buzzfeednews--2020-03-27--Federal Student Loan Payments Will Be Suspended Through Sept. 30 Due To The Coronavirus

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WASHINGTON — Americans will get a six-month reprieve from federal student loan payments as the coronavirus pandemic leads to job losses and economic turmoil nationwide .
As part of the coronavirus relief bill passed through Congress and signed by President Donald Trump on Friday , lenders must stop all payments for federally held student loans through Sept. 30 .
During that time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loans and nonpayment during that period can not be used to affect credit scores or a person ’ s qualification for loan forgiveness .
According to the bill ’ s text , “ each month for which a loan payment was suspended ” will be treated as if “ the borrower of the loan had made a payment.
” The bill also suspends any wage garnishment or tax refund reduction for people who have defaulted on their federal student loans .
It does not , however , have any effect on private student @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the $ 1.64 trillion in student debt in the US is federal .
Private loans made up about 12 % of all education loans in 2018–2019 , according to the College Board .
The student loan provisions will take effect immediately , according to a staffer on the House Education and Labor Committee .
However , the staffer later confirmed that borrowers with Perkins and commercially held Federal Family Education Loans will not qualify for suspended payments .
Insider Higher Education reported Friday that some 1.2 million borrowers will not qualify , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closer to 9 million .
Lenders will have to notify borrowers that their federal student loan payments were suspended within 15 days of Trump signing the bill , which he did Friday evening .
Beginning Aug. 1 , lenders are also required to notify borrowers when their student loan payments will start up again with at least six notices .
Over the next six months , borrowers will still have the opportunity to continue making payments on their loans ( such as making payments on the principal ) , should they choose to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had already set federal student loan interest rates at 0 % for a 60-day period beginning March 20 .
The House had proposed legislation that would go even further in providing relief to federal student loan borrowers but instead passed the Senate ’ s bill Friday in order to release $ 2 trillion in coronavirus relief to American individuals and businesses more quickly .
In addition to ceasing federal student loan payments and interest , the House bill would have required the Department of Education to make monthly payments for all federal student @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a minimum of $ 10,000 per loan .
If the total monthly payments did not reach $ 10,000 by the end of the national emergency , the department would have been required to pay down the remainder toward the borrower ’ s remaining balance , the committee aide told BuzzFeed News .
That provision has not passed Congress , though the House could try to pass it later on .
Congress is now in recess , and members are heading back to their districts .
The Senate is not planning to return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s unclear when the House will come back .
But both chambers have said they are likely to pass more coronavirus relief legislation in the future , when House Democrats hope to pass at least some of the plans from their bill through both chambers .

WASHINGTON — Americans will get a six-month reprieve from federal student loan payments as the coronavirus pandemic leads to job losses and economic turmoil nationwide.
As part of the coronavirus relief bill passed through Congress and signed by President Donald Trump on Friday, lenders must stop all payments for federally held student loans through Sept. 30. During that time, interest will not accrue on the loans and nonpayment during that period cannot be used to affect credit scores or a person’s qualification for loan forgiveness. According to the bill’s text, “each month for which a loan payment was suspended” will be treated as if “the borrower of the loan had made a payment.”
The bill also suspends any wage garnishment or tax refund reduction for people who have defaulted on their federal student loans. It does not, however, have any effect on private student loans, though the vast majority of the $1.64 trillion in student debt in the US is federal. Private loans made up about 12% of all education loans in 2018–2019, according to the College Board.
The student loan provisions will take effect immediately, according to a staffer on the House Education and Labor Committee. However, the staffer later confirmed that borrowers with Perkins and commercially held Federal Family Education Loans will not qualify for suspended payments. Insider Higher Education reported Friday that some 1.2 million borrowers will not qualify, though some advocacy groups believe the number is closer to 9 million.
Lenders will have to notify borrowers that their federal student loan payments were suspended within 15 days of Trump signing the bill, which he did Friday evening. Beginning Aug. 1, lenders are also required to notify borrowers when their student loan payments will start up again with at least six notices.
Over the next six months, borrowers will still have the opportunity to continue making payments on their loans (such as making payments on the principal), should they choose to do so. The Department of Education had already set federal student loan interest rates at 0% for a 60-day period beginning March 20.
The House had proposed legislation that would go even further in providing relief to federal student loan borrowers but instead passed the Senate’s bill Friday in order to release $2 trillion in coronavirus relief to American individuals and businesses more quickly.
In addition to ceasing federal student loan payments and interest, the House bill would have required the Department of Education to make monthly payments for all federal student loan borrowers during the coronavirus national emergency for a minimum of $10,000 per loan. If the total monthly payments did not reach $10,000 by the end of the national emergency, the department would have been required to pay down the remainder toward the borrower’s remaining balance, the committee aide told BuzzFeed News. That provision has not passed Congress, though the House could try to pass it later on.
Congress is now in recess, and members are heading back to their districts. The Senate is not planning to return until April 20, and it’s unclear when the House will come back. But both chambers have said they are likely to pass more coronavirus relief legislation in the future, when House Democrats hope to pass at least some of the plans from their bill through both chambers.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-27--A Single Republican Is Forcing Hundreds Of Members To Come Back To Washington For The Coronavirus Ai

A Single Republican Is Forcing Hundreds Of Members To Come Back To Washington For The Coronavirus Aid Vote

Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie will call for a recorded vote , requiring at least 216 members to make the trek to the Capitol to pass the $ 2 trillion coronavirus relief bill .
The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
UPDATE : Thomas Massie 's attempt to force a recorded vote failed and the House passed the coronavirus relief bill Friday afternoon .
A sole Republican representative is forcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Washington , DC , to vote on the historic $ 2 trillion coronavirus aid package .
Party leaders had hoped to avoid exposing so many members , many of them elderly , to the risks of traveling across the country during the coronavirus pandemic .
Since the bill was assured to pass easily they planned for a handful of members to pass it via a voice vote .
But any one member can call for a full recorded vote , and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie did just that .
Massie ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being a lack of quorum , meaning a majority of members — at least 216 representatives — are not present .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy quickly launched into Plan B .
Members began showing up to the House floor , attempting to social distance as much as possible , in order to be present .
Once a majority is hit , they can shut down Massie ’ s request without needing to conduct a full vote .
In text messages to a Washington Post reporter , Massie said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ so they can conceal the identity of those who didn ’ t come here.
” Normally the House floor is packed during a recorded vote , but if they are forced to vote , they will spend hours voting in small groups at a time in order to allow for social distancing .
The bill passing is almost certain , but how long it will take is up in the air .
Massie ’ s move enraged leadership in both parties , who had pushed hard to avoid a recorded vote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday in a unanimous vote of 96–0 .
President Trump went on Twitter to call Massie “ a disaster for America ” and said he should be thrown out of the Republican Party .
“ It is ‘ HELL ’ dealing with the Dems , had to give up some stupid things in order to get the ‘ big picture ’ done .
90 % GREAT !
WIN BACK HOUSE , but throw Massie out of the Republican Party !
” Massie helped lead the Republican coup of former speaker John Boehner and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party ’ s leaders since then .
But he has avoided picking fights with Trump and staunchly defended him during impeachment proceedings .
Massie had attacked the bill for how much debt it will add to America ’ s books .
The bill authorizes direct payments of $ 1,200 to every US resident with a Social Security number who makes up to $ 75,000 per year .
Those who make more than that will see smaller checks , and the payments are phased out entirely for incomes over $ 99,000 .
The government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child in the household .
Other provisions include $ 500 billion in loans to distressed businesses , $ 350 billion for small businesses to retain employees , $ 100 billion for hospitals , and $ 600 per week in unemployment insurance for laid-off workers , on top of state benefits , for up to four months .
This is a developing story .
Check back for updates and follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter .

UPDATE: Thomas Massie's attempt to force a recorded vote failed and the House passed the coronavirus relief bill Friday afternoon.
A sole Republican representative is forcing hundreds of House members to fly back to Washington, DC, to vote on the historic $2 trillion coronavirus aid package.
Party leaders had hoped to avoid exposing so many members, many of them elderly, to the risks of traveling across the country during the coronavirus pandemic. Since the bill was assured to pass easily they planned for a handful of members to pass it via a voice vote. But any one member can call for a full recorded vote, and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie did just that. Massie’s ability to do this rests on there being a lack of quorum, meaning a majority of members — at least 216 representatives — are not present.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy quickly launched into Plan B. Members began showing up to the House floor, attempting to social distance as much as possible, in order to be present. Once a majority is hit, they can shut down Massie’s request without needing to conduct a full vote. In text messages to a Washington Post reporter, Massie said party leaders were blocking a full vote “so they can conceal the identity of those who didn’t come here.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-27--An American Airlines Flight Attendant Has Died From The Coronavirus As Employees Fight For Safer Wor

An American Airlines Flight Attendant Has Died From The Coronavirus As Employees Fight For Safer Working Conditions

American Airlines on Friday confirmed that a flight attendant died on Monday after contracting the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
Paul Frishkorn , who was based in Philadelphia and had been working as a flight attendant since 1997 , is the first American Airlines employee to die from COVID-19 , his union , the Association of Professional Flight Attendants , said in a statement on Friday .
`` Over the years he built a reputation as a consummate professional who was honored as one of American ’ s Flight Service Champions twice for his excellent service to our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The company recognized the 65-year-old 's tireless dedication to his coworkers , calling him a `` servant leader '' through his work with the union throughout his career , as well as with the Association of Professional Flight Attendants .
`` Our hearts go out to Paul ’ s loved ones , many of whom work for American , '' the airline said .
Frishkorn had been spending time in the Philadelphia crew room , helping other flight attendants by answering their questions and providing resources and information about the impacts of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Association of Professional Flight Attendants , told BuzzFeed News in a statement .
`` Paul ’ s death sheds a solemn light on our profession as front line workers .
It underlines the risk to our members who continue to work as 'essential workers ' in the airlines , '' she said .
`` Paul is the first of our colleagues to lose his life as a result of this deadly virus .
We are deeply saddened and are reminded that no precaution is too much to take during this horrible time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fellow flight attendants have been posting tributes to Frishkorn on Facebook , sharing their memories and grief over losing someone who was so dedicated to his job and passionate about helping others .
They described him as a helpful and kind person who `` helped thousands of flight attendants during his years at [ US Airways ] and later American . ''
`` We flew together several times .
He was a figure skater and was active in the world of figure skating after he stopped competing , '' Jody Jaeger wrote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the core .
That moment when somebody you know is taken by this virus changes everything . ''
Tracey Montanari , who worked with Frishkorn at US Airways , wrote on Monday : `` The world lost a beautiful soul today ...
I have no words to describe this incredible loss . ''
Kristiano Rowland remembered the times Frishkorn used to come into his New York City bar when he was bartending ; Frishkorn `` talked [ him ] into finally applying for a flight attendant position , '' Rowland said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
`` And now you got an eternal set of wings .
Fly high .
Rest in peace , Paul . ''
Frishkorn 's death comes as airline workers have been sounding the alarm over the dangers of working during the coronavirus pandemic , demanding in petitions that major companies stop nonessential flights and give their workers better compensation and protection for being on the front lines as COVID-19 cases soar .
Several workers from American Airlines have contacted BuzzFeed News over the past week , expressing their fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protection or sanitization .
In a statement to BuzzFeed News , American said it has `` taken enhanced steps to provide our team members with a safe , healthy and clean working environment '' and is encouraging workers to use their vacation or sick time and stay home if they do not feel well .
If an employee does test positive for COVID-19 , or is officially put under quarantine , the airline will give them an additional two weeks of paid sick leave .
However , like countless people across the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it has been difficult to get tested and prove you have the virus .
One American Airlines employee told BuzzFeed News his doctor recommended he self-quarantine because he has an immunodeficiency caused by a previous illness .
He has 10 days of sick time , he said , and if he tests positive , he 'll get those two weeks of paid sick leave .
But he has n't been able to officially confirm he has the virus and will be on `` unpaid leave '' until he can .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ available , '' he said .
`` As my mother use to say , dammed if you do , dammed if you don ’ t . ''
In a letter on March 18 , Bassani said that while the union had negotiated an extended leave option with some medical benefits , the group was `` highly offended '' that American Airlines `` offered the pilot group financial benefits for two of the pilot options and would not consider the same for our group . ''
`` This is a slap in the face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airline in the air — and it severely underestimates our relevance during this or any crisis , '' she wrote .
Bassani described the difficult working conditions flight attendants face , such as serving and interacting closely with travelers from all over , which makes social distancing nearly impossible .
`` To exacerbate that situation , our company designed the interiors of our aircraft by stuffing in as many seats as possible , with passenger seats encroaching on our jump seat areas , airplane aisles more narrow than ever , and severely reducing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and spaces for passengers to wait in line for restrooms , '' she pointed out .
The president also noted that many flight attendants , like Frishkorn , are in a high-risk position and `` flying at an older age than ever before because their pensions were stripped or frozen during the last crisis and they can not afford to retire . ''

American Airlines on Friday confirmed that a flight attendant died on Monday after contracting the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
Paul Frishkorn, who was based in Philadelphia and had been working as a flight attendant since 1997, is the first American Airlines employee to die from COVID-19, his union, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, said in a statement on Friday.
"Over the years he built a reputation as a consummate professional who was honored as one of American’s Flight Service Champions twice for his excellent service to our customers," American Airlines said.
The company recognized the 65-year-old's tireless dedication to his coworkers, calling him a "servant leader" through his work with the union throughout his career, as well as with the Association of Professional Flight Attendants.
"Our hearts go out to Paul’s loved ones, many of whom work for American," the airline said.
Frishkorn had been spending time in the Philadelphia crew room, helping other flight attendants by answering their questions and providing resources and information about the impacts of the coronavirus, Lori Bassani, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, told BuzzFeed News in a statement.
"Paul’s death sheds a solemn light on our profession as front line workers. It underlines the risk to our members who continue to work as 'essential workers' in the airlines," she said. "Paul is the first of our colleagues to lose his life as a result of this deadly virus. We are deeply saddened and are reminded that no precaution is too much to take during this horrible time."


buzzfeednews--2020-04-02--After The Coronavirus Passes, Your World Will Not Go Back To Normal

Before the pandemic began , the systems that govern our world were brittle .
Today , they are broken .
When we emerge , the world will be different , and so will we .
I ruined the mood in a family group chat last week .
Someone shared a meme that read , “ This # Coronavirus is turning me into a democrat .
I ’ m staying at home , not working , complaining about everything , and waiting for a check from the government.
” Another family member used the yearly death rate of the flu to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone else argued that millions of people die around the world every year in car accidents .
“ Will cars be banned , ” they snarkily asked .
I tried not to react emotionally , but it ’ s hard to keep your cool after weeks of trying to convince older relatives every day to stay inside and socially distance .
“ We ’ re currently at half as many American coronavirus deaths as the number of people who died on 9/11 , ” I replied , using the only statistic I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world-changing loss that this pandemic will cause .
“ If Dr. Fauci ’ s projections are correct , it will be the equivalent of 30–60 9/11s.
” The chat went quiet for a while after that .
The numbers I was referring to have quickly gone out of date — they ’ re much higher now .
But comparing this pandemic to other mass casualty , world-shaping events is the only way I know to make them resonate .
As of this week , more than 5,000 Americans have died of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on September 11 , 2001 .
More than any other event in my life , 9/11 changed the world : inspiring national security policies like the Patriot Act , jump-starting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — the latter of which has become the longest-running war in US history — and leading to the creation of the Transportation Security Administration , Immigration and Customs Enforcement , and the Department of Homeland Security , effectively militarizing the United States ’ borders and immigration services .
On Sunday , Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diseases , said , optimistically , if we continue practicing social distancing , between 100,000 and 200,000 Americans would die of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
Projections are always bounded by inaccuracies ( and there have been plenty in the past few months ) — but if Fauci were correct , the death toll would be as if there were a 9/11 attack every day for the next two to three months .
My grandmother was born in 1928 ; she spent the first 10 years of her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Oklahoma Dust Bowl and the last five years of her life hoarding food until it rotted in her fridge and pantry .
The trauma never left .
Neither will the trauma of thousands upon thousands of deaths once it ’ s safe to leave our homes .
When we emerge , we will be different people in a different world .
If China ’ s claim to have won supremacy over the virus is to be believed , the country was able to make up for a botched early response by mobilizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carry out an authoritarian crackdown , the terrifying scale of which is only matched by the terrifying fear among Western liberals that it was necessary .
Payment apps like Alipay and WeChat installed software to track users ' movements .
China ’ s state-run telecom color-coded users ’ phones in red , green , and yellow , based on their risk of possible infection — which were then checked by guards at train stations .
Those who broke quarantine were reported to the police .
Chinese social media platforms like Weibo and WeChat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and rumors .
Those efforts may be working .
The country is reporting that its case numbers are decreasing , and it has banned virtually all foreigners from entering the country as it attempts to return to normal without a second spike .
Yet it ’ s hard to know exactly how real the claims are that China has flattened its curve .
Three US officials told Bloomberg on Wednesday that the US intelligence community had concluded China ’ s numbers are actually much higher than what ’ s been reported .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contain the outbreak , analysts have started asking whether China will emerge from this pandemic as the new global superpower .
Jeremy Lee Wallace , a Cornell professor and leader of the university ’ s China 's Cities research group , told BuzzFeed News the country is definitely attempting to position itself as a new global leader amid the pandemic .
“ [ China ] styled itself a leader in climate change and international trade following the election of Donald Trump and is proudly boasting of its successes in fighting COVID-19 , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work depends on the outcomes in other countries and how those outcomes are perceived.
” Presenting itself as a responsible custodian is now central to the Chinese Communist Party ’ s propaganda strategy .
Chinese diplomats and state media outlets are sparring directly with President Donald Trump ’ s own ad hoc online army on platforms like Twitter and YouTube , criticizing the US for its inability to mitigate the damage of the outbreak .
Jack Ma , the Chinese billionaire cofounder of the multinational tech company Alibaba Group , recently tweeted two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a China Cargo Airlines flight .
“ The first shipment of masks and coronavirus test kits to the US is taking off from Shanghai .
All the best to our friends in America , ” Ma wrote .
According to the Jack Ma Foundation , the shipment contained 500,000 testing kits and 1 million masks .
Ma ’ s foundations have already claimed to have shipped 1.8 million masks and 100,000 test kits to other heavily affected countries .
Chinese state media is very aware it ’ s a Chinese billionaire shipping tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an American one .
“ China has shared its experience , but many Western countries are just not willing to follow .
When the pandemic is over , these countries will find that it was not China that had led to the severe conditions in the US and Europe , but their own wrong judgments and choices , ” the Global Times wrote Wednesday .
David Jacobson , professor of global business strategy at Southern Methodist University 's Cox School of Business and a visiting professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test-and-mask diplomacy could fall apart , citing reports of European countries sending back faulty equipment .
“ In the world of the Communist Party state propaganda , which is probably the most powerful arm right now because it 's trying to globally set the narrative of how China 's viewed , they 're saying , ‘ We 're here to help , we learned all these lessons , and we 're here to help the world.
’ ” he said .
Jacobson said he ’ s optimistic that countries will see through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sham , ” he said .
“ If the tests do n't work , test diplomacy does n't work.
” But it ’ s not just in an ascendant China — an authoritarian COVID-19 creep is on the rise everywhere .
NPR called semi-authoritarian city-state Singapore a “ coronavirus model.
” The country flattened its curve by setting up early proactive measures like a virus-fighting task force , strict hospital and home quarantines , and a ban on large gatherings .
It also used a technique called contact tracing , building a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ footage , digital signatures left by ATM card withdrawals or credit card payments , and a Bluetooth-tracking smartphone app called TraceTogether .
The European Union now has its first dictatorship .
On Monday , the Hungarian Parliament passed a bill giving Prime Minister Viktor Orbán the right to rule by decree indefinitely , establishing a COVID-19 state of emergency without a time limit , suspending both Parliament and elections , and instituting prison time for spreading “ fake news ” or rumors .
Countries like Israel , Italy , and Austria are working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ location data to track people in infection hot spots and monitor if citizens are breaking stay-in-place orders .
Russia is using its massive 170,000-camera facial recognition system to catch people who violate quarantine and self-isolation .
Hong Kong has deployed electronic bracelets for those who test positive for the virus .
Turkmenistan ’ s state-controlled media outlets are no longer allowed to use the word “ coronavirus , ” and it has been removed from health information brochures .
India has been particularly aggressive about containing the pandemic and tracking the infected .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have been infected with ink that doesn ’ t wash off for weeks .
The Indian central government is seeking a ruling from the country ’ s Supreme Court that would force all media outlets to receive approval to print , publish , or telecast content about COVID-19 .
And in the country ’ s southern state of Karnataka , quarantined people are now required to download an app on their phones , through which they must take and send a selfie — which includes GPS coordinates in its metadata — every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Facebook and Google are discussing how to track infection hot spots using anonymized location data , while American leaders are asking if the coronavirus is the kind of emergency that requires setting aside privacy and civil liberties .
The immediate effects of the pandemic — postponed weddings , canceled vacations , empty supermarket shelves , sinking housing prices , salary cuts , layoffs — suggest no one will come out of this period without losing something .
But we are only at the beginning .
Predicting how bad things will get economically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this scale has only happened once before in the industrialized world : the 1918 influenza pandemic that hit the world in two seasonal waves , killing 50 million people worldwide and 675,000 in the US .
That pandemic occurred during World War I , which makes it hard to compare to now , even setting aside all the other changes in the past century .
But according to a 2007 research paper on the economic effects of the 1918 pandemic , published by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis , the economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a short time .
“ Many businesses , especially those in the service and entertainment industries , suffered double-digit losses in revenue , ” the paper read .
“ Society as a whole recovered from the 1918 influenza quickly , but individuals who were affected by the influenza had their lives changed forever .
Given our highly mobile and connected society , any future influenza pandemic is likely to be more severe in its reach , and perhaps in its virulence.
” While the 1918 pandemic isn ’ t a perfect comparison to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a history professor at Princeton University , told BuzzFeed News that last century 's outbreak exacerbated national problems that were already building up .
“ The 1918 flu was part of a broader wave of disruptions and crises that rocked America .
The spike in unemployment and inflation after World War I , the 1919 ‘ bloody summer ’ of race riots , major labor strikes that fall , the First Red Scare that winter , ” Kruse said .
“ There was such a national sense of unease and uncertainty.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massive layoffs have started , American industries have demanded bailouts , and unemployment rates have surged .
Economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis are projecting total employment reductions of 47 million — an unemployment rate of 32.1 % .
According to Forbes , every sector of the American economy is shrinking : Hotel chain Marriott International is furloughing tens of thousands of workers , Landry ’ s , the parent company of Del Frisco ’ s and Bubba Gump Shrimp , laid off 40,000 workers .
Air Canada plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crew .
Shoe retailer DSW put 80 % of its workers on a temporary unpaid leave of absence .
The US news industry ’ s advertising spending is in free fall .
Digital outlets like BuzzFeed and Vice have already announced salary cuts , and the mass media company Gannett — which owns titles like USA Today , the Arizona Republic , and the Des Moines Register — announced many staffers will be furloughed for five days a month through June .
The news media may receive low-interest loans , but airlines will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistance as part of the Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security ( CARES ) Act , which Trump signed into law last Friday , but there are already questions from industry leaders about whether that ’ s enough to keep the industry aloft .
Luigi Zingales , a finance professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and cohost of the podcast Capitalisn ’ t , told BuzzFeed News that we don ’ t know yet how effective the CARES Act will be but added it was n't targeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see this as purely an electoral move , which is not justified from an economic point of view , ” he said .
“ The goal of the package is to redistribute and preserve the existing production capacity of the US economy.
” He said one immediate issue is that no one knows how it will help gig workers , which make up about 7 % of the country ’ s total employment .
“ My understanding is basically nobody knows , ” he said .
“ Imagine I work as a cab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid my regular wage , but I work as an Uber driver and I get nothing.
” American workers are already reacting to this economic downturn , striking and protesting .
More fundamentally , the way we understand labor and class in this country is changing more than it has since the Great Depression .
On Monday , a group of workers walked off the job at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island .
An Amazon employee named Chris Smalls claimed the company fired him after he led a protest against its safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Market workers held a “ sick-out.
” According to CNBC , `` members of the Industrial Division of Communication Workers of America protested Monday at the company ’ s aviation facility in Lynn , Massachusetts , as well as its headquarters in Boston , '' to demand the company use manufacturing resources to build ventilators .
Health care workers are protesting as well .
Nurses across the country have begun to protest the shortages of personal protective equipment , which they say are putting their lives at risk .
National Nurses United held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Summit Medical Center in Oakland earlier this month .
Last Saturday , more than two dozen nurses protested in front of Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx .
And the fact that major American cities , including New York , Boston , Los Angeles , San Francisco , and St. Louis , have temporarily banned evictions hasn ’ t quelled the rumblings of a nationwide rent strike .
Rent Strike 2020 , the activist organization leading the push , is demanding a two-month freeze on the collection of rent , residential mortgages , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do what is necessary to prepare for the difficult social measures required to flatten the outbreak curve , ” the organization ’ s website reads .
Peter Gowan , a researcher and resident fellow at the Democracy Collaborative 's Next System Project , told BuzzFeed News that many Americans are learning that a lot of the economic policies they were told couldn ’ t be done following the 2008 financial crisis are actually possible .
“ You were seeing people say it 's impossible to think about giving cash payments to everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits , that it 's impossible to have the government tell companies what they need to be producing , ” Gowan said .
“ But now you 're seeing the Democratic Party and parts of the Republican Party telling President Trump that he needs to use the Defense Production Act to increase the production of ventilators.
” But it ’ s not just strikes and protests ; TikTok videos demonstrating Mark Zuckerberg 's coronavirus donation — $ 25 million — compared to his total wealth — $ 55.1 billion — and the immediate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s star-studded “ Imagine '' video reveal how quickly the pandemic has torn open the seams of American class consciousness .
“ I hope that in the coming months and years that we 'll see a revitalized labor movement , ” Gowan said .
“ I hope the left , and people in general , internalize that a lot of the things you 're told are rules are actually just norms created for the preservation of property and the rights of capital.
” Even though the way Americans think about the structure of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is changing quickly , there are still two outbreaks in the US : One is a minor inconvenience suffered by the rich , who can abandon heavily affected urban areas for second homes , escape to “ virus-free ” retreats , and all seem to be getting tests .
And there is a second outbreak , where delivery drivers and retail employees work under the constant threat of infection , where nurses have to use bleach to clean and reuse face masks , and where parking lots in Las Vegas are turned into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing markers .
Things are even worse for the incarcerated .
At the Cook County Jail in Chicago , 134 inmates tested positive for COVID-19 this week .
According to one legal organization ’ s analysis , coronavirus infections in New York City ’ s largest jail have skyrocketed to nearly 10 times the rate of the city ’ s residents .
We are teetering dangerously close to a viral bomb going off inside ICE detention centers .
A medical worker and a detainee have both tested positive for COVID-19 at a New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , three unaccompanied immigrant children in the custody of a US refugee agency in New York tested positive for the virus .
On Sunday , Trump walked back his Easter deadline for turning the economy back on , but the recent push to go back to work — pandemic or not — is still being trumpeted by prominent Republicans and right-wing media .
As Trump continues prioritizing the market over human lives , his administration ’ s Lord of the Flies approach has left the country ’ s governors scrambling to fill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal government — a grim fulfillment of writer James Fallows ' prediction last year that America would soon be heading toward the disintegration that marked the end of the Roman Empire .
Conspiracy theorists and far-right extremists are experimenting with how to use the coronavirus to their advantage .
The QAnon movement and many other misinformation communities , like 5G truthers and anti-vaxxers have have been more active , latching on to the pandemic as proof of their paranoid worldviews .
Tom Kawczynski , a white nationalist in Maine , is hosting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Apple ’ s top 20 podcasts under the “ Health & Fitness ” category since the outbreak began .
As Vice reported , last week , an international white supremacist group called the Hundred-Handers created a `` Twitter account claiming to be the regional arm of climate change activist group Extinction Rebellion [ and it ] tweeted photos of an apparent postering campaign promoting the coronavirus as a natural 'cure ' to the human 'disease . '
'' We will exit this pandemic with a new understanding of how both our government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the left like universal basic income or universal health care are now household terms , online misinformation and disinformation are no longer abstract concepts but constant presences in our group chats , and malicious ideologies like ecofascism are taking root .
We will need new stories , but it ’ s unclear who will tell them and how .
Right now , for one of the first times in modern history , huge swaths of the Earth ’ s population are being told to stay indoors .
Workers who can conduct business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zoom and Houseparty have blossomed .
We spend our days switching back and forth between different inboxes , emails , family group chats , Slack messages , WhatsApp groups , and Instagram DMs — the bad screen and the good screen are now the same screen .
There is a strong possibility we will not suddenly revert back to full offices when the world turns back on .
Christopher McKnight Nichols , history professor and director of the Center for the Humanities at Oregon State University , told BuzzFeed News that the 1918 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media was how seriously the press began to take public trust following the outbreak .
“ The lessons learned were largely about [ news ] coverage when the federal government is suppressing honest , open speech , ” Nichols said .
“ There were rampant false cures and treatments peddled by large firms as well as those who could best be understood as charlatans .
Attempting to crack down on advertising of some of this false medicine was a result.
” This wave of mistrust is happening now as well .
Except — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an end to globalization , which cite the general breakdown in the rule-based global order and the deteriorating relationship between the US and China — we ’ re combating misinformation on a global scale we ’ ve never seen before .
As the pandemic left China , an unverified video of a Chinese nurse overreporting the virus ’ s death toll spread from Chinese messaging platform WeChat to Twitter , where it was subtitled in English and then shared in huge numbers on YouTube .
The same hoax about helicopters being used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Netherlands , the US , Turkey , and Argentina by fact-checkers .
( While in Mumbai , workers really were being sprayed with an unknown chemical disinfectant . )
Twitter 's US-based moderation team took down two of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro 's tweets on Sunday for promoting the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine , which Trump has touted as a possible COVID-19 cure .
By removing the ability to meet in person , by shuttering traditional entertainment , and because we are facing an increasingly undeniable and inescapable existential terror , the internet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s not all hoaxes and conspiracy theories .
The two most viral songs about the coronavirus outbreak are from Vietnam and the Dominican Republic .
We go online to commiserate about whatever ’ s on Netflix ( even if it ’ s a seven-part docuseries about a gay zookeeper who was arrested for murder-for-hire ) or argue with each other about whether New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo is hot ( or has nipple piercings ) .
This is not totally different to how we lived before — except there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have struggled to properly mitigate this crisis : British Prime Minister Boris Johnson initially planned to build herd immunity at the cost of millions of lives , Trump downplayed the outbreak , Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador ignored social distancing policies to publicly hug the mother of Mexico ’ s most infamous drug lord , Joaquín “ El Chapo ” Guzmán , and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a total lockdown of the country , which resulted in a heartbreaking and dangerous mass exodus of migrant workers walking hundreds of miles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this month , Piers Morgan compared the coronavirus to World War I .
“ You ’ re not having to fight anybody .
You ’ re not having to risk your life being gunned down on trenches , ” the host shouted at the camera , raging against Britons who refused to socially distance .
“ You 're being asked to just go home sit there and do this , just watch telly.
” It ’ s true , bombs are n't dropping .
Trenches are n't being summited .
But the comparison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watching quiet and invisible slow-motion tragedy play out every second across our phone screens .
But we also don ’ t really know where we ’ re going .
The world of the 1918 pandemic — of silent films and phonographs — is so different to ours now that we can not use it as a guide for how we will change .
Nor can we use something like 9/11 to imagine the trauma and what it will do to us .
The systems we use to govern our world , already strained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been eviscerated .
The only thing we ’ ve been able to count on through all of this is the pure networking power of the internet .
Locally , individually , we are using it to quickly change the way we live to face the crisis .
Governors are providing their constituents with emotional and much-needed daily livestreams .
Teenagers are having proms on Zoom .
DJs are throwing dance parties on Instagram .
3D printer hobbyists are learning how to make medical-grade masks .
The main lesson in all this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connect with one another in the dark .
Even if it ’ s as simple as sharing a funny video with your family group chat .
After I acted like a jerk in my family group chat , there was a bit of a back-and-forth about how bad things will get .
We were collectively worried about whether my cousins working at Mass General would be safe .
We talked about how our grandparents would have handled this if they were still alive .
And then someone dropped in a tweet with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citizens for breaking quarantine .
The tweet read , “ the world needs Italian Mayors to sort the world out not passionless journos & clueless academics.
” I have to admit , if only for a little bit , I felt better .
●

“The Authoritarian Creep”
If China’s claim to have won supremacy over the virus is to be believed, the country was able to make up for a botched early response by mobilizing its vast and intricate surveillance infrastructure to carry out an authoritarian crackdown, the terrifying scale of which is only matched by the terrifying fear among Western liberals that it was necessary.
Payment apps like Alipay and WeChat installed software to track users' movements. China’s state-run telecom color-coded users’ phones in red, green, and yellow, based on their risk of possible infection — which were then checked by guards at train stations. Those who broke quarantine were reported to the police. Chinese social media platforms like Weibo and WeChat were heavily censored to quell conspiracy theories and rumors.
Those efforts may be working. The country is reporting that its case numbers are decreasing, and it has banned virtually all foreigners from entering the country as it attempts to return to normal without a second spike.
Yet it’s hard to know exactly how real the claims are that China has flattened its curve. Three US officials told Bloomberg on Wednesday that the US intelligence community had concluded China’s numbers are actually much higher than what’s been reported.
But with the US and Europe struggling to contain the outbreak, analysts have started asking whether China will emerge from this pandemic as the new global superpower. Jeremy Lee Wallace, a Cornell professor and leader of the university’s China's Cities research group, told BuzzFeed News the country is definitely attempting to position itself as a new global leader amid the pandemic.
“[China] styled itself a leader in climate change and international trade following the election of Donald Trump and is proudly boasting of its successes in fighting COVID-19,” Wallace said. “Whether it will work depends on the outcomes in other countries and how those outcomes are perceived.”
Presenting itself as a responsible custodian is now central to the Chinese Communist Party’s propaganda strategy. Chinese diplomats and state media outlets are sparring directly with President Donald Trump’s own ad hoc online army on platforms like Twitter and YouTube, criticizing the US for its inability to mitigate the damage of the outbreak.
Jack Ma, the Chinese billionaire cofounder of the multinational tech company Alibaba Group, recently tweeted two photos of medical supplies being loaded onto a China Cargo Airlines flight. “The first shipment of masks and coronavirus test kits to the US is taking off from Shanghai. All the best to our friends in America,” Ma wrote.
According to the Jack Ma Foundation, the shipment contained 500,000 testing kits and 1 million masks. Ma’s foundations have already claimed to have shipped 1.8 million masks and 100,000 test kits to other heavily affected countries.
Chinese state media is very aware it’s a Chinese billionaire shipping tests and masks around the world, not an American one. “China has shared its experience, but many Western countries are just not willing to follow. When the pandemic is over, these countries will find that it was not China that had led to the severe conditions in the US and Europe, but their own wrong judgments and choices,” the Global Times wrote Wednesday.
David Jacobson, professor of global business strategy at Southern Methodist University's Cox School of Business and a visiting professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing, told BuzzFeed News he worries China’s test-and-mask diplomacy could fall apart, citing reports of European countries sending back faulty equipment.
“In the world of the Communist Party state propaganda, which is probably the most powerful arm right now because it's trying to globally set the narrative of how China's viewed, they're saying, ‘We're here to help, we learned all these lessons, and we're here to help the world.’” he said.
Jacobson said he’s optimistic that countries will see through the spin. “The world is seeing the sham,” he said. “If the tests don't work, test diplomacy doesn't work.”
But it’s not just in an ascendant China — an authoritarian COVID-19 creep is on the rise everywhere.
NPR called semi-authoritarian city-state Singapore a “coronavirus model.” The country flattened its curve by setting up early proactive measures like a virus-fighting task force, strict hospital and home quarantines, and a ban on large gatherings. It also used a technique called contact tracing, building a movement log of the infected through surveillance footage, digital signatures left by ATM card withdrawals or credit card payments, and a Bluetooth-tracking smartphone app called TraceTogether.
The European Union now has its first dictatorship. On Monday, the Hungarian Parliament passed a bill giving Prime Minister Viktor Orbán the right to rule by decree indefinitely, establishing a COVID-19 state of emergency without a time limit, suspending both Parliament and elections, and instituting prison time for spreading “fake news” or rumors.
Countries like Israel, Italy, and Austria are working with their telecommunications networks to use anonymized location data to track people in infection hot spots and monitor if citizens are breaking stay-in-place orders. Russia is using its massive 170,000-camera facial recognition system to catch people who violate quarantine and self-isolation. Hong Kong has deployed electronic bracelets for those who test positive for the virus. Turkmenistan’s state-controlled media outlets are no longer allowed to use the word “coronavirus,” and it has been removed from health information brochures.
India has been particularly aggressive about containing the pandemic and tracking the infected. The country has experimented with stamping people who have been infected with ink that doesn’t wash off for weeks. The Indian central government is seeking a ruling from the country’s Supreme Court that would force all media outlets to receive approval to print, publish, or telecast content about COVID-19. And in the country’s southern state of Karnataka, quarantined people are now required to download an app on their phones, through which they must take and send a selfie — which includes GPS coordinates in its metadata — every hour to government officials.
US companies like Facebook and Google are discussing how to track infection hot spots using anonymized location data, while American leaders are asking if the coronavirus is the kind of emergency that requires setting aside privacy and civil liberties.


buzzfeednews--2020-04-02--This Is What It Was Like To Go To The Hospital 100 Years Ago

New York City is only as strong as the medical and emergency workers who keep its residents safe and healthy .
Today , as the coronavirus pandemic has brought the city to a standstill , health care professionals are bravely heeding the call to action and saving countless lives despite the dangers to their own health .
These heroic actions stem from a long tradition of service to society .
To explore some of the parallels between the past and present , BuzzFeed News spoke with Sean Corcoran , curator of prints and photographs at the Museum of the City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us a fascinating collection of pictures from the turn of the 19th century that capture the innovation and dedication of New York City hospitals from over 100 years ago .
The Byron Company Collection is the archive of a multigenerational commercial photographic company that began with Jospeh Byron in 1892 and was eventually taken over by his son Percy Byron and run until 1942 .
The collection came to the Museum of the City of New York under the auspices of the first curator of photography , Grace Mayer .
Without access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the moment , it 's impossible to say specifically why these particular images were made .
They could have been made at a client 's request or in speculation that a commercial client or newspaper might use the image in the future , like stock photography today , or a somewhat obsessive interest in the city combined with a master 's ability to make very large format photographs in almost any environment .
These photographs are fascinating because they are images made just as the United States began the professionalization of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had only introduced basic science instruction and a residency program in 1891 .
This was a time when the city 's tenements were rife with disease and a better understanding of the causes and ways to combat the illnesses were slowly being understood .
Remember , in just a few short years , the saga of Typhoid Mary would grip the city , and the nation then faced the 1918 flu pandemic .
I just think it is important to reiterate that health care workers have been on the front lines battling infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centuries .
Although our scientific understanding has improved , it continues to be these individuals working for the common good who are our true line of defense .
Additionally , these images make you consider the critical investments , and lack thereof , in infrastructure that ensure the city 's health and safety .

New York City is only as strong as the medical and emergency workers who keep its residents safe and healthy. Today, as the coronavirus pandemic has brought the city to a standstill, health care professionals are bravely heeding the call to action and saving countless lives despite the dangers to their own health.
These heroic actions stem from a long tradition of service to society. To explore some of the parallels between the past and present, BuzzFeed News spoke with Sean Corcoran, curator of prints and photographs at the Museum of the City of New York, who shared with us a fascinating collection of pictures from the turn of the 19th century that capture the innovation and dedication of New York City hospitals from over 100 years ago.
The Byron Company Collection is the archive of a multigenerational commercial photographic company that began with Jospeh Byron in 1892 and was eventually taken over by his son Percy Byron and run until 1942. The collection came to the Museum of the City of New York under the auspices of the first curator of photography, Grace Mayer.
Without access to the company logbooks, which are inaccessible at the moment, it's impossible to say specifically why these particular images were made. They could have been made at a client's request or in speculation that a commercial client or newspaper might use the image in the future, like stock photography today, or a somewhat obsessive interest in the city combined with a master's ability to make very large format photographs in almost any environment.
These photographs are fascinating because they are images made just as the United States began the professionalization of a doctor's training — Johns Hopkins Hospital had only introduced basic science instruction and a residency program in 1891. This was a time when the city's tenements were rife with disease and a better understanding of the causes and ways to combat the illnesses were slowly being understood. Remember, in just a few short years, the saga of Typhoid Mary would grip the city, and the nation then faced the 1918 flu pandemic.
I just think it is important to reiterate that health care workers have been on the front lines battling infection and disease here in the city for centuries. Although our scientific understanding has improved, it continues to be these individuals working for the common good who are our true line of defense. Additionally, these images make you consider the critical investments, and lack thereof, in infrastructure that ensure the city's health and safety.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-25--How To Stay Sober During A Global Pandemic

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
For the last nine months , Korey , a 28-year-old in Oregon , has been going to at least four 12-step meetings per week .
In addition to those one-hour meetings , she ’ s been attending three outpatient recovery meetings per week , each three hours long .
Weekly in-person support from other people in recovery is how Korey has managed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sober for the longest period of time since her late teens .
Last week , she received a call that her outpatient recovery program — like her other recovery support groups — was shutting down because of the coronavirus pandemic .
“ That ’ s nine hours of recovery a week ... gone , ” Korey told me .
When you factor in the 12-step meetings she ’ d usually be going to , that number climbs to 13 hours .
A lack of connection is often what fuels people ’ s use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it makes sense that for many , the connection to others in recovery is a big part of the solution .
With much of the world , including Oregon , under orders to quarantine or shelter in place , she and others in recovery have had to find remote ways of maintaining a connection to their support groups .
For John , a 49-year-old recovering drug user in New Mexico who is 96 days sober , 12-step meetings make him feel supported and understood in ways nothing else can .
A poet who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said , “ Try to imagine someone coming up to me after a reading and asking me how I am .
Can you imagine me saying ‘ Well , you know , this morning I really wanted to go buy a bag of dope , but instead I just watched porn for an hour ’ ?
It breaks all the norms of social interaction .
People have a barrier of shame about what they will and won ’ t talk about.
” At a meeting , however , John said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You can talk about anything , and people will nod their head from across the room and go , ‘ Yeah , yeah , I can totally understand that.
’ ” When people in recovery are isolated and don ’ t have that connection to other people in recovery , Korey said , “ The denial kicks in.
” Alone , Korey said , she ’ s likely to minimize , rationalize , and blame others for her addiction .
“ You start to feel like the whole world is fine and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a problem .
And then the self-pity and all these other negative emotions follow , and it just becomes too heavy.
” Meetings , she told me , “ hold a mirror ” up to help her see what ’ s real and what ’ s denial .
For those who aren ’ t comfortable with meetings or want something to supplement their meetings , Dylan Kersh , a psychologist and former program director at Shine a Light Addiction Specialists in San Rafael , California , said many therapists and mental health professionals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us are working from home and have more time than usual , ” he said .
“ We also understand the financial stress of this moment , so most of us are offering sliding [ fee ] scales.
” He recommended people interested in finding a therapist check out the Psychology Today website , which allows people to search by location , specialty , and insurance coverage .
“ Even if a sliding scale isn ’ t noted on the therapist ’ s profile , ask , ” Kersh said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s meetings or therapy ( or both ) , Allison , a 48-year-old in California recovering from alcoholism , said talking about how you ’ re feeling is a big part of a successful recovery .
“ There ’ s something about my alcoholism that wants me to stay home and be alone and not talk about it .
That [ isolation ] is just a setup for me to start drinking again .
I ’ ve got to keep the discussion going and talk about how I ’ m feeling.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic , people in 12-step recovery have used every possible virtual tool to stay connected .
The Alcoholics Anonymous Intergroup website ( a hub for people to find local and online meetings ) lists more than 100 online meetings , though it appears demand might be overwhelming the server .
( I tried five different times on Sunday to connect to the website , and each time was unable to because the “ server was too slow to respond.
” ) I had more success with other websites dedicated to online recovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ InTheRooms.com .
For members of Narcotics Anonymous , websites like Virtual-NA.org and NA.org/meetingsearch can be useful resources .
Other 12-steppers are forgoing the intergroup website and starting their own online meetings , sharing them in private Facebook groups and among the regular members of their in-person meetings .
People don ’ t necessarily have to have a computer or internet connection to attend ; meetings run through Zoom have an option in which people can call in by phone , something that ’ s especially useful for members who aren ’ t comfortable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s been hard for her local Alcoholics Anonymous Central Office to keep up with the flood of new online meetings .
“ There aren ’ t enough people or web builders to get it up as fast as it needs to be .
So people have just sort of banded together to trade information until everything is [ updated ] .
” Even before the shelter-in-place orders , people in recovery were planning how to access meetings remotely .
On March 11 , Travis Akers , who is six months sober @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was looking into hosting online recovery meetings and suggested people reach out to him if they were interested in joining .
“ The response was robust , ” he said .
“ Right away I got like 11 or 12 emails and probably 40 DMs.
” While Akers credits 12-step groups for “ saving his life , ” not everyone finds them useful .
Fortunately , non–12-step recovery programs like SMART Recovery , LifeRing , and Women for Sobriety all have virtual options as well .
SMART Recovery has online forums and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Women for Sobriety has community forums and phone support .
Allison said the amount of extra time she has during quarantine and the comfort of attending from her home means she ’ s gone to more meetings than she usually does .
“ I usually go to three to five meetings a week , ” she said .
“ But since this started , I ’ ve been going to like three [ virtual meetings ] a day.
” Marissa , a person in Minnesota who ’ s recovering from alcoholism , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a learning curve ” for some people less familiar with technology , as well as some “ technical difficulties ” to work out .
( The time lag while trying to chant a prayer in unison , as is often done at 12-step meetings , was “ a mess.
” ) By the end of the meeting , she still had the same feeling of connection and support as she does after an in-person meeting .
But others , like John , have mixed feelings about the new online meetings .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Everybody looks like ‘ I wish I could see you in person.
’ No one looks that happy right now .
There ’ s just something to be said for close contact and human proximity.
” Akers agreed that certain things can ’ t be replicated in a virtual meeting .
“ Certainly there are things that are lost .
Body language , eye contact — all those can be important to communication , ” he said .
“ But the most important thing is having a space where drunks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that can happen virtually.
” Despite their inherent challenges , the demand for these virtual meetings is high .
Allison said that because online meetings are accessible to anyone around the world with an internet connection and so many people are stuck inside and feeling anxious , attendance is often larger than it would be in person .
On Sunday night , she attended an online meeting with 742 members in attendance .
It ’ s hard to deny the convenience of these meetings , even if they don ’ t exactly mirror @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m 12 years sober from alcohol , and the first seven or eight years of my sobriety were very much defined by 12-step support .
I haven ’ t been to a meeting in several years , partially out of ideological differences but more out of laziness .
While reporting this story , I found myself thinking about hitting up a virtual meeting if , after all , it means I don ’ t have to get off the couch .
But for people in 12-step recovery , the program is about more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about “ being of service ” to people who are newly sober or struggling to get sober .
It ’ s about having commitments at the meetings , like setting up chairs , making coffee , and putting together lists of phone numbers to give newcomers , which gives members a sense of accountability to the group .
It ’ s about “ fellowship , ” the community and connection outside of meetings , like getting coffee after a meeting , and older members sponsoring , or mentoring , newcomers .
There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those efforts in a virtual setting .
Allison started a private Facebook group for the “ couple of alcoholics ” in her county ; within a few days , it had ballooned to 1,500 people .
“ People are really hungry for fellowship right now , ” she said .
Some people have set up 24-hour Zoom sessions that are more an informal club than a structured meeting , in which people in recovery can get support from other members “ anytime they ’ re hurting.
” One of the biggest concerns in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Walking into a room full of strangers and announcing that your life is falling apart and you ’ re filled with self-loathing and shame is , to put it mildly , daunting .
For some , online meetings offer more anonymity — a chance to dip a toe into the 12-step water with the choice to not show your face or share your name.
“ It ’ s definitely easier to be anonymous in virtual meetings , ” Allison said .
“ You can just kind of hang back and not participate.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cobble together a sense of fellowship virtually by staying 20 minutes after the end of meetings to talk to anyone who is new and exchanging phone numbers .
And Allison said there are other ways veteran 12-steppers can help : “ With so much time on our hands , there ’ s no reason to not have , like , five sponsees .
”

For the last nine months, Korey, a 28-year-old in Oregon, has been going to at least four 12-step meetings per week. In addition to those one-hour meetings, she’s been attending three outpatient recovery meetings per week, each three hours long. Weekly in-person support from other people in recovery is how Korey has managed to address her alcohol addiction and stay sober for the longest period of time since her late teens. Last week, she received a call that her outpatient recovery program — like her other recovery support groups — was shutting down because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“That’s nine hours of recovery a week...gone,” Korey told me. When you factor in the 12-step meetings she’d usually be going to, that number climbs to 13 hours. A lack of connection is often what fuels people’s use of alcohol and other drugs, so it makes sense that for many, the connection to others in recovery is a big part of the solution. With much of the world, including Oregon, under orders to quarantine or shelter in place, she and others in recovery have had to find remote ways of maintaining a connection to their support groups.
For John, a 49-year-old recovering drug user in New Mexico who is 96 days sober, 12-step meetings make him feel supported and understood in ways nothing else can. A poet who often performs or gives lectures at universities, he said, “Try to imagine someone coming up to me after a reading and asking me how I am. Can you imagine me saying ‘Well, you know, this morning I really wanted to go buy a bag of dope, but instead I just watched porn for an hour’? It breaks all the norms of social interaction. People have a barrier of shame about what they will and won’t talk about.” At a meeting, however, John said, “Those rules don’t apply. You can talk about anything, and people will nod their head from across the room and go, ‘Yeah, yeah, I can totally understand that.’”
When people in recovery are isolated and don’t have that connection to other people in recovery, Korey said, “The denial kicks in.” Alone, Korey said, she’s likely to minimize, rationalize, and blame others for her addiction. “You start to feel like the whole world is fine and you’re the only one with a problem. And then the self-pity and all these other negative emotions follow, and it just becomes too heavy.” Meetings, she told me, “hold a mirror” up to help her see what’s real and what’s denial.
For those who aren’t comfortable with meetings or want something to supplement their meetings, Dylan Kersh, a psychologist and former program director at Shine a Light Addiction Specialists in San Rafael, California, said many therapists and mental health professionals have extra availability now.
“Many of us are working from home and have more time than usual,” he said. “We also understand the financial stress of this moment, so most of us are offering sliding [fee] scales.” He recommended people interested in finding a therapist check out the Psychology Today website, which allows people to search by location, specialty, and insurance coverage. “Even if a sliding scale isn’t noted on the therapist’s profile, ask,” Kersh said. “We want to help.”
Whether it’s meetings or therapy (or both), Allison, a 48-year-old in California recovering from alcoholism, said talking about how you’re feeling is a big part of a successful recovery. “There’s something about my alcoholism that wants me to stay home and be alone and not talk about it. That [isolation] is just a setup for me to start drinking again. I’ve got to keep the discussion going and talk about how I’m feeling.”
With most IRL 12-step meetings canceled during the pandemic, people in 12-step recovery have used every possible virtual tool to stay connected. The Alcoholics Anonymous Intergroup website (a hub for people to find local and online meetings) lists more than 100 online meetings, though it appears demand might be overwhelming the server. (I tried five different times on Sunday to connect to the website, and each time was unable to because the “server was too slow to respond.”)
I had more success with other websites dedicated to online recovery meetings, like OnlineGroupAA.org, AAOnlineMeeting.net, InTheRooms.com. For members of Narcotics Anonymous, websites like Virtual-NA.org and NA.org/meetingsearch can be useful resources. Other 12-steppers are forgoing the intergroup website and starting their own online meetings, sharing them in private Facebook groups and among the regular members of their in-person meetings. People don’t necessarily have to have a computer or internet connection to attend; meetings run through Zoom have an option in which people can call in by phone, something that’s especially useful for members who aren’t comfortable or proficient with videoconferencing. Allison said it’s been hard for her local Alcoholics Anonymous Central Office to keep up with the flood of new online meetings. “There aren’t enough people or web builders to get it up as fast as it needs to be. So people have just sort of banded together to trade information until everything is [updated].”
Even before the shelter-in-place orders, people in recovery were planning how to access meetings remotely. On March 11, Travis Akers, who is six months sober and recovering from alcoholism, tweeted that he was looking into hosting online recovery meetings and suggested people reach out to him if they were interested in joining. “The response was robust,” he said. “Right away I got like 11 or 12 emails and probably 40 DMs.”
While Akers credits 12-step groups for “saving his life,” not everyone finds them useful. Fortunately, non–12-step recovery programs like SMART Recovery, LifeRing, and Women for Sobriety all have virtual options as well. SMART Recovery has online forums and meetings, LifeRing hosts Zoom meetings, and Women for Sobriety has community forums and phone support.
Allison said the amount of extra time she has during quarantine and the comfort of attending from her home means she’s gone to more meetings than she usually does. “I usually go to three to five meetings a week,” she said. “But since this started, I’ve been going to like three [virtual meetings] a day.”
Marissa, a person in Minnesota who’s recovering from alcoholism, said while there’s “definitely a learning curve” for some people less familiar with technology, as well as some “technical difficulties” to work out. (The time lag while trying to chant a prayer in unison, as is often done at 12-step meetings, was “a mess.”) By the end of the meeting, she still had the same feeling of connection and support as she does after an in-person meeting. But others, like John, have mixed feelings about the new online meetings. “It’s almost sad,” he said. “Everybody looks like ‘I wish I could see you in person.’ No one looks that happy right now. There’s just something to be said for close contact and human proximity.”
Akers agreed that certain things can’t be replicated in a virtual meeting. “Certainly there are things that are lost. Body language, eye contact — all those can be important to communication,” he said. “But the most important thing is having a space where drunks can talk to other drunks. And that can happen virtually.” Despite their inherent challenges, the demand for these virtual meetings is high. Allison said that because online meetings are accessible to anyone around the world with an internet connection and so many people are stuck inside and feeling anxious, attendance is often larger than it would be in person. On Sunday night, she attended an online meeting with 742 members in attendance.
It’s hard to deny the convenience of these meetings, even if they don’t exactly mirror the typical IRL meetings. I’m 12 years sober from alcohol, and the first seven or eight years of my sobriety were very much defined by 12-step support. I haven’t been to a meeting in several years, partially out of ideological differences but more out of laziness. While reporting this story, I found myself thinking about hitting up a virtual meeting if, after all, it means I don’t have to get off the couch.
But for people in 12-step recovery, the program is about more than just meetings. It’s about “being of service” to people who are newly sober or struggling to get sober. It’s about having commitments at the meetings, like setting up chairs, making coffee, and putting together lists of phone numbers to give newcomers, which gives members a sense of accountability to the group. It’s about “fellowship,” the community and connection outside of meetings, like getting coffee after a meeting, and older members sponsoring, or mentoring, newcomers.
There are 12-steppers doing what they can to recreate those efforts in a virtual setting. Allison started a private Facebook group for the “couple of alcoholics” in her county; within a few days, it had ballooned to 1,500 people. “People are really hungry for fellowship right now,” she said. Some people have set up 24-hour Zoom sessions that are more an informal club than a structured meeting, in which people in recovery can get support from other members “anytime they’re hurting.”
One of the biggest concerns in any 12-step meeting is supporting the newcomer. Walking into a room full of strangers and announcing that your life is falling apart and you’re filled with self-loathing and shame is, to put it mildly, daunting. For some, online meetings offer more anonymity — a chance to dip a toe into the 12-step water with the choice to not show your face or share your name.“It’s definitely easier to be anonymous in virtual meetings,” Allison said. “You can just kind of hang back and not participate.” But existing members are still trying to cobble together a sense of fellowship virtually by staying 20 minutes after the end of meetings to talk to anyone who is new and exchanging phone numbers. And Allison said there are other ways veteran 12-steppers can help: “With so much time on our hands, there’s no reason to not have, like, five sponsees.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-25--The $2 Trillion Coronavirus Aid Bill Is In Jeopardy As A Group Of Republican Senators Fight To Cap U

The $2 Trillion Coronavirus Aid Bill Is In Jeopardy As A Group Of Republican Senators Fight To Cap Unemployment Payments

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham speaks while flanked by Sens .
Tim Scott ( left ) , Ben Sasse , and Rick Scott during a press conference at the US Capitol on March 25 .
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A group of Republican senators is threatening to stall the $ 2 trillion coronavirus relief bill over unemployment insurance benefits , causing Sen. Bernie Sanders to announce he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Congressional leaders reached a deal on a massive coronavirus aid package early Wednesday morning that includes hundreds of billions of dollars in funding to businesses , plus monthly payments to all US residents of up to $ 1,200 .
The final language is still being drafted , but progress could be derailed over unemployment insurance ( UI ) benefits .
The bill would pay $ 600 per week to unemployed workers , on top of what they would receive at the state level .
Republican Sens .
Lindsey Graham , Tim Scott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argued that this could add up to more than many regular salaries , causing people to quit their jobs .
“ You ’ re literally incentivizing taking people out of the workforce , ” said Graham .
“ If this is not a drafting error then it ’ s the worst idea I ’ ve seen in a long time.
” The group does not yet have the numbers to stop the aid bill from passing , but party leaders are hoping for an overwhelming — if not unanimous — vote in support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Representatives to pass it quickly and without further amendments .
There is also the threat of the group winning over President Trump , who could veto the legislation .
Trump adviser and Fox personality Sean Hannity also blasted the UI provisions on his radio show Wednesday , calling it a “ socialist fantasy ” that would “ destroy the economy.
” Graham ’ s proposal was to cap UI benefits at a person ’ s normal salary , up to $ 600 per week .
But his group got swift pushback from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chuck Grassley said the bill already contains incentives for businesses to keep employees on the payroll , and nobody who leaves a job voluntarily is eligible to receive UI .
He rejected the caps as unfeasible , given the urgency of passing the bill .
“ Each state has a different UI program , so the drafters opted for a temporary across-the-board UI boost of $ 600 , which can deliver needed aid in a timely manner rather than burning time to create a different administrative regime for each state , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is also running for the Democratic nomination , jumped into the fray Wednesday afternoon by threatening to hold up the bill over corporate aid unless the Republican group left the unemployment provisions alone .
Sanders tweeted that he would demand any corporation that receives government aid be required “ not to lay off workers , cut wages or benefits , ship jobs overseas , or pay workers poverty wages .
”

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus. To help keep this news free, become a member and sign up for our newsletter, Outbreak Today.
A group of Republican senators is threatening to stall the $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill over unemployment insurance benefits, causing Sen. Bernie Sanders to announce he will launch a counter-crusade against corporate aid.
Congressional leaders reached a deal on a massive coronavirus aid package early Wednesday morning that includes hundreds of billions of dollars in funding to businesses, plus monthly payments to all US residents of up to $1,200.
The final language is still being drafted, but progress could be derailed over unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. The bill would pay $600 per week to unemployed workers, on top of what they would receive at the state level. Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham, Tim Scott, Rick Scott, and Ben Sasse argued that this could add up to more than many regular salaries, causing people to quit their jobs.
“You’re literally incentivizing taking people out of the workforce,” said Graham. “If this is not a drafting error then it’s the worst idea I’ve seen in a long time.”
The group does not yet have the numbers to stop the aid bill from passing, but party leaders are hoping for an overwhelming — if not unanimous — vote in support of the bill to pressure the House of Representatives to pass it quickly and without further amendments. There is also the threat of the group winning over President Trump, who could veto the legislation. Trump adviser and Fox personality Sean Hannity also blasted the UI provisions on his radio show Wednesday, calling it a “socialist fantasy” that would “destroy the economy.”
Graham’s proposal was to cap UI benefits at a person’s normal salary, up to $600 per week. But his group got swift pushback from its own party. Finance Committee chair Chuck Grassley said the bill already contains incentives for businesses to keep employees on the payroll, and nobody who leaves a job voluntarily is eligible to receive UI. He rejected the caps as unfeasible, given the urgency of passing the bill.
“Each state has a different UI program, so the drafters opted for a temporary across-the-board UI boost of $600, which can deliver needed aid in a timely manner rather than burning time to create a different administrative regime for each state,” said Grassley spokesperson George Hartmann.
Sanders, who is also running for the Democratic nomination, jumped into the fray Wednesday afternoon by threatening to hold up the bill over corporate aid unless the Republican group left the unemployment provisions alone. Sanders tweeted that he would demand any corporation that receives government aid be required “not to lay off workers, cut wages or benefits, ship jobs overseas, or pay workers poverty wages.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-24--Former Students, Friends, And Family Are Mourning A 36-Year-Old Brooklyn Principal Who Died Of The C

Former Students, Friends, And Family Are Mourning A 36-Year-Old Brooklyn Principal Who Died Of The Coronavirus

`` My heart is in a million pieces .
The tears wo n't stop flowing . ''
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Friends , family , former students , and fellow New York City educators mourned the death of Dezann Romain , a 36-year-old school principal who died due to complications from COVID-19 , on Tuesday .
Romain was a principal at Brooklyn Democracy Academy , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 16 or without sufficient credits who are working toward a high school diploma .
The Council of School Supervisors and Administrators ( CSA ) , a union for public school administrators in New York City that Romain was a member of , announced her passing in a statement .
“ Our prayers are with her family and school community as we mourn alongside them , '' the statement said .
`` Please keep Principal Romain in your thoughts and continue to do everything possible to keep yourselves and your loved ones safe during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of Romain 's former students , told BuzzFeed News she was more than just their art teacher .
`` She taught us how to become men and women .
She taught us how to be leaders in our own light , '' he said .
Romain was an understanding but tough teacher , Turney-Rentas recalled , and `` always hip to what we thought was 'in ' at the time . ''
After Turney-Rentas graduated from high school , she remained a friend , supporting him and his peers in their personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a community event handing out book bags of school supplies and food to families in Far Rockaway , Romain was there with his other former teachers .
`` She just wasn ’ t a teacher or principal , '' he said .
`` She was a daughter , a sister , a friend and most of all a hero to many of us . ''
On Facebook , there was an outpour of grief among others who knew Romain .
Many people also expressed their concern that Romain had died from COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at age 36 .
Though the disease poses the highest risk to the elderly and those with underlying health conditions , a significant percentage of patients hospitalized due to the coronavirus have been under 65 years old .
`` We ’ re all experiencing a deep sense of confusion , uncertainty , and sadness , and it ’ s more important than ever to provide support to one another , '' he said .
`` We ’ ll be there for the students and staff through whatever means necessary during this impossibly difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed cases by Tuesday , New York state currently has the most people infect with the virus in the country .
Gov .
Andrew Cuomo 's executive order directing all New Yorkers to stay home and all nonessential businesses to close went into effect on Sunday .
If you ’ ve lost a friend or a loved one to the coronavirus , and would like to remember them , please email clarissa.jan.lim @ buzzfeed.com .

Friends, family, former students, and fellow New York City educators mourned the death of Dezann Romain, a 36-year-old school principal who died due to complications from COVID-19, on Tuesday.
Romain was a principal at Brooklyn Democracy Academy, a transfer school in Brownsville for students over 16 or without sufficient credits who are working toward a high school diploma.
The Council of School Supervisors and Administrators (CSA), a union for public school administrators in New York City that Romain was a member of, announced her passing in a statement.
“Our prayers are with her family and school community as we mourn alongside them," the statement said. "Please keep Principal Romain in your thoughts and continue to do everything possible to keep yourselves and your loved ones safe during this health crisis.”


buzzfeednews--2020-04-08--Linda Tripp, Whose Secretly Taped Calls With Monica Lewinsky Led To Bill Clinton's Impeachment, Has

Linda Tripp, Whose Secretly Taped Calls With Monica Lewinsky Led To Bill Clinton's Impeachment, Has Died

Linda Tripp , accompanied by her son , Ryan Tripp , arrives at federal court in Washington , July 7 @ @ @ @ @ , whose secretly taped conversations with Monica Lewinsky played a crucial role in the impeachment @ @ @ @ @ 1998 , died Wednesday .
She was 70 .
Her death was confirmed to BuzzFeed @ @ @ @ @ Thomas Foley .
Foley told New York Post her illness was not related to the @ @ @ @ @ all the press will focus on the other stuff but she was a special person @ @ @ @ @ was devoted to her family , ” Foley told the newspaper .
“ People forget @ @ @ @ @ , Allison Tripp Foley , had posted on Facebook Tuesday night that Tripp `` is @ @ @ @ @ `` I don ’ t know myself if I can survive this heartache , '' @ @ @ @ @ that was subsequently made private .
`` Please pray for a painless process for the @ @ @ @ @ know in my entire lifetime . ''

Linda Tripp, whose secretly taped conversations with Monica Lewinsky played a crucial role in the impeachment of President Bill Clinton in 1998, died Wednesday. She was 70.
Her death was confirmed to BuzzFeed News by her son-in-law, Thomas Foley.
Foley told New York Post her illness was not related to the coronavirus.
"I know all the press will focus on the other stuff but she was a special person and a fantastic grandparent who was devoted to her family,” Foley told the newspaper. “People forget this part.”
Her daughter, Allison Tripp Foley, had posted on Facebook Tuesday night that Tripp "is leaving this earth."
"I don’t know myself if I can survive this heartache," she wrote in a post that was subsequently made private. "Please pray for a painless process for the strongest woman I will ever know in my entire lifetime."


buzzfeednews--2020-04-09--The First Black School Superintendent In Flint Died Of COVID-19. Being A Dad Was "The Most Important

The First Black School Superintendent In Flint Died Of COVID-19. Being A Dad Was "The Most Important Job He Had."

`` He grew up without a dad .
He took being a dad very seriously because he knew what it 's like to not have one .
It was the most important job he had . ''
The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
The first black superintendent to serve Flint , Michigan , schools , who also helped desegregation efforts in Grand Rapids , has died as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told BuzzFeed News .
Nathel Burtley , who died a week before his 80th birthday , first became sick in early March and was hospitalized on March 20 .
He died on April 6 , after nearly three weeks in the hospital .
Burtley grew up in Cairo , Illinois — the southernmost tip of the state — at a time when schools were still segregated , his son Chris Burtley told BuzzFeed News .
`` He grew up in an era where , in a small town , there was a black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Chris Burtley said .
`` That was the era .
...
The black school had black teachers ; the white school had white teachers . ''
Nathel Burtley , who was raised alongside five siblings by a single mother , was championed by a number of his teachers , who did n't treat him like `` just another poor kid , '' Chris Burtley said .
He had a stutter growing up , leading him to later pursue a college degree in speech pathology from Southern Illinois University .
Nathel Burtley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students , the same way his teachers had advocated for him growing up , his son said .
Burtley began his career as an elementary school principal in Grand Rapids , where he went on to be involved in efforts to desegregate schools .
He was named deputy superintendent of Flint Community Schools in 1981 .
Seven years later , he was promoted to superintendent of the school district .
He went on to work as an assistant athletic director for Michigan State University , but he soon returned to Flint to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a principal of Northridge Academy .
The job Nathel Burtley took most seriously , though , was that of being a dad , Chris Burtley said .
`` He grew up without a dad .
He took being a dad very seriously because he knew what it 's like to not have one , '' Chris Burtley said .
`` It was the most important job he had . ''
Nathel Burtley , who had Alzheimer 's disease , started feeling sick in early March .
The first symptoms were a persistent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
He was hospitalized at Hurley Medical Center on March 20 and was stable for almost a week before his health rapidly declined , and he was admitted to the ICU and intubated .
Nathel Burtley died on April 6 .
This Sunday — Easter Sunday — would have been his 80th birthday .
Chris Burtley told BuzzFeed News that since his father died earlier this week , people in their community have been calling him and his family to ask what they can do to help .
`` Stay home .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ us , '' he told BuzzFeed News .
`` I get that people need other people .
... We are meant to interact with other people , and we 're asking an entire country to not do those things .
It 's very hard , but at the end of the day ... there 's just no other way .
Really just stay home . ''

The first black superintendent to serve Flint, Michigan, schools, who also helped desegregation efforts in Grand Rapids, has died as a result of the coronavirus, his son told BuzzFeed News.
Nathel Burtley, who died a week before his 80th birthday, first became sick in early March and was hospitalized on March 20. He died on April 6, after nearly three weeks in the hospital.
Burtley grew up in Cairo, Illinois — the southernmost tip of the state — at a time when schools were still segregated, his son Chris Burtley told BuzzFeed News.
"He grew up in an era where, in a small town, there was a black high school and a white high school," Chris Burtley said. "That was the era. ... The black school had black teachers; the white school had white teachers."


buzzfeednews--2020-03-20--Designer Christian Siriano And His Team Are Making Face Masks For New York Coronavirus Relief

Fashion designer Christian Siriano is offering to make free face masks for the coronavirus outbreak relief efforts in New York @ @ @ @ @ spoke of fears there may not be enough for medical workers .
Siriano 's reps @ @ @ @ @ are currently in talks to figure out `` how this will work , '' but @ @ @ @ @ specifically for medical service workers .
The deal was struck on Twitter on Friday when @ @ @ @ @ at the governor , saying if he and the state `` need masks [ his @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` I have a full sewing team still on staff working from home @ @ @ @ @

Fashion designer Christian Siriano is offering to make free face masks for the coronavirus outbreak relief efforts in New York after Gov. Andrew Cuomo spoke of fears there may not be enough for medical workers.
Siriano's reps told BuzzFeed News the two are currently in talks to figure out "how this will work," but the masks will be made specifically for medical service workers.
The deal was struck on Twitter on Friday when the Project Runway star tweeted at the governor, saying if he and the state "need masks [his] team will make some."
"I have a full sewing team still on staff working from home that can help."


buzzfeednews--2020-03-20--Elon Musk Incorrectly Tweeted Children Are “Essentially Immune” From The Coronavirus. Twitter Said T

Elon Musk Incorrectly Tweeted Children Are “Essentially Immune” From The Coronavirus. Twitter Said That’s Okay.

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A Twitter spokesperson said that a tweet on Thursday from Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk that children were “ essentially immune ” to the coronavirus did not violate the social media platform 's new policies about discussion of the disease , despite the fact that it contradicted information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
This is the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which were put in place Monday to stem the spread of harmful disinformation about COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , on the site .
On Thursday , after hours of deliberating the merits of using his companies ’ resources to build ventilators for the public health crisis and closing down Tesla ’ s factories , Musk took time to answer his followers ' questions on Twitter , during which he cast doubt on predictions about the virus ’ s potential spread .
Earlier this month , he tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a series of tweets on Thursday , he seemed to double down , predicting that there would be no new cases in the US by the end of April , in part because children were safe from the virus .
“ Kids are essentially immune , but elderly with existing conditions are vulnerable , ” he tweeted .
“ Family gatherings with close contact between kids & grandparents probably most risky .
”

A Twitter spokesperson said that a tweet on Thursday from Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk that children were “essentially immune” to the coronavirus did not violate the social media platform's new policies about discussion of the disease, despite the fact that it contradicted information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This is the first high-profile test of Twitter's new rules, which were put in place Monday to stem the spread of harmful disinformation about COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, on the site.
On Thursday, after hours of deliberating the merits of using his companies’ resources to build ventilators for the public health crisis and closing down Tesla’s factories, Musk took time to answer his followers' questions on Twitter, during which he cast doubt on predictions about the virus’s potential spread.
Earlier this month, he tweeted that “the coronavirus is dumb.” In a series of tweets on Thursday, he seemed to double down, predicting that there would be no new cases in the US by the end of April, in part because children were safe from the virus.
“Kids are essentially immune, but elderly with existing conditions are vulnerable,” he tweeted. “Family gatherings with close contact between kids & grandparents probably most risky.”