thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-01--Why Uncertainty Feels So Terrifying, And How To Cope With It

First of all , why does uncertainty feel so damn terrible ?
Uncertainty is rarely fun — but there ’ s a reason it feels so much worse right now .
Here ’ s how you can cope with uncertainty .
What are some signs that you should seek further help ?
“ If someone is having panic attacks several times a week , I would say they need significantly more support , ” she said , adding that the pandemic has also created a widespread increase in depression .
“ This may show up as changes in appetite and/or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thoughts of suicide .
Some folks are in homes with unsafe people , so the risk for more safety-related anxiety and depression is also something to note.
” Ultimately , you know your body and mind best — but it ’ s always helpful to seek support at any point , whether it ’ s from a friend , loved one or therapist .
McCormick puts it like this : “ If someone feels like their distress is more than what they feel OK with , that ’ s truly enough to ask @ @ @ @

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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.
As life continues during the coronavirus pandemic, one thing is becoming clearer: There is so much we still do not know. When will the pandemic end? When will a vaccine become available? When can we resume daily life? Will things ever go back to normal? Will life be completely changed for good?
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Scientists and health officials offer some predictions, but almost nothing about this pandemic is certain, except that it could go on for a long while. For many people, especially those who already struggle with anxiety, this uncertainty has been incredibly challenging — especially since the unknowns are literally a matter of life and death.
HuffPost spoke to mental health experts and people who struggle with anxiety to understand why uncertainty is so difficult to navigate in general, and how to cope.
First of all, why does uncertainty feel so damn terrible?
The human body is hard-wired to respond to uncertainty. Jessica Linick, a New York City-based licensed clinical psychologist, tells HuffPost that our brains are designed to evaluate threat and risk — and uncertainty can feel incredibly risky.
“The brain often looks for patterns,” Linick explained, adding that this mechanism is good when circumstances are predictable and make sense. “But in times of uncertainty and unpredictability, our nervous systems are on high alert; they’re always looking for that risk. And when someone’s nervous system is activated that way, it produces a flight or fight response.”
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Lauren Hallion, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, agreed, noting that the human brain has evolved over time to pay attention to sudden changes in the environment that could signal a threat.
“In prehistoric times, those threats were sometimes predators, but they were sometimes diseases and viruses like the one we’re experiencing now,” Hallion said. “In other words, predictable environments are usually safe, while unpredictable environments were more likely to include potential dangers.”
Silke Woweries via Getty Images Because the coronavirus pandemic is unlike anything we’ve experienced, many people are struggling with extremely grim “what if?” scenarios.
Uncertainty is rarely fun — but there’s a reason it feels so much worse right now.
While uncertainty, in general, can be anxiety-inducing, it’s fair to say that the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting people on a larger scale and in myriad ways.
Lynae Cook, a 30-year-old creative who lives in both Washington and California, has dealt with anxiety for most of her life. She told HuffPost that her mind has been occupied by a variety of unknowns.
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“[I worry about] the fate of others and how people will pay their medical bills or afford housing,” she said. “In my personal life, [my anxiety] has manifested around projects that have been put on hold.”
Elly Belle, a 25-year-old writer and journalist living in Brooklyn, New York, said that her anxiety has been “really bad all the time” since the pandemic began.
“On top of being worried about myself and the uncertainty of my future, I’m also worried about everyone I know and love. Literally everyone is going through something difficult, whether it’s layoffs or lack of work, illness, or concerns about family,” Belle said. “I am constantly in a state of physical fear.”
Because the coronavirus pandemic is unlike anything we’ve experienced, and because there seems to be a growing list of abysmal possible outcomes, many people are struggling with extremely grim “what if?” scenarios.
“This can bring us to an existential place, where people are asking themselves about mortality [and] human nature,” said Melissa McCormick, a Florida-based licensed mental health counselor who specializes in anxiety and trauma healing.
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She added that people who experience common anxiety might find themselves now coping with generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or agoraphobia.
“Many of us are experiencing survival reactions ... these are all visceral and can be intense, even when we are not realizing that’s what is happening in our bodies,” McCormick said.
Here’s how you can cope with uncertainty.
Belle, who has dealt with anxiety since early childhood, explains that uncertainty is always a trigger for her, but she learned at a young age that tragic possibilities are an unavoidable part of life.
“If we latch onto that [uncertainty], we will be in constant despair and anxiety,” she said. “I try to remember, especially in chaotic times, that all we can control is how we treat each other, which is why kindness is so important.”
She added that she’s been coping now by engaging in activities that make her happy, like cooking, making tea, listening to podcasts and talking with her therapist.
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Likewise, Cook credits her therapist and naturopath for equipping her with successful coping tools.
“They taught me to take things in stride, the importance of sitting in your own feelings, and taking time to recharge,” she explained, adding that making lists and using a meditation app have been useful methods as well.
“Sometimes the best coping mechanism to deal with uncertainty is just try to keep yourself from thinking about all the things that you don’t know, and spend as much time as possible on the things you do.” - Dana Gerber
For Dana Gerber, who has received treatment for her anxiety since the age of 7, the big question mark surrounding what the world will look like post-pandemic has been difficult to process.
“The biggest tool I’ve used is just distracting myself,” the 20-year-old writer from Maryland told HuffPost. She’s found it helpful to simply give her brain a break from worrying. Her distraction tools of choice? Books, Netflix, playing guitar or talking with friends.
“Sometimes the best coping mechanism to deal with uncertainty is just try to keep yourself from thinking about all the things that you don’t know, and spend as much time as possible on the things you do,” she said.
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There are some cognitive tools therapists teach their patients that you can use to help you deal with uncertainty right now. Linick stresses the value of techniques that help calm a person’s vagus nerve, which is the longest cranial nerve in the human body and controls the body’s response during periods of rest or relaxation.
“Things that stimulate the vagus nerve can be vocal toning or humming, drinking cold water or putting ice on your face, jaw relaxation or massage, and calming breathwork,” she said, noting to make sure that your exhalations are longer than your inhalations when you’re doing breathing exercises.
Linick also suggested “orientation exercises” to help bring attention outward in the midst of an anxiety spike.
“Name five things in the room that are yellow, or green, or blue,” she offered as an example. “Look out the window and find the furthest thing you can see. Spend time looking at it, and describe it in various ways. This can help transition the focus from inside your body to outside your body.”
Hallion, who has partnered with other mental health experts to create a list of resources for coping with the pandemic, emphasizes the benefits of distraction.
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“Going for a walk or a run while wearing a mask to protect others and staying 6 feet apart, calling loved ones, finding ways to volunteer for your community without leaving home — those are all strategies that can help distract us from our ‘worry spirals’ and bring us back to the present moment,” Hallion said.
There are also preventive tools to manage anxiety on a regular basis. Linick pointed out that during unpredictable times, it can be helpful for someone to focus on things that can be controlled.
For example, “Today, I’m going to clean my closet,” she said. “Today, I will put away my clothes. That’s something I can control; that’s something I can do. However tiny, those tasks can be quite useful.”
Additionally, Linick is an advocate of meditation, journaling, and movement exercises, while McCormick also recommends art expression and utilizing positive affirmations like ”This is not permanent. I am safe in this moment. I am inherently worthy. I deserve rest.”
Oscar Wong via Getty Images "Calling loved ones, finding ways to volunteer for your community without leaving home — those are all strategies that can help distract us from our ‘worry spirals,’" says psychology professor Lauren Hallion.
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What are some signs that you should seek further help?
As with any mental health issue, safety is key. “If someone feels like they’re going to hurt themselves, or hurt someone else, or they just feel unsafe in their own skin, they should seek help immediately,” Linick said.
If you don’t have access to a therapist, there are still ways to get help, like by contacting a crisis center. You can get in touch with Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, and the National Suicide Prevention Hotline can be reached by calling 1-800-273-8255.
But there’s certainly a gray area between manageable anxiety and a mental health crisis. McCormick pointed out some key signs and symptoms to watch out for.
“If someone is having panic attacks several times a week, I would say they need significantly more support,” she said, adding that the pandemic has also created a widespread increase in depression. “This may show up as changes in appetite and/or sleep, tearfulness, hopelessness, or thoughts of suicide. Some folks are in homes with unsafe people, so the risk for more safety-related anxiety and depression is also something to note.”
Ultimately, you know your body and mind best — but it’s always helpful to seek support at any point, whether it’s from a friend, loved one or therapist. McCormick puts it like this: “If someone feels like their distress is more than what they feel OK with, that’s truly enough to ask for help.”
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This story is part of HuffPost Life’s series on coping with uncertainty during the coronavirus pandemic. Check out our other stories below.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-31--NASA Astronauts Arrive At Space Station After SpaceX Docking

CAPE CANAVERAL , Fla. ( AP ) — SpaceX delivered two astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA on Sunday , following up a historic liftoff with an equally smooth docking in yet another first for Elon Musk ’ s company .
With test pilots Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken poised to take over manual control if necessary , the SpaceX Dragon capsule pulled up to the station and docked automatically , no assistance needed .
It was the first time a privately built and owned spacecraft carried astronauts to the orbiting lab in its nearly 20 years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a business revolution encircling Earth and eventually stretching to the moon and Mars .
The docking occurred just 19 hours after a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off Saturday afternoon from Kennedy Space Center , the nation ’ s first astronaut launch to orbit from home soil in nearly a decade .
Thousands jammed surrounding beaches , bridges and towns to watch as SpaceX became the world ’ s first private company to send astronauts into orbit , and ended a nine-year launch drought for NASA .
A few hours before docking , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was performing beautifully .
Just in case , they slipped back into their pressurized launch suits and helmets for the rendezvous .
The three space station residents kept cameras trained on the incoming capsule for the benefit of flight controllers at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne , California , and NASA ’ s Johnson Space Center in Houston .
Gleaming white in the sunlight , the Dragon was easily visible from a few miles out , its nose cone open and exposing its docking hook as well as a blinking light .
The capsule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as it closed the gap .
Hurley and Behnken took over the controls and did a little piloting less than a couple hundred yards ( meters ) out as part of the test flight , before putting it back into automatic for the final approach .
Hurley said the capsule handled “ really well , very crisp.
” SpaceX and NASA officials had held off on any celebrations until after Sunday morning ’ s docking — and possibly not until the two astronauts are back on Earth sometime this summer .
NASA has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Behnken will spend at the space station , somewhere between one and four months .
While they ’ re there , the Dragon test pilots will join the one U.S. and two Russian station residents in performing experiments and possibly spacewalks to install fresh station batteries .
In a show-and-tell earlier Sunday , the astronauts gave a quick tour of the Dragon ’ s sparkling clean insides , quite spacious for a capsule .
They said the liftoff was pretty bumpy and dynamic , nothing the simulators could have mimicked .
The blue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sons ’ toy , named Tremor — was also in good shape , Behnken assured viewers .
Tremor was going to join Earthy , a plush globe delivered to the space station on last year ’ s test flight of a crew-less crew Dragon .
Behnken said both toys would return to Earth with them at mission ’ s end .
After liftoff , Musk told reporters that the capsule ’ s return will be more dangerous in some ways than its launch .
Even so , getting the two astronauts safely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone breathing huge sighs of relief .

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX delivered two astronauts to the International Space Station for NASA on Sunday, following up a historic liftoff with an equally smooth docking in yet another first for Elon Musk’s company.
With test pilots Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken poised to take over manual control if necessary, the SpaceX Dragon capsule pulled up to the station and docked automatically, no assistance needed.
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It was the first time a privately built and owned spacecraft carried astronauts to the orbiting lab in its nearly 20 years. NASA considers this the opening volley in a business revolution encircling Earth and eventually stretching to the moon and Mars.
The SpaceX Dragon crew capsule, with NASA astronauts Doug Hurley, left, and Robert Behnken, docked with the International Space Station on Sunday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The docking occurred just 19 hours after a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off Saturday afternoon from Kennedy Space Center, the nation’s first astronaut launch to orbit from home soil in nearly a decade.
Thousands jammed surrounding beaches, bridges and towns to watch as SpaceX became the world’s first private company to send astronauts into orbit, and ended a nine-year launch drought for NASA.
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A few hours before docking, the Dragon riders reported that the capsule was performing beautifully. Just in case, they slipped back into their pressurized launch suits and helmets for the rendezvous.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 was the first privately built and owned spacecraft to carry astronauts to the orbiting lab. ASSOCIATED PRESS
The three space station residents kept cameras trained on the incoming capsule for the benefit of flight controllers at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, and NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Gleaming white in the sunlight, the Dragon was easily visible from a few miles out, its nose cone open and exposing its docking hook as well as a blinking light. The capsule loomed ever larger on live NASA TV as it closed the gap.
Hurley and Behnken took over the controls and did a little piloting less than a couple hundred yards (meters) out as part of the test flight, before putting it back into automatic for the final approach. Hurley said the capsule handled “really well, very crisp.”
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Spectators watch from a bridge in Titusville, Fla. as SpaceX Falcon 9 lifts off with two NASA astronauts on Saturday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
SpaceX and NASA officials had held off on any celebrations until after Sunday morning’s docking — and possibly not until the two astronauts are back on Earth sometime this summer.
NASA has yet to decide how long Hurley and Behnken will spend at the space station, somewhere between one and four months. While they’re there, the Dragon test pilots will join the one U.S. and two Russian station residents in performing experiments and possibly spacewalks to install fresh station batteries.
In a show-and-tell earlier Sunday, the astronauts gave a quick tour of the Dragon’s sparkling clean insides, quite spacious for a capsule. They said the liftoff was pretty bumpy and dynamic, nothing the simulators could have mimicked.
NASA astronauts Douglas Hurley, left, and Robert Behnken make their way to Pad 39-A, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Saturday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The blue sequined dinosaur accompanying them — their young sons’ toy, named Tremor — was also in good shape, Behnken assured viewers. Tremor was going to join Earthy, a plush globe delivered to the space station on last year’s test flight of a crew-less crew Dragon. Behnken said both toys would return to Earth with them at mission’s end.
An old-style capsule splashdown is planned.
After liftoff, Musk told reporters that the capsule’s return will be more dangerous in some ways than its launch. Even so, getting the two astronauts safely to orbit and then the space station had everyone breathing huge sighs of relief.
As always, Musk was looking ahead.
“This is hopefully the first step on a journey toward a civilization on Mars,” he said Saturday evening.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-30--SpaceX Launches 2 NASA Astronauts Into Orbit In Historic Mission

The Crew Dragon spacecraft blasted off Saturday afternoon atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral , Florida , on a flight to the International Space Station .
The mission marks the first time that Americans have launched into space from U.S. soil in almost a decade ; the last U.S. space shuttle took off from the Kennedy Space Center in 2011 .
The launch is also the first time a private company ― in this case , billionaire Elon Musk ’ s SpaceX ― has put people in space .
Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley , veteran astronauts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pair gets to the space station , they ’ re expected to stay there for at least a month .
They ’ ll be joining NASA astronaut Christopher J. Cassidy and Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner .
NASA astronauts Bob Behnken ( right ) and Doug Hurley , best friends , in a vehicle prior to the SpaceX launch on Saturday .
Instead of building its own spacecraft to replace its retired space shuttles , NASA has turned to private companies in a money-saving move that The New York Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The space agency then pays for its astronauts to ride aboard .
Aerospace company Boeing is also working on a spacecraft that would be used in the same way .

A SpaceX rocket made history by launching two NASA astronauts into orbit.
The Crew Dragon spacecraft blasted off Saturday afternoon atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a flight to the International Space Station.
The mission marks the first time that Americans have launched into space from U.S. soil in almost a decade; the last U.S. space shuttle took off from the Kennedy Space Center in 2011.
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The launch is also the first time a private company ― in this case, billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX ― has put people in space.
Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, veteran astronauts and best friends, are aboard. Once the pair gets to the space station, they’re expected to stay there for at least a month. They’ll be joining NASA astronaut Christopher J. Cassidy and Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner.
NASA astronauts Bob Behnken (right) and Doug Hurley, best friends, in a vehicle prior to the SpaceX launch on Saturday. Joe Raedle via Getty Images
Instead of building its own spacecraft to replace its retired space shuttles, NASA has turned to private companies in a money-saving move that The New York Times calls the “rental-car equivalent of spacecraft.” The space agency then pays for its astronauts to ride aboard.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-29--FDA Finds Contamination In Several Brands Of Diabetes Drug

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — U.S. health regulators are telling five drugmakers to recall their versions of a widely used diabetes medication after laboratory tests found elevated levels of a contaminant linked to cancer .
The Food and Drug Administration said late Thursday that several batches of the drug metformin tested positive for unsafe levels of N-Nitrosodimethylamine , a possible cancer-causing chemical that can form as a manufacturing byproduct .
The agency has stepped up testing after the chemical was found in dozens of shipments of blood pressure and heartburn drugs last year , triggering recalls of Zantac and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tablets are a staple of diabetes care , reducing excess sugar in the blood .
People with Type 2 diabetes use metformin alone or with other drugs to help control their blood sugar levels .
More than 34 million people in the U.S. have this disease .
Patients should continue taking metformin drugs until their doctor can prescribe a replacement , the FDA said in a statement , noting the risks of discontinuing .
Regulators are still assessing whether the recalls will lead to shortages of metformin , but noted that a number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the drugs that don ’ t appear to be affected by the issue .
Drugmaker Apotex Corp. recalled its extended-release metformin distributed in the U.S. earlier this week after the FDA found contamination in one lot .
Apotex said in a statement it voluntarily recalled all supplies of the drug “ out of an abundance of caution.
” The company said it stopped selling the drug in the U.S. in February 2019 and that little remains on the market .
The FDA announcement did not name the four other drugmakers who have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FDA is responsible for ensuring that medicines for the U.S. market are made in safe , sanitary conditions that meet federal quality standards .
But government inspectors have repeatedly criticized the agency for falling short in reviewing overseas manufacturing plants as the pharmaceutical supply chain has increasingly spread to Asia .
In March , the FDA suspended nearly all U.S. and foreign inspections due to safety concerns and travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus outbreak .
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is solely responsible for all content .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health regulators are telling five drugmakers to recall their versions of a widely used diabetes medication after laboratory tests found elevated levels of a contaminant linked to cancer.
The Food and Drug Administration said late Thursday that several batches of the drug metformin tested positive for unsafe levels of N-Nitrosodimethylamine, a possible cancer-causing chemical that can form as a manufacturing byproduct. The agency has stepped up testing after the chemical was found in dozens of shipments of blood pressure and heartburn drugs last year, triggering recalls of Zantac and other popular over-the-counter and prescription medications.
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Metformin tablets are a staple of diabetes care, reducing excess sugar in the blood. People with Type 2 diabetes use metformin alone or with other drugs to help control their blood sugar levels. More than 34 million people in the U.S. have this disease.
Patients should continue taking metformin drugs until their doctor can prescribe a replacement, the FDA said in a statement, noting the risks of discontinuing. Regulators are still assessing whether the recalls will lead to shortages of metformin, but noted that a number of other companies make generic versions of the drugs that don’t appear to be affected by the issue.
Drugmaker Apotex Corp. recalled its extended-release metformin distributed in the U.S. earlier this week after the FDA found contamination in one lot. Apotex said in a statement it voluntarily recalled all supplies of the drug “out of an abundance of caution.” The company said it stopped selling the drug in the U.S. in February 2019 and that little remains on the market.
The FDA announcement did not name the four other drugmakers who have been requested to recall their products.
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The agency noted that no contamination problems have been found in immediate-release metformin.
The FDA is responsible for ensuring that medicines for the U.S. market are made in safe, sanitary conditions that meet federal quality standards. But government inspectors have repeatedly criticized the agency for falling short in reviewing overseas manufacturing plants as the pharmaceutical supply chain has increasingly spread to Asia.
In March, the FDA suspended nearly all U.S. and foreign inspections due to safety concerns and travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-29--Monkeys Steal Coronavirus Patient Blood Samples From Lab Tech In India

It sounds bananas , but authorities in India say a troop of monkeys attacked a medical official and stole blood samples belonging to patients who had tested positive for the coronavirus .
Earlier this week , a lab technician at a state-run medical college in Meerut was walking across campus when some rhesus macaques converged on him .
The monkeys then snatched away blood samples that the lab tech was carrying that came from four COVID-19 patients who are undergoing treatment , according to Reuters .
Eyewitnesses reported seeing a monkey chewing on one of the sample collection kits while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to India.com .
In addition , the monkeys left parts of the stolen kits scattered on the ground , concerning local officials .
Dr. S. K. Garg , an official at the college where the monkey attack occurred , told Reuters he wasn ’ t sure if the monkeys might contract the coronavirus if they have come into contact with infected blood .
“ No evidence has been found that monkeys can contract the infection , ” Garg said .
SkyNews reports that since lockdown measures were imposed two months ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congregating in places that are normally crowded with humans .
However , some observers believe that many of the primates are struggling because the human food they normally consume has been severely reduced .
Did anyone have Monkeys attacking lab assistant on their bingo card ?
i had pigs with AR -15s and Murder Hornets but no Monkeys making off with slide samples 😳https : //t.co/lUkrzl7aNZ — Raquel Perazzo ( @ raquelmperazzo ) May 29 , 2020

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It sounds bananas, but authorities in India say a troop of monkeys attacked a medical official and stole blood samples belonging to patients who had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Earlier this week, a lab technician at a state-run medical college in Meerut was walking across campus when some rhesus macaques converged on him.
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The monkeys then snatched away blood samples that the lab tech was carrying that came from four COVID-19 patients who are undergoing treatment, according to Reuters.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing a monkey chewing on one of the sample collection kits while sitting at the top of a tree, according to India.com.
In addition, the monkeys left parts of the stolen kits scattered on the ground, concerning local officials.
Dr. S. K. Garg, an official at the college where the monkey attack occurred, told Reuters he wasn’t sure if the monkeys might contract the coronavirus if they have come into contact with infected blood.
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“No evidence has been found that monkeys can contract the infection,” Garg said.
SkyNews reports that since lockdown measures were imposed two months ago in the area, monkeys have been congregating in places that are normally crowded with humans.
However, some observers believe that many of the primates are struggling because the human food they normally consume has been severely reduced.
Naturally, Twitter users went ape for the story.
‼Just when you thought today couldn’t get any weirder: agang of monkeys attacked a laboratory assistant in #India and escaped with a batch of #coronavirus blood test samples.😳https://t.co/6Bv8GCncdQ — Dr. Dena Grayson (@DrDenaGrayson) May 29, 2020
Did anyone have Monkeys attacking lab assistant on their bingo card? i had pigs with AR -15s and Murder Hornets but no Monkeys making off with slide samples 😳https://t.co/lUkrzl7aNZ — Raquel Perazzo (@raquelmperazzo) May 29, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-29--MLMs Are Using Coronavirus Anxiety To Exploit The Quarantined And Unemployed

This pitch from Daniel Alonzo , Primerica ’ s poster child , was part of a promotional webinar filmed in April that seized on COVID-19 anxieties to draw new sellers into Primerica ’ s multi-level marketing ( MLM ) empire .
It ’ s a tactic that ’ s being employed by a striking number of distributors from various MLMs , who shill products or services directly to consumers on behalf of the companies while recruiting as many additional sellers as possible .
Now , amid an economic crisis , they are pushing their business opportunities as fast-track tickets to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Americans are out of work and trying to make ends meet .
It ’ s a very susceptible population , and what ’ s happening is certain MLM companies and distributors are preying on those vulnerabilities and deceptively saying that you can make money if you become a distributor — which , as a general matter , is just not true , ” said Bonnie Patten , the executive director of nonprofit watchdog Truth in Advertising .
“ I can tell you that there ’ s thousands of people that are out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re all looking for a way to go earn money .
This is a great stimulus package , because you get to teach somebody how to go earn $ 1,730 literally in their first 10 days in the business , ” claimed a distributor for ketogenic supplements firm Pruvit .
Reached for comment , the FTC referred HuffPost to a statement from Andrew Smith , the director of the agency ’ s Bureau of Consumer Protection : “ MLMs and other companies that distribute their products through networks of distributors are responsible for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are making , ” Smith said .
“ During this health and economic crisis , we are on the lookout for false income claims for work-at-home opportunities , in addition to spurious health claims that products can treat or prevent COVID-19.
” Jessica , a 35-year-old makeup artist and aesthetician from Mississippi , first got involved with MLMs as a single mother in 2012 .
A co-worker had recommended that she join Arbonne as a downline distributor to earn some extra cash .
It sounded like an ideal way to supplement her income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sign up and hoped for the best .
It was the first of three MLMs , including Nu Skin and Primerica , that she would work under in a five-year period .
Now an anti-MLM advocate , Jessica says she ’ s not surprised that so many distributors appear to be taking advantage of the pandemic for their own gain .
She describes the industry workforce as a “ cultlike ” movement that lures people in with a dream of financial prosperity before hanging them out to dry .
A number of books @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the techniques that MLMs and cults use to court new members and maintain their loyalty .
As of 2018 , there were 6.2 million MLM distributors in the U.S. , three-quarters of whom were women .
“ So often , these women are desperate , ” said Jessica , who works with an activist group called Americans Against Multi Level Marketing .
“ A lot of MLMs have a minimum amount [ of inventory ] you have to order every month to stay active .
If you don ’ t sell that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more money .
Then you ’ re left with a pile of products on hand , which in some cases can expire .
They ’ re desperate to get their money back.
” In recent years , the rise of social media has made it much easier for MLM distributors to connect with potential customers and recruits .
The anti-MLM community refers to distributors as “ huns ” because they so often pop into people ’ s DMs , or direct message inboxes , with pitches that open with the greeting “ Hey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MLMs of operating exploitative compensation schemes continue to mount , social media has also facilitated grassroots pushback against the industry .
In Facebook groups such as “ Sounds like MLM but ok , ” which has more than 170,000 members , women speak out against the MLMs they used to shill for .
Has The Industry Heard The Warning Shots ?
Rodan + Fields , which was among the MLMs that received warning letters from the FTC , sent a letter to its distributors instructing them to “ not link challenges created by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any way to the R+F business opportunity in any of your communications on or off social media.
” It also ordered them to avoid using words including “ quarantine , ” “ recession ” and “ shutdown ” in their marketing efforts .
“ We have the obligation [ and ] the opportunity to give accurate information .
Similarly , we have to make sure we don ’ t give misinformation — about what our products do , about our opportunity — particularly at a time like this to not be seen [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] taking advantage of a crisis situation , ” DSA President Joe Mariano said in a company video .
“ We ’ re going to be very , very vigilant ... about making sure that our sales folks are accurate in what they say about their products , especially when it comes to this virus and what they might or might not do .
”

Illustration: Damon Dahlen/HuffPost; Photos: Getty
The salesman had an enticing offer: For a fee, aspiring entrepreneurs could join him in a low-risk, work-from-home business venture with unlimited earning potential — even as the coronavirus pandemic upended millions of people’s financial futures, plunging families across the country into debt. “You’re quarantined in your house,” he declared, and selling Primerica life insurance could be a chance to “be greedy when others are scared.”
This pitch from Daniel Alonzo, Primerica’s poster child, was part of a promotional webinar filmed in April that seized on COVID-19 anxieties to draw new sellers into Primerica’s multi-level marketing (MLM) empire. It’s a tactic that’s being employed by a striking number of distributors from various MLMs, who shill products or services directly to consumers on behalf of the companies while recruiting as many additional sellers as possible. Now, amid an economic crisis, they are pushing their business opportunities as fast-track tickets to financial freedom.
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The reality is much different. Inside the multibillion-dollar MLM industry — where commissions are filtered through a pyramid-like structure of independent, non-salaried sales force members who pay to play — at least 99% of recruits end up losing money, according to a report published by the Federal Trade Commission.
Whether they’re selling insurance, essential oils, skincare kits, dietary supplements, hair products, makeup, household items or leggings, MLM distributors’ incomes are contingent upon their ability to bring new people into the enterprise. Each distributor receives a portion of their “downline” recruits’ commissions while forfeiting a portion of their own commissions to the “upline” individual who recruited them, and so on. Many MLMs also require distributors to purchase their inventory and then resell it.
It’s a highly controversial compensation system that has left many in financial ruin — in extreme cases, liquidating their assets or taking out second mortgages on their homes — as they’ve struggled to work their way up the chain. Meanwhile, the companies at the top grow rich; Primerica reportedly rakes in millions of dollars in fees from its distributors every month.
Under the weight of such pressure, MLM distributors are notorious for resorting to predatory methods to lure in new downline members under false or misleading pretenses. And now, as jobless claims top 40 million, many distributors are spreading wild and unsubstantiated earnings claims on social media to recruit new sellers.
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“Tens of millions of Americans are out of work and trying to make ends meet. It’s a very susceptible population, and what’s happening is certain MLM companies and distributors are preying on those vulnerabilities and deceptively saying that you can make money if you become a distributor — which, as a general matter, is just not true,” said Bonnie Patten, the executive director of nonprofit watchdog Truth in Advertising.
The pandemic is also creating a whole new potential customer base of people who are terrified of contracting the potentially deadly virus. Many MLM distributors are touting fake COVID-19 cures that appear to run afoul of federal truth-in-advertising laws.
Grand Claims About Miracle COVID-19 Treatments
The FTC sent warning letters to 10 MLMs last month concerning false and misleading claims from distributors — and in a few cases, official company marketing channels — about income opportunities and products’ abilities to ward off COVID-19. It was the agency’s first batch of warning letters to address claims related to the economic fallout from the crisis.
“Living in quarantine and where 14 million people applied for unemployment just last week,” an Arbonne cosmetics distributor posted online. “Turn a small investment into six figures.”
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“I can tell you that there’s thousands of people that are out of work right now. They’re all looking for a way to go earn money. This is a great stimulus package, because you get to teach somebody how to go earn $1,730 literally in their first 10 days in the business,” claimed a distributor for ketogenic supplements firm Pruvit.
“Everyone’s getting stimulus checks right now,” stated a video that weight loss company It Works! posted to its corporate Facebook page. “There is no better investment you could do.”
“HOW WILL YOU FIGHT OFF CORONA? USE NUTRABURST-CHAGA,” a distributor for Total Life Changes, a wellness MLM, urged in an online post.
“Want to join me in drinking Zeal to combat the Corona Virus?” asked a Zurvita distributor, who sells nutritional supplements for the firm. “Learn how to be your own Corona Virus Super Hero!”
Under the FTC Act, claims about business opportunities’ “potential to achieve a wealthy lifestyle, career-level income, or significant income” can be unlawful if they don’t reflect the experience of an average participant. It’s also illegal to advertise “that a product can prevent, treat, or cure human disease” without scientific evidence; no product has been scientifically proven to prevent, treat or cure COVID-19, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
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Reached for comment, the FTC referred HuffPost to a statement from Andrew Smith, the director of the agency’s Bureau of Consumer Protection: “MLMs and other companies that distribute their products through networks of distributors are responsible for the product and earnings claims those distributors are making,” Smith said. “During this health and economic crisis, we are on the lookout for false income claims for work-at-home opportunities, in addition to spurious health claims that products can treat or prevent COVID-19.”
In the end, consumers pay the price of MLMs’ failures to police their representatives’ advertising efforts — an issue that long predates the COVID-19 outbreak, said Patten.
“The inappropriate income claims [from MLM distributors and officials] are not new,” she said, “but they’re now using the pandemic as a hook to draw more people in.”
BanksPhotos via Getty Images
A ‘Cultlike’ Mentality
Jessica, a 35-year-old makeup artist and aesthetician from Mississippi, first got involved with MLMs as a single mother in 2012. A co-worker had recommended that she join Arbonne as a downline distributor to earn some extra cash. It sounded like an ideal way to supplement her income, so she paid a fee to sign up and hoped for the best. It was the first of three MLMs, including Nu Skin and Primerica, that she would work under in a five-year period.
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Things didn’t go as planned: “I didn’t end up recruiting anyone,” said Jessica, who asked to be identified by her first name only to protect her privacy. She said she lost money in each role, but feels “very lucky” that her losses were minor compared to other MLM distributors’ experiences.
Now an anti-MLM advocate, Jessica says she’s not surprised that so many distributors appear to be taking advantage of the pandemic for their own gain. She describes the industry workforce as a “cultlike” movement that lures people in with a dream of financial prosperity before hanging them out to dry. A number of books and studies have also drawn comparisons between the techniques that MLMs and cults use to court new members and maintain their loyalty. As of 2018, there were 6.2 million MLM distributors in the U.S., three-quarters of whom were women.
“So often, these women are desperate,” said Jessica, who works with an activist group called Americans Against Multi Level Marketing. “A lot of MLMs have a minimum amount [of inventory] you have to order every month to stay active. If you don’t sell that, you end up just spending more and more money. Then you’re left with a pile of products on hand, which in some cases can expire. They’re desperate to get their money back.”
This desperation is undoubtedly fueling the wave of MLM distributors’ opportunistic, unsubstantiated health and earnings claims tied to COVID-19, she said.
“They will use anything. They’ll even use death — anything they can to recruit or sell.”
Some distributors have been asking people in their social media networks for cash donations, which they claim they will use to buy supplies or care packages from their MLMs to give to frontline health care workers, CNBC reported. Experts told the news outlet that such requests are marketing ploys intended to boost the distributors’ sales volumes, and that people wishing to support doctors and nurses should donate to reputable aid groups.
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In recent years, the rise of social media has made it much easier for MLM distributors to connect with potential customers and recruits. The anti-MLM community refers to distributors as “huns” because they so often pop into people’s DMs, or direct message inboxes, with pitches that open with the greeting “Hey hun!” But as lawsuits accusing MLMs of operating exploitative compensation schemes continue to mount, social media has also facilitated grassroots pushback against the industry. In Facebook groups such as “Sounds like MLM but ok,” which has more than 170,000 members, women speak out against the MLMs they used to shill for.
“Never in my life did I think I would have to argue with a ‘friend’ for 4 hours about [haircare MLM] Monat,” reads a recent post, which features screenshots purporting to show a conversation with a pushy Monat distributor. “MLMs are really out here turning people into heartless huns.”
Farknot_Architect via Getty Images
Has The Industry Heard The Warning Shots?
The coronavirus pandemic has served as a resounding wake-up call for the MLM industry, according to attorney Kevin Thomson of Thompson Burton PLLC, who represents MLM companies.
“It was actually a pleasant surprise to see [the FTC] try to educate the marketplace through warning letters, and it was very effective,” Thompson said. “It led to a lot of activity in the industry and a really good discussion about, ‘OK, clearly health claims and income claims need to be reined in and put under control.’”
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A number of MLMs have recently taken steps to keep their distributors in line during the coronavirus outbreak.
Rodan + Fields, which was among the MLMs that received warning letters from the FTC, sent a letter to its distributors instructing them to “not link challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic and/or economic situation in any way to the R+F business opportunity in any of your communications on or off social media.” It also ordered them to avoid using words including “quarantine,” “recession” and “shutdown” in their marketing efforts.
Jeunesse added a disclaimer label to the home page of its website, urging distributors to “not misrepresent our products” with claims about treating COVID-19. Other MLMs have adopted measures such as Zoom compliance trainings for distributors, and have invested in software to find and flag online posts containing problematic claims, Thompson said.
The BBB National Programs’ Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council, along with the Direct Selling Association, which lobbies against MLM regulation, have also stepped in to remind distributors to exercise caution when making marketing claims.
“We have the obligation [and] the opportunity to give accurate information. Similarly, we have to make sure we don’t give misinformation — about what our products do, about our opportunity — particularly at a time like this to not be seen [as] or in fact [be] taking advantage of a crisis situation,” DSA President Joe Mariano said in a company video. “We’re going to be very, very vigilant ... about making sure that our sales folks are accurate in what they say about their products, especially when it comes to this virus and what they might or might not do.”
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These efforts indicate a broader trend of MLMs taking accountability for their distributors’ claims — a trend that will continue beyond the pandemic, Thompson asserted.
“What happened with COVID, companies that really had a loose connection with the field, they weren’t able to stop the claims,” he said. “Now I think they’re taking it more seriously. I think actually, COVID shocked the companies and the industry to take the statements made by their distributors more seriously.”
Patten isn’t so sure.
“We’ve found that it’s a game of whack-a-mole,” she said. “Historically, when MLM companies are presented with a sampling of inappropriate income claims [from their distributors], they’ll work to take those down, but then others will just pop up.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-27--Historic SpaceX Launch Postponed Because Of Stormy Weather

CAPE CANAVERAL , Fla. ( AP ) — The launch of a SpaceX rocket ship with two NASA astronauts on @ @ @ @ @ has been called off with 16 minutes to go in the countdown because of the @ @ @ @ @ spacecraft was set to blast off Wednesday afternoon for the International Space Station , ushering @ @ @ @ @ commercial spaceflight and putting NASA back in the business of launching astronauts from U.S. soil @ @ @ @ @ nearly a decade .
Ever since the space shuttle was retired in 2011 , NASA @ @ @ @ @ to carry astronauts to and from the space station .

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The launch of a SpaceX rocket ship with two NASA astronauts on a history-making flight into orbit has been called off with 16 minutes to go in the countdown because of the danger of lightning.
Liftoff is rescheduled for Saturday.
The spacecraft was set to blast off Wednesday afternoon for the International Space Station, ushering in a new era in commercial spaceflight and putting NASA back in the business of launching astronauts from U.S. soil for the first time in nearly a decade.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-27--SpaceX Ready To Launch NASA Astronauts, Back On Home Turf

CAPE CANAVERAL , Florida ( AP ) — A SpaceX rocket is ready to boost two NASA astronauts into orbit Wednesday , the first launch of Americans from the U.S. in nearly a decade .
Liftoff is set for 4:33 p.m. EDT from the same spot at Kennedy Space Center where men flew to the moon and the last space shuttle blasted off in 2011 .
“ This is a big moment in time , ” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said on the eve of the launch .
“ It ’ s been nine years since we ’ ve had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Musk ’ s SpaceX on the cusp of becoming the first private company to put astronauts in orbit , something achieved by just three countries — Russia , the U.S. and China .
Riding aboard the brand new SpaceX Dragon capsule for the historic flight : veteran NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken .
The test flight will take them to the International Space Station .
The day before our launch on the @ NASA/ @ SpaceX Demo Mission 2 , I took the time to review pre-launch activities , hone my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ docking with @ Space_Station https : //t.co/1RBMI0g1Gp , and review the path home .
We are ready !
# LaunchAmerica pic.twitter.com/piYtLEtoiw — Bob Behnken ( @ AstroBehnken ) May 27 , 2020 Bridenstine describes the duo as bold American heroes who are “ laying the foundation for a new era in human spaceflight.
” Wednesday ’ s weather in Florida has been a concern ; it was raining with low clouds in the morning .
NASA pushed ahead with the astronaut launch despite the coronavirus pandemic , but asked spectators to stay at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
Beaches and parks along Florida ’ s Space Coast are open again , and local officials and businesses put out a socially distanced welcome mat .
Signs on local businesses wished “ Godspeed SpaceX.
” Hours before the launch , cars and RVs lined the causeway in Cape Canaveral , with prime views of the pad .
The SpaceX Falcon 9 , with the Crew Dragon spacecraft on top of the rocket , sits on Launch Pad 39-A on May 25 , 2020 , at Kennedy Space Center , Fla. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pence are expected to be at Kennedy , where visitors will be limited .
NASA will have input throughout the countdown , but in the end , it will be SpaceX giving the final go — with NASA ’ s concurrence .
Besides good weather at the launch site , SpaceX needs relatively calm waves and wind up the U.S. and Canadian seaboard and across the North Atlantic to Ireland , in case astronauts Hurley and Behnken need to make an emergency splashdown along the route to orbit .
If SpaceX does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the next try would be Saturday .
The last time astronauts launched from Florida was on NASA ’ s final space shuttle flight in July 2011 .
Hurley was the pilot of that mission .
NASA hired SpaceX and Boeing in 2014 to transport astronauts to the space station , after commercial cargo shipments had taken off .
Development of SpaceX ’ s Dragon and Boeing ’ s Starliner capsules took longer than expected , however , and the U.S. has been paying Russia to launch NASA astronauts in the interim .

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (AP) — A SpaceX rocket is ready to boost two NASA astronauts into orbit Wednesday, the first launch of Americans from the U.S. in nearly a decade.
Liftoff is set for 4:33 p.m. EDT from the same spot at Kennedy Space Center where men flew to the moon and the last space shuttle blasted off in 2011.
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“This is a big moment in time,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said on the eve of the launch. “It’s been nine years since we’ve had this opportunity.”
The launch puts Elon Musk’s SpaceX on the cusp of becoming the first private company to put astronauts in orbit, something achieved by just three countries — Russia, the U.S. and China.
Riding aboard the brand new SpaceX Dragon capsule for the historic flight: veteran NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken. The test flight will take them to the International Space Station.
“We are ready!” Behnken tweeted Tuesday night.
The day before our launch on the @NASA/@SpaceX Demo Mission 2, I took the time to review pre-launch activities, hone my launch operation technique, practice one more docking with @Space_Station https://t.co/1RBMI0g1Gp, and review the path home. We are ready! #LaunchAmerica pic.twitter.com/piYtLEtoiw — Bob Behnken (@AstroBehnken) May 27, 2020
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Bridenstine describes the duo as bold American heroes who are “laying the foundation for a new era in human spaceflight.”
Wednesday’s weather in Florida has been a concern; it was raining with low clouds in the morning.
NASA pushed ahead with the astronaut launch despite the coronavirus pandemic, but asked spectators to stay at home to lower the risk of spreading the virus. Beaches and parks along Florida’s Space Coast are open again, and local officials and businesses put out a socially distanced welcome mat. Signs on local businesses wished “Godspeed SpaceX.”
Hours before the launch, cars and RVs lined the causeway in Cape Canaveral, with prime views of the pad.
The SpaceX Falcon 9, with the Crew Dragon spacecraft on top of the rocket, sits on Launch Pad 39-A on May 25, 2020, at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are expected to be at Kennedy, where visitors will be limited.
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NASA will have input throughout the countdown, but in the end, it will be SpaceX giving the final go — with NASA’s concurrence.
“SpaceX is controlling the vehicle, there’s no fluff about that,” said Norm Knight, a NASA flight operations manager.
Besides good weather at the launch site, SpaceX needs relatively calm waves and wind up the U.S. and Canadian seaboard and across the North Atlantic to Ireland, in case astronauts Hurley and Behnken need to make an emergency splashdown along the route to orbit.
If SpaceX does not launch during Wednesday’s split-second window, the next try would be Saturday.
The last time astronauts launched from Florida was on NASA’s final space shuttle flight in July 2011. Hurley was the pilot of that mission.
Hurley, 53, and Behnken, 49, are both two-time shuttle fliers.
NASA hired SpaceX and Boeing in 2014 to transport astronauts to the space station, after commercial cargo shipments had taken off. Development of SpaceX’s Dragon and Boeing’s Starliner capsules took longer than expected, however, and the U.S. has been paying Russia to launch NASA astronauts in the interim.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-27--Boy, 12, Remains Totally Calm Despite The Massive Bear Creeping Up Behind Him

A 12-year-old boy in Italy had a close encounter with a rather large bear while on a picnic with his family .
But instead of panicking , footage of the moment shows young Alessandro Breda keeping his composure so he doesn ’ t spook the bear , then calmly walking away .
The boy told local media that he had recently watched a video about bears and knew what to do .
And more importantly , he knew what not to do as the bear approached in Trentino , in northern Italy .
“ I ’ d learned that if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and becomes much more aggressive , ” Alessandro told RAI , according to a New York Times translation .
Loris Calliari , the boy ’ s stepfather , told CNN they believe the bear had been sleeping , and Alessandro accidentally disturbed it while gathering pine cones nearby .
“ I noticed that he was moving and I told him to walk slowly , to be careful , that I will take a picture but to move , ” Calliari told the network .
“ I was nervous at first but then saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not acting , so I calmed down.
” The Times said there are between 82 and 93 bears in the region .
Although conflicts with humans are rare , there have been three mauling incidents since 2014 .

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A 12-year-old boy in Italy had a close encounter with a rather large bear while on a picnic with his family.
But instead of panicking, footage of the moment shows young Alessandro Breda keeping his composure so he doesn’t spook the bear, then calmly walking away.
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The boy told local media that he had recently watched a video about bears and knew what to do. And more importantly, he knew what not to do as the bear approached in Trentino, in northern Italy.
“I’d learned that if you yell, the bear becomes agitated and becomes much more aggressive,” Alessandro told RAI, according to a New York Times translation.
Loris Calliari, the boy’s stepfather, told CNN they believe the bear had been sleeping, and Alessandro accidentally disturbed it while gathering pine cones nearby.
“I noticed that he was moving and I told him to walk slowly, to be careful, that I will take a picture but to move,” Calliari told the network. “I was nervous at first but then saw that the bear was not scared, was not acting, so I calmed down.”
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-26--Some COVID-19 Victims Developing Dangerous And Perplexing Blood Clots

Darlene Gildersleeve thought she had recovered from COVID-19 .
Doctors said she just needed rest .
And for several days , no one suspected her worsening symptoms were related — until a May 4 video call , when her physician heard her slurred speech and consulted a specialist .
Blood clots that can cause strokes , heart attacks and dangerous blockages in the legs and lungs are increasingly being found in COVID-19 patients , including some children .
Even tiny clots that can damage tissue throughout the body have been seen in hospitalized patients and in autopsies , confounding doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainly a respiratory infection .
“ I have to be humble and say I don ’ t know what ’ s going on there , but boy we need to find that out because unless you know what the pathogenic ( disease-causing ) mechanism is , it ’ s going to be tough to do intervention , ” Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , remarked during a medical journal interview last month .
Scientists believe the coronavirus enters the body through enzyme-receptors found throughout the body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of blood vessels .
Some theorize that it may promote clotting by somehow injuring those vessels as it spreads .
That injury may cause a severe immune response as the body tries to fight the infection , resulting in inflammation that may also damage vessels and promote clotting , said Dr. Valentin Fuster , director of Mount Sinai Heart hospital in New York .
Prevalence in patients with mild disease is unknown and the agency says there isn ’ t enough evidence to recommend routine clot screening for all virus patients without clotting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pain or reddish discoloring in an arm or leg .
Cases there have dropped by almost half in the past month , allowing more time for research before an expected second and maybe third wave of infections , he said , adding : “ We ’ re racing against time to answer the key clinical questions.
” A few have used powerful clot-busting medicines typically used to treat strokes , with mixed results .
In guidance issued May 12 , the NIH said more research is needed to show whether that approach has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preliminary research on nearly 2,800 COVID-19 patients at five hospitals in the Mount Sinai system .
A look at their outcomes suggests slightly better survival chances for virus patients on ventilators who received blood thinners than among those who didn ’ t .
Although the results are not conclusive , all COVID-19 patients at Mount Sinai receive blood thinners for clot prevention unless they are at risk for bleeding , a potential side effect , Fuster said .
Some COVID-19 patients , like Gildersleeve , develop dangerous clots when their infections seem to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treated at Northwell for severe disease are sent home with a once-a-day blood thinner and a soon to be published study will detail their experiences .
Spyropoulos has been a paid consultant to Janssen Pharmaceuticals , makers of Xarelto , the drug ’ s brand name .
In a small study published May 15 , University of Colorado doctors found that combined scores on two tests measuring clotting markers in the blood can help determine which patients will develop large dangerous clots .
One test measures a protein fragment called D-dimer , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sometimes indicate dangerous clots that form deep in leg veins and travel to the lungs or other organs .
It says that testing to find clots that require treatment includes X-rays or ultrasound exams , but poses a risk for health care workers because the virus is so contagious .
Bikdeli said he fears when protective gear was more scarce , some dangerous clots were undiagnosed and untreated .
Social distancing may make people more sedentary and more vulnerable to clots , particularly older adults , so doctors should encourage activity or exercises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a preventive measure , the statement says .
Warnell Vega got that advice after collapsing at home April 19 from a large clot blocking a lung artery .
Doctors at Mount Sinai Morningside think it was coronavirus-related .
Vega , 33 , a lunch maker for New York City school children , spent a week in intensive care on oxygen and blood thinners , which he ’ s been told to continue taking for three months .

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First came a high fever, drenching sweats and muscle aches. Then, almost a month later, a weird numbness that spread down the right side of her body.
Darlene Gildersleeve thought she had recovered from COVID-19. Doctors said she just needed rest. And for several days, no one suspected her worsening symptoms were related — until a May 4 video call, when her physician heard her slurred speech and consulted a specialist.
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“You’ve had two strokes,’’ a neurologist told her at the hospital. The Hopkinton, New Hampshire, mother of three is only 43.
Blood clots that can cause strokes, heart attacks and dangerous blockages in the legs and lungs are increasingly being found in COVID-19 patients, including some children. Even tiny clots that can damage tissue throughout the body have been seen in hospitalized patients and in autopsies, confounding doctors’ understanding of what was once considered mainly a respiratory infection.
“I have to be humble and say I don’t know what’s going on there, but boy we need to find that out because unless you know what the pathogenic (disease-causing) mechanism is, it’s going to be tough to do intervention,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, remarked during a medical journal interview last month.
Doctors and scientists at dozens of hospitals and universities around the globe are seeking answers while trying to measure virus patients’ risks for clots and testing drugs to treat or prevent them.
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Gildersleeve said health authorities “need to put out an urgent warning about strokes” and coronavirus. Not knowing the possible link “made me doubt myself” when symptoms appeared, she said.
Some conditions that make some COVID-19 patients vulnerable to severe complications, including obesity and diabetes, can increase clot risks. But many authorities believe how the virus attacks and the way the body responds both play a role.
“COVID-19 is the most thrombotic (clot-producing) disease we’ve ever seen in our lifetime,” said Dr. Alex Spyropoulos, a clot specialist and professor at Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in Manhasset, New York.
Clotting has been seen in other coronavirus infections, including SARS, but on a much smaller scale, he said.
Scientists believe the coronavirus enters the body through enzyme-receptors found throughout the body, including in cells lining the inside of blood vessels. Some theorize that it may promote clotting by somehow injuring those vessels as it spreads. That injury may cause a severe immune response as the body tries to fight the infection, resulting in inflammation that may also damage vessels and promote clotting, said Dr. Valentin Fuster, director of Mount Sinai Heart hospital in New York.
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It’s unclear how many COVID-19 patients develop clots. Studies from China, Europe and the United States suggest rates ranging from 3% to 70% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients; more rigorous research is needed to determine the true prevalence, the National Institutes of Health says.
Prevalence in patients with mild disease is unknown and the agency says there isn’t enough evidence to recommend routine clot screening for all virus patients without clotting symptoms, which may include swelling, pain or reddish discoloring in an arm or leg.
Some hospitals have found 40% of deaths in COVID-19 patients are from blood clots. Spyropoulos said that’s been true at his 23-hospital system in the New York City area, Northwell Health, which has treated over 11,000 COVID-19 patients.
Cases there have dropped by almost half in the past month, allowing more time for research before an expected second and maybe third wave of infections, he said, adding: “We’re racing against time to answer the key clinical questions.”
Patients hospitalized with any severe illness face increased risks for clots, partly from being bedridden and inactive. They commonly receive blood-thinning drugs for prevention. Some doctors are trying higher-than-usual doses for prevention in hospitalized coronavirus patients.
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A few have used powerful clot-busting medicines typically used to treat strokes, with mixed results. In guidance issued May 12, the NIH said more research is needed to show whether that approach has any benefits.
Fuster was involved in preliminary research on nearly 2,800 COVID-19 patients at five hospitals in the Mount Sinai system. A look at their outcomes suggests slightly better survival chances for virus patients on ventilators who received blood thinners than among those who didn’t. Although the results are not conclusive, all COVID-19 patients at Mount Sinai receive blood thinners for clot prevention unless they are at risk for bleeding, a potential side effect, Fuster said.
Some COVID-19 patients, like Gildersleeve, develop dangerous clots when their infections seem to have subsided, Spyropoulos said. Patients treated at Northwell for severe disease are sent home with a once-a-day blood thinner and a soon to be published study will detail their experiences. Spyropoulos has been a paid consultant to Janssen Pharmaceuticals, makers of Xarelto, the drug’s brand name.
In addition, Northwell is taking part in a multi-center study that will test using blood thinners for clot prevention in COVID-19 patients not sick enough to require hospitalization.
In a small study published May 15, University of Colorado doctors found that combined scores on two tests measuring clotting markers in the blood can help determine which patients will develop large dangerous clots. One test measures a protein fragment called D-dimer, a remnant of dissolved clots. High levels sometimes indicate dangerous clots that form deep in leg veins and travel to the lungs or other organs.
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Dr. Behnood Bikdeli of Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center, said D-dimer levels in many of his COVID-19 patients have been alarmingly high, as much as 50 times higher than normal.
Concerns about blood clots in COVID-19 patients prompted a recent 30-page consensus statement from an international group of physicians and researchers. Bikdeli is the lead author.
It says that testing to find clots that require treatment includes X-rays or ultrasound exams, but poses a risk for health care workers because the virus is so contagious. Bikdeli said he fears when protective gear was more scarce, some dangerous clots were undiagnosed and untreated.
Social distancing may make people more sedentary and more vulnerable to clots, particularly older adults, so doctors should encourage activity or exercises that can be done in the home as a preventive measure, the statement says.
Warnell Vega got that advice after collapsing at home April 19 from a large clot blocking a lung artery. Doctors at Mount Sinai Morningside think it was coronavirus-related. Vega, 33, a lunch maker for New York City school children, spent a week in intensive care on oxygen and blood thinners, which he’s been told to continue taking for three months.
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“I just have to watch out for any bleeding, and have to be careful not to cut myself,” Vega said.
Gildersleeve, the New Hampshire stroke patient, was also sent home with a blood thinner. She gets physical therapy to improve strength and balance. She still has some numbness and vision problems that mean driving is out, for now.
Doctors are unable to predict when or whether she’ll regain all her abilities.
’’I’m trying to remain positive about recovering,” she said. ’’I just have to be patient and listen to my body and not push too hard.”
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Follow AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner at @LindseyTanner.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-22--Nurse Who Survived COVID-19 Shares Jaw-Dropping Photo Of What It Did To His Body

A nurse from San Francisco is shining a light on the severity of COVID-19 with a shocking photo of the effects it had on his body .
Last week , Mike Schultz shared side-by-side images of himself with his over 40,000 Instagram followers of the dramatic 50-pound weight loss he experienced during an eight-week hospital stay as he was treated for the disease caused by the new coronavirus .
The 43-year-old told Health that in the photo on the left , he ’ s about 190 pounds .
He added that he exercised every day and had no underlying health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other day and I ’ m down to 140 pounds , and I probably weighed less than that when I first got into rehabilitation , ” he told the magazine .
“ I ’ ve never been this skinny before in my life.
” Schultz explained to Buzzfeed News the reason he decided to post his now-viral photos .
“ I wanted to show it can happen to anyone .
It doesn ’ t matter if you ’ re young or old , have pre-existing conditions or not .
It can affect you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CNN that he contracted the coronavirus in early March , “ before any of the restrictions were out ” and likely got it while attending Miami ’ s Winter Music Festival .
His DJ boyfriend , Josh Hebblethwaite , was working at the event .
“ We knew it was out there , ” Schultz told Buzzfeed , noting that no “ lockdowns ” had been ordered at this point .
“ We just thought , ‘ Well , we got ta wash our hands more and be wary of touching our face.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he first arrived in Boston , he had a cough but “ it wasn ’ t really a big deal.
” But on March 17 , he found himself with a fever of 103 degrees and was having difficulty breathing .
When Schultz arrived at the hospital , he was given a swab test and chest X-rays .
He tested positive for the coronavirus and was also diagnosed with pneumonia and severe repertory distress syndrome , per CNN .
“ That was the last time I saw my boyfriend , ” Schultz told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ I ’ m scared.
’ Soon after , I was sedated , and I don ’ t remember much after that.
” He was on the ventilator for four-and-a-half weeks , according to CNN .
He told Buzzfeed that during this time it was like he was “ in a coma.
” Schultz said that when he woke up from his ordeal , he believed only a week had passed .
“ I still had a tracheostomy [ tube ] , I couldn ’ t talk , and my hands were so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was 100 pounds , ” he told Health .
He also noticed he had lost weight , but nothing could prepare him for what happened when he finally saw himself in the mirror .
“ I didn ’ t even recognize myself , ” he told CNN .
“ I pretty much cried when I looked in the mirror , I was like ‘ Oh my God .
’ ”

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A nurse from San Francisco is shining a light on the severity of COVID-19 with a shocking photo of the effects it had on his body.
Last week, Mike Schultz shared side-by-side images of himself with his over 40,000 Instagram followers of the dramatic 50-pound weight loss he experienced during an eight-week hospital stay as he was treated for the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
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The 43-year-old told Health that in the photo on the left, he’s about 190 pounds. He added that he exercised every day and had no underlying health conditions.
“I weighed myself the other day and I’m down to 140 pounds, and I probably weighed less than that when I first got into rehabilitation,” he told the magazine. “I’ve never been this skinny before in my life.”
Schultz explained to Buzzfeed News the reason he decided to post his now-viral photos. “I wanted to show it can happen to anyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, have pre-existing conditions or not. It can affect you,” he said.
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Schultz told CNN that he contracted the coronavirus in early March, “before any of the restrictions were out” and likely got it while attending Miami’s Winter Music Festival. His DJ boyfriend, Josh Hebblethwaite,was working at the event.
“We knew it was out there,” Schultz told Buzzfeed, noting that no “lockdowns” had been ordered at this point. “We just thought, ‘Well, we gotta wash our hands more and be wary of touching our face.’”
The Miami Herald reported that 38 people who attended the LGBTQ-friendly music festival later got sick, and three men died,
On March 14, about a week after the festival, Schultz flew to Boston, where Hebblethwaite lives.
He told CNN that when he first arrived in Boston, he had a cough but “it wasn’t really a big deal.” But on March 17, he found himself with a fever of 103 degrees and was having difficulty breathing.
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When Schultz arrived at the hospital, he was given a swab test and chest X-rays. He tested positive for the coronavirus and was also diagnosed with pneumonia and severe respiratory distress syndrome, per CNN.
Soon after, he was intubated and placed on a ventilator to aid his breathing.
“That was the last time I saw my boyfriend,” Schultz told Health. “I texted him, ‘I’m scared.’ Soon after, I was sedated, and I don’t remember much after that.”
He was on the ventilator for four-and-a-half weeks, according to CNN. He told Buzzfeed that during this time it was like he was “in a coma.”
Schultz said that when he woke up from his ordeal, he believed only a week had passed. “I still had a tracheostomy [tube], I couldn’t talk, and my hands were so weak that my phone felt like it was 100 pounds,” he told Health.
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He also noticed he had lost weight, but nothing could prepare him for what happened when he finally saw himself in the mirror. “I didn’t even recognize myself,” he told CNN. “I pretty much cried when I looked in the mirror, I was like ‘Oh my God.’”
Schultz is now slowly recovering.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-05-21--Israeli Man Survives Having Iron Rod Pierce Through His Skull

Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem Kamel Abdel Rahman ( left ) is healthy after neurosurgeon Dr. Samuel Moscovici removed a rod from his skull .
An Israeli man is breathing easier after recovering from having an iron rod pierce through his skull .
Back in April , Kamel Abdel Rahman was at a construction site in Abu Ghosh , looking at an apartment being built for his family , when he slipped and fell onto iron rods a floor below , according to Today.com .
“ As I was falling , I thought I would die .
But when I landed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and didn ’ t even have any pain .
I was talking , ” the 46-year-old told Today through a translator .
Yes , despite having an iron rod in his head , Rahman said he was “ totally functioning ” while first responders treated him before taking him to Jerusalem ’ s Hadassah Medical Center .
It was definitely not a normal day for Dr. Samuel Moscovici , a neurosurgeon who operated on Rahman at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem .
“ When I got to the trauma room , I saw a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head ― it just went through , one side to the other , ” Moscovici told World Israel News .
Imaging tests showed that while the rod had passed between two vital arteries that supply blood to the brain , it managed not to damage them .
“ For many hours , we analyzed the wound , and we took the rod out of his head very carefully , ” Moscovici said , describing a 15-hour surgery .
Doctors performed a brain catheterization on Rahman before closing up the area .
They waited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go down .
Then , Rahman underwent a 10-hour endoscopic surgery to repair damage caused by the rod and to stop the leakage of cerebrospinal fluid .
The doctors ’ cautious optimism was rewarded when about two weeks after his accident , Rahman woke up showing positive vital signs .
He was released from the hospital last week and is grateful for escaping death .
“ [ The doctors ] saved my life , my speech , and my walking , ” Rahman told Israel21c.org .
“ Those who saw me didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and those who thought I ’ d live didn ’ t believe I ’ d be standing up on my feet , ” he said .
“ I ’ ll be thanking them my whole life .
”

Kamel Abdel Rahman (left) is healthy after neurosurgeon Dr. Samuel Moscovici removed a rod from his skull. Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem
An Israeli man is breathing easier after recovering from having an iron rod pierce through his skull.
Back in April, Kamel Abdel Rahman was at a construction site in Abu Ghosh, looking at an apartment being built for his family, when he slipped and fell onto iron rods a floor below, according to Today.com.
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“As I was falling, I thought I would die. But when I landed, I realized I was still alive and didn’t even have any pain. I was talking,” the 46-year-old told Today through a translator.
Yes, despite having an iron rod in his head, Rahman said he was “totally functioning” while first responders treated him before taking him to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center.
Surgeons at Israel's Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem removed this iron rod from a man's skull. Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem
It was definitely not a normal day for Dr. Samuel Moscovici, a neurosurgeon who operated on Rahman at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem.
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“When I got to the trauma room, I saw a man with an iron rod through his head ― it just went through, one side to the other,” Moscovici told World Israel News.
Imaging tests showed that while the rod had passed between two vital arteries that supply blood to the brain, it managed not to damage them.
“For many hours, we analyzed the wound, and we took the rod out of his head very carefully,” Moscovici said, describing a 15-hour surgery. Doctors performed a brain catheterization on Rahman before closing up the area.
They waited a few days for the swelling to go down. Then, Rahman underwent a 10-hour endoscopic surgery to repair damage caused by the rod and to stop the leakage of cerebrospinal fluid.
The doctors’ cautious optimism was rewarded when about two weeks after his accident, Rahman woke up showing positive vital signs.
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He was released from the hospital last week and is grateful for escaping death.
“[The doctors] saved my life, my speech, and my walking,” Rahman told Israel21c.org. “Those who saw me didn’t believe that I’d live, and those who thought I’d live didn’t believe I’d be standing up on my feet,” he said. “I’ll be thanking them my whole life.”
Rahman told Today.com that he’s pretty much back to his basic routine, including fasting for Ramadan this month.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--Trump Baselessly Accuses Obama Of ‘Treason’

President Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of “ treason ” without evidence on Monday , again attempting to recast an investigation into the 2016 Trump campaign ’ s ties to Russia as an effort by Obama to spy on him .
In an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network , Trump levied specific charges against his predecessor for the first time .
There is no evidence that the Obama White House was involved in an FBI investigation into Trump aides ’ ties to Russia during the 2016 campaign , which later grew into special counsel Robert Mueller ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s treason , ” Trump told CBN ’ s David Brody .
“ Look , when I came out a long time ago , I said they ’ ve been spying on my campaign , I said they ’ ve been taping ... ” Trump said later in the CBN interview that if similar crimes had been committed “ 100 years ago , or 50 years ago , they would have been executed.
” “ We ’ re in a different time .
You understand what I mean by that .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign , and we caught them , ” he said .
“ I just hope I get tremendous evangelical Christian support.
” An independent report by the Justice Department found that , at the end of last year , the FBI ’ s initial investigation was opened properly and was acted upon without political bias , undercutting the Trump administration ’ s claims that it was a conspiracy .
The report did find that the probe was rushed and had errors in how the agency handled some documents .
But , despite those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blame on the Obama administration even as his first four-year term comes to its conclusion .
This year , the president has routinely blasted his predecessor for a bevy of unspecified crimes he ’ s labeled “ Obamagate , ” although it ’ s unclear what impropriety he ’ s referencing other than using a catchphrase to try to score political points .
Trump had until Monday resisted accusing Obama of an actual crime .
When asked about his accusations by a Washington Post reporter last month , the president shot back : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The crime is very obvious to everybody .
All you have to do is read the newspapers , except yours.
” However , last month Barr said that neither Obama nor former Vice President Joe Biden were under scrutiny in Durham ’ s investigation .

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President Donald Trump accused former President Barack Obama of “treason” without evidence on Monday, again attempting to recast an investigation into the 2016 Trump campaign’s ties to Russia as an effort by Obama to spy on him.
In an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network, Trump levied specific charges against his predecessor for the first time. There is no evidence that the Obama White House was involved in an FBI investigation into Trump aides’ ties to Russia during the 2016 campaign, which later grew into special counsel Robert Mueller’s inquiry.
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“Treason. It’s treason,” Trump told CBN’s David Brody. “Look, when I came out a long time ago, I said they’ve been spying on my campaign, I said they’ve been taping...”
“Turns out I was right,” the president continued. “Let’s see what happens to them now.”
EXCLUSIVE: President Trump on what crime President Obama would have been potentially committing regarding the previous administration spying on his campaign: "Treason. It’s treason." Watch the explosive clip from my White House interview with @realDonaldTrump @POTUS @WhiteHouse pic.twitter.com/IFui3fNigS — David Brody (@DavidBrodyCBN) June 22, 2020
Trump said later in the CBN interview that if similar crimes had been committed “100 years ago, or 50 years ago, they would have been executed.”
“We’re in a different time. You understand what I mean by that. They spied on the opposing party’s campaign, and we caught them,” he said. “I just hope I get tremendous evangelical Christian support.”
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An independent report by the Justice Department found that, at the end of last year, the FBI’s initial investigation was opened properly and was acted upon without political bias, undercutting the Trump administration’s claims that it was a conspiracy. The report did find that the probe was rushed and had errors in how the agency handled some documents.
But, despite those findings, Trump has continued to cast blame on the Obama administration even as his first four-year term comes to its conclusion. This year, the president has routinely blasted his predecessor for a bevy of unspecified crimes he’s labeled “Obamagate,” although it’s unclear what impropriety he’s referencing other than using a catchphrase to try to score political points.
Trump had until Monday resisted accusing Obama of an actual crime. When asked about his accusations by a Washington Post reporter last month, the president shot back: “You know what the crime is. The crime is very obvious to everybody. All you have to do is read the newspapers, except yours.”
“It’s been going on for a long time,” Trump added then.
Attorney General William Barr appointed John Durham, a federal prosecutor, to investigate the origins of the Russia investigation more than a year ago amid ongoing demands from the White House.
“I think spying on a political campaign is a big deal,” Barr told senators at the time. “I think spying did occur.”
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However, last month Barr said that neither Obama nor former Vice President Joe Biden were under scrutiny in Durham’s investigation.
“I don’t expect Mr. Durham’s work will lead to a criminal investigation of either man,” the attorney general said. “Our concern over potential criminality is focused on others.”
Obama has largely avoided public bickering with Trump. Shortly after the president shared a series of “Obamagate” missives on Twitter, Obama offered a terse reply.
“Vote.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--Jennifer Aniston And Lisa Kudrow Dish Hilarious Memories From Filming 'Friends'

This is the one where Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow dish about their best memories filming “ Friends.
” The pair teamed up for Variety ’ s “ Actors on Actors ” series Monday , catching up virtually to discuss the ’ 90s sitcom ’ s upcoming HBO Max reunion special , indulge in some throwbacks and even spill about watching the show while at home in isolation .
“ I love stumbling on a “ Friends ” episode .
This one time I was with Courteney [ Cox ] , and we were trying to find something to reference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And then we stumbled on — there ’ s bloopers online — and we sat there at the computer like two nerds watching these bloopers laughing at ourselves , ” Aniston said .
And it turns out Aniston was laughing just as hard as everybody else in Season 7 , Episode 15 , where Ross ( David Schwimmer ) learns the bagpipes .
“ Where you started to sing full 100 % sounding like the bagpipe — I couldn ’ t hold it together .
No one could hold it together , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a coughing fit .
They also recalled taking 45 minutes to film one scene from “ The One With the Videotape ” because the cast couldn ’ t stop laughing .
In February , “ Friends ” fans were over the moon when it was announced that the whole gang ― Aniston , Kudrow , Cox , Schwimmer , Matthew Perry and Matt Le Blanc ― would reunite for an unscripted special almost 16 years after the last episode of the show aired .
The HBO Max special , which was supposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studio audience in March , has been tentatively pushed back to August barring a second wave of coronavirus infections .
Aniston said she expects it will “ be really fun ... if we ever get out of quarantine , get to do our reunion show , ” although she ’ s not sure how exactly it will play out .
“ I can ’ t wait to do that .
I really can ’ t wait to do that , ” Kudrow replied .
“ We don ’ t know everything about it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think we ’ re meant to be surprised by some things as well .
”

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This is the one where Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow dish about their best memories filming “Friends.”
The pair teamed up for Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series, catching up virtually to discuss the ’90s sitcom’s HBO Max reunion special, indulge in some throwbacks and even spill about watching the show while at home in isolation.
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“I love stumbling on a “Friends” episode. This one time I was with Courteney [Cox], and we were trying to find something to reference, an old “Friends” thing. And then we stumbled on — there’s bloopers online — and we sat there at the computer like two nerds watching these bloopers laughing at ourselves,” Aniston said.
“I’ve done it, too. I’ve done that, hours watching bloopers,” Kudrow said.
And it turns out Aniston was laughing just as hard as everybody else in Season 7, Episode 15, where Ross (David Schwimmer) learns the bagpipes.
“Where you started to sing full 100% sounding like the bagpipe — I couldn’t hold it together. No one could hold it together,” Aniston laughed, sending Kudrow into a coughing fit. They also recalled taking 45 minutes to film one scene from “The One With the Videotape” because the cast couldn’t stop laughing.
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In February, “Friends” fans were over the moon when it was announced that the whole gang ― Aniston, Kudrow, Cox, Schwimmer, Matthew Perry and Matt Le Blanc ― would reunite for an unscripted special almost 16 years after the last episode of the show aired. The HBO Max special has faced delays due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Aniston said she expects it will “be really fun ... if we ever get out of quarantine, get to do our reunion show,” although she’s not sure how exactly it will play out.
“I can’t wait to do that. I really can’t wait to do that,” Kudrow replied. “We don’t know everything about it, we need to say. I think we’re meant to be surprised by some things as well.”
Check out the full conversation below.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--NASCAR Drivers, Crew March In Solidarity With Bubba Wallace

An entire field of NASCAR drivers and crew members joined together to push Bubba Wallace and his No .
43 car in an extraordinary show of support ahead of a race at Talladega Superspeedway on Monday .
NASCAR executive Steve O ’ Donnell tweeted a video of the procession as it passed by an ” # IStandWithBubba ” stencil on the infield .
Mike Phillips , senior manager of track services at NASCAR , called it the “ proudest day in my 20 year career.
” Once the group pushed his car to the front of the line , Wallace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The 26-year-old shared a photo of the show of solidarity , captioning it , simply , “ Together.
” A noose was found in Wallace ’ s garage stall on Sunday , less than two weeks after the racing body banned the display of the Confederate flag at all its events and properties .
The decision came after Wallace , the only Black driver to reach the sport ’ s top tier , actively lobbied for its removal amid nationwide protests over police brutality and systemic inequality .
NASCAR launched an investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do everything we can to identify the person ( s ) responsible and eliminate them from the sport.
” That ’ s in addition to an inquiry by the FBI and the Justice Department ’ s Civil Rights Division .
“ Regardless of whether federal charges can be brought , this type of action has no place in our society , ” U.S. Attorney Jay Town told The Associated Press Monday .

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An entire field of NASCAR drivers and crew members joined together to push Bubba Wallace and his No. 43 car in an extraordinary show of support ahead of a race at Talladega Superspeedway on Monday.
NASCAR executive Steve O’Donnell tweeted a video of the procession as it passed by an ”#IStandWithBubba” stencil on the infield. Mike Phillips, senior manager of track services at NASCAR, called it the “proudest day in my 20 year career.”
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Once the group pushed his car to the front of the line, Wallace emerged and tearfully took it all in.
The 26-year-old shared a photo of the show of solidarity, captioning it, simply, “Together.”
A noose was found in Wallace’s garage stall on Sunday, less than two weeks after the racing body banned the display of the Confederate flag at all its events and properties.
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The decision came after Wallace, the only Black driver currently in the sport’s top tier, actively lobbied for its removal amid nationwide protests over police brutality and systemic inequality.
NASCAR launched an investigation into the noose, pledging to “do everything we can to identify the person(s) responsible and eliminate them from the sport.”
That’s in addition to an inquiry by the FBI and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Regardless of whether federal charges can be brought, this type of action has no place in our society,” U.S. Attorney Jay Town told The Associated Press Monday.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-06-22--More Young People Are Testing Positive For COVID-19, Particularly In The South

Health officials are reporting a significant rise in younger people testing positive for the new coronavirus , particularly in Southern states , raising fresh concerns about social distancing failures and fatigue as states continue to reopen businesses amid the pandemic .
Over the last week , officials in Florida , Texas , Georgia , South Carolina and North Carolina have reported an uptick in COVID-19 cases among people in their 20s and 30s .
In Florida , where the total case count surpassed 100,000 on Monday , the median age for coronavirus victims went from 65 at the beginning of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Florida Department of Health .
Crowded sidewalks Saturday in Fort Lauderdale Beach , Florida , show a lack of health precautions , such as social distancing and face masks .
On Saturday , state health officials announced that 4,049 people had tested positive for the coronavirus in one day .
“ Not only are they testing positive because they ’ re testing more , they ’ re also testing positive at a higher rate , increasingly over the last week , ” he said of these younger individuals .
“ That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmission within those communities , particularly the 20s and 30s.
” DeSantis warned that though these younger individuals are largely asymptomatic and likely won ’ t need medical care , they risk spreading the disease to older and more vulnerable populations .
He partially blamed social distancing fatigue for the rise of cases but did not announce changes to the state ’ s ongoing reopening plans .
Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott ( R ) , who on Monday said his state had seen an average of 3,500 new cases a day this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the last half of May ― has also blamed a lack of social distancing for a rise in cases among people younger than 30 .
A snack bar line gets crowded at the Island H2O Live water park in Orlando over Memorial Day weekend .
The attraction was the only major water park in the area to reopen for the holiday weekend after closing for the coronavirus pandemic .
At a news conference Thursday , he attributed this rise to activity at bars and restaurants , particularly over Memorial Day weekend , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their licenses suspended if they don ’ t adhere to COVID-19 guidelines .
“ There have been pictures that I have seen and others have seen about these bar-type settings where clearly the standards are not being followed , ” he said .
In South Carolina , a physician consultant for the state ’ s Department of Health and Environmental Control also expressed concern “ that younger South Carolinians are not taking social distancing seriously , ” causing an uptick in cases among them .
“ While it is true that most youth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mild illness , that is not true for all , ” Dr. Brannon Traxler said in a statement .
Dr. C. Wendell James III , the chief clinical officer for Prisma Health – Upstate in Greenville , South Carolina , stressed that younger people may believe themselves to be resistant to the disease , but it can carry far more health implications than they realize .

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Health officials are reporting a significant rise in younger people testing positive for the new coronavirus, particularly in Southern states, raising fresh concerns about social distancing failures and fatigue as states continue to reopen businesses amid the pandemic.
Over the last week, officials in Florida, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina have reported an uptick in COVID-19 cases among people in their 20s and 30s. In Florida, where the total case count surpassed 100,000 on Monday, the median age for coronavirus victims went from 65 at the beginning of March to 36 last week, according to the Florida Department of Health.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), speaking at a news conference Saturday as his state reported a record 4,049 new daily cases, called this shift “a radical direction” that’s “certainly a cause for concern.”
Crowded sidewalks Saturday in Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida, show a lack of health precautions, such as social distancing and face masks. On Saturday, state health officials announced that 4,049 people had tested positive for the coronavirus in one day. mpi04/MediaPunch/MediaPunch/IPx
“Not only are they testing positive because they’re testing more, they’re also testing positive at a higher rate, increasingly over the last week,” he said of these younger individuals. “That’s evidence that there’s transmission within those communities, particularly the 20s and 30s.”
DeSantis warned that though these younger individuals are largely asymptomatic and likely won’t need medical care, they risk spreading the disease to older and more vulnerable populations. He partially blamed social distancing fatigue for the rise of cases but did not announce changes to the state’s ongoing reopening plans.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), who on Monday said his state had seen an average of 3,500 new cases a day this month ― roughly double the number seen during the last half of May ― has also blamed a lack of social distancing for a rise in cases among people younger than 30.
A snack bar line gets crowded at the Island H2O Live water park in Orlando over Memorial Day weekend. The attraction was the only major water park in the area to reopen for the holiday weekend after closing for the coronavirus pandemic. SOPA Images via Getty Images
At a news conference Thursday, he attributed this rise to activity at bars and restaurants, particularly over Memorial Day weekend, and warned that these establishments could have their licenses suspended if they don’t adhere to COVID-19 guidelines.
“There have been pictures that I have seen and others have seen about these bar-type settings where clearly the standards are not being followed,” he said.
In Houston, which was reaching its highest daily total Monday, which also included Sunday case counts, one health official credited the state’s older population for helping reduce cases.
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“It is my current theory that elder persons have become more vigilant in taking precautions,” Dr. David Persse, who serves as the Houston Health Department’s public health authority, told local station KLTV.
The beach in Port Aransas, Texas, on May 23 shows tight groupings even though beachgoers had been urged to practice social distancing. ASSOCIATED PRESS
In South Carolina, a physician consultant for the state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control also expressed concern “that younger South Carolinians are not taking social distancing seriously,” causing an uptick in cases among them.
“While it is true that most youth and younger adults with COVID-19 only experience a mild illness, that is not true for all,” Dr. Brannon Traxler said in a statement.
Dr. C. Wendell James III, the chief clinical officer for Prisma Health – Upstate in Greenville, South Carolina, stressed that younger people may believe themselves to be resistant to the disease, but it can carry far more health implications than they realize.
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