thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-27--2 Injured After Car Plows Into Crowd Of California Demonstrators

YORBA LINDA , Calif. ( AP ) — Two people were struck by a car and injured Saturday during a Southern California demonstration involving members of Black Lives Matter and counter-protesters .
The injured people were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries , and the driver of the car was detained , said Carrie Braun , spokeswoman for the Orange County Sheriff ’ s Department .
Orange County Sheriff deputies keep protesters and counter protesters apart during demonstrations in Yorba Linda , Calif. , on Saturday .
Counter-protesters crossed six-lane Imperial Highway and confronted the BLM protesters , authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other in the parking lot of the Yorba Linda public library , Braun said .
A white sedan went through the crowd in the parking lot or the exit of the parking lot at the public library , injuring two people , Braun said .
People chased the car as it tried to drive away , and it was eventually stopped and was surrounded by police , she said .
The Register reported it was not known how fast the car was going .
The back windshield had been broken out , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
The front windshield was smashed , the Register reported .
An unidentified woman is seen being taken into custody after witnesses said she drove her car into a crowd of protesters in Yorba Linda , leaving two people injured .
Braun said there were 300 people total and at some point it was declared an unlawful assembly and dispersal orders were given .
Los Angeles police said Friday the preliminary investigation found that the driver was attempting to maneuver through the crowd when protesters began beating the vehicle with sticks and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driver was attempting to drive away from the situation when he struck the protester .
The driver stopped several blocks away and cooperated with officers .
He was released pending the outcome of the investigation .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
YORBA LINDA, Calif. (AP) — Two people were struck by a car and injured Saturday during a Southern California demonstration involving members of Black Lives Matter and counter-protesters.
The incident occurred in the city of Yorba Linda, about 30 miles (48.2 kilometers) southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
Advertisement
The injured people were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and the driver of the car was detained, said Carrie Braun, spokeswoman for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
The incident occurred as members of Black Lives Matter demonstrated against police brutality and systemic racism.
Orange County Sheriff deputies keep protesters and counter protesters apart during demonstrations in Yorba Linda, Calif., on Saturday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Counter-protesters crossed six-lane Imperial Highway and confronted the BLM protesters, authorities said. The protesters also confronted each other in the parking lot of the Yorba Linda public library, Braun said.
Advertisement
A white sedan went through the crowd in the parking lot or the exit of the parking lot at the public library, injuring two people, Braun said. People chased the car as it tried to drive away, and it was eventually stopped and was surrounded by police, she said.
The Register reported it was not known how fast the car was going. The back windshield had been broken out, and it had a flagpole sticking out of it. The front windshield was smashed, the Register reported.
The female driver of the car was detained, Braun said.
An unidentified woman is seen being taken into custody after witnesses said she drove her car into a crowd of protesters in Yorba Linda, leaving two people injured. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Braun said there were 300 people total and at some point it was declared an unlawful assembly and dispersal orders were given.
On Thursday night, a protester was struck by a pickup truck during a march in Hollywood and suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Advertisement
Los Angeles police said Friday the preliminary investigation found that the driver was attempting to maneuver through the crowd when protesters began beating the vehicle with sticks and attempted to open the door.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-27--Shooting At Large Biker Gathering In Iowa Leaves 1 Dead, 7 Injured

WATERLOO , Iowa ( AP ) — Gunfire erupted early Saturday at a gathering of motorcycle clubs in Iowa , killing one person and wounding seven others , authorities said .
About 100 people were at the gathering inside a building in Waterloo when there was “ some kind of confrontation shortly after 3 a.m. , Joel Fitzgerald , the police chief of the city about 90 miles northeast of Des Moines , said at a news conference .
Officers were nearby at a traffic stop when the shooting started , said Capt .
Joe Leibold with the Waterloo Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chaotic scene , with people hurt and others fleeing the area , and they began administering aid as paramedics and firefighters pulled up .
“ It was a pretty dynamic scene , ” said Battalion Chief Ben Petersen with Waterloo Fire Rescue .
“ Coming into something like that , you are trying to size up the patients and triage the scene.
” Nearby police officers heard the gunfire and responded within seconds , Fitzgerald said .
Eight people had gunshot wounds and one of them later died .
Four other people were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while fleeing .
The gathering wasn ’ t authorized and investigators were trying to determine who leased the building , Fitzgerald said at a news conference .
Investigators are still trying to determine whether there was more than one shooter and no arrests have been made in the shooting .
Leibold said police do not believe it was a random act and the public is not in danger .
Three people were arrested after officers responded to a disorderly conduct call outside the emergency room at MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center , where some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported .

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Gunfire erupted early Saturday at a gathering of motorcycle clubs in Iowa, killing one person and wounding seven others, authorities said.
About 100 people were at the gathering inside a building in Waterloo when there was “some kind of confrontation shortly after 3 a.m., Joel Fitzgerald, the police chief of the city about 90 miles northeast of Des Moines, said at a news conference.
Officers were nearby at a traffic stop when the shooting started, said Capt. Joe Leibold with the Waterloo Police Department. They arrived to find a chaotic scene, with people hurt and others fleeing the area, and they began administering aid as paramedics and firefighters pulled up.
Advertisement
“It was a pretty dynamic scene,” said Battalion Chief Ben Petersen with Waterloo Fire Rescue. “Coming into something like that, you are trying to size up the patients and triage the scene.”
Nearby police officers heard the gunfire and responded within seconds, Fitzgerald said. Eight people had gunshot wounds and one of them later died. Four other people were hurt by broken glass or other debris while fleeing.
The gathering wasn’t authorized and investigators were trying to determine who leased the building, Fitzgerald said at a news conference. Investigators are still trying to determine whether there was more than one shooter and no arrests have been made in the shooting.
Leibold said police do not believe it was a random act and the public is not in danger.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-27--Portland Sees Another Night Of Protests But Lower Turnout At Right-Wing Rally

PORTLAND , Ore. ― Police clashed with anti-racism protesters and members of the press in downtown Portland , Oregon into early Sunday morning , making more than a dozen arrests .
The violence followed a relatively peaceful rally by the right-wing Proud Boys group and counter protests by anti-fascist and Black Lives Matter activists on Saturday .
Videos shot by people at the scene showed police throwing protesters and photographers to the ground and jabbing them with batons as they drove them out of an area near Portland ’ s federal courthouse .
Police declared a riot after they said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with Multnomah County Sheriff ’ s Office reporting over 12 arrests .
The Northwest city has seen four months of anti-racism protests and escalating political violence between left and right-wing activists in the run-up to the Nov.3 presidential election .
Dressed in trademark black and yellow polo shirts and body armor , hundreds of Proud Boys supporters rallied to end what they called “ domestic terrorism ” in Democratic-run Portland .
A person holds a weapon and a flag as members of the Proud Boys and other right-wing demonstrators gather in Portland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally by only hundreds showed up .
“ They ’ ve allowed 120 days of rioting and looting and murder happening within our streets and we ’ re locals so we ’ re just tired of this , that ’ s why we ’ re out here today , ” said Haley Adams , wearing an anti-stab vest and a stars and stripes bandana .
The self-declared “ Western chauvinist ” Proud Boys had forecast a crowd of at least 10,000 but police said fewer than 1,000 were present .
Police reported four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ videos showed a person pushing a reporter to the ground and kicking him in the face .
Police said they were investigating the assault of a person documenting the gathering .
Portland police disperse a crowd of protesters past a mural of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in Portland on Saturday .
Oregon Governor Kate Brown declared a state of emergency prior to Saturday 's protest and Proud Boy rally .
State Governor Kate Brown declared a weekend state of emergency for Oregon ’ s biggest city , saying large numbers of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of state to attend the rally .
City and state leaders said in a letter to the community that Proud Boys supporters planned to cause chaos and violence but that had yet to materialize by early Sunday morning .
Proud Boys leaders said their presence pushed Brown to declare an emergency and create the kind of state and local police task force needed to keep the peace in a city President Donald Trump has called an “ anarchist jurisdiction.
” Anti-racism protesters and police face off in the streets of Portland on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were arrested .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
PORTLAND, Ore. ― Police clashed with anti-racism protesters and members of the press in downtown Portland, Oregon into early Sunday morning, making more than a dozen arrests.
The violence followed a relatively peaceful rally by the right-wing Proud Boys group and counter protests by anti-fascist and Black Lives Matter activists on Saturday.
Advertisement
Videos shot by people at the scene showed police throwing protesters and photographers to the ground and jabbing them with batons as they drove them out of an area near Portland’s federal courthouse.
Protesters burned a U.S. flag and scuffled with police trying to arrest fellow demonstrators.
Members of the Proud Boys and other right-wing demonstrators rally on Saturday in Portland, Ore. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Police declared a riot after they said rocks and cans were thrown at officers, with Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office reporting over 12 arrests.
Portland Police did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment on the overnight clashes.
Advertisement
The Northwest city has seen four months of anti-racism protests and escalating political violence between left and right-wing activists in the run-up to the Nov.3 presidential election.
Dressed in trademark black and yellow polo shirts and body armor, hundreds of Proud Boys supporters rallied to end what they called “domestic terrorism” in Democratic-run Portland.
A person holds a weapon and a flag as members of the Proud Boys and other right-wing demonstrators gather in Portland. Thousands were expected to attend the rally by only hundreds showed up. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“They’ve allowed 120 days of rioting and looting and murder happening within our streets and we’re locals so we’re just tired of this, that’s why we’re out here today,” said Haley Adams, wearing an anti-stab vest and a stars and stripes bandana.
The self-declared “Western chauvinist” Proud Boys had forecast a crowd of at least 10,000 but police said fewer than 1,000 were present.
Advertisement
Police reported four arrests related to the rally. Online videos showed a person pushing a reporter to the ground and kicking him in the face. Police said they were investigating the assault of a person documenting the gathering.
Portland police disperse a crowd of protesters past a mural of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in Portland on Saturday. Oregon Governor Kate Brown declared a state of emergency prior to Saturday's protest and Proud Boy rally. Nathan Howard via Getty Images
State Governor Kate Brown declared a weekend state of emergency for Oregon’s biggest city, saying large numbers of “white supremacist groups” were traveling from out of state to attend the rally.
City and state leaders said in a letter to the community that Proud Boys supporters planned to cause chaos and violence but that had yet to materialize by early Sunday morning.
Proud Boys leaders said their presence pushed Brown to declare an emergency and create the kind of state and local police task force needed to keep the peace in a city President Donald Trump has called an “anarchist jurisdiction.”
Advertisement
Anti-racism protesters and police face off in the streets of Portland on Saturday. More than a dozen people were arrested. Nathan Howard via Getty Images
“It’s crazy that it takes us to come here to solve things,” Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio said in video on the group’s Parler page.
Democratic presidential hopeful former Vice President Joe Biden has said Trump’s rhetoric is stoking violence.
As the Proud Boys rally broke up, Portland Police stopped vehicles for traffic violations, confiscated firearms, paintball guns, baseball bats and shields, and issued two citations for unlawful firearm possession.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-28--How Dirty Is Cash Anyway?

How Dirty Is Cash Anyway?

During the COVID-19 pandemic , we ’ ve all become more aware of the many places germs can live , from certain surfaces of buildings to everyday objects .
One frequently touched item that people are rethinking is cash .
Over the past six months , many stores and restaurants have gone cashless , instead limiting forms of payment to debit and credit cards or digital systems like Apple Pay .
In March , South Korea removed all bank notes from circulation for two weeks for disinfection — and even burned some — to slow the spread of the disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Months into the pandemic , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clarified that transmission through surfaces might not be as common as originally feared .
But that doesn ’ t mean paper money is totally germ-free .
So how dirty is cash anyway ?
Dollar bills tend to circulate for about 6.6 years , according to the Federal Reserve , so there ’ s plenty of opportunity to pick up germs .
A 2002 study from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio tested 68 bills and found that 94 % were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deposit bacteria from three areas of the body ― respiratory secretions from the nose and mouth like streptococci , skin organisms like staphylococci , and fecal matter .
As a society , we ’ re actually bathed in feces , ” Tierno said .
“ Luckily for us , not everything is a pathogen , and we do have an immune response which tries to combat infection , ” he added .
“ In addition , it takes a certain number of organisms to cause an infection , which varies depending on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be infected with salmonella , you ’ d need to take in or ingest a high amount of bacteria to overcome your normal gut flora , while theoretically only a few viral particles can give rise to an episode of norovirus.
” “ New money has a proprietary antimicrobial substance in it , so they ’ re less likely to support microbes , ” Tierno explained .
“ But it wears out over time , so the older the money is , the more likely there are microbes on it .
Heat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so you might find large quantities of microorganisms on money handled by a New York City hot dog vendor in the summer who ’ s dealing with oily materials that help microorganisms survive more readily.
” There are traces of cocaine on as many as 80 % and 90 % of paper bills .
A 2001 study detected heroin on 70 % , methamphetamine on 30 % and PCP on 20 % of cash .
Yeast , mold , animal DNA and food particles are just some of the other things found on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sanitize your hands a little more often .
Tierno noted that you ’ re not extremely likely to get ill from cash but emphasized that it ’ s a good idea to wash your hands when handling money or other high-touch items , especially during the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ Prior to touching your mouth , eyes or nose ― big points of entry into your body from your hands ― you should wash your hands , ” he said .
” Money is not necessarily the biggest conduit for infection , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day by different people , like your phone , can be a problem .
That ’ s why you should periodically disinfect your phone as well.
” When it comes to slowing the spread of the coronavirus , Tierno has summed up his views in his new book , “ First , Wear a Face Mask : A Doctor ’ s Guide to Reducing Risk of Infection During the Pandemic and Beyond .
”

Juanmonino via Getty Images Researchers have found thousands of types of bacteria on paper currency.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve all become more aware of the many places germs can live, from certain surfaces of buildings to everyday objects. One frequently touched item that people are rethinking is cash.
Over the past six months, many stores and restaurants have gone cashless, instead limiting forms of payment to debit and credit cards or digital systems like Apple Pay. In March, South Korea removed all bank notes from circulation for two weeks for disinfection — and even burned some — to slow the spread of the disease. China took similar steps in February.
Advertisement
Months into the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clarified that transmission through surfaces might not be as common as originally feared. But that doesn’t mean paper money is totally germ-free. So how dirty is cash anyway?
“As humans, we’re bathed in microbes,” Philip M. Tierno, a professor of microbiology and pathology at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, told HuffPost. “They’re all over us and the things we handle.”
In 2014, researchers from NYU’s Center for Genomics & System Biology identified roughly 3,000 types of bacteria on dollar bills from a Manhattan bank. These microbes included bacteria linked to food poisoning, staph infections, gastric ulcers and pneumonia.
“As humans, we’re bathed in microbes.” - Philip M. Tierno, professor at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine
Advertisement
Dollar bills tend to circulate for about 6.6 years, according to the Federal Reserve, so there’s plenty of opportunity to pick up germs. A 2002 study from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio tested 68 bills and found that 94% were contaminated with bacteria.
“Typically humans deposit bacteria from three areas of the body ― respiratory secretions from the nose and mouth like streptococci, skin organisms like staphylococci, and fecal matter. As a society, we’re actually bathed in feces,” Tierno said.
“Luckily for us, not everything is a pathogen, and we do have an immune response which tries to combat infection,” he added. “In addition, it takes a certain number of organisms to cause an infection, which varies depending on the pathogen. In order for the body to be infected with salmonella, you’d need to take in or ingest a high amount of bacteria to overcome your normal gut flora, while theoretically only a few viral particles can give rise to an episode of norovirus.”
He added that scientists are still studying the coronavirus to see how many viral particles are generally needed to overcome immunity.
Tierno also noted that he’s found more microbes on paper bills than on coins.
“Coinage has metal components like nickel, copper, silver and zinc, some of which can be antimicrobial,” he explained. “So on coinage you’ll find lower amounts.”
Advertisement
MarioGuti via Getty Images Newer bills typically don't have as many microbes as older money.
Other factors that affect the microorganism count include how old a bill is and the time of year.
“New money has a proprietary antimicrobial substance in it, so they’re less likely to support microbes,” Tierno explained. “But it wears out over time, so the older the money is, the more likely there are microbes on it. Heat and moisture also make a difference, so you might find large quantities of microorganisms on money handled by a New York City hot dog vendor in the summer who’s dealing with oily materials that help microorganisms survive more readily.”
Research also suggests that lower-denomination bills are likely to have higher quantities of microorganisms because they’re handled more often.
Other substances frequently detected on cash? Drugs.
There are traces of cocaine on as many as 80% and 90% of paper bills. A 2001 study detected heroin on 70%, methamphetamine on 30% and PCP on 20% of cash.
“Money is not necessarily the biggest conduit for infection, but any object touched multiple times in the day by different people, like your phone, can be a problem.” - Tierno
Advertisement
Yeast, mold, animal DNA and food particles are just some of the other things found on paper currency that might make you want to sanitize your hands a little more often.
Tierno noted that you’re not extremely likely to get ill from cash but emphasized that it’s a good idea to wash your hands when handling money or other high-touch items, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Prior to touching your mouth, eyes or nose ― big points of entry into your body from your hands ― you should wash your hands,” he said. ”Money is not necessarily the biggest conduit for infection, but any object touched multiple times in the day by different people, like your phone, can be a problem. That’s why you should periodically disinfect your phone as well.”
When it comes to slowing the spread of the coronavirus, Tierno has summed up his views in his new book, “First, Wear a Face Mask: A Doctor’s Guide to Reducing Risk of Infection During the Pandemic and Beyond.”
“Wearing a mask is very important, as is keeping a safe distance,” he said. “That’s a normal thing that people should be doing until we have a vaccine and herd immunity.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-28--COVID-19 Surging In Red States Just Weeks Before Election

Despite President Donald Trump ’ s repeated insistence that COVID-19 is largely a blue state problem , cases are surging in red states just five weeks before the election .
Cases nationwide , which have generally been down from July , are now again ticking upward .
The Wisconsin Health Department reported 2,817 new cases Saturday — its highest daily total since the pandemic began .
South Dakota also experienced its highest daily total — 579 new cases .
Critics have slammed Trump for turning the battle against the coronavirus into a partisan issue , and argue that there should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has already killed more than 204,000 Americans .
Trump admitted he intentionally misled Americans about the seriousness of the pandemic , claiming he didn ’ t want to panic people with the truth .
Health experts say his failed leadership is reflected in the U.S. toll of deaths and infections ― the highest in the world .
Trump insisted in a press conference earlier this month that the U.S. death toll is “ very low ... if you take the blue states out ” — without offering any evidence .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you take the blue states out , we ’ re at a level that I don ’ t think anybody in the world would be at , ” Trump insisted .
“ We ’ re really at a very low level , but some of the states — they were blue states , and blue-state management.
” Two of the five states with the highest death tolls , Texas and Florida , are currently controlled by Republicans .
In mid-September , deaths were almost evenly divided between red and blue states .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ political rallies throughout election season , with few attendees wearing face masks or observing social distancing — ignoring guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Pennsylvania ’ s Democratic Gov .
Tom Wolf last week slammed Trump for staging two rallies in his state without safety protocols to protect attendees ’ health .
“ It is gravely concerning that the president would insist on holding this event with blatant disregard for social distancing and masking requirements , ” Wolf said in a statement .
” Americans should be very concerned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publicity above the health and safety of our families and communities .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Despite President Donald Trump’s repeated insistence that COVID-19 is largely a blue state problem, cases are surging in red states just five weeks before the election.
Advertisement
Cases nationwide, which have generally been down from July, are now again ticking upward.
Critics have slammed Trump for turning the battle against the coronavirus into a partisan issue, and argue that there should be a national mobilization against a disease that has already killed more than 204,000 Americans.
Trump admitted he intentionally misled Americans about the seriousness of the pandemic, claiming he didn’t want to panic people with the truth. Health experts say his failed leadership is reflected in the U.S. toll of deaths and infections ― the highest in the world.
Advertisement
Trump continues to politicize the coronavirus.
COVID isn't a red state or blue state issue. 9 of the 10 states with the most infections per capita have Republican governors. This virus has impacted all Americans. pic.twitter.com/jhJ9hjK05F — DNC War Room (@DNCWarRoom) September 16, 2020
Trump insisted in a press conference earlier this month that the U.S. death toll is “very low ... if you take the blue states out” — without offering any evidence.
“The blue states had tremendous death rates. If you take the blue states out, we’re at a level that I don’t think anybody in the world would be at,” Trump insisted. “We’re really at a very low level, but some of the states — they were blue states, and blue-state management.”
Two of the five states with the highest death tolls, Texas and Florida, are currently controlled by Republicans. In mid-September, deaths were almost evenly divided between red and blue states.
Meanwhile, Trump has been holding jam-packed political rallies throughout election season, with few attendees wearing face masks or observing social distancing — ignoring guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Advertisement
Pennsylvania’s Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf last week slammed Trump for staging two rallies in his state without safety protocols to protect attendees’ health.
“It is gravely concerning that the president would insist on holding this event with blatant disregard for social distancing and masking requirements,” Wolf said in a statement. ”Americans should be very concerned that the president has put headlines and publicity above the health and safety of our families and communities.”
Check out this COVID infection rate map. Almost a perfect overlay with red state America as we head towards the final month of the campaign. https://t.co/3dAUcOmNkA — Mike Madrid (@madrid_mike) September 27, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-27--Trump’s Massive Hairstyling Bill Revealed In NYT Bombshell Tax Report

The New York Times ’ s explosive report on President Donald Trump ’ s years of alleged tax avoidance also exposed another secret : the cost of his coif .
The Times says Trump ’ s unmistakable hairdo is a five-figure affair .
The newspaper reports that when Trump hosted “ The Apprentice , ” he wrote off $ 70,000 in hairstyling costs ; and that nine Trump entities have written off payments of close to $ 95,000 for “ a favorite hair and makeup artist of Ivanka Trump.
” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-N.Y. ) , who was slammed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , noted that those same conservatives are silent over the president ’ s massive styling bill .
And she called them out for it : Last year Republicans blasted a firehose of hatred + vitriol my way because I treated myself to a $ 250 cut & lowlights on my birthday .
Where ’ s the criticism of their idol spending $ 70k on hairstyling ?
Oh , it ’ s nowhere because they ’ re spineless , misogynistic hypocrites ?
Got it .
https : //t.co/xCQGwW7EK5 — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times report says Trump paid $ 750 a year in taxes in 2016 , another $ 750 in 2017 , and ― despite his claims of being a successful businessman ― nothing at all in 10 of the previous years due to massive financial losses .
Trump called the report “ fake news ” but has not revealed his taxes , despite repeated vows to do so .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The New York Times’s explosive report on President Donald Trump’s years of alleged tax avoidance also exposed another secret: the cost of his coif.
The Times says Trump’s unmistakable hairdo is a five-figure affair.
The newspaper reports that when Trump hosted “The Apprentice,” he wrote off $70,000 in hairstyling costs; and that nine Trump entities have written off payments of close to $95,000 for “a favorite hair and makeup artist of Ivanka Trump.”
Advertisement
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who was slammed in right-wing media over a haircut last year, noted that those same conservatives are silent over the president’s massive styling bill.
And she called them out for it:
Last year Republicans blasted a firehose of hatred + vitriol my way because I treated myself to a $250 cut & lowlights on my birthday.
Where’s the criticism of their idol spending $70k on hairstyling?
Oh, it’s nowhere because they’re spineless, misogynistic hypocrites? Got it. https://t.co/xCQGwW7EK5 — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) September 28, 2020
The Times report says Trump paid $750 a year in taxes in 2016, another $750 in 2017, and ― despite his claims of being a successful businessman ― nothing at all in 10 of the previous years due to massive financial losses.
Trump called the report “fake news” but has not revealed his taxes, despite repeated vows to do so.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-28--Trump's Old Tweet About Obama’s Taxes Is Looking Super Awkward Now

An old post from President Donald Trump complaining about taxes paid by then-President Barack Obama is looking especially awkward in light of the explosive New York Times report about his own taxes .
Obama in 2011 paid $ 162,074 in federal taxes on gross income of $ 789,674 , according to the return he released that year .
Trump has not released his own taxes , but the New York Times reported on Sunday that he paid no federal income taxes that year .
Yet on Twitter , Trump at the time complained that Obama ’ s rate was 20.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s resurfaced in light of the new revelations : @ BarackObama who wants to raise all our taxes , only pays 20.5 % on $ 790k salary .
http : //t.co/bqF26mQf Do as I say not as I do .
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) April 13 , 2012 The Los Angeles Times reported at the time that Obama ’ s tax rate was slightly lower than average for people in his tier due to $ 172,130 in charitable donations that year .
Trump ’ s write-offs include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Apprentice , ” while much of his charitable giving was in the form of conservation easements , or agreements not to develop certain properties , including land around an estate the Trumps use as a family retreat .
Trump , the Times reported , paid just $ 750 per year in federal income tax in 2016 and 2017 and nothing in 10 of the previous 15 years due to massive financial losses .
The newspaper noted at one point that 2014 marked four years in a row where Trump paid nothing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2011 , the same year Obama paid $ 162,074 in federal taxes , and also zero in 2012 , when he fired off that tweet .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
An old post from President Donald Trump complaining about taxes paid by then-President Barack Obama is looking especially awkward in light of the explosive New York Times report about his own taxes.
Obama in 2011 paid $162,074 in federal taxes on gross income of $789,674, according to the return he released that year.
Advertisement
Trump has not released his own taxes, but the New York Times reported on Sunday that he paid no federal income taxes that year.
Yet on Twitter, Trump at the time complained that Obama’s rate was 20.5%, according to an old tweet that’s resurfaced in light of the new revelations:
@BarackObama who wants to raise all our taxes, only pays 20.5% on $790k salary. http://t.co/bqF26mQf Do as I say not as I do. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 13, 2012
The Los Angeles Times reported at the time that Obama’s tax rate was slightly lower than average for people in his tier due to $172,130 in charitable donations that year.
Advertisement
Trump’s write-offs include $70,000 in hairstyling costs for “The Apprentice,” while much of his charitable giving was in the form of conservation easements, or agreements not to develop certain properties, including land around an estate the Trumps use as a family retreat.
Trump, the Times reported, paid just $750 per year in federal income tax in 2016 and 2017 and nothing in 10 of the previous 15 years due to massive financial losses.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-28--Biden Campaign Shreds Trump With New Ad, Snarky Merch After Stunning Tax Report

Trump paid just $ 750 in federal income tax in both 2016 and 2017 , and did not pay any tax in 10 of the 15 years prior to that , according to the Times , which based its reporting on tax return data that extends across more than two decades .
The Times also reported Trump is personally responsible for $ 421 million in debt and other loans that are largely coming due in the next four years .
Within hours of the article ’ s publication , Biden ’ s team released an ad contrasting Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American taxpayers .
The campaign website ’ s fundraising store was also updated to include “ I paid more income taxes than Donald Trump ” vinyl stickers .
The ad is the first statement from the Biden camp on the report .
Biden retweeted the clip , but did not comment further .
Trump vowed during his 2016 campaign that he would release his tax returns , but reneged once he took office and has fought fiercely in court to keep his tax information secret from Congress and from prosecutors investigating possible fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a news conference on Sunday evening .
He did not offer any evidence to the contrary , but repeated his tired claim that he ’ ll reveal his tax filings when the IRS completes its audit on him .
An audit does not prevent him from releasing his tax data .
“ Shock of shocks !
Donald Trump , the self-proclaimed billionaire , received a $ 72.9 million tax refund from the IRS while not paying a nickel in federal income taxes in 10 out of 15 years , ” tweeted Sen. Bernie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump l-o-v-e-s corporate socialism for himself , rugged capitalism for everyone else.
” “ He thinks teachers and janitors should pay to keep our country running , not billionaires and giant corporations , ” Warren tweeted .
“ It is long past time to make rich and powerful guys like Trump pay their fair share.
” And Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) asked followers to raise their hands “ if you paid more in federal income tax than President Trump .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Advertisement
Trump paid just $750 in federal income tax in both 2016 and 2017, and did not pay any tax in 10 of the 15 years prior to that, according to the Times, which based its reporting on tax return data that extends across more than two decades. The Times also reported Trump is personally responsible for $421 million in debt and other loans that are largely coming due in the next four years.
Within hours of the article’s publication, Biden’s team released an ad contrasting Trump’s meager payments with typical amounts contributed by American taxpayers.
The campaign website’s fundraising store was also updated to include “I paid more income taxes than Donald Trump” vinyl stickers.
Teachers paid $7,239
Firefighters paid $5,283
Nurses paid $10,216
Donald Trump paid $750 pic.twitter.com/5YE1cbYsBN — Team Joe (Text JOE to 30330) (@TeamJoe) September 28, 2020
Advertisement
The ad is the first statement from the Biden camp on the report. Biden retweeted the clip, but did not comment further.
Trump vowed during his 2016 campaign that he would release his tax returns, but reneged once he took office and has fought fiercely in court to keep his tax information secret from Congress and from prosecutors investigating possible fraud.
He denied the Times report during a news conference on Sunday evening. He did not offer any evidence to the contrary, but repeated his tired claim that he’ll reveal his tax filings when the IRS completes its audit on him. An audit does not prevent him from releasing his tax data.
Trump was roundly condemned by Democrats.
“Shock of shocks! Donald Trump, the self-proclaimed billionaire, received a $72.9 million tax refund from the IRS while not paying a nickel in federal income taxes in 10 out of 15 years,” tweeted Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). “Yep. Trump l-o-v-e-s corporate socialism for himself, rugged capitalism for everyone else.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) noted that Trump pays less in taxes than struggling families.
“He thinks teachers and janitors should pay to keep our country running, not billionaires and giant corporations,” Warren tweeted. “It is long past time to make rich and powerful guys like Trump pay their fair share.”
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-27--Biden Campaign Sprays Trump's Drug Test Puffery: He Can 'Have At It'

Joe Biden ’ s campaign showered Donald Trump with mockery on Sunday after the president again demanded that his presidential opponent take a drug test before their first debate on Tuesday .
Trump baselessly suggested , first in a Sunday morning tweet and then later during a press conference , that Biden was taking performance enhancing drugs .
Trump has been making similar claims for weeks in an apparent effort to preemptively dismiss a strong Biden showing in the first debate , after spending months attacking the former vice president ’ s mental acuity .
I will be strongly demanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prior to , or after , the Debate on Tuesday night .
Naturally , I will agree to take one also .
His Debate performances have been record setting UNEVEN , to put it mildly .
Only drugs could have caused this discrepancy ?
?
?
— Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) September 27 , 2020 At a campaign rally in Fayetteville , North Carolina on Sept. 19 , Trump similarly covered his bases ahead of the looming debates , telling supporters not to underestimate Biden because “ they give him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and he comes out and for two hours he ’ s better than ever before.
” Asked about the president ’ s bizarre demand at an event earlier on Sunday , Biden chuckled and began to respond , but then held back and declined to comment .
He has dismissed the accusations as foolish in the past .
His campaign later released an irreverent statement to several media outlets .
“ Vice President Biden intends to deliver his debate answers in words .
If the president thinks his best case is made in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the statement said .
“ We ’ d expect nothing less from Donald Trump , who pissed away the chance to protect the lives of 200K Americans when he didn ’ t make a plan to stop COVID-19 .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Joe Biden’s campaign showered Donald Trump with mockery on Sunday after the president again demanded that his presidential opponent take a drug test before their first debate on Tuesday.
Trump baselessly suggested, first in a Sunday morning tweet and then later during a press conference, that Biden was taking performance enhancing drugs. Trump has been making similar claims for weeks in an apparent effort to preemptively dismiss a strong Biden showing in the first debate, after spending months attacking the former vice president’s mental acuity.
Advertisement
He made a similar call before a 2016 debate against then-opponent Hillary Clinton.
I will be strongly demanding a Drug Test of Sleepy Joe Biden prior to, or after, the Debate on Tuesday night. Naturally, I will agree to take one also. His Debate performances have been record setting UNEVEN, to put it mildly. Only drugs could have caused this discrepancy??? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 27, 2020
At a campaign rally in Fayetteville, North Carolina on Sept. 19, Trump similarly covered his bases ahead of the looming debates, telling supporters not to underestimate Biden because “they give him a big fat shot in the ass and he comes out and for two hours he’s better than ever before.”
Asked about the president’s bizarre demand at an event earlier on Sunday, Biden chuckled and began to respond, but then held back and declined to comment. He has dismissed the accusations as foolish in the past.
His campaign later released an irreverent statement to several media outlets.
“Vice President Biden intends to deliver his debate answers in words. If the president thinks his best case is made in urine he can have at it,” the statement said.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-28--Trump Mocked 'F**king Stupid' IRS After Reaping Huge Refund: Michael Cohen

Donald Trump once gleefully mocked the “ f**king stupid ” IRS after getting a $ 10 million tax refund check , according to his former personal attorney Michael Cohen .
Cohen on Sunday tweeted a passage from his book “ Disloyal ” following The New York Times ’ bombshell report exposing Trump ’ s astonishingly low — and questionable — federal income tax payments .
The self-described billionaire only paid $ 750 in federal income tax in 2016 and 2017 , the Times reported .
In 10 of the previous 15 years , Trump didn ’ t pay a cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analysis of decades of Trump ’ s tax data .
Cohen gloated in his tweet that the information in his book has now been confirmed .
He also posted a screenshot of a passage describing the time a “ delighted ” Trump yukked it up to his attorney about playing the IRS .
Trump , according to Cohen ’ s book , once showed the lawyer a $ 10 million IRS refund check and exclaimed , “ Can you believe how f**king stupid the IRS is ?
Who would give me a refund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
” Cohen noted in the book that Trump was “ almost certainly illegally ” evading taxes at the time .
Cohen is currently serving a three-year sentence ( at home now because of COVID-19 ) for felony offenses , including violating campaign finance laws and lying to Congress about the Russia investigation , which he has said was at Trump ’ s behest .
Everything I have stated about @ potus @ realDonaldTrump has been proven100 % # TRUE !
On page 94 of my # 1 book # Disloyal @ nytbestsellers_ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million dollar # IRS “ refund ” check and exclaimed , “ Can you believe how fucking stupid the IRS is ?
” ... they are so stupid !
” pic.twitter.com/KzkBGYLK64 — Michael Cohen ( @ MichaelCohen212 ) September 27 , 2020 There was no immediate response from the White House to Cohen ’ s tweet .
Trump on Sunday dismissed the Times story as “ fake news , ” but continued his refusal to release his tax returns .
During his 2016 campaign , Trump repeatedly promised to release his tax returns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people weren ’ t interested in them .
Finally , he pulled out the baseless excuse that he can ’ t release his returns while the IRS is auditing them .
Now Trump is fighting fiercely in court to keep his returns secret and out of the hands of prosecutors and congressional investigators .
Cyrus Vance Jr. , the Manhattan district attorney , is seeking the president ’ s returns as part of an investigation into possible tax fraud involving Trump and his company .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
Donald Trump once gleefully mocked the “f**king stupid” IRS after getting a $10 million tax refund check, according to his former personal attorney Michael Cohen.
Cohen on Sunday tweeted a passage from his book “Disloyal” following The New York Times’ bombshell report exposing Trump’s astonishingly low — and questionable — federal income tax payments.
Advertisement
The self-described billionaire only paid $750 in federal income tax in 2016 and 2017, the Times reported. In 10 of the previous 15 years, Trump didn’t pay a cent, according to the newspaper’s analysis of decades of Trump’s tax data.
Cohen gloated in his tweet that the information in his book has now been confirmed. He also posted a screenshot of a passage describing the time a “delighted” Trump yukked it up to his attorney about playing the IRS.
Trump, according to Cohen’s book, once showed the lawyer a $10 million IRS refund check and exclaimed, “Can you believe how f**king stupid the IRS is? Who would give me a refund of 10-f**king-million-dollars? They are so stupid!”
Cohen noted in the book that Trump was “almost certainly illegally” evading taxes at the time.
Cohen is currently serving a three-year sentence (at home now because of COVID-19) for felony offenses, including violating campaign finance laws and lying to Congress about the Russia investigation, which he has said was at Trump’s behest.
Advertisement
Everything I have stated about @potus @realDonaldTrump has been proven100% #TRUE! On page 94 of my #1 book #Disloyal @nytbestsellers_ , #Trump showed me a 10 million dollar #IRS “refund” check and exclaimed, “Can you believe how fucking stupid the IRS is?”...they are so stupid!” pic.twitter.com/KzkBGYLK64 — Michael Cohen (@MichaelCohen212) September 27, 2020
There was no immediate response from the White House to Cohen’s tweet.
Trump on Sunday dismissed the Times story as “fake news,” but continued his refusal to release his tax returns.
During his 2016 campaign, Trump repeatedly promised to release his tax returns once elected president. Then he said people weren’t interested in them. Finally, he pulled out the baseless excuse that he can’t release his returns while the IRS is auditing them.
Now Trump is fighting fiercely in court to keep his returns secret and out of the hands of prosecutors and congressional investigators.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-28--California Wine Country Wildfire Forces Evacuation Of Hospital, Hundreds Of Homes

ST. HELENA , Calif. ( Reuters ) ― A wind-driven wildfire erupted on Sunday in the heart of northern California ’ s Napa Valley wine country to spread across nearly 2,000 acres , forcing the evacuation of a hospital and hundreds of homes , authorities said .
Fire crews were out in force , scrambling to fend off flames threatening neighborhoods and vineyards at the northern end of the famed wine-growing valley and surrounding hillsides , about 75 miles north of San Francisco .
The blaze , dubbed the Glass Fire , broke out before dawn near Calistoga and raced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and St. Helena , with flames reaching within a mile of the Adventist Health St. Helena hospital .
All 55 patients there at the time were safely evacuated by ambulance and helicopter over the course of five hours from about 7 a.m. , hospital spokeswoman Linda Williams told Reuters .
“ We had ambulances lined up from all over the Bay area , ” she said , adding that although smoke shrouded the facility , the skies above were clear enough for helicopters ’ airlift efforts .
It was the second wildfire-related evacuation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after a massive cluster of lightning-sparked blazes that swept several counties north of the San Francisco Bay region in August .
Authorities ordered about 600 homes evacuated on Sunday , with residents of 1,400 more warned to be ready to flee at a moment ’ s notice , said Tyree Zander , a spokesman for the state ’ s forestry and fire protection department ( CalFire ) .
The notices affected at least 5,000 people , he added .
By evening , flames stoked by winds gusting up to 50 mph had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hillsides and oak woodlands , with little or no containment , Zander said .
The cause of the fire is being investigated .
There were no immediate reports of injuries , but a Reuters photographer in St. Helena saw some structures that had been burned .
The blaze erupted midway through the traditional grape-harvesting period in the Napa Valley , world renowned as one of California ’ s premiere wine-producing regions .
The area ’ s 475 wineries account for just 4 % of the state ’ s total annual grape harvest but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California wines sold , according to the Napa Valley Vintners trade group .
Of Napa ’ s 16 wine-growing districts , or sub-appellations , the Howell Mountain area may have faced the greatest threat , said Lisa Covey , a spokeswoman for Hall Family Wines , which kept open during the day all its three tasting rooms in the county .
Napa and other wine-growing regions have been hit by wildfires in and around the Bay area for several years .
Susan Krausz , co-owner of Arkenstone Estate Vineyards in the Howell Mountain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take days or weeks to assess the impact of the latest blaze on valley vintners .
Tom Kaljian , 78 , a realtor who owns a house about halfway between Calistoga and St. Helena , defied evacuation orders to spend the day with his wife hosing down their home and dry brush along a fence line separating their property from the Silverado Trail , a key north-south roadway .
“ We were told to get out of here , but I was trying to protect our little abode , so we stayed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After firefighters told him the house was no longer in danger , he added , “ I stopped watering at that point , and came in and took a nap.
” The Glass Fire came as the Pacific Gas and Electric Company said it was temporarily halting power to transmission lines in parts of 16 counties across northern and central California to guard against greater wildfire risks in hot , windy , dry weather .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
ST. HELENA, Calif. (Reuters) ― A wind-driven wildfire erupted on Sunday in the heart of northern California’s Napa Valley wine country to spread across nearly 2,000 acres, forcing the evacuation of a hospital and hundreds of homes, authorities said.
Fire crews were out in force, scrambling to fend off flames threatening neighborhoods and vineyards at the northern end of the famed wine-growing valley and surrounding hillsides, about 75 miles north of San Francisco.
Advertisement
The blaze, dubbed the Glass Fire, broke out before dawn near Calistoga and raced toward the adjacent communities of Deer Park and St. Helena, with flames reaching within a mile of the Adventist Health St. Helena hospital.
All 55 patients there at the time were safely evacuated by ambulance and helicopter over the course of five hours from about 7 a.m., hospital spokeswoman Linda Williams told Reuters.
“We had ambulances lined up from all over the Bay area,” she said, adding that although smoke shrouded the facility, the skies above were clear enough for helicopters’ airlift efforts.
A fire engine leaves a burning property as the Glass Fire tears through St. Helena, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) ASSOCIATED PRESS
Advertisement
It was the second wildfire-related evacuation of the 151-bed hospital in a month, after a massive cluster of lightning-sparked blazes that swept several counties north of the San Francisco Bay region in August.
Authorities ordered about 600 homes evacuated on Sunday, with residents of 1,400 more warned to be ready to flee at a moment’s notice, said Tyree Zander, a spokesman for the state’s forestry and fire protection department (CalFire). The notices affected at least 5,000 people, he added.
By evening, flames stoked by winds gusting up to 50 mph had scorched about 1,800 acres of grassy rolling hillsides and oak woodlands, with little or no containment, Zander said.
Fire At Harvest Time
The cause of the fire is being investigated. There were no immediate reports of injuries, but a Reuters photographer in St. Helena saw some structures that had been burned.
The blaze erupted midway through the traditional grape-harvesting period in the Napa Valley, world renowned as one of California’s premiere wine-producing regions. The area’s 475 wineries account for just 4% of the state’s total annual grape harvest but half of the retail value of all California wines sold, according to the Napa Valley Vintners trade group.
Advertisement
Of Napa’s 16 wine-growing districts, or sub-appellations, the Howell Mountain area may have faced the greatest threat, said Lisa Covey, a spokeswoman for Hall Family Wines, which kept open during the day all its three tasting rooms in the county.
Napa and other wine-growing regions have been hit by wildfires in and around the Bay area for several years. Susan Krausz, co-owner of Arkenstone Estate Vineyards in the Howell Mountain community of Angwin, said it would take days or weeks to assess the impact of the latest blaze on valley vintners.
“Most people have harvested,” she said, but added, “Any time’s a bad time for a fire.”
Tom Kaljian, 78, a realtor who owns a house about halfway between Calistoga and St. Helena, defied evacuation orders to spend the day with his wife hosing down their home and dry brush along a fence line separating their property from the Silverado Trail, a key north-south roadway.
“We were told to get out of here, but I was trying to protect our little abode, so we stayed,” he told Reuters by telephone.
After firefighters told him the house was no longer in danger, he added, “I stopped watering at that point, and came in and took a nap.”
Advertisement
Flames from the Glass Fire consume the Glass Mountain Inn, late Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, in St. Helena, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Glass Fire came as the Pacific Gas and Electric Company said it was temporarily halting power to transmission lines in parts of 16 counties across northern and central California to guard against greater wildfire risks in hot, windy, dry weather.
The public safety power shutoffs were expected to affect about 65,000 regional homes and businesses, said PG&E, the state’s largest electric utility.
A red flag warning for extreme wildfire risks for Napa Valley would run through Monday morning, Zander said.
CalFire said a fire weather watch would start on Monday across much of Southern California, following the forecast return of hot, gusty Santa Ana winds and low humidity.
Advertisement
California wildfires have scorched more than 3.7 million acres in the first nine months of 2020, far exceeding any single year in state history, killing 26 people and destroying more than 7,000 structures.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-28--Revealed: BP And Shell Back Anti-Climate Lobby Groups Despite Pledges

Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images BP and Shell omitted anti-climate groups from their public reviews of lobbying by their trade associations , demonstrating what one researcher said was the oil giants ' `` standard business practice . ''
“ Our approach is that where policy differences arise , we will seek to influence from within ― and this may take time , ” BP said in a statement .
“ If we reach an impasse , we will be transparent in publicly stating our differences .
And on major issues , if our views and those of an association can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepared to leave.
” The key condition that BP and Shell say they have placed on trade groups is support for the Paris climate accord , which means backing the goal ― and policies to reach it ― of keeping global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees celsius .
This has led Shell to walk away from one of its lobby groups and BP to quit three .
Both companies have said they will seek to change some trade associations from within and identified others as being fully aligned with them on climate policy @

BP and Shell omitted anti-climate groups from their public reviews of lobbying by their trade associations, demonstrating what one researcher said was the oil giants' "standard business practice." Dean Mouhtaropoulos via Getty Images
Earlier this year, oil giants BP and Royal Dutch Shell assessed the climate lobbying done by trade associations they have been involved with, and publicly quit a handful of high-profile industry groups campaigning to undermine regulations to reduce greenhouse gases.
The effort was part of a vow to increase corporate transparency and bring planet-heating emissions to net zero over the next few decades.
Advertisement
But Shell and BP ― the second- and fourth-largest oil companies by revenue last year ― are still active members of at least eight trade organizations lobbying against climate measures in the United States and Australia, an Unearthed and HuffPost investigation has found. These groups were not disclosed in the public reviews.
Reviews of leaked and publicly available documents show those groups are part of the sprawling network of state and regional trade associations that have, in at least one case, boasted about quashing the very carbon-reduction policies the oil giants publicly claim to support.
The companies said they either hoped to reform the trade groups, including the eight identified here, of which they are still part, or planned to review their membership going forward. But both BP and Shell refused to disclose full lists of trade associations where they have ongoing involvement.
“Our approach is that where policy differences arise, we will seek to influence from within ― and this may take time,” BP said in a statement. “If we reach an impasse, we will be transparent in publicly stating our differences. And on major issues, if our views and those of an association cannot be reconciled then we will be prepared to leave.”
Advertisement
A Shell spokeswoman said its next review would “select the additional industry associations because their climate-related policies have brought them to the attention of investors and non-governmental organisations, and because they operate in regions or countries where we have significant business activities.”
“We were one of the first companies to publish an industry associations report and we are pleased that other companies have since published reports,” she said by email. “Our next update will assess our alignment with the 18 industry associations featured already, as well as others.”
But the findings cast a dim light over the oil behemoths’ ballyhooed new climate pledges, raising questions about how seriously they can be taken when the companies are still funding lobbying operations that undermine their new commitments.
BP CEO Bernard Looney speaks during an event in London on Feb. 12, where he declared the company's intentions to achieve "net zero" carbon emissions by 2050. DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS via Getty Images
In the United States, both Shell and BP support groups such as the Alliance of Western Energy Consumers, which crusaded against Oregon’s efforts to put a price on carbon emissions, and the Texas Oil & Gas Association, a trade group in the nation’s top oil-producing state battling rules to restrict output of methane, a super-heating greenhouse gas.
Advertisement
In Australia, the two giants back the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association and the Business Council of Australia, two groups fighting to undercut the country’s contributions to the Paris climate accords. Shell, meanwhile, quietly held its seat on the Queensland Resources Council, a key advocate of building the world’s largest coal mine.
“This is a standard business practice,” said Robert Brulle, a climate denial researcher and professor at Brown University’s Institute at Brown for Environment and Society. “They’re trying to have it both ways, being socially responsible without changing their actual positions.”
Undisclosed Groups
Shortly after taking the helm in February, BP CEO Bernard Looney began a review of lobbying by the company’s trade groups. He billed the effort as a “small but important step towards rebuilding trust in BP.” He promised a new era on climate change, where the company that a decade earlier rebranded as “Beyond Petroleum” would eliminate its carbon footprint and direct its powerful lobbying machine toward “advocacy for policies that support net zero.”
Shell published its own review in 2019, which it updated this year as part of what CEO Ben van Beurden called “a first step towards greater transparency around our activities with industry associations on the topic of climate change.” Yet the reviews covered only a narrow slice of their memberships.
Shell acknowledged its membership in hundreds of industry groups worldwide, but said its review assessed only 19 organizations selected “because their positions on climate-related policy have brought them to the attention of investors and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).”
Advertisement
BP declined to provide a ballpark estimate of how many trade associations it affiliates with, but said its review focused on 30 groups “on the basis that they are actively involved in energy policy discussions and salient to stakeholders.”
“BP and Shell’s disclosures focus on a narrower selection of industry associations,” said Faye Holder, an analyst at InfluenceMap, a British research outfit that analyzes the fossil fuel industry’s finances. “These groups tend to be the larger and more visible ones that already disclose their corporate membership, while the smaller, regional and sometimes less transparent ones are more likely to be left out.”
United States Of AstroTurfing
Among the more jarring examples of groups the companies omitted from the reviews are two regional organizations whose names suggest they represent coalitions of ordinary citizens concerned about energy prices.
In fact, the groups represent some of the biggest companies in the world, a tactic known in politics as “AstroTurfing,” wherein powerful industry players create front groups meant to appear like grassroots organizations with Average-Joe followings.
In February 2019, Alliance of Western Energy Consumers, which represents heavy industry on the West Coast, boasted that it had “defeated all carbon pricing bills” in Oregon ― describing efforts to drive “grassroots opposition” and coordinate “vote counts” during the state legislative session, emails obtained by the Climate Investigations Center show.
Advertisement
Royal Dutch Shel CEO Ben van Beurden listens to a question during a news conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Sergio Moraes / Reuters
Both companies claim to strongly support carbon pricing, including in Oregon. Yet several employees of both BP and Shell at the time are listed as recipients of these emails. Shell confirmed that it is a member. BP declined to comment.
Though the companies failed to disclose it in their reviews, BP and Shell are also listed as top members of the Consumer Energy Alliance. The group bills itself as the “voice of the energy consumer,” but is actually run by the Republican-linked consultancy HBW Resources.
After running campaigns to oppose President Barack Obama’s rules to limit emissions of methane from oil and gas operations and pollution from coal power stations, the Consumer Energy Alliance turned its attention to state-level fights. The group was party to a lawsuit seeking to overturn Oregon’s clean fuel program, which aims to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport fuels. The case concluded unsuccessfully in March 2019.
In a statement, the Consumer Energy Alliance said it fought Oregon’s clean fuel program because it would have raised prices without achieving significant environmental outcomes. The group said it opposed the Obama administration’s methane rule because it “would have interfered with the successful performance of state rules that were already reducing methane emissions.”
Advertisement
Methane Haze
When President Donald Trump moved to roll back the methane rule shortly after taking office, BP and Shell publicly opposed the move.
“We don’t usually tell governments how to do their job but we’re ready to break with that and say, ‘Actually, we want to tell you how to do your job,’” Shell’s U.S. Country Chair Gretchen Watkins told Reuters at a March 2019 conference, urging the Trump administration “to put in a regulatory framework that will both regulate existing methane emissions by also future methane emissions.”
When the Environmental Protection Agency finalized plans to gut the methane rule in August, David Lawler, the head of BP America, issued a statement saying the company “respectfully disagrees with today’s decision by the administration.”
Both companies remain members of the American Petroleum Institute, the industry’s largest and most influential lobby in the United States and a fierce proponent of the Trump administration’s changes to the methane rule. Yet perhaps even more influential on the rollback were the state-level organizations whose smaller members claimed the biggest benefits from the deregulatory effort.
BP remains a member of the New Mexico Oil & Gas Association, the Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association, and the Petroleum Association of Wyoming. Shell and BP are members of the Texas Oil & Gas Association.
Advertisement
All of the groups campaigned aggressively for changes the New Mexico Oil & Gas Association said brought the federal regulation in line with what’s “appropriate” to “emphasize flexibility and innovation.” None of the groups’ names appeared in either company’s reviews.
A slogan is seen on a protective face mask of an Extinction Rebellion climate action group protester as she demonstrates against multinational gas and oil firm Shell in London last month. Toby Melville / Reuters
Meanwhile, the Petroleum Association of Wyoming ― on whose board a BP executive sits ― joined a lawsuit last year to allow the leasing of public lands for oil and gas drilling without assessing the climate impacts.
Among the other major groups BP and Shell left off their reviews was the National Ocean Industries Association, which successfully lobbied the Trump administration to open up the United State’s entire continental shelf to drilling.
The move would open up areas containing up to 45 billion barrels of oil ― 21 billion barrels of which are estimated to be economically recoverable ― and jeopardize chances of meeting the Paris climate goals. A report released by the campaign group Global Witness last year found that any investment in new oil and gas fields is incompatible with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial norms, an average temperature roughly half a degree warmer than today.
Advertisement
NOIA has also lobbied the Trump administration to exclude the wider climate impacts of oil and gas projects from being assessed as part of the process of approving major infrastructure. Earlier this year Unearthed reported that BP has lobbied in support of these changes.
“We think it’s important that we continue to responsibly explore for and develop U.S. offshore resources to counter the natural decline of existing fields,” a Shell spokeswoman said. “It’s equally important that regulators ensure sound science can be gathered from prospective new areas to inform potential leasing and future exploration decisions.”
Australia’s Climate Loophole
The key condition that BP and Shell say they have placed on trade groups is support for the Paris climate accord, which means backing the goal ― and policies to reach it ― of keeping global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees celsius. This has led Shell to walk away from one of its lobby groups and BP to quit three. Both companies have said they will seek to change some trade associations from within and identified others as being fully aligned with them on climate policy.
But two powerful lobby groups that BP and Shell publicly support ― the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association and the Business Council of Australia ― back the use of a controversial loophole that could slash Australia’s contribution to the Paris goals.
“Our approach is that where policy differences arise, we will seek to influence from within ― and this may take time.” - BP
Advertisement
The loophole involves using surplus carbon credits from Australia’s overachievement in meeting weak emissions reduction targets it secured under the Kyoto protocol. According to an analysis of the Australian government’s plans, using the credits would effectively cut the country’s 2030 climate target from 26% to 14%.
The European Union has banned member states from doing this on the grounds that it threatens the integrity of the Paris Agreement and no country other than Australia is openly planning to do so. But during last year’s general election, both the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association and the Business Council of Australia challenged the Labor Party for refusing to use the credits if they won.
Despite this, both oil majors insist they are aligned with these groups on climate policy.
“Despite Australia’s horrific summer of bushfires, the government has not retracted its support for Kyoto carryover credits, and nor have APPEA [or] the BCA,” said Dan Gocher, an analyst for the nonprofit Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility.
Norwegian oil major Equinor ― another member of Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association ― has also criticized the loophole, and said in a review of its own lobby groups that the use of Kyoto credits could reduce the ambitions of the Paris climate agreement.
Equinor added that it would “encourage APPEA to take a clear stand on ... not supporting carryover of credits from the Kyoto protocol to the Paris Agreement.”
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-28--John Oliver Is So Done With ‘Horrendous And Deeply Weird’ Mitch McConnell

“ Last Week Tonight ” host John Oliver delivered a scathing takedown of Republicans in Congress on Sunday night , showing how they maintain a grip on power while representing only a minority of American voters .
He dropped a Dr. Seuss-like nursery rhyme on how much he hates Sen. Ted Cruz ( R-Texas ) and had some harsh words for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy ( R-Calif. ) .
But he saved his most biting comments of all for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) .
McConnell is “ the only thing to come out of Kentucky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Oliver said .
McConnell , he noted , blocked former President Barack Obama from filling federal judiciary seats and prevented Obama ’ s Supreme Court choice from even being considered .
Now , McConnell is on a judicial tear , as President Donald Trump is appointing conservative federal judges at a record clip , with McConnell ’ s assistance , and just named his third Supreme Court pick .
“ This has been a very dark week for a lot people .
The Supreme Court is about to lurch to the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ And if things seem hopeless right now it ’ s because , to be completely honest , they basically are.
” And , as Oliver pointed out , it ’ s because of careful Republican manipulation of “ systemic problems ” in the makeup of our government .
Then , Oliver launched into a look at “ how the fuck we got here , and what the fuck we can possibly do next .
”

LOADING ERROR LOADING
“Last Week Tonight” host John Oliver delivered a scathing takedown of Republicans in Congress on Sunday night, showing how they maintain a grip on power while representing only a minority of American voters.
He dropped a Dr. Seuss-like nursery rhyme on how much he hates Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and had some harsh words for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). But he saved his most biting comments of all for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
Advertisement
McConnell is “the only thing to come out of Kentucky more shameless than the KFC menu,” Oliver said.
McConnell, he noted, blocked former President Barack Obama from filling federal judiciary seats and prevented Obama’s Supreme Court choice from even being considered.
Now, McConnell is on a judicial tear, as President Donald Trump is appointing conservative federal judges at a record clip, with McConnell’s assistance, and just named his third Supreme Court pick.
“This has been a very dark week for a lot people. The Supreme Court is about to lurch to the right for the foreseeable future,” Oliver said. “And if things seem hopeless right now it’s because, to be completely honest, they basically are.”
And, as Oliver pointed out, it’s because of careful Republican manipulation of “systemic problems” in the makeup of our government.
Advertisement
Then, Oliver launched into a look at “how the fuck we got here, and what the fuck we can possibly do next.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-28--Coronavirus Is Now Responsible For At Least 1 Million Deaths Worldwide

The number of coronavirus-linked deaths worldwide surpassed the 1 million mark on Monday , nearly 10 months after China reported the world ’ s first COVID-19 case , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
The United States has recorded the highest number of cases and deaths to date , with more than 7 million cases and at least 205,000 deaths .
Brazil has reported the second highest death toll with more than 141,000 deaths , and India has the third highest with at least 95,000 deaths .
The U.S. death toll is on track to blow past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s administration .
In April , he said models estimated that the virus could kill as many as 220,000 people nationwide , though he predicted the death toll would actually be “ substantially ” below 100,000 .
A University of Washington model that almost exactly pinpointed when the U.S. would cross the 200,000 mark now envisions at least 371,000 deaths by Jan. 1 .
It also predicts more than 2.5 million deaths worldwide by the same date .
As coronavirus cases continue to climb , several countries , including the U.S. , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lead in vaccine development .
As of Monday , researchers were conducting clinical trials on humans for at least 40 vaccines .
China and Russia have granted limited approved for a handful of vaccines without awaiting the results of late-stage trials , moves that could pose safety risks , according to public health experts .
In the U.S. , several vaccines are undergoing late-stage trials , including one developed by biotech company Moderna in partnership with the National Institutes of Health , as well as another developed by Johnson & Johnson .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be available to most Americans by the end of the year , his own health officials have said hundreds of millions of doses of a potential vaccine likely wouldn ’ t be available until at least mid-2021 .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The number of coronavirus-linked deaths worldwide surpassed the 1 million mark on Monday, nearly 10 months after China reported the world’s first COVID-19 case, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
The United States has recorded the highest number of cases and deaths to date, with more than 7 million cases and at least 205,000 deaths. Brazil has reported the second highest death toll with more than 141,000 deaths, and India has the third highest with at least 95,000 deaths.
Advertisement
The U.S. death toll is on track to blow past targets set by President Donald Trump’s administration. In April, he said models estimated that the virus could kill as many as 220,000 people nationwide, though he predicted the death toll would actually be “substantially” below 100,000.
A University of Washington model that almost exactly pinpointed when the U.S. would cross the 200,000 mark now envisions at least 371,000 deaths by Jan. 1. It also predicts more than 2.5 million deaths worldwide by the same date.
As coronavirus cases continue to climb, several countries, including the U.S., the United Kingdom and China, have taken the lead in vaccine development. As of Monday, researchers were conducting clinical trials on humans for at least 40 vaccines.
China and Russia have granted limited approved for a handful of vaccines without awaiting the results of late-stage trials, moves that could pose safety risks, according to public health experts.
Advertisement
In the U.S., several vaccines are undergoing late-stage trials, including one developed by biotech company Moderna in partnership with the National Institutes of Health, as well as another developed by Johnson & Johnson.
Though Trump has promised a vaccine would be available to most Americans by the end of the year, his own health officials have said hundreds of millions of doses of a potential vaccine likely wouldn’t be available until at least mid-2021.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-28--House Democrats Unveil Scaled-Back Coronavirus Stimulus Package

House Democrats released a scaled-back version of their COVID-19 stimulus bill on Monday after the Senate refused to act on a bigger one the House passed in May .
The $ 2.2 trillion package , down from the $ 3.4 trillion one it released previously , would extend the Paycheck Protection Program to help hardest-hit businesses , restore weekly $ 600 federal unemployment payments through January , provide another round of $ 1,200 stimulus checks , and help bolster support to several sectors , including education and child care centers , airline workers and people receiving food aid benefits .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it if the House sends it to them .
President Donald Trump has reportedly said he ’ s willing to sign a $ 1.3 trillion coronavirus relief bill , about a trillion less than what House Democrats are angling for .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Monday that now that Democrats had made concessions , it was Republicans ’ turn .
“ Democrats are making good on our promise to compromise with this updated bill , which is necessary to address the immediate health and economic crisis facing America ’ s working families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a letter to Democrats as the bill was unveiled .
The Senate has been at an impasse since Senate Democrats blocked Senate Republican ’ s much smaller , $ 300 billion package earlier this month .
The release of the bill on Monday came as Pelosi was meeting with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to negotiate on the terms of the package .
Pelosi releasing the bill ’ s text as she was meeting with him suggested to many that the talks weren ’ t going well and that it ’ s unlikely Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stimulus package before Election Day .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
House Democrats released a scaled-back version of their COVID-19 stimulus bill on Monday after the Senate refused to act on a bigger one the House passed in May.
The $2.2 trillion package, down from the $3.4 trillion one it released previously, would extend the Paycheck Protection Program to help hardest-hit businesses, restore weekly $600 federal unemployment payments through January, provide another round of $1,200 stimulus checks, and help bolster support to several sectors, including education and child care centers, airline workers and people receiving food aid benefits.
Advertisement
The Republican-controlled Senate is unlikely to pass it if the House sends it to them. President Donald Trump has reportedly said he’s willing to sign a $1.3 trillion coronavirus relief bill, about a trillion less than what House Democrats are angling for.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Monday that now that Democrats had made concessions, it was Republicans’ turn.
“Democrats are making good on our promise to compromise with this updated bill, which is necessary to address the immediate health and economic crisis facing America’s working families right now,” she said in a letter to Democrats as the bill was unveiled.
The Senate has been at an impasse since Senate Democrats blocked Senate Republican’s much smaller, $300 billion package earlier this month.
Advertisement


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-28--Mexican Women Demanding Legalized Abortion Clash With Police

Carlos Jasso / Reuters Member of a feminist collective throws a molotov cocktail during a march to mark the International Safe Abortion Day in Mexico City , Mexico September 28 , 2020 .
REUTERS/Carlos Jasso TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY MEXICO CITY , Sept 28 ( Reuters ) - Women charged police lines and threw Molotov cocktails at officers in Mexico City on Monday during protests demanding the legalization of abortion in the majority Roman Catholic country .
The protesters , clad in the green bandanas that have become the symbol of the pro-choice movement in Latin America , gathered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ International Safe Abortion Day , which is celebrated each year on Sept. 28 .
Police , many of them female officers , responded by spraying plumes of tear gas at the women , some of whom wielded hammers , and threw bottles and paint .
At least one officer was briefly engulfed in flames after being hit by a Molotov cocktail , before colleagues doused the fire with an extinguisher , television images showed .
Abortion is illegal in Mexico outside the capital city and the southern state of Oaxaca , which legalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rest of Mexico , abortion is banned except under certain circumstances , such as rape .
Abortion law has been receiving renewed attention after the death in the United States of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , a pioneering women ’ s rights advocate , which has cast doubt over the future of legal abortion there .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
MEXICO CITY, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Women charged police lines and threw Molotov cocktails at officers in Mexico City on Monday during protests demanding the legalization of abortion in the majority Roman Catholic country.
The protesters, clad in the green bandanas that have become the symbol of the pro-choice movement in Latin America, gathered in Mexico’s capital to mark International Safe Abortion Day, which is celebrated each year on Sept. 28.
Advertisement
Police, many of them female officers, responded by spraying plumes of tear gas at the women, some of whom wielded hammers, and threw bottles and paint.
At least one officer was briefly engulfed in flames after being hit by a Molotov cocktail, before colleagues doused the fire with an extinguisher, television images showed.
Member of a feminist collective throws a molotov cocktail during a march to mark the International Safe Abortion Day in Mexico City, Mexico September 28, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Carlos Jasso / Reuters
Abortion is illegal in Mexico outside the capital city and the southern state of Oaxaca, which legalized the medical procedure last year. In the rest of Mexico, abortion is banned except under certain circumstances, such as rape.
Advertisement
Abortion law has been receiving renewed attention after the death in the United States of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a pioneering women’s rights advocate, which has cast doubt over the future of legal abortion there.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-09-28--When Being Tired Is Actually Depression

When Being Tired Is Actually Depression

Depression may be among the most common mental health issues in the United States , but it is still often misunderstood .
Many people assume that the condition manifests itself in really overt sorrow and hopelessness .
But the symptoms tend to be much broader , and often more subtle .
Including fatigue .
The link between tiredness and depression is not linear and can be challenging to tease apart .
But the connection is there , and mental health experts say it ’ s an essential one to be attuned to — perhaps more than ever during COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health and upended sleep routines .
Being tired is a very common symptom of depression .
And fatigue does not just mean that it feels physically difficult for you to wake up in the morning ( though it certainly could ) or that you ’ re nodding off midday ( though that is also a possibility ) .
When it comes to depression and fatigue , “ there may be an underlying ‘ piece ’ that is causing both , ” said Betty Lai , a psychologist and assistant professor with Boston College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Human Development .
She pointed to the possible role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal , or HPA axis , which is a system that helps regulate the body ’ s response to stress .
So a shared biological underpinning may be one reason for the fatigue-depression connection , but it is by no means the only one .
About 80 % of individuals with depression have problems sleeping — a relationship goes in both directions .
Insomnia can lead to ( or worsen ) depression , but they can also be “ overlapping ” conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insomnia and sleeplessness .
Also , people with underlying sleep conditions , like chronic fatigue , can also be more vulnerable to depression .
Look out for loss of interest .
“ A warning sign for depression is : ‘ Oh , I used to like to do this ...
I used to like to do this activity or engage in social situations .
But I don ’ t want to do it .
I ’ m not motivated , ’ ” said Tameka Brewington , a psychotherapist and owner of Real Talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even more .
Again , the available evidence suggests that the pandemic is taking a toll on people ’ s mental health .
A recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , for example , found that 30 % of Americans were recently grappling with symptoms of depression or anxiety .
One in four parents said their mental health has worsened during the pandemic , and one in seven said that ’ s true of their kids .
So experts say it is particularly important to pay attention to prolonged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fatigue .
Particularly if they last for more than two weeks , Brewington said .
“ Everyone should have an awareness that they could be anxious or depressed , or recognize that they have fatigue , because of the fact that we are living in a pandemic and dealing with COVID , ” she said .
The fact that fatigue is sometimes easier to talk about is a good thing .
“ Sleep can be easier for people to talk about — and notice , ” Lai said .
So it can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people who might otherwise struggle to connect with mental health support , she explained .
Because unfortunately , the stigma around seeking mental health support persists .
Data shows that more than 30 % of Americans say they ’ ve worried other people are going to judge them for getting mental health care , and up to 50 % of teens and young adults say that ’ s the case .

PhotoAlto/Frederic Cirou via Getty Images Depression and fatigue often go hand-in-hand, but the relationship is complex.
It's been one year since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Explore HuffPost's Bent Not Broken project to learn how the coronavirus has disrupted our mental health, and how to manage our well-being moving forward.
Depression may be among the most common mental health issues in the United States, but it is still often misunderstood. Many people assume that the condition manifests itself in really overt sorrow and hopelessness. But the symptoms tend to be much broader, and often more subtle. Including fatigue.
Advertisement
The link between tiredness and depression is not linear and can be challenging to tease apart. But the connection is there, and mental health experts say it’s an essential one to be attuned to — perhaps more than ever during COVID-19, which has profoundly influenced Americans’ mental health and upended sleep routines.
Here is the 411 on depression and fatigue:
Being tired is a very common symptom of depression.
“Fatigue affects more than 90% of people with major depressive disorder,” said Nadine Kaslow, a professor with Emory University School of Medicine’s department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences.
And fatigue does not just mean that it feels physically difficult for you to wake up in the morning (though it certainly could) or that you’re nodding off midday (though that is also a possibility).
Fatigue might also manifest itself more as a general, persistent lack of energy. Even relatively simple tasks feel like they require a lot of physical and emotional effort.
Advertisement
The relationship is complex.
When it comes to depression and fatigue, “there may be an underlying ‘piece’ that is causing both,” said Betty Lai, a psychologist and assistant professor with Boston College’s Lynch School of Education and Human Development. She pointed to the possible role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal, or HPA axis, which is a system that helps regulate the body’s response to stress.
“Chronic stress can disrupt the functioning of the HPA axis and lead to problems in both sleep and depression,” Lai explained.
So a shared biological underpinning may be one reason for the fatigue-depression connection, but it is by no means the only one. About 80% of individuals with depression have problems sleeping — a relationship goes in both directions. Insomnia can lead to (or worsen) depression, but they can also be “overlapping” conditions. Depression itself can also lead to insomnia and sleeplessness. Also, people with underlying sleep conditions, like chronic fatigue, can also be more vulnerable to depression.
“The bi-directional relationship between depression and fatigue can lead to a vicious cycle that is hard for people to break,” Kaslow explained.
Another complicating factor? Medication side effects. “Treatment with medication for depression often reduces the severity of fatigue symptoms, however some medications can also cause significant fatigue,” Kaslow added.
Advertisement
Look out for loss of interest.
Mental health experts emphasize that the symptoms of fatigue that are tied to depression do not always manifest as physical tiredness.
“A warning sign for depression is: ‘Oh, I used to like to do this ... I used to like to do this activity or engage in social situations. But I don’t want to do it. I’m not motivated,’” said Tameka Brewington, a psychotherapist and owner of Real Talk Counseling.
So when diagnosing depression, mental health professionals are really on the lookout for a kind of emotional fatigue and loss of motivation.
If someone feels motivated to participate in their usual activities but is simply too tired, Brewington said, they’ll focus more on discovering the root causes of their fatigue.
COVID-19 may be complicating things even more.
Again, the available evidence suggests that the pandemic is taking a toll on people’s mental health. A recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, found that 30% of Americans were recently grappling with symptoms of depression or anxiety. One in four parents said their mental health has worsened during the pandemic, and one in seven said that’s true of their kids.
Advertisement
At the same time, disruptions to normal routines and the stress of living in a pandemic with an unknown, drawn-out timeline can — and has — taken a toll on sleep.
So experts say it is particularly important to pay attention to prolonged changes in emotional health, sleep patterns and fatigue. Particularly if they last for more than two weeks, Brewington said.
“Everyone should have an awareness that they could be anxious or depressed, or recognize that they have fatigue, because of the fact that we are living in a pandemic and dealing with COVID,” she said.
The fact that fatigue is sometimes easier to talk about is a good thing.
“Sleep can be easier for people to talk about — and notice,” Lai said. So it can be a nice “entry point” for people who might otherwise struggle to connect with mental health support, she explained.
Because unfortunately, the stigma around seeking mental health support persists. Data shows that more than 30% of Americans say they’ve worried other people are going to judge them for getting mental health care, and up to 50% of teens and young adults say that’s the case.
Advertisement
All of the mental health experts interviewed for this story repeated just how crucial it is for anyone concerned about depression, fatigue or both to seek help. There are many effective treatments for depression, from talk therapy and support groups to medication.
Ultimately, doctors and mental health providers can also determine — and address — the root causes of persistent fatigue.