thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--Rudolph And His Nose-So-Bright Going On The Auction Block -- Santa Too!

LOS ANGELES ( AP ) — Rudolph and his still-shiny nose are getting a new home , and it ’ s bound to be a lot nicer than the Island of Misfit Toys .
The soaring reindeer and Santa Claus figures who starred in in the perennially beloved stop-motion animation Christmas special “ Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer ” are going up for auction .
Auction house Profiles in History announced Thursday that a 6-inch-tall Rudolph and 11-inch-tall Santa used to animate the 1964 TV special are being sold together in the auction that starts Nov. 13 and are expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 250,000 .
Collector Peter Lutrario of Staten Island , New York , thought they might be the only items he would never sell , but when he recently turned 65 he thought about having something to leave for his children and grandchildren .
“ I always said I would die with the dolls , ” he told The Associated Press .
“ I ’ m just putting the family first.
” The figures were made by Japanese puppet maker Ichiro Komuro and used for the filming of the show at Tadaito Mochinaga ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re made of wood , wire , cloth and leather .
Rudolph ’ s nose , after some minimal maintenance through the years , still lights up .
The realistic bristles of Santa ’ s beard are made from yak hair .
Lutrario , who bought them about 15 years ago after seeing them appraised on “ Antiques Roadshow ” on PBS , says that even after well over five decades you can manipulate them as the original animators did .
“ They ’ re still malleable , ” he said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Not only can you move the arms , the legs , the head , you can move the fingers , the thumbs .
The show , produced by the company that would become Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment , first aired Dec. 6 , 1964 on NBC in the United States .
It ’ s been a TV staple ever since with its tale , based on the 1939 song , of a year when Christmas was almost canceled , the misfit reindeer who saved it , an elf with dreams of being a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cast-away toys .
The figures would make their to the New York offices of Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass .
Rankin later gave them to his secretary , who gave them to her nephew , who owned them until Lutrario bought them in 2005 .
The figures , among several used to make the special , are the first encountered by the auctioneers at Profiles in History , which specializes in selling rare and coveted Hollywood memorabilia .
The company said in a statement that the “ rarity of these puppets can @ @ @ @ @

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rudolph and his still-shiny nose are getting a new home, and it’s bound to be a lot nicer than the Island of Misfit Toys.
The soaring reindeer and Santa Claus figures who starred in in the perennially beloved stop-motion animation Christmas special “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” are going up for auction.
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Auction house Profiles in History announced Thursday that a 6-inch-tall Rudolph and 11-inch-tall Santa used to animate the 1964 TV special are being sold together in the auction that starts Nov. 13 and are expected to fetch between $150,000 and $250,000.
Collector Peter Lutrario of Staten Island, New York, thought they might be the only items he would never sell, but when he recently turned 65 he thought about having something to leave for his children and grandchildren.
“I always said I would die with the dolls,” he told The Associated Press. “I’m just putting the family first.”
The figures were made by Japanese puppet maker Ichiro Komuro and used for the filming of the show at Tadaito Mochinaga’s MOM Productions in Tokyo.
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They’re made of wood, wire, cloth and leather. Rudolph’s nose, after some minimal maintenance through the years, still lights up. The realistic bristles of Santa’s beard are made from yak hair.
Lutrario, who bought them about 15 years ago after seeing them appraised on “Antiques Roadshow” on PBS, says that even after well over five decades you can manipulate them as the original animators did.
“They’re still malleable,” he said, “and it’s very detailed. Not only can you move the arms, the legs, the head, you can move the fingers, the thumbs.
The show, produced by the company that would become Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment, first aired Dec. 6, 1964 on NBC in the United States. It’s been a TV staple ever since with its tale, based on the 1939 song, of a year when Christmas was almost canceled, the misfit reindeer who saved it, an elf with dreams of being a dentist, and an island full of cast-away toys.
The figures would make their to the New York offices of Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass. Rankin later gave them to his secretary, who gave them to her nephew, who owned them until Lutrario bought them in 2005.
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The figures, among several used to make the special, are the first encountered by the auctioneers at Profiles in History, which specializes in selling rare and coveted Hollywood memorabilia.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--U.S. Warned Nevada Not To Use Chinese COVID-19 Tests From UAE

In response to queries from the AP , BGI said in an email that G42 made the donation to Nevada on its own without BGI ’ s knowledge and that BGI never had direct contact with the state .
BGI ’ s COVID-19 tests have approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use on an emergency basis and are used in some labs in the United States — but “ BGI has no access to either patient samples or patient data , ” it said .
Along with its sale of tests , BGI has expanded into multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which it says can analyze 10,000 to 50,000 tests a day .
It has set up such labs in multiple Chinese cities and in countries like Angola , Australia , Brunei , Kazakhstan , Saudi Arabia , Serbia , and Togo .
Those labs use BGI equipment , which the U.S. government fears could be a means of spying by the Chinese government .
Notably , even as U.S. authorities warned Nevada , they did not alert the 75,000 Americans living in the United Arab Emirates about any concerns over the BGI tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though the same tests are used widely in the country .
The UAE insists all genetic data is kept private and is not shared with BGI .
The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi quietly declined an offer by the Emirati government to conduct free coronavirus testing of its diplomats because of concerns about Chinese involvement .
It did not publicize that decision .
The UAE also is home to some 5,000 American troops and Dubai ’ s Jebel Ali port , the U.S. Navy ’ s busiest port of call outside of the @ @

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. diplomats and security officials privately warned the state of Nevada not to use Chinese-made coronavirus test kits donated by the United Arab Emirates over concerns about patient privacy, test accuracy, and Chinese government involvement, documents obtained by The Associated Press show.
The documents illustrate how the U.S. government actively — if quietly — tried to keep the state out of a project involving the Chinese firm BGI Group, which is the world’s largest genetic sequencing company and which has expanded its reach during the coronavirus pandemic.
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U.S. intelligence agencies have warned that foreign powers like China could exploit samples to discover the medical history, illnesses, or genetic traits of test-takers, though they have not offered any public evidence. Internal emails and documents obtained by the AP from the Nevada governor’s office through a public records request show U.S. authorities expressing such concerns specifically about BGI.
“I hope the Nevada COVID-19 task force leadership is aware of this so they can make an educated decision and know some of the U.S. Government’s concerns,” William Puff, a Homeland Security regional attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi, wrote in an email forwarded to Nevada officials.
The warnings from the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department led the office of Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak in April to direct a Nevada hospital not to use any of the donated 250,000 test kits as officials turned down an offered laboratory deal.
Geopolitics could play a role in the U.S. warning. President Donald Trump and his administration have been locked in a trade war with China and also have actively lobbied its allies not to use telecommunication equipment from Chinese firm Huawei, for instance, citing security concerns.
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The donation offer to Nevada also involved a shadowy Emirati company called Group 42, which partnered with Shenzhen-based BGI to create a rapid-testing system in the United Arab Emirates. G42 and government officials in the UAE did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
In response to queries from the AP, BGI said in an email that G42 made the donation to Nevada on its own without BGI’s knowledge and that BGI never had direct contact with the state. BGI’s COVID-19 tests have approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use on an emergency basis and are used in some labs in the United States — but “BGI has no access to either patient samples or patient data,” it said.
“BGI Group takes all aspects of patient data protection, privacy, and ethics extremely seriously, and is committed to full compliance with all applicable regulations in the countries in which it operates,” the company said.
___
In April, the UAE announced its interest in donating an estimated $20 million worth of coronavirus testing kits to Nevada.
The unusual offer came at a time when Nevada, like other states, were in a mad scramble amid mounting COVID-19 cases and a shortage of test kits. Nevada had shut down the Las Vegas casinos that power the state’s economy as it rushed to set up temporary hospitals, stockpile ventilators, and assemble test kits.
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The UAE’s oil-fueled sovereign wealth funds and state-owned enterprises long have eyed Las Vegas as an investment opportunity. In its biggest investment, a state-owned Dubai firm partnered with MGM Resorts to build Las Vegas’ $9.2 billion multi-resort CityCenter development.
Former MGM chairman Jim Murren heads Nevada’s COVID-19 Response, Relief and Recovery Task Force, appointed by Sisolak as part of a public-private partnership to seek funding and aid for the state.
In late March, Murren forwarded to the governor’s office an email from Peng Xiao, the CEO of G42, pitching his company’s help. Murren wrote that the Emiratis were making the offer “both as a public service and because they see this as a future investment opportunity for them.”
“They have unlimited capital and would be incredibly flexible on terms- I will handle that part,” he wrote.
Murren told the AP that the initial G42 proposal was to set up a “turnkey” high-capacity lab processing COVID-19 tests.
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G42 and BGI partnered to create a similar lab in Abu Dhabi in March, part of a mass testing campaign in the Emirates that has conducted over 11 million tests in a nation of 9 million people.
Along with its sale of tests, BGI has expanded into multiple countries by offering such turnkey labs, which it says can analyze 10,000 to 50,000 tests a day. It has set up such labs in multiple Chinese cities and in countries like Angola, Australia, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, and Togo. Those labs use BGI equipment, which the U.S. government fears could be a means of spying by the Chinese government.
The proposed lab in Nevada would rapidly process samples from polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests. Those genetic tests, using long cotton swabs that collect samples from deep inside a person’s nose and throat, detect an active case of the coronavirus.
Days after G42 announced its aid to Nevada, the U.S. government broached its concerns with the state.
In an email sent to Nevada officials on April 20, Puff, the Homeland Security attaché, alleged without offering evidence that G42′s tests were “closer to 60% accurate” rather than the 90% claimed by the firm. BGI long has maintained its PCR tests have high accuracy, though factors like “the sampling process, storage and transportation of samples” can affect results.
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Puff also raised concerns about the potential risks of Americans sharing medical samples with BGI.
“The embassy has concerns with G42’s relationship with the Chinese government and BGI, and patient privacy concerns,” Puff wrote. “The guidance we received from the U.S. Department of State is we should decline testing from G42.”
Asked for comment by the AP, Puff said: “I think it’s probably best I don’t.”
The same day, the Nevada governor’s chief of staff, Michelle White, emailed the University Medical Center, which received the G42 supplies.
“Based on the information communicated to me by Homeland Security, we highly recommend that you discontinue these tests and any usage of testing equipment immediately,” she wrote.
Sisolak’s office did not respond to phone and email messages from the AP seeking comment. Murren said state health officials ultimately decided they wanted to build their own high-capacity lab.
The University Medical Center used 20,000 specimen collection kits offered by G42, which are comprised of nasal swabs and tubes to store samples, spokesman Scott Kerbs said. UMC did not use the donated 250,000 analysis kits because they were “not compliant with UMC’s laboratory technology,” he said.
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Kerbs said the collection kits “helped us to support local testing at a time when specimen collection materials were scarce in our community.” He did not respond to questions from AP about the warnings. “UMC always appreciates the generosity of donors,” he said.
Since then, the casinos, along with much of Nevada’s shuttered economy, have reopened. Coronavirus testing now is widely available. Nevada has now performed more than 1.1 million tests for COVID-19 and has reported more than 85,000 cases and 1,600 deaths.
Notably, even as U.S. authorities warned Nevada, they did not alert the 75,000 Americans living in the United Arab Emirates about any concerns over the BGI tests used by the Emirati firm, even though the same tests are used widely in the country. The UAE insists all genetic data is kept private and is not shared with BGI.
The State Department told the AP that it shares information to Americans abroad “regarding safety and security threats that might affect them. ... In this case, the Department did not deem the use of BGI COVID-19 tests to be a threat to safety.”
___
The push to convince Nevada not to use the BGI tests comes amid the increasingly antagonistic relationship between the U.S. and China under the Trump administration that has witnessed an ongoing trade war and the expulsions of diplomats and journalists.
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U.S. intelligence agencies worry China’s genetic research could provide it a way to spy on or leverage American sources.
In May, the U.S. National Counterintelligence and Security Center issued a warning to state health officials about “potential threats posed by foreign powers in connection with COVID tests.” It did not specify BGI, though it did link to a news report on Israel’s largest health care plan declining to work with BGI.
In June, The Washington Post reported that California’s health department decided to steer clear of offers by BGI and G42 to provide testing and test lab facilities. The report said the decision was taken on the advice of the state’s coronavirus test task force advisers, in part because of concerns over China gaining access to private patient information.
The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi quietly declined an offer by the Emirati government to conduct free coronavirus testing of its diplomats because of concerns about Chinese involvement. It did not publicize that decision. The UAE also is home to some 5,000 American troops and Dubai’s Jebel Ali port, the U.S. Navy’s busiest port of call outside of the U.S.
Efforts by the United Arab Emirates — a hereditarily ruled country where political parties and unions remain illegal — to fight the pandemic have renewed concerns about its mass surveillance programs.
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Officials at G42 have refused to identify who owns the company, though many suspect it links back to Abu Dhabi’s ruling family.
G42’s CEO, Peng Xiao, previously ran Abu Dhabi-based firm DarkMatter’s “big data” application, which could pool hours of surveillance video to track anyone. DarkMatter’s hiring of former CIA and National Security Agency analysts has raised concerns, especially as the UAE has harassed and imprisoned human rights activists.
According to the Nevada emails, among G42’s marketing and communications staff is Giacomo Ziani, who told the AP in January he was the co-creator of a video and voice calling app suspected of being a spying tool of the UAE — though he denied the accusation. Ziani did not answer requests for comment.
BGI formed in 1999 as a state-backed lab to work on the Human Genome Project. It later became a private company and has found itself as a foremost force among companies worldwide in coronavirus testing.
China’s ruling Communist Party hopes companies like BGI and Huawei will boost the country into becoming a global technology leader.
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In its email to the AP, BGI said it is not owned or funded by the Chinese government and “has no government capital.” A U.S. Trade Office report in 2018 said the company has “evident links to the government” as its leadership includes individuals who previously held positions in the Chinese government and Communist Party.
Two BGI subsidiaries have been sanctioned by the U.S. Commerce Department for allegedly “conducting genetic analyses used to further the repression of Uighurs and other Muslim minorities” in China. BGI said one subsidiary had done no business while the other was not involved in work that “includes personally identifiable information or violations of privacy or human rights.”
When asked about the perceived danger from China’s influence in the Nevada testing kit offer, the State Department referenced a February speech given by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
“What China does in Topeka and Sacramento reverberates in Washington, in Beijing and far beyond,” Pompeo said then. “Competition with China is happening. It’s happening in your state.”
___


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--I Could Have Died Because None Of My Doctors Believed Something Was Wrong With Me

After six years of trying , two brutal miscarriages and one round of IVF , we were expecting again .
Twins .
Perhaps the universe was trying to atone .
At my eight-week appointment I had described my frequent vomiting to our fertility doctor , but an ultrasound indicated my pregnancy was normal .
I could “ graduate ” from weekly treks to the center to monthly visits with an OB-GYN .
Encouraged , Jeff and I left town the next day , but by night two of our wedding anniversary road trip , the vomiting grew more violent and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miscarry consumed me .
I felt like a malfunctioning vessel .
I did not resemble any pregnant woman I had known .
No baby bump .
No cravings .
I was not “ glowing.
” I was not eating for three .
Or even one .
I certainly was not planning .
No discussion of names this time .
No designs for a nursery .
I could not bear more disappointment .
Like a dim fog , dread shadowed me through every room where I lay , too panicky to sleep , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terrified I was starving my unborn babies .
I traipsed through the sliding ER doors , was hooked up to an IV , and then I implored anyone with a badge to listen to me .
“ Something ’ s wrong.
” Tired personnel offered different versions of “ Some women get it bad.
” I waited another hour for the attending doctor ’ s three-minute visit , my last chance to secure help .
“ I ’ ve lost 10 pounds .
Shouldn ’ t I be gaining weight ?
” I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grin and a smirk and responded , “ It will all be worth it.
” A half-hearted answer to a question I never asked .
How selfish did he think I was ?
I understood parenthood was gratifying .
I was in his hospital to preserve my chance at it .
I said nothing , though .
No one seemed to think my condition was unusual .
Maybe I really was the overwrought woman they took me for .
Maybe the worst was over .
Revived by the fluids , I stepped through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and convinced myself a new day would bring renewed health .
It didn ’ t .
Instead , my gestational Groundhog Day consisted of vomiting , TV , sleep , vomiting , sleep .
Jeff worked from home , which was fortunate for me and maybe not so lucky for him .
His routine entailed eating breakfast alone , taking calls , eating lunch alone , taking calls , cleaning up when I did not make it to the bathroom in time and eating dinner alone .
We drove home in the silence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a massive building bursting with people trained to serve , and no one had heard me .
I had entered a terrified advocate for two lives .
Still , I had not raised my voice , demanded hospital admission or questioned my treatment ― all to avoid being labeled “ hysterical.
” I had not cried so that I might appear strong and , thus , more credible .
I had swallowed all my fear and anger so that I would be seen as a “ rational woman ” and might be believed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ― hadn ’ t seemed scared enough .
Perhaps in the absence of emotion I had become nothing .
It was starting to feel like a no-win situation .
Two days later , I had trouble walking .
Away on business , Jeff arranged for help .
My friend Pam took the a.m. shift , armed with protein-powder-packed Jell-O .
I threw it up .
I vomited blood and bile six more times into plastic grocery bags I now carried .
“ This is so wrong , ” Pam remarked .
I phoned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but I refused to hang up .
“ I ’ m going to keep calling until I get a new appointment , ” I said .
They moved me up a week , and I slunk back to the sofa .
An hour after Pam left , my parents rang the front bell .
They never made it past the foyer , where my dad stood slack-jawed .
“ This isn ’ t right , ” he said .
Minutes later I was in the backseat of his car clutching my bag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foggy outline scanning a clipboard .
Shift change .
“ Elizabeth ?
” He sounded young .
“ You are not well.
” My heart flared , and a hardness formed in my throat .
I pushed my weight onto my elbows and sat up .
He had seen me ; I wanted to see him .
An attentive face looked right at me .
“ I ’ m admitting you .
And I ’ m calling in someone who can help , ” he said .
I choked out an anemic “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the curtain and disappeared into a flutter of white mesh .
I left home only for doctor visits .
On the afternoon of one such appointment , Jeff had some important work calls , so I imposed on my mom to drive me .
I invited her to join me in the exam room .
“ It ’ s just an ultrasound.
” I was a few weeks into my second trimester now and more confident that the worst was over .
She was there when the technician discovered a pool of blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twins .
As broken as I felt , two things helped stave off complete depression : visits from loved ones and the droning of my IV pump .
For so long I had felt unsettled , as nothing was being done to rectify my problem .
I was told over and over there was no problem .
The hum of the PICC line said otherwise .
Each time it pumped meds and nutrients into me , it vindicated my instincts , my entreaties .
Each pump lessened the nausea and vomiting .
Each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthy boy .
I do not know why it took so long for someone to address my worries , but it has been well documented that , compared to men , women suffer disadvantages when seeking medical help .
Their complaints are less likely to be comprehensively studied , they are less likely to be prescribed certain medications and many female health maladies have not been as extensively researched .
We must protect ourselves , then , by becoming well informed , countering skepticism , asking questions and seeking other opinions .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of denial .
We must teach our children , especially our sons , to acknowledge the unfamiliar so that others will not have to struggle to be heard .

The author during her last trip to the emergency room. Courtesy of Elizabeth Allison
Coiled on yet another floor, I yearned for bed but knew better. Sure enough, my stomach lurched and rumbled like a washing machine knocking about soiled sneakers. I bolted to my knees, clutched the sides of the toilet and retched while Jeff, my husband, rubbed my arched spine. “Sorry. Sucks to be miserable on our anniversary.”
“I’m not miserable,” I lied. To feel anything but gratitude seemed sinful.
After six years of trying, two brutal miscarriages and one round of IVF, we were expecting again. Twins. Perhaps the universe was trying to atone. At my eight-week appointment I had described my frequent vomiting to our fertility doctor, but an ultrasound indicated my pregnancy was normal. I could “graduate” from weekly treks to the center to monthly visits with an OB-GYN. Encouraged, Jeff and I left town the next day, but by night two of our wedding anniversary road trip, the vomiting grew more violent and a creeping fear that I would again miscarry consumed me.
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I felt like a malfunctioning vessel. I did not resemble any pregnant woman I had known. No baby bump. No cravings. I was not “glowing.” I was not eating for three. Or even one. I certainly was not planning. No discussion of names this time. No designs for a nursery. I could not bear more disappointment. Like a dim fog, dread shadowed me through every room where I lay, too panicky to sleep, and into every restroom where I knelt, terrified I was starving my unborn babies.
Once home, I phoned my new OB-GYN, whom I had yet to meet, with my concerns. The call was brief. “It’ll get better.” It didn’t. That night I filled a basin with puke and bile. Jeff quickly cleaned the sink and grabbed his car keys. A new routine was born.
I traipsed through the sliding ER doors, was hooked up to an IV, and then I implored anyone with a badge to listen to me. “Something’s wrong.” Tired personnel offered different versions of “Some women get it bad.” I waited another hour for the attending doctor’s three-minute visit, my last chance to secure help. “I’ve lost 10 pounds. Shouldn’t I be gaining weight?” I asked. He mustered something between a grin and a smirk and responded, “It will all be worth it.” A half-hearted answer to a question I never asked. How selfish did he think I was? I understood parenthood was gratifying. I was in his hospital to preserve my chance at it. I said nothing, though. No one seemed to think my condition was unusual. Maybe I really was the overwrought woman they took me for. Maybe the worst was over.
“'I’ve lost 10 pounds. Shouldn’t I be gaining weight?' I asked. He mustered something between a grin and a smirk and responded, 'It will all be worth it.' A half-hearted answer to a question I never asked. How selfish did he think I was? I understood parenthood was gratifying. I was in his hospital to preserve my chance at it. I said nothing, though. No one seemed to think my condition was unusual.”
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Revived by the fluids, I stepped through our front door in the early morning and convinced myself a new day would bring renewed health. It didn’t. Instead, my gestational Groundhog Day consisted of vomiting, TV, sleep, vomiting, sleep. Jeff worked from home, which was fortunate for me and maybe not so lucky for him. His routine entailed eating breakfast alone, taking calls, eating lunch alone, taking calls, cleaning up when I did not make it to the bathroom in time and eating dinner alone.
Most of the day I hunkered down in the bedroom with the door closed, as any scent that wafted through our open-concept house made me sick. Redundancy was broken by a visit with my new OB-GYN who, though sympathetic, deemed my pregnancy normal, and with two more trips to the ER. Both times I was placated with a saline drip, advised to sip peppermint tea, then discharged.
One night, after a nasty bout of sickness, I slipped out of bed to brush my teeth, the riskiest of my evening routines. Most times the toothpaste made me retch. When I stood, a fuzzy noise filled my ears. Lately I had grown muddleheaded, so I tried to quiet my breathing and focus. The room was shrinking. No, I was falling. Static pierced my ears as a blackness descended. I awoke on the floor.
En route to the hospital I resolved to be heard this time. I addressed literally every person who entered my curtained cubicle. “I’m carrying twins, and I’m 95 pounds. Does that sound normal to you?” I asked. No one answered. To any person in scrubs I said, “I’m carrying twins, and I passed out.” The response was, “dizziness is common during pregnancy. Try getting up slowly.”
Later I recounted to the ER doctor how I had hit the hardwood floor. I waited for an expression of alarm, of unease, of something that told me I had a right to feel scared. Instead, he clumsily patted my rumpled hair and remarked, “This, too, shall pass.” I wanted to slap his face. Instead, I trudged to the dark parking lot with the dignity of a pestering cur.
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The author after being diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum during her last trip to the emergency room. Courtesy of Elizabeth Allison
We drove home in the silence of disappointment. I had lain in a massive building bursting with people trained to serve, and no one had heard me. I had entered a terrified advocate for two lives. Still, I had not raised my voice, demanded hospital admission or questioned my treatment ― all to avoid being labeled “hysterical.” I had not cried so that I might appear strong and, thus, more credible. I had swallowed all my fear and anger so that I would be seen as a “rational woman” and might be believed. Perhaps I had gone too far ― hadn’t seemed scared enough. Perhaps in the absence of emotion I had become nothing. It was starting to feel like a no-win situation.
Two days later, I had trouble walking. Away on business, Jeff arranged for help. My friend Pam took the a.m. shift, armed with protein-powder-packed Jell-O. I threw it up. I vomited blood and bile six more times into plastic grocery bags I now carried. “This is so wrong,” Pam remarked. I phoned my doctor. The staff sounded unconcerned, but I refused to hang up. “I’m going to keep calling until I get a new appointment,” I said. They moved me up a week, and I slunk back to the sofa. An hour after Pam left, my parents rang the front bell. They never made it past the foyer, where my dad stood slack-jawed. “This isn’t right,” he said. Minutes later I was in the backseat of his car clutching my bag of puke.
Same ER. Different staff. Same condescension. “Oh, it’ll be a distant memory one day,” I was told. I spoke slowly, “But we need help now. How are babies okay without nutrition? Show me.” At a little after midnight, a tech rolled me into a deserted hall to perform an ultrasound. I tried to study her face. She remained steely, an assembly line worker checking for faulty widgets. Finally, she tapped the screen. “Everything looks fine,” she said. “No. No, it’s not,” I said as my fist struck the padded gurney.
I awoke to a foggy outline scanning a clipboard. Shift change. “Elizabeth?” He sounded young. “You are not well.” My heart flared, and a hardness formed in my throat. I pushed my weight onto my elbows and sat up. He had seen me; I wanted to see him. An attentive face looked right at me. “I’m admitting you. And I’m calling in someone who can help,” he said. I choked out an anemic “Thank you” before he yanked on the curtain and disappeared into a flutter of white mesh.
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Two days later, I awoke to a youthful doctor adjusting my blankets. She turned and smiled. “We’re going to help you, Elizabeth. I’m very experienced with this.”
The author's supplies for her peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line. Courtesy of Elizabeth Allison
“This?” I asked.
“Hyperemesis gravidarum.” She described the condition as typified by severe nausea, vomiting and weight loss and possible kidney and electrolyte complications.
In perverse reverence I repeated, “Hyperemesis gravidarum.” I was grateful for a name.
She also explained that fewer than 3% of pregnant women experience the disorder and dubbed me “the perfect candidate” for it, as women who undergo fertility treatment and carry multiples are more susceptible. She lamented that there is no cure but offered options for relief.
I left the hospital attached to a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line. For eight weeks, no solids or fluids entered my mouth. Liquid nutrients nourished me, intravenous meds quelled much of the nausea and a home nurse monitored my vitals. I remained too weak to walk far, stand for long or drive. I officially resigned from my teaching job from which I had been on sick leave since the second day of school.
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I left home only for doctor visits. On the afternoon of one such appointment, Jeff had some important work calls, so I imposed on my mom to drive me. I invited her to join me in the exam room. “It’s just an ultrasound.” I was a few weeks into my second trimester now and more confident that the worst was over. She was there when the technician discovered a pool of blood encircling the head of one of the twins.
The doctor was quickly summoned, and he confirmed my greatest fear: the baby was dead, maybe strangled by his own umbilical cord. Or maybe not. “We don’t really know,” he said. I asked if hyperemesis gravidarum was a factor and was told it was not. Or probably not. “We don’t really know.”
The doctor explained that the twins had not shared an amniotic sac, so the surviving twin was not in imminent danger. Five minutes later I left with a dead baby inside me, no definitive answers to my questions and a grief beyond measure. The drive home was silent. When my mom pulled up to the house, small tears filled her eyes. “Don’t worry about me, mom, OK? I’ll be fine, OK?” I was an expert now at choking down emotion.
As broken as I felt, two things helped stave off complete depression: visits from loved ones and the droning of my IV pump. For so long I had felt unsettled, as nothing was being done to rectify my problem. I was told over and over there was no problem. The hum of the PICC line said otherwise. Each time it pumped meds and nutrients into me, it vindicated my instincts, my entreaties. Each pump lessened the nausea and vomiting. Each pump was a step closer to a healthy boy.
I began eating gradually, the PICC line was removed, and my baby, Thomas, emerged into the world a perfect specimen. While I soaked in my son’s flawless face, the doctors removed his twin, a triumphant moment tinged with loss. I wondered if hyperemesis gravidarum had robbed Thomas of a confidant, a best friend. Then I kissed my boy in love and commiseration.
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I left the hospital determined to give Thomas a sibling. My fertility doctor made it clear, though, that hyperemesis gravidarum would likely return if I became pregnant again. I could not conceive of being that sick and caring for Thomas. That night I began researching having our frozen embryos transferred into a surrogate. Eighteen months later we were in Texas when a young woman gave birth to our son, Devin.
The author's son, Thomas, peering down at his little brother, Devin. Courtesy of Elizabeth Allison
Devin’s complex birth story has been relayed to him countless times, and it always begins with hyperemesis gravidarum. Though he cannot pronounce the word, Devin understands its place in his story.
“You put me in another lady so we wouldn’t get sick.”
“Yes.”
“When Thomas was in your belly you were really sick, mama.”
“Really sick.”
“There was no medicine.”
“There was. It just took a long time to get it.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
I do not know why it took so long for someone to address my worries, but it has been well documented that, compared to men, women suffer disadvantages when seeking medical help. Their complaints are less likely to be comprehensively studied, they are less likely to be prescribed certain medications and many female health maladies have not been as extensively researched. We must protect ourselves, then, by becoming well informed, countering skepticism, asking questions and seeking other opinions. We must trust our instincts in the face of denial. We must teach our children, especially our sons, to acknowledge the unfamiliar so that others will not have to struggle to be heard.
Elizabeth Allison is a writer and former high school teacher. She recently published a short children’s book, “Many Miles to Walk,” for her younger son to explain his birth via surrogate. Her articles can be found on her website: https://thewriteprofile.com.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Republican Sen. Joni Ernst Botches 'Most Midwestern Moment' Ever In TV Debate

Sen. Joni Ernst ( R-Iowa ) may have not done herself any favors during a debate with Democratic challenger Theresa Greenfield on Thursday night .
The two candidates were each questioned about something essential to many Iowa farmers : the price of soybeans and corn .
Greenfield was asked if she knew the price of corn .
She not only answered correctly , but also worked in some observations about what those numbers mean to struggling farmers .
Yet when Ernst was asked the price of soybeans , she first ducked the question , speaking for more than a minute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked again about the price of soybeans , she fumbled and got it wrong .
After being corrected by the moderators , Ernst accused Greenfield of not answering either ( she did ) .
Next , Ernst indicated she was answering about the price of corn , in which case her response was still well off the mark .
Finally , she blamed the audio problems that had cropped up several times during the debate : Former South Bend , Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg ― a Democrat ― said on Twitter that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moment in the history of televised Senate debates .
”

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Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) may have not done herself any favors during a debate with Democratic challenger Theresa Greenfield on Thursday night.
The two candidates were each questioned about something essential to many Iowa farmers: the price of soybeans and corn.
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Greenfield was asked if she knew the price of corn. She not only answered correctly, but also worked in some observations about what those numbers mean to struggling farmers.
Yet when Ernst was asked the price of soybeans, she first ducked the question, speaking for more than a minute on trade issues. Then, when asked again about the price of soybeans, she fumbled and got it wrong.
After being corrected by the moderators, Ernst accused Greenfield of not answering either (she did). Next, Ernst indicated she was answering about the price of corn, in which case her response was still well off the mark. Finally, she blamed the audio problems that had cropped up several times during the debate:
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FiveThirtyEight rates the race a tossup, with a slight edge to Greenfield.
Former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg ― a Democrat ― said on Twitter that the exchange was “possibly the most Midwestern moment in the history of televised Senate debates.”
Following the debate, Greenfield took a victory lap on Twitter:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Lincoln Project Trolls Donald Trump Jr. With A Brutal Edit Of His ‘Crazy Ad’

The Lincoln Project , a conservative organization opposed to Donald Trump , is taking on a different member of the @ @ @ @ @ its latest effort .
The never-Trump group has given a digital makeover to a video @ @ @ @ @ The original spot was a 6-minute attack on Hunter Biden , son of Democratic presidential @ @ @ @ @ other members of the Biden family .
But the Lincoln Project ’ s version took @ @ @ @ @ back on the Trump family ― and it did the job in about a minute @

The Lincoln Project , a conservative organization opposed to Donald Trump , is taking on a different member of the president’s family in its latest effort.
The never-Trump group has given a digital makeover to a video featuring Donald Trump Jr. The original spot was a 6-minute attack on Hunter Biden, son of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, and other members of the Biden family. But the Lincoln Project’s version took those attacks and turned them back on the Trump family ― and it did the job in about a minute:


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--‘2 Different Planets’: Twitter Users Roast Dueling Trump-Biden Town Halls

President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden took part in dueling town hall events on Thursday night .
The two televised Q & A sessions were held after Trump backed out of a debate that had been scheduled between the two when organizers switched to a remote format after the president ’ s recent coronavirus diagnosis .
On NBC , Trump refused to denounce the QAnon conspiracy theory and made up false statistics about face masks .
On ABC , Biden delivered lengthy answers on issues ranging from climate change to support for people of color .
Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrasts : Folks if you are not already doing this , do it .
If you are just watching one of these # TownHalls start flipping now !
You won ’ t believe what you are about to see : a contrast in style , substance and presidential demeanor .
— Michael Steele ( @ MichaelSteele ) October 16 , 2020 BIDEN : Here 's my detailed plan to combat COVID-19 TRUMP : QAnon actually discovered Osama bin Laden alive and well in Phoenix .
I do n't know , check it out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) October 16 , 2020 Watching Joe Biden for a few minutes while I ’ ve been watching this Trump town Hall is like taking a cool drink of water after standing in front of a fan blowing a blast furnace in my face — Tom Nichols ( @ RadioFreeTom ) October 16 , 2020 I just switched over from the Trump to Biden town halls and it 's like switching from `` Ancient Aliens '' to PBS NewsHour .
— ryan teague beckwith ( @ ryanbeckwith ) October 16 , 2020 Tonight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On one channel , Joe Biden is talking up the importance of wearing a mask .
On another channel , trump is making up statistics that say masks don ’ t work .
— Adam Parkhomenko ( @ AdamParkhomenko ) October 16 , 2020 Not watching the town halls at the moment but looking at the dueling reports ( https : //t.co/ofjsSg0Tlh ) is like news from two different planets Biden : Putting through my tax plan depends on securing Senate votes Trump : HOW SHOULD I KNOW IF THE SATANIC PEDOPHILIA THING @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poniewozik ) October 16 , 2020 The only good thing about these two competing town hall events is that they show how much Biden is held to a different standard as an actual rational human being while Trump just has to get through an hour without lighting a bucket of mice on fire — Tom Nichols ( @ RadioFreeTom ) October 16 , 2020 It is exceptionally jarring to switch between the two town halls tonight .
Like two different planets — Nate Cohn ( @ Nate_Cohn ) October 16 , 2020 The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump tonight is wild .
Biden , calmly sitting and talking about infrastructure and mask mandates .
Trump , combative and challenging every question as he refuses to denounce QAnon and sows doubt in the election .
— Matt Viser ( @ mviser ) October 16 , 2020 Watching Biden inspires calm and lowers blood pressure .
Watching psycho Trump inspires asking how did this mental patient abscond the asylum ?
— Genuine Ersatz ( @ genuine_ersatz ) October 16 , 2020 Simultaneous was a disaster for Trump , it highlighted the contrast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is flipping now will go from watching deranged nonsense to seeing a calm person thoughtfully discussing the problems facing America .
https : //t.co/RfGDosj1jZ — Max Kennerly ( @ MaxKennerly ) October 16 , 2020 Biden : “ There ’ s a constitutional method to limit the appointment terms of Supreme Court justices short of court expansion ” *flips channel* Trump : “ The pedophile cult loves me , masks cause butt cancer , all of your bones are made of sadness ” — too ghoul for school ( @ jesseltaylor ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night for Trump .
The dueling town hall format showed Trump at his worst and Biden at his best .
Kinda hard to interrupt a guy who 's on another channel , ... absolutely killing it and looking like a real president .
https : //t.co/BtGzFydybc — Roshan Rinaldi ( @ Roshan_Rinaldi ) October 16 , 2020 If you could Men in Black memory wipe a roomful of people and showed them 5 minutes of each of the town halls , how many do you think would answer correctly , `` Which one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' — Schooley ( @ Rschooley ) October 16 , 2020 We want to know what you ’ re hearing on the ground from the candidates .
If you get any interesting ― or suspicious !
― campaign mailers , robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about , email us at scoops @ huffpost.com .

Folks if you are not already doing this, do it. If you are just watching one of these #TownHalls start flipping now! You won’t believe what you are about to see: a contrast in style, substance and presidential demeanor.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Rudy Giuliani Is 'Putin's Puppet' On Damning New York Daily News Cover

There are a lot of strings attached to Rudy Giuliani on the New York Daily News ’ latest front page .
The tabloid newspaper depicted President Donald Trump ’ s personal attorney as being controlled by a puppeteer , Russian President Vladimir Putin , on its cover Friday .
“ PUTIN ’ S PUPPET , ” the main headline said .
Below read , “ Rudy gets tangled in bizarre Russia-Biden plot.
” Putin 's Puppet 🤡 Rudy Giuliani gets tangled in a bizarre Russia-Biden plothttps : //t.co/9xMaOjdInH , https : //t.co/IRBgGo6fqJ ( on the night of the presidential town @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pic.twitter.com/SH2l7unmsZ — New York Daily News ( @ NYDailyNews ) October 16 , 2020 The cover story centered on a Washington Post report that U.S. intelligence officials had told the White House in 2019 that the former New York City mayor was being targeted by Russia to propagate misinformation to Trump .
The front page was published as footage emerged of Giuliani talking in a mocking Asian accent and news broke that his daughter officially endorsed Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the 2020 election .
The New York Daily News has previously portrayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trio “ The Three Stooges.
” The New Three Stooges : Larry , Moe and ... Rudy Rudy ’ s cronies tried to find political dirt on Biden .
Now they ’ re charged with running a scheme that funneled $ backing Trump ’ s reelection .
See it → https : //t.co/hWAvY0c9W7 pic.twitter.com/6ueupp1jEG — New York Daily News ( @ NYDailyNews ) October 11 , 2019

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There are a lot of strings attached to Rudy Giuliani on the New York Daily News’ latest front page.
The tabloid newspaper depicted President Donald Trump’s personal attorney as being controlled by a puppeteer, Russian President Vladimir Putin, on its cover Friday.
“PUTIN’S PUPPET,” the main headline said. Below read, “Rudy gets tangled in bizarre Russia-Biden plot.”
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Putin's Puppet 🤡
Rudy Giuliani gets tangled in a bizarre Russia-Biden plothttps://t.co/9xMaOjdInH, https://t.co/IRBgGo6fqJ
(on the night of the presidential town halls, too) https://t.co/MfLUjIsEAt pic.twitter.com/SH2l7unmsZ — New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) October 16, 2020
The cover story centered on a Washington Post report that U.S. intelligence officials had told the White House in 2019 that the former New York City mayor was being targeted by Russia to propagate misinformation to Trump.
The front page was published as footage emerged of Giuliani talking in a mocking Asian accent and news broke that his daughter officially endorsed Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
The New York Daily News has previously portrayed Giuliani as one-third of the slapstick comedy trio “The Three Stooges.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Sean Hannity Rants At Savannah Guthrie's Town Hall Tone In Staggering Self-Own

Sean Hannity led a Fox News outcry over NBC town hall moderator Savannah Guthrie ’ s questioning of President Donald Trump on Thursday ― and he did it with a head-shaking lack of self-awareness .
( See the video below . )
Guthrie ’ s tone reeked of “ political bias ” and was “ not journalism , ” the Fox News personality fumed as he accused Guthrie of acting as Democratic nominee Joe Biden ’ s “ surrogate.
” “ Today ” host Guthrie actually was widely praised for moderating the town hall like a real reporter , pressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followers of the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon , his retweeting of many unfounded conspiracy theories , his waffling on face masks , and other topics .
Fox News has been largely a safe haven for the president , with its morning and prime time personalities forming a de-facto campaign arm for the Republican administration .
Hannity , a Trump chum , has been a leader of the truth-defying effort , defending the president ’ s behavior at all costs on his show .
The sight of a journalist not letting Trump off the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NBC fake news did their best to just ambush President Trump at tonight ’ s town hall , ” Hannity said on his show after the town hall .
“ He pretty much debated Savannah Guthrie and what we all witnessed was not journalism .
It was a political debate with the morning host of the ‘ Today ’ show serving as , well , Joe Biden ’ s surrogate and it didn ’ t really work out well for her .
“ Questions , topics , tactics all reeking of nothing but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ ... Savannah , you need to get out of the New York , liberal , elitist , out-of-touch bubble that you ’ re living in and maybe read some other news or take a step outside the far-left enclave that is conspiracy TV MSNBC DNC.
” We want to know what you ’ re hearing on the ground from the candidates .
If you get any interesting ― or suspicious !
― campaign mailers , robocalls or hear anything else you think we should know about , email us at scoops @ @ @

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Sean Hannity led a Fox News outcry over NBC town hall moderator Savannah Guthrie’s questioning of President Donald Trump on Thursday ― and he did it with a head-shaking lack of self-awareness. (See the video below.)
Guthrie’s tone reeked of “political bias” and was “not journalism,” the Fox News personality fumed as he accused Guthrie of acting as Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s “surrogate.”
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“Today” host Guthrie actually was widely praised for moderating the town hall like a real reporter, pressing the president on his unwillingness to denounce followers of the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon, his retweeting of many unfounded conspiracy theories, his waffling on face masks, and other topics.
Fox News has been largely a safe haven for the president, with its morning and prime time personalities forming a de-facto campaign arm for the Republican administration. Hannity, a Trump chum, has been a leader of the truth-defying effort, defending the president’s behavior at all costs on his show.
The sight of a journalist not letting Trump off the hook seemed to enrage him.
“NBC fake news did their best to just ambush President Trump at tonight’s town hall,” Hannity said on his show after the town hall. “He pretty much debated Savannah Guthrie and what we all witnessed was not journalism. It was a political debate with the morning host of the ‘Today’ show serving as, well, Joe Biden’s surrogate and it didn’t really work out well for her.
“Questions, topics, tactics all reeking of nothing but pure political bias,” he added. “... Savannah, you need to get out of the New York, liberal, elitist, out-of-touch bubble that you’re living in and maybe read some other news or take a step outside the far-left enclave that is conspiracy TV MSNBC DNC.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Ivanka Trump’s Tree-Planting Boast Is Chopped Down By Angry Twitter Users

Critics on Twitter accused Ivanka Trump of greenwashing her father ’ s anti-environment administration after she expressed her support for a global conservation initiative .
Donald Trump ’ s daughter and adviser tweeted Thursday she was “ proud to support ” the president ’ s signing of an executive order forming the United States One Trillion Trees Interagency Council as part of the World Economic Forum ’ s project to plant 1 trillion trees worldwide by 2030 .
The issue of whether the mass planting of trees actually benefits the environment notwithstanding , Ivanka Trump was fiercely criticized for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ green issues .
The president has embraced fossil fuels and has pursued an anti-environment agenda , rolling back dozens of rules aimed at protecting natural resources .
Other detractors were skeptical about the timing of the announcement ― less than a month before the 2020 election ― and suggested it was only a cynical ploy to appeal to voters concerned about the environment .
Your administration has destroyed environmental regulations and agreements and hastened climate change .
You are killing your own children .
— Justin Hendrix ( @ justinhendrix ) October 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he can to deregulate and destroy the environment then you pretend to save trees !
— R ( @ happycan123 ) October 15 , 2020 Question : With all the deregulations where do you plan on planting these trees ?
— MapleMaven🇨🇦🇨🇦 ( @ vstaff ) October 15 , 2020 Don ’ t try to limit our use of fossil fuels as the U.S. emits more per Capita than any other country in the world .
Just plant trees which will take 30 plus years to have an impact .
It is greenwashing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( @ MrMcDollop ) October 15 , 2020 You ’ re an incredible advocate for the climate Ivanka .
A true saint if there ever was one .
Just like your dad who claims “ science doesn ’ t know ” if climate change is real .
— The Masked Candidate ( @ maskedcandidate ) October 15 , 2020 Is your father going to rake all the leaves and fallen branches ?
— Cherann 💙💙💙 ( @ cherannJAFM ) October 15 , 2020 Will that include a billion rakes to make sure the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AskingForAFriend pic.twitter.com/QrL4dAkZps — Andrea Valentini 🇨🇦 ( @ GypsySpirit1946 ) October 15 , 2020 '' Proud to support this ambitious effort to pose as a public servant to further my family 's wealth.💰💰💰 '' — Leslie ( @ diatribestress ) October 15 , 2020 Pretty sure that your dad gutted many of the environmental protections ... ... so ... ... ... — Kim VOTE Fascism Out !
🇨🇦🙋🏻♀ ( @ kls_73 ) October 15 , 2020 Planting 1 trillion trees sounds cool , but : 1 .
If you start now , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trees to reach full size 2 .
You still have to do other mitigation efforts , like decarbonization 3 .
It ’ s just a cute-sounding slogan , which is more Ivanka ’ s bag than actual policy https : //t.co/OYSlRHMb8f — Benjamin Freed ( @ brfreed ) October 15 , 2020 It 's equally important that we have clean air & water but your POS father rescinded the reg .
that prohibited the dumping of hazmat in our waterways by wealthy corps , likely his donors .
He does n't give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ //t.co/aTi065aFlg — Kate , RNP # IMPEACHEDTRUMP ~ VoteHimOutIn2020 ( @ AKRNHSNC ) October 16 , 2020 Now ?
@ realDonaldTrump had 4 yrs .
to do this !
He has taken America OUT of the Paris Agreement !
So I ’ m not buying the Trump BS !
Don didn ’ t ans .
Questions that needed to be ans .
Like ... QAnon ... white supremacy..
I want straight answers !
https : //t.co/vQFjPdfOji — STF ( @ Yangoon ) October 16 , 2020

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Critics on Twitter accused Ivanka Trump of greenwashing her father’s anti-environment administration after she expressed her support for a global conservation initiative.
Donald Trump’s daughter and adviser tweeted Thursday she was “proud to support” the president’s signing of an executive order forming the United States One Trillion Trees Interagency Council as part of the World Economic Forum’s project to plant 1 trillion trees worldwide by 2030.
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Proud to support this ambitious effort to grow and conserve one trillion trees worldwide.🌲🌲🌲 https://t.co/sYKlVOlb52 — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) October 15, 2020
The issue of whether the mass planting of trees actually benefits the environment notwithstanding, Ivanka Trump was fiercely criticized for the Trump White House’s attack on green issues. The president has embraced fossil fuels and has pursued an anti-environment agenda, rolling back dozens of rules aimed at protecting natural resources.
Other detractors were skeptical about the timing of the announcement ― less than a month before the 2020 election ― and suggested it was only a cynical ploy to appeal to voters concerned about the environment.
Your administration has destroyed environmental regulations and agreements and hastened climate change. You are killing your own children. — Justin Hendrix (@justinhendrix) October 15, 2020
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First your father does everything he can to deregulate and destroy the environment then you pretend to save trees! — R (@happycan123) October 15, 2020
Question: With all the deregulations where do you plan on planting these trees? — MapleMaven🇨🇦🇨🇦 (@vstaff) October 15, 2020
Don’t try to limit our use of fossil fuels as the U.S. emits more per Capita than any other country in the world. Just plant trees which will take 30 plus years to have an impact. It is greenwashing @GretaThunberg @SierraClubCA — Mr McDollop (@MrMcDollop) October 15, 2020
You’re an incredible advocate for the climate Ivanka. A true saint if there ever was one. Just like your dad who claims “science doesn’t know” if climate change is real. — The Masked Candidate (@maskedcandidate) October 15, 2020
Is your father going to rake all the leaves and fallen branches? — Cherann 💙💙💙 (@cherannJAFM) October 15, 2020
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Will that include a billion rakes to make sure the forest beds are fireproof?? #AskingForAFriend pic.twitter.com/QrL4dAkZps — Andrea Valentini 🇨🇦 (@GypsySpirit1946) October 15, 2020
"Proud to support this ambitious effort to pose as a public servant to further my family's wealth.💰💰💰" — Leslie (@diatribestress) October 15, 2020
Unless those trees are on a strip mine, fracking location, commercial development, or a wildlife refuge. — Trump 20 Never (@Trump20Never68) October 15, 2020
Pretty sure that your dad gutted many of the environmental protections......so......... — Kim VOTE Fascism Out! 🇨🇦🙋🏻♀ (@kls_73) October 15, 2020
Planting 1 trillion trees sounds cool, but:
1. If you start now, it’ll take about 100 years for the trees to reach full size
2. You still have to do other mitigation efforts, like decarbonization
3. It’s just a cute-sounding slogan, which is more Ivanka’s bag than actual policy https://t.co/OYSlRHMb8f — Benjamin Freed (@brfreed) October 15, 2020
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It's equally important that we have clean air & water but your POS father rescinded the reg. that prohibited the dumping of hazmat in our waterways by wealthy corps, likely his donors. He doesn't give AF about the environment! https://t.co/aTi065aFlg — Kate, RNP #IMPEACHEDTRUMP ~ VoteHimOutIn2020 (@AKRNHSNC) October 16, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Trump's Fake News: President Shares Biden-Bashing Story From Satirical Website

President Donald Trump on Friday morning attempted to bash Twitter and Democratic nominee Joe Biden by tweeting a story from a conservative satirical website that he appeared to accept as real .
Trump shared a spoof story on The Babylon Bee titled “ Twitter Shuts Down Entire Network To Slow Spread Of Negative Biden News.
” The Babylon Bee describes itself as “ the world ’ s best satire site , totally inerrant in all its truth claims ” and uses the tagline : “ Fake News You Can Trust.
” After seeing account after account tweet out one particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had to take action .
Dorsey smashed a glass box in his office reading “ Break In Case Of Bad Publicity For Democrats.
” Inside the case was a sledgehammer for smashing Twitter ’ s servers .
Dorsey ran downstairs and started smashing as many computers as he could , but he did need to ask for some help , as the hammer was pretty heavy .
“ Wow , this has never been done in history , ” the president wrote .
“ This includes his really bad interview last night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bringing more attention to Sleepy Joe & Big T. ” Twitter Shuts Down Entire Network To Slow Spread Of Negative Biden News https : //t.co/JPmjOrKPcr via @ TheBabylonBee Wow , this has never been done in history .
This includes his really bad interview last night .
Why is Twitter doing this .
Bringing more attention to Sleepy Joe & Big T — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) October 16 , 2020 Other satirical stories on The Babylon Bee recently include “ Mark Zuckerberg Pops Out Of Man ’ s Shower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Reading Is Fake News ” and “ Trump Spends Afternoon Shouting From White House Balcony During Twitter Outage.
” Trump has previously acknowledged he doesn ’ t really scrutinize what he retweets or shares with his 87 million Twitter followers .
“ You see something that looks good and you don ’ t investigate it , and you don ’ t look at what ’ s on the helmet exactly , which is in miniature , and you don ’ t blow it up , ” the president told Barstool Sports ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was chided during his town hall on NBC Thursday for retweeting conspiracy theories and misinformation .
“ You ’ re the president ; you ’ re not someone ’ s crazy uncle , ” said host Savannah Guthrie .
Following Trump ’ s fake news gaffe , Twitter users were more than happy to point out The Babylon Bee ’ s satirical nature : The leader of the free world , after being compared to a `` crazy uncle '' who will retweet anything on live TV last night , has woken up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be real news .
Dear Undecided Voters , what the hell are you `` undecided '' about ?
!
!
!
https : //t.co/sHjU7WnFmF — Dan Slott ( @ DanSlott ) October 16 , 2020 The Babylon Bee is a humor site which boasts about being Fake News .
The President of the United States of America just retweeted it as fact .
I guess that 's a step up from his QAnon RTs tho ?
https : //t.co/uGOc87DS3D pic.twitter.com/JeYdWskIfd — ( ( ( evan shapiro ) ) ) ( @ eshap @ @ @ @ @

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President Donald Trump on Friday morning attempted to bash Twitter and Democratic nominee Joe Biden by tweeting a story from a conservative satirical website that he appeared to accept as real.
Trump shared a spoof story on The Babylon Bee titled “Twitter Shuts Down Entire Network To Slow Spread Of Negative Biden News.” The Babylon Bee describes itself as “the world’s best satire site, totally inerrant in all its truth claims” and uses the tagline: “Fake News You Can Trust.”
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The spoof story contained such lines as:
After seeing account after account tweet out one particularly bad story, CEO Jack Dorsey realized he had to take action. Dorsey smashed a glass box in his office reading “Break In Case Of Bad Publicity For Democrats.” Inside the case was a sledgehammer for smashing Twitter’s servers.
And:
Dorsey ran downstairs and started smashing as many computers as he could, but he did need to ask for some help, as the hammer was pretty heavy.
Trump tweeted the article with this straight-faced comment:
“Wow, this has never been done in history,” the president wrote. “This includes his really bad interview last night. Why is Twitter doing this. Bringing more attention to Sleepy Joe & Big T.”
Twitter Shuts Down Entire Network To Slow Spread Of Negative Biden News https://t.co/JPmjOrKPcr via @TheBabylonBee Wow, this has never been done in history. This includes his really bad interview last night. Why is Twitter doing this. Bringing more attention to Sleepy Joe & Big T — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 16, 2020
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Other satirical stories on The Babylon Bee recently include “Mark Zuckerberg Pops Out Of Man’s Shower To Warn Him The Story He’s Reading Is Fake News” and “Trump Spends Afternoon Shouting From White House Balcony During Twitter Outage.”
Trump has previously acknowledged he doesn’t really scrutinize what he retweets or shares with his 87 million Twitter followers.
“You see something that looks good and you don’t investigate it, and you don’t look at what’s on the helmet exactly, which is in miniature, and you don’t blow it up,” the president told Barstool Sports’ founder Dave Portnoy in July.
Trump was chided during his town hall on NBC Thursday for retweeting conspiracy theories and misinformation. “You’re the president; you’re not someone’s crazy uncle,” said host Savannah Guthrie.
Following Trump’s fake news gaffe, Twitter users were more than happy to point out The Babylon Bee’s satirical nature:
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Babylon Bee is a satire site, you unbelievable idiot.
Christ on a cracker, you are dumb.#Trump2020Landslide #fridaymorning pic.twitter.com/SakrddgSaI — Holly Figueroa O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) October 16, 2020
THE BABYLON BEE IS A HUMOR SITE YOU CREDULOUS FOOL — Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) October 16, 2020
.......how have we not all learned this is a site that publishes satire? https://t.co/beKFztV705 — Kasie Hunt (@kasie) October 16, 2020
The leader of the free world, after being compared to a "crazy uncle" who will retweet anything on live TV last night, has woken up and retweeted a satire site believing it to be real news.
Dear Undecided Voters, what the hell are you "undecided" about?!!! https://t.co/sHjU7WnFmF — Dan Slott (@DanSlott) October 16, 2020
SATIRE IS LITERALLY DEAD https://t.co/kDiSLKQi9V — Latika M Bourke (@latikambourke) October 16, 2020
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--CNN's Brianna Keilar Exposes One Of The Most 'Cynical' Tactics Used By Trump, Fox News

CNN ’ s “ Newsroom ” host Brianna Keilar on Thursday called out the “ cynical strategy ” of President Donald Trump and his advocates at Fox News , who repeatedly push conspiracy theories in a bid to drum up support but then refuse to acknowledge when they are proven wrong .
“ They repeat them ad nauseam so that millions of viewers just end up adopting it as fact , ” Keilar said of the misinformation promoted by the president and the conservative network ’ s pro-Trump primetime personalities , such as Sean Hannity , Laura Ingraham and Tucker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that when the president and “ his enabling propagandists at Fox ” are proven wrong , “ there is no accountability , there is no apology.
” “ They just drop it like their absurd predictions never even happened , ” she said .
“ And then they move on to the next bogus BS.
” Check out the segment here : Instead of the originally scheduled presidential debate , tonight there will be dueling town halls with President Trump and Joe Biden .
@ brikeilarCNN explores Trump ’ s past excuses surrounding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newsroom ( @ CNNnewsroom ) October 15 , 2020

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CNN’s “Newsroom” host Brianna Keilar on Thursday called out the “cynical strategy” of President Donald Trump and his advocates at Fox News, who repeatedly push conspiracy theories in a bid to drum up support but then refuse to acknowledge when they are proven wrong.
“They repeat them ad nauseam so that millions of viewers just end up adopting it as fact,” Keilar said of the misinformation promoted by the president and the conservative network’s pro-Trump primetime personalities, such as Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham and Tucker Carlson.
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Keilar noted, however, that when the president and “his enabling propagandists at Fox” are proven wrong, “there is no accountability, there is no apology.”
“They just drop it like their absurd predictions never even happened,” she said. “And then they move on to the next bogus BS.”
Check out the segment here:
Instead of the originally scheduled presidential debate, tonight there will be dueling town halls with President Trump and Joe Biden. @brikeilarCNN explores Trump’s past excuses surrounding debates. #RollTheTape pic.twitter.com/t5ZzLLsC6m — CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) October 15, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--In Town Halls, Trump Defends Dangerous Theories As Biden Paints Vision For Future

President Donald Trump refused to denounce dangerous conspiracy theories and undercut efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 as former Vice President Joe Biden called for a national strategy to combat the pandemic and painted his vision for America as the two held dueling town halls Thursday night that forced viewers to choose whom to watch in prime time .
The separate events took place after the second presidential debate was scrapped amid infighting between the Trump campaign and the Commission on Presidential Debates following the president ’ s positive COVID-19 diagnosis and his refusal to participate in a virtual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combative moments of the night , Trump refused to criticize QAnon , the dangerous and baseless set of conspiracy theories that paint the president as a crusader against a shadowy cult of Satan-worshipping Democrats who traffic children for sex .
There is zero evidence to support those allegations , but the movement has gained so many supporters that it has been adopted by a growing number of Republican candidates for public office .
“ I know nothing about it , ” Trump said Thursday , attacking NBC moderator Savannah Guthrie for asking about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about it is that they are very strongly against pedophilia , and I agree with that.
” Trump also repeated his false claims about fraud being widespread with the use of advance voting and said he “ probably ” owes money to foreign banks amid The New York Times ’ extensive reporting on his tax returns .
The two candidates shared vastly different opinions about the coronavirus pandemic , which has killed more than 217,000 people in America .
The president waffled and said there were “ two stories ” behind mask-wearing despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health experts that the use of face coverings can dramatically thwart the spread of the virus .
Trump also refused to say if he had taken a coronavirus test before his first presidential debate with Biden , despite being pressed on the question by Guthrie , continuing a trend of obfuscation about his health both during and after his bout with COVID-19 .
Biden said he had taken a test that came up negative on Thursday night , as he has most days .
“ If I had not passed that test , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here and expose anybody .
“ The words of a president matter , ” Biden said earlier in the evening .
“ When a president doesn ’ t wear a mask or makes fun of folks like me when I was wearing a mask for a long time , then , you know , people say , ‘ Well , it must not be that important.
’ ” Biden , who has been consistently ahead in the polls with just under three weeks until the Nov. 3 election , was relatively muted during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into complex , and dry , explanations about his proposals to combat climate change , protect transgender rights and support Black Americans .
The former vice president was pressed on his opinions about expanding the Supreme Court in light of Trump ’ s election-season nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett , and he largely refused to share his opinions ( he said he would give an answer “ depending on how [ Republicans ] handle this ” before the election ) .
Biden , asked by ABC News moderator George Stephanopoulos how he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to undo much of the work of his predecessor and Republican lawmakers ’ attempts to stymie bipartisanship , said he would not follow in those footsteps .
“ In politics , grudges don ’ t work .
They make no sense .
I really mean it , ” Biden said .
“ We ’ ve got to change the nature of the way we deal with one another.
” We want to know what you ’ re hearing on the ground from the candidates .
If you get any interesting ― or suspicious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hear anything else you think we should know about , email us at scoops @ huffpost.com .

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President Donald Trump refused to denounce dangerous conspiracy theories and undercut efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 as former Vice President Joe Biden called for a national strategy to combat the pandemic and painted his vision for America as the two held dueling town halls Thursday night that forced viewers to choose whom to watch in prime time.
The separate events took place after the second presidential debate was scrapped amid infighting between the Trump campaign and the Commission on Presidential Debates following the president’s positive COVID-19 diagnosis and his refusal to participate in a virtual event.
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In one of the most combative moments of the night, Trump refused to criticize QAnon, the dangerous and baseless set of conspiracy theories that paint the president as a crusader against a shadowy cult of Satan-worshipping Democrats who traffic children for sex. There is zero evidence to support those allegations, but the movement has gained so many supporters that it has been adopted by a growing number of Republican candidates for public office.
“I know nothing about it,” Trump said Thursday, attacking NBC moderator Savannah Guthrie for asking about QAnon. “What I do hear about it is that they are very strongly against pedophilia, and I agree with that.”
Here’s video of Trump refusing to denounce QAnon at the NBC town hall pic.twitter.com/BmSHGYSlxO — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 16, 2020
Trump also repeated his false claims about fraud being widespread with the use of advance voting and said he “probably” owes money to foreign banks amid The New York Times’ extensive reporting on his tax returns.
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The two candidates shared vastly different opinions about the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 217,000 people in America. The president waffled and said there were “two stories” behind mask-wearing despite ongoing medical advice from America’s health experts that the use of face coverings can dramatically thwart the spread of the virus.
Trump also refused to say if he had taken a coronavirus test before his first presidential debate with Biden, despite being pressed on the question by Guthrie, continuing a trend of obfuscation about his health both during and after his bout with COVID-19.
“I probably did, and I took a test the day before and the day before,” Trump said. “Possibly I did. Possibly I didn’t.”
Biden said he had taken a test that came up negative on Thursday night, as he has most days. “If I had not passed that test, I wouldn’t want to come here and expose anybody.
“The words of a president matter,” Biden said earlier in the evening. “When a president doesn’t wear a mask or makes fun of folks like me when I was wearing a mask for a long time, then, you know, people say, ‘Well, it must not be that important.’”
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At the same moment that Trump was refusing to disavow QAnon, Biden on ABC was saying that "when a president doesn't wear a mask, or makes fun of folks like me when I was wearing a mask for a long time, then people say it mustn't be that important." A jarring contrast. pic.twitter.com/rqppKQDUrs — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 16, 2020
Biden, who has been consistently ahead in the polls with just under three weeks until the Nov. 3 election, was relatively muted during his event on ABC, often going into complex, and dry, explanations about his proposals to combat climate change, protect transgender rights and support Black Americans.
The former vice president was pressed on his opinions about expanding the Supreme Court in light of Trump’s election-season nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett, and he largely refused to share his opinions (he said he would give an answer “depending on how [Republicans] handle this” before the election).
He also called his decision to support a 1994 crime bill he was instrumental in supporting at least partially a “mistake.”
Biden, asked by ABC News moderator George Stephanopoulos how he would use his own tenure as president to undo much of the work of his predecessor and Republican lawmakers’ attempts to stymie bipartisanship, said he would not follow in those footsteps.
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“In politics, grudges don’t work. They make no sense. I really mean it,” Biden said. “We’ve got to change the nature of the way we deal with one another.”
At the end of his event, Trump was asked why he deserves a second term. His response was brief:
“Because I’ve done a great job,” he said.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-16--Bob Woodward, Wolf Blitzer Claim GOP Senators Privately Criticize Donald Trump

The different ways some GOP senators talk about President Donald Trump in private and then in public was highlighted by the famed Watergate journalist Bob Woodward and CNN ’ s Wolf Blitzer on Thursday ’ s broadcast of “ The Situation Room.
” Woodward — whose new book “ Rage ” revealed how Trump intentionally misled the public about the coronavirus threat while privately knowing the danger ― warned that the “ world of private truth and public untruth ” among Republican lawmakers was “ very dangerous ” for the United States .
Audio surfaced this week of Sen. Ben @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call with constituents slamming Trump ’ s mishandling of the pandemic and flirtations with white supremacists .
Sasse , who has publicly backed Trump on most issues , said the president ’ s values are “ deficient , not just for a Republican , but for an American.
” Woodward said Sasse “ got caught telling the truth.
” He said he knows “ other Republican senators who feel exactly the same way , ” but “ have not yet been caught and more catastrophically they won ’ t share with the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added that he ’ s heard “ from a whole bunch of Republicans who are refusing to go public in saying things like this , privately they will say these things but they ’ re afraid of the president , they don ’ t want to say anything like this publicly.
” “ Step back on this and the horror of it that we have the world of private truth and public untruth , ” said Woodward .
“ The job of public officials is to find some way to get the private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost a crime against every voter in this country to not somehow break down that barrier .
”

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The different ways some GOP senators talk about President Donald Trump in private and then in public was highlighted by the famed Watergate journalist Bob Woodward and CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Thursday’s broadcast of “The Situation Room.”
Woodward — whose new book “Rage” revealed how Trump intentionally misled the public about the coronavirus threat while privately knowing the danger ― warned that the “world of private truth and public untruth” among Republican lawmakers was “very dangerous” for the United States.
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Audio surfaced this week of Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) in a call with constituents slamming Trump’s mishandling of the pandemic and flirtations with white supremacists. Sasse, who has publicly backed Trump on most issues, said the president’s values are “deficient, not just for a Republican, but for an American.”
Woodward said Sasse “got caught telling the truth.” He said he knows “other Republican senators who feel exactly the same way,” but “have not yet been caught and more catastrophically they won’t share with the public the private conclusion they have.”
Blitzer added that he’s heard “from a whole bunch of Republicans who are refusing to go public in saying things like this, privately they will say these things but they’re afraid of the president, they don’t want to say anything like this publicly.”
“Step back on this and the horror of it that we have the world of private truth and public untruth,” said Woodward. “The job of public officials is to find some way to get the private into the mainstream. It really is almost a crime against every voter in this country to not somehow break down that barrier.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-10-15--U.S. Intelligence Warned White House Giuliani Was Target Of Russia Disinformation: Report

The White House was told last year by U.S. intelligence officials that Rudy Giuliani , President Donald Trump ’ s personal lawyer , was the target of a Russian effort campaign to peddle misinformation to Trump , according to The Washington Post .
The intelligence was based on sources and communications showing Giuliani interacted with associates of Russian intelligence in December 2019 , when the former New York City mayor was on a trip to Ukraine attempting to gather information to expose supposed corruption by the now-Democratic presidential nominee , Joe Biden , and his son Hunter , unnamed former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information has surfaced to back the corruption allegations .
After national security adviser Robert O ’ Brien warned Trump in a private conversation that Giuliani could be bringing back Russian misinformation from Ukraine , Trump reportedly dismissed the concerns and said , “ That ’ s Rudy , ” a former official told the Post .
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Ullyot said in a statement to HuffPost late Thursday : “ National Security Advisor O ’ Brien and White House Counsel Cipollone meet with the President frequently on a variety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not comment on sensitive intelligence topics , or on the advice he provides President Trump .
He can say that the President always treats such briefings with the utmost seriousness .
The characterization of the meeting as described in this article is not accurate.
” The New York Post this week published a thinly sourced article making unverified claims about Biden and his son , citing emails that the newspaper said had come from Giuliani and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon .
The article appeared to have connections to a Russian disinformation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year identified as a Russian “ agent ” a Ukrainian man , Andrii Derkach , who Giuliani had met with last year .
Derkach was one of several agents attempting to influence U.S. elections , per Treasury .
Last year , Giuliani said in an interview that there ’ s “ nothing wrong with taking information from Russians.
” The report issued last year by special counsel Robert Mueller detailed how the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election .
It also described at least 10 instances in which Trump may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mueller ’ s investigation .
Last month , FBI Director Christopher Wray confirmed that Russia is currently meddling in the 2020 election , including by trying to “ denigrate ” Biden .

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The White House was told last year by U.S. intelligence officials that Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, was the target of a Russian effort campaign to peddle misinformation to Trump, according to The Washington Post.
The intelligence was based on sources and communications showing Giuliani interacted with associates of Russian intelligence in December 2019, when the former New York City mayor was on a trip to Ukraine attempting to gather information to expose supposed corruption by the now-Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden, and his son Hunter, unnamed former officials told the Post. No credible information has surfaced to back the corruption allegations.
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After national security adviser Robert O’Brien warned Trump in a private conversation that Giuliani could be bringing back Russian misinformation from Ukraine, Trump reportedly dismissed the concerns and said, “That’s Rudy,” a former official told the Post.
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Ullyot said in a statement to HuffPost late Thursday: “National Security Advisor O’Brien and White House Counsel Cipollone meet with the President frequently on a variety of matters. Ambassador O’Brien does not comment on sensitive intelligence topics, or on the advice he provides President Trump. He can say that the President always treats such briefings with the utmost seriousness. The characterization of the meeting as described in this article is not accurate.”
The New York Post this week published a thinly sourced article making unverified claims about Biden and his son, citing emails that the newspaper said had come from Giuliani and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon. The article appeared to have connections to a Russian disinformation campaign.
Giuliani has repeatedly pushed unsubstantiated claims about the Bidens and corruption related to Ukraine.
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The Treasury Department earlier this year identified as a Russian “agent” a Ukrainian man, Andrii Derkach, who Giuliani had met with last year. Derkach was one of several agents attempting to influence U.S. elections, per Treasury.
Last year, Giuliani said in an interview that there’s “nothing wrong with taking information from Russians.”
The report issued last year by special counsel Robert Mueller detailed how the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election. It also described at least 10 instances in which Trump may have obstructed justice by trying to interfere with Mueller’s investigation.