense during winning streakWatch emotional video of woman’s display of love for her daughter at public parkTopline Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., is the latest Republican to express concerns about the sexual assault allegations against President-elect Donald Trump’s Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth—indicating the claims, which Hegseth denies, could complicate his Senate confirmation process. Timeline What To Watch For Hegseth, or any cabinet nominee that requires Senate approval, can afford to lose only three Republican votes to be confirmed for the job as the GOP will hold a slim 53-47 majority beginning next year. Hegseth and Vice President-elect JD Vance are lobbying lawmakers on Capitol Hill, and other GOP senators have expressed support, including Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., who met with Hegseth on Thursday and told Politico he is a “strong nominee” who “pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power—not the current administration’s woke political agenda.” What Are The Allegations Against Hegseth? The sexual assault allegations first surfaced several days after Trump announced Hegseth as his pick to lead the defense department via a memo sent to his transition team from a woman who said she was friends with the accuser. The accuser told police she went to the hospital, where a rape kit was performed, after having flashbacks to the incident several days after returning home from the conference, according to the police report. What Is Hegseth’s Response To The Allegations? Hegseth has firmly denied the allegations through his lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, who said Hegseth paid the woman a settlement in 2020 as part of a nondisclosure agreement. Parlatore said Hegseth entered into the agreement when he learned the woman and her husband hired a lawyer and told other people she planned to file a lawsuit against him. Hegseth told police he was intoxicated that night and did not know why the accuser returned to his hotel room with him, but that they had consensual sex, according to the police report. He said the woman “showed early signs of regret” the next morning, and he assured her that he would not tell anyone about the encounter, the report states. Has Hegseth Been Charged With A Crime? No. Police recommended the case to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office for review, but charges were never filed. What Are Hegseth’s Views On The Military? Hegseth—who served in the National Guard—has intensely criticized military leadership, castigating their handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal. He has also drawn controversy for criticizing diversity initiatives within the military, and calling for the dismissal of military leaders he believes are connected to “woke” policies. He has publicly and privately advocated for members of the military accused of war crimes. Meanwhile, The Guardian reported Hegseth wrote in his 2020 book “American Crusade” that if President Joe Biden won the election, the military and police would be “forced to make a choice” and that there would be “some form of civil war.” Trump has previously suggested he would use the military to go after domestic political opponents, which he described as “the enemy from within.” What Has Hegseth Said About Women In The Military? Hegseth has argued women should not serve in combat roles, drawing some criticism . In his 2024 “The War on Warriors,” recapped by The Guardian, Hegseth reiterated his stance that only men should serve in combat roles. “If we’re going to send our boys to fight—and it should be boys—we need to unleash them to win,” he wrote, adding they need “to be the most ruthless” and “the most uncompromising. The most overwhelmingly lethal as they can be.” What Has Trump Said About Hegseth? Trump called Hegseth a “warrior” and “a true believer in America First” in a statement announcing the nomination on Nov. 12. The statement touts his service in the Army National Guard and his deployments to Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan, along with his eight years as a Fox News host. A spokesperson for Trump’s transition team told the Associated Press in response to the police report being made public Thursday it “corroborates what Mr. Hegseth’s attorneys have said all along: the incident was fully investigated and no charges were filed because police found the allegations to be false.” The report does not say whether officials made a determination about the allegations. Further Reading New Sexual Assault Allegation Details Against Pete Hegseth Emerge: Here’s What To Know As Trump Defends Defense Secretary Nominee (Forbes) Police Report Details 2017 Sexual Assault Allegation Against Pete Hegseth (Forbes) Trump’s Defense Secretary Pick Pete Hegseth Named In 2017 Sexual Assault Probe (Forbes)
It’s new and risky, but Gen Z workers are ‘all in’ on AIDEAR MISS MANNERS: My brother is intelligent, educated, well-spoken and has a responsible job. He is also openly racist, misogynistic and homophobic -- all for religious reasons, of course. To his credit, he never brings these subjects up, but if they do come up, he’s not at all bashful about articulating his bigoted views. His response to criticism is that he’s just as entitled to his opinions as liberals are to theirs, and he’s just as entitled to express his opinions as liberals are to express theirs. He says that tolerance includes tolerance for all viewpoints, including his. That does not sound quite right to me, but I can’t exactly put my finger on what’s wrong with it. He is otherwise a charming and enjoyable person to be around. At this point, the rest of the family just deals with it by avoiding these subjects. What do you think we should do? GENTLE READER: Keep avoiding those subjects. Of course it is tempting to poke the bear, even though you know how the bear will react. Your brother is presumably a grown-up, entrenched in his prejudices, and arguing is less likely to reform him than to spoil family gatherings. Miss Manners can, however, offer you some comfort. First, you are already making your point effectively by refusing to engage with him when he speaks like that. And second, you are right that hate speech does not deserve the same tolerance as the wide divergence of well-meant opinions. (Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com ; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com ; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)
FEMA under investigation over Trump supporter discrimination
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