freedomdaily--2020-01-29--Hidden by a pleasant scent: The health consequences of flavor in e-cigarettes

Millions of Americans are vaping , and some are getting sick .
Since June 2019 , 2,711 have been hospitalized and 60 have died due to EVALI ( e-cigarette-associated lung injury ) , the devastating lung disease linked to e-cigarettes .
Five million users are middle and high school students .
Some are as young as 11 , although it ’ s illegal to sell vaping products to anyone under 21 .
Especially for kids , much of the lure is flavor .
E-cigarettes offer attractive smells and tastes .
Fruit , mint , candy and dessert flavors are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the desire to vape .
That ’ s why the Trump administration just banned the sale of those sweet flavors from cartridge-based e-cigs , the delivery method most popular with teens .
One of us ( Weihong ) is a chemosensory neurobiologist , and the other ( Rakaia ) is a research assistant in my lab .
Put simply , we study how the sensory systems and brain react to chemical stimulation .
With e-cigarettes , we are focusing on how the enticing flavors ensnare our children .
But our studies have shown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pleasure they may bring – the flavorings themselves may actually harm tissue .
The tobacco industry has long been using flavorings make their products more palatable ; it added menthol to cigarettes nearly a century ago .
Today , the allure of flavors in e-cigarettes bring potential health consequences , and kids are particularly vulnerable .
E-cigarettes can put adolescents at risk for respiratory , cardiopulmonary diseases , brain disorders and cancers .
About 20,000 flavored e-liquids are on the market – countless combinations of hundreds of flavoring molecules extracted from natural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority are volatile odor chemicals , perceived not by taste , but by smell .
Your olfactory system , with far more sensitivity than your taste buds , can distinguish more than 10,000 smells .
During vaping , a flavoring enters our nose , and like any agreeable scent , immediately evokes the fond memories and pleasant emotions associated with the aroma .
Vanillin , a popular e-cigarette flavoring , smells like dessert ; ethyl maltol , a flavoring used in many foods , has a candy-like odor .
The user , comforted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then goes back for more .
But e-cigarette vapor also contains nicotine , heavy metals and formaldehyde , as pungent as they are harmful .
Mixing in delectable flavorings disguises their unpleasantness , much like the cherry additive that camouflages the otherwise medicinal taste of children ’ s cough syrup .
Yet perceptions of irritation and pain in the nose , mouth , and throat serve as warning signals , the body ’ s cautionary bells and whistles evolved over millions of years .
A bitter taste might originate from a toxic plant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tract indicates the inhaled substance is potentially harmful .
But now that flavorings in e-cigarette mask the warning signals , many consumers have been lulled into believing vaping is benign .
They rate mint flavors as safer , though they are not .
And instead of irritation from the e-cigarette prompting a cough – an action that removes harmful stimuli from the airway – the flavorings instead dampen the user ’ s sensory alarms and protective reactions .
The risk of chemically induced injury , along with nicotine abuse , is increased .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has acknowledged some flavorings as “ safe for consumption , ” its label dodges a critical distinction .
Safe for consumption does not mean safe for inhalation .
While scientists still haven ’ t confirmed the inhalation toxicity for all flavorings , the latest research reveals some disturbing evidence .
Many of the most common flavorings when present at high levels can cause inflammation , cell death , free radical formation and DNA damage .
One class of compounds , known as furfurals , trigger tumor growth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the propylene glycol in the e-liquid , can produce metabolites , or intermediate substances that are part of metabolic reactions , that are irritating to the respiratory system .
Long-term exposure to irritants can lead to chronic cough ; inflammation ; hyper-reactive airway ( wheezing , shortness of breath ) ; edema ( swelling in the arms , hands , legs or feet ) ; and acute lung damage .
Some flavorings , inhaled chronically or at high levels , are already known to cause serious and sometimes deadly respiratory illnesses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ processed foods – notably some popcorn products – causes “ popcorn lung , ” an irreversible disease that affects factory workers exposed daily to the compound .
Many e-liquids contain diacetyl ; an analysis found the substance in 39 out of 51 tested e-cigarette samples .
In about half the samples , the estimated daily consumption was above safety limits .
Patients with EVALI exhibit a significant number of these symptoms , and all were attributed to vaping .
In one survey , users reported cough ( 40.0 % ) ; dry or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) ; dizziness or lightheadedness ( 27.1 % ) ; headache or migraine ( 21.9 % ) ; or shortness of breath ( 18.1 % ) .
Similar health problems have been reported by patients with chemically induced sick building syndrome .
This implies that e-cigarette users share common health problems with those suffering from chemical exposure .
Ongoing chemical exposure , especially at high doses , can cause olfactory dysfunction , including a reduced sense of smell .
This encourages chronic e-cigarette users to choose stronger-flavored e-liquids to receive a sufficient buzz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generate more irritation and damage to the nose , lungs and lower airway .
The health effects of e-cigarette exposure go beyond the sensory and respiratory systems .
Mint and candy flavors are more than chemical accessories that enhance a harmless experience .
They shape our behavior , perhaps for a lifetime .
Our government is making progress towards keeping teens away from e-cigarettes .
Now , long-term research is needed to fully comprehend the adverse health effects and toxicity of flavorings and other chemical substances in the e-cigarette vapor to prevent the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Deep knowledge , daily .
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Rakaia Kenney does not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-01-30--Michael Flynn: ‘I Regret Pleading Guilty’

Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn on Wednesday denied lying to the FBI during a Jan. 24 , 2017 White House meeting , and said that he regrets pleading guilty in the special counsel ’ s probe .
“ I am innocent of this crime , and I request to withdraw my guilty plea , ” Flynn said in a declaration submitted in his case on Wednesday .
Flynn pleaded guilty on Dec. 1 , 2017 to making false statements to the FBI about his phone conversations in December 2016 with then-Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak .
As part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lied about discussing U.S. sanctions with Kislyak .
Flynn reiterated his guilty plea at a sentencing hearing on Dec. 18 , 2018 , but pulled out of that court appearance after Judge Emmet Sullivan indicated he was about to hand down a sentence that included jail time .
Months after the hearing , Flynn fired his lawyers and hired a new legal team that has mounted an aggressive challenge of the government ’ s case .
On Jan. 7 , prosecutors recommended that Flynn receive up to six months in jail in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Jan. 14 by formally requested Flynn be allowed to withdraw from his plea agreement .
In Wednesday ’ s declaration , the first that Flynn himself has submitted in his case , he denied lying to the FBI during the White House meeting , which was set up by then-Deputy Director Andrew McCabe .
“ When FBI agents came to the White House on January 24 , 2017 , I did not lie to them .
I believed I was honest with them to the best of my recollection at the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still don ’ t remember if I discussed sanctions on a phone call with Ambassador Kislyak nor do I remember if we discussed the details of a UN vote on Israel.
” Flynn describes in the declaration that he ultimately pleaded guilty in his case after the special counsel ’ s team began an “ sudden and intense ” pressure campaign in November 2017 to force him to accept a plea deal .
Flynn said that his attorneys at the time told him he could be facing up to 15 years in prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also said that prosecutors were threatening to bring charges against his son , Michael Flynn Jr. , on charges related to their work in 2016 for a Turkish businessman linked to the Turkish government .
“ After I signed the plea , the attorneys returned to the room and confirmed that the [ special counsel ’ s office ] would no longer be pursuing my son , ” Flynn said .
Sullivan , the judge handling Flynn ’ s case , said last week that Flynn will likely have to testify under oath @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from his plea deal .
Flynn ’ s sentencing date is scheduled for Feb. 28 .
In response to the Flynn legal team ’ s filings , prosecutors stood by their recommendation from Jan. 7 that Flynn receive a sentence between zero and six months in jail .
But they slightly revised the recommendation by saying that the government “ does not oppose the imposition of a sentence of probation .
”

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freedomdaily--2020-01-30--Trump Administration Goes After Companies That Enable Robocallers

The Trump administration filed civil actions for temporary restraining orders Wednesday in two landmark cases against five companies and three individuals allegedly responsible for carrying hundreds of millions of fraudulent robocalls to American consumers , the Department of Justice announced .
The Department of Justice alleges that the companies were warned numerous times that they were carrying fraudulent robocalls — including government- and business-imposter calls — and yet continued to carry those calls and facilitate foreign-based fraud schemes targeting Americans .
The calls , most of which originated in India , led to massive financial losses to elderly and vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are an annoyance to many Americans , and those that are fraudulent and predatory are a serious problem , often causing devastating financial harm to the elderly and vulnerable members of our society , ” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt for the Department of Justice ’ s Civil Division .
“ The Department of Justice will pursue to the fullest extent of the law individuals in the United States who knowingly facilitate imposter fraud calls , using both criminal and civil tools where appropriate .
And we look forward to working closely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elsewhere around the world to identify those behind these calls so that we can bring them to justice.
” The two cases announced today contain similar allegations .
The defendants in one case are Ecommerce National LLC d/b/a TollFreeDeals.com ; SIP Retail d/b/a sipretail.com ; and their owner/operators , Nicholas Palumbo , 38 , and Natasha Palumbo , 33 , of Scottsdale , Arizona .
The defendants in the other case include Global Voicecom Inc. , Global Telecommunication Services Inc. , KAT Telecom Inc. , aka IP Dish , and their owner/operator , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Neck , New York .
In each case , the Department of Justice sought an order immediately halting the defendants ’ transmission of unlawful robocall traffic .
A federal court has entered a temporary restraining order against the Global Voicecom defendants .
Americans have experienced a deluge of robocalls over the past several years .
Many of the robocalls originate abroad .
Recently , foreign fraudsters have used robocalls to impersonate government investigators and to provide Americans with alarming messages , such as : the recipient ’ s social security number or other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connected to criminal activity ; the recipient faces imminent arrest ; their assets are being frozen ; their bank and credit accounts have suspect activity ; their benefits are being stopped ; they face imminent deportation ; or combinations of these threats .
Each of these claims is a lie , designed to scare the call recipient into paying large sums of money .
Social Security imposters , IRS imposters , and tech-support schemes ( in which callers impersonate legitimate technology companies ) have proliferated in part because of the ease with which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every hour .
In the cases announced today , the United States alleges that the defendants operated voice over internet protocol ( VoIP ) carriers , which use an internet connection rather than traditional copper phone lines to carry telephone calls .
Numerous foreign-based criminal organizations are alleged to have used the defendants ’ VoIP carrier services to pass fraudulent government- and business-imposter fraud robocalls to American victims .
The complaints filed in the cases specifically allege that defendants served as “ gateway carriers , ” making them the entry point for foreign-initiated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The defendants carried astronomical numbers of robocalls .
For example , the complaint against the owners/operators of Ecommerce National d/b/a TollFreeDeals.com alleges that the defendants carried 720 million calls during a sample 23-day period , and that more than 425 million of those calls lasted less than one second , indicating that they were robocalls .
The complaint further alleges that many of the 720 million calls were fraudulent and used spoofed ( i.e.
, fake ) caller ID numbers .
The calls facilitated by the defendants falsely threatened victims with a variety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of social security benefits , imminent arrest for alleged tax fraud and deportation for supposed failure to fill out immigration forms correctly .
According to allegations in both complaints , the defendants ignored repeated red flags and warnings about the fraudulent and unlawful nature of the calls they were carrying .
“ We are using all available tools and resources to stop foreign call center scammers — and for the first time their U.S.-based enablers — from conning elderly and vulnerable victims in New York and throughout the United States , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals from schemes that result in catastrophic losses to the victims is a priority of this Office and the Department of Justice.
” “ Today ’ s events are the culmination of months of hard work , and a critical step in holding these and other companies accountable for being the link between overseas scammers and their victims , ” said SSA Inspector General Gail S. Ennis .
“ We will continue to pursue those who exploit the U.S. telephone system and allow scammers to deceive consumers using the good name of Social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Justice ’ s Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force and our law enforcement partners for their support throughout this investigation.
” “ Anyone who engages in deceptive practices like imposter fraud should know , regardless of where they are , they will not go undetected and will be held accountable , ” said Chief Inspector Gary Barksdale .
“ We will continue to work alongside the Department of Justice and our other partners to prevent and deter ongoing harm.
” Trial Attorneys Ann Entwistle and Bart Dunn of the Civil Division ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Attorneys Bonni Perlin , Evan Lestelle , and Dara Olds of the U.S. Attorney ’ s Office for the Eastern District of New York represent the United States .
The SSA ’ s Office of Inspector General , the U.S .
Postal Inspection Service , the Office of Inspector General for Tax Administration , U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ’ s Homeland Security Investigation ’ s El Dorado Task Force and U.S. Secret Service provided investigative support .
The Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission provided pertinent data .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegations that , if the case were to proceed to trial , the government must prove to receive a determination of liability .
Since President Trump signed the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act ( EAPPA ) into law , the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors .
In particular , in March 2019 , the department announced the largest elder fraud enforcement action in American history , charging more than 260 defendants in a nationwide elder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conducted hundreds of trainings and outreach sessions across the country since the passage of the Act .


freedomdaily--2020-01-30--What is a super spreader? An infectious disease expert explains

As the emerging Wuhan coronavirus outbreak dominates the daily news , you might be wondering just how the pathogen is working its way around the world .
This virus travels from place to place by infecting one person at a time .
Some sick people might not spread the virus much further , but it looks like some people infected with the novel coronavirus are what epidemiologists call “ super spreaders.
” Elizabeth McGraw , the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics at Pennsylvania State University , explains just what that means and why super spreaders can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Researchers currently estimate that a person carrying the Wuhan coronavirus will , on average , infect approximately 2.6 people .
Recent reports out of Wuhan also cite a case of a single patient who infected 14 health care workers .
That qualifies him as a super spreader : someone who is responsible for infecting an especially large number of other people .
During an emerging outbreak , epidemiologists want to determine whether super spreaders are part of the picture .
Their existence can accelerate the rate of new infections or substantially expand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In response to super spreaders , officials can recommend various ways to limit their impact and slow the spread of disease , depending on how the pathogen is transmitted .
Pathogens transmitted via air droplets , contaminated surfaces , sexual contact , needles , food or drinking water will require different interventions .
For example , the recommendation for face masks would be specific to airborne transmission , while hand-washing and surface sterilization are needed for germs that can live for a while on surfaces .
What are the characteristics of a super @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreader or not will depend on some combination of the pathogen and the patient ’ s biology and their environment or behavior at the given time .
And in a society with so much global connectivity , the ability to move pathogens rapidly across great distances , often before people are even aware they are sick , helps create environments ripe for super spreading .
Some infected individuals might shed more virus into the environment than others because of how their immune system works .
Highly tolerant people do not feel sick and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , inadvertently infecting more people .
Alternatively , people with weaker immune systems that allow very high amounts of virus replication may be very good at transmitting even if they reduce their contacts with others .
Individuals who have more symptoms – for example , coughing or sneezing more – can also be better at spreading the virus to new human hosts .
A person ’ s behaviors , travel patterns and degree of contact with others can also contribute to super spreading .
An infected shopkeeper might come in contact with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day .
An international business traveler may crisscross the globe in a short period of time .
A sick health care worker might come in contact with large numbers of people who are especially susceptible , given the presence of other underlying illnesses .
When have super spreaders played a key role in an outbreak ?
There are a number of historical examples of super spreaders .
The most famous is Typhoid Mary , who in the early 20th century purportedly infected 51 people with typhus through the food she prepared as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carrier of the bacteria , she didn ’ t feel sick , and so was not motivated to use good hand-washing practices .
During the last two decades , super spreaders have started a number of measles outbreaks in the United States .
Sick , unvaccinated individuals visited densely crowded places like schools , hospitals , airplanes and theme parks where they infected many others .
Super spreaders have also played a key role in the outbreaks of other coronaviruses , including SARS ( severe acute respiratory syndrome ) and MERS ( Middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick with SARS and staying in a Hong Kong hotel infected a number of overseas guests who then returned home and introduced the virus into four other countries .
For both SARS and MERS , super spreading commonly occurred in hospitals , with scores of people being infected at a time .
In South Korea in 2015 , one MERS patient infected over 80 other patients , medical personnel and visitors in a crowded emergency department over a three-day period .
In this case , proximity to the original patient was the biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ super spreading occur in all infectious diseases ?
Yes .
Some scientists estimate that in any given outbreak , 20 % of the population is usually responsible for causing over 80 % of all cases of the disease .
Researchers have identified super spreaders in outbreaks of diseases from those caused by bacteria , such as tuberculosis , as well as those caused by viruses , including measles , MERS and Ebola .
The good news is that with the right control practices specific to how pathogens are transmitted – hand-washing , masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – the transmission rate can be slowed and epidemics halted .
[ Deep knowledge , daily .
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Elizabeth McGraw receives funding from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .


freedomdaily--2020-01-30--Is the coronavirus outbreak as bad as SARS or the 2009 influenza pandemic? A biologist explains the

Is the coronavirus outbreak as bad as SARS or the 2009 influenza pandemic? A biologist explains the clues

As the new coronavirus continues to cross international borders , the two key questions on public health officials ’ minds are : ‘ How deadly is it ?
’ and ‘ Can it be contained ?
’ .
The two outbreaks in recent memory that give the most insight into these questions are the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak , which spread from China to 26 other countries but was contained after eight months , and the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic , which originated in Mexico and spread globally despite all containment efforts .
The severity and mortality of a novel emerging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case are calling 2019-nCoV , are very difficult to judge when new data are coming in on a daily basis .
During the 2009 influenza pandemic , the earliest reports listed 59 deaths from approximately 850 suspected cases , which suggested an extremely high case fatality of 7 % .
However , the initially reported information of 850 cases was a gross underestimate .
This was simply due to a much larger number of mild cases that did not report to any health system and were not counted .
After several months – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many countries experiencing an epidemic wave – the 2009 influenza turned out to be much milder than was thought in the initial weeks .
Its case fatality was lower than 0.1 % and in line with other known human influenza viruses .
The case fatality for SARS , during its eight months of circulation , was just under 10 % .
Is the current epidemic more similar in severity and transmissibility to the SARS outbreak or the 2009 flu pandemic ?
I am a professor of biology who studies the evolution and epidemiology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ view , in late January 2020 , we do not yet have enough solid evidence to answer this question .
I am optimistic that the scientific community ’ s sharing ethos and rapid data analytics that we have seen over the past two weeks will soon generate the needed data .
As with the 2009 pandemic , initial reports from Wuhan described small numbers of both deaths and cases .
On January 20 , there were six deaths out of 282 confirmed cases .
By January 28 , there were 106 deaths from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken alone suggest a case fatality rate of around 2 % , very high for a respiratory virus .
But the true number of infected individuals circulating in the population is not known and is likely to be much higher than 4,500 .
There may be 50,000 or 100,000 additional cases in Wuhan that have gone undetected , and , if this is the case , it would put the case fatality of 2019-nCoV infections in the range of 0.1 % to 0.2 % .
During these early stages of the outbreak investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lethality , or deadliness , of this new virus .
So , with all of this uncertainty , how much effort should public health officials put into containment , quarantine and isolation activities ?
Should all airports be implementing temperature screening for incoming passengers ?
There are no easy answers to these questions , as there are only a few historical examples to look back on .
And , none of them is guaranteed to be a template for this year ’ s 2019-nCoV epidemic .
Is this virus silent or deadly ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ like 2019-nCoV can not have its cake and eat it too .
The virus can not be both deadly and undetectable .
To illustrate , we can consider the hypothetical examples of a severe and a non-severe respiratory virus .
With a more severe symptoms profile , a respiratory infection will have more sudden onset , earlier symptoms , a higher chance of severity and death , and it will probably cause patients to report to hospitals at an earlier stage of infection .
An outbreak of a respiratory virus like this will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a less severe symptoms profile , patients may stay in an asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic state for a long time , symptoms appearance may be more gradual than sudden , and progression to hospitalization and death would be rare .
An infection like this is difficult to detect and thus difficult to control , but fortunately it is much less lethal .
A key characteristic to examine in these two disease profiles is whether symptoms appear before transmissibility – i.e .
at a point when patients are not yet able to infect others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For SARS , symptoms usually appeared before transmissibility .
This feature made SARS containable .
For the 2009 H1N1 pandemic , transmissibility appeared about one day before symptoms .
This meant that even the best control measures missed 20 % of transmitting patients , simply because they showed no symptoms .
For the 2019-nCoV epidemic , it appears that individuals can transmit the virus before being symptomatic .
However , at this early stage , this is far from certain .
Can a pathogen like this have its international spread controlled ?
Will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be effective at slowing down the initial outbreak or perhaps containing it entirely ?
To answer this question , we can look at data from containment efforts during the 2009 pandemic .
In 2009 I was working at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh City , where containment efforts relied on a live synthesis of airline passenger data , symptoms data , isolation data , and diagnostics data that were coming in on a daily basis .
Data were assembled in Ho Chi Minh City for the first three months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 760,000 airline passengers arriving from abroad .
About 1,000 incoming travelers were suspected of being influenza-positive .
That ’ s about one passenger for every three incoming flights .
The majority of these virus-positive individuals were isolated at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases and treated .
During the early stages of the pandemic , about 80 % of these patients ’ “ infectious days ” were spent in isolation , effectively cutting the virus ’ s transmission rate by a factor of five .
On the one hand , a containment effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ success .
The virus ’ s entry into the city was slowed down , and an epidemic that seemed imminent in mid-June was held off until late July .
On the other hand , with about 200 influenza-positive cases coming in during the three-month containment effort , there were likely dozens of cases that came in undetected in their “ pre-symptomatic ” stage .
The influenza pandemic was not destined to be locally containable .
At this moment , 2019-nCoV looks to me like its severity and transmission profile is somewhere between SARS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is accurate , airport screening , case isolation , contact tracing and social distancing efforts may be enough in some cities to delay or fend off the arriving stream of new cases .
In the next month or two , we will see how easily newly introduced seed cases are able to establish local epidemics outside the Chinese mainland .
With a little luck some cities may be able to control their outbreaks .
With open scientific collaboration we may learn which containment strategies work best , in preparation for our next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knowledge , daily .
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Maciej Boni receives funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation , the National Institutes of Health , and Pennsylvania State University .
In the past , Maciej Boni has received funding from the Wellcome Trust .


freedomdaily--2020-01-30--How do I know if I might have coronavirus? 5 questions answered

Editor ’ s note : The new coronavirus , 2019 n-CoV , continues to spread in China , and cases are being diagnosed in many other countries , including the U.S .
In some of those countries , including Germany and Vietnam , people who have not visited China have been diagnosed .
With initial symptoms that resemble other diseases , many people are wondering how to know whether to seek medical help .
With the new coronavirus now in the US , am I at risk ?
The biggest risk factors for being infected with the new coronavirus are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other areas of Hubei Province , and close contact with a person who has a suspected or confirmed n-CoV case .
Without those risk factors , the chance for the general American public of catching this virus is low .
However , the outbreak is rapidly changing , and it is unclear how the situation in the U.S. will evolve in upcoming weeks .
What are the symptoms of 2019 n-CoV ?
Most cases of 2019 n-CoV have had fever and signs of pneumonia , like cough or shortness of breath .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breathe on their own and require the use of a ventilator .
A small percentage of people die .
What should I do if I have any of these symptoms ?
If you experience any of these symptoms within 14 days of travel to China , or within 14 days of coming in close contact with an individual infected with the coronavirus , you should immediately call your health care provider .
It is best to call ahead before going to a clinic or emergency room .
Your health care provider will evaluate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s public health department and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
If your travel history and reported symptoms fit with n-CoV infection , you may be tested for the virus .
Right now that test can be performed only at the CDC , so your health care provider would send samples to the CDC for testing .
What else could it be ?
At this time of year many respiratory viruses are circulating in the community , including influenza , RSV , rhinovirus and human coronaviruses , which are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is much more likely that you have one of these viruses than the 2019 n-CoV virus , even if you have traveled to China .
So there are other coronaviruses ?
Yes .
There are four human coronaviruses that circulate each year in the U.S .
They cause 10 % to 30 % of upper respiratory tract illnesses in the U.S. , with mild symptoms akin to the common cold .
Health care labs can test for these coronaviruses – but not for 2019 n-CoV .
Catharine Paules does not work for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-01-30--Harvey Weinstein’s ‘false memory’ defense is not backed by science

Much like the defense of Bill Cosby , media mogul Harvey Weinstein ’ s defense team says they ’ ll bring up “ false memories ” during his trial on multiple charges of sexual assault .
In short , this line of defense argues that survivors remember sexual assaults that did not happen .
As trauma psychologists , our research and experience show that false memory claims are scientifically inaccurate , damaging to survivors and unhelpful to the public .
These assertions not only obscure the truth but also invalidate survivors and keep them from receiving the support they deserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoken up about surviving sexual assault have been met with claims by their perpetrators and others that their minds have failed them .
They stand accused that they made up the abuse or dreamed it , that someone else implanted memories of assaults in them that never actually happened .
Building on this history , Weinstein ’ s defense team has prepared to call witnesses to argue that women who came forward to accuse him suffer from “ the formation of fully false memories for events that never happened.
” This is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or recall , but the unlikely proposition that his accusers somehow developed entire memories of sexual assault that never actually occurred .
The notion of false memories has its roots in the 1990s .
At that time , a robust women ’ s movement had ushered in marches , clothesline projects and legislation to make visible the realities of violence against women and girls .
Survivors of sexual assault began talking more openly about their experiences and advocating for change .
In addition , public allegations of child sexual abuse began to emerge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Catholic Church .
The Violence Against Women Act was passed in 1994 and seemed to signal a new day whence people would start taking women ’ s stories of sexual assault seriously .
However , out of those seeds sparking a public accounting of sexual violence grew a contentious backlash and so-called memory war about the nature of memories for traumatic events , particularly sexual abuse .
The strong , adverse reaction made sense in some ways .
From the public ’ s perspective , enormous numbers of survivors , mostly women , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been abused and harmed .
Revelations that sexual abuse and sexual assault were more common than previously thought would likely have challenged people ’ s assumptions that we live in a just and kind world .
Today we know that one in four girls in the U.S. is sexually abused .
One in five young women is sexually assaulted on campus .
Society ’ s aggressive pushback against these realities stemmed from what we psychologists call an “ institutionalization of disbelief.
” Early in the memory war , claims of false memories tended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) women went years without disclosing their sexual assaults .
Some women may not have remembered the assault for a period of time , while others might not have thought or talked about it for years .
A dangerous set of flawed assumptions arose back then that echo today .
Things like , if sexual assault really happened , the victims would never forget it .
Or , if it was rape , women would have called the police .
Therefore , women who did not fully remember or disclose immediately must have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 1996 , pioneering psychologist Jennifer Freyd introduced the concept of betrayal trauma .
She made plain how forgetting , not thinking about and even mis-remembering an assault may be necessary and adaptive for some survivors .
She argued that the way in which traumatic events , like sexual violence , are processed and remembered depends on how much betrayal there is .
Betrayal happens when the victim depends on the abuser , such as a parent , spouse or boss .
The victim has to adapt day-to-day because they are ( or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One way that victims can survive is by thinking or remembering less about the abuse or telling themselves it wasn ’ t abuse .
Since 1996 , compelling scientific evidence has shown a strong relationship between amnesia and victims ’ dependence on abusers .
Psychologists and other scientists have also learned much about the nature of memory , including memory for traumas like sexual assault .
What gets into memory and later remembered is affected by a host of factors , including characteristics of the person and the situation .
For example , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events .
Dissociation offers a way to escape the inescapable , such that people feel as if they have detached from their bodies or the environment .
It is not surprising to us that dissociation is linked with incomplete memories .
Memory can also be affected by what other people do and say .
For example , researchers recently looked at what happened when they told participants not to think about some words that they had just studied .
Following that instruction , those who had histories of trauma suppressed more memories than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so-called false memories in laboratory studies generally only succeed in getting people to make mistakes about details .
That is , people can be easily tricked into thinking that a word was on a list they studied earlier – even if it wasn ’ t – if they saw similar words .
However , people are quite resistant to believing that whole , implausible events happened when they did not , such as having a childhood enema .
Researchers have also learned that some of people ’ s instincts about memory warrant examination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might worry that alcohol use leads to more memory error or even false memories .
However , a recent meta-analysis of 10 studies with more than 1,000 participants shows otherwise .
More alcohol consumption at the time that participants witnessed an event led to recalling fewer details , but not more memory errors .
People have also worried that memories that were unavailable are inaccurate when later remembered .
However , going days or months or years without recalling information doesn ’ t mean the memories are false when they are finally remembered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence that long-inaccessible memories are accurate .
As the Weinstein trial continues , it is important to remember that claims of false memory are a demeaning and dangerous distraction that have long been used to deny the realities of violence against women .
Science can guide society in general , and a jury in particular , to thoughtfully evaluate survivors ’ – and offenders ’ – descriptions of their memories for sexual assault .
[ Like what you ’ ve read ?
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Sign up for The Conversation ’ s daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received funding from the Department of Justice , National Institutes of Health , State of Colorado , City of Denver , Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab .
She has received honoraria for giving presentations and has been paid as a consultant for some organizations .
She is an Advisory Group Member of the National Crime Victim Law Institute and a Senior Advisor to the Center for Institutional Courage .
Joan M. Cook Ph.D. has served as the principal investigator on seven federally-funded grants , four from the National Institute of Mental Health , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Quality , and two ( one is current ) from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute .


freedomdaily--2020-02-05--Democrats’ Spanish State Of The Union Response Ties Trump To El Paso Mass Shooter

Texas Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar , while delivering the Democratic Party ’ s Spanish-language State of the Union response , tied President Donald Trump to a mass shooting that targeted Hispanic Americans .
After President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address before Congress on Tuesday night — and after Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer gave the Democrats ’ English-language response — Escobar delivered her party ’ s Spanish-language response .
Speaking in a community health clinic in her hometown of El Paso , Escobar largely attacked the administration on health care , gun control , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directly tied a 2019 mass shooting in El Paso , in which the alleged perpetrator targeted Hispanic people , to the president .
“ Just before [ the shooter ] began his killing spree , he published his opinions on the Internet , and he used the same hateful words used by President Trump to describe immigrants and Latinos , ” Escobar said in Spanish .
She was referencing the August 2019 shooting that took place in an El Paso Walmart .
Alleged perpetrator Patrick Wood Crusius shot and killed 22 people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States in 2019 .
Authorities linked a manifesto , posted online shortly before the attack , to the shooter .
The nearly 2,400-word manifesto was an anti-immigrant call to arms in which the author railed against the replacement of the native white population with Hispanics and other immigrants , and arguing that U.S. political leaders were doing nothing to stop the replacement of white people in the country .
The author said he took “ honor ” in fighting for the future of the U.S. and Europe .
This is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who replaced failed Texas Senate candidate Beto O ’ Rourke in the House .
Immediately following the mass shooting in El Paso , Escobar said publicly that Trump was “ not welcome ” in her city .
During her Spanish address on Tuesday night , Escobar also attacked Trump for his immigration enforcement policies , and blamed him for the death of migrant children .
“ From attacks against Dreamers , family separation , the deaths of migrant children , to the ‘ Remain in Mexico ’ policy that sends asylum-seekers into dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us ever imagined would happen in America in our lifetime , ” she said .


freedomdaily--2020-02-05--Is the coronavirus a pandemic, and does that matter? 4 questions answered

Editor ’ s note : The new coronavirus has now affected more than 20,000 people in China and claimed more lives as of Feb. 4 than the SARS epidemic from 2002 to 2004 .
Hong Kong has reported its first death .
Some public health officials have said the outbreak is likely to soon be a pandemic , but the World Health Organization said Feb. 4 that it isn ’ t , yet .
Just what is a pandemic anyway ?
An epidemiologist and public health researcher explains .
When a disease outbreak , or epidemic , crosses international boarders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we public health professionals typically call it a pandemic .
The term “ pandemic ” tells us that the outbreak is occurring in many places but says nothing about its severity .
Because of their wide geographic distribution , pandemics usually affect a large number of people .
While we usually think of pandemics in relation to serious , life-threatening diseases , even outbreaks of mild diseases could cross borders and become pandemics .
2 .
Does it matter if it is or isn ’ t called a pandemic ?
Calling an outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the disease is spreading .
The terminology doesn ’ t change anything about the severity of the disease or how we are responding .
Since the day the outbreak was identified , health officials worldwide have been taking steps to isolate ill people to try and prevent any spread and quarantine people who have traveled to certain areas of China .
The World Health Organization declared it to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern Jan. 30 , which improves information sharing and coordination throughout the world .
These actions will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
3 .
Would it being a pandemic put me at greater risk ?
Your risk wouldn ’ t changed simply because of a change in terminology .
Though the virus has been identified in 23 countries as of Feb. 4 , over 99 % of the cases have occurred in China .
Local transmission outside of China has generally been limited to people who had direct contact with ill travelers from China .
In a cluster reported from Germany , several employees of a company were infected by a co-worker who returned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the employees infected one of their children .
This clearly shows that person-to-person spread is possible , but it doesn ’ t mean that the disease is spreading extensively in the community .
Even if an outbreak is spreading worldwide , how it is spreading locally and how people respond is what determines your risk .
4 .
So what happens next ?
Public and global health experts and health care workers will continue to respond to this outbreak as they have for the last month .
Doctors and nurses in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people and test them for the coronavirus .
Sick people will be isolated so that they don ’ t spread their illness to their family , friends or co-workers .
Public health officials will track the spread of this outbreak and will use that information to prevent the spread of the disease in the community .
The next move is up to the virus .
[ You ’ re smart and curious about the world .
So are The Conversation ’ s authors and editors .
You can get our highlights each weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for disease surveillance activities while working at the local health department .


freedomdaily--2020-02-05--A plasma reactor zaps airborne viruses – and could help slow the spread of infectious diseases

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work .
The big idea : It ’ s the enduring media image of infectious disease outbreaks , including the current coronavirus outbreak from Wuhan , China : people in public spaces with faces half-hidden by surgical masks .
Filters have long been used to remove particles , including viruses and bacteria , from the air we breathe .
Particle filters are key components of building and aircraft ventilation systems .
Unfortunately , viruses are much smaller than the smallest particles those filters typically capture reliably .
One possibility for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nonthermal plasma reactor .
Plasma is the fourth state of matter , a gas composed of electrically charged ions and electrons rather than neutral atoms and molecules .
Nonthermal means the plasma isn ’ t formed at high temperatures .
At the University of Michigan , my colleagues and I developed a nonthermal plasma reactor that leaves airborne pathogens unable to infect host organisms , including people .
The plasma oxidizes the viruses , which disables their mechanism for entering cells .
After testing in the lab and at livestock facilities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduces the numbers of infectious viruses in an air stream by more than 99 % .
We ’ re developing the technology for use in animal agriculture , but it might also be useful where people are concentrated in enclosed spaces , including commercial aircraft .
Why it matters : Scientists don ’ t know what makes some viruses and bacteria more resilient in air than others .
Tuberculosis and measles have long been known to be highly contagious , while a recent study proved that influenza can also remain infectious in air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ researchers had previously thought unlikely .
Enclosed or crowded spaces reduce opportunities for virus degradation or dilution in air , increasing the chances that an exposure will lead to infection .
Infectious diseases that have airborne transmission routes , including swine flu and avian flu , have affected pork , poultry and egg producers .
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome alone has been estimated to cost more than US $ 600 million annually in the U.S .
In 2015 , more than 50 million chickens and turkeys were culled to stop the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its potential to infect humans .
What we don ’ t know : There are several theories of how nonthermal plasmas kill bacteria , but airborne viruses aren ’ t “ alive ” like bacteria and therefore can ’ t be “ killed ” in the same way .
Also , researchers ’ understanding of nonthermal plasma sterilization is mostly based on sterilizing contaminated surfaces using minutes-long plasma exposures , much longer than the subsecond exposures studied in our tests and an earlier similar study .
In our tests , the plasma reduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air by more than 99 % , but the viruses themselves remained with their DNA largely unchanged .
This means that the plasma didn ’ t destroy the virus but rather altered its ability to infect .
We ’ re working to understand how this happens , which will help us engineer , or “ tune , ” the reactor .
What ’ s next : My colleagues and I are currently evaluating how ammonia , ever-present around animals as a byproduct of their waste , affects the plasma generated by the reactor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to use nonthermal plasma reactors in aircraft .
Long-distance flights can transport infected passengers all over the world , as is immediately clear from maps showing confirmed cases of the new coronavirus .
Less clear is the risk to fellow passengers .
There are many aspects of virus transmission in aircraft cabins , including passenger movement during flights .
Cabin air circulation patterns are important in determining how far and where a virus can be transported once shed by an infected passenger .
Scientists will need to better understand these variables before aircraft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reactors to help fight the spread of infectious diseases .
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Herek Clack is co-founder and chief science officer of Taza Aya LLC , a small Michigan-based startup company that focuses on commercializing advanced non-thermal plasma technologies to prevent airborne transmission of infectious pathogens such as viruses and bacteria , initially targeting animal agriculture .


freedomdaily--2020-02-05--R0: How scientists quantify the intensity of an outbreak like coronavirus and its pandemic potential

If you saw the 2011 movie “ Contagion , ” about a worldwide pandemic of a new virus , then you ’ ve heard the term R0 .
Pronounced “ R naught , ” this isn ’ t just jargon made up in Hollywood .
It represents an important concept in epidemiology and is a crucial part of public health planning during an outbreak , like the current coronavirus epidemic spreading outward from China .
Scientists use R0 – the reproduction number – to describe the intensity of an infectious disease outbreak .
R0 estimates have been an important part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including the 2003 SARS pandemic , the 2009 H1N1 Influenza pandemic and the 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa .
How much will a disease spread ?
The formal definition of a disease ’ s R0 is the number of cases , on average , an infected person will cause during their infectious period .
The term is used in two different ways .
The basic reproduction number represents the maximum epidemic potential of a pathogen .
It describes what would happen if an infectious person were to enter a fully susceptible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on an idealized scenario .
The effective reproduction number depends on the population ’ s current susceptibility .
This measure of transmission potential is likely lower than the basic reproduction number , based on factors like whether some of the people are vaccinated against the disease , or whether some people have immunity due to prior exposure with the pathogen .
Therefore , the effective R0 changes over time and is an estimate based on a more realistic situation within the population .
It ’ s important to realize that both the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s affected by the properties of the pathogen , such as how infectious it is .
It ’ s affected by the host population – for instance , how susceptible people are due to nutritional status or other illnesses that may compromise one ’ s immune system .
And it ’ s affected by the environment , including things like demographics , socioeconomic and climatic factors .
For example , R0 for measles ranges from 12 to 18 , depending on factors like population density and life expectancy .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measles virus is highly infectious .
On the other hand , the influenza virus is less infectious , with its R0 ranging from 2 to 3 .
Influenza , therefore , does not cause the same explosive outbreaks as measles , but it persists due to its ability to mutate and evade the human immune system .
What makes R0 useful in public health ?
Demographer Alfred Lotka proposed the reproduction number in the 1920s , as a measure of the rate of reproduction in a given population .
In the 1950s , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ describe the transmission potential of malaria .
He proposed that , if R0 is less than 1 , the disease will die out in a population , because on average an infectious person will transmit to fewer than one other susceptible person .
On the other hand , if R0 is greater than 1 , the disease will spread .
When public health agencies are figuring out how to deal with an outbreak , they are trying to bring R0 down to less than 1 .
This is tough for diseases like measles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is especially challenging for measles in densely populated regions like India and China , where R0 is higher , compared to places where people are more spread out .
For the SARS pandemic in 2003 , scientists estimated the original R0 to be around 2.75 .
A month or two later , the effective R0 dropped below 1 , thanks to the tremendous effort that went into intervention strategies , including isolation and quarantine activities .
However , the pandemic continued .
While on average , an infectious person transmitted to fewer than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmitted to tens or even hundreds of other cases .
This phenomenon is called super spreading .
Officials documented super spreader events a number of times during the SARS epidemic in Singapore , Hong Kong and Beijing .
A number of groups have estimated R0 for this new coronavirus .
The Imperial College group has estimated R0 to be somewhere between 1.5 and 3.5 .
Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Automation and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences have estimated R0 to be much higher , at 4.08 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s uncertainty about many of the factors go into estimating R0 , such as in estimating the number of cases , especially early on in an outbreak .
Based on these current estimates , projections of the future number of cases of coronavirus are fraught with high levels of uncertainty and will likely be somewhat inaccurate .
The difficulties arise for a number of reasons .
First , the basic properties of this viral pathogen – like the infectious period – are as yet unknown .
Second , researchers don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections that don ’ t result in symptoms have been missed by surveillance but nevertheless are spreading the disease .
Third , the majority of people who come down with this new coronavirus do recover , and are likely then immune to coming down with it again .
It ’ s unclear how the changing susceptibility of the population will affect the future spread of infection .
This is especially important in Wuhan , the origin of the epidemic .
Finally , and likely the most important reason , no one knows the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Epidemiologists ’ current estimates of R0 say nothing about how measures such as isolation or quarantine efforts will influence the virus ’ future spread .
[ You ’ re smart and curious about the world .
So are The Conversation ’ s authors and editors .
You can get our highlights each weekend . ]
Joseph Eisenberg 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--2020-02-06--DHS Suspends New Yorkers From Its Trusted Travelers Programs In Wake Of Illegal Alien ID Law

The Department of Homeland Security is suspending New Yorkers from enrolling in Global Entry and other Trusted Traveler Programs in response to a new state law that bans information sharing with the federal government .
Acting Deputy DHS Secretary Ken Cuccinelli went into detail in a conference call Thursday with reporters on the department ’ s decision to no longer allow New York residents to enroll in Trusted Travel Programs , which allow expedited entry of pre-approved individuals , because of a new law that allows illegal aliens to obtain driver ’ s licenses and bans information sharing between DMVs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close initial analysis , the Department of Homeland Security has decided that New York residents will no longer be allowed to participate on a forward-looking basis in any of our Trusted Traveler Programs , like Global Entry , FAST , SENTRI and NEXUS , which all rely on access to DMV data to determine whether the person is a ) who they say they are and b ) is qualified to be a trusted traveler , as opposed to any other traveler , ” Cuccinelli said Thursday .
New Yorkers already enrolled in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , will not be affected , but moving forward they can no longer obtain renewals , and other residents in the state will no longer be able to apply at all .
DHS acting Secretary Chad Wolf first announced the decision Wednesday night during an appearance with Fox News host Tucker Carlson .
Known as the “ Green Light ” law , signed by Democratic New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo in June 2019 , the directive makes it possible to apply for a driver ’ s license without a Social Security number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purpose of obtaining a license .
It also bars Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) and Customs and Border Protections ( CBP ) from obtaining information from DMVs across the state .
“ It ’ s only reasonable from a public safety standpoint to not qualify new applicants or renewals for any of these programs as Trusted Travelers , ” Cuccinelli said .
“ These are all unfortunate consequences of New York ’ s Green Light law.
” “ Obviously , we would urge New York to undo that law and restore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help preserve public safety , ” he added .
DHS expects 150,000 to 200,000 New Yorkers to be affected by the new ban .
During the call with reporters , Cuccinelli warned other states from following the same path as New York and chided the state for making implementing measures that make its citizens less safe after the country ’ s worst terrorist attack in history .
“ Here we have one of the other targets of 9/11 , New York , walking backwards quite intentionally in the other direction to bar the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ registration , matching driver ’ s licenses to identifications , and critically , criminal records , which are kept up-to-date in DMV databases , ” Cuccinelli said .


freedomdaily--2020-02-06--‘Enough Is Enough’: DNC Chair Wants Iowa Democrats To Recanvass Caucus Results

Tom Perez , the chairman of the Democratic National Committee , called on the Iowa Democratic Party to recanvass its caucus results , which have been delayed by a series of technical difficulties .
“ In light of the problems that have emerged in the implementation of the delegate selection plan and in order to assure public confidence in the results , I am calling on the Iowa Democratic Party to immediately begin a recanvass.
” The results of Monday ’ s widely-watched caucus have been delayed because of a glitch in a phone app that the Iowa Democratic Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ headquarters .
By Tuesday afternoon , IDP had reported results from only 62 percent of precincts .
The initial round of results put former South Bend , Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg ahead of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders by 1.8 percentage points in terms of delegate vote share .
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former Vice President Joe Biden rounded out the top four .
On Wednesday , IDP made what it called a “ minor correction ” to its results after inaccurately attributing delegates for Sanders to other Democratic candidates .
As of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported .
Sanders trails Buttigieg by only 0.1 percentage points , according to the latest tally .
A New York Times analysis found the caucus results “ riddled ” with errors .
According to the analysis , more than 100 precincts reported inconsistencies in the tabulation of delegates .
A spokeswoman for IDP did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
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freedomdaily--2020-02-06--Pelosi Omits Christians As She Lists Religious Persecutions Around The World

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi failed to mention Christians as she listed religious persecutions around the world Thursday .
The House speaker spoke Thursday morning in Washington , D.C. , at the National Prayer Breakfast where she prayed for those who are persecuted because of their religion , listing persons of Buddhist , Muslim and Jewish faiths before generalizing about other persecuted religions .
“ Oh , Lord , we thank all gathered at this prayer breakfast for lifting our voices for the poor and the persecuted , the millions who are missing or murdered because of their faith , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , prayed .
“ Let us pray for the Panchen Lama and all the Tibetan Buddhists imprisoned in China or missing for following their faith , ” she said .
Pelosi also prayed for the “ 1 to 3 million Uighurs in China forced from their homes and incarcerated in camps ” and for “ Raif Badawi in Saudi Arabia and for all the writers and religious free thinkers imprisoned for speaking their minds.
” The House speaker also prayed for “ priests , rabbis , pastors and religious leaders around the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what they believe , ” for victims of anti-Semitism , and for the “ countless Muslims and other religious minorities , often unseen and unnamed , who have been abducted , oppressed and abused because of who they are and what they believe , their faith.
” Pelosi failed to specifically mention Christians during her prayer , though Christians are severely persecuted around the world for their beliefs .
Over 245 million Christians lived in places where they endured serious religious persecution between Nov. 1 , 2017 and Oct. 31 , 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization that aids persecuted Christians worldwide .
The organization also found that during this same time period , 4,305 Christians were killed for their faith , 1,847 churches and Christian buildings were attacked , and 3,150 believers were detained without trial arrested , sentenced , or imprisoned .
Aid to the Church in Need ( ACN ) , a Catholic charity that administers to persecuted Christians , reports that “ almost 300 million Christians around the world — or 1 out of every 7 — live in a country where they suffer some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrest , violence , a full range of human rights violations and even murder.
” A 2019 report ordered by former British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt found that Christians were the most persecuted group in the world and that the persecution of Christians has reached near “ genocide ” levels .
Christianity faces being “ wiped out ” from certain parts of the Middle East , the report found .
Pro-life activist Obianuju Ekeocha tweeted Thursday morning that severe persecution of Christians continues in Nigeria where Christians are slaughtered for their beliefs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ never become immune to atrocities that continue to challenge the collective conscience of our shared humanity.
” For us today , people of faith , leaders , lawmakers and activists who can mobilize the public , we pray that the moral clarity of faith moves us to demand justice for those who are suffering , and we pray that commercial interests never blind us to the ongoing human right struggle fought by so many throughout the world .
Let us raise our voices in prayer as one in the struggle for freedom in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Son and the Holy Ghost .


freedomdaily--2020-02-06--Rod Rosenstein Asked McCabe Whether Opening Trump Probe Would Be Seen As ‘Revenge’

Former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe discussed whether opening an investigation of President Donald Trump days after he fired James Comey would be perceived as an act of revenge for getting rid of the FBI director , according to interview notes from the special counsel ’ s investigation released this week .
McCabe told FBI agents during an interview on Sept. 26 , 2017 that he met with Rosenstein multiple times in the days after Comey ’ s firing on May 9 , 2017 , to discuss plans to appoint a replacement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing Russia investigation .
According to the notes , which BuzzFeed News and CNN first obtained through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit , McCabe told the FBI that in a May 16 , 2017 meeting with Rosenstein he brought up the possibility of opening an investigation of Trump for obstruction of justice and possible collusion with Russia .
“ Rosenstein immediately started to question McCabe about his basis for opening the cases , his legal theory , and similar questions , ” the notes say .
“ They also discussed whether the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump was not a target of the FBI ’ s Russia probe before he fired Comey .
Up until that point , the bureau was investigating four Trump associates — Michael Flynn , Paul Manafort , Carter Page and George Papadopoulos — to assess whether they worked with Russians to influence the 2016 election .
McCabe ’ s decision to formally investigate Trump was a monumental moment in the investigation .
The day after the meeting , Rosenstein appointed Robert Mueller to serve as special counsel .
The former FBI director inherited the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obstruction investigation of Trump .
McCabe also opened a criminal investigation into whether then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions lied to Congress about his contacts as a senator with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak .
Rosenstein oversaw the FBI and special counsel ’ s investigations because Sessions had recused himself from Russia-related investigations .
The special counsel ’ s investigation uncovered no evidence that any Trump associates conspired with Russia .
A report of the investigation also said that there was insufficient evidence to charge Sessions with perjury .
McCabe has said in interviews that Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lester Holt two days after he fired Comey was a turning point in his decision to formally open an investigation of Trump .
“ What changed McCabe ’ s calculus on whether to open an obstruction case on Trump was Lester Holt ’ s interview on Trump , when Trump said he was thinking about Russia when he fired Comey , ” the FBI interview notes say .
“ The timing of the opening of the investigation right after Comey ’ s termination was ‘ concerning ’ but the facts lined up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now a CNN analyst , has come under intense criticism for opening the investigations of Trump and Sessions , especially given the results of the special counsel ’ s probe .
He was fired on March 16 , 2018 after the Justice Department ’ s inspector general found that he lacked candor during interviews regarding his authorization of leaks to the media in October 2016 .
Federal prosecutors have reportedly empaneled a grand jury to consider false statements charges against McCabe , who has sued the FBI and Justice Department over his firing @


freedomdaily--2020-02-06--Operation silent predator – child sex crimes arrests

PHOENIX , Ariz. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) Homeland Security Investigations ’ ( HSI ) Phoenix office recently partnered with multiple law enforcement agencies to include the Phoenix Police Department , Mesa Police Department , Tempe Police Department , Chandler Police Department and the Arizona Attorney General ’ s office to identify and arrest alleged sexual predators .
The Arizona Attorney General ’ s Office is also prosecuting those arrested .
Operation Silent Predator was an undercover operation targeting the demand for child sex crimes and human trafficking .
Throughout the operational period , officers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apps which are commonly sought out by suspects seeking illegal sex acts with children .
26 suspects were identified for soliciting and/or brokering deals for various sex acts and were subsequently arrested .
“ The staggering number of arrests in this operation is the culmination of collaborative efforts between our agents and local law enforcement agencies , ” said Scott Brown , special agent in charge for HSI Phoenix .
“ These cases are never easy , however , there is some satisfaction in seeing justice served for these alleged predators as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their crimes.
” Each year , these agencies come together to conduct operations of this type in a continuous effort to reduce the demand that fuels child and human sex trafficking from our communities .
The suspects in the latest operation ranged in age from 21 to 69 years old .
The combined efforts of the agencies involved , are part of a nationwide effort to eliminate human and sex trafficking .
HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Both are staffed around the clock by investigators .
From outside the U.S. and Canada , callers should dial 802-872-6199 .
Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196 .
Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children , an Operation Predator partner , via its toll-free 24-hour hotline , 1-800-THE-LOST .
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freedomdaily--2020-02-06--Supreme Court To Weigh Democrats’ Last-Ditch Bid To Resolve Obamacare Challenge By Summer

The Supreme Court will discuss a challenge to the Affordable Care Act ’ s ( ACA ) individual mandate in private conference on Feb. 21 , as Democrats urge the justices to settle the ACA ’ s fate once and for all by the summer .
The high court generally finalizes its docket for a particular term in January .
House Democrats and a coalition of blue states defending the ACA asked the justices to process the case on an expedited basis given the questions at stake , with arguments in April or May and a decision in June .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlikely , ” Case Western Reserve University School of Law professor Jonathan Adler told the Daily Caller News Foundation .
“ If they take the case now , it ’ s likely to be heard in the Fall.
” The case arose after passage of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ( TCJA ) , which set the financial penalty for failing to purchase health insurance at zero .
Shortly thereafter , a coalition of red states led by Texas challenged the mandate in court .
The plaintiffs argued that the mandate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if it isn ’ t raising revenue .
The Supreme Court said the ACA ’ s command to purchase health insurance or pay a fee is a valid exercise of Congress ’ s taxing power in 2012 .
A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with the plaintiffs and struck down the mandate in December 2019 .
They returned the case to a trial court judge to consider the question of “ severability.
” That means the judge will decide whether the ACA in its entirety can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration told the Supreme Court in legal filings that it should not hear the case at this juncture .
Democrats defending the law say definitive guidance from the Supreme Court is necessary to avoid disruptions in the healthcare markets .
The administration counters that no such urgency exists , because the mandate isn ’ t concretely effecting anyone .
“ Although the court of appeals and [ Democrats ] draw different legal conclusions from the elimination of the monetary penalty , it is common ground that noncompliance with the individual mandate no longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Solicitor General Noel Francisco told the justices in court papers .
“ On either view of the merits — i.e.
, whether the elimination of the shared-responsibility payment renders the individual mandate now invalid , or valid but merely precatory — the question of the mandate ’ s validity is not itself a matter of any practical urgency , ” Francisco added .
What ’ s more , the administration said the justices should not review the severability issue until the trial court judge issues a decision and the 5th Circuit reviews it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consider issues until they are first decided in lower courts .
“ If the Court were to grant review of the severability question now , it would have to confront the severability of statutory provisions spanning 900 pages without the benefit of any decision from the court of appeals on that question , or of a decision from the district court applying the more granular analysis that the court of appeals prescribed , ” Francisco wrote .
“ The appropriate course is instead to defer any review in this Court until after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severability.
” Democrats disagree .
In their petition to the justices , they say there is no need to await the conclusion of lower court proceedings .
The facts and evidence are settled , while the only disputes remaining are purely legal questions .
“ This is not a case where the court of appeals remanded for further factfinding , or for some other reason necessitating additional proceedings in the district court , ” the petition reads .
“ The only reason this case is not final is because the panel majority declined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ remanded for a do-over.
’ But severability is a legal question.
” As to the mandate itself , Democrats say a review is appropriate because the Supreme Court almost always hears cases in which a lower court invalidated a federal law on constitutional grounds .
When Democrats filed their petition , they asked the Supreme Court to consider it on an expedited basis .
The justices denied that request on Jan. 21 .
The Supreme Court did not disclose a vote count or give reasons for denying the request Tuesday , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The cases are No .
19-840 California v. Texas and No .
19-841 U.S. House of Representatives v. Texas .


freedomdaily--2020-02-06--Southern Border Apprehensions Drop For Eight Straight Months

Enforcement actions along the U.S.-Mexico border fell for the eighth month in a row , a result of the Trump administration ’ s various directives aimed at controlling the illegal immigration crisis that peaked last year .
Customs and Border Protection ( CBP ) agents conducted roughly 36,000 enforcement actions — which includes apprehensions and denying entry to those arriving at a legal port of entry — for the month of January , according to a Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ) official who spoke with the Daily Caller News Foundation .
The DHS official asked to remain anonymous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet released .
January ’ s numbers , which were a 10 % drop from December , mark a continuing decline of enforcement actions along the U.S. southern border .
The Associated Press first reported on CBP ’ s enforcement actions for the month of January .
In May 2019 , at the height of the immigration crisis , CBP officials reported more than 144,000 enforcement actions at the southern border .
The unprecedented levels of incoming Central Americans , many of them family units , overwhelmed CBP resources and forced Congress to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The crisis also prompted the resignation of then-DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen .
Since that time , a number of Trump administration programs have contributed immensely to the decline in illegal immigration .
Migrant Protection Protocols , better known as “ Remain in Mexico , ” requires foreign nationals who claim asylum at the border to remain in Mexico for the duration of their court proceedings .
Metering has also worked to stave off the number of people arriving at the border by limiting how many can cross and claim asylum on any given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Interior Repatriation Initiative , which deports Mexican nationals farther into the country instead of just across the border , making re-entry into the U.S more difficult .
Trump has also been successful at landing bilateral agreements with the countries directly involved with the immigration crisis .
He notably threatened Mexico with tariffs if the country ’ s leaders did not do more to prevent illegal aliens from crossing its territory , leading to a rampant effort by the government to stop illegal immigration .
Mexican national troops are currently fending off a migrant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guatemala , Honduras , and El Salvador , the three Northern Triangle counties that are home to the majority of the Central American migrants arriving at the U.S. border , have also entered into asylum agreements with Washington , D.C. January ’ s border numbers are a 75 % decrease from May ’ s border enforcement numbers , and the drop is more steep than seasonal norms — indicating that the immigration programs are having a real effect .


freedomdaily--2020-02-06--Wray: FBI Agents Involved In FISA Debacle Have Been Referred To Bureau’s Disciplinary Office

FBI Director Christopher Wray said Wednesday that the FBI agents involved in the surveillance of Carter Page who are still at the bureau have been referred to the FBI ’ s Office of Professional Responsibility for possible disciplinary action .
During a House Judiciary Committee hearing , Wray noted that most of the FBI officials who oversaw Crossfire Hurricane , which involved surveillance of Page , have left the bureau and are no longer subject to disciplinary review .
He said that the FBI personnel who worked on that probe and who still have jobs at the FBI are mostly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all been referred to our disciplinary arm , ” Wray testified , referring to the Office of Professional Responsibility ( OPR ) .
Republicans on the committee pressed Wray over the Justice Department inspector general ( IG ) report released on Dec. 9 that found that the FBI misled the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court ( FISC ) in four applications to surveil Page .
The report found 17 “ significant ” errors and omissions in the FBI ’ s submissions to the FISC .
Agents failed to disclose exculpatory information related to Page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Steele dossier .
The FBI extensively cited information from the dossier in its surveillance applications .
The report is particularly harsh towards an FBI counterintelligence agent identified only as Case Agent 1 .
“ Case Agent 1 was primarily responsible for some of the most significant errors and omissions in the FISA applications , ” the report said .
The agent drafted the initial surveillance request on Page , and conducted interviews with the former Trump aide in March 2017 .
He was also involved in an interview with a source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disputed many of the allegations in the dossier .
The agent failed to disclose that source ’ s remarks to the FISC .
A now-former FBI attorney , Kevin Clinesmith , is also reportedly under criminal investigation for allegedly altering an email regarding Page that was part of the FBI ’ s investigation .
The FBI did not return a request for comment about how many FBI agents have been referred to OPR .
Wray said throughout the hearing that the FBI conduct laid out in the IG report was “ unacceptable.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the FBI handles and vets information in its wiretap requests .
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freedomdaily--2020-02-06--‘Ripped Our Hearts Out’: SOTU Guest Whose Brother Was Murdered Reacts To Pelosi Ripping Up Speech

A guest at the State of the Union address whose brother was killed by an illegal alien said it was heartbreaking to watch House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rip up President Donald Trump ’ s speech .
Appearing on “ Fox and Friends ” Wednesday morning , Jody Jones , whose brother was shot and killed by an illegal alien at a California gas station in 2018 , recounted how he felt when Pelosi chose to rip up Trump ’ s speech at the end of the address , calling it “ probably the most disrespectful thing I have ever seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she ripped our hearts out .
All the guests .
We couldn ’ t believe it , ” Jones said .
“ I don ’ t care how you feel about somebody .
That was probably the most disrespectful thing I have ever seen in my life .
Because , when she did that , it just tore us up .
We couldn ’ t believe it , ” he continued .
It wasn ’ t lost on the Fox News hosts or Jones that his brother ’ s name , Rocky Jones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invited Jody Jones to be one his special guests at Tuesday night ’ s State of the Union address in Congress .
Jones ’ brother , Rocky , was shot and killed at a California gas station in 2018 by an illegal alien , and his presence Tuesday night was used to highlight the deadly consequences of sanctuary city policies .
The illegal alien who responsible for killing Rocky had been arrested for a DUI by local California authorities just days before the shooting .
Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but because of sanctuary policy laws in the state , the detainer was ignored .
Jones asked that the legislation responsible for his brother ’ s death , SB 54 , be abolished , and called on Pelosi to be more respectful .
“ First of all , let ’ s do away with the SB 54 .
I don ’ t care how you feel about somebody .
Think of other people and the others involved , please .
Because what you did was very disrespectful , and it really ripped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
During his address , Trump called on lawmakers to support legislation introduced by North Carolina GOP Sen. Thom Tillis , the Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act , that would allow people like Jones to sue sanctuary cities if a loved one is killed or hurt by such “ deadly ” policies .
As for Jones , he said this tragedy has affected his family tremendously , but it has not torn them apart .
“ We are a pretty tight-knit family , ” he said .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the president inviting us , what an honor that was just to honor our brother and he sure did that .
”


freedomdaily--2020-02-06--GOP Senators Waste No Time Investigating Hunter Biden After Impeachment Acquittal

The Republican chairmen of two Senate committees wasted no time after President Donald Trump ’ s impeachment acquittal Wednesday before opening up a new area of inquiry related to Hunter Biden ’ s foreign business activities .
Minutes after the Senate voted to acquit Trump , Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson of Wisconsin released a letter they sent to the director of the Secret Service requesting Biden ’ s travel records during the time when his father was vice president .
“ We write to request information about whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conduct private business , ” the senators wrote to Secret Service Director James M. Murray .
They say they want records indicating whether the younger Biden had Secret Service protective detail while his father Joe Biden was in office .
They also want records of Hunter Biden ’ s travel while he received any protection .
The Republicans focused the inquiry on Hunter Biden ’ s work in China and Ukraine .
They noted that Hunter Biden joined his father on a flight to China on Air Force Two in December 2013 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entered a joint venture with China-based Bohai Capital to form BHR .
While in China , Hunter Biden met with Jonathan Li , the CEO of Bohai Capital .
He also arranged for his father to shake hands with Li .
“ After the China trip , BHR ’ s business license was approved , ” the senators noted in their letter .
Republicans have also scrutinized Hunter Biden ’ s business dealings in Ukraine , which factored into the Trump impeachment saga .
Hunter Biden was on the board of Ukrainian energy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Joe Biden was the Obama administration ’ s main liaison to Ukraine following its revolution to overthrow a pro-Russia president .
Trump took an interest in the Bidens ’ relationship to Ukraine after video surfaced from January 2018 of Joe Biden bragging that two years earlier , he forced Ukraine ’ s president at the time , Petro Poroshenko , to fire a prosecutor in exchange for receiving $ 1 billion in U.S. loan assistance .
Trump ’ s allies have alleged that the fired prosecutor , Viktor Shokin , was removed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Holdings for corruption .
In a July 25 , 2019 phone call , Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate whether Joe Biden intervened to help Burisma .
Democrats alleged that Trump withheld military aid to Ukraine as a quid pro quo to force open the investigation .
Joe Biden has denied trying to help Burisma , while Trump has denied leveling a quid pro quo .
The House of Representatives impeached Trump on Dec. 18 for abuse of power and obstruction .
The Senate acquitted him of both counts Wednesday .


freedomdaily--2020-02-07--Sanders and Buttigieg Look Set to Push Biden and Warren Further Away with New Hampshire Primary

Oh , how the mighty have fallen .
And no , not just Joe Biden , the mainstream media who has been pushing his “ electability ” and popularity on Democrat voters .
But after a sad showing in Iowa and updated polling from New Hampshire , Biden , and perhaps Warren , may find little reason to stay in the race .
Taking into account a Boston Globe/Suffolk poll and another from WHDH/Emerson that both started and ended after Tuesday ’ s primary in Iowa , Warren and Biden are set to finish distant a distant third and fourth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this week .
Worse than the polling data , is the trend .
Biden has been losing ground for weeks as has Warren .
Where is all that support going ?
Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg – two candidates the media has not been pushing … at all .
Looking further into the primary calendar doesn ’ t offer any relief , mainly because there hasn ’ t been any recent polling in Nevada and South Carolina and California ’ s most recent polls don ’ t take the Iowa caucus results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in support for Buttigieg and Sanders after the Iowa caucuses , any polling before Iowa are likely irrelevant .
The Democrat party nomination fight is between Mayor Pete and Sen. Sanders – two choices that may push moderates and independents to the Republican nominee , likely Trump , or to not vote at all .
A candidate needs about 1,990 pledged delegates to capture the DNC nomination on the first ballot at the convention so the end may not be here for Warren and Biden , but the trends are terrible for both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Subscribe to our Morning Briefing and get the news delivered to your inbox before breakfast !


freedomdaily--2020-02-07--Why people post ‘couple photos’ as their social media profile pictures

As you scroll through your Facebook news feed , you see it : Your friend has posted a new profile picture .
But instead of a picture of just your friend , it ’ s a couple photo – a picture of your friend and their romantic partner .
“ Why would someone choose that as their profile picture ?
” you wonder .
We are social psychology researchers interested in understanding people ’ s behavior in close relationships and on social media .
Our research and that of other scholars provides insight into why people use these types of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple !
” displays on social media .
Choosing profile photos that include their romantic partner , posting their relationship status and mentioning their partner in their updates can all be signs of how people feel in their relationship – and may send an important message to potential rivals .
Who does this ?
What we social psychologists call “ dyadic displays ” are relatively common .
In a recent study that we conducted , 29 % of romantically involved Facebook users had a “ couple ” photo as their current profile picture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ status posted – such as “ In a relationship ” or “ Married.
” And participants mentioned their romantic partner in 15 % of their recent Facebook updates .
Certain people are more likely to use these dyadic displays than others .
People who are very satisfied with or committed to their romantic relationship are more likely to post couple profile photos or represent their relationships on social media in other ways .
The more in love a coupled-up person is , and the more jealousy they report , the more likely they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Facebook .
People who have an anxious attachment style – who worry about their partner rejecting or abandoning them – are also more likely to use a dyadic profile photo and post a dyadic relationship status on Facebook .
In contrast , people who have an avoidant attachment style – who are uncomfortable depending on others and who prioritize maintaining their independence – are unlikely to showcase their couplehood in these ways .
Whether someone underscores their romantic status online can also change according to how a person is feeling at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to post relationship-relevant information on Facebook on days when they feel more insecure about their partner ’ s feelings for them than they typically do and on days when they feel more satisfied with their relationship .
Why display couplehood this way ?
One possible reason , proposed by other scholars , is that these displays accurately represent how many romantically involved people see themselves .
People in close relationships often include their partner in their self-concept – they see their partner as part of themselves .
People may display their couplehood on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so accurately represents how they see themselves : as intertwined with their partner .
Our recent survey of 236 romantically involved adult Facebook users supported this idea .
We found that people – especially those who are very satisfied with their relationships – use dyadic displays partly because they see their partner as part of who they are .
We also found another , more strategic reason that people perform these displays : They ’ re motivated to protect their relationships from threats that exist on social media .
Using Facebook , Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a variety of things that could potentially harm their relationship , including ex-partners , alternative partners they could start a relationship with and romantic rivals who could attempt to steal their current sweethearts .
Outside of social media , research has shown that committed people engage in a host of behaviors to defend their relationships against threats posed by alternative partners and romantic rivals .
Mentioning their partner or relationship is one way people may try to ward off these potential troublemakers .
We found that people who were more motivated to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were more likely to use dyadic displays .
Wanting to keep the good thing they had going was one reason why highly satisfied and committed people were particularly likely to feature their partner on their social media profiles .
Other researchers have found that some people feature their partner and relationship in their social media profiles because having other people know that they are in a relationship gives them a self-esteem boost .
This motive to feel good about themselves is one reason why anxiously attached people want their Facebook friends to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a relationship – and why avoidantly attached people don ’ t .
How do others interpret these displays ?
Interestingly , viewers tend to form fairly accurate impressions of others based on their social media profiles and posts .
In experiments , researchers have manipulated social media profiles to investigate the consequences of advertising your coupledom in these ways .
Posting couple photos and using other dyadic displays leads other people to perceive the profile owner as more likable and as more likely to be in a satisfying and committed relationship .
These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but also suggest that the profile owner is unlikely to be receptive to romantic advances from other people .
This may discourage others from trying to get closer to the profile owner , perhaps protecting the relationship .
If you ’ ve never done it , it may seem surprising that people would choose a “ couple photo ” as their profile picture .
But doing so has the potential to produce positive outcomes for that person and their relationship .
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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--2020-02-07--Coronavirus Update: Two Planes Carrying 300 People From China to Arrive in U.S. Friday

The Department of Defense said that it is cooperating with multiple government agencies by offering to house 300 people on military bases .
“ In support of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) , the Department of Defense is prepared to receive two Department of State-chartered evacuation flights from Wuhan , China currently scheduled to arrive on February 7th , ” the Pentagon said in a statement .
One of the aircraft will refuel at Travis Air Force Base and continue on to Omaha , Nebraska via Lackland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas .
The other aircraft is en route to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California via Vancouver , Canada .
“ Our goal in bringing these evacuees back , and making sure that they ’ re safely quarantined for 14 days , to make sure that there is no spread of the virus from this group and that they ’ re managed safely while they ’ re here , that they have their healthcare needs met , “ said Captain Jennifer McQuiston with the CDC .
Those who clear quarantine will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Those who get sick will be taken to hospitals that specialize in treating infectious diseases .
The facilities will be guarded by the U.S. Marshalls Service to ensure that no one gets in or out .
Coronavirus , labeled 2019-nCoV by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) , is suspected to have been spread initially by bats in Wuhan , China , then by person-to-person transmission through respiratory droplets , and possibly through contact with infected persons and inanimate objects that have been touched by carriers .
The disease causes respiratory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also coronaviruses , and initially appears to spread faster ( R of 1.5-5.5 ) , but so far has a lower reported mortality rate ( ~3 % ) .


freedomdaily--2020-02-07--Mega Anti-Trump GOP Donor Gave PACRONYM More Than $1 Million Because ‘Democracy Is At Stake’

One of the biggest GOP donors in New England history gave more than $ 1 million to the group behind Monday ’ s Iowa caucus debacle under the belief that it acted as a guard against Republican excess .
Seth Klarman , a billionaire and former GOP megadonor , gave PACRONYM $ 1.5 million in 2019 , according to the group ’ s 2019 Federal Election Commission filing .
The political action committee reportedly founded Shadow , a phone app responsible for causing delays in reporting the results of the caucuses .
Klarman reportedly began plowing millions of dollars in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regain control of Congress .
He told The New York Times in September 2018 that “ We need to turn the House and Senate as a check on [ President ] Donald Trump and his runaway presidency.
” Klarman is the CEO of Baupost Group who gave more than $ 7 million to the Republican Party in New England , the Boston Globe reported in 2015 .
The hedge fund manager contributed to PACRONYM partially because he considers Trump a threat to American democracy .
“ One of the reasons I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and talk to you is because I think democracy is at stake , ” Klarman told The New York Times in 2018 , adding : “ I don ’ t care what good things are happening because I am drawn to focus on the democratic norms that are being eroded.
” Klarman gave to multiple candidates in 2018 , including Democrats Beto O ’ Rourke of Texas and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York , among other candidates .
O ’ Rourke ran unsuccessfully that year to unseat GOP Texas Sen. Ted Cruz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate since 2009 .
Both Democrats ran unsuccessful presidential campaigns .
His contribution came less than two years after the Iowa Democratic Party promised to use Shadow to help count votes during the caucuses .
ACRONYM , a group affiliated with the PAC , edited portions of its website Tuesday to distance itself from the app Democrats hoped would simplify the process of counting votes in Iowa ’ s roughly 1,700 precincts .
The group , which once bragged about being Shadow ’ s founder , also created a network of fake news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ messages .
Tara McGowan , a digital producer for Obama for America in 2011 and the proprietor behind ACRONYM , raised at least $ 25 million from Klarman and other wealthy liberals to create a media company called Courier Newsroom that is designed to deliver information favorable to Democrats .
Along with the Courier Newsroom , the 31-year-old McGowan is also creating Virginia Dogwood and Arizona ’ s Copper Courier , among others that are expected to roll out in Michigan , North Carolina , Pennsylvania , Virginia and Wisconsin , all battleground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to look local in an effort to develop trust among readers in the area .
McGowan explained to Bloomberg Businessweek in November 2019 how her operations work .
“ Everybody who clicks on , likes , or shares an article … we get that data back to create a lookalike audience to find other people with similar attributes in the same area .
So we continually grow our ability to find people , ” said McGowan , a former journalist who worked for CBS News .
McGowan has not responded to the Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment through ACRONYM ’ s website , but she did explain on Twitter how her group came to be inextricably tied to the caucuses .
“ In 2019 , ACRONYM became majority investor in @ ShadowInchq , a new political tech company founded by @ gjniemira with a mission to create … accessible tech infrastructure for progressive campaigns , ” she wrote in a Wednesday tweet before noting that she had little foreknowledge of Shadow ’ s work .
Klarman is not the only billionaire to have funded digital boutique services that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tech billionaire Reid Hoffman became embroiled in controversy after The NYT and other outlets reported in December 2018 and January 2019 about his apparent role in a false flag operation in Alabama .
Hoffman , for his part , apologized for his role in the effort to troll voters .
Hoffman-financed groups — New Knowledge ( NK ) and American Engagement Technologies ( AET ) — allegedly used social media in 2017 to undermine support for Republican Roy Moore ’ s senatorial campaign and boosted his opponent , Democratic Alabama Sen. Doug Jones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jones publicly called for an investigation into the caper but has been tight-lipped about the ruse .
Hoffman spent roughly $ 100,000 on the projects — the identical amount Facebook says the Russian Internet Research Agency spent trolling people on social media leading up to the 2016 election .
It ’ s unclear if it had any effect on the outcome of Alabama ’ s election .
Analysts believe allegations that Moore sexually assaulted underage women three decades ago likely played a larger role .
Klarman has not responded to the DCNF ’ @ @ @ @ @