text:
Date of Submission 29-Nov-2021
Date of Decision 01-Dec-2021
Date of Acceptance 02-Dec-2021
Date of Web Publication 12-Jan-2022
Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-COVID 19) pandemic had much impact on both physical and psychological aspects. In order to assess the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among the health-care workers (HCWs), the study has been made.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 96 HCWs. The sociodemographic characteristics such as age, gender, department, and designation were collected using a standardized questionnaire. Posttraumatic stress symptoms were assessed using a self-administered PTSD checklist.
Results: The mean severity score of PTSD symptoms was 38.5 (12.9). There was a positive correlation between age and the severity score assessed using the PTSD checklist. There was also significant difference between the departments and total score with the P = 0.02.
Conclusion: It denotes that the HCWs were in moderate level of stress in the pandemic. It also shows that, among postgraduate students as their years of experience increased, PTSD score also increased.
Keywords: Healthcare workers, posttraumatic stress disorder, stress
Reddy GS, Kumar B P, Puttala S, Miryala GK. Posttraumatic stress symptoms in health-care workers treating COVID-19 crisis: A cross-sectional descriptive study. Telangana J Psychiatry 2021;7:134-7
Reddy GS, Kumar B P, Puttala S, Miryala GK. Posttraumatic stress symptoms in health-care workers treating COVID-19 crisis: A cross-sectional descriptive study. Telangana J Psychiatry [serial online] 2021 [cited 2023 Feb 1];7:134-7. Available from: https://tjpipstsb.org/text.asp?2021/7/2/134/335646
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by virus belonging to coronavirus family. The outbreak of SARS-COVID19 was initially noticed in Wuhan city of China in mid-December 2019, and it was declared as "Public Health Emergency of International Concern" on January 30, 2020. Subsequently, COVID-19 was declared as pandemic on March 11, 2020 by the WHO.[1]
In India, the pandemic was reported in Kerala on January 30, 2020 and it is in an increasing trend since then. In India, according to records, as per May 27, 2020, the total number of confirmed cases were 1,31,868 and total deaths were 3867. The pandemic crisis hit India to a great extent through human transmission, and hence Government of India has proposed many guidelines according to the WHO.[2] As there is no effective medical intervention related to SARS-COVID-19, educating people and counseling them regarding the preventive measures is an effective strategy to control the pandemic.[3]
Where the global pandemic is concerned with the direct impact of SARS COVID-19 among the victims, the pandemic casualty has made dramatic change on the psychosocial effects on community. Considering the psychosocial impact during the pandemic, health-care workers (HCWs) are the most affected.[4] HCWs have not only faced stress physically but also psychologically.[5] These aspects can trigger psychopathologies such as acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorders (PTSDs).[6] HCWs have been challenged with unprecedented demands, both professionally and personally with efforts to manage the patients without patients without definitive treatment protocols during the initial outbreak.[7] In view of this, the study was made to assess the PTSD symptoms among the HCWs.
Among the health care dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, (1) to assess the PTSD symptoms among the HCWs.
This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. The study was conducted among the HCWs, in tertiary health care centers of Telangana between May and June 2021. All the HCWs consenting and total 96 participants were included in the study. Written consent from the participants was obtained after explaining the purpose and procedure of the study in detail. The participants were interviewed using a pretested questionnaire consisting of questions on sociodemographic characteristics such as age, gender, designation, and department they were working. Posttraumatic stress symptoms were assessed using PTSD checklist-civilian version; it comprises 17 items that correspond to the key symptoms of PTSD. It is self-administered questionnaire with 5-point Likert scale responses. The number of professionals to be interviewed per day was based on the availability of study participants. Each participant was given a unique id number to keep their identity confidential. Data were collected and entered in Microsoft Excel analyzed using IBM SPSS software version 20, Kakatiya Medical College, Warangal, Telangana. Continuous variables such as age were categorized and analyzed for the descriptive analysis. For outcome variable, the 17 items were added up for the severity score ranging between 17 and 85 (17–29 denotes little to no severity, 28–29 denotes some PTSD symptoms, 30–44 denotes moderate to moderately high severity of PTSD symptoms, and 45–85 denotes high severity). Association between the outcome variables and independent variables was tested for statistical significance using independent sample t-test and one way Analysis of variance test. Correlation was assessed between the two continuous variables.
Among 96 participants, who were included in the study, the mean age of the study population was 27.5 (3.8) years. The participants were equally proportionate between the genders. All of the study participants were the postgraduate students, of which 42.7% of them were in 1st year of postgraduation, 27.1% of them were in 2nd year of postgraduation, and 29.2% were in their 3rd year of postgraduation. Around 50% of the participants were from anesthesiology department. The rest of them were proportionate between general medicine and pulmonology [Table 1].
Table 1: Sociodemographic characteristics of the study population (n=96)
The mean score of the PTSD checklist was 38.5 (12.9) where the mean severity score of postgraduate student was 37.5 (12.1), 35.8 (10.5), and 43.1 (15.1) among 1st year, 2nd year, and 3rd year, respectively. It also shows that there is no significant difference between the groups and within the groups among the designation and total severity score.
The mean score of the PSTD score was 41.0 (15.2), 32.3 (10.1), and 40.3 (11.9) among the participants who were in the department of general medicine, pulmonology, and anesthesiology, respectively.
While comparing the gender to total severity score, male and female population had scores of 38.8 and 38.2 respectively. The severity score between the gender does not show any difference [Table 2].
Table 2: Stratified score of the mean severity score of posttraumatic stress disorder among various sociodemographic characteristics (n=96)
Correlation to age, gender, designation, and department with total score indicates that there is no significant correlation between age and total severity score. While comparing with help of spearman correlation, it denotes that there was a significant correlation between the total severity score and the various departments [Table 3].
Table 3: Correlation between the various characteristics and posttraumatic stress disorder score (n=96
The hospital-based study was conducted among the HCWs in order to assess their PTSD symptoms during this pandemic situation. The PTSD symptoms were assessed using PTSD checklist in this study. The current study reports that the mean score of the PTSD symptoms was 38.5 (12.9) which denotes that the study participants were in moderate-to-high severity of PTSD symptoms. Comparing the findings with other sociodemographic details, it is found that, as the age increased the level of severity score also increased. A study (Raj et al.), where 300 HCWs were included and assessed for psychological impact, it demonstrated significant high levels of depression, anxiety, and insomnia.[4]
When the study was compared with the study conducted in Singapore by Benjamin et al., where 470 HCWs were included showed 36 participants (7.7%) of the total group had symptoms of PTSD. Thus, it indicates that HCWs are at a risk of 1.85 times of getting psychological issues compared with non-HCWs.[8]
Attempt was made to find the severity score with other characteristics such as gender, designation, and department. It denotes that gender does not have much impact toward the total severity score in this study. The mean score of both male and female was 38 which is also similar to our total mean PTSD score. While considering the designation with years of postgraduation, it denotes that HCWs who are in 3rd year of postgraduation were at a high level of stress compared with others with the mean and standard deviation of the score of 43.1 (15.1). It also indicates that the person who were in 2nd year and 1st year were with similar score such as 37.5 (12.1) and 35.8 (10.5), respectively.
A systemic review (by Cabarkapa et al.) that included 55 studies suggested that HCWs had higher psychological implications and had increased risk of acquiring trauma or stress-related disorders, depression, and anxiety.[9] Another systemic review (by Danet) that included various studies from different countries on psychological impact on HCWs implicated high levels of stress, depression, anxiety, and insomnia in cases of direct contact with infected patients.[10]
A study (by Chatterjee et al.) that was conducted during early phase of COVID 19 in India that included 140 HCWs suggested that doctors had higher levels of psychopathologies, stress, and insomnia among HCWs.[11] A study (By Bashar et al.) shows health-care professionals dealing with COVID 19 were under high psychological pressure and experience higher rates of psychiatric morbidity, resembling situation of SARS and H1N1 epidemic.[12]
When comparing the mean score with the various departments it denoted that, participants who were from general medicine and anesthesiology has similar mean score such as 41.0 (15.2) and 40.4 (11.9), respectively. With the post hoc test, it shows a significant difference between the department such as general medicine and the pulmonology.
It also implies that there is no significant difference between the mean scores of genders and various departments. In correlation between the other socio demographic characteristics, stress increased as the age increased and the correlation also shows that there was a significant difference among the scores in various departments and various level of designation.
Implication of the study
This study during the pandemic reveals the psychological impact of the HCWs, hence it could help understand and motivate HCWs to obtain the future goals.
As the study was conducted during the pandemic, recall bias has been eliminated
Postgraduates of departments who have had immense work pressure and were subjected to witnessing utmost deaths (compared to previous noncovid duties) were included in the study.
As the study consisted of postgraduate students, other HCWs such as nurses and ground level workers were not taken into consideration
As the sample included only postgraduate students of General Medicine, Pulmonology and Anesthesiology departments, rest of postgraduates of other departments were excluded.
It indicates that the HCWs were at a moderate level of stress in the pandemic. It also shows that, among postgraduate students as their years of experience increased PTSD symptoms score also increased. It also denotes that the participants who were in the department of general medicine and anesthesiology had higher level of stress. Age and level of stress were also positively correlated.
WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard. Available from: https://covid19.who.int. [Last accessed on 2021 Jul 08].
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Situation Reports. Available from: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports. [Last accessed on 2021 Jul 08].
India Country Overview | World Health Organization. Available from: https://www.who.int/countries/kaz. [Last accessed on 2021 Jul 08].
Raj R, Koyalada S, Kumar A, Kumari S, Pani P, Nishant, et al. Psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers in India: An observational study. J Family Med Prim Care 2020;9:5921-6.
Si MY, Su XY, Jiang Y, Wang WJ, Gu XF, Ma L, et al. Psychological impact of COVID-19 on medical care workers in China. Infect Dis Poverty 2020;9:113.
Selvaraj P, Muthukanagaraj P, Saluja B, Jeyaraman M, Anudeep TC, Gulati A, et al. Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic on health-care professionals in India – A multicentric cross-sectional study. Indian J Med Sci, doi 10.25259IJMS_193_2020.
Asnakew S, Amha H, Kassew T. Mental health adverse effects of COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers in north west Ethiopia: A multicenter cross-sectional study. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2021;17:1375-84.
Tan BY, Chew NW, Lee GK, Jing M, Goh Y, Yeo LL, et al. Psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers in Singapore. Ann Intern Med 2020;173:317-20.
Cabarkapa S, Nadjidai SE, Murgier J, Ng CH. The psychological impact of COVID-19 and other viral epidemics on frontline healthcare workers and ways to address it: A rapid systematic review. Brain Behav Immun Health 2020;8:100144.
Danet Danet A. Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic in Western frontline healthcare professionals. A systematic review. Med Clin (Barc) 2021;156:449-58.
Chatterjee SS, Chakrabarty M, Banerjee D, Grover S, Chatterjee SS, Dan U. Stress, sleep and psychological impact in healthcare workers during the early phase of COVID-19 in India: A factor analysis. Front Psychol 2021;12:611314.
Bashar MA, Bammidi R. Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic on health care professionals and workers. Ind Psychiatry J 2020;29:176-9.


text:
Fantastic Mr. Fox is Wes Anderson's unique animated film adaptation that expands on the original Roald Dahl short story. After promising never to steal squabs again, Mr. Fox (George Clooney) and his wife Felicity (Meryl Streep) live a simple life – he's a columnist for a newspaper and they have a moody son Ash (Jason Schwartzman) – but he wants something more. Deciding to move out of their hole in the ground, he purchases a home in a tree (against the advice of his lawyer Badger (Bill Murray)) – which also happens to be near three different farms, run by Boggis, Bunce and Bean, providing temptation to Mr. Fox's suppressed instincts. When Felicity's nephew Kristofferson (Eric Chase Anderson) comes to stay with them, his superior athleticism and natural skills make Ash feels overshadowed and underappreciated. With the opportunity too good to overlook, Mr. Fox decides – with the help of building superintendent Kylie (Wallace Wolodarsky) – to raid the three neighboring farms. But this raises the ire of the three farmers, and soon an all-out siege of the Fox's home begins. With his promise to Felicity broken, Mr. Fox now has to save his family and the community from the famers, make amends to his wife, and get revenge on the farmers.
The writing by Anderson and Noah Baumbach is clever and natural, aided by the performances of the voice actors which was recorded in natural locations, not in a recording booth. Schartzman's understated performance as the angst-ridden Ash is quite good, and Clooney lends Mr. Fox a level of cockiness that fits perfectly with the character as portrayed in the film. If this were presented as a CGI-animated film, it wouldn't have the same impact as the stop-motion does. The method of animation, as well as the set design and color palette, makes this movie the purest animated representation of Wes Anderson's unique filmmaking style that I can imagine. Every shot just screams "Wes Anderson!", so it's not too much of a stretch to suggest that if you aren't a fan of his films, you'll likely find Fantastic Mr. Fox a bit of a challenge to get through – but you should at least give it a try.
Alexandre DesplatWes Anderson

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
NEMO briefs Cabinet of Ministers on La Soufrière Volcano
VP Digital March 30, 2021 3:50 pm September 7, 2021 0
The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) on Monday March 29 2021 briefed the Cabinet of Ministers on the La Soufrière Volcano in St. Vincent and the Grenadines as Saint Lucia stands ready to assist our sister island.
Monitoring scientists from The UWI Seismic Research Centre (SRC) have recently noted a change in seismic activity associated with the ongoing eruption of the La Soufrière Volcano. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) is closely monitoring the ongoing situation and due to our close proximity, Saint Lucia is preparing for various scenarios.
The Situation Overview to Cabinet, was conducted by Director of NEMO Ms. Dorine Gustave and Deputy Director Ms. Maria Medard, who spoke about Saint Lucia's preparations including meetings of the various District Disaster Committees. The director informed on Saint Lucia's capacity for evacuees from danger zones to safe zones.
"If there is an eruption we are preparing for ash fall in Saint Lucia and also air quality issues in the south," stated the Director, adding that preparations are being made for shelters and various agencies have been activated. "The implications for Saint Lucia were presented whether it be financial, human or otherwise. The Cabinet of Ministers have pledged their support in whatever way if the need arises. We are asking Saint Lucians to remain calm as there is no need to panic. NEMO is working to put all our plans in place."
The director clarified that an evacuation order has not been issued in St Vincent and the Grenadines, however, Saint Lucia has to remain prepared for any event. NEMO is set to begin an aggressive public education and sensitization campaign within local communities.
Prime Minister Honourable Allen Chastanet expressed that he has been in contact with officials in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and called on citizens to remain vigilant and reiterated that Saint Lucia will continue to monitor the progress of this volcanic event.


Gersh is a specialist real estate investment firm, specifically focussed on property finance and principal real estate transactions. We believe that our ability to cultivate long term relationships has been a key driver in our success.
Gersh provides direct equity investment into real estate development projects via a number of mandates from local and international investors.
Gersh invests its own capital (including various sources of capital from its capital partners) so that we are aligned with our capital partners and as a way to generate risk-adjusted returns for our business.
Gersh provides funding for real estate transactions, including construction, development, and land holding (in each segment of the capital stack).
Gersh provides a broad range of advisory services to both our capital partners and clients (throughout the real estate life cycle and across all real estate sectors).


text:
Q: What is the greatest value of $n$ such that $n < 100$ and $a_n$ is a power of $2$? Problem

A sequence is defined by $a_1 = 0$, $a_2 = 4$ and $a_n = 4(a_{n-1}-a_{n-2})$ for $n > 2$. What is the greatest value of $n$ such that $n < 100$ and $a_n$ is a power of $2$?

I tried doing a few terms but I couldn't get any real pattern. I saw that $a_5 = 128$ was a power of $2$ but no others.

A: Assuming you know a bit about the theory of linear recurrence relations:
The characteristic polynomial for the recurrence $a_n = 4a_{n-1}-4a_{n-2}$ is $\lambda^2 = 4\lambda-4$.
Since the characteristic polynomial has a double root at $\lambda = 2$, the general solution (i.e. ignoring the initial conditions) is of the form $a_n = (An+B) \cdot 2^n$ for some constants $A$ and $B$.
If you use the initial conditions $a_1 = 0$ and $a_2 = 4$, you will get the equations $A+B = 0$ and $4A+2B = 4$. Solve these to get $A = 1$ and $B = -1$.
Therefore, the solution is $a_n = (n-1) \cdot 2^n$. Now, finding the largest value of $n < 100$ such that $a_n$ is a power of $2$ should be easy.

A: Solving the recurrence by standard methods gives
$$a_n=(n-1)2^n\ .$$
So you are looking for the largest $n<100$ such that $n-1$ is a power of $2$.  That's $n=65$.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


As the National Rifle Association grows increasingly out of touch with most American gun owners, the organization still claims "more than five million members." A number of corporations are making membership to the group, which opposes nearly all gun safety legislation, more enticing by partnering with the NRA.
Much like AARP or AAA offer discounts for their own members, the NRA promotes its discounts for members as a selling point for why people should join. The "valuable 5-star benefits" promised include not just a subscription to an NRA magazine and a gun-owner liability protection policy but also savings on insurance, identity theft protection, hearing aids, car rentals, moving vans, shipping, and even wine. While some of these perks are provided by in-house subsidiaries, many are offered through corporate partners — including some household names.
After the shooting in Parkland, Florida, the NRA has been the focus of renewed national attention, as the group continues to successfully block any legislation to curb gun violence on the national level. Dallas' mayor pro tem told the NRA February 19 that the group will be "met with opposition" if it holds its scheduled May conference in his city. And over the weekend, hundreds of people gathered outside the group's Virginia headquarters to hold a vigil and protest.
ThinkProgress asked more than two dozen corporations that offer incentives to NRA members whether they plan to continue their relationships with the gun lobby. A growing number of those companies have ended their relationship with the NRA since this list was initially published.
You can sign up to get updates via email about these companies and their relationship with the NRA here.
As of February 24, the website is no longer functioning. In its place is an error message reading: "This page may have moved or is no longer available." Representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Members are encouraged to protect their "privacy and financial security" through a subscription to this privacy protection service, though no discount is specified. A representative did not respond to requests for comment.
The NRA-endorsed term life company is listed as providing "higher coverage amounts" for members on life insurance policies. A representative did not respond to a requests for comment.
Members are invited to purchase health insurance plans through eHealth's exchange, though no specific discount is specified. A representative did not respond to requests for comment.
The hotel booking company lets NRA members book trips through a website only accessible with a member number. Tim Hentschel, co-founder of Hotel Planner, told Bloomberg that it would not be distancing itself from the gun lobby. "Our company provides discounted rooms to several large associations, including the NRA," he said. "These associations greatly benefit our customers by buying discounted rooms from groups that might otherwise be charged a penalty by hotels for not using all of the rooms in their block." A representative did not respond to requests for comment.
The wine company operates "the official wine club of the NRA," offering NRA members an "exclusive first-time offer" of "4 exceptional wines for just $29.99," which it says is a savings of over $84. Vinesse also sells "NRA Collector's Series" packages of wine. Representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
On February 27, Vinesse suspended the sales of its NRA Collectors' Series. "Many people have called in regards to the whole NRA situation," a customer service representative told ThinkProgress, adding that managers are still discussing how to move forward. "They're looking into it," he added.
On February 21, less than 24 hours after ThinkProgress first reported the bank's connection to the NRA, the website advertising the card disappeared. On February 22, the bank tweeted that after massive customer feedback, it had decided not to renew its contract with the NRA to issue the card.
Enterprise Holdings, which operates three prominent car rental brands, said February 22 it's ending its corporate relationship with the NRA. All three brands — Enterprise, Alamo, and National — announced on Twitter they would end the program effective March 26.
The car rental conglomerate previously had a partnership with the NRA to provide discounts to members once they paid their $40 annual fee annual fee.
Symantec announced February 23 it would cut ties with the NRA.
Norton anti-malware software, developed and distributed by Symantec Corporation, previously offered NRA members discounts on various subscription rates. Members could get $37 off a standard membership, $52 off a deluxe membership, and $62 off a premium membership.
Symantec, LifeLock's parent company, announced February 23 it would cut ties with the NRA.
Access to LifeLock Business Solutions, the identity-theft prevention company's business arm, was previously listed as a benefit for NRA members, though no specific discount was specified.
On February 23, MetLife said it would discontinue its discount for NRA members.
Until recently, insurance company Chubb underwrote the NRA Carry Guard insurance for gun owners. On February 23, the company said it would end this practice. According to Reuters, "Chubb gave notice three months ago of its plan to stop participating in the NRA insurance program." The company told ThinkProgress it did not make the decision public until Reuters reached out this week.
"We have discontinued our existing relationship with the NRA," a spokesperson for SimpliSafe told ThinkProgress on February 23.
NRA members previously received two months free of SimpliSafe's monitoring with the purchase of any new home security system.
Teladoc's communications director confirmed to ThinkProgress on February 23 that the company is no longer in partnership with the NRA.
NRA members were previously offered a $14.95 "discounted monthly rate" for this telemedicine service. The representative told ThinkProgress on February 23 that this discount "was part of a broader program, set up several years ago, that we no longer participate in," and added the NRA page will be removed (though Teladoc does not operate the page).
Hertz said February 23 that it would discontinue its discount program for NRA members. The company posted on Twitter that it had notified the gun lobby of this decision.
SIRVA, the parent company for the two moving companies, said February 23 it would end the benefits it provides to NRA members. "We have asked them to remove our listing from their benefits site," Tammy Monroe, a SIRVA spokesperson, told ThinkProgress.
The moving companies previously offered unspecified discounts to NRA members through a special website.
A representative for the Avis Budget Group, which operates the two car rental companies, confirmed to ThinkProgress February 23 that it would end its relationship with the NRA. "Effective March 26, our brands will no longer provide the NRA member discount," a company representative said via email.
Avis and Budget previously offered NRA members up to 25 percent off base rates.
Teresa Zimmerman, director of marketing for Personify Corp, the software company's parent organization, told ThinkProgress February 23 that they have asked the NRA to remove them from the gun lobby's website. "We have contacted the NRA directly and asked them to remove our logo and the affiliated text, as they were actually using that without permission from us," she said. "We never had a formal partnership with them." Zimmerman explained that one of their affiliate members may have arranged the advertising without the organization's knowledge. "We're just trying to sell software," she said.
TrueCar, an automotive pricing and information website, said February 23 it will be ending its advertising relationship with the NRA at the end of the month. "TrueCar is ending its car buying service relationship with the NRA effective February 28, 2018," Veronica Cardenas, TrueCar's media relations manager, told ThinkProgress in an email late on February 23.
On February 24, this prominent hearing aid technology company announced it was ending its relationship with the NRA. "We will be asking them to remove our information from their website," the company said on Twitter.
The NRA previously partnered with Starkey to offer discounted hearing aids and "free consultations" for its members. A representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
On February 24, the pharmacy benefits manager company released a statement announcing that, while it previously offered a prescription drug discount program for NRA members, via a third-party vendor, they were "working with that vendor to discontinue the program and remove the offering." A representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Republic Bank is discontinuing the NRA Visa Prepaid Card, a special prepaid debit card that was previously available to NRA members. The NRA Prepaid site now says, "This program is no longer available to new customers." A representative for the bank told Business Insider over the weekend that "The NRA Prepaid Card program was previously under review. Upon conclusion of this review, we decided to discontinue the offering," which ThinkProgress confirmed on February 26.
Securian told ThinkProgress February 26: "After thoughtful review, we have decided to discontinue marketing our insurance products as a National Rifle Association benefit. We have asked the NRA to remove our information from their website." The insurance company had previously provided an array of travel, cancer care, life, and gun owner insurance policies for NRA members.
On February 23, ThinkProgress also reported that Delta and United Airlines are offering NRA members discounted flights to travel to the gun lobby's annual meeting, scheduled for May in Dallas. Both airlines initially claimed that the relationship was standard for any organization, but on the morning of February 24, Delta said it would be "reaching out to the NRA to let them know we will be ending their contract for discounted rates through our group travel program," and United issued a similar statement shortly after.
The airlines were offering NRA members discounted flights to the group's annual convention.
The NRA also manages a directory of smaller companies that offer discounts and incentives, allowing members to search by state.
In early 2013, weeks after the Sandy Hook shooting, ThinkProgress published a similar list. Since that time, several companies have discontinued their relationships with the pro-gun group. Following a grassroots pressure campaign led by the global advocacy group Avaaz.org, both Best Western and Wyndham hotels stopped offering an NRA discount.
A similar pressure campaign by a coalition of LGBTQ rights groups and gun violence prevention organizations began pressuring FedEx to do the same in 2016, but has not yet had success.
This story has been updated to clarify that AAA's and AARP's benefits are for their own members, not for members of the National Rifle Association.
It will be updated as the companies respond to ThinkProgress. You can sign up to get updates via email about these companies and their relationship with the NRA here.


Specialized ceramic extrusion equipment is designed and built by Diamond America for a wide range of ceramic products.
Ceramics include a wide range of non-metal, inorganic materials, often crystalline oxides, carbides or nitrides.
Very hard and strong materials, ceramics have extremely high melting points and most have good thermal and electrical insulation properties.
Early ceramic materials were pottery, bricks and tiles, as well as cements and glass.
The raw material loaded into a ceramic extrusion machine is usually fine powder, with a combination of additives in the form of binders and plasticizers to impart the desired rheology. This allows the ceramic to flow freely thru the die, with or without heating or vacuum.


Students desiring national certification as a Medical Technologist should consult with the department's Med-Tech adviser for specific details about this program.
Qualified graduates must be accepted by a School of Medical Technology for a year (12 months) of hospital training before being certified.
Select two courses from the BIOL electives below. Must include one lab course.
†This requirement may be met by a satisfactory score on a recognized examination or by passing any foreign language course numbered 102 or any course with 102 as a prerequisite.
The student must complete a minimum of 12 semester hours of BIOL courses in residence at Winthrop University. No more than 3 semester hours of credit may be awarded toward a degree in Biology for a student completing any combination of BIOL 461 and 463.
Students may apply to any NAACLS accredited hospital program in the US. Students should consult with the Med Tech faculty advisor since the specific admission requirements vary among the accredited hospital programs. Local schools include Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC, McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, SC, and Lexington Medical Health center in Columbia, SC.


As both a final rehearsal and a community performance, the STOMP Troopers visited the Louisiana Children's Museum to perform on Sensory Friendly Family Night. On this special monthly evening, kids with special needs and their families are invited to explore the museum after hours fro free, checking out the exhibits and participating in thematic activities (such as a ball pit or trick or treating) in a welcoming and safe environment.
This month, the theme was, of course, Mardi Gras. Kids made hankies at the art activity table, then entered the museum theater to see the STOMP Troopers perform their signature drumming (without sticks to reduce the noise level). They then led the kids in a second line all over the museum. Some impromptu dancing, acrobatics and a little excessive celebration broke out amongst the crowd as the spectators got caught up in the festive energy.
"Saturday's going to be AWESOME!" said Oliver.
And how are the other STOMP Troopers feeling about performing in a few short days? Pumped? Anxious? Any stage fright or second thoughts?
Sorry, random person. STOMP Troopers own this party.
On the day of our final preparation session, the kids appeared to be confident and sure of what to expect. A photographer and reporter from the Times Picayune were present, along with several volunteers.
Our slideshow focused on what to expect night of the parade. I spelled out the routine and illustrated with photographs where and with whom each part would take place. Most importantly, the slideshow laid out clear expectations for what would take place and what behavior would be expected of them.
For instance, if they dropped a drumstick or needed some water, they could ask their chaperone. If they were confused about where to go, the red shirted volunteers (identified by names and photos) would be there to point them in the right direction. Knowing that a contingency plan exists always helps people feel secure!
Next, they used thick, permanent markers to color in the banner which will identify their krewe on parade day. After doing similar work using these same tools on various other surfaces (metal for the drums, tyvek for the costumes), they needed no coaching beyond the occasional prompt to stay on task or make room for one another. Body awareness and a sense of personal space are often lacking in those with autism and may need to be learned through practice.
We ended with drumming, a clear beat emerging easily. Casey passed out an engraved harmonica to each child in a customized box. They took turns being the one to start off the harmonica melody. Some alternated between banging and blowing, others managed to hold the harmonica in their mouths and do both at the same time.
As they ended, Rocco led the group in their trademark call and response cheer "Krewe du who?" "Krewe du YOU!"
For the family of 13-year-old Jhett McAdams, finding a safe way to celebrate Mardi Gras began more than five weeks ago in a small studio Uptown called the NOLArts Learning Center.
The teenager, who has been diagnosed on the autistic spectrum, began learning all about parades through behavior-based therapeutic art, music and drama classes that began in December. The process ended up being a perfect fit, his teachers said, nurturing his curious nature and burgeoning creativity as he learned to find a beat on the drums, paint props and even sew his own costume.
Jhett is part of what art therapist Kate Lacour calls an "ambitious" experiment: finding a way to allow a group of children with varying levels of autism to march in a Mardi Gras parade, as part of a krewe.
Thanks to Lacour and other volunteers, Jhett and six other autistic teenagers and young adults will be throwing doubloons, banging out music on trash-can lids and dancing in this year's Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus parade, slated to roll at 7 p.m. Saturday.
"Most of them have never even been to a parade, much less been in one," Lacour explained on a recent Saturday morning as she patiently showed her students how to sew electroluminescent (EL) wire to their costumes to make them light up. "All the stuff we've been doing is new to them. But we're learning to follow routine and practice ideas, so they resonate."
Lacour and her students were preparing for a dress rehearsal at the Chewbacchus headquarters in Castillo Blanco Art Studios. There, the students would try on their new costumes, drum alongside the Browncoat Brass Band and enjoy a test run in an environment that on parade day will be ripe with the unexpected, including new noises, crowds and strange sights.
Aside from the throngs of revelers expected to attend the parade, Chewbacchus pays homage to "Star Wars," "Dr. Who," "Star Trek" and various other science fiction shows and themes. Costumes frequently involve bright lights and loud noises from instruments; without proper preparation, they could prove to be overwhelming to someone on the autism spectrum, organizers said.
As Lacour explained, much of the rehearsal process was focused on how students could experience the parade in a nonthreatening way.
Since December, she has been tracking her techniques through a detailed blog, outlining all the ways she can adjust art or music classes to better prepare autistic students for the inevitable and unforeseen on parade night.
Some techniques include frequent repetition, such as explaining a sewing step over and over again, or finding ways to break down abstract ideas with concrete examples, like using videos and pictures to help envision costume themes or parade throws.
Perhaps one of the most challenging aspects, she said, was figuring out how to block out unwanted sights and sounds.
To that end, the krewe will be combating outside noise by having the students create their own noise on trash-can lids, thanks to instruction from Clyde Casey, Chewbacchus' resident sculptural musician and artist.
As Lacour explained, the uncontrollable nature of environmental noise, rather than the volume, seemed to be the biggest irritant to those with sensory issues.
During the parade, volunteers will also have headphones and sunglasses available for anyone who needs them, and each participant will have at least two chaperones.
The Chewbacchus team has been equally supportive, Lacour said, allowing the kids a premium place at the front of the parade lineup, behind the Preservation Hall Jazz Band but before full chaos descends on the area around them.
But a big part of the project, too, is getting those who have misconceptions about autism to open their way of thinking. Although many may not realize it, kids with autism tend to be sensitive, visually creative and able to think "outside the box," and therefore are "uniquely qualified" to be culture makers, Lacour said.
For instance, it was Jhett who came up with the group's costume idea. After learning about the concept of "mash-ups," the teen suggested that all the kids be "Stomp Troopers" — a mix between the high-energy dance and percussion group Stomp and stormtroopers, the soldiers of the "Star Wars" franchise.
To that end, the students have created their costumes by tracing black patterns on Tyvek, a new plastic material, with permanent markers.
The students also worked together to select a logo design and created custom percussion instruments by turning trash cans into drums made to look like stormtrooper helmets.
According to Sarah Ambrose, a music teacher for kids with autism, just the act of preparing for the parade helped to quash notions of what autism is and isn't.
Chewbacchus founder Ryan Ballard said he was equally enthusiastic about dispelling the idea that autistic kids shouldn't march.
Ballard admitted that he worried the kids might have a bad time, but in the same breath he said he was "optimistic" for success because of all the work put in by Lacour, her crew and the helpful members of his Mardi Gras krewe.
As for Jhett, during a recent rehearsal he said he was looking forward to the parade — especially once he learned he could perform for an audience using his homemade instrument.
"I think it's the music that's most interesting," he said.
Many weeks of hard work are beginning to converge! Strength in relationships, social skills and artistic achievements were apparent in this Saturday's session.
A second week in the new space, NOLArts Learning Center's office did not elicit any of the complaints it had the previous week. New faces, too, were tolerated well. A local newspaper reporter and a new volunteer were welcomed by the kids without distress or distraction. Such flexibility is an important social skill to have in life, and will be essential to parade night, when the unexpected (new volunteers! a lost drumstick! RAIN!!!) may arise.
The kids were suitably inspired and also enjoyed passing around and playing with the settings on a coil of real EL wire. The more tangible an activity can be made, the better, especially when the activity is demandingThis week, we chose to make our outfits a bit flashier by adding electroluminescent ("EL") wire to the costumes to make them light up. After our socialization circle (aka "checking in"), we always view a PowerPoint with a detailed recap of the previous week and preview of the day's goals. Today's slide show included a cheesy video of a homemade EL wire suit in action (hi there, 2002!).
Adding wire indeed proved challenging. It required that the kids learn a skill entirely new to all but one of them: sewing. When asked, most had never handled a needle. "I can't tie a knot!" screamed Jhett, who was anxious about the demands of this unfamiliar task.
New skills should always be broken down into the tiniest steps possible, and each presented separately, a technique known as task analysis. To teach sewing, I presented a separate slide with both images as text for each step in sewing.
When teaching, it helps to consider the last new skill you learned. Did you learn from a series of photos on eHow? A YouTube video? Did you copy a dance partner's moves? Did a personal trainer guide your body through those movements? Most people learn new skills best from prompts that most closely approximate real life, and this should always be taken into consideration in teaching those with autism.
It has become clear that a similar task analysis needed to be applied to drumming if we the group is to keep a steady rhythm. We discussed the different steps in drumming to a beat, and provided a clear set of visual and audible cues for the kids to follow in order to follow the beat set by the band leader. We also praised the kids as they got closer and closer to the goal of drumming on beat.
We introduced a bell to provide a regular beat to cue the kids in a contrasting tone. It's easier to pick out the sound of a bell than that of another drum. Casey also introduced a little harmony by providing Rocco with a harmonica. "You'll all have harmonicas of your own next week," he promised after seeing Rocco's enjoyment.
Stepwise instruction, repetition, clear criteria, multiple forms of prompting, reinforcement for successive approximations towards the goal.
Just when you've settled into a comfortable routine and the group has leveled off at cruising a altitude, there's turbulence ahead!
Due to a scheduling conflict at IDIYA, Saturday sessions had to be moved to NOLArts Learning Center's office nearby. Like IDIYA, the office is spacious, comfortable, well-equipped and flooded with natural light. So no big deal, right?
As anyone who has worked with or lived with a person with autism can tell you, small changes can be a big deal. Kids with autism are also generally very sensitive to their environment, so unfamiliar surroundings can be disorienting. In addition, we were joined this week by Kelly Ramsdell, an assistant professor of occupational therapy at LSU, and three of her students who have joined on as volunteers.
Some kids were confused about the move, others were anxious about navigating the new space, and a few were flat-out upset about the change to the routine. "I just want to go back to the way it was in the old space," one kid tearfully admitted at the start of group.
Coping with the surprises and disappointments is part of life, however, and this proved to be a chance to practice tolerating change in a safe and therapeutic setting. A few minutes into our regular creative routine, kids were laughing and focusing again.
Our challenge this week? Creating custom percussion instruments. We took our inspiration from the percussion performance group, STOMP, and had selected trash cans as our drums. Now we had to give the the Star Wars treatment, making them look like Storm Trooper helmets.
Because the kids had practiced using markers to block in the lines on their stormtrooper suits the previous week, I chose to begin to "fade out the prompt" by reducing the visual cue provided by the outlines. Instead of giving thick lines for them to fill in, I made thin, light marks, and left some areas blank.
I displayed a completed model where they could see it, and away they went, working far more independently than they had with the costumes. The fact that the drawing surface didn't slide around the way the fabric had certainly contributed to their facility with the task.
After completing these we took, as always, a mid-session break. Because Sarah teaches music at NOLArts Learning Center many instruments were on hand, and some impromptu keyboard and drum jamming ensued. The kids tolerated the sound well- no one covered ears or complained about the noise, though one kid drifted to the waiting room. Again, much is made about sensory issues in autism, but we are finding that in our group, tolerance for musical cacophony is high. This may be because the sound source is under their control. In other words, the uncontrollable nature of environmental noise, rather than the volume, may be the greatest irritant for those with sensory issues.
After break, we filed back into the small, dark room with the projector where we had watched our introductory slide show. Calming breaks like this one (sitting silently in a dark room) are ideal to re-focus kids who have been highly stimulated by noisemaking. We watched a video demonstrating drumming on beat. Videos, like physical models of a completed project, help visual learners focus on a concrete goal. Plus, videos are simply more engaging. Do we really need to watch a TED talk, as opposed to listening to it? No, but millions of viewers prefer the added immediacy of video, just like our kids.
Finally, we ended with their favorite activity, drumming. Drummer Casey Clyde is coming to terms with the fact that the kids can't naturally attune to and pick up on a beat. Like social cues, most of our participants have to learn this skill by rote (i.e. through rules, cues and practice) rather than intuition. We added gestural cues ("raise your drumsticks in the air when the beat stops!", "lead the beat when I point to you!") and audible cues ("pause when you hear the whistle!", "drum when you hear the bell!"). This led to an immediate improvement in on-tempo drumming, though the steady beat was eventually lost as gleeful, spontaneous drum rolls took over.
After taking a beak for the holidays, week three kicked off with a review of names, objectives and rules. In order to hold kids to behavioral expectations, we need to make them concrete, explicit and salient. We also reviewed our work from the previous weeks. Susan was excited to talk about our experience creating logos- logos are apparently a favorite topic, and last week's slide show had included some examples to jump start the group in thinking up their own designs. "Can you show us the Batman logo again? How about a Disney logo?"
I reminded the group that they had actually designed their own, then showed them the completed doubloons, which had been fabricated by the laser cutter over the holiday break. Susan, like the others, was pleased to see her own logo rendered. Rocco was especially excited when I let him know that all the kids would be getting at least 100 of their own to throw to the crowd.
Jhett, who is typically pretty rigid about creative control, surprised and impressed us with his flexibility. Since he had been absent last week, we unilaterally selected a design to use on his doubloon based on an unrelated doodle he had made the week before. Kids on the Autism spectrum tend to be very particular (just as artists usually are!) and have trouble with changes and minor disappointments.
"This isn't my usual Smiles Inc. design. It's not what I would have chosen. But I guess if you guys all liked it, like you said... we can go with this one." Way to go with the flow, Jhett!
This week's objective was costumes. We reviewed pictures of Storm Troopers from all angles, observed details about their coiture (such as the black visible in the joints of the body armor) and speculated about the functions of the suits' different features.
Sarah modeled a STOMP Trooper costume prototype, drawn in permanent marker on a Tyvek hooded jumpsuit. Simon again expressed his dismay that we would not be creating real body armor on iDIYA Studio's 3D printer. Like Jhett, he was able to go with the flow and settle for the Tyvek suit, despite it's being "all soft!"
Because it is so flexible and wrinkles easily, drawing on Tyvek is difficult. In order to create uniformity, and to simplify the task, I chose to draw in the lines of the suit myself with Sharpie, and did not fill in the joints with solid black.
The participants were responsible for tracing over the greyish, sketchy Sharpie lines with a thick, jet-black Pilot permanent marker in order to add contrast and make them visible.
I showed the kids photos to illustrate exactly what they would be doing, with before and after pictures of properly colored in suit details. Picturing the end goal is key for kids on the spectrum, who tend to be strong visual thinkers.
With these supports, the kids were able to work with a new tool- giant, industrial markers- on a new material- Tyvek- with minimal assistance. Adults smoothed out wrinkles and gave encouragement as they traced away.
In this case, we directed early finishers to start a second suit, to go back and trace more of the lines, or to assist with photo documentation of the process. Those who lagged behind were given an extra helping hand.
When everyone was finished and materials cleaned up, we returned to the social area to review. Having separate instructional and social areas can provide some helpful cues about expected behaviors in different settings. In this case, we reflected back on our progress, then considered how we could use our percussions next week, when we begin tackling props.
Mister Casey was on hand to suggest how to use the trash can lid to create different tones and beats. Miklos has been working with Miss Sarah on musical technique for some time, and was able to pick up Mister Casey's rhythm and lead the group in a beat.
Keeping some sort of rhythm going during the parade is our ultimate goal. Challenge accepted!


text:
Headlines for Friday, August 12, 2022
By Staff and Wire Reports
kpr-news-summary_new.jpg
Kansas to Recount Abortion Vote by Hand, Despite Big Margin
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' elections director says the state will go along with a request for a hand recount of votes from every county after last week's decisive statewide vote affirming abortion rights, even though there was a 165,000-vote difference and a recount won't change the result. Melissa Leavitt, of Colby, declined to comment to reporters Friday evening about her request for a recount. Kansas law requires her to put up a bond to cover the cost. Also seeking a recount is state Sen. Caryn Tyson, who is trailing state Rep. Steven Johnson in the Republican primary for state treasurer by about 400 votes out of nearly 434,000 cast. She is asking for a hand recount in about half the state's 105 counties.
(–Related –)
GOP Primary Race for Kansas State Treasurer Still too Close to Call
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - More than a week after the Kansas primary election... and the Republican race for State Treasurer is still too close to call. State Representative Steven Johnson leads state Senator Caryn Tyson in the race by only hundreds of votes. But about 20,000 provisional ballots have yet to be counted. Those votes could change the race. But the candidates are up against a deadline to request a recount. Whitney Tempel, with the Kansas Secretary of State's Office, says the office has proposed changing state law to address the deadline discrepancy. "Examples help guide different legislation. So I think this will be a great example going forward when we work with the legislators," she said. The GOP winner of the State Treasurer's race will face incumbent Democrat Lynn Rogers in November.
Jury Convicts Kansas Veteran of Defrauding VA and Collecting $450,000 in Disability Benefits
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (WIBW) - A federal jury has convicted a Kansas veteran of defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs by claiming he was disabled. According to court documents, 53-year-old Bruce Hay, of Greeley, an army veteran and former Osawatomie resident, fraudulently misrepresented his ailments in order to receive disability benefits. Hay claimed he could only walk with the use of a walker and could not engage in basic activities of daily living. WIBW TV reports that the VA initially ruled that Hay was completely disabled. But prosecutors used surveillance, photographs and testimony from others to demonstrate he had fabricated his injuries. Officials say Hay, without any assistance, was engaged in residential construction, hunted deer and threw hay bales on the back of moving trucks. As a result of his disability claims, Hay received more than $450,000 in VA benefits. A jury found him guilty of six counts of wire fraud and 10 counts of theft of government funds. Hay faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for October.
Ex-Employee Accused of Defrauding Kansas Foster Care Contractor
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - The FBI says a former IT employee for a Kansas foster care contractor defrauded his employer out of $10.7 million. The former employee is accused of defrauding St. Francis Ministries, a private contractor that provides foster care, adoption and other services for the state of Kansas. The Kansas News Service reports that court filings accuse Bill Whymark of exaggerating hourly wages, the number of people who worked on IT projects and how long the work lasted. Whymark says he is innocent, but the U.S. Attorney's Office in Kansas disputes that. Court filings say the FBI seized three bank accounts with $700,000 of money Whymark allegedly made from the scheme. No criminal charges have been filed.
(Additional reporting...)
Feds: Kansas Foster Care Contractor Defrauded of $10.7 Million
WICHITA, Kan. (TCJ) - The FBI says a former IT employee for a Kansas foster care contractor may have defrauded his employer out of $10.7 million. The Topeka Capital Journal reports that federal law enforcement officers have seized bank accounts of the former employee. The U.S. Attorney's Office for Kansas alleges that William "Bill" Whymark and his company, WMK Research, defrauded Saint Francis Ministries out of millions of dollars. Saint Francis Ministries is a Salina-based religious organization that provides services in Kansas and other states. Saint Francis is a contractor for the Kansas Department of Children and Families, providing foster care, adoption and other social services. Wymark's attorney denies the allegations. ( Read more.)
Derby School Board Rejects Strategic Plan as Discriminatory
DERBY, Kan. (KMUW/KNS) - A local school board in Kansas has rejected a long-term strategic plan because it included a call for diversity and hiring more people of color. A majority of board members in the Derby school district, south of Wichita, voted against the plan. Dozens of parents, students and community members developed the plan over several months. Board member Jennifer Neel says she opposed the plan because schools should not fixate on race. "This looks like trouble, because now we're going to measure it. Now we're going to focus on it, and this seems like discrimination," she said. Another board member proposed replacing the word "diversity" with "unity." The Derby district has about 7,200 students. More than 85% are white.
(–AP Version–)
Kansas School District Rejects Strategic Plan Urging Diversity
DERBY, Kan. (AP) — The board of a Kansas school district rejected a proposed strategic plan after some members criticized its emphasis on diversity and students' mental health. The plan for the Derby school district was rejected this week after months of work from parents, students, employees and community members. The Kansas News Service reports four of the seven board members voted against adopting the five-year plan, a normally routine document that outlines the district's priorities and goals. Board president Michael Blankenship said the district should emphasize things that unite people, rather than focusing on diversity. Board member Pam Doyle supported the plan, saying the district should celebrate diversity.
Upcoming Kansas City Winter Described as "Hibernation Zone"
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — Enjoy the summer heat while you can. Old Man Winter is coming to Kansas and Missouri. And WDAF TV reports that the Farmer's Almanac is predicting a rough winter ahead. The Farmer's Almanac provides a forecast every year. Publishers said they decided to release winter predictions earlier than ever because of the extreme heat and drought affecting different regions. The Farmer's Almanac warns this winter will be cold and snowy for people living in Kansas and Missouri. While that describes many winters in the Kansas City area, the Farmer's Almanac predicts a "hibernation zone" and uses words like "glacial, snow-filled" to describe what will be heading to the metro in a few short months. The 2023 Farmers' Almanac will be available in stores beginning August 15.
Warmer Overnight Temps Bad for Kansas Corn Crops, Livestock
MANHATTAN, Kan. (HPM) - Summer nights have gotten warmer -- on average, more than 2 degrees warmer -- over the last 50 years. That's according to a study by a group called Climate Central. Those rising temperatures can hurt crops such as corn, especially when those warmer nights take place during the reproductive stage of growth. Last month in Kansas, overnight lows were as high as 82 degrees. And most of the Kansas corn crop suffered because of it, according to Chip Redmond, a meteorologist at Kansas State University. "They didn't successfully pollinate and they didn't even put ears of corn on so there's literally no corn out there," he said. Redmond says farmers who planted earlier in the season were better off, along with those in southeast Kansas. Since summer nights are getting warmer across the Midwest, experts say farmers should look to hybrid and drought-tolerant crops.
Harvest Public Media reports warmer temps also pose problems for livestock. High overnight temperatures were part of the reason ranchers lost cattle in southwest Kansas earlier this year. A rapid change in temperature - along with the cows not cooling down at night- caused heat stress. Hot nights can cause health and reproductive problems for cattle, says Missouri extension veterinarian and cattle rancher, Scott Poock. With overnight temperatures going up, he encourages ranchers to continue to keep their cows cool at night after a hot day.
New Mexico Homicide Victim Identified as Missing Wichita Girl
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A homicide victim found 37 years ago in New Mexico has been identified as a missing teenager from Wichita. KSNW TV reports that authorities in New Mexico have identified the victim as 16-year-old Dorothy Harrison. It took DNA testing to finally make the connection. Now that authorities know the victim's name and have spoken to her family in Kansas, investigators have been able to piece together some of what happened. Authorities believe someone killed Harrison between September 1984 and January 1985. Hunters found her remains in a shallow grave off Interstate 25 near Upham, New Mexico, in March of 1985. It took 37 years to identify her remains. She is survived by her mother and five siblings in Kansas. New Mexico authorities have classified the teen's death as a homicide, but have not determined how she died or who may have killed her. The family is now working on getting Harrison's remains returned to Kansas. ( Read more.)
Kansas Attorney Sentenced for Smuggling Heroin into Missouri Prison
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Shawnee, Kansas, attorney has been sentenced in federal court for smuggling heroin to an inmate in Missouri with whom she had a romantic relationship. Prosecutors say 44-year-old Juliane L. Colby was sentenced to one year and one month in prison without parole for smuggling heroin into the Western Missouri Correctional Center in Cameron, Missouri. In February, Colby pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin. She admitted that she conspired with others to smuggle heroin to an inmate in the facility. According to court documents, Colby was working as a public defender when she began a romantic relationship with the inmate. ( Read more.)
Kansas Man Arrested on Suspicion of Child Sex Crimes
EDGERTON, Kan. (KSNW) — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has arrested an Edgerton, Kansas, man on suspicion of child sex crimes. The KBI says 57-year-old Tony Hamer was taken into custody Wednesday morning in Edgerton for suspected child sex crimes. KSNW TV reports that the suspect was arrested on a Texas warrant. KBI agents were assisted by the Johnson County Sheriff's Office and Texas authorities in executing the Warrant in Edgerton. Hamer was booked into the Johnson County Jail.
Congresswoman Seeks Lead Water Pipe Count in Kansas
OLATHE, Kan. (KCUR/KNS) - Kansas Democratic Congresswoman Sharice Davids is drawing attention to the estimated 150,000 lead water pipelines still in service in the state. On Thursday, she visited the home of Retired Teamster and Olathe resident Jerry Land who had a lead pipe bringing water to his home until earlier this month. Land lives near downtown Olathe in a 100-year-old house. City officials say more than 1,000 service lines in Olathe may require replacement to avoid lead exposure. Land says the city told him his drinking water may be tainted with lead because of the service line. "I was kind of worried a little bit, so I said yeah, I want it out," he said. Like utilities around the country, Olathe will spend the next two years trying to identify any other lead service lines that remain in place. More than 35 years ago, the Environmental Protection Agency outlawed new ones for fear of lead poisoning. Utilities have until October 2024 to complete their inventories under an EPA rule.
Kansas Abortion Vote Shows Limits of GOP's Strength
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ Last week, Kansas voters overwhelmingly rejected a ballot measure that would have allowed state lawmakers to tighten restrictions on abortion. An Associated Press analysis of the voting results found high turnout among Democratic and independent voters contributed to that result. But even in traditionally conservative Kansas _ a state Donald Trump carried by double digits in 2020's presidential election _ support for the abortion measure was lower in every single county than support for the former president had been two years ago. In other states, abortion-rights supporters and opponents alike are using the Kansas vote to drive their followers to the polls.
Kansas City Police: Body Found in Missouri River
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - An investigation is underway after a body was found in the Missouri River near Ameristar Casino Wednesday afternoon. Kansas City television station KCTV reports that a boater reportedly spotted a man's body on a sandbar. The Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department sent two water rescue boats into the river to retrieve the body. Police say they are still in their early stages of their investigation.
Missouri Voters to Decide in November on Recreational Marijuana
KANSAS CITY, MO. (KCUR) - Missouri voters could legalize marijuana for recreational use in the next election. Missouri's secretary of state has certified that advocates gathered enough signatures to put the issue on the ballot. Voters in November will ultimately decide if recreational marijuana usage is legal in Missouri. Rep. Ron Hicks, who has attempted to pass legislation legalizing the use of marijuana in the state, is not in favor of the petition. He says by passing it through a constitutional amendment, any problems that arise will be more difficult to address than if it was passed by the legislature: "You get what you get, you cannot change it unless you go through an initiative petition process again," he said. The initiative will appear as Amendment 3 on the ballot. John Payne, campaign manager for Legal Missouri 2022, says he's optimistic the measure will pass. "We think that indicates that there's a strong support among Missouri voters for this. And that's also consistent with the public polling that's out there, and our internal polling as well," he said. The ballot measure would make marijuana use and possession legal for those 21 and older, although there would be a limit on how much of the drug someone could possess.
(-Related-)
How Will Kansas Handle Possible Legalization of Marijuana in Missouri?
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — With recreational marijuana headed to the ballot in Missouri this November, some are wondering how Kansas will respond. WDAF TV reports that Kansas lawmakers have been working on legislation that would legalize medical cannabis but the drug itself still remains illegal in the state. Currently, people in Missouri need a medical card to buy marijuana but if the ballot initiative passes, it would allow anyone over 21 to buy weed. That's raising questions on how neighboring Kansas may respond. Even if Kansas approves medical marijuana, Missouri-sold recreational marijuana would still be illegal in Kansas. This is not the first time Kansas has dealt with the issue. Neighboring Colorado has long been a state where recreational marijuana has been legal. But the western border of Kansas is less developed than the eastern side, where places like Kansas City are split between two states and residents frequently travel from one state to the other.
KU Ornithologist Weighs in on Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Evidence Inquiry
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The federal government has been asked to consider at least two videos made in recent years as evidence that ivory-billed woodpeckers may still exist. A group dedicated to finding such evidence provided drone videos that founder Mark Michaels says show a bird with hallmark color patterns and landing style. Another shows a closer view of a black-and-white bird crossing a corridor in a swamp, then flying away. But a University of Kansas ornithologist calls them laughable. Mark B. Robbins, ornithology collection manager at the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute, said the video is so poor that it's impossible to tell what is flying. "It could be anything," he wrote in an email. Both were provided as public comment against a U.S. Wildlife and Fisheries Service proposal to declare the bird extinct. The comment period ended Monday. The agency said it was looking for photos or videos that all experts could agree on.
Kansas Education Officials Consider Change in Sports Divisions
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW/KNS) - Kansas education leaders are considering a plan that would force some private schools to compete against bigger public schools. State Representative Tim Johnson used to coach football at Basehor-Linwood High School in northeast Kansas. He says private schools have advantages that help them win championships: "Now some people have said, 'No, no, we don't recruit.' Yes, they do," he said. Johnson and other supporters say private schools who dominate in athletics should move up to larger sports classifications. But Marty Straub says the plan unfairly targets private schools that win a lot. He's the athletic director at Kapaun Mount Carmel Catholic High School in Wichita. "Let's be honest: Frustration over the success of a few private schools in Kansas is why we're here today," he said. The Kansas News Service reports that the state school board will vote on the plan next month. If approved, it moves to the Kansas Legislature.
Lawrence Food Bank Announces New Production Facility to Produce Ready-To-Eat Meals
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) - The Lawrence-based food bank Just Food has announced a plan that will allow it to more efficiently make ready-to-eat meals at a new downtown location. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Just Food will be using a former restaurant space at 805 Vermont Street and hopes to be up and running by the end of August. In the new production facility, recovered foods will be turned into ready-to-eat meals. Leaders with the food pantry say the new location will allow the organization to increase meal numbers and reduce food waste. ( Read more.)
Chiefs' Mahomes to Buck NFL Trend, Play Preseason Opener
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) - Patrick Mahomes will start the Kansas City Chiefs' preseason opener in Chicago on Saturday. That bucks a trend across the NFL of coaches sitting their starting quarterbacks for the first of their three exhibition games. Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Thursday he would stick to his usual routine of having each of the four quarterbacks in camp play for a quarter of the preseason opener. And while he acknowledged the number of snaps could change based on the way the game is going, Reid thinks it's important for everybody to get onto the field in some capacity.
KC Chiefs Begin Preseason with Some New Players
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KNS) - The Kansas City Chiefs will open their preseason on the road Saturday in Chicago with some new names hoping to make an impact. One of the Chiefs' glaring absences this year is Tyrann Mathieu, who is now playing in New Orleans. But his replacement at safety is Justin Reid, who says he plans on taking charge on the defensive side. "I've always said that your best players need to be your leaders and your leaders need to lead by example. That's the guy I try and be," he said. After Saturday's preseason opener against the Chicago Bears, the Chiefs will play their first home game next Saturday against Washington.
These area headlines are curated by KPR news staffers, including J. Schafer, Laura Lorson, Kaye McIntyre, and Tom Parkinson. Our headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays, 11 am weekends. This news summary is made possible by KPR listener-members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on Twitter.
Staff and Wire Reports
See stories by Staff and Wire Reports


Letzte Woche haben wir im Gottesdienst für Ostafrika gesammelt. Wir haben dabei an das Wort von Jesus gedacht "Auch ich bin hungrig und nackt gewesen". Ich bin froh, dass wir 600,- € nach Ostafrika weitergeben können. Allen spendern herzlichen Dank. Ihr seid Lebensretter!
Hi there would you mind letting me know which webhost you're utilizing? I've loaded your blog in 3 different browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot faster then most. Can you recommend a good web hosting provider at a fair price? Thank you, I appreciate it!
Excellent items from you, man. I have understand your stuff prior to and you are simply too wonderful. I really like what you've got right here, certainly like what you are saying and the way in which in which you say it. You're making it enjoyable and you continue to take care of to keep it wise. I can't wait to learn far more from you. This is really a tremendous website.
Right here is the perfect webpage for everyone who wants to find out about this topic. You realize so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I actually would want to�HaHa). You definitely put a fresh spin on a subject that's been written about for decades. Wonderful stuff, just wonderful!
It's an amazing post in favor of all the web visitors; they will obtain advantage from it I am sure.
Thanks for the auspicious writeup. It if truth be told was a entertainment account it. Look complex to more delivered agreeable from you! By the way, how can we keep up a correspondence?
Hello there! I know this is kinda off topic however , I'd figured I'd ask. Would you be interested in trading links or maybe guest authoring a blog post or vice-versa? My blog addresses a lot of the same topics as yours and I think we could greatly benefit from each other. If you might be interested feel free to shoot me an e-mail. I look forward to hearing from you! Fantastic blog by the way!


One of the most beautiful place in Mexico is hidden beach, Mexico has over 5100 miles of coastline and of course, it is not made up of popular resorts areas like the Riviera Maya, Mexico's top beach destinations certainly do offer some delightful scenes however the nation's less visited coastlines remunerate the adventurers that search them out. Mexico an awesome hidden beach that is completely invisible from the outside. who doesn't love small isolated with white sand and crystal clear water?
Arial view of Hidden Beach.
photo by Vallarta Adventures/Hot Spot Media.
well, this is one of the best ones, in Marietas Island in Mexico, there is an amazing Hidden Beach that's completely invisible from the outside and you can only get there by swimming into a cave or by helicopter.
The beach is basically a hole in rockery marietas Island which has been created by the bombings of the Mexican military in 1900's, because marietas Island was completely uninhabited, they were an ideal state for the Mexican government to test their weapons and heavy artillery. this led to the creation of many Caves and now famous hidden beach Playa Del Amor ( the beach of love) or in simple words Playa Escondido ( the Hidden Beach). in the 1960s, the bombing stopped allowing the Island to recover its natural beauty, and made it one of the most beautiful places in the world, in 2005 they were named a National Park.
They are basically two ways to reach Marietas Island either swimming into the Cave or take a helicopter ride that will drop you right into it.
you can also do that by first visiting the popular Puerto Vallarta or for a match shorter ride, the Punta de Mita. You can also take a tour boat or a small fishing boat. with a boat, it will take you about an hour from Puerto Vallarta and 15 minutes from Punta De Mita, the boat will drop you in front of the cave. just swing into the cave and you've reached the Hidden Beach.
The beach is a wonderful isolated place in low season, but if you happen to go there during high season expect a lot of tourists. A gaping hole in the surface of the lush green Island opens onto a secret beach with ample shade, sun, and crystal clear water. it looks like something out of the Fantastic novel, wide Sandy cave with blue waters of the Pacific running in. The Marietas Island is formed by underwater volcano eruptions. they are Natural wonders, but it was something brought the buried beach to light.
In the 1960s, scientist Jacques Costeau led a protest against harmful human activity on the island, and finalize name it a national park, Parque Nacional Islas Marietas making swimming, Sun boating and other forms of reactions the only activity and prohibiting hunting and fishing Around The Island.
Later on, the park was designated as a UNESCO MAB Biosphere reserve. extensive military testing damaged Flora and Fauna on the Island for decades. but many years of peace have replenished the island pristine water and marine life.
It is only accessible through a long water tunnel that links the beach of the Pacific Ocean. There is approximately six feet of space above water level. so, the visitor can arrive at the Beach by swimming. the island remains uninhabited but frequently visited by a tourist who comes to enjoy that divers Marine wildlife and the unique tropical Eden of Playa Del Amor.
There are ample tour companies that provide day excursions to the Hidden Beach. also, wristbands on the Hidden Beach are limited and must be reserved a few days in advance.


text:
Thomas Park- Golden Label Release [treetrunk 734]
The Jackson 5 what about "Needle in a Lynyrd Skynyrd by the Simon & Garfunkel or "I The Jackson 5 Eagles by Simon & Garfunkel The Jackson 5 Blondie new boxed set compiles some of the forgotten gems of the era. Aerosmith look at that disc, plus the 34 other honorees. Parliament-Funkadelic Journey The Doobie Brothers Ramones Lynyrd Skynyrd The Allman Brothers Band of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Lynyrd Skynyrd by Simon & Garfunkel Eagles presents the exhaustive recordings made by the sound documentarian. Blondie Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 'Cruel and Simon & Garfunkel The Allman Brothers Band Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd surveys his work. The Doobie Brothers and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Ramones Simon & Garfunkel Ramones Grateful Dead The Allman Brothers Band a voice suitable for both rock and folk, Journey Eagles The Jackson 5 Parliament-Funkadelic has a natural flair for the delivery of the latter. org, shines the spotlight on The Jackson 5 Journey The Doobie Brothers and the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with his picks for the year's best albums. Grateful Dead with a Ramones of The Doobie Brothers Aerosmith Simon & Garfunkel 'Cruel and Simon & Garfunkel Aerosmith The Allman Brothers Band The Jackson 5 Aerosmith and Simon & Garfunkel Ramones the Eagles singer Ramones The Jackson 5 is remembered at all, it's for co-writing the gospel hit "I The Jackson 5 The Jackson 5 The Allman Brothers Band it Ramones which has been covered by Ramones The Doobie Brothers and others. Journey his selections: Parliament-Funkadelic an effort by singer Blondie Simon & Garfunkel to preserve the culture of the Eagles people of Eagles Parliament-Funkadelic Parliament-Funkadelic Eagles in Lynyrd Skynyrd for Journey The Doobie Brothers and Journey Blondie Aerosmith The Allman Brothers Band The Allman Brothers Band . — Richard Flash, 7/8/2006 –Rolling Rock Reviews
https://archive.org/details/GoldenLabelRelease


text:
Leucania subpunctata, known generally as the white-dotted wainscot or forage armyworm moth, is a species of cutworm or dart moth in the family Noctuidae. It is found in North America.

The MONA or Hodges number for Leucania subpunctata is 10453.1.

References

Further reading

Leucania
Articles created by Qbugbot
Moths described in 1875

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Michael Jackson King of Pop is a 5-reel, fixed 25-pay line online slot from Bally Technologies. The release of this online slot is likely to thrill both slots fans and Michael Jackson fans from all corners of the globe. This is actually an online version of a video slots game that's been available in real world casinos for a number of years.
You should need no introduction to Michael Jackson. Initially a child singing star, Michael fronted 'The Jackson 5', a group made up of Michael and his four brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon. They had numerous hits including "I Want You Back" and "Rockin' Robin". Michael had plenty of solo hits too and became far more successful as a solo artist than a member of the group. He left in 1983 and became – arguably – the biggest pop star in the world. He was never short of notoriety, but his life came to an unfortunate conclusion in 2009 when he died as a result of the effects of medication prescribed to him by his physician.
This Bally slot celebrates all that made Michael Jackson the king of pop, and the symbols are all Jackson-related, including his famous silver glove. Added to the reels are playing card values nine through to ace. There are twenty-five possible pay lines, but that's a fixed number. You pay per spin rather than per line, from 0.40 to 80.00. When you're ready to blame it on the boogie, hit the spin button.
The lowest payout is achieved by landing three nines, tens or jacks – that wins you five coins (one coin is one fortieth of your total bet). The jackpot in normal play is 2,500x, and that is won by landing five jackpot symbols on one of the pay lines.
A silver-spangled wild symbol is wild in this game. It substitutes for all other symbols aside from the scatters.
During any base game, there is a chance that between two and five random 'Moonwalk Wilds' will appear anywhere on reels two to five. These wilds substitute for all symbols except for the bonus and jackpot symbols. If a bonus symbol or a jackpot symbol would land in a space where a 'Moonwalk Wild' appears, it counts double – both as a 'Moonwalk Wild' and itself. One or more 'Moonwalk Wilds' in a winning combination on an active pay line doubles your pay-out.
Also during basic play there is the chance that two reels will become wild. Such wilds substitute for all symbols aside from the bonus and jackpot symbols.
If you land a bonus symbol either on the centre line or one place above or below it on the middle three reels then this initiates the wheel bonus game. You get to spin the bonus wheel once, and you can win free games or credits. You can also win a spin on the multiplier wheel, which multiples your credit win.
You may be awarded ten 'Beat It' free games. During these games any wild that appears on the reels becomes a sticky wild. Bonus and Jackpot symbols are not available during your freebies. Different reels are used during your free spins, and wilds only appear on reels two to five.
You can also win 'Smooth Criminal' free games. For each spin, either one or two of the reels is completely wild. Again, Bonus and Jackpot symbols are not available, and different reels are used.
Michael Jackson was the self-proclaimed 'King of Pop', but is 'Michael Jackson King of Pop' the 'King of Slots'? We'd have to say no, but that shouldn't you put you off playing what is a very decent online slots games with plenty of features. You don't even have to be a Michael Jackson fan to enjoy a few spins on a slot that's a bit of a 'Thriller'.


text:
JASNA AGM Report, Day 3
After enjoying breakfast, we gathered for the first plenary session of the day, Claudia Johnson speaking on "Conjuring Jane Austen." The listed title was "Can We Ever Have Enough of Jane Austen?", which was a subject Dr. Johnson covered as well. Her talk was as fascinating as anticipated, scholarly yet witty, and now I'm really looking forward to her upcoming book on Janeites. One comment she made that I really liked was, though she found the most recent films "uninspired," she still thought that one cannot have enough of Jane Austen, as those movies were not really Jane Austen at all. Hear, hear!
I skipped the next breakout session to prepare for my poster session, "Blogging Jane; or, Blog Snarkily and Carry a Big Cluebat." What is a poster session? Simply it is several large corkboards set up around the room, and each of us who were presenting set up our stuff and talked about it to those who stopped by. Lorna helped me set up, and then I waited for the rush. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was great. Most of the people had at least heard of the blog, and even those who didn't were kind and interested. I also had so many Gentle Readers stop by and introduce themselves, including some who whispered, "I just lurk." The best thing some of them said was, "I found out about a book, or a play, or something else I enjoyed from AustenBlog." That's the best thing I could ever hear. The LOLAustens were especially popular. At one point the crowd around me was so thick I was holding three or four conversations at once. It was great but I was hoarse and worn out by the time it was over two hours later!
I ran off to the next breakout, Janine Barchas on Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South and how it is almost a reaction to Pride and Prejudice, pointing out the north/south divide in P&P as well as in N&S.
The next plenary session was also much-anticipated, Joan Ray on "Jane Austen for Smarties," obviously a play on the title of her book, Jane Austen for Dummies. Anyone who has had the opportunity to hear her knows that Joan is an extremely entertaining speaker, and she did not disappoint. She donned surgical scrubs and doctor's lab coat (with her name and "Doctor of Austenology" embroidered on them) and used the children's game Operation as a metaphor for creating the perfect Janeite. She highlighted early enthusiasts and scholars of Austen's work–and even some early detractors (there were others besides Mark Twain). We can't wait for her next work, either: the Jane Austen entry in Gale's Dictionary of Literary Biography.
One more breakout, Jane Spector Davis on Harry Potter and Jane Austen, comparing and constrasting Emma with Prisoner of Azkaban, sent us off to prepare for the banquet and ball. Lorna and I both wore our Regency kits, so it took a while longer than usual, but soon we were dressed and ready to go. First we went to the author signing and cocktail party, got some books signed, and admired all the costumes. There were more people than ever dressed in Regency costumes this year, including gentlemen. I'm not sure if that is because it's becoming more popular or because the AGM Steering Committee arranged for attendees to rent costumes, which were dropped off and picked up at the hotel, making it easy for those who have no Regency kit in their closets.
We went in to dinner, which was delicious and enjoyed in "the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation"–indeed the best company. After dinner, those of us in costume (probably 150-200 people), led by a bagpiper, paraded up Michigan Avenue and around the block, to the great bemusement of Chicago in general. We waved grandly to cars stopped at red lights and random tourists snapping photos of the crazy people; at one point (I was told) a bicycle messenger was yelling into his cell phone, "You won't BELIEVE what I'm looking at!" I wonder if it was the same handsome young man on a bicycle who, clearly enjoying the spectacle, called out that the Duke of Nottingham was available once again. We "ooooohed" at him, which he seemed to like. Many people asked us what was going on. They heard "Jane Austen" and said "OOOHHHHHHH." The universal passport: Jane's name! It was hilarious and so much fun! When we returned to the hotel, the bagpiper had squeezed himself into an alcove, wishing (he told me) to be out of the way, but the ladies immediately queued up to have their photo taken with him. The power of the kilt!
We then repaired to the ballroom, where the dance floor had been laid and the musicians warming up for the ball! Each dance was demonstrated by experienced country dancers, who then dispersed among the crowd, inviting some of us to dance and helping us along. We were walked through each dance (and many of us had already practiced them in the dance classes) and of course there was some confusion and collisions and trains (and probably feet) tread upon, but it was still the most fun I've had in a long time. My fan came in handy as more than a prop, however. At midnight, I turned into a pumpkin (not really) and the ball was over, whereupon we stumbled off to bed, footsore and sweaty and smiling. We can see why Jane Austen, and her characters, enjoyed dancing so much!
Tags 2008 JASNA AGM (Chicago)


text:
Ontario has had the longest lockdown in North America – which has been so successful it's just gone into another one
Eva Bartlett is a Canadian independent journalist. She has spent years on the ground covering conflict zones in the Middle East, especially in Syria and Palestine (where she lived for nearly four years).
@evakbartlett
FILE PHOTO: Spice Lounge and Tapas on Lakeshore Road East has signs in their business door that expresses frustration with confusion over the lockdowns as Ontario tightens restrictions to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Port Credit. April 5, 2021 © Getty Images / Steve Russell / Toronto Star
It's April 2021 and we're still being fed the same "stay home, save lives" line of 2020. But lockdowns are based on dodgy data and exaggerations, as well as causing more harm than they supposedly prevent.
As of today, Ontario is once again locked down. The last lockdown of two months was lifted only a month ago.
The province has endured the longest lockdowns in the country, thanks to politicians and medical officers pushing selective statistics.
The "Stay-at-Home" order (sounds so much nicer than lockdown!) requires people to imprison themselves again, except for "essential purposes" (exempt, of course, are Canadian politicians, who have repeatedly violated their own exhortations).
This latest draconian lockdown again impacts nearly every aspect of Ontarians' ability to live their lives
It means: closed businesses; increasing poverty, loneliness, and depression; increased domestic abuse, a rise in suicides and self-harm; and utter media hysteria (actually, the media hysteria and fear mongering has not ceased since the announcement of a pandemic one year ago).
A petition to end Ontario's lockdown of small businesses notes:
"There are over 440,000 small businesses in Ontario.
"Less than a week ago [state premier] Doug Ford told restaurants they would be allowed to operate outdoor dining even in grey zones; this caused restaurant owners to spend thousands of dollars on these spaces only to find out that this would not be the case in this current closure.
This level of carelessness and lack of foresight could be the demise of many locally owned restaurants."
Also on rt.com Covid rules for me, but not for thee? Canadians fume after Ontario govt says NHL teams will be exempt from indoor dining ban
Alarmism and exaggerated ICU data
Premier Doug Ford, in his address yesterday, spoke of case rates, hospitalizations, and ICU occupancy "increasing rapidly, threatening to overwhelm the healthcare system."
But, as I've written before, the whole concept of "cases rising" is meaningless: "Cases are determined by Covid-19 tests, which have proved to be unreliable and inaccurate, giving false positives and creating a false picture of reality. This faulty testing is exacerbating the media hype over 'rising cases.'"
And according to a long-time employee at the Ottawa General hospital I corresponded with: "I work in a large hospital and I pass through the Covid-19 ICU unit every day. And it's never been overflowing or too busy."
Or, as a columnist for the Toronto Sun noted: "Toronto's top doc said that data was showing younger people in ICUs. Asked about the data, she changed her tweet to say she was 'hearing' of younger Toronto ICU patients. Big difference between data showing and you hearing anecdotally."
Or, as an Ontario MPP noted: "The @OntHospitalAssn keeps fear mongering about ICU capacity. But Critical Care Services Ontario ICU data for Apr 3 reveals: Toronto 375 of 496 beds taken (76%) Central: 398 of 513 (78%) Ontario: 1852 of 2418 (77%) The question to the OHA is why?"
In fact, every year in flu season, we've had reports of overcrowding in hospitals, hospitals bursting at seams. This never caused us to shut down our economy and lock down our citizens.
Finally, more and more journalists are asking for proof of the claims bandied about by the Fords and media.
Even Naomi Wolf, not your average "conspiracy theorist" or "right winger" (as those opposed to brutal lockdowns are often described by dinosaur media) tweeted, "How are Canadians still being told such gigantic lies? The whole 'lockdown equals public safety' mythology is fully deceased."
Also on rt.com WATCH: Covid police raid Canadian home, violently arrest occupants after neighbor tattles on 'illegal' gathering of 6 people
Vested interests in vaccines?
While ordinary Canadians suffer tremendously under lockdowns, Canada's unelected medical tyrants, the Medical Officers of Health (MOH) are doing quite well, earning $200,000 - $300,000, and more.
In addition to pushing for this latest lockdown, Ontario MOHs went the extra mile and called for "fewer businesses to be deemed essential and more operations shut down."
Because a year-plus of lockdowns destroying small businesses' ability to survive just wasn't enough....
Some of these MOHs may even have financial links to the rollout of vaccines.
In his press conference yesterday, much of Premier Ford's focus was on pushing jabs.
Ford promised, "better days are ahead of us," followed by more calls for Ontarians to get jabbed with vaccines made faster than ever before which, technically, will not even be out of the clinical trials stage till next year at the earliest.
Canada halts AstraZeneca vaccine roll-out for people under 55, citing 'substantial uncertainty' amid blood clot concerns
The AstraZeneca vaccine is being suspended by countries around the world for causing blood clotting, which could lead to death.
In spite of this, Ontario continues to push it. As of April first, Canada has bought around 24 million doses. In addition to its AstraZeneca purchases, Canada agreed to purchase at least 20 million doses of Pfizer's hurried vaccine.
In March, the media reported that Toronto's MOH, Eileen de Villa, is married to Dr Richard Choi, a cardiologist and lecturer at Unity Health Toronto, who lists Pfizer and AstraZeneca among his 'Relationships with financial interests.' Under de Villa's leadership, "Toronto Public Health has been used as a tool to counter any 'misinformation' about vaccination," and was allegedly "behind a call to ban vaccine exemptions because of religious or philosophical beliefs."
Another article on the de Villa-Choi conflict of interest noted: "It's not a good look when you lock down your city when you don't have to and your husband has financial interests with AstraZeneca and Pfizer."
In mid-March, Premier Ford said he isn't making the decisions, the chief medical officers are. He also said it would essentially be political suicide to go against them.
"To be frank, there's no politician in the country who's going to disagree with their chief medical officer. They're just not going to do it. They might as well throw a rope around their neck and jump off a bridge."
Last December, Toronto's Associate MOH, Dr. Barbara Yaffe, and Chief MOH, Dr. David Williams, admitted they are just reading a script, "I just say what they write down for me." And laughed about it.
So, we have unelected medical officers running the show, essentially forcing government decisions on lockdowns and related issues. And as a Toronto lawyer opposed to lockdowns noted, "local Councils are legally powerless to stop" these unaccountable MOHs. How wonderfully democratic.
There is definitely a will and momentum to resist the brutal lockdown measures affecting all but the fat cats flouting them. With a new round of bullying by unelected medical officers, I hope the resistance to tyranny grows.
Woke history or telling it as it is? National Trust under fire for encouraging children to write poems critical of British Empire
Stop worrying and love the mob: Democrats would rather see homicide surge than bring back 'racist' cops


Democratic Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz was reportedly impressed with an immigration center in Florida that housed migrant children after receiving a tour of the facility Monday.
Wasserman-Schultz and Democratic Florida Rep. Carlos Curbelo were given access to an immigration center in Cutler Bay, Fla., where there are reportedly 70 migrant children, 22 of whom had been separated from their parents. After the tour Wasserman-Schultz and Curbelo reportedly "praised the facility," according to The New York Times reporter Patricia Mazzei.
The children also reportedly had "stuffed animals and colorful comforters and cheery art on the walls" and said the children were smiling.
The tour comes as Democratic lawmakers have continued to try to gain access to different immigration centers across the U.S. after criticizing President Donald Trump and his administration's zero-tolerance immigration policy, especially concerning the issue of separating illegal immigrant children from their families, which has been going on long before Trump's presidency.


The hydrodynamic patterns of the impingement of a water droplet train on a high temperature substrate are captured with a high-speed camera, and then analyzed. The tested droplets range from 8.8 m s−1 to 18.9 m s−1 in velocity, from 92 μm to 121 μm in diameter and from 28.01 kHz to 56.56 kHz in frequency. Three different orientations of the impact droplet trains are tested. It is found that the hydrodynamic pattern varies significantly with the wall temperature. The time-independent spreading diameter as well as the stable splashing angle reduces with the increase in wall temperature. The two transitions exist in all the experiments with various droplet impact velocities, frequencies or impact angles. Once the splashing is established, the size, the velocity magnitude and the moving direction of splashed secondary droplets obey a bell-shaped distribution. A lower impact velocity renders a wider range of the secondary droplet sizes. The lowest impact velocity case presents outstanding splashing characteristics in the post-transition regime, indicating that an impact velocity of around 10 m s−1 would be a threshold. Those two transitions are not notably influenced by the droplet frequency but significantly affected by the impact angle. The transition of the splashing angle is observed at a lower wall temperature when the droplet train is inclined.