World News
Tiny First Temple find could be first proof of aide to biblical King Josiah
Times of Istreal – Rare seal impression from 8th century BCE, bearing the name Nathan-Melech, found in dig at large Iron Age administrative center in Jerusalem’s City of David.
Two minuscule 2,600-year-old inscriptions recently uncovered in the City of David’s Givati Parking Lot excavation are vastly enlarging the understanding of ancient Jerusalem in the late 8th century BCE.
The two inscriptions, in paleo-Hebrew writing, were found separately in a large First Temple structure within the span of a few weeks by long-term team members Ayyala Rodan and Sveta Pnik.
One is a bluish agate stone seal “(belonging) to Ikkar son of Matanyahu” (LeIkkar Ben Matanyahu). The other is a clay seal impression, “(belonging) to Nathan-Melech, Servant of the King” (LeNathan-Melech Eved HaMelech). Nathan-Melech is named in 2 Kings as an official in the court of King Josiah.
This burnt clay impression is the first archaeological evidence of the biblical name Nathan-Melech.
The inscriptions are “not just another discovery,” said archaeologist Dr. Yiftah Shalev of the Israel Antiquities Authority. Rather, they “paint a much larger picture of the era in Jerusalem.”
According to Shalev, while both discoveries are of immense scholarly value as inscriptions, their primary value is their archaeological context.
“What is importance is not just that they were found in Jerusalem, but [that they were found] inside their true archaeological context,” Shalev told The Times of Israel. Many other seals and seal impressions have been sold on the antiquities market without any thought to provenance.
This in situ find, said Shalev, serves to “connect between the artifact and the actual physical era it was found in” — a large, two-story First Temple structure that dig archaeologists have pegged as an administrative center.
“It is not a coincidence that the seal and the seal impression are found here,” said Shalev.
“These artifacts attest to the highly developed system of administration in the Kingdom of Judah and add considerable information to our understanding of the economic status of Jerusalem and its administrative system during the First Temple period, as well as personal information about the king’s closest officials and administrators who lived and worked in the city,” said Gadot and Shalev in the IAA press release.
27-year-old man plans to sue his parents for having him without his consent: ‘They had me for their joy and their pleasure’
The Blaze – Just when you thought you’d heard it all
A 27-year-old Indian man plans to sue his parents — with whom he admits to having a good relationship — because they brought him into the world without his consent.
LOL. Really?
Really.
Raphael Samuel of New Delhi said that children aren’t indebted to their parents and that children should ask their mothers and fathers “for an explanation as to why they gave birth to you.”
“I want to tell all Indian kids that they don’t owe their parents anything,” Samuel told India’s The Print. “I love my parents, and we have a great relationship, but they had me for their joy and their pleasure.”
He added, “My life has been amazing, but I don’t see why I should put another life through the rigamarole of school and finding a career, especially when they didn’t ask to exist.”
Samuel’s belief is part of a system called “anti-natalism,” which promotes the notion that children shouldn’t be forced to be born, especially at the expense of the planet.
“Other Indian people must know that it is an option not to have children, and to ask your parents for an explanation as to why they gave birth to you,” he explained.
Samuel even went on to compare childbearing to both kidnapping and slavery.
The outlet reported that Samuel runs a Facebook page called “Nihilanand,” which boasts a whopping 800 followers. You can find various memes and videos advocating for allowing the human race to die.
One photo reads, “A good parent puts the child above its wants and needs,” but “the child itself is a want of the parent.”
Another calls parents “hypocrites” and asks, “Isn’t forcing a child into this world and then forcing it to have a career kidnapping and slavery?”
Another posting reads, “The only reason your children are facing problems is because you had them.”
On Monday, Samuel shared a video titled, “Infertile is SEXY!!” Samuel shared another video on Sunday titled, “DON’T respect your parents, unless you want to.”
USA Home to Nearly 20% of World’s Migrants
Breitbart – The United States is home to nearly 20 percent of the globe’s migrant population, a new study finds.
The Pew Research Center reveals in a new study that the U.S. has admitted more foreign nationals than any other country in the world. Roughly 18 percent of the world’s migrant population lives in the U.S., the study found.
About 44.5 million foreign-born residents now live in the U.S., far surpassing Germany’s 12.2 million foreign-born population and Russia’s nearly 12 million foreign-born population.
In total, the U.S. is home to more foreign-born residents than Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, and France combined. The 44.5 million foreign-born population living in the country marks a nearly 108-year record high of immigration to the U.S.
That 44.5 million includes roughly 22 million naturalized citizens, 11 million other residents — including more than 1.5 million foreign temporary visa-workers — plus about 11 million illegal aliens.
The last time the U.S. foreign-born population was this high was in 1910 when immigrants made up 14.7 percent of the total country’s population.
Mexican president gives free passage to US
Washington Times – For most people, the pain of mass illegal immigration has been abstract.
That’s about to change.
Anyone crossing the U.S.-Mexico border could end up stuck in longer lines as officers are pulled from the land ports of entry and deployed to help the Border Patrol transport, feed and see to the medical needs of the tens of thousands of people streaming illegally into the U.S. each week.
Mexican officials warn of another caravan of 20,000 migrants preparing to shoot north, hoping to take advantage of the lax enforcement in both Mexico and lenient policies in the U.S. About 100,000 immigrants responding to those incentives have been nabbed at the border in March alone.
“The result is an illegal immigration superhighway that’s flowing through Mexico,” one senior Homeland Security Department official told The Washington Times.
Delta, Southwest, American Airlines planes temporarily grounded due to computer outage
USA Today – Multiple airlines, including Southwest, American and Delta, saw their planes temporarily grounded early Monday morning due to a computer outage in a central system. As a result, travelers can expect lingering flight delays as airlines play catch-up.
The Federal Aviation Administration said several airlines experienced issues with AeroData, a program that provides weight-and-balance information that is necessary to grant clearance for takeoff. The FAA said severity varied by airline.
Southwest Airlines said the outage grounded flights for about 40 minutes.
Airline spokesman Dan Landson said that scattered flight delays are anticipated and customers should check Southwest.com for the latest updates on specific flights.
Venezuelans struggle to understand power rationing plan
Fox – Venezuelans are struggling to understand an announcement that the nation’s electricity is being rationed to combat daily blackouts.
Office worker Raquel Mayorca said Monday she didn’t know if her lights were off because of another power failure — or whether it was part of the government’s plans. She said the power was out on one side of the street, but working on the other.
President Nicolas Maduro said a day earlier that he was instituting a 30-day plan to ration electricity but provided no details.
He called on Venezuelans to be calm, accusing U.S.-backed opponents of launching an attack on the power grid.
Opposition leader Juan Guaido says years of government neglect have left the grid in shambles.
He asked people to take to the streets to overthrow Maduro’s government.
U.S. News, Politics & Government
Police kick down door after parents refuse to take unvaccinated child to the hospital in Arizona
KKTV – The police video shows officers breaking down the door of a home in a Phoenix subdivision in the middle of the night.
The reason?
The parents of a sick 2-year-old with a dangerously high fever and no vaccinations refused to take him to a hospital emergency room or talk face-to-face with police and department of child safety representatives to confirm his welfare.
Both parents were charged with one count each of child abuse. Their three children are now in foster care, the Arizona Republic reported.
The Chandler Police Department released the video this week to show their side in a story after the outcry of what many see as a heavy-handed approach.
Ultimately, it pits parental rights against the rights of doctors and state agencies to assure their welfare.
In February, when Sarah Beck brought her son to a naturopathic doctor he was running a 105 degree. Naturopathy is a form of alternative medicine.
After checking with area hospitals, the doctor told her that her son was showing possible signs of meningitis and needed to be taken to the emergency room for testing.
Beck was reluctant to do that since her son hadn’t had his vaccinations and she was afraid she’d be reported to authorities. The doctor assured her she wouldn’t be and sent her to the hospital.
State law in Arizona allows parents to opt out of vaccinations for personal, religious or medical reasons.
When Beck didn’t show up, the doctor ultimately called the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS), which led to police and department officials showing up on the family’s doorstep for a welfare check.
They had a court order in hand that allowed them to take custody of the boy.
After about three hours at the home knocking on the door and numerous times talking to the child’s father on the phone inside, asking to see the child and being refused, authorities broke down the door.
All three children inside were taken to the hospital. The 2-year-old was admitted with a respiratory virus.
Rep. Kelly Townsend told the Republic she was outraged by the response of police and DCS officials in the case.
She’s one of the lawmakers who helped put together the legislation requiring DCS to obtain a warrant before removing a child from their parents or guardians in non-emergency circumstances.
Rockland Measles: Anti-vaccination rally draws small crowd of protesters at Palisades mall this morning
Lohud – An anti-vaccination rally publicized on social media drew a small crowd of protesters Thursday morning to the Palisades Center in West Nyack — just two days after Rockland County declared a state of emergency amid a measles outbreak.
Some from among the roughly 10 protesters who attended the rally adjacent to the carousel on the mall’s third floor said the county’s mandate banning unvaccinated children between the ages of 1 and 18 from public spaces went too far.
This is an over-the-top overreach,” said Rita Palma of Bayport, Long island. A lobbyist who founded an organization called “My Kids, My Choice,” Palma said County Executive Ed Day’s emergency order “doesn’t make any sense.”
The mall is an example of a public place where unvaccinated children are banned. Other places include schools, restaurants, stores and places of worship, although county officials said the emergency declaration is not enforceable but rather a tool to highlight the serious nature of the outbreak and convince people to vaccinate.
The emergency order forbids schools from allowing unvaccinated students with religious exemptions to attend. This has resulted in a range of 11 to 50 children missing classes in each of Rockland’s public school districts, according to BOCES communications director Scott Salotto.
“It was not the intent (of the law) that the level of force after obtaining a warrant was to bring in a SWAT team,” Townsend told the paper. “The imagery is horrifying. What has our country become that we can tear down the doorway of a family who has a child with a high fever that disagrees with their doctor?”
It’s uncertain when the parents may regain custody of their three children. They’re fighting to get them back.
Colorado sheriff willing to go to jail rather than enforce proposed gun law
WFLA – Colorado is on the verge of passing a law that would allow officials to take guns away from people if a judge deems them to be dangerous.
Some law enforcement officials are calling the bill unconstitutional and say they wouldn’t enforce it, which could land them in jail.
In Dec. 2017, Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy Zach Parrish responded to his final call. The 29-year-old had been shot and killed by a man with an arsenal of weapons, who authorities said had a history of bizarre behavior including threats to police.
Since then, his former boss, Sheriff Tony Spurlock has been a vocal advocate of a new bill in the Colorado legislature that will allow a family member, a roommate, or law enforcement to petition a judge to seize the guns of a person deemed to be a threat to themselves or others. Fourteen other states have passed similar “red flag” laws.
State Rep. Alex Garnett, who is co-sponsoring the bill, believes the law could have saved Parrish’s life. But his bill has prompted plenty of push back from outside of the Capitol, with more than half of all Colorado counties opposing it. Many have declared themselves “sanctuary counties,” not for immigration, but for guns –promising not to devote resources to enforce the law.
Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams has sided with the opposition. He says taking a person’s guns before they even have a chance to defend themselves in court is a violation of their rights.
“The bill violates the 4th, the 5th, the 6th to 8th, 14th amendment. Um, it, it’s just a very poorly-written bill,” Reams said.
Reams is also worried about potential danger in showing up unannounced to seize weapons. A gun owner was killed in Maryland last year when police tried to do that.
Reams says he won’t enforce the bill if it becomes law. But ignoring it would mean ignoring a court order from a judge. Defiant sheriffs could be found in contempt — which could mean being fined or put in jail until they comply.
Trump’s battle with ‘Obamacare’ moves to the courts
AP – After losing in Congress, President Donald Trump is counting on the courts to kill off “Obamacare.” But some cases are going against him, and time is not on his side as he tries to score a big win for his re-election campaign.
Two federal judges in Washington, D.C., this past week blocked parts of Trump’s health care agenda: work requirements for some low-income people on Medicaid, and new small business health plans that don’t have to provide full benefits required by the Affordable Care Act.
But in the biggest case, a federal judge in Texas ruled last December that the ACA is unconstitutional and should be struck down in its entirety. That ruling is now on appeal. At the urging of the White House, the Justice Department said this past week it will support the Texas judge’s position and argue that all of “Obamacare” must go.
U.S. appeals court refuses to block ‘bump stocks’ gun ban
Reuters – U.S. appeals court on Monday refused to halt President Donald Trump’s ban on “bump stocks” – rapid-fire gun attachments used in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history – in the latest courtroom defeat for firearms rights advocates opposing the policy.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a lower court ruling that denied a request by opponents of the policy for a preliminary injunction lifting the ban, which took effect last week. The U.S. Supreme Court twice last week, in cases from Michigan and Washington, D.C., rejected stay requests from gun rights advocates.
The policy was embraced by Trump in the wake of an October 2017 mass shooting that killed 58 people at a country music festival in Las Vegas. It requires owners to turn in or destroy the attachments. People caught in possession of them could face up to 10 years in prison.
The appeals court previously carved out a temporary exception to the ban for members of the Firearms Policy Foundation and other organizations pursuing the legal challenge. In Monday’s decision, the court said it would extend that temporary reprieve for two days to allow the plaintiffs to seek a stay from the U.S. Supreme Court.
“We are reviewing the decision and will be seeking a stay from the Supreme Court, within the time contemplated by the D.C. Circuit,” said Erik Jaffe, a lawyer for the plaintiffs.
‘Unplanned’ Box Office: Controversial Anti-Abortion Pic Surprises With Strong $6M Debut
The Hollywood Reporter – The R-rated pic scored the second-best start ever for faith-based distributor Pure Flix; tracking had suggested it would only earn around $3 million.
Graced with a coveted A+ CinemaScore, the controversial anti-abortion drama Unplanned opened to a strong $6.1 million from 1,059 theaters at the U.S. box office despite a relatively modest footprint.
The R-rated film — landing in fifth place — scored the second-biggest start ever for faith-based distributor Pure Flix behind God’s Not Dead 2 ($7.6 million). The Christian pic did its biggest business in the Midwest and South.
Generally, theaters in New York City and Los Angeles populate the list of a film’s top 20 grossing theaters. In this case, there were none. Instead, the top theater was the AMC Northpark 15 in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, followed by cinemas in St. Louis; Detroit; Wichita, Kansas; Temecula in Southern California’s Riverside County; Salt Lake City; Orange County, California; Kansas City; Odessa, Texas; and Nashville.
“We are thrilled, gratified and humbled,” co-directors Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman said Sunday in a statement. “We are so pleased that the American people have responded with such an enormous outpouring of support at the box office. It humbles us and we look forward to seeing what happens in the weeks ahead.”
Heading into the weekend, tracking suggested a $3 million debut for Unplanned.
The pic tells the true story of Abby Johnson, who defected from Planned Parenthood to become a pro-life activist after witnessing an abortion at 13 weeks. Unplanned was partially financed by My Pillow founder Michael Lindell, who is a born-again Christian and outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump.
US Democrats to prepare subpoenas for full Mueller report
Al Jazeera – House panel to prepare subpoenas for Mueller’s full Russia report as Barr appears likely to miss Tuesday deadline.
Economy & Business
Retail Layoffs Are 92 Percent Higher In 2019 – And Now Even Walmart Is “Quietly Closing Stores”
Activist Post – Just like we witnessed during the last recession, major retailers are laying off tens of thousands of workers, and it looks like this will be the worst year for store closings in all of U.S. history. Many are referring to this as “the retail apocalypse”, and without a doubt this is one of the toughest stretches for retailers that we have ever seen. But many believe that what we have witnessed so far is just the beginning. After all, if retailers are struggling this much now, how bad will things be once the next recession really gets rolling?
Of course the truth is that things have been rocky for the retail industry for quite a few years, but the numbers are telling us that this crisis is really starting to accelerate.
According to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, retail layoffs were up a whopping 92 percent in January and February compared to the same period a year ago. The following comes from NBC News…
More than 41,000 people have lost their jobs in the retail industry so far this year — a 92 percent spike in layoffs since the same time last year, according to a new report.
And the layoffs continue to mount, with JCPenney announcing this week it would be closing 18 stores in addition to three previously announced closures, as part of a “standard annual review.”
Yes, competition from Internet commerce is hurting the traditional retail industry, but it certainly doesn’t explain a 92 percent increase.
And very few retailers have been able to avoid this downsizing trend. At this point, even the largest retailer in the entire country has begun “quietly closing stores”…
Energy & Environment
Apple Trees Dying from Mystery Disease Across the U.S.
The Weather Channel – A contagion-like disease is killing apple trees across America’s countryside, and scientists have no clue why it’s happening. Rapid apple decline, or RAD, spreads from a single tree limb to an entire tree before it dies.
China says 30 killed fighting forest fire in Sichuan province
Al Jazeera – At least 30 firefighters sent to tackle a forest blaze in remote mountains of southwest province killed.
Science & Technology
The heartbeat of a tree: Scientists discover plants pulsate throughout the night (but it’s far too slow to see with the naked eye)
Daily Mail – It might seem as though trees spend most of their lives standing still – but, according to new research, they do a lot more moving than you’d think.
Scientists have discovered the subtle ‘heartbeat’ of trees and shrubs, using terrestrial laser scanning to measure the overnight movement of branches and leaves.
While only some trees in the study were shown to follow a ‘sleep cycle,’ in which their branches lowered at night and returned to their daytime position hours later, the researchers found that all of the trees displayed minute, periodic pulses.
The discovery suggests trees are pumping water, the experts say.
In the study, researchers from Denmark and Hungary investigated the overnight movement of 21 species of trees using a high-precision three-dimensional surveying technique known as terrestrial laser scanning.
It’s long been known that trees in the legume family have a distinct ‘sleep cycle,’ and move their leaves overnight.
More recently, scientists found that other trees lower their branches at night as well, with some dropping 10 centimeters before returning to normal in the morning.
As this happens very gradually, the phenomenon is difficult to spot with the naked eye.
Now, in a surprise discovery, scientists have found that numerous types of trees exhibit periodic movements.
Airbnb Has a Hidden-Camera Problem
The home-rental start-up says it’s cracking down on hosts who record guests. Is it doing enough?
The Atlantic – When Max Vest shook hands with the host of his Miami Airbnb back in January, the man introduced himself as Ralph—even though “Ray” was the name he’d used in all their prior communication.
This was the first and only indication that something was wrong. But his host had a great rating on the home-sharing site, and many of the comments mentioned how friendly and accommodating he was. So Vest, a children’s-camp director from Gainesville, Florida, didn’t think much of the discrepancy and settled into the two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment he’d be sharing with Ralph—or was it Ray?—and his girlfriend for the next five days. At about 8 or 9 p.m., he went out for dinner; by the time he got home, his hosts had gone to bed in the room adjacent to his, and he prepared to do the same.
That was when he saw the light. Two small, black, rectangular boxes were stacked next to an outlet on the far side of the guest room, both facing the bed. From afar, they looked like phone chargers. But when Vest got closer, he realized they were cameras, and they were recording.
He quickly got dressed, grabbed his belongings, and pocketed the cameras’ memory cards as evidence. Then panic set in: It was almost midnight, and he was alone in the home of someone whose name he didn’t even know, apparently being recorded. What’s more, his host could have been watching as he discovered the cameras.
“I didn’t know if I was being watched live,” Vest told me in January. “What I’ve found since is that [the cameras] record to a memory card, but they can also stream live. The host could’ve been watching. Anybody could have been watching.” (The company denied The Atlantic’s, and Vest’s, requests for Ralph’s full name and identity, citing its privacy policy.)
Vest was afraid of what might happen if Ralph saw him leave. “I know what he had [at] stake by being caught,” Vest said. But he managed to leave the apartment without incident, get in his car, and make two phone calls—one to his wife, and one to Airbnb’s safety team.
The company refunded Vest’s money, paid for a hotel room for the night, and eventually removed the host from the site. But Vest alleges that Airbnb made several missteps in the run-up to, and subsequent investigation of, his stay with Ralph. He has retained counsel and informed Airbnb that he is considering filing a civil suit against it under Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. He says the company should have flagged his host sooner for the name discrepancy and the fact that he did not have his landlord’s permission to rent out the property, which is in violation of Airbnb’s terms of service. He also alleges that Airbnb mistreated him during its investigation, and that it should have done more to support him as he reached out to law enforcement. (A representative for Airbnb declined to comment on the specifics of Vest’s allegations.)In emails reviewed by The Atlantic, Airbnb told Vest that the company is taking his case “extremely seriously” and that guest safety is its “top priority.” But Vest says he feels Airbnb treated him as a frustrated guest when he feels he was the victim of a crime.
“This wasn’t [just] a negative experience,” he said. “This was a criminal act.”
Believers Against the Mark of the Beast : Help Young Jewish Woman’s Religious Liberty Violated by State’s Biometric Demands
Stand United – Young Jewish Woman’s Religious Liberty Violated by State’s Biometric Demands – Is this the Mark of the Beast?
Victoria is a thirty year-old New Yorker fighting for a Religious Exemption so she is not forced to be photographed on her driver’s license. She believes any photograph, especially biometric, is diametrically opposed to her Biblical religious convictions and breaks the second commandment.
Months ago, Victoria was given a NY Religious Affirmation form (DMV 1520). She was told this form would allow a driver’s license without a picture. Victoria completed the paperwork, but it was rejected without explanation and told to contact the Albany, NY DMV legal staff. She did. No response.
She asked NY State Senator, James Seward for assistance. He was told the Religious Affirmation document, the form had been voided and New York’s religious exemption program was ended.
Victoria’s Rabbi spoke to a DMV high legal authority who explicitly stated that Victoria’s hopes for a religious exemption were fruitless because the biometric photograph on the driver’s license “ties into the banking system and you won’t be able to buy and sell without it.”
Is this the Mark of the Beast? Victoria says: “People don’t really understand how serious this Real ID 2020 is. There is no privacy with biometric photographs and facial recognition.Her Rabbi stated, “This is a slow electronic holocaust. Keep the Torah. Don’t get on the train.”
Senator Seward recently wrote Senate Bill S 4094 to reinstate New York’s Religious Affirmation Form. Please contact Transportation Committee Chair Timothy M. Kennedy (D) 518 455 2426 and voice your support of this bill.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg admits the social networking site should be regulated after Christchurch mosque terror attack
The firm’s founder and chief executive said there is a need for government and regulators to have ‘a more active role’
The Sun – It follows the live-streaming on social media of the Christchurch terror attack in New Zealand, which was viewed 4,000 times before being removed.
Mr Zuckerberg, 34, said he believes new regulation is needed in four areas across the internet — harmful content, election integrity, privacy and “data portability”.
In a hard-hitting statement published by the Washington Post and on his own Facebook page, he said: “Every day we make decisions about what speech is harmful, what constitutes political advertising, and how to prevent sophisticated cyber attacks.
But if we were starting from scratch, we wouldn’t ask companies to make these judgments alone. I believe we need a more active role for governments and regulators.”
“By updating the rules for the internet, we can preserve what’s best about it — the freedom for people to express themselves and for entrepreneurs to build new things — while also protecting society from broader harms.”
Mr Zuckerberg said Facebook, which has two billion monthly users, will review harmful content but added that “at our scale we’ll always make mistakes and decisions that people disagree with”.
The UK is due to publish plans on clamping down on the likes of Twitter and Instagram if they breach duty of care standards.
At 71, She’s Never Felt Pain or Anxiety. Now Scientists Know Why.
NYT – She’d been told that childbirth was going to be painful. But as the hours wore on, nothing bothered her — even without an epidural.
“I could feel that my body was changing, but it didn’t hurt me,” recalled the woman, Jo Cameron, who is now 71. She likened it to “a tickle.” Later, she would tell prospective mothers, “Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as people say it is.”
It was only recently — more than four decades later — that she learned her friends were not exaggerating.
Rather, there was something different about the way her body experienced pain: For the most part, it didn’t.
Scientists believe they now understand why. In a paper published Thursday in The British Journal of Anaesthesia, researchers attributed Ms. Cameron’s virtually pain-free life to a mutation in a previously unidentified gene. The hope, they say, is that the finding could eventually contribute to the development of a novel pain treatment. They believe this mutation may also be connected to why Ms. Cameron has felt little anxiety or fear throughout her life and why her body heals quickly.
“We’ve never come across a patient like this,” said John Wood, the head of the Molecular Nociception Group at University College London.
Scientists have been documenting case studies of individuals who experience little or no pain for nearly 100 years. But the genetic mutation that seems to be responsible for Ms. Cameron’s virtual painlessness had not been previously identified.
The study emerged amid major developments in the emotionally charged debate over how to responsibly treat pain. On Thursday, New York State filed one of the most sweeping legal cases yet against the Sackler family, which owns Purdue Pharma, the maker of the opioid OxyContin.
And it was yet another reminder that we need less addictive alternatives for chronic pain, said Dr. Stephen G. Waxman, a neurologist at Yale and the author of “Chasing Men on Fire: The Story of the Search for a Pain Gene.” Dr. Waxman was not involved in the recent paper but he also studies people who have rare mutations that alter their experience of pain.
“Each of these mutations teach us something, and point to a particular gene as a potential target for new and more effective pain medications,” he said.
Ohio’s Public Utilities Commission Boasts About Collecting Customer Smart Meter Data and Sharing It
Activist Post – here are many reasons – besides fires and explosions – to be concerned about the tens of millions of utility “Smart” Meters that have been installed on homes and throughout communities. One of them is privacy. “Smart” Meters collect data 24/7 on customers. This data can and has been sold to 3rd parties. This is sometimes referred to as “Surveillance Capitalism.”
A recent article from Greentech Media discusses how Ohio’s PowerForward program is designed so that utility “Smart” Meters installed throughout the Buckeye State will collect and share customer data with 3rd parties:
But in simple terms, the DWG is focused on making smart meter data available to customers, the state’s competitive retail energy service providers and other third parties…
Collecting, storing, and sharing data 24/7 requires more energy use. That’s another reason (besides fires and explosions) why it doesn’t make sense when environmentalists promote “Smart” Meters as eco-friendly and beneficial to customers. Even though many environmentalists have been publicly opposing “Smart” Meters (See 1, 2) – Ohio’s Environmental Defense Fund attorney (and former Duke Energy Vice President), John Finnegan still promotes them. In his 2017 blog, he also promotes sharing customer data with 3rd parties:
Sharing anonymized electricity data with third-parties would enable businesses to develop new products and services, too.
[…]
Basically, Green Button uses a software language that would allow Duke’s smart meters to interface with customers’ home energy monitors and appliances, as well as third-party energy-savings products and services.
Even though John promises that Duke Energy’s “Smart” Meters will save customers money – utility companies sometimes pass the cost of the extra energy use onto customers without their knowledge or consent. He didn’t say whether or not this had happened to Ohio customers since the “Smart” Meters were installed. However, he did state that customers paid for the current “Smart” Meters with rate increases AND that customers were going to pay additional rate increases for current “Smart” Meters to be replaced with new ones.
The controversial “Green New Deal” also promotes utility “Smart” Meters. Besides the fires, explosions, extra energy use, and frequent replacement – these meters also emit wireless (microwave) radiation and other sources of Electrosmog pollution which research has proved is harmful to the environment.
Public Utility Commissions are supposed to protect the public by regulating utility companies. Being a utility customer shouldn’t require that utility companies (or anyone else) collect, analyze, and sell data on exactly when customers use the washing machine, turn up the furnace, and flush the toilet. Original analog meters didn’t operate this way. They didn’t have all of these other issues either.
Health
Opioid suit: New York targets billionaire family behind OxyContin
NBC – The lawsuit seeks penalties and damages that could add up to tens of millions of dollars and a dedicated fund to curb the opioid epidemic.
Congo Ebola outbreak spreading faster than ever: WHO
Fox – Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ebola outbreak is spreading at its fastest rate yet, eight months after it was first detected, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.
Each of the past two weeks has registered a record number of new cases, marking a sharp setback for efforts to respond to the second biggest outbreak ever, as militia violence and community resistance have impeded access to affected areas.
Why Magnesium Is a Cornerstone Mineral for Health
Mercola – Magnesium is required for the activation of vitamin D, and deficiency may increase your risk of anxiety, depression, heart disease, migraines, osteoporosis and more.
Statistics show that at least 50 percent of the American population are deficient in magnesium; a simple blood panel may not reveal magnesium deficiency as only 1 percent is available in your blood and the rest is stored in your bones and muscle.
Research suggests magnesium is necessary for optimal heart and kidney health as it protects your arteries from calcification; it has also shown effectiveness in treatment or prevention of migraines, anxiety and depression.
Seek out organically grown, whole foods rich in magnesium, such as spinach, broccoli and avocado; if you choose to supplement, consider magnesium threonate as it appears to be the most efficient at penetrating cell membranes
Don’t Underestimate the Health Benefits of These 8 Vegetables
Care2 – When you think of a healthy vegetable what first springs to mind? Kale? Broccoli? Or some other trendy superfood? Although it probably can’t hurt to jump on a popular veggie’s bandwagon, it’s also good to remember the nutritious merits of the vegetables that tend to fly under the radar. Don’t underestimate the benefits of these eight healthy veggies.
- Beets
When it comes to healthy root vegetables, it’s hard to beat beets. A cup of beets contains about 58 calories, 4 grams of fiber, 11 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C and 37 percent of folate. Beets also are an excellent source of iron, magnesium, manganese and potassium. Among their many health benefits, beets might help to lower blood pressure — thanks to their high levels of nitrates, which work within the body to relax blood vessels, according to Harvard Medical School
- Brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts might get a bad rap in the healthy vegetable world for their strong flavor. But they certainly have their place in a nutritious diet. A cup of boiled Brussels sprouts contains about 56 calories with 4 grams of fiber, 24 percent of your daily intake of vitamin A, 162 percent of vitamin C and a massive 274 percent of vitamin K. Plus, a cup of sprouts has about 6 percent of your daily calcium intake, 10 percent of iron, 14 percent of potassium and 18 percent of manganese — among other nutrients. According to Healthline, Brussels sprouts contain antioxidants that can protect the body against cancer, decrease inflammation and improve heart health. They’re also “one of the best plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids,” which can reduce inflammation and blood triglycerides, as well as slow cognitive decline.
- Cabbage
Although cabbage often is associated with unhealthy dishes, such as mayonnaise-laden coleslaw, it’s actually very nutritious on its own. A cup of chopped cabbage has only about 22 calories but several vitamins and minerals — including 54 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C, 85 percent of vitamin K, 10 percent of folate and 7 percent of manganese. The properties in cabbage might help with chronic inflammation, keep the digestive system healthy and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease
- Cauliflower
Another underrated member of the cruciferous vegetable family is cauliflower, which often plays second fiddle to its darker green cousins. A cup of raw cauliflower only has about 25 calories. But it packs a healthy punch with 3 grams of fiber, 77 percent of your daily intake of vitamin C, 20 percent of vitamin K, 11 percent of vitamin B6, 14 percent of folate, 9 percent of potassium and 8 percent of manganese. Plus, cauliflower is full of antioxidants, which can help to protect your body against cancer and other diseases, according to Healthline. And it’s high in choline, a nutrient that works throughout the body to keep cells functioning and prevent disease.
- Onions
A cup of chopped onions — not that you’d probably eat that much in one sitting — has 64 calories with 3 grams of fiber, 20 percent of your daily intake of vitamin C, 10 percent of vitamin B6, 8 percent of folate, 7 percent of potassium and 10 percent of manganese. And just like many of the other veggies on this list, onions are full of antioxidants and other compounds that can boost heart health and fight cancer, according to Healthline. Plus, research has shown they might help to control blood sugar, improve digestive health and even support strong bones. That might just make the tears from chopping those onions worthwhile.
- Radishes
Radishes often are an afterthought in salads. But don’t underestimate what this root veggie can do for you. A cup of radish slices is only 19 calories — with 2 grams of fiber, 29 percent of your daily intake of vitamin C, 7 percent of folate, 8 percent of potassium and small amounts of many other vitamins and minerals. “Radishes come in a wide variety of colors, including red, pink, purple and white,” according to Cleveland Clinic. “These cruciferous crops include fiber for digestive health, phytonutrients that protect against many diseases, and a pungent flavor that will help clear clogged sinuses or soothe a sore throat.”
- Romaine lettuce
Maybe you’ve avoided romaine lettuce for a while because of the recent recalls — obviously a healthy choice at the time. But don’t forget about its high nutritional value. One cup of romaine is only about 8 calories. And for those 8 calories you get a gram of fiber, 82 percent of your recommended intake of vitamin A, 19 percent of vitamin C, 60 percent of vitamin K, 16 percent of folate, 2 percent of calcium and 3 percent of iron, among other nutrients. In fact, when compared to some other salad greens, romaine tops them for many of the nutrient levels — especially vitamin A, which is essential for vision, cellular function, the immune system, reproductive health and more.
- Watercress
Watercress — a peppery little leafy green also of the cruciferous veggie family — has quietly been gaining superfood status as more people recognize its health benefits. A cup of chopped watercress is a mere 4 calories — containing 22 percent of your daily intake of vitamin A, 24 percent of vitamin C, an impressive 106 percent of vitamin K, 4 percent of calcium and small amounts of other nutrients. “Watercress packs a massive amount of disease-fighting antioxidants such as lutein and beta carotene into a tiny number of calories,” Cleveland Clinic says. So use it to add a fresh, peppery flavor to dishes, and enjoy the easy nutrient boost.
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