alternet--2020-11-21--America is faced with one pandemic -- but the country is nearly two worlds apart

For the vast majority of 2020 , the United States has been plagued by the coronavirus pandemic .
However , Americans are living in two very different realities : one group of Americans are living their lives as if nothing is wrong ; attending crowded venues and events filled with maskless people and very little social distancing while another American reality consists of lockdowns , capacity limits in stores , no indoor dining at restaurants , and full virtual schooling .
An editorial published by The Boston Globe shed light on the `` two discordant , dissonant pandemic realities '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing alarming rises in cases and the highest hospitalization rates in the country , state leadership 's adopted conservative approach to the pandemic prohibits the prioritization of science and public health leaving decisions in the hands of citizens .
In fact , the publication reports that South Dakota Gov .
Kristi Noem ( R ) has referred to the state 's distinction in governing as `` a badge of freedom . ''
Like the majority of Republican lawmakers , she has been critical of coronavirus shutdowns and restrictions deeming them ineffective and economically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know there 's a pandemic going on , '' said Heidi Haugan , a mother of four young children in Sioux Falls , South Dakota 's biggest city .
However , life is far different in Mexico .
While the state is facing a public health emergency similar to South Dakota , New Mexico , Gov .
Michelle Lujan Grisham ( D ) is handling the accelerated spread a bit different .
On Monday , Grisham placed the state 's residents `` under some of the toughest restrictions in the country , issuing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dining , setting capacity limits on grocery stores and closing indoor malls , movie theaters and gyms . ''
The politicization of mitigation efforts have further polarized the country and now the damage may be irreversible due to the virus spreading at an unprecedented , accelerated rate .
State and local officials , global health experts and top healthcare system directors have all warned about the disastrous winter months to come and how it could impact the country .
Once again , healthcare systems are on the brink of overwhelm and personal protective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to rise .
However , the Trump administration has repeatedly failed to incorporate a national strategy to combat the spread of the virus .
Now , as of Saturday , November 21 , 2020 , the United States has reported more than 12 million coronavirus and the death toll , which is now past 255,000 , continues to climb .

For the vast majority of 2020, the United States has been plagued by the coronavirus pandemic. However, Americans are living in two very different realities: one group of Americans are living their lives as if nothing is wrong; attending crowded venues and events filled with maskless people and very little social distancing while another American reality consists of lockdowns, capacity limits in stores, no indoor dining at restaurants, and full virtual schooling.
An editorial published by The Boston Globe shed light on the "two discordant, dissonant pandemic realities" in America. Although South Dakota is facing alarming rises in cases and the highest hospitalization rates in the country, state leadership's adopted conservative approach to the pandemic prohibits the prioritization of science and public health leaving decisions in the hands of citizens.
In fact, the publication reports that South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) has referred to the state's distinction in governing as "a badge of freedom." Like the majority of Republican lawmakers, she has been critical of coronavirus shutdowns and restrictions deeming them ineffective and economically damning.
"You wouldn't even know there's a pandemic going on," said Heidi Haugan, a mother of four young children in Sioux Falls, South Dakota's biggest city.
However, life is far different in Mexico. While the state is facing a public health emergency similar to South Dakota, New Mexico, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) is handling the accelerated spread a bit different. On Monday, Grisham placed the state's residents "under some of the toughest restrictions in the country, issuing a two-week stay-at-home order, banning restaurant dining, setting capacity limits on grocery stores and closing indoor malls, movie theaters and gyms."
The politicization of mitigation efforts have further polarized the country and now the damage may be irreversible due to the virus spreading at an unprecedented, accelerated rate. State and local officials, global health experts and top healthcare system directors have all warned about the disastrous winter months to come and how it could impact the country. Once again, healthcare systems are on the brink of overwhelm and personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages as cases continue to rise.
However, the Trump administration has repeatedly failed to incorporate a national strategy to combat the spread of the virus.
Now, as of Saturday, November 21, 2020, the United States has reported more than 12 million coronavirus and the death toll, which is now past 255,000, continues to climb.


alternet--2020-11-21--Here's the 'racist rule' Democrats must conquer in order to win elections in Georgia

For the first time in more than two decades , Georgia has turned blue .
Now , Democrats are hoping to seal the deal by finishing with another blue wave during the upcoming runoff .
However , one person is shedding light on the one racist rule that must be conquered in Georgia to solidify the election .
Former Sen. Wyche Fowler ( D-Ga. ) lost his seat in the Senate by a very small margin following 1992 general election .
During an interview with The Daily Beast , Fowler revealed that Georgia elections have been favorable to Republican candidates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to limit the power of the Black vote . ''
According to Fowler , `` It was a racist rule . ''
The publication reports that white voter turnout in the state of Georgia is typically guaranteed to surpass 50 % making it `` a failsafe system '' for Former Republican Sen. Paul Coverdell to win 28 years ago .
He also outlined the difference between elections then and now as he explained why Democratic candidates Jon Ossoff and Rev .
Raphael Warnock have a better chance of winning the upcoming runoff .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are much better than they were when I ran .
I got 39 percent of the white vote and 93 percent of the Black vote in an electorate that was 82 percent white , which translated into a losing 49.4 percent of the vote—14,990 votes , '' However , the pinnacle has shifted a bit .
Now , approximately 62 % of voters are white .
For the 2020 election , President-elect Joe Biden only needed 28 % of white voters because he received a staggering 91 % of the Black vote `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advantage is 30 years later , '' Fowler explained .
So , although it will be an uphill battle to get every voter back to the polls on January 5 , there is still a strong possibility that voters of color could greatly impact the outcome of the runoff .
In addition to the support , Democratic candidates also have the funds needs to campaign effectively .
Fowler admitted that he believes both candidates have a very good chance of winning .
`` Look at these candidates , '' Fowler said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot and not only because of the demographics .
Both are excellent candidates , and the Republicans are very weak . ''

For the first time in more than two decades, Georgia has turned blue. Now, Democrats are hoping to seal the deal by finishing with another blue wave during the upcoming runoff. However, one person is shedding light on the one racist rule that must be conquered in Georgia to solidify the election.
Former Sen. Wyche Fowler (D-Ga.) lost his seat in the Senate by a very small margin following 1992 general election. During an interview with The Daily Beast, Fowler revealed that Georgia elections have been favorable to Republican candidates because of a racist rule designed "to limit the power of the Black vote."
According to Fowler, "It was a racist rule." The publication reports that white voter turnout in the state of Georgia is typically guaranteed to surpass 50% making it "a failsafe system" for Former Republican Sen. Paul Coverdell to win 28 years ago.
He also outlined the difference between elections then and now as he explained why Democratic candidates Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock have a better chance of winning the upcoming runoff.
"Democrats' chances for these runoffs are much better than they were when I ran. I got 39 percent of the white vote and 93 percent of the Black vote in an electorate that was 82 percent white, which translated into a losing 49.4 percent of the vote—14,990 votes,"
However, the pinnacle has shifted a bit. Now, approximately 62% of voters are white. For the 2020 election, President-elect Joe Biden only needed 28% of white voters because he received a staggering 91%of the Black vote "so you see how greatly different the advantage is 30 years later," Fowler explained.
So, although it will be an uphill battle to get every voter back to the polls on January 5, there is still a strong possibility that voters of color could greatly impact the outcome of the runoff. In addition to the support, Democratic candidates also have the funds needs to campaign effectively. Fowler admitted that he believes both candidates have a very good chance of winning.
"Look at these candidates," Fowler said. "Both of them have a very good shot and not only because of the demographics. Both are excellent candidates, and the Republicans are very weak."


alternet--2020-11-21--Trump's campaign advisors believe Rudy Giuliani's involvement won't get them anywhere: report

President Donald Trump currently has his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani overseeing his post-election legal battle but the Trump campaign would actually like to distance as far away from the potentially damaging attorney 's rhetoric and arguments , according to a new report .
The Daily Beast has revealed many of Trump 's campaign advisors are not pleased with the job Giuliani is doing as he oversees the post-election legal proceedings .
In fact , many have no faith that Giuliani 's efforts will be effective in overturning the outcome of the presidential election .
From the wild and baseless conspiracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Giuliani 's hair dye drip incident , the former New York City Mayor 's a being at the center of the legal battle has been described as a `` sh**show '' and a `` dead end , '' according to one adviser .
`` The obvious thing is , this is a sh**show , '' the adviser said .
`` When the Rudy show started , that was a sidelining of everyone else .
At that point , it became an issue of going through the motions and the recognition of , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we do n't have a chance with ... these conspiracy theories . '
'' One senior Trump administration official , who opted to remain anonymous , have also noted the `` weirdest f**king things '' they have witnessed , thus far —one of which occurred on Friday evening .
Although most people have described Giuliani 's press conference on Thursday as a completely disastrous representation of the campaign , apparently Trump thought otherwise .
As of Friday night , two sources close to the president said he remained intensely invested and personally supportive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was presumed among campaign staff that he was thrilled with his team 's now-infamous press conference on Thursday , in which Giuliani , and two other allied lawyers—Sidney Powell and Jenna Ellis—presented a smorgasbord of wild conspiracy theories about election fraud , including a lengthy explanation of how anti-Trump Venezuelan villains supposedly worked to rob Trump of legal votes .
And , for that reason , there was little appetite for anyone to say anything questioning the current approach—at least with their name attached to it .
`` It appears that none of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] that that was one of the weirdest fucking things we 've ever witnessed , '' the senior administration official said .
The latest news comes as more questions loom regarding Trump 's post-election strategy .
The president has baffled many experts with his decision to tap Giuliani for the uphill battle despite the number of experienced election law attorneys in the United States .
Although Giuliani believes his efforts are steps in the right direction , legal experts are not so sure , reports Yahoo !
News .
The reason for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unclear but at this point , it does not appear Giuliani will be going anywhere anytime soon .

President Donald Trump currently has his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani overseeing his post-election legal battle but the Trump campaign would actually like to distance as far away from the potentially damaging attorney's rhetoric and arguments, according to a new report.
The Daily Beast has revealed many of Trump's campaign advisors are not pleased with the job Giuliani is doing as he oversees the post-election legal proceedings. In fact, many have no faith that Giuliani's efforts will be effective in overturning the outcome of the presidential election.
From the wild and baseless conspiracy theories and unfounded claims of voter fraud to Giuliani's hair dye drip incident, the former New York City Mayor's a being at the center of the legal battle has been described as a "sh**show" and a "dead end," according to one adviser.
"The obvious thing is, this is a sh**show," the adviser said. "When the Rudy show started, that was a sidelining of everyone else. At that point, it became an issue of going through the motions and the recognition of, 'OK, this is definitely over because we don't have a chance with... these conspiracy theories.'"
One senior Trump administration official, who opted to remain anonymous, have also noted the "weirdest f**king things" they have witnessed, thus far —one of which occurred on Friday evening. Although most people have described Giuliani's press conference on Thursday as a completely disastrous representation of the campaign, apparently Trump thought otherwise.
As of Friday night, two sources close to the president said he remained intensely invested and personally supportive of Giuliani's legal challenges. It was presumed among campaign staff that he was thrilled with his team's now-infamous press conference on Thursday, in which Giuliani, and two other allied lawyers—Sidney Powell and Jenna Ellis—presented a smorgasbord of wild conspiracy theories about election fraud, including a lengthy explanation of how anti-Trump Venezuelan villains supposedly worked to rob Trump of legal votes. And, for that reason, there was little appetite for anyone to say anything questioning the current approach—at least with their name attached to it.
"It appears that none of us are allowed to say [publicly] that that was one of the weirdest fucking things we've ever witnessed," the senior administration official said.
The latest news comes as more questions loom regarding Trump's post-election strategy. The president has baffled many experts with his decision to tap Giuliani for the uphill battle despite the number of experienced election law attorneys in the United States.
Although Giuliani believes his efforts are steps in the right direction, legal experts are not so sure, reports Yahoo! News. The reason for the president's decision to appoint Giuliani remains unclear but at this point, it does not appear Giuliani will be going anywhere anytime soon.


alternet--2020-11-21--‘Are You Being a Sore Loser?’: CBS News’ Weijia Jiang confronts Trump as he abruptly leaves briefing

CBS News White House correspondent Weijia Jiang , on Friday , confronted President Donald Trump regarding his outlandish claims about the outcome of the presidential election .
In most cases , the noteworthy actions typically occur at the end of the White House press briefings when reporters have the opportunity to confront members of the Trump administration on their shortcomings .
Friday was no different as Trump and White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany faced heightened criticism while abruptly exiting the White House press room .
Before Trump exited , Jiang asked if the president was `` being a sore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declared the winner .
`` Mr. President , are you being a sore loser ? ''
Jiang shouted before adding , `` Are you being a sore loser ? ''
Although Trump did not answer Jiang directly , he has repeatedly reacted to the election outcome in true Trump fashion as he has claimed he won the election .
Jiang 's remarks came as the state of Georgia certified the results of its voter recount in which Biden was declared the winner of the state .
Despite repeated efforts put forth by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have not managed to provide substantial evidence to prove widespread voter fraud in any state .
Although its been two weeks since Biden was declared the President-elect of the United States , Trump and his administration are still refusing to commit to a peaceful transfer of power .
In fact , many of his supporters still believe he will be inaugurated for a second term on January 20 , 2021 .
Trump 's delusional outlook on the weeks to come have raised questions about his ability to see the election outcome objectively .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jiang posed the question she did .

CBS News White House correspondent Weijia Jiang, on Friday, confronted President Donald Trump regarding his outlandish claims about the outcome of the presidential election.
In most cases, the noteworthy actions typically occur at the end of the White House press briefings when reporters have the opportunity to confront members of the Trump administration on their shortcomings. Friday was no different as Trump and White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany faced heightened criticism while abruptly exiting the White House press room.
Before Trump exited, Jiang asked if the president was "being a sore loser" since President-elect Joe Biden was declared the winner. "Mr. President, are you being a sore loser?" Jiang shouted before adding, "Are you being a sore loser?"
Although Trump did not answer Jiang directly, he has repeatedly reacted to the election outcome in true Trump fashion as he has claimed he won the election.
Jiang's remarks came as the state of Georgia certified the results of its voter recount in which Biden was declared the winner of the state. Despite repeated efforts put forth by the Trump campaign's legal team, they have not managed to provide substantial evidence to prove widespread voter fraud in any state.
Although its been two weeks since Biden was declared the President-elect of the United States, Trump and his administration are still refusing to commit to a peaceful transfer of power. In fact, many of his supporters still believe he will be inaugurated for a second term on January 20, 2021. Trump's delusional outlook on the weeks to come have raised questions about his ability to see the election outcome objectively. However, his actions are the reason Jiang posed the question she did.


alternet--2020-11-21--Kayleigh McEnany gets entangled in another Trump lie -- and this viral video just debunked it

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany is now being haunted by her words spoken at a heated press briefing on Friday .
During that briefing , McEnany was asked about why the Federal Bureau of Investigations ( FBI ) had not become involved in the Trump campaign 's allegations of voter fraud .
In an effort to justify President Donald Trump 's efforts to undermine the election outcome and his refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power , McEnany falsely claimed Trump did not receive a peaceful transfer of power in 2016 and Democratic lawmakers did not accept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a viral clip of Trump 's inauguration in January 2017 is being used to confirm that McEnany actually lied about the transfer of power for the incoming Trump administration because the president , himself , confirmed the transfer was seamless .
`` They have been magnificent , '' Trump said of Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama .
Since the clip began circulating on Twitter , it has received more than 1.6 million views and many Twitter users wasted no time reacting to it while expressing their disdain for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' this government has been spewing for the past four years will plague society for years .
Who needs facts and debate when you can `` whatabout , '' one Twitter user said .
Another Twitter user also recalled the Obama administration 's involvement in the peaceful transfer of power for Trump 's administration saying , `` The outgoing @ BarackObama and @ JoeBiden administration even instructed and trained the @ realDonaldTrump administration how to handle a pandemic ... Trump sacked all his advisors who attended the workshop . ''
Unfortunately , President-elect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment .
The White House is still refusing to cooperate with the incoming Biden administration despite losing efforts to overturn the election .

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany is now being haunted by her words spoken at a heated press briefing on Friday.
During that briefing, McEnany was asked about why the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) had not become involved in the Trump campaign's allegations of voter fraud. In an effort to justify President Donald Trump's efforts to undermine the election outcome and his refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power, McEnany falsely claimed Trump did not receive a peaceful transfer of power in 2016 and Democratic lawmakers did not accept the outcome of the election.
Now, a viral clip of Trump's inauguration in January 2017 is being used to confirm that McEnany actually lied about the transfer of power for the incoming Trump administration because the president, himself, confirmed the transfer was seamless.
"They have been magnificent," Trump said of Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
Since the clip began circulating on Twitter, it has received more than 1.6 million views and many Twitter users wasted no time reacting to it while expressing their disdain for McEnany claims.
"The "whataboutism" this government has been spewing for the past four years will plague society for years. Who needs facts and debate when you can "whatabout," one Twitter user said.
Another Twitter user also recalled the Obama administration's involvement in the peaceful transfer of power for Trump's administration saying, "The outgoing @BarackObama and @JoeBiden administration even instructed and trained the @realDonaldTrump administration how to handle a pandemic...Trump sacked all his advisors who attended the workshop."
Unfortunately, President-elect Joe Biden is not receiving the same treatment. The White House is still refusing to cooperate with the incoming Biden administration despite losing efforts to overturn the election.


alternet--2020-11-21--Experts: There's still time -- and reason -- to invoke the 25th Amendment

`` What is the 25th Amendment for , if not designed for this exact reason ? ''
is a question we have perpetually received regarding the current president .
We finally sought to answer it at our Nov. 14 online town hall .
Indeed , since the announcement of election results , Donald Trump has refused to concede , has withheld critical information for the transition team , has fired and replaced top officials responsible for the nation 's security , and has contemplated a catastrophic war with Iran .
On top of this , he continues to ignore a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 200,000 and killing 2000 Americans per day and collapsing medical systems he has refused to support .
Every hour of every day that he delays and disrupts a peaceful transfer of power , he is obstructing the critical preparations that are necessary for proper vaccine distribution and is risking a massive loss of lives .
Could we have imagined , even a few months ago , keeping in charge a person who would kill a quarter-million Americans , and be poised to kill a half-million very soon ?
We already dubbed him `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fails to do justice to fully describe the magnitude of destruction he is inflicting on the nation and the world medically , politically , and mentally .
Yet this is exactly what was predicted .
Since Donald Trump 's election , mental health professionals have come forth in historically unprecedented ways to warn against entrusting the U.S. presidency to someone exhibiting dangerous mental impairments .
We held an ethics conference with the most highly respected psychiatrists and then published The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump : 37 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unprecedented bestseller of its kind , and we donated all proceeds from the book to remove conflicts of interest .
Unfolding events over the past four years merely played out the multi-dimensional dangers we warned against , with almost impeccable precision .
While it is not our place to opine on whether or not the 25th Amendment should be invoked—this goes beyond our expertise—we as mental health professionals can and should say if a president must be removed for public health and safety reasons , whatever the means .
Indeed , thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start of this presidency , and more than 800 petitioned Congress about the dangers .
Now , 100 senior mental health professionals have gone on video record to declare the current president too psychologically dangerous and mentally unfit to be in the presidency or candidacy for reelection .
We recently published more than 300 pages of our letters , petitions , and conference transcripts in an attempt to alert the authorities .
We also reconvened top experts in the fields of law , history , political science , economics , journalism , social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science at an emergency interdisciplinary conference .
This followed a meeting with the same speakers at the National Press Club in early 2019 , to discuss the critical situation of a president 's unfitness in our dangerous world , with the full three hours broadcast on C-SPAN .
Finally , the continued lack of intervention brought on our town hall on the 25th Amendment .
According to legal scholars , this is the expected approach .
Dr. Lee has had exchanges with the author of the 25th Amendment , Attorney and professor John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Amendment and at student workshops at Fordham University Law School .
He discussed that the intention of the Amendment was that `` the data would drive the process , and medical professionals are a source of data . ''
Professor John Rogan , his close collaborator on the 25th Amendment , clarified on another occasion : `` physicians have a supererogatory obligation to share specialized knowledge .
This is especially important when discussing psychiatric conditions , which may be hard to apprehend . ''
The vice president , instead of being the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when `` leaned upon '' by the cabinet or the `` other body '' that Congress appoints to supplant the cabinet , compelled by the data .
We are in just such a situation where the president 's dangerousness yields overwhelming data .
These data are consistent with the hundreds of years of scientific evidence and many thousands of hours of clinical experience we collectively brought to our warnings about the current president , in accordance with our `` responsibility to society , '' as outlined in the first paragraph of the preamble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ panel of independent experts has already performed a standardized assessment of mental capacity , when the right information became available , in which the president failed every criterion .
This means he would be unfit for any job , let alone president .
Our evaluation fully predicted that he would disastrously mismanage a pandemic , as our blow-by-blow account documents .
A question that came up at our town hall was : `` What is wrong with our Constitution ? ''
Why would it fail to protect the nation at the most basic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Raskin 's ( D-Md . )
lecture ( recorded at a previous gathering ) to us on the 25th Amendment in 2019 gives an answer : we must make use of the provisions that are available .
His lecture is current again with his recent reintroduction of legislation for a commission to oversee presidential capacity , of which physicians and psychiatrists would comprise half .
Attorney and professor Richard Painter , former chief White House ethics counsel for the Bush/Cheney Administration and former chair of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs to be used , with an `` other body '' to replace the cabinet a critical component .
Their legal assertions align with our therapeutic ones .
Politicians must do their part , as must mental health professionals .
Political bodies should consult with mental health experts , the purpose for which we even set up an independent expert panel , and mental health professionals should continue to inform the public of the dangers , until political bodies can succeed in removing them .
The public is a stakeholder , not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the receiving end of unacceptable levels of abuse and potential , imminent victimization ; mental health professionals do not have the luxury merely to stand by .
The Declaration of Geneva clarifies that we must prevent harm and injustice , especially when they are arising from a destructive government—and , if not now , when ?
James R. Merikangas , M.D.
, is a forensic neuropsychiatrist , co-founder of the American Neuropsychiatric Association , and former president of the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists .
His and Dr. Lee 's activities can @ @ @ @ @

"What is the 25th Amendment for, if not designed for this exact reason?" is a question we have perpetually received regarding the current president. We finally sought to answer it at our Nov. 14 online town hall.
Indeed, since the announcement of election results, Donald Trump has refused to concede, has withheld critical information for the transition team, has fired and replaced top officials responsible for the nation's security, and has contemplated a catastrophic war with Iran. On top of this, he continues to ignore a surging pandemic that is now infecting almost 200,000 and killing 2000 Americans per day and collapsing medical systems he has refused to support.
Every hour of every day that he delays and disrupts a peaceful transfer of power, he is obstructing the critical preparations that are necessary for proper vaccine distribution and is risking a massive loss of lives. Could we have imagined, even a few months ago, keeping in charge a person who would kill a quarter-million Americans, and be poised to kill a half-million very soon? We already dubbed him "killer-in-chief," but the phrase almost fails to do justice to fully describe the magnitude of destruction he is inflicting on the nation and the world medically, politically, and mentally.
Since Donald Trump's election, mental health professionals have come forth in historically unprecedented ways to warn against entrusting the U.S. presidency to someone exhibiting dangerous mental impairments.
Yet this is exactly what was predicted. Since Donald Trump's election, mental health professionals have come forth in historically unprecedented ways to warn against entrusting the U.S. presidency to someone exhibiting dangerous mental impairments. We held an ethics conference with the most highly respected psychiatrists and then published The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 37 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President. The latter became an unprecedented bestseller of its kind, and we donated all proceeds from the book to remove conflicts of interest. Unfolding events over the past four years merely played out the multi-dimensional dangers we warned against, with almost impeccable precision.
While it is not our place to opine on whether or not the 25th Amendment should be invoked—this goes beyond our expertise—we as mental health professionals can and should say if a president must be removed for public health and safety reasons, whatever the means. Indeed, thousands of mental health professionals followed suit since the start of this presidency, and more than 800 petitioned Congress about the dangers. Now, 100 senior mental health professionals have gone on video record to declare the current president too psychologically dangerous and mentally unfit to be in the presidency or candidacy for reelection. We recently published more than 300 pages of our letters, petitions, and conference transcripts in an attempt to alert the authorities. We also reconvened top experts in the fields of law, history, political science, economics, journalism, social psychology, climate science, and nuclear science at an emergency interdisciplinary conference. This followed a meeting with the same speakers at the National Press Club in early 2019, to discuss the critical situation of a president's unfitness in our dangerous world, with the full three hours broadcast on C-SPAN. Finally, the continued lack of intervention brought on our town hall on the 25th Amendment.
According to legal scholars, this is the expected approach. Dr. Lee has had exchanges with the author of the 25th Amendment, Attorney and professor John Feerick, at a 50th-Anniversary conference on the Amendment and at student workshops at Fordham University Law School. He discussed that the intention of the Amendment was that "the data would drive the process, and medical professionals are a source of data." Professor John Rogan, his close collaborator on the 25th Amendment, clarified on another occasion: "physicians have a supererogatory obligation to share specialized knowledge. This is especially important when discussing psychiatric conditions, which may be hard to apprehend." The vice president, instead of being the driver of the process, would agree when "leaned upon" by the cabinet or the "other body" that Congress appoints to supplant the cabinet, compelled by the data.
We are in just such a situation where the president's dangerousness yields overwhelming data. These data are consistent with the hundreds of years of scientific evidence and many thousands of hours of clinical experience we collectively brought to our warnings about the current president, in accordance with our "responsibility to society," as outlined in the first paragraph of the preamble of our ethics code. A peer-reviewed panel of independent experts has already performed a standardized assessment of mental capacity, when the right information became available, in which the president failed every criterion. This means he would be unfit for any job, let alone president. Our evaluation fully predicted that he would disastrously mismanage a pandemic, as our blow-by-blow account documents.
A question that came up at our town hall was: "What is wrong with our Constitution?" Why would it fail to protect the nation at the most basic level? Representative and constitutional scholar Jamie Raskin's (D-Md.) lecture (recorded at a previous gathering) to us on the 25th Amendment in 2019 gives an answer: we must make use of the provisions that are available. His lecture is current again with his recent reintroduction of legislation for a commission to oversee presidential capacity, of which physicians and psychiatrists would comprise half. Attorney and professor Richard Painter, former chief White House ethics counsel for the Bush/Cheney Administration and former chair of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) confirms that the 25th Amendment needs to be used, with an "other body" to replace the cabinet a critical component.
Their legal assertions align with our therapeutic ones. Politicians must do their part, as must mental health professionals. Political bodies should consult with mental health experts, the purpose for which we even set up an independent expert panel, and mental health professionals should continue to inform the public of the dangers, until political bodies can succeed in removing them. The public is a stakeholder, not to mention the president's employer, now at the receiving end of unacceptable levels of abuse and potential, imminent victimization; mental health professionals do not have the luxury merely to stand by. The Declaration of Geneva clarifies that we must prevent harm and injustice, especially when they are arising from a destructive government—and, if not now, when?
James R. Merikangas, M.D., is a forensic neuropsychiatrist, co-founder of the American Neuropsychiatric Association, and former president of the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists. His and Dr. Lee's activities can be followed at worldmhc.org.


alternet--2020-11-21--'We're seeing some horrible lawyering': Trump's legal maneuvering hammered by stunned attorneys

On Saturday , The Daily Beast reported that President Donald Trump 's last-ditch legal challenge to block certification of votes in Pennsylvania has been roundly panned by legal experts .
`` On Thursday night , with just four days remaining before both Michigan and Pennsylvania certify their results , Rudolph Giuliani and local lawyer Marc Scaringi dropped a wild new brief in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania , '' reported William Bredderman .
`` Probably the most audacious of the dozens of legal Hail Marys the campaign and Republican interests have hurled into the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argues that the campaign 's constitutional rights have been violated and asks the judge to declare Trump the winner of the Keystone State 's 20 electoral college votes . ''
Charlies Fried , the former solicitor general for President Ronald Reagan , referred to this argument as `` garbage '' — and said that the entire case rests on the idea that election observers were prevented from `` meaningful '' observation of the count , meaning that they could n't get as close to the tables as they wanted , which is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's no allegation here .
It 's just an unsubstantiated claim , which was thrown out in several courts , '' he said .
`` And now they 've gone to federal court .
Why should the result be any different ? ''
`` We 're seeing some horrible lawyering , '' agreed former George H.W .
Bush DOJ official Stuart Gerson .
`` Mr. Giuliani and his friends seem to be staging a mini-coup , and they 're going to lose . ''
And Penn State Harrisburg public policy professor Daniel Mallinson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's campaign has entered the last ditch effort here in Pennsylvania and it does not seem that it will have any impact on the outcome .
This all seems like political theatrics now between Trump and Giuliani . ''
You can read more here .

On Saturday, The Daily Beast reported that President Donald Trump's last-ditch legal challenge to block certification of votes in Pennsylvania has been roundly panned by legal experts.
"On Thursday night, with just four days remaining before both Michigan and Pennsylvania certify their results, Rudolph Giuliani and local lawyer Marc Scaringi dropped a wild new brief in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania," reported William Bredderman. "Probably the most audacious of the dozens of legal Hail Marys the campaign and Republican interests have hurled into the end zone since Election Night, the filing argues that the campaign's constitutional rights have been violated and asks the judge to declare Trump the winner of the Keystone State's 20 electoral college votes."
Charlies Fried, the former solicitor general for President Ronald Reagan, referred to this argument as "garbage" — and said that the entire case rests on the idea that election observers were prevented from "meaningful" observation of the count, meaning that they couldn't get as close to the tables as they wanted, which is not backed up by law. "There's no allegation here. It's just an unsubstantiated claim, which was thrown out in several courts," he said. "And now they've gone to federal court. Why should the result be any different?"
"We're seeing some horrible lawyering," agreed former George H.W. Bush DOJ official Stuart Gerson. "Mr. Giuliani and his friends seem to be staging a mini-coup, and they're going to lose."
And Penn State Harrisburg public policy professor Daniel Mallinson said, "It looks like Trump's campaign has entered the last ditch effort here in Pennsylvania and it does not seem that it will have any impact on the outcome. This all seems like political theatrics now between Trump and Giuliani."
You can read more here.


alternet--2020-11-21--This AI tool can distinguish between a conspiracy theory and a true conspiracy

The audio on the otherwise shaky body camera footage is unusually clear .
As police officers search a handcuffed man who moments before had fired a shot inside a pizza parlor , an officer asks him why he was there .
The man says to investigate a pedophile ring .
Incredulous , the officer asks again .
Another officer chimes in , “ Pizzagate .
He 's talking about Pizzagate . ''
In that brief , chilling interaction in 2016 , it becomes clear that conspiracy theories , long relegated to the fringes of society , had moved into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Conspiracy theories , which have the potential to cause significant harm , have found a welcome home on social media , where forums free from moderation allow like-minded individuals to converse .
There they can develop their theories and propose actions to counteract the threats they “ uncover . ''
But how can you tell if an emerging narrative on social media is an unfounded conspiracy theory ?
It turns out that it 's possible to distinguish between conspiracy theories and true conspiracies by using machine learning tools to graph the elements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tools could form the basis of an early warning system to alert authorities to online narratives that pose a threat in the real world .
The culture analytics group at the University of California , which I and Vwani Roychowdhury lead , has developed an automated approach to determining when conversations on social media reflect the telltale signs of conspiracy theorizing .
We have applied these methods successfully to the study of Pizzagate , the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-vaccination movements .
We 're currently using these methods to study QAnon .
Actual conspiracies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people working together for their own malign purposes .
In contrast , conspiracy theories are collaboratively constructed and develop in the open .
Conspiracy theories are deliberately complex and reflect an all-encompassing worldview .
Instead of trying to explain one thing , a conspiracy theory tries to explain everything , discovering connections across domains of human interaction that are otherwise hidden – mostly because they do not exist .
People are susceptible to conspiracy theories by nature , and periods of uncertainty and heightened anxiety increase that susceptibility .
While the popular image @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lone wolf piecing together puzzling connections with photographs and red string , that image no longer applies in the age of social media .
Conspiracy theorizing has moved online and is now the end-product of a collective storytelling .
The participants work out the parameters of a narrative framework : the people , places and things of a story and their relationships .
The online nature of conspiracy theorizing provides an opportunity for researchers to trace the development of these theories from their origins as a series of often disjointed rumors and story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our work , Pizzagate presented the perfect subject .
Pizzagate began to develop in late October 2016 during the runup to the presidential election .
Within a month , it was fully formed , with a complete cast of characters drawn from a series of otherwise unlinked domains : Democratic politics , the private lives of the Podesta brothers , casual family dining and satanic pedophilic trafficking .
The connecting narrative thread among these otherwise disparate domains was the fanciful interpretation of the leaked emails of the Democratic National Committee dumped by WikiLeaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We developed a model – a set of machine learning tools – that can identify narratives based on sets of people , places and things and their relationships .
Machine learning algorithms process large amounts of data to determine the categories of things in the data and then identify which categories particular things belong to .
We analyzed 17,498 posts from April 2016 through February 2018 on the Reddit and 4chan forums where Pizzagate was discussed .
The model treats each post as a fragment of a hidden story and sets about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identifies the people , places and things in the posts and determines which are major elements , which are minor elements and how they 're all connected .
The model determines the main layers of the narrative – in the case of Pizzagate , Democratic politics , the Podesta brothers , casual dining , satanism and WikiLeaks – and how the layers come together to form the narrative as a whole .
To ensure that our methods produced accurate output , we compared the narrative framework graph produced by our model with illustrations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our graph aligned with those illustrations , and also offered finer levels of detail about the people , places and things and their relationships .
To see if we could distinguish between a conspiracy theory and an actual conspiracy , we examined Bridgegate , a political payback operation launched by staff members of Republican Gov .
Chris Christie 's administration against the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee , New Jersey .
As we compared the results of our machine learning system using the two separate collections , two distinguishing features of a conspiracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ First , while the narrative graph for Bridgegate took from 2013 to 2020 to develop , Pizzagate 's graph was fully formed and stable within a month .
Second , Bridgegate 's graph survived having elements removed , implying that New Jersey politics would continue as a single , connected network even if key figures and relationships from the scandal were deleted .
The Pizzagate graph , in contrast , was easily fractured into smaller subgraphs .
When we removed the people , places , things and relationships that came directly from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graph fell apart into what in reality were the unconnected domains of politics , casual dining , the private lives of the Podestas and the odd world of satanism .
In the illustration below , the green planes are the major layers of the narrative , the dots are the major elements of the narrative , the blue lines are connections among elements within a layer and the red lines are connections among elements across the layers .
The purple plane shows all the layers combined , showing how the dots are all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a purple plane with dots connected only in small groups .
The layers of the Pizzagate conspiracy theory combine to form a narrative , top right .
Remove one layer , the fanciful interpretations of emails released by WikiLeaks , and the whole story falls apart , bottom right .
There are clear ethical challenges that our work raises .
Our methods , for instance , could be used to generate additional posts to a conspiracy theory discussion that fit the narrative framework at the root of the discussion .
Similarly , given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use the tool to develop an entirely new conspiracy theory .
[ Deep knowledge , daily .
Sign up for The Conversation 's newsletter . ]
However , this weaponization of storytelling is already occurring without automatic methods , as our study of social media forums makes clear .
There is a role for the research community to help others understand how that weaponization occurs and to develop tools for people and organizations who protect public safety and democratic institutions .
Developing an early warning system that tracks the emergence and alignment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and authorities – to real-world actions people might take based on these narratives .
Perhaps with such a system in place , the arresting officer in the Pizzagate case would not have been baffled by the gunman 's response when asked why he 'd shown up at a pizza parlor armed with an AR-15 rifle .
Timothy R. Tangherlini , Professor of Danish Literature and Culture , University of California , Berkeley This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

The audio on the otherwise shaky body camera footage is unusually clear. As police officers search a handcuffed man who moments before had fired a shot inside a pizza parlor, an officer asks him why he was there. The man says to investigate a pedophile ring. Incredulous, the officer asks again. Another officer chimes in, “Pizzagate. He's talking about Pizzagate."
In that brief, chilling interaction in 2016, it becomes clear that conspiracy theories, long relegated to the fringes of society, had moved into the real world in a very dangerous way.
Conspiracy theories, which have the potential to cause significant harm, have found a welcome home on social media, where forums free from moderation allow like-minded individuals to converse. There they can develop their theories and propose actions to counteract the threats they “uncover."
But how can you tell if an emerging narrative on social media is an unfounded conspiracy theory? It turns out that it's possible to distinguish between conspiracy theories and true conspiracies by using machine learning tools to graph the elements and connections of a narrative. These tools could form the basis of an early warning system to alert authorities to online narratives that pose a threat in the real world.
The culture analytics group at the University of California, which I and Vwani Roychowdhury lead, has developed an automated approach to determining when conversations on social media reflect the telltale signs of conspiracy theorizing. We have applied these methods successfully to the study of Pizzagate, the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-vaccination movements. We're currently using these methods to study QAnon.
Collaboratively constructed, fast to form
Actual conspiracies are deliberately hidden, real-life actions of people working together for their own malign purposes. In contrast, conspiracy theories are collaboratively constructed and develop in the open.
Conspiracy theories are deliberately complex and reflect an all-encompassing worldview. Instead of trying to explain one thing, a conspiracy theory tries to explain everything, discovering connections across domains of human interaction that are otherwise hidden – mostly because they do not exist.
People are susceptible to conspiracy theories by nature, and periods of uncertainty and heightened anxiety increase that susceptibility.
While the popular image of the conspiracy theorist is of a lone wolf piecing together puzzling connections with photographs and red string, that image no longer applies in the age of social media. Conspiracy theorizing has moved online and is now the end-product of a collective storytelling. The participants work out the parameters of a narrative framework: the people, places and things of a story and their relationships.
The online nature of conspiracy theorizing provides an opportunity for researchers to trace the development of these theories from their origins as a series of often disjointed rumors and story pieces to a comprehensive narrative. For our work, Pizzagate presented the perfect subject.
Pizzagate began to develop in late October 2016 during the runup to the presidential election. Within a month, it was fully formed, with a complete cast of characters drawn from a series of otherwise unlinked domains: Democratic politics, the private lives of the Podesta brothers, casual family dining and satanic pedophilic trafficking. The connecting narrative thread among these otherwise disparate domains was the fanciful interpretation of the leaked emails of the Democratic National Committee dumped by WikiLeaks in the final week of October 2016.
AI narrative analysis
We developed a model – a set of machine learning tools – that can identify narratives based on sets of people, places and things and their relationships. Machine learning algorithms process large amounts of data to determine the categories of things in the data and then identify which categories particular things belong to.
We analyzed 17,498 posts from April 2016 through February 2018 on the Reddit and 4chan forums where Pizzagate was discussed. The model treats each post as a fragment of a hidden story and sets about to uncover the narrative. The software identifies the people, places and things in the posts and determines which are major elements, which are minor elements and how they're all connected.
The model determines the main layers of the narrative – in the case of Pizzagate, Democratic politics, the Podesta brothers, casual dining, satanism and WikiLeaks – and how the layers come together to form the narrative as a whole.
To ensure that our methods produced accurate output, we compared the narrative framework graph produced by our model with illustrations published in The New York Times. Our graph aligned with those illustrations, and also offered finer levels of detail about the people, places and things and their relationships.
Sturdy truth, fragile fiction
To see if we could distinguish between a conspiracy theory and an actual conspiracy, we examined Bridgegate, a political payback operation launched by staff members of Republican Gov. Chris Christie's administration against the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee, New Jersey.
As we compared the results of our machine learning system using the two separate collections, two distinguishing features of a conspiracy theory's narrative framework stood out.
First, while the narrative graph for Bridgegate took from 2013 to 2020 to develop, Pizzagate's graph was fully formed and stable within a month. Second, Bridgegate's graph survived having elements removed, implying that New Jersey politics would continue as a single, connected network even if key figures and relationships from the scandal were deleted.
The Pizzagate graph, in contrast, was easily fractured into smaller subgraphs. When we removed the people, places, things and relationships that came directly from the interpretations of the WikiLeaks emails, the graph fell apart into what in reality were the unconnected domains of politics, casual dining, the private lives of the Podestas and the odd world of satanism.
In the illustration below, the green planes are the major layers of the narrative, the dots are the major elements of the narrative, the blue lines are connections among elements within a layer and the red lines are connections among elements across the layers. The purple plane shows all the layers combined, showing how the dots are all connected. Removing the WikiLeaks plane yields a purple plane with dots connected only in small groups.
The layers of the Pizzagate conspiracy theory combine to form a narrative, top right. Remove one layer, the fanciful interpretations of emails released by WikiLeaks, and the whole story falls apart, bottom right.
Tangherlini, et al., CC BY
Early warning system?
There are clear ethical challenges that our work raises. Our methods, for instance, could be used to generate additional posts to a conspiracy theory discussion that fit the narrative framework at the root of the discussion. Similarly, given any set of domains, someone could use the tool to develop an entirely new conspiracy theory.
[Deep knowledge, daily.Sign up for The Conversation's newsletter.]
However, this weaponization of storytelling is already occurring without automatic methods, as our study of social media forums makes clear. There is a role for the research community to help others understand how that weaponization occurs and to develop tools for people and organizations who protect public safety and democratic institutions.
Developing an early warning system that tracks the emergence and alignment of conspiracy theory narratives could alert researchers – and authorities – to real-world actions people might take based on these narratives. Perhaps with such a system in place, the arresting officer in the Pizzagate case would not have been baffled by the gunman's response when asked why he'd shown up at a pizza parlor armed with an AR-15 rifle.
Timothy R. Tangherlini, Professor of Danish Literature and Culture, University of California, Berkeley
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


alternet--2020-11-21--People discovered Antarctica 200 years ago – and promptly began slaughtering some of its animals to

People discovered Antarctica 200 years ago – and promptly began slaughtering some of its animals to near extinction

200 years ago , people discovered Antarctica – and promptly began profiting by slaughtering some of its animals to near extinction Two hundred years ago , on Nov. 17 , Connecticut ship captain Nathaniel Palmer spotted the Antarctic continent , one of three parties to do so in 1820 .
Unlike explorers Edward Bransfield and Fabian von Bellingshausen , Palmer was a sealer who quickly saw economic opportunity in the rich sealing grounds on the Antarctic Peninsula .
In the two centuries since , Antarctica has seen a range of commercial , scientific and diplomatic developments .
While some countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the first half of the 20th century , today the region is governed through the international Antarctic Treaty System .
Although the treaty claims to govern Antarctica in the interests of all “ mankind , ” some countries have gained greater benefits from the region than others .
While mining is currently banned under the Antarctic Treaty and the days of sealing and whaling are over , Antarctica ’ s marine living resources are still being exploited to this day .
Palmer was followed by a rush of other sealing ships , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that methodically killed fur seals along Antarctic beaches , swiftly taking populations to the brink of extinction .
Seal fur was used for clothing in the 18th and 19th centuries in many parts of the world and was an important part of U.S. and European trade with China in the 19th century .
Fur sealing had a real boom-and-bust quality .
Once a region was picked over , the sealers would move to more fruitful grounds .
Before 1833 , at least 7 million fur seals were killed in the Antarctic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British naturalist James Eights lamented the loss of the fur seal on the Antarctic peninsula : “ This beautiful little animal was once most numerous here.
” Elephant seals were also hunted , but for their blubber , which could be converted into oil .
It was not difficult for hunters to drive them to the beaches , lance them through the heart ( or , later , shoot them in the skull ) , drain their blood and remove their blubber .
“ We left the dead things , raw and meaty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to one sealer .
The birds would pick the skeletons clean within days .
Sealing rapidly declined in the 1960s , owing to a mix of evolving cultural sentiments and changing availability of other materials , such as plastics , that could be made into warm synthetic clothing and petroleum-based lubricants .
The broadcast of footage showing Canadian sealing in the early 1960s scandalized North American and European citizens and prompted a quick shift in attitudes toward sealing .
The Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals was signed in 1972 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all nations in the region .
Today , the population of fur seals has rebounded , with a colony of over 5 million on South Georgia alone , though numbers have declined since 2000 .
Elephant seals , too , have largely rebounded , with an estimated stable population of 650,000 since the mid-1990s .
The whaling grounds off Antarctica were so rich they drew fleets from many nations .
First came Norwegian and British companies , later to be joined by others from Germany , Russia , the Netherlands and Japan .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the 19th century , but it wasn ’ t until the first half of the 20th century that whales were hunted to near extinction there .
In the 19th century , whale oil was used primarily for lamp fuel .
But after 1910 , new uses were found for the oil , including as industrial lubricants and edible fats .
Whaling became extremely lucrative for a small group of companies , including Unilever , whose early fortunes were built from margarine made with whale oil .
At first , whales killed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shore station to be processed .
In 1925 , an observer wrote , “ What an appalling stench it is…The water in which the whales float , and on which we too are riding , is blood red.
” From the late 1920s on , these shore stations were replaced by pelagic whaling stations , where whales were processed more efficiently on factory ships at sea .
In 1946 , some international efforts were made to protect whales .
The goal of the International Whaling Commission created that year was “ to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry.
” But , again in the 1960s , public attitudes toward whales , like seals , began to change when environmentalists revealed they were highly intelligent , sociable creatures that sang in the ocean depths .
Most nations ceased whale hunting in the Antarctic by the end of the 1960s – because of this consciousness and also because there were inexpensive alternatives to whale products .
Antarctica ’ s rich marine life continues to be exploited today .
Krill and toothfish began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Krill , a small shrimp-like crustacean , is used in nutritional supplements and pet foods .
Norway , China , South Korea and Chile are its biggest harvesters .
Toothfish , which has been marketed as Chilean sea bass , is on menus worldwide .
[ Deep knowledge , daily .
Sign up for The Conversation ’ s newsletter . ]
Since 1982 , the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources has managed these fisheries with the overriding goal of maintaining the whole ecosystem .
Whales , seals , birds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making them essential to the Antarctic marine ecosystem .
While krill and toothfish are currently both plentiful in the Antarctic , it is unclear how much the reduction of sea ice and the changing migration patterns of predators who feed on these species are affecting their populations .
Historically and currently , only a small number of people have profited from Antarctica ’ s living resources , at the great expense of animal populations .
Even if sustainable harvesting is possible now , climate change is rapidly undermining Antarctic ’ s ecological stability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raise awareness of Antarctica ’ s fragility , most consumers of its products likely do not even know their provenance .
Whale and seal populations continue to recover from past overexploitation , but the future impacts of current fishing practices and climate change are uncertain .
Daniella McCahey , Assistant Professor of History , Texas Tech University and Alessandro Antonello , Senior Research Fellow in History , Flinders University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

200 years ago, people discovered Antarctica – and promptly began profiting by slaughtering some of its animals to near extinction
Workmen dissecting a whale carcass in Antarctica, circa 1935. Hulton Archive via Getty Images
Two hundred years ago, on Nov. 17, Connecticut ship captain Nathaniel Palmer spotted the Antarctic continent, one of three parties to do so in 1820. Unlike explorers Edward Bransfield and Fabian von Bellingshausen, Palmer was a sealer who quickly saw economic opportunity in the rich sealing grounds on the Antarctic Peninsula.
In the two centuries since, Antarctica has seen a range of commercial, scientific and diplomatic developments. While some countries attempted to claim territory on the continent in the first half of the 20th century, today the region is governed through the international Antarctic Treaty System.
Although the treaty claims to govern Antarctica in the interests of all “mankind,” some countries have gained greater benefits from the region than others. While mining is currently banned under the Antarctic Treaty and the days of sealing and whaling are over, Antarctica’s marine living resources are still being exploited to this day.
Fur and blubber
Palmer was followed by a rush of other sealing ships, mostly from the United States and Britain, that methodically killed fur seals along Antarctic beaches, swiftly taking populations to the brink of extinction. Seal fur was used for clothing in the 18th and 19th centuries in many parts of the world and was an important part of U.S. and European trade with China in the 19th century.
Fur sealing had a real boom-and-bust quality. Once a region was picked over, the sealers would move to more fruitful grounds. Before 1833, at least 7 million fur seals were killed in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic. As early as 1829, British naturalist James Eights lamented the loss of the fur seal on the Antarctic peninsula: “This beautiful little animal was once most numerous here.”
Elephant seals were also hunted, but for their blubber, which could be converted into oil. It was not difficult for hunters to drive them to the beaches, lance them through the heart (or, later, shoot them in the skull), drain their blood and remove their blubber. “We left the dead things, raw and meaty, lying on the beach,” according to one sealer. The birds would pick the skeletons clean within days.
Sealing rapidly declined in the 1960s, owing to a mix of evolving cultural sentiments and changing availability of other materials, such as plastics, that could be made into warm synthetic clothing and petroleum-based lubricants.
The broadcast of footage showing Canadian sealing in the early 1960s scandalized North American and European citizens and prompted a quick shift in attitudes toward sealing. The Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals was signed in 1972, regulating the large-scale slaughter of seals for all nations in the region. Today, the population of fur seals has rebounded, with a colony of over 5 million on South Georgia alone, though numbers have declined since 2000. Elephant seals, too, have largely rebounded, with an estimated stable population of 650,000 since the mid-1990s.
Blood-red water
The whaling grounds off Antarctica were so rich they drew fleets from many nations. First came Norwegian and British companies, later to be joined by others from Germany, Russia, the Netherlands and Japan. Whaling had occurred in the Southern Ocean in the 19th century, but it wasn’t until the first half of the 20th century that whales were hunted to near extinction there.
In the 19th century, whale oil was used primarily for lamp fuel. But after 1910, new uses were found for the oil, including as industrial lubricants and edible fats.
Whaling became extremely lucrative for a small group of companies, including Unilever, whose early fortunes were built from margarine made with whale oil.
At first, whales killed at sea had to be brought to a shore station to be processed. In 1925, an observer wrote, “What an appalling stench it is…The water in which the whales float, and on which we too are riding, is blood red.” From the late 1920s on, these shore stations were replaced by pelagic whaling stations, where whales were processed more efficiently on factory ships at sea.
In 1946, some international efforts were made to protect whales. The goal of the International Whaling Commission created that year was “to provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry.”
But, again in the 1960s, public attitudes toward whales, like seals, began to change when environmentalists revealed they were highly intelligent, sociable creatures that sang in the ocean depths. Most nations ceased whale hunting in the Antarctic by the end of the 1960s – because of this consciousness and also because there were inexpensive alternatives to whale products.
Fishing
Antarctica’s rich marine life continues to be exploited today. Krill and toothfish began to be fished in the 1970s.
Krill, a small shrimp-like crustacean, is used in nutritional supplements and pet foods. Norway, China, South Korea and Chile are its biggest harvesters. Toothfish, which has been marketed as Chilean sea bass, is on menus worldwide.
[Deep knowledge, daily.Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter.]
Since 1982, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources has managed these fisheries with the overriding goal of maintaining the whole ecosystem. Whales, seals, birds and other fish rely on krill, making them essential to the Antarctic marine ecosystem.
While krill and toothfish are currently both plentiful in the Antarctic, it is unclear how much the reduction of sea ice and the changing migration patterns of predators who feed on these species are affecting their populations.
Historically and currently, only a small number of people have profited from Antarctica’s living resources, at the great expense of animal populations. Even if sustainable harvesting is possible now, climate change is rapidly undermining Antarctic’s ecological stability.
While major environmental campaigns try to raise awareness of Antarctica’s fragility, most consumers of its products likely do not even know their provenance. Whale and seal populations continue to recover from past overexploitation, but the future impacts of current fishing practices and climate change are uncertain.
Daniella McCahey, Assistant Professor of History, Texas Tech University and Alessandro Antonello, Senior Research Fellow in History, Flinders University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


alternet--2020-11-21--How do geese know how to fly south for the winter?

To be ready to migrate in the fall , geese start preparing in midsummer .
Babies born in the spring are mostly grown up by then .
Adult geese grow a new set of plumage after shedding their old feathers – a process called molting .
They need flight and body feathers to be in good condition for the long flight ahead , and to insulate their bodies from the winter cold .
For a few weeks during this process , geese ca n't fly at all , and they stay out on the water to avoid predators .
Geese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures how much sunlight there is each day .
The days grow shorter during the late summer and early fall , and that 's how geese know it 's time to get ready for the journey south .
Families join together in larger flocks .
Geese gorge on grains and grasses to fatten up in preparation for their journey .
Geese fattening up by eating some underwater foods .
When it 's time to go There are two different types of bird migration .
For most bird species that migrate from temperate climates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is instinctual .
These birds , such as swallows , orioles and warblers , leave their northern breeding place before weather turns harsh and food becomes scarce .
Most migrate at night , individually rather than in flocks , and they know where to go and how to get there without guidance from parents or other birds .
They migrate continuously , except for short stopovers to fuel up on insects , fruit , or seeds before continuing on their way .
Canada geese and other migratory geese species are different .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the weather is cold , water starts to freeze , and food gets hard to come by .
Once conditions become so tough that they ca n't find enough to eat , geese migrate .
Maybe you 've observed flock members signaling they 're ready to go : They honk loudly and point their bills toward the sky .
Single families of geese , or flocks of several families together , take off and head south .
Flocks join with other flocks .
Geese fly by day or night , depending on factors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moon .
Geese navigate based on experience , using landmarks including rivers , coastlines and mountain ranges .
They may also use celestial cues such as the sun and stars .
Geese have a physical compass in their head that allows them to tell north and south by detecting the Earth 's magnetic field .
Young geese learn the migration route and landmarks by following their parents and other experienced geese .
People who have raised and socially bonded with geese have even taught the birds new migration routes by leading them in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movie “ Fly Away Home . ''
[ Expertise in your inbox .
Sign up for The Conversation 's newsletter and get expert takes on today 's news , every day . ]
On their way Geese are heavy birds , and they fly fast – over 30 miles per hour – using powerful wing beats , rather than gliding like eagles or vultures .
All this flapping for a heavy bird takes a lot of energy .
Geese work very hard during migration flights .
To reduce the effort , geese fly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or in the day when there 's a helpful tailwind ; they avoid flying into a headwind that would blow them backward .
The different wing positions of these greylag geese show their flapping motion , with the individual at the tip of the V working the hardest .
In addition , they have another energy-saving trick .
To reduce drag and to receive a little extra lift , geese fly close behind and about one wing length to the side of the one immediately in front .
When all flock members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appears .
This form of drafting , also called vortex surfing , saves a lot of energy .
Following another bird at the right distance blocks any headwind .
The flapping of the bird ahead creates a forward movement of air called a slipstream , which helps pull the trailing bird forward .
And little pockets of spinning air , called vortices , produce lift that helps keep a trailing bird aloft .
The same physics explains why fighter jets fly in V formation to conserve fuel .
This video explains some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helps keep geese up in the sky for less energy .
The bird at the point of the V , in the front of the flock , gets no advantage from drafting .
It is working much harder than the others .
When it gets too tired , it drops back and another takes the lead .
Recently , ornithologists have discovered that when families migrate together as a flock , the parents take turns at the tip of the V. The younger geese , which are not as strong , line up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Most geese that breed in a particular region will migrate along similar routes , called flyways .
For example , geese that pass by my house in Northern New York follow the Atlantic flyway .
They 'll end up on the Atlantic Coast and migrate south following the shoreline .
Many geese head to the coast and then navigate south along the shoreline .
Vicki Jauron , Babylon and Beyond Photography/Moment via Getty Images Rather than migrate nonstop to their wintering grounds , many geese travel in stages , pausing at traditional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fat .
Geese from the most northern populations travel to the farthest south .
More southerly breeding populations do n't migrate as far .
This is called leapfrog migration , since the northern geese literally fly over the more southern birds .
Why this happens is a bit of a mystery , but it 's possible the northern breeders continue further south to avoid competing for food with southern geese that have already found good wintering conditions closer to their summer homes .
Because geese learn migratory routes , they can flexibly adjust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Goose migration stopover sites and wintering grounds have shifted , for example , because of changes in farming practices , availability of lawns and golf courses , and other changes in land use .
Migratory geese are now adjusting when and where they migrate as a consequence of global climate change .
And some groups of Canada geese have decided to just stay put and skip the migration altogether .
Hello , curious kids !
Do you have a question you 'd like an expert to answer ?
Ask an adult to send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Please tell us your name , age and the city where you live .
And since curiosity has no age limit – adults , let us know what you 're wondering , too .
We wo n't be able to answer every question , but we will do our best .
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

To be ready to migrate in the fall, geese start preparing in midsummer. Babies born in the spring are mostly grown up by then. Adult geese grow a new set of plumage after shedding their old feathers – a process called molting.
They need flight and body feathers to be in good condition for the long flight ahead, and to insulate their bodies from the winter cold. For a few weeks during this process, geese can't fly at all, and they stay out on the water to avoid predators.
Geese have a clock in their brain that measures how much sunlight there is each day. The days grow shorter during the late summer and early fall, and that's how geese know it's time to get ready for the journey south. Families join together in larger flocks. Geese gorge on grains and grasses to fatten up in preparation for their journey.
Geese fattening up by eating some underwater foods.
Jennifer Yakey-Ault/iStock via Getty Images
When it's time to go
There are two different types of bird migration. For most bird species that migrate from temperate climates to the tropics in winter, migration is instinctual. These birds, such as swallows, orioles and warblers, leave their northern breeding place before weather turns harsh and food becomes scarce.
Most migrate at night, individually rather than in flocks, and they know where to go and how to get there without guidance from parents or other birds. They migrate continuously, except for short stopovers to fuel up on insects, fruit, or seeds before continuing on their way.
Canada geese and other migratory geese species are different. They usually remain in their summer range until the weather is cold, water starts to freeze, and food gets hard to come by. Once conditions become so tough that they can't find enough to eat, geese migrate.
Maybe you've observed flock members signaling they're ready to go: They honk loudly and point their bills toward the sky. Single families of geese, or flocks of several families together, take off and head south. Flocks join with other flocks. Geese fly by day or night, depending on factors like weather conditions or brightness of the moon.
Geese navigate based on experience, using landmarks including rivers, coastlines and mountain ranges. They may also use celestial cues such as the sun and stars. Geese have a physical compass in their head that allows them to tell north and south by detecting the Earth's magnetic field.
Young geese learn the migration route and landmarks by following their parents and other experienced geese. People who have raised and socially bonded with geese have even taught the birds new migration routes by leading them in an ultralight aircraft – as in the movie “Fly Away Home."
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On their way
Geese are heavy birds, and they fly fast – over 30 miles per hour – using powerful wing beats, rather than gliding like eagles or vultures. All this flapping for a heavy bird takes a lot of energy. Geese work very hard during migration flights. To reduce the effort, geese fly at night when the air is calmer, or in the day when there's a helpful tailwind; they avoid flying into a headwind that would blow them backward.
The different wing positions of these greylag geese show their flapping motion, with the individual at the tip of the V working the hardest.
Anagramm/iStock via Getty Images
In addition, they have another energy-saving trick. To reduce drag and to receive a little extra lift, geese fly close behind and about one wing length to the side of the one immediately in front. When all flock members do this, the familiar V shape appears.
This form of drafting, also called vortex surfing, saves a lot of energy. Following another bird at the right distance blocks any headwind. The flapping of the bird ahead creates a forward movement of air called a slipstream, which helps pull the trailing bird forward. And little pockets of spinning air, called vortices, produce lift that helps keep a trailing bird aloft. The same physics explains why fighter jets fly in V formation to conserve fuel.
This video explains some of the physics of how the V formation helps keep geese up in the sky for less energy.
The bird at the point of the V, in the front of the flock, gets no advantage from drafting. It is working much harder than the others. When it gets too tired, it drops back and another takes the lead. Recently, ornithologists have discovered that when families migrate together as a flock, the parents take turns at the tip of the V. The younger geese, which are not as strong, line up along the V behind the lead parent.
Most geese that breed in a particular region will migrate along similar routes, called flyways. For example, geese that pass by my house in Northern New York follow the Atlantic flyway. They'll end up on the Atlantic Coast and migrate south following the shoreline.
Many geese head to the coast and then navigate south along the shoreline.
Vicki Jauron, Babylon and Beyond Photography/Moment via Getty Images
Rather than migrate nonstop to their wintering grounds, many geese travel in stages, pausing at traditional stopover sites to rest and regain lost fat. Geese from the most northern populations travel to the farthest south. More southerly breeding populations don't migrate as far. This is called leapfrog migration, since the northern geese literally fly over the more southern birds. Why this happens is a bit of a mystery, but it's possible the northern breeders continue further south to avoid competing for food with southern geese that have already found good wintering conditions closer to their summer homes.
Because geese learn migratory routes, they can flexibly adjust where they go as conditions change. Goose migration stopover sites and wintering grounds have shifted, for example, because of changes in farming practices, availability of lawns and golf courses, and other changes in land use. Migratory geese are now adjusting when and where they migrate as a consequence of global climate change. And some groups of Canada geese have decided to just stay put and skip the migration altogether.
Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you'd like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.
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Tom Langen, Professor of Biology, Clarkson University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


alternet--2020-11-21--Pro-mask or anti-mask? Your moral beliefs probably predict your stance

Governments around the world have recommended or mandated various behaviors to slow the spread of COVID-19 .
These include staying at home , wearing face masks and practicing social distancing .
Yet individuals continue to flout these recommendations and ignore explicit rules about wearing face masks .
In the U.S. , U.K. and Australia , crowds have gathered closely together to protest against lockdowns .
All this poses the question : Why are people not following the rules that protect not only their own health but the health of their community and nation ?
And how can policymakers and public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uptake ?
In my latest research , I studied how people perceive the three main recommended behaviors as either “ right '' or “ wrong . ''
I grounded my research on Moral Foundations Theory , which states that people judge the “ rightness '' or “ wrongness '' of behaviors along five different moral concerns or “ foundations . ''
The first is whether an action shows you care ; the second is whether an action upholds standards of equality ; the third is whether it shows loyalty to the group ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to authority ; and the last is whether it conforms to impulses and the natural way of doing things .
Some foundations are relevant to certain behaviors ; others , not so much .
For example , parents who are “ anti-vaxxers '' hold this view because they see vaccines as harming a child 's natural immunological defenses .
Although that is not true , vaccines still challenge their perception of what 's natural .
Likewise , when it comes to charitable giving , people donate because they see it as showing they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as “ natural '' to do so .
One benefit of exploring which moral foundation is relevant to a certain behavior is that it offers a better understanding of how to encourage or discourage that behavior .
For example , policymakers now understand that to encourage vaccinations for children , messages aimed at hesitant parents need to help them see how vaccinations can actually boost a child 's natural defenses .
But telling these parents that “ it shows you care for your child '' has little effect , because the “ caring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surveyed 1,033 Americans during the last week in April 2020 , asking them how relevant each moral foundation is to staying at home , wearing face masks and practicing social distancing .
I found that Americans , on the whole , associated all three behaviors with the “ caring '' and “ equality '' foundations .
Indeed , staying at home when you do n't need to go out shows you care about others – I call this the caring foundation .
But staying at home helps flatten the curve only if everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The same can be said for wearing face masks and social distancing .
But I also found important age differences in two other moral foundations .
Younger adults felt that staying at home and wearing face masks go against their nature – what I call the nature foundation .
It would make sense .
Younger adults are more likely to crave social interactions , and so staying at home goes against what they perceive to be natural human behavior .
Meanwhile , wearing face masks not only is uncomfortable but hides one 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how human beings are supposed to socialize .
Older adults , on the other hand , felt that all three behaviors show a greater value placed on communal goals and public health over personal comfort .
Interestingly , the authority foundation did n't relate to any of the three behaviors , regardless of age .
By understanding which moral foundations are relevant , social marketers , public health officials and policymakers can design more effective appeals to get people to stay at home , wear face masks and stay 6 feet apart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the actions as showing they care , emphasizing how those behaviors show caring will likely increase compliance .
To target younger adults , who see staying at home and wearing face masks as going against the social nature of human beings , messages should suggest how these actions can actually facilitate socialization .
[ Deep knowledge , daily .
Sign up for The Conversation 's newsletter . ]
For example : “ Wearing a mask lets you stay in touch , safely . ''
Common slogans such as “ Staying Apart , Together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on words , are unlikely to increase younger adults ' uptake , since the “ communal '' foundation is a less relevant concern for them .
Those slogans may be more effective for older adults .
If governments and public health officials really want to promote staying at home , wearing face masks and practicing social distancing , they ca n't just say “ it 's moral to do so . ''
They might want to learn to appeal to the relevant moral convictions of the population they are targeting .
This article @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

Governments around the world have recommended or mandated various behaviors to slow the spread of COVID-19. These include staying at home, wearing face masks and practicing social distancing.
Yet individuals continue to flout these recommendations and ignore explicit rules about wearing face masks. In the U.S., U.K. and Australia, crowds have gathered closely together to protest against lockdowns.
All this poses the question: Why are people not following the rules that protect not only their own health but the health of their community and nation? And how can policymakers and public health officials design better messages to encourage uptake?
How morals guide our decisions
In my latest research, I studied how people perceive the three main recommended behaviors as either “right" or “wrong." I grounded my research on Moral Foundations Theory, which states that people judge the “rightness" or “wrongness" of behaviors along five different moral concerns or “foundations."
The first is whether an action shows you care; the second is whether an action upholds standards of equality; the third is whether it shows loyalty to the group; the fourth is whether it shows deference to authority; and the last is whether it conforms to impulses and the natural way of doing things.
Some foundations are relevant to certain behaviors; others, not so much. For example, parents who are “anti-vaxxers" hold this view because they see vaccines as harming a child's natural immunological defenses. Although that is not true, vaccines still challenge their perception of what's natural. Likewise, when it comes to charitable giving, people donate because they see it as showing they care – not because they see it as “natural" to do so.
One benefit of exploring which moral foundation is relevant to a certain behavior is that it offers a better understanding of how to encourage or discourage that behavior.
For example, policymakers now understand that to encourage vaccinations for children, messages aimed at hesitant parents need to help them see how vaccinations can actually boost a child's natural defenses. But telling these parents that “it shows you care for your child" has little effect, because the “caring" foundation is less relevant.
Morality and COVID-19
I surveyed 1,033 Americans during the last week in April 2020, asking them how relevant each moral foundation is to staying at home, wearing face masks and practicing social distancing.
I found that Americans, on the whole, associated all three behaviors with the “caring" and “equality" foundations. Indeed, staying at home when you don't need to go out shows you care about others – I call this the caring foundation. But staying at home helps flatten the curve only if everyone does it – the equality foundation. The same can be said for wearing face masks and social distancing.
But I also found important age differences in two other moral foundations.
Younger adults felt that staying at home and wearing face masks go against their nature – what I call the nature foundation. It would make sense. Younger adults are more likely to crave social interactions, and so staying at home goes against what they perceive to be natural human behavior.
Meanwhile, wearing face masks not only is uncomfortable but hides one's face, which also goes against beliefs about how human beings are supposed to socialize.
Older adults, on the other hand, felt that all three behaviors show a greater value placed on communal goals and public health over personal comfort.
Interestingly, the authority foundation didn't relate to any of the three behaviors, regardless of age.
Policy implications
By understanding which moral foundations are relevant, social marketers, public health officials and policymakers can design more effective appeals to get people to stay at home, wear face masks and stay 6 feet apart.
For example, because Americans see the actions as showing they care, emphasizing how those behaviors show caring will likely increase compliance.
To target younger adults, who see staying at home and wearing face masks as going against the social nature of human beings, messages should suggest how these actions can actually facilitate socialization.
[Deep knowledge, daily.Sign up for The Conversation's newsletter.]
For example: “Wearing a mask lets you stay in touch, safely." Common slogans such as “Staying Apart, Together," while whimsical and a play on words, are unlikely to increase younger adults' uptake, since the “communal" foundation is a less relevant concern for them. Those slogans may be more effective for older adults.
If governments and public health officials really want to promote staying at home, wearing face masks and practicing social distancing, they can't just say “it's moral to do so." They might want to learn to appeal to the relevant moral convictions of the population they are targeting.
Eugene Y. Chan, Associate Professor, Purdue University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.