freedomdaily--2020-05-26--Is your neighborhood raising your coronavirus risk? Redlining decades ago set communities up for gre

Is your neighborhood raising your coronavirus risk? Redlining decades ago set communities up for greater danger

Vicente Arenas moved to the edge of Denver ’ s Valverde neighborhood , attracted by low housing prices and proximity to his downtown job just three miles away .
The 1-square-mile neighborhood mixes small , ranch-style homes with auto body shops , metal fabricators and industrial supply warehouses , and is hemmed in on its four sides by state highways and interstates .
Much of Valverde is devoid of streetlights and wide sidewalks , a fact that Arenas laments .
But he immediately felt a strong kinship with the local Hispanic population , which comprises 81 % of residents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ familia in this area , ” Arenas says , “ where every house has multiple generations from the grandparents down to the little kids , families are piling into trucks together , and you ’ ll see five guys crowded around trying to fix an engine .
And then there ’ s the smell of fresh tortillas every night.
” The neighborhood is most vibrant in the evenings , he explains , when residents return home after long work days in the construction and food service industries .
But what makes Valverde so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its risks amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Its location brings air pollution that can increase the risk of serious respiratory problems , bustling homes makes social distancing nearly impossible , and commuting together increases exposure to potentially infected individuals .
It came as little surprise to us , an urban planning professor and infectious disease doctor , that Valverde had the highest COVID-19 hospitalization rate in the city .
Public health officials and urban planners have long known that one ’ s ZIP code is an especially reliable indicator of educational attainment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Near Washington , D.C. , for example , residents of Chevy Chase can expect to live nearly 33 years longer than those from Barry Farm , a neighborhood just 10 miles away .
ZIP code is also a great indicator of risk for disease transmission .
Across the U.S. , in cities as diverse as Austin , New York City and San Francisco , lower-income communities of color are experiencing disproportionately high rates of COVID-19 infection , hospitalization and death .
One set of explanations for these geographical disparities focuses on the individual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the 60 % of low-wage U.S. workers lucky enough to have kept their jobs through the crisis , those in “ essential service ” positions like construction , food preparation and retail can not simply Zoom with colleagues from home .
They often rely on family members , who may themselves be in high-risk age groups , for child care and depend on crowded public transit for their commutes before returning home to crowded apartments or houses .
And those with limited English fluency often struggle to obtain reliable health information .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ delay seeking medical care , sometimes resulting in severe health consequences .
In Denver , neighborhood maps also reveal other influences .
For example , maps of COVID-19 hospitalizations overlap with maps showing lack of health insurance and access to preventive medical care .
Yet few people have focused on how neighborhood characteristics , or environmental factors , might play a role in virus transmission .
Is it possible that neighborhoods themselves are making people sick ?
It ’ s likely .
The CDC says that people with asthma are at higher risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and rates of asthma are notoriously elevated near highways like those surrounding Valverde .
Diabetes , hypertension and obesity rates are also strong risk factors for virus contraction ; these conditions are linked to physical activity and diet , which are themselves directly influenced by access to quality walking and biking infrastructure , parks and healthy food outlets , all features that tend to be lacking in disadvantaged neighborhoods .
Why does this geographical clustering of disadvantage and privilege occur in cities around the U.S. ?
Much of our present-day disparities in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be traced back to the 1930s , when Valverde and similar neighborhoods were “ redlined ” by the Home Owner ’ s Loan Corporation .
In this racist practice , banks drew red lines on a map around neighborhoods with populations of color , restricting lending in these places and starving them of investment for generations to come .
The legacies of redlining are well-documented .
Due to decades of disinvestment , once-redlined neighborhoods have higher poverty rates , lower-performing schools , more segregation , lower social mobility , greater exposure to extreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates , and more indicators of urban decline than those that were not .
Property is also the primary way that families build and inherit wealth in America ; the average white family now holds 10 times the wealth of the average black family and seven times the average Hispanic family .
In Denver , decades of legally sanctioned disinvestment and segregation made redlined neighborhoods fertile ground for the siting of polluting industrial facilities and two interstate highways , one of which runs directly through Valverde – a familiar story in cities around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vast differences in levels of social vulnerability – the constellation of individual and environmental circumstances that weaken a community ’ s ability to prepare for and respond to crises like this pandemic .
Mapping scores on the CDC ’ s Social Vulnerability Index in Denver reveals how these clear patterns of disadvantage coincide with COVID-19 hospitalization rates .
Given these realities , how can cities best contain this virus and plan for the next pandemic ?
A decentralized , health equity-oriented approach to fighting the epidemic that brings testing and support services into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to preventive health care and improve health across entire communities .
In the short term , critical efforts can include widespread free testing events in vulnerable neighborhoods , along with distribution of free hand sanitizer , cleaning supplies and masks , which also helps ensure that at-risk residents do not have to travel on crowded public transportation to shop for these items .
This is also an opportunity to link uninsured residents to health care coverage and primary care providers .
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock recently said the city is committed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , particularly where our most vulnerable residents live.
” And in April , San Francisco rolled out temporary field care clinics in at-risk neighborhoods .
Health care workers in these dispersed clinics are trained to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate medical information about what to do if one feels sick , what testing and treatment options exist and how to prevent further spread of COVID-19 .
In the longer term , urban planners have demonstrated how a commitment to building healthy urban environments – those that prioritize walking and cycling , promote recreation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents to access healthy food locally and provide public transportation options – can have long-lasting impacts for all residents .
In addition , locating neighborhood health centers in at-risk neighborhoods has been proven to improve health and build a sense of community trust that can be instrumental in times of crisis .
America is at a crossroads , and cities can embrace this opportunity to address health disparities .
Health care officials and urban planning professionals are beginning to work together to help lift communities from the legacy of discriminatory policies .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place , the country can mitigate harm from the current epidemic and help create more just , healthy and resilient communities that are better prepared for future challenges .
The authors do not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-05-26--Ethicists: We need more flexible tools for evaluating gene-edited food

Is there now a way to genetically engineer crops to create food that people can confidently consider natural ?
Gene-editing technology sounds like it might offer this possibility .
By altering an organism ’ s genetic material , or genome , without introducing genes from other species , advocates of genome editing argue the technique can sidestep most of the difficult ethical and regulatory challenges plaguing organisms with added “ transgenes , ” which are genes from other species .
Some even argue these “ cisgenic ” products are natural enough to count as organic .
As ethicists specializing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can understand why advocates see the ethics this way .
If “ crossing species lines ” is the measure of whether a technique counts as “ natural ” or not , then genome editing appears to have the potential to pass a naturalness test .
Genome editing , its boosters say , can make changes that look almost evolutionary .
Arguably , these changes could have happened by themselves through the natural course of events , if anyone had the patience to wait for them .
Conventional breeding for potatoes resistant to late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it would take a lot of time .
Although we understand the potential advantages of speed , we don ’ t think an ethics hinging on the idea of “ cisgenesis ” is adequate .
We propose a better ethical lens to use in its place .
Our work is part of a four-year project funded by the Norwegian Research Council scrutinizing how gene editing could change how we think about food .
The work brings together researchers from universities and scientific institutes in Norway , the U.K. and the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ producing useful new crops .
Our project is not focused on the safety of the crops under development , something that obviously requires concerted scientific investigation of its own .
Although the safety of humans and the health of the environment is ethically crucial when developing new foods , other ethical issues must also be considered .
To see this , consider how objections against genetically modified organisms go far beyond safety .
Ethical issues around food sovereignty range broadly across farmer choice , excess corporate power , economic security and other concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bar than safety alone .
Although we believe gene editing may have promise for addressing the agricultural challenges caused by rising global populations , climate change and the overuse of chemical pesticides , we don ’ t think an ethical analysis based entirely on “ crossing species lines ” and “ naturalness ” is adequate .
It is already clear that arguing gene-edited food is ethical based on species lines has not satisfied all of gene editing ’ s critics .
As Ricarda Steinbrecher , a molecular biologist cautious about gene editing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the DNA sequences come from closely related species is irrelevant , the process of genetic engineering is the same , involving the same risks and unpredictabilities , as with transgenesis.
” Comments of this kind suggest talking about species lines is an unreliable guide .
Species and subspecies boundaries are notoriously infirm .
Charles Darwin himself conceded in “ Origin of Species , ” “ I look at the term species , as one arbitrarily given for the sake of convenience to a set of individuals closely resembling each other.
” The 2005 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World demonstrated this arbitrariness by collapsing all 12 subspecies of American cougars down to one Puma concolor cougar overnight .
In 2017 , the Cat Classification Task Force revised the Felidae family again .
If species lines are not clear , claiming “ naturalness ” based on not crossing species lines is , in our view , a shaky guide .
The lack of clarity matters because a premature ethical green light could mean a premature regulatory green light , with broad implications for both agricultural producers and consumers .
We think a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how a technique for crop breeding interferes with the integrity of the organism being altered .
The term integrity already has application in environmental ethics , ecology , cell biology , interhuman ethics , organic agriculture and genetics .
A unifying theme in all these domains is that integrity points toward some kind of functional wholeness of an organism , a cell , a genome or an ecological system .
The idea of maintaining integrity tracks a central intuition about being cautious before interfering too much with living systems and their components @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why the ethics of gene editing may not be radically different from the ethics of genetic modification using transgenes .
The cell wall is still penetrated by the gene-editing components .
The genome of the organism is cut at a site chosen by the scientist , and a repair is initiated which ( it is hoped ) will result in a desired change to the organism .
When it comes to the techniques involved with gene editing a crop or other food for a desired trait , integrity is compromised at several levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crossing species lines .
The integrity lens makes it clear the ethics is not resolved by debating naturalness or species boundaries .
Negotiation of each other ’ s integrity is a necessary part of human-to-human relations .
Adopted as an ethical practice in the field of biotechnology , it might provide a better guide in attempts to accommodate different ethical , ecological and cultural priorities in policymaking .
An ethic with a central place for discussion of integrity promises a framework that is both more flexible and discerning .
As new breeding techniques @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we think the ethical toolbox needs updating .
Talking about crossing species lines simply isn ’ t enough .
If Darwin had known about gene editing , we think he would have agreed .
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Christopher J. Preston receives funding from The Research Council of Norway ’ s SAMKUL Programme on the Cultural Conditions Underlying Social Change .
Trine Antonsen receives funding from The Research Council of Norway ’ s SAMKUL Programme on the Cultural Conditions Underlying Social @ @

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freedomdaily--2020-05-26--The coronavirus pandemic moved life online – a surge in website defacing followed

One consequence of the public ’ s compliance with social distancing and quarantines during the COVID-19 pandemic is a sharp decline in most types of crime .
It looks like people staying home made communities less conducive to crime .
Unfortunately , the news isn ’ t as good as those numbers alone suggest .
Other settings are seeing an increase in crime following the stay-at-home orders .
One is the household , where domestic violence is likely to have increased in the past two months .
As researchers who study cybercrime , we ’ re finding that criminal activity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the online world , as well .
At the same time , many people are relying more heavily than before on online services for work , entertainment and shopping .
This makes them more likely to become the targets of different types of online crimes .
And the websites and online platforms that these internet users access become more attractive targets to motivated hackers who aim to take them over and deface them .
Website defacement is the online equivalent of graffiti vandalism .
It occurs when a hacker infiltrates a server on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the content of the website with images and text of their own choosing .
Unlike more sophisticated forms of hacking , the act of website defacement does not require hackers to have highly sophisticated skills .
In fact , several hacker typologies suggest that this form of online crime can be a stepping stone to involvement in more sophisticated hacking , as well as a way to gain a reputation in the hacking community .
The harm suffered by victims of this online crime varies from loss of trust in the owner of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When business websites are taken down by hackers , they can ’ t process transactions .
During the coronavirus pandemic , many merchants have been forced to shift from face-to-face trade to e-commerce , which means it ’ s likely that more businesses will become victims of cybercrime .
Findings from a recent analysis we conducted based on information about website defacement activities reported on the hacker information site Zone-h , suggest that the average daily number of website defacement attacks reported in April 2020 is 50 % higher than the average daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Moreover , the volume of website defacement attacks reported by mid May 2020 , has already surpassed the volume of attacks reported in May 2019 for the entire month .
This steady increase in the number of daily website defacement attacks started in late March 2020 , while January and February stayed steady .
This leads us to believe that the pervasive isolation imposed by governments around the globe has given hackers more time to spend online , which became the driving force behind this trend .
Our investigation of the types @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hackers reveals that large corporations and government entities are less likely to be the victims .
The average daily number of sophisticated defacements against government agency and large private business websites have increased from 17.75 attacks per day in February to 21.6 attacks per day in April .
However , the frequency of those attacks is substantially lower than the overall average daily number of website defacements reported by hackers during that period .
It appears that websites of small businesses , social clubs and private individuals are being disproportionately targeted by hackers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerable websites because many of them are inexperienced hackers , often referred to as script kiddies .
They lack the skills required to attack high-profile targets , but are motivated to gain status among their online peers .
Findings from our analysis suggest that the number of newbie hackers who experiment with website defacement has grown rapidly during the COVID-19 crisis .
The average number of reports of defacements by first-time hackers in February was 3.41 per day .
In April the number was 6.31 per day , a 77 % increase in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more new hackers attempting to establish a reputation by attacking vulnerable websites , it is imperative that small business owners and individuals protect their websites from attacks .
Protection strategies should include keeping the software used to maintain websites up to date , using strong passwords to access the servers that host the websites , preventing website users from uploading files , allowing users to connect to websites via the secure internet protocol ( HTTPS ) and using website security tools .
Fortunately , visitors to defaced websites are generally not at risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health and technology stories .
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David Maimon receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Homeland Security .
C. Jordan Howell does not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-05-26--Online therapy having its moment, bringing insights on how to expand mental health services going fo

Online therapy having its moment, bringing insights on how to expand mental health services going forward

The coronavirus has resulted in stress , anxiety and fear – symptoms that might motivate a person to see a therapist .
Because of social distancing , however , in-person sessions are less possible .
For many , this has raised the prospect of online therapy .
For clients in need of warmth and reassurance , could this work ?
Studies and my experience suggests it does .
I am a psychologist and counselor at the University of South Florida .
When our center named me its online assisted therapies coordinator , many of the staff initially pushed back at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screen .
These negative attitudes toward telehealth should have surprised me .
After all , its antecedent , telephone crisis lines , have been accepted and effective for decades .
But my field of therapy has often been disdainful of telehealth , opposed to “ warm ” psychotherapy work performed via a “ cold ” screen .
Its resistance to the concept has changed little over the years .
Research suggests , however , that online therapy works just as well as traditional face-to-face therapy .
Studies , looking at outcomes for clients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ therapists , found them equal across telehealth and in-person conditions .
Since this meta-analysis ( 92 studies and 9,000 clients ) , many other studies have confirmed the value of teletherapy .
Private insurance companies like Cigna and Aetna , have come around ; they now provide coverage for what they see as a “ legitimate ” service .
And surveys show consumers are receptive to telehealth counseling : no driving to an appointment , no searching for a parking space , no worries about childcare while they ’ re away , no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and no problem if the specialist happens to be far away .
Online therapy opens doors for clients who wouldn ’ t otherwise seek help , particularly patients who feel stigmatized by therapy or intimidated by a stranger sitting across the room from them .
Often , people open up more easily in telehealth sessions .
Firsthand accounts have detailed positive experiences from consumers .
Now COVID-19 is forcing most traditional psychotherapists to adapt their practice to online counseling .
After experiencing the medium , they are overcoming their prejudices .
Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caseloads to telehealth after the pandemic ends .
Most of our clients seem to be good with it : responding to a satisfaction survey , 85 % of USF students strongly or somewhat agreed their telehealth experience was comparable to an in-person visit .
All this allows a continuity of care for clients that before was impossible ; there is , however , a caveat .
Because of the coronavirus , some of my clients at USF who live out-of-state have moved back home .
That means , legally , I can no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are still USF students , my license is valid only in Florida .
For telehealth to work effectively , our national system of licensing and regulation law needs to adapt .
Although the federal government temporarily halted HIPAA regulations to promote telehealth during this time , not all states are allowing out-of-state practice .
The coronavirus may not be here forever , but spring break and Christmas holidays always will .
We need seamless telehealth across state lines .
That said , my own counseling center quickly transitioned to remote-only .
Although most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get back into the office , they are appreciative they can serve students in need .
Certainly many clients and therapists will gladly return to face-to-face sessions , but now they know the tool of telehealth will always be available , if and when needed .
So much is changing .
Now , consumers can easily access online therapy .
Free e-books are available ; one dealing directly with the pandemic is “ FACE COVID , ” by Russ Harris .
Apps are around too – some free , some paid .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
Asking for suggestions online will help as well .
Your insurance may allow you to talk to a licensed professional who does online therapy .
Most major insurers have a list of them on their website .
If you ’ re uninsured , most communities have free or low-cost mental health clinics .
Many universities have them too .
Also , online directories can point you to places that offer services on a sliding scale , depending on your income , from pro bono to US $ 60 a session .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are getting past their biases in barely a few weeks .
Telehealth has allowed psychotherapy to continue unabated .
More people who need help will now get it .
I ’ m sad our profession needed COVID-19 to address telehealth , but the benefits will last for generations .
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Read The Conversation ’ s newsletter . ]
Nicholas Joyce is affiliated with USF and his private practice .


freedomdaily--2020-05-27--Rod Rosenstein Will Testify Before Senate In Review Of Trump-Russia Probe

Former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein , who appointed a special counsel to oversee the Trump-Russia probe , will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 3 , the panel announced on Wednesday .
The open hearing will be the first to be held as part of the committee ’ s sweeping review of the FBI ’ s investigation and surveillance of the Trump campaign .
Sen. Lindsey Graham has set a vote for June 4 to subpoena dozens of current and former government officials involved in various aspects of the investigation .
Rosenstein , who left the Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ played a key role in several aspects of the investigation that have come under Republican scrutiny .
He appointed Robert Mueller to serve as special counsel on May 17 , 2017 .
On June 29 , 2017 , Rosenstein signed the fourth and final application for a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act ( FISA ) order against Carter Page , a former Trump campaign aide .
The application relied heavily on unverified allegations from the infamous Steele dossier , which claimed that Page and other Trump campaign advisers conspired with the Russian government to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Aug. 2 , 2017 memo that laid out the areas that Mueller was allowed to investigate as part of the special counsel ’ s investigation .
The document gave the special counsel permission to investigate Page , George Papadopoulos , Paul Manafort and Michael Flynn conspired with Russia .
The FBI and Justice Department were aware well before Rosenstein signed the FISA order of significant problems with the dossier .
A Justice Department inspector general ’ s report released on Dec. 9 said that the FBI and Justice Department interviewed a key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who disputed many of the allegations in the salacious document .
The report also said that the FBI received evidence in January and February 2017 that Russian intelligence operatives fed disinformation to dossier author Christopher Steele .
The Justice Department deemed the final two FISA orders — including the one signed by Rosenstein — to be invalid because of the FBI ’ s omissions .
Rosenstein fought the White House and Republicans in Congress over the release of documents regarding the FISA applications and the Steele dossier .
Rosenstein is likely to face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special counsel and overseeing the probe .
He is also likely to be asked about claims from former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe that he offered to wear a wire during meetings with President Donald Trump .
Rosenstein said in a statement that he is “ grateful ” to be invited to testify before the Senate panel “ about information that had come to light concerning the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act process and the FBI ’ s counterintelligence decision-making.
” He added that “ even the best law enforcement officers make mistakes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”


freedomdaily--2020-05-27--How Europe’s CHEOPS satellite will improve the hunt for exoplanets

While the planet has been on lockdown the last two months , a new space telescope called CHEOPS opened its eyes , took its first pictures of the heavens and is now open for business .
The CHEOPS mission adds a unique twist in the science that the public normally associates with planet discovery missions like Kepler and TESS .
Kepler and TESS produced many groundbreaking discoveries and brought the number of known exoplanets into the thousands – so many that we ’ ve only scratched the surface of what we can learn from them .
Consequently , rather than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ objective of CHEOPS is to better understand the planets that we ’ ve already found .
I have been in the exoplanet field for the better part of two decades .
For most of that time I had the good fortune to work on NASA ’ s Kepler mission .
Among Kepler ’ s major discoveries is the baffling array of planets that it found .
Two prime examples are the thousands of planets whose sizes fall in the gap between Earth and Neptune .
Kepler also found planets with orbits that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these planets has counterparts in the solar system .
What these planets are like , how they form and how they arrived at their current state are matters of ongoing research .
To better understand these planets , we need to have better measurements of their properties – their sizes , masses , composition and atmospheres .
Astronomers will turn to CHEOPS to fill these gaps in our knowledge .
A joint Swiss-ESA mission , CHEOPS , the “ Characterizing Exoplanet Satellite , ” will make key measurements of the size and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orbit distant stars .
CHEOPS launched in December of 2019 from the northern coast of South America , hitching a ride as a secondary passenger on a big Soyuz rocket .
The challenge with most of the planets discovered by the Kepler mission is that they orbit faint stars , making them difficult to observe with any telescope other than Kepler itself ( which has finished its work and is no longer operating ) .
CHEOPS , on the other hand , will observe planets orbiting bright stars that haven ’ t been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided by Kepler , and that CHEOPS is now able to provide .
These planets are more amenable to the wide variety of complementary observations from instruments on other telescopes – giving new insights into the nature of these recently discovered planets .
CHEOPS was placed in a “ Sun-synchronous ” orbit where it stays constantly above the Earth ’ s terminator – the line on the Earth that separates day from night .
The satellite observes planets as they transit in front of their host stars using a 32-centimeter mirror .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but since it will observe brighter stars , it can achieve a precision similar to Kepler – a fact demonstrated during its commissioning stage .
And instead of continuously ( and simultaneously ) observing a hundred thousand stars in order to discover new planets , CHEOPS looks at individual targets when and where the planet is known to be there .
For the brightest Sun-like stars , CHEOPS can measure the sizes of planets as small as the Earth by seeing the fraction of the starlight that is blocked by the planet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ star .
The improved measurements of planet sizes allow scientists to determine a planet ’ s density , giving insights into its composition and interior structure .
They also establish the key relationship between planetary sizes and their masses , which tells us more about the traits shared by planets across many systems .
In addition to planet sizes , CHEOPS can measure a planet ’ s “ phase curve , ” the variation in brightness due to the changing profile of the planet as it orbits its host star ( like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The phase curve tells us how much light is reflected by the planet and , therefore , some of the properties of its surface , atmosphere and clouds .
This information , in turn , can tell us more about the conditions that might exist under the cloud tops and at a planet ’ s surface .
Finally , since CHEOPS targets are bright , they are good candidates for detailed observations of their atmospheres using large ground-based and space-based telescopes ( like the Extremely Large Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the properties of planets orbiting other stars , astronomers can better understand the nature of the planets in our own solar system .
We will better see how our planetary siblings fit into the broader context of planets in the galaxy and how our formation and history is similar to , or different from , these alien worlds .
[ You ’ re smart and curious about the world .
So are The Conversation ’ s authors and editors .
You can get our highlights each weekend . ]
Jason Steffen receives funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .


freedomdaily--2020-05-27--CBP Field Operations Seizes Over $2 Million Worth of Methamphetamine at Hidalgo International Bridge

—U.S .
Customs and Border Protection , Office of Field Operations ( OFO ) at the Hidalgo International Bridge arrested a woman from Houston , Texas after discovering $ 2,446,000 worth of alleged methamphetamine concealed within the vehicle she was driving .
“ This was an excellent discovery of hard narcotics , amid the travel restrictions we are currently operating under , ” said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez , Port of Hidalgo/Pharr/ Anzalduas .
“ This exemplifies OFO ’ s commitment and continued resolve to prevent drugs from crossing our borders.
” On May 23 , a CBP officer at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1999 Ford F150 pickup driven by a 20-year-old woman and referred her for further inspection .
The secondary inspection , which included utilizing non-intrusive imaging equipment ( NII ) , resulted in officers discovering 122.3 pounds ( 55.48 kg ) of alleged methamphetamine hidden within the truck ’ s gas tank .
CBP OFO seized the narcotics , the truck , and arrested the woman from Houston , ultimately turning her over to the custody of agents with Homeland Security Investigations who continue with the investigation .
CBP Field Operations Seizes Over $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ International Bridge is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news , current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News , Political Cartoons and more .


freedomdaily--2020-05-27--Grenell Declassifies Document Said To Be ‘Very Significant’ To Origins Of Russia Probe

As one of his last acts in office , Richard Grenell , the outgoing director of national intelligence , declassified a batch of Trump-Russia documents , including one that a senior U.S. intelligence official said is “ very significant ” to the origins of the Russia probe .
Grenell also declassified transcripts of phone calls between Michael Flynn and Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak , Fox News reported Tuesday .
A senior U.S. intelligence official confirmed the Fox News report to The Daily Caller News Foundation .
Grenell left office on Tuesday after swearing in his replacement , former Texas Rep. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when to release the documents that Grenell declassified .
The official told Fox News that the document related to the origins of the Russia probe is “ very significant in understanding how intelligence was manipulated to support launching the Russia investigation.
” Grenell released a slew of documents related to the Russia investigation during his short tenure as the temporary chief of national intelligence .
President Donald Trump called Grenell a “ superstar ” on Sunday for declassifying the records .
Grenell declassified footnotes from the Justice Department inspector general ’ s report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI had evidence of Russian disinformation in the Steele dossier .
He also finalized a review of 53 transcripts from the House Intelligence Committee ’ s investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia .
The transcripts showed that Obama administration officials saw no evidence of collusion while they still worked in government .
On May 8 , Grenell declassified a list of Obama administration officials who requested the unmasking of Flynn in intelligence reports .
He also declassified an email that former national security adviser Susan Rice sent herself on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jan. 5 , 2017 , meeting in the Oval Office where Flynn was discussed .
Grenell said on Friday that he was conducting a declassification review of transcripts of Flynn ’ s calls with Kislyak , which occurred on Dec. 29 , 2016 .
Flynn pleaded guilty in the special counsel ’ s probe on Dec. 1 , 2017 , to making false statements to the FBI regarding his contacts with Kislyak .
The Justice Department filed a motion to drop those charges on May 7 , citing FBI documents discovered during an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Attorney General William Barr ordered the review after Flynn filed a motion on Jan. 29 retracting his claim to have lied to the FBI .
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined comment on Tuesday when asked about the declassification and whether Ratcliffe plans to release the documents .


freedomdaily--2020-05-27--Trump Urges House Republicans To Vote Against Spy Tool Used Against Campaign

President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged House Republicans to vote against reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act , the surveillance tool that the FBI used to wiretap former Trump campaign aide Carter Page .
“ I hope all Republican House Members vote NO on FISA until such time as our Country is able to determine how and why the greatest political , criminal , and subversive scandal in USA history took place !
” Trump wrote on Twitter .
Trump ’ s advice could potentially throw a kink in plans to reauthorize the surveillance law .
The House passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bipartisan vote — 278 to 136 — with 126 Republicans supporting the measure .
Attorney General William Barr voiced support for the House version , and urged its passage in the Senate .
The Senate passed its own version of a reauthorization bill on May 14 .
Because of differences in language in the bills , the House will vote on the Senate ’ s measure sometime this week before it can be sent to Trump ’ s desk .
Trump ’ s tweet comes after a series of revelations about the FBI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which involved surveillance both through FISA and the use of confidential sources .
The FBI during the Obama administration also reportedly relied on the FISA process to snoop on a phone call in late-December 2016 between then-Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak and incoming national security adviser Michael Flynn .
The Justice Department ’ s inspector general has uncovered a pattern of errors in FBI applications for FISA orders , both against Page and other targets of surveillance .
An IG report on the FBI ’ s investigation of the Trump campaign said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and omissions in applications for FISA orders on Page .
FBI agents failed to disclose exculpatory information that undermined the theory that Page was working as an agent of Russia .
They also failed to tell the FISA Court about problems with the Steele dossier , which the FBI cited extensively to support the claim of probable cause that Page was a spy .
The Justice Department deemed two of the four FISA orders against Page to be invalid because of the FBI errors .
The FBI ’ s errors were not limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the IG .
An audit of 29 FISA applications found errors in all of them , the IG said in a report released March 31 .
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freedomdaily--2020-05-27--NYC pharmacist charged with hoarding and price gouging of N95 masks

NEW YORK—A New York City pharmacist was charged Tuesday following an investigation by ICE ’ s Homeland Security Investigations ( HSI ) New York ’ s Dark Web & Cryptocurrency Task Force , with assistance from the U.S .
Postal Inspection Service ( USPIS ) , and the Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA ) .
Richard Schirripa , a/k/a “ the Mask Man , ” a licensed pharmacist , was charged with violating the Defense Production Act by hoarding and price gouging scarce N95 masks , making two false statements to law enforcement , committing healthcare fraud and committing aggravated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when our nation is battling the COVID-19 pandemic and we expect that our healthcare professionals are standing in solidarity with us , the defendant , Richard Schirripa , a licensed pharmacist , allegedly sought to capitalize and profit from the suffering of others .
As the pandemic was starting to take shape in March and April of 2020 , Schirripa allegedly began hoarding desperately needed personal protection equipment ( PPE ) .
As demand for the PPE was peaking , he then purportedly took the opportunity to sell the hoarded PPE at prices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acquisition costs , ” said Peter C. Fitzhugh , special agent in charge of HSI New York .
“ HSI , along with law enforcement partners , and the United States Attorney ’ s Office , Southern District of New York , will tirelessly pursue those in our society who choose to put their personal greed and gain ahead of the laws of the United States and our fellow citizens.
” According to the allegations in the complaint , Schirripa engaged in at least three different criminal schemes : ( 1 ) hoarding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks in late March and April 2020 , in violation of the Defense Production Act ( DPA ) ; ( 2 ) lying to officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA ) on two occasions in early 2020 ; and ( 3 ) causing Medicare and Medicaid to be billed for prescriptions based on false representations , from 2014 to 2019 , as well as the unauthorized use of his pharmacy patients ’ identifying information in connection with his health care fraud scheme .
“ As alleged , Richard Schirripa exploited an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He allegedly spent over $ 200,000 accumulating N95 masks and then sold masks at inflated prices , charging customers up to 50 % more than he had paid to acquire those N95 masks .
As alleged , during a sale to an undercover officer , Schirripa said , ‘ I feel like a drug dealer.
’ He also allegedly committed several additional , unrelated crimes , including lying to law enforcement , defrauding Medicare and Medicaid , and exploiting the personal information of his pharmacy ’ s customers to fill prescriptions , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As for the first scheme , from at least late March to April 2020 , during the COVID-19 global pandemic , Schirripa engaged in hoarding and price gouging of thousands of 3M N95 masks .
In early 2020 , Schirripa purchased at least approximately $ 200,000 worth of N95 masks .
On March 25 , 2020 , the DPA was invoked , making it a crime to engage in hoarding or price gouging of specified equipment , including the types of masks Schirripa had .
Schirripa admitted to law enforcement that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions on price gouging and hoarding .
Nevertheless , in the two weeks after March 25 , 2020 , Schirripa charged his customers inflated prices in connection with at least approximately 50 sales , through which he charged them at least approximately $ 50,000 .
For instance , Schirripa charged up to $ 25 per mask for a mask which should have cost an end-user only approximately $ 1.27 , according to 3M , the manufacturer .
Schirripa ’ s markup was up to 50 % , compared to his acquisition cost .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ included funeral homes and doctors .
Agents recovered approximately 6,660 masks from Schirripa .
“ As alleged , Mr. Schirripa chose to amass a stockpile of PPE , specifically N95 masks , which were desperately needed for the safety of frontline workers .
He then allegedly used this crisis to jack up the price of this equipment .
Thankfully , the ‘ mask man ’ has been unmasked by law enforcement and brought to justice for his alleged greedy crimes , ” said USPIS Inspector in Charge Philip R. Bartlett .
Schirripa made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recorded call with an undercover agent ( UC ) , Schirripa said , “ We ’ re in a time of emergency and shortage , ” but added , “ when you have something no one else has , it ’ s not a high price.
” In a text message dated April 2 , 2020 , Schirripa bragged to a potential customer that he “ saw it coming ” and the “ good thing is no one has them.
” Schirripa repeatedly sold masks out of his car , including to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schirripa told the UC , “ I feel like a drug dealer standing out here.
” “ There is no place in our city for a licensed pharmacist to allegedly victimize New Yorkers , especially at a time when people ’ s priority is their health and safety .
I applaud our law enforcement partners for their collaborative efforts throughout this investigation , ” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Raymond Donovan .
Second , in both January and February 2020 , Schirripa made material false statements to the DEA .
On each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the recent closure of his pharmacy in New York , New York , he had transferred to others , sold , or destroyed all controlled substances .
In fact , Schirripa remained in possession of thousands of controlled substance pills/patches , including fentanyl , oxycodone , and oxymorphone .
These substances were all recovered from a safe in Schirripa ’ s home .
When agents executed a search warrant at Schirripa ’ s home in April 2020 , Schirripa acknowledged that these controlled substances were from his pharmacy and he needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4,000 pills/patches , in total .
Third , Schirripa caused Medicare and Medicaid to be billed for these controlled substance prescriptions , and he falsely represented that these prescriptions were for patients of his pharmacy .
In fact , these prescriptions were not for patients of his pharmacy , and Schirripa himself possessed those prescriptions at his home on Long Island .
In connection with this scheme , Schirripa used the personal identifying information of his pharmacy ’ s patients , without their authorization .
Schirripa , 66 , of Fort Salonga , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ count of violating the DPA , which carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison ; two counts of making false statements , each of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison ; one count of healthcare fraud , which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison ; and one count of aggravated identity theft , which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison , which must run consecutively to any other sentence of imprisonment .


freedomdaily--2020-05-27--Half the matter in the universe was missing – we found it hiding in the cosmos

In the late 1990s , cosmologist made a prediction about much ordinary matter there should be in the universe .
About 5 % , they estimated , should be regular stuff with rest a mixture of dark matter and dark energy .
But when cosmologists counted up everything they could see or measure at the time , they came up short .
By a lot .
The sum of all the ordinary matter that cosmologists measured only added up to about half of the 5 % what was supposed to be in the universe .
This is known as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 20 years , cosmologists like us looked hard for this matter without success .
It took the discovery of a new celestial phenomenon and entirely new telescope technology , but earlier this year , our team finally found the missing matter .
Baryon is a classification for types of particles – sort of an umbrella term – that encompasses protons and neutrons , the building blocks of all the ordinary matter in the universe .
Everything on the periodic table and pretty much anything that you think of as “ stuff ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late 1970s , cosmologists have suspected that dark matter – an as of yet unknown type of matter that must exist to explain the gravitational patterns in space – makes up most of the matter of the universe with the rest being baryonic matter , but they didn ’ t know the exact ratios .
In 1997 , three scientists from the University of California , San Diego , used the ratio of heavy hydrogen nuclei – hydrogen with an extra neutron – to normal hydrogen to estimate that baryons should make up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the universe .
Yet while the ink was still drying on the publication , another trio of cosmologists raised a bright red flag .
They reported that a direct measure of baryons in our present universe – determined through a census of stars , galaxies , and the gas within and around them – added up to only half of the predicted 5 % .
This sparked the missing baryon problem .
Provided the law of nature held that matter can be neither created nor destroyed , there were two possible explanations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exist and the math was wrong , or , the matter was out there hiding somewhere .
Astronomers across the globe took up the search and the first clue came a year later from theoretical cosmologists .
Their computer simulations predicted that the majority of the missing matter was hiding in a low-density , million-degree hot plasma that permeated the universe .
This was termed the “ warm-hot intergalactic medium ” and nicknamed “ the WHIM.
” The WHIM , if it existed , would solve the missing baryon problem but at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its existence .
In 2001 , another piece of evidence in favor of the WHIM emerged .
A second team confirmed the initial prediction of baryons making up 5 % of the universe by looking at tiny temperature fluctuations in the universe ’ s cosmic microwave background – essentially the leftover radiation from the Big Bang .
With two separate confirmations of this number , the math had to be right and the WHIM seemed to be the answer .
Now cosmologists just had to find this invisible plasma .
Over the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teams of cosmologists and astronomers have brought nearly all of the Earth ’ s greatest observatories to the hunt .
There were some false alarms and tentative detections of warm-hot gas , but one of our teams eventually linked those to gas around galaxies .
If the WHIM existed , it was too faint and diffuse to detect .
In 2007 , an entirely unanticipated opportunity appeared .
Duncan Lorimer , an astronomer at the University of West Virginia , reported the serendipitous discovery of a cosmological phenomenon known as a fast radio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extremely brief , highly energetic pulses of radio emissions .
Cosmologists and astronomers still don ’ t know what creates them , but they seem to come from galaxies far , far away .
As these bursts of radiation traverse the universe and pass through gasses and the theorized WHIM , they undergo something called dispersion .
The initial mysterious cause of these FRBs lasts for less a thousandth of a second and all the wavelengths start out in a tight clump .
If someone was lucky enough – or unlucky enough – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FRB was produced , all the wavelengths would hit them simultaneously .
But when radio waves pass through matter , they are briefly slowed down .
The longer the wavelength , the more a radio wave “ feels ” the matter .
Think of it like wind resistance .
A bigger car feels more wind resistance than a smaller car .
The “ wind resistance ” effect on radio waves is incredibly small , but space is big .
By the time an FRB has traveled millions or billions of light-years to reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wavelengths so much that they arrive nearly a second later than the shorter wavelengths .
Therein lay the potential of FRBs to weigh the universe ’ s baryons , an opportunity we recognized on the spot .
By measuring the spread of different wavelengths within one FRB , we could calculate exactly how much matter – how many baryons – the radio waves passed through on their way to Earth .
At this point we were so close , but there was one final piece of information we needed .
To precisely measure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know where in the sky an FRB came from .
If we knew the source galaxy , we would know how far the radio waves traveled .
With that and the amount of dispersion they experienced , perhaps we could calculate how much matter they passed through on the way to Earth ?
Unfortunately , the telescopes in 2007 weren ’ t good enough to pinpoint exactly which galaxy – and therefore how far away – an FRB came from .
We knew what information would allow us to solve the problem , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technology to develop enough to give us that data .
It was 11 years until we were able to place – or localize – our first FRB .
In August 2018 , our collaborative project called CRAFT began using the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder ( ASKAP ) radio telescope in the outback of Western Australia to look for FRBs .
This new telescope can watch huge portions of the sky , about 60 times the size of a full Moon , and it can simultaneously detect FRBs and pinpoint where in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its first FRB one month later .
Once we knew the precise part of the sky the radio waves came from , we quickly used the Keck telescope in Hawaii to identify which galaxy the FRB came from and how far away that galaxy was .
The first FRB we detected came from a galaxy named DES J214425.25–405400.81 that is about 4 billion light-years away from Earth , in case you were wondering .
The technology and technique worked .
We had measured the dispersion from an FRB and knew where it came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few more of them in order to attain a statistically significant count of the baryons .
So we waited and hoped space would send us some more FRBs .
By mid-July 2019 , we had detected five more events – enough to perform the first search for the missing matter .
Using the dispersion measures of these six FRBs , we were able to make a rough calculation how much matter the radio waves passed through before reaching earth .
We were overcome by both amazement and reassurance the moment we saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predicted by the 5 % estimate .
We had detected the missing baryons in full , solving this cosmological riddle and putting to rest two decades of searching .
This result , however , is only the first step .
We were able to estimate the amount of baryons , but with only six data points , we can ’ t yet build a comprehensive map of the missing baryons .
We have proof the WHIM likely exists and have confirmed how much there is , but we don ’ t know exactly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believed to be part of a vast filamentary network of gas that connects galaxies termed “ the cosmic web , ” but with about 100 fast radio bursts cosmologists could start building an accurate map of this web .
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freedomdaily--2020-05-27--How leadership in various countries has affected COVID-19 response effectiveness

COVID-19 has put political leaders and health care systems worldwide to the test .
Although lockdowns are the common approach , some countries have opted for less stringent measures .
As scientists and public policy experts , we have spent years analyzing how countries prepare and respond to pandemics .
We believe this is certain : The policy and communication choices that national leaders make has a measurable impact on the effectiveness of pandemic response .
In particular , Germany and New Zealand have handled the crisis effectively .
Both countries have not wavered from a science-based approach and strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first cases on Jan. 27 .
At the time , the country ’ s health minister considered COVID-19 a low threat ; still , Charité University Hospital in Berlin began developing a test .
Within a month , new test kits were available – and Germany ’ s labs had already stocked up .
By mid-March , the country had closed schools and retail businesses .
Testing was swiftly rolled out , and within approximately two weeks , Germany was processing more than 100,000 tests per week .
Around this same time period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5,000 people and did not reach numbers similar to Germany until several weeks later .
Chancellor Angela Merkel led Germany ’ s coordinated response , which included social distancing policies along with the early and wide-scale testing .
Not everything went smoothly .
In many instances , lower-level health services still had autonomy ; this led to a degree of discontinuity in policy implementation across states .
Yet most Germans voluntarily adhered to the policies set forth by the national government .
Now Germany is moving to lift restrictions .
New Zealand , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responded with a slogan : “ We must go hard and we must go early.
” In mid-February , travelers from China were banned .
On March 23 – a month after its first case – New Zealand committed to a total elimination strategy and implemented a strict national lockdown despite having only 102 COVID-19 cases and no recorded deaths .
Schools were closed .
So were nonessential businesses .
Social gatherings were banned .
A 14-day self-isolation period was required for anyone entering the country , with a few Pacific Island exceptions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 million , New Zealand has already tested more than 175,000 potentially infected people – approximately 4 % of its population .
It is now expanding the program .
Like Germany , the country has emphasized science , leadership and consistent messaging .
Prime Minister Ardern builds public trust through regular appearances on social media , including posts aimed at children .
As of May 9 , the country had fewer than 1,500 confirmed cases and 20 deaths from COVID-19 .
Brazil and Nicaragua have taken a decidedly different approach .
Leaders of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” policy – in some cases , even discouraging citizens from following public health measures taken in other countries .
On Feb. 25 , Brazil recorded its first case .
Since then , the country has reported more than 300,000 cases and 20,000 deaths – the third largest outbreak in the world , behind only the U.S. and Russia .
Over these months , President Jair Bolsonaro has said the virus is not a threat , calling it a “ little flu.
” He has also encouraged defiance of social distancing measures put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many advantages over its neighbors for an effective pandemic response : universal health coverage , a large community-based primary care delivery system , and experience responding to the Zika health crisis in 2015 .
But the lack of leadership from Bolsonaro have led some to label him as the “ biggest threat ” to the country ’ s ability to fight the SARS-CoV-2 .
His continued attacks on scientists , universities and experts , along with the lack of organized federal response , have disrupted efforts to control the pandemic .
An Imperial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the highest rate of transmission of the 48 countries examined .
Nicaragua has also failed to acknowledge the dangers of this virus .
President Daniel Ortega , an authoritarian leader who has remained in office despite term limits and sustained popular protests demanding his resignation , is resisting travel restrictions while encouraging schools and businesses to stay open .
He discourages the use of masks , even by health care workers .
With his wife and vice president , Rosario Murillo , Ortega has suggested that citizens attend church and go to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parade called “ Love Against COVID-19 ” on March 14 .
The ruling couple , however , are noticeably absent for many of these activities , at which social distancing is impossible .
In a country of more than 6 million , Nicaragua reported 25 confirmed cases and eight deaths from COVID-19 as of May 15 .
But many experts suspect the true number of infections is much higher , both because of minimal testing – the government only allows 50 tests per day – and because many COVID-19 deaths are classified as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pneumonia deaths in Nicaragua have reportedly been increasing .
But there is little government transparency in Nicaragua , so the data is difficult to confirm .
Lessons for the US Reliance on science and centralized messaging help countries move faster to safely lift restrictions .
Confusing and mixed messages , coupled with distrust of scientific experts , lets the virus spread .
In the U.S. , messaging is confusing and decentralized and defers to state governments for the majority of policy development .
This decentralization has led to vastly different actions by governors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continued to increase , while Washington and Oregon extend lockdowns well into the summer .
A coordinated , science-driven , national-level strategy is vital to an effective response .
But at the moment , the U.S. federal government has communicated more like Brazil and Nicaragua , rather than Germany and New Zealand .
The examples we highlight here are a warning to all of us .
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The authors do not work for , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-05-27--Lyme disease symptoms could be mistaken for COVID-19, with serious consequences

Summer is field season for ecologists like me , a time when my colleagues , students and I go out into fields and woods in search of ticks to study the patterns and processes that allow disease-causing microbes – primarily bacteria and viruses – to spread among wildlife and humans .
That field work means we ’ re also at risk of getting the very diseases we study .
I always remind my crew members to pay close attention to their health .
If they get a fever or any other signs of sickness , they should seek medical treatment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may have been exposed to ticks .
When summer flu-like illnesses develop in anyone who spends time outdoors in areas where ticks are common , tick-transmitted diseases like Lyme disease should be considered a likely culprit .
This summer , however , the global emergence of the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 is presenting a whole new set of challenges for diagnosing Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses .
Lyme disease shares a number of symptoms with COVID-19 , including fever , achiness and chills .
Anyone who mistakes Lyme disease for COVID-19 could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that can lead to severe , potentially debilitating symptoms .
As we move from spring into summer , and into the peak period of tick activity in much of the Northern Hemisphere , time spent outdoors will increase , as will risk of tick-transmitted disease .
In some cases , there are key symptoms of a tick-transmitted disease that can help with diagnosis .
For example , early Lyme disease , which is caused by the bite of an infected black-legged tick , sometimes called the deer tick , is commonly associated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Seventy percent to 80 % of patients have this symptom .
However , other symptoms of Lyme disease – fever , head and body aches and fatigue – are less distinctive and can be easily confused with other illnesses , including COVID-19 .
This can make it more difficult to diagnose a patient who did not notice a rash or was unaware that they ever had a tick bite .
As a result , Lyme disease cases can be misdiagnosed .
Nationally , Lyme disease may be undercounted to the point that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the CDC .
If Lyme disease is identified and treated quickly , two to four weeks of antibiotics can usually knock out Borrelia burgdorferi , the species of spirochete bacteria that causes it .
But delays in the treatment of Lyme disease can lead to more severe and persistent symptoms .
If Lyme disease goes untreated , neurological and cognitive problems and potentially fatal heart problems can develop , and painful arthritis that is much more difficult to treat can set in .
Lyme disease is most common in the Northeast and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not mean that people in areas without Lyme disease are free from worry about tick-transmitted disease .
Ticks throughout North America can spread a wide range of diseases , many of which also present with flu-like symptoms , leading to the potential for misdiagnosis , especially when these diseases are not especially common in the general population .
Spotted fevers are another group of tick-transmitted diseases .
The most severe of these is Rocky Mountain spotted fever , which can be fatal .
Spotted fevers , as the name suggests , are typically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rash may not show until after fever and other flu-like symptoms , creating the same risk of being mistaken for COVID-19 .
Like Lyme disease , spotted fevers can be treated with anitibiotics , and early treatment can head off more severe infections , so quick , accurate diagnosis is critical .
Recent reports from across the nation and around the globe suggest that wildlife have become more bold this spring , wandering into suburbs and cities where human and vehicle traffic are reduced because of COVID-19 .
Whether this phenomenon is being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is simply an artifact of humans spending more time in their homes and becoming more aware of their surroundings is not clear , but changes in wildlife behavior and habitat use could affect tick-transmitted disease .
For example , white-tailed deer are important hosts to multiple human-biting tick species in eastern North America , including black-legged ticks , and more deer around our homes and in our neighborhoods could lead to more ticks that have a chance to bite humans .
Ticks do not move very far by themselves – perhaps about a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but can be dispersed dozens of miles or more while hitching a ride on a highly mobile host like a deer , coyote or bird .
Thus , the wildlife we observe exploring our neighborhoods while we are encouraged to stay at home may be leaving behind ticks that are carrying pathogens , or that could acquire infection from the more common wildlife already near our homes .
Awareness is a key component of preventing and treating tick-borne disease .
People should be aware of the activities that could expose them to ticks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of tick-borne disease , especially given the potential overlap in symptoms with COVID-19 .
As with COVID-19 , mitigation efforts can substantially reduce the risk of tick-borne diseases .
Wear long sleeves and long pants and use an EPA-registered repellent when you are in tick habitat , and check yourself thoroughly for ticks when you get home .
It is important to be aware of ticks when spending time outside , but fear of ticks should not stop people from enjoying nature .
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Jory Brinkerhoff receives funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Institutes of Health and has previously been funded by the Jeffress Memorial Trust and the Fulbright Scholar Program .


freedomdaily--2020-05-28--California DA Launches Investigation Into Whether Tara Reade Lied While Testifying As Expert

A California district attorney ’ s office is investigating whether 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden ’ s accuser Tara Read lied while acting as a witness .
Reade testified for many years in domestic violence cases as an expert for the Monterey County District Attorney ’ s office , Politico reports .
Media coverage of Reade ’ s academic credentials has thrown her years testifying as an expert under the spotlight , prompting concerns that Reade lied about her credentials in order to qualify as an expert .
“ We are investigating whether Ms. McCabe gave false testimony under oath @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County chief assistant district attorney , told POLITICO Tuesday .
Brannon added that their office does not know how many cases Reade acted as a witness in .
“ We have no database or search engine to use to determine in how many cases she testified , ” Brannon said .
“ However , that effort is ongoing.
” Reade did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Six cases in which Reade testified are being reviewed by the Sixth District Appellate Program , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Executive Director Patrick Murray told Politico for a story published Thursday .
“ I have at least six cases where she testified and I have lists pending from various attorney groups where she testified as a violence expert .
I expect that list will expand significantly , ” Murray told Politico .
“ We ’ re trying to get the lists together .
We ’ re aware of Ms. Reade , we ’ re in the mode of trying to review the transcripts to see if she misrepresented herself in court.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she testified as an expert .
Last week I was also informed she lied about her credentials .
I didn ’ t connect the dots on the significance of those two things until yesterday when I was contacted by an attorney , ” Murray said .
The Biden accuser ’ s legal representation , Douglas Wigdor of Wigdor LLP , announced Friday that he will no longer be representing Reade ’ s allegations against Biden , but said in a press release that the firm still strongly believes that Reade has been “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the media coverage she has received.
” Reade accused Biden , a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate , of kissing her , touching her and penetrating her with his fingers without her consent when she worked for him as a Senate staffer in 1993 .
Biden and his campaign have denied Reade ’ s allegations repeatedly .
“ Much of what has been written about Ms. Reade is not probative of whether then-Senator Biden sexually assaulted her , but rather is intended to victim-shame and attack her credibility on unrelated and irrelevant matters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
“ We genuinely wish Ms. Reade well and hope that she , as a survivor , is treated fairly .
”


freedomdaily--2020-05-28--AG Barr Appoints Federal Prosecutor To Review Obama Admin ‘Unmasking’ Of Trump Associates

Attorney General William Barr appointed a federal prosecutor to review so-called “ unmasking ” requests that Obama administration officials submitted against Trump associates , a spokeswoman for the Justice Department said Wednesday .
Kerri Kupec , the Justice Department spokeswoman , said on Fox News that Barr appointed John Bash , the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Texas , to conduct the review .
Bash will carry out the probe in coordination with U.S. attorneys John Durham and Jeff Jensen , who are looking into various aspects of the Trump-Russia investigation .
“ The attorney general determined that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reviewed separately as a support to John Durham ’ s investigation , ” Kupec told Fox News ’ Sean Hannity .
On May 13 , Republican senators released a list of 39 Obama-era government officials who submitted requests for intelligence reports during the presidential transition period that identified Flynn , the incoming national security adviser .
The documents showed that former Vice President Joe Biden , former FBI Director James Comey , former CIA Director John Brennan and other officials in the Obama administration submitted requests for information regarding Flynn .
Kupec said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not “ inherently ” wrong , Barr is analyzing whether Obama officials had political motives in submitting requests for reports that identified Flynn .
“ The motivation and the reasoning behind unmasking can be problematic , ” she said .
“ When you are looking at unmasking as part of a broader investigation like John Durham ’ s investigation , looking specifically who was unmasking whom can add a lot to our understanding about motivation and big picture events.
” Kupec said that Bash will be “ looking specifically at episodes both before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frequency , who was unmasking whom , all of the circumstances and events can shed light and give us a better understanding of what happened with respect to President Trump , ” Kupec said .
On May 20 , Sens .
Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson requested records for unmasking requests submitted for any Trump associates from between January 2016 and January 2017 .
The Republicans said in a letter to Richard Grenell , the now-former acting director of national intelligence , that they were “ increasingly concerned ” that the FBI began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officially launched its counterintelligence investigation against Donald Trump ’ s campaign on July 31 , 2016 .


freedomdaily--2020-05-28--NY Gov Andrew Cuomo Uses Cooked Numbers To Defend Record On Nursing Homes

Democratic New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo touted misleading statistics on nursing home deaths Wednesday to defend his approach to nursing homes during the coronavirus pandemic .
Cuomo has faced criticism for a March 25 order requiring nursing homes and other adult care facilities to accept recovering coronavirus patients — an order that the governor took six weeks to undo .
“ In general , you look at how New York did , we ’ re in Washington , you look how New York did on nursing homes vis-a-vis the nation , we did better than 33 States in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Cuomo asserted at Wednesday ’ s press conference .
“ Nursing homes happened to be the place where this virus ravages , despite the fact that we had the greatest number of cases and we were in the eye of the storm .
You look at us vis-a-vis the country , where we did better than 33 other states , then those are just facts , ” Cuomo declared .
But the Cuomo administration has knowingly omitted an unknown number of deaths from its official figures on coronavirus deaths in nursing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May following a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation .
Sometime between April 28 and May 3 , the Cuomo administration quietly changed its criteria for counting coronavirus-related nursing home deaths to omit the deaths of nursing home residents who died outside the physical nursing home , the DCNF ’ s investigation found .
Before the change , New York ’ s tally of nursing home deaths included all deaths of nursing home residents , regardless of whether they died at the nursing home or the hospital .
In other words : A nursing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nursing home and then dies five minutes after arriving at a hospital is not counted in the state ’ s tally of nursing home deaths .
Of the nine states with the largest coronavirus outbreaks at long-term care facilities , New York was the only state to omit the deaths of residents who died at hospitals from its reporting , at the time that the DCNF published its investigation .
The change in New York ’ s method of reporting nursing home deaths came after Cuomo began facing scrutiny for the rising number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s office didn ’ t return a request for comment for this article .
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freedomdaily--2020-05-28--Andrew Cuomo’s Nursing Home Order Deleted From New York Health Department Website

Democratic New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ’ s March 25 order requiring nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to accept recovering coronavirus patients has disappeared from the New York State Department of Health ’ s website .
The webpage for Cuomo ’ s order now says the document is “ not found , ” though it can still be seen on the Internet Archive ’ s Wayback Machine .
It took the governor roughly six weeks to reverse the order , which has been blamed for the high death rate among New York ’ s elderly .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first reported by Fox News on Tuesday , comes as Cuomo has faced increasing levels of criticism for his handling of the coronavirus .
A Cuomo spokesperson told Fox News the order ’ s disappearance was part of a routine website update .
New York knowingly omitted an unknown number of coronavirus deaths in recent reports regarding residents of nursing home and adult care facilities as a result of a quiet rule change , the agency acknowledged earlier this month following a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation .
The state changed the criteria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 28 and May 3 , following several days of scrutiny of the Cuomo nursing home order .
Until at least April 28 , the health department ’ s tally of nursing home deaths included all coronavirus deaths of nursing home and adult care facility residents , regardless of whether the patient died at their long-term care facility or at a hospital .
By May 3 , the department had made a subtle change to its disclosures , according to web archives .
As a result of the change , the state now only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who died while physically present at their facility .
In other words : a nursing home resident , who becomes sick at their nursing home and then dies an hour after arriving at a hospital , isn ’ t counted in the state ’ s tally of nursing home deaths .
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freedomdaily--2020-05-28--How coronavirus contact tracing works in a state Dr. Fauci praised as a model to follow

After weeks of keeping people home to “ flatten the curve , ” restrictions on U.S. businesses are loosening and the coronavirus pandemic response is moving into a new phase .
Two things will be critical to keep COVID-19 cases from flaring up again : widespread testing to quickly identify anyone who gets the virus , and contact tracing to find everyone those individuals might have passed it to .
It ’ s a daunting task , but states are working hard to take the necessary steps to reopen safely .
When Dr. Anthony Fauci , the head of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , explained that task to the U.S. Senate recently , he pointed to South Carolina as a model for the country , one that he would “ almost like to clone.
” So , what is South Carolina getting right ?
Part of it has to do with contact tracing .
Since early March , when South Carolina ’ s first coronavirus case surfaced , investigators have reached out to every person who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the state , and all of the people they came into close contact with .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ farther , they hired 1,800 additional workers who will follow up with those contacts each day for 14 days to make sure they haven ’ t become ill. Fauci ’ s compliment didn ’ t surprise me .
I spent the first nine years of my career as a public health microbiologist in South Carolina at the Department of Health and Environmental Control ’ s State Public Health Laboratory .
South Carolina already had disease reporting requirements in place and the cutting-edge laboratory technology needed for testing .
Together with skilled epidemiologists , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to a pandemic that , nationwide , has now claimed more than 100,000 U.S. lives .
Knowing where to look The first step was scaling up testing – fast .
To find and contain the virus , officials need to know where to look .
South Carolina is poised to conduct 220,000 tests in May and June , close to the total for the previous three months combined , with a goal of testing 2 % of the population .
That ’ s still a low percentage , but it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to test more people .
According to the Safra Center at Harvard University , testing between 2 % and 6 % of the population , coupled with effective contact tracing afterward , will be required to control the pandemic .
Partnering with private entities is an important part of how South Carolina has been able to ramp up testing and process those tests quickly .
Prisma Health , the state ’ s largest health care system , and the Medical University of South Carolina have facilitated a large portion of the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to collect thousands of samples at pop-up testing sites .
These community testing sites are initially focused on providing free screening and testing to underserved and rural communities across the state .
The state is also working with partners across the state to provide testing for every nursing home resident by the end of May .
What happens after the diagnosis is crucial for changing the course of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Once a positive case is identified , testing labs are required by law to report that patient ’ s contact information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigators then interview every person who tests positive for SARS-CoV-2 , as they have been doing since the outbreak began .
These interviews can be lengthy , and they require staff with excellent interpersonal communication skills and training .
The interviewers help patients recall their activities in the previous days and identify people they came in close contact with starting 48 hours before the onset of symptoms .
Sometimes patients can ’ t recall specifics , or know only that they ’ ve been to a certain restaurant or event .
In these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer as the health department tracks down event participants or alerts restaurant patrons that they may have been exposed when visiting during a particular time period .
The investigators also help patients understand what self-isolation means and what they ’ ll need to do to self-isolate for 10 days from the start of their symptoms .
The contacts who are identified during the case interview then go into a work queue for follow-up by contact tracers .
Contact tracers want to reach these contacts before they spread the virus farther .
There isn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms of coronavirus take , on average , five to six days to appear , but they can take as long as 14 days , and a person can be shedding the virus during that time and getting more people sick .
Finding those people quickly and isolating them is critical .
One study found undocumented infections caused about 80 % of China ’ s documented cases .
Following up every day with a ‘ virtual handshake ’ Tracers next alert these contacts that they may have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 and advise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This includes limiting their activities by staying home as much as possible and wearing a mask if they must go out .
Once fully staffed and adequately trained , contact tracers will follow up even more often , performing a “ virtual handshake ” with each identified contact every day for 14 days to ensure that those individuals are monitoring symptoms and taking precautions not to spread the illness .
This could be a phone call or a quick text to check on symptoms .
In the future , contact tracing and follow-up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like those being used in other countries .
South Carolina was one of three states to announce on May 20 that they were partnering with Google and Apple to develop ways to use new smartphone technology designed to quickly notify people when they have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus .
The technology has drawbacks , but it could provide quick notifications if people widely adopt it .
No matter the method , daily communication is key so state health officials know if that person becomes ill during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be arranged and , if positive , the case investigators start the process again with a detailed interview to locate the next ring of contacts .
How many contact tracers are enough ?
Contact tracing is an important piece of the puzzle to reopening the economy without triggering a spike in coronavirus cases and overwhelming the medical system .
The CDC and George Washington University recommend states have 30 tracers for every 100,000 residents .
South Carolina ’ s 1,800 contact tracers meet that target .
These tracers are a combination of newly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff and staff retained through private staffing companies .
Members of the public have also expressed an interested in helping with contact tracing , and may be used if future need arises .
Will this workforce , coupled with an increase in test availability , be robust enough to contain a rebound in cases ?
This answer will depend on the responsiveness of public health authorities and the willingness of the citizens of the state to self-isolate and quarantine .
Swift action by both will be needed to save lives .
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freedomdaily--2020-05-28--Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19: A new review of several studies shows flaws in research and no bene

Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19: A new review of several studies shows flaws in research and no benefit

President Donald Trump revealed on May 18 , 2020 that he was taking hydroxychloroquine to prevent contracting COVID-19 .
News media reports run the gamut from saying hydroxychloroquine is 91 % effective to it being both ineffective and dangerous .
How do people know what to believe ?
Our Health Outcomes , Policy , and Evidence Synthesis ( HOPES ) group at the University of Connecticut has conducted many high profile projects in the past , studying conditions such as cystic fibrosis and asthma .
We published an assessment on May 27 , 2020 , of all of the controlled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world through May 8 , 2020 , in the Annals of Internal Medicine .
Like our other projects , we used search strategies and methods that are sanctioned by international bodies like the Cochrane Group to determine whether hydroxychloroqune was effective and safe .
Based on the media reports you have heard , the results may surprise you .
What did we find ?
We focused our assessment on controlled studies , those that compare the effects of a drug in one group versus those who did not receive therapy in another .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a therapy because without it , the results are meaningless .
If 100 people took hydroxychloroquine and 10 died , it could mean that therapy was great if 20 were going to die without it but horrible if two were going to die .
The first thing we found is that there are no controlled studies assessing the use of hydroxychloroquine to prevent getting COVID-19 .
So there is no evidence one way of the other that you can prevent COVID-19 by taking hydroxychloroquine .
We did find 14 controlled studies that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pre-print where hydroxychloroquine was used to treat people who had COVID-19 and we were able to independently evaluate both the methods and results .
We found that even these studies had serious methodological weaknesses .
None of the studies had placebo control or blinding of patients , clinicians and investigators , as is typical in clinical trials and considered the “ gold standard.
” Some studies had major baseline differences in patient age , gender and severity of disease between the two groups and did nothing to correct for that .
And one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data for some of their patients receiving hydroxychloroquine .
These and other weaknesses reduced our confidence that the results we would find would be believable and not due to these biases .
Many of the studies had a very small number of patients , so there was high risk that differences between studies could be due to chance .
Some of the studies suggested that people receiving hydroxychloroquine were less likely to die , and more likely to clear the virus faster , or improve the look of the lung scans better than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a majority of the studies suggested hydroxychloroquine does not provide any of these benefits and some studies were stopped early because independent ethics boards felt the lack of benefit was not worth the adverse effects that were occurring .
This is exactly the type of dispersion in study results you would expect to see in this poor quality literature base .
The main adverse effect seen so far was something doctors call severe QTc interval prolongation – an EKG finding used to determine arrhythmia risk – which , if excessive and not caught @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrhythmia , which can be fatal .
When we applied recommended methods for determining the strength of evidence , the only conclusion is that the current studies are insufficient to say whether hydroxychloroquine works in COVID-19 .
That means it is impossible for anyone to know whether or not it works given the studies that currently exist .
An observational study came out on May 11 in the Journal of the American Medical Association and another on May 22 in The Lancet .
Both were too late to be included in our systematic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the larger ones with 1,438 patients and was conducted in New York City hospitals .
It found that hydroxychloroquine use , with or without azithromycin , had no mortality benefits at all .
The second multinational study is , by far , the largest , with 96,032 patients , and it did a good job of controlling for differences between groups at baseline .
Use of hydroxychloroquine alone or hydroxychloroquine plus a macrolide like azithromycin increased mortality substantially in this study .
When added to the studies we already reviewed , it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will result from the use of hydroxychloroquine and more likely that a neutral or harmful effect on survival will occur .
If hydroxychloroquine doesn ’ t hasten death , then it could still be useful should it be found to reduce other endpoints of importance , such as duration of illness and decrease in severity of symptoms .
Only future studies will be able to say for sure .
Where do we go from here ?
There is a study with strong research methods currently underway , but it is not coming out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they will find .
People currently prescribing hydroxychloroquine and those taking it should do so with the full knowledge that it is completely experimental for COVID-19 and not without risks .
Cherry picking a few studies that fit your preconceived idea about hydroxychloroquine ’ s benefits or safety and disregarding the rest isn ’ t good science and shouldn ’ t guide health decisions .
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Sign up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michael White does not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-05-28--What would it feel like to touch a cloud?

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages .
If you have a question you ’ d like an expert to answer , send it to curiouskidsus @ theconversation.com .
You might already know how it feels to touch a cloud without realizing it .
If you ’ ve ever been outside on a foggy day , you ’ ve essentially been inside a cloud , just one very close to the ground instead of high in the sky .
Fog and clouds are both made of tiny water droplets – like the ones you can sometimes see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shower .
Clouds form through evaporation and condensation .
Water in lakes , rivers , oceans or puddles evaporates into water vapor as the sun heats it up .
You can evaporate water yourself by boiling it – watch it disappear as vapor .
Water vapor , which is invisible , naturally rises up from the Earth ’ s surface into the atmosphere as warm bubbles , like the bubbles you ’ d see rising in a lava lamp .
The higher it goes , the more it cools , until eventually the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Clouds are made of millions of these tiny liquid water droplets .
The droplets scatter the colors of the sunlight equally , which makes clouds appear white .
Even though they can look like cushy puffballs , a cloud can ’ t support your weight or hold anything up but itself .
The process of evaporation and condensation in the atmosphere is similar to what happens in your bathroom when you take a hot shower : Warm water evaporates and then condenses back into water on the cold mirror .
Water vapor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tiny particles or a surface – like your bathroom mirror – on which to form a drop .
Atmospheric scientists like me call these tiny particles cloud condensation nuclei , or CCN for short .
These CCN are just dirt or dust particles that have been lifted by the wind and are floating around in the atmosphere .
Does that mean that places with a lot of dust and pollution , like cities , have more drops than clean places ?
Researchers have found more tiny droplets and more clouds in areas where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condensation nuclei , while in areas without them fewer clouds are observed , like over the ocean or the Arctic .
As cloud droplets rise in the atmosphere , the air temperature decreases .
The tiny cloud droplets start to freeze when the temperature drops below below 32 degrees Fahrenheit ( 0 degrees Celsius ) .
It ’ s the exact same process as making ice cubes in a freezer .
The frozen droplets are now ice crystals .
They continue to grow in size as water vapor turns into ice and sticks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a gas turning into a solid “ deposition.
” It creates the beautiful branched ice crystals that you find in snowstorms .
Steady updrafts of air keep these very light water droplets or ice crystals floating in the cloud .
So how do they turn into rain and snow and fall to the ground ?
Easy , they join forces .
Larger droplets collect smaller droplets on their way to the ground as raindrops .
Snow grows in a similar way , with the crystals sticking to each other .
Their little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ snowflake .
When water droplets merge with ice crystals , that makes hail .
Rain droplets grow on their way down to the ground , eventually becoming unstable and breaking up .
The largest raindrop that researchers have found was about a third of an inch across .
Some giant snowflakes have been reported to be as big as 6 inches across .
And the biggest piece of hail ?
In 2010 , someone found a hailstone 8 inches in diameter in South Dakota and took a photo – so scientists know it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot more painful to collide with than a wispy cloud of water vapor .
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 .
And since curiosity has no age limit – adults , let us know what you ’ re wondering , too .
We won ’ t be able to answer every question , but we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-05-29--Medicare Chief Says Cuomo Was Wrong When He Blamed Trump for Nursing Home Catastrophe

New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo is wrong to say his state was following the Trump administration ’ s guidance when ordering nursing homes to admit coronavirus patients from hospitals , Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator ( CMS ) Seema Verma said Wednesday .
“ Under no circumstances should a hospital discharge a patient to a nursing home that ’ s not prepared to take care of those patients ’ needs , ” Verma said on Fox News Radio .
“ The federal guidelines are absolutely clear about this.
” The New York State Department of Health ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state can not deny admission to coronavirus patients .
Critics have said the order , which was partially reversed in early May and later removed from the NYSDOH ’ s website , contributed to the massive coronavirus death toll from nursing home patients in the state .
Cuomo has attempted to deflect criticism by arguing that his state ’ s directive was in line with a March 13 order from CMS that stated that nursing homes “ should admit any individuals they normally admit to their facility , including individuals from hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ What New York did was follow what the Republican administration said to do , ” Cuomo said during a press conference Saturday .
“ That ’ s not my attempt to politicize it .
It ’ s my attempt to depoliticize it .
So don ’ t criticize the state for following the president ’ s policy.
” Verma said she disagreed with Cuomo ’ s interpretation of federal guidance , noting that the CMS order also stated that nursing homes should only accept coronavirus-positive patients as long as they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center for Disease Control and Prevention .
“ Yes , the nursing homes will have COVID positive people … if they are prepared to handle the unique needs of that patient , ” Verma said .
“ Anytime you discharge a patent from the hospital it is the responsibility of the hospital to make sure that the patient is safe when they discharge them.
” Cuomo touted misleading statistics about nursing home deaths in his state during a press conference Wednesday .
“ In general , you look at how New York did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you look how New York did on nursing homes vis-a-vis the nation , we did better than 33 states in the nation , per capita on nursing homes , ” Cuomo said .
New York is the only state with a large coronavirus outbreak in nursing homes that only reports deaths of nursing home residents that died while physically present at the home , the Daily Caller News Foundation previously reported .
The state used to report coronavirus deaths for all nursing home residents regardless of whether they died at the facility or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its criteria between April 28 and May 3 , around the time Cuomo began facing scrutiny for the rising fatality rate among nursing home residents in his state .
Cuomo ’ s office did not return a request for comment .