freedomdaily--2020-04-23--‘She’s Welcome To Lose’: DHS Deputy Chief Responds To NY Attorney General’s Threat To Sue Over Immig

‘She’s Welcome To Lose’: DHS Deputy Chief Responds To NY Attorney General’s Threat To Sue Over Immigration Ban

The acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security , while speaking about the Trump administration ’ s plan to limit immigration into the U.S , welcomed a challenge to the order .
Acting DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli appeared on Fox & Friends to discuss an executive order to curb the number of foreign nationals who can obtain a green card , a decree that will go into effect right before midnight on Thursday .
Many foreign nationals living abroad will be banned from applying for permanent residency .
During the interview , Cuccinelli was asked about New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ take legal action ” over the order .
“ This proclamation is antithetical to everything we believe as Americans .
Immigrants are working essential jobs on the frontlines of this crisis helping to keep our nation and economy moving forward , ” James tweeted on Wednesday night , following the release of the order .
“ I stand ready to take legal action.
” The second-in-command at DHS welcomed James to go ahead , but suggested she would not be successful .
“ Well , she ’ s welcome to lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are ] essential workers in those exceptions you just identified , and there is a reason the president put them in there because his first goal is to keep us safe , and so people working on medical response to the virus , food supply [ can ] still come in , ” Cuccinelli said .
“ It is the other folks that don ’ t come in and can ’ t enter our job pool , and can ’ t compete with Americans right now , at a time when we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skyrocketing unemployment claims .
It ’ s something that the president is very concerned about , ” he continued .
The Trump administration released its executive order on Wednesday night , revealing the details of the ban .
The order will bar many green card applicants abroad from entering the country for 60 days , and will also affect the thousands of immigrants who enter the U.S. via the lottery system .
However , as Cuccinelli pointed out , there are tremendous exceptions in place for individuals working in “ essential ” industries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not affect green card applicants who are already living in the U.S. Also , minor children and spouses of American citizens , as well health care workers , foreign investors and applicants who already have approved permanent residency are exempt .
The immigration “ ban ” also leaves major carve outs for temporary workers , such as those who enter the U.S. to work in agriculture and other essential industries .


freedomdaily--2020-04-23--Georgia Man Arrested for selling pesticide, claiming it protects against coronavirus

ATLANTA – Rong Sun , a/k/a Vicky Sun made her initial appearance on federal criminal charges Thursday for illegally importing and selling an unregistered pesticide , and mailing a prohibited article , as part of an online scheme offering the product for sale on Ebay while claming , without any legal basis , the illegal pesticide would protect persons from coronavirus .
Sun was charged with a criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney Northern District of Georgia ’ s office April 8 , 2020 .
This arrest comes after an interagency investigation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Investigations ( HSI ) in coordination with the Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Division , and U.S .
Postal Inspection Service .
According to court documents , the defendant allegedly sold the unregistered pesticide , Toamit Virus Shut Out , through eBay , claiming that it would help protect individuals from viruses and would reduce transmission risk by 90 % .
Federal law regulates the production , sale , distribution and use of pesticides in the United States .
Pesticides are also required to be registered with the EPA .
The product offered by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is illegal to distribute or sell unregistered pesticides .
In addition , Sun allegedly illegally imported the pesticide from Japan via the U.S .
Postal Service .
“ The sale of this product not only violates several federal laws ; it also gives people a false hope .
During a global crisis , like we are experiencing now , it is incredibly dangerous and reckless to exploit people ’ s fear for profit , ” said acting Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer , who oversees HSI operations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atlanta , in conjunction with our law enforcement partners , will continue to prioritize our efforts to protect Americans from COVID-19 fraud.
” “ The defendant took advantage of the current worldwide crisis to sell an illegal product with the claim that it protects individuals from viruses , ” said U.S. Attorney Byung J .
“ BJay ” Pak .
“ We will take quick action through the Georgia COVID-19 Task Force to put a stop to criminals preying on the public with Coronavirus-related fraud schemes.
” “ Reliance on fraudulent products may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the current public health emergency , ” said Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Susan Bodine .
“ EPA and our law enforcement partners are working hard to keep these illegal products off the shelves , off the internet , and out of this country .
We ask American consumers to help by checking the list of approved products found at epa.gov/coronavirus before making any purchases .
”

For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser


freedomdaily--2020-04-23--Roughly 14% Of New Yorkers Have Had Coronavirus, Gov Cuomo Says

New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said in a release to reporters Thursday that more than 13 % of New Yorkers likely had the coronavirus over the last several weeks .
Cuomo said that New York discovered the data after randomly testing 3,000 people at grocery stores and other locals across 19 counties .
Citizens could have been infected as long as a month and a half ago , according to Cuomo , who called the study a “ significant data set.
” “ What does that mean ?
It means these were people who were infected and who developed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Cuomo said .
“ They were infected three weeks ago , four weeks ago , five weeks ago , six weeks ago , but they had the virus , they developed the antibodies and they are now recovered.
” New York health officials , meanwhile , warn that many more citizens were likely exposed .
“ [ C ] lose to a million New Yorkers ” had been exposed to the coronavirus , or COVID-19 , Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot said during a press briefing Thursday with New York City Mayor Bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been at least 138,000 confirmed cases in a city of 8.3 million , Barbot said .
COVID-19 ’ s spread could be far wider than previously thought , according to another antibody test preformed on April 17 by Stanford University researchers .
The teams tested 3,300 Santa Clara County , California volunteers and found that 2.5 to 4.2 % of those tested were positive for antibodies , meaning the the infection rate is likely much higher than the official account .
Wake up Right !
Subscribe to our Morning Briefing and get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breakfast !


freedomdaily--2020-04-23--‘It Failed’: Immigration Hawks Unhappy With Details Inside Trump’s Immigration ‘Ban’

The executive order placing limits on immigration into the United States has many immigration hawks disappointed , arguing that the order will not do enough to protect American workers .
President Donald Trump excited his conservative base when he announced late Monday that he would be signing an executive order to ban immigration amidst a dramatic economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic .
However , when more details about the order were revealed the following day , it seemed that the order had more bark than bite .
The president said Tuesday that the upcoming order will block foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permanent residency visa , otherwise known as a green card .
However , the order will not stop the federal government from processing hundreds of thousands of temporary employees .
Exceptions are also expected to be made for essential employees — such as those in the health care industry — and migrants who enter the U.S. via immediate family members .
The carve outs were not well received by immigration hardliners .
“ That ’ s an awful lot of exceptions , ” Fox News host Tucker Carlson said on Tuesday shortly after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ So if the point of this executive order was to protect American jobs — maybe there was another point , but if it was to protect American jobs , it failed.
” This sentiment was echoed elsewhere in circles that favor less less immigration into the U.S. Mark Krikorian , the executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies , said that it would be “ absurd ” to continue immigration at record levels when 15 % of the workforce is losing their jobs .
He said that the order would limit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The reason it ’ s not going to have that much effect isn ’ t only because it excludes guest workers — that ’ s part of it .
Also , since most green card recipients already live and work in the United States under some other status , it ’ s not going to have that much effect , ” he said to the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Krikorian surmised that after former Attorney General-turned-Alabama Senate candidate Jeff Sessions went on Tucker Carlson ’ s show and became the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic , Trump was spurred to issue a similar decree .
Pressure to limit foreign workers comes as roughly 22 million U.S. citizens have lost work due to coronavirus-induced lockdowns across the country .
However , as the administration scrambled to come up with a solution , the pro-business faction of the White House clashed with the administration ’ s immigration hawks , and Trump ’ s Monday night tweet is believed to have been an action to force the two sides to finally reach a consensus .
While the order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other pro-enforcement figures say the order is better than nothing .
“ I think the decision was good , ” former ICE chief Tom Homan said to the DCNF .
” [ Trump ] said during his briefing that there ’ s going to be room for expansion as we move down the road .
He should , ” he said , adding that guest workers should be included in the order .
“ It was a great decision because it ’ s going to save some jobs , but if he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs to expand it to non-immigrants , ” Homan continued .
While lauding the Trump administration for the order , the Immigration Reform Law Institute ( IRLI ) said a “ wholesale ” moratorium would be the most ideal approach while so many U.S. citizens are out of a job .
“ The administration is to be commended for its efforts to help displaced American citizens looking for work , ” Dale L. Wilcox , executive director and general counsel of IRLI , stated to the DCNF .
“ The reality is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visas or other programs , are exploited by employers as a source of cheap labor to undercut American workers .
A wholesale suspension of foreign worker programs would be most effective to help Americans looking for work , ” Wilcox went on .
It ’ s still not entirely clear what will be inside Trump ’ s executive order , and he has also teased a second one down the road .
The upcoming order is set to last for 60 days , and can be renewed .
However , immigration experts note @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lockdown orders that are currently in place , many Americans won ’ t simply be able to return to the jobs they once had .
The economy has been deeply affected , and the ramifications could last for years .
“ The economy isn ’ t going to be up and running like it was before , ” Krikorian said .
“ This is going to be years to re-absorb the millions who have been thrown out of work back into a very different-looking economy.
” “ Millions of people had jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It doesn ’ t mean that the world ends , it just means that the process of re-integrating tens of millions of people thrown out of work by this virus is going to be a project of years , and not months , ” he said .


freedomdaily--2020-04-23--US Intelligence Says Chinese Agents Spread Texts To Stoke Coronavirus Panic

U.S. intelligence officials believe that agents of the Chinese government helped boost fake claims through social media and text messages last month aimed at stoking panic over nationwide lockdowns over the coronavirus pandemic , according to a report from The New York Times .
The newspaper cited six intelligence officials all in different agencies who said that Chinese agents helped spread messages claiming that the Trump administration was planning to impose curfews , and would deploy troops to prevent widespread looting and rioting .
The officials are keenly interested in the operation because many of the messages were circulated through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times that they do not believe that Chinese operatives created the messages , but that they merely helped spread them .
The messages , which circulated widely in mid-March , included vague claims of draconian nationwide lockdowns citing sources from the Pentagon , National Security Council , or FBI .
Some urged recipients to take money out of their bank accounts and fill up on gas ahead of the purported lockdowns .
“ They will announce this as soon as they have troops in place to help prevent looters and rioters , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ He said he got the call last night and was told to pack and be prepared for the call today with his dispatch orders.
” “ Just a heads up , ” read one message received by The Daily Caller News Foundation .
“ Just got word from a friend who works for the FBI and National Security Council advising the president .
She says that tomorrow POTUS will announce a ‘ Stage 1 ’ government Lockdown.
” “ It will most likely be a domestic flight ban , and/or mandatory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be crazy tomorrow , and its [ sic ] probably best to get some serious groceries before the afternoon announcement tomorrow.
” The Trump administration has offered guidelines urging Americans to curtail social gatherings and non-essential business activities but has not ended domestic flights or imposed curfews .
The National Security Council responded to the viral messages on March 15 , calling them “ FAKE.
” According to the Times , U.S. officials said that the Chinese agents are likely using WhatsApp and other encrypted messaging platforms to circulate the messages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paper that intelligence officers are looking into whether Chinese diplomats in the U.S. are helping disseminate the fake messages .
Zhao Lijian , the spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry , declined comment when asked about China ’ s possible involvement in the fake messages .
“ The relevant statements are complete nonsense and not worth refuting , ” he told The Times .
The Chinese government has also spread propaganda from its diplomats and government-controlled media outlets deflecting blame for the coronavirus pandemic , which originated in Wuhan in mid-November 2019 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministry , got in on the act last month , tweeting that the “ US military brought the epidemic to Wuhan .
”


freedomdaily--2020-04-23--What is a brain freeze?

What is a brain freeze?

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages .
If you have a question you ’ d like an expert to answer , send it to curiouskidsus @ theconversation.com .
Has this ever happened to you ?
You ’ re eating a delicious ice cream cone or frozen lemonade , so cold and sweet and suddenly , bam , brain freeze !
What happened ?
A brain freeze is a short , intense pain behind the forehead and temples that occurs after eating something cold too fast .
If you get one , don ’ t worry – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The sensation feels like it ’ s happening inside your skull , but it really has to do with what ’ s going on in your mouth .
Brain freeze isn ’ t as common as you might expect .
Many studies report that less than half of their participants get them .
Scientists still don ’ t understand why .
There ’ s a lot we know about how a brain freeze works .
There ’ s also a lot we don ’ t know .
Just beneath the skin on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vessels that supply the face and brain with blood .
Blood contains many nutrients like oxygen , which is essential for your brain to function .
Tangled up in this network of vessels are tiny nerve endings connected to one another and the brain through the trigeminal nerve .
This nerve makes it possible for you to feel sensations in your face , including pain .
Scientists believe the blood vessels in the throat and mouth and the trigeminal nerve are central to what makes a brain freeze hurt .
But they don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more responsible for causing the pain .
Most agree that eating or drinking something cold , too quickly , rapidly lowers the temperature at the back of your throat and roof of your mouth .
Many also agree this causes the tiny blood vessels in these areas to shrink , allowing less blood to pass through them .
This reduces their ability to supply your brain with necessary oxygen in the blood .
What happens next is a little blurry .
Some scientists believe the trigeminal nerve responds to these events in your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signal to the front of your brain .
Whether the nerve is specifically responding to the cold or a sudden reduction of blood and oxygen supply to the brain – or both – is unclear .
Other scientists believe the pain is caused by a rush of blood to the front of your head .
Shortly after the vessels in your throat and mouth shrink from the cold , these same vessels immediately expand .
By expanding , additional blood and oxygen flood these areas .
Although this blood rush might provide your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it also might increase the amount of pressure in your head , causing pain .
A brain freeze may seem like a bad thing at first , but the pain could actually be good .
By forcing you to stop eating that delicious but cold treat , the pain from a brain freeze may protect your brain from losing its continuous supply of blood and oxygen .
If you ’ re worried about a brain freeze , try slowing down .
It may be hard with something as delicious as a Bomb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but at least it will last longer .
Hello , curious kids !
Do you have a question you ’ d like an expert to answer ?
Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS @ theconversation.com .
Please tell us your name , age and the city where you live .
And since curiosity has no age limit – adults , let us know what you ’ re wondering , too .
We won ’ t be able to answer every question , but we will do our best .
Tyler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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--2020-04-23--Scientists are working to protect invaluable living collections during coronavirus lockdowns

During World War II , a devoted group of botanists guarded the world ’ s oldest collection of plants over the 28-month-long siege of Leningrad .
Nearly a dozen of them starved to death , valuing the survival of the collection over their temptation to eat seeds .
These scientists at the Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry in what is today St. Petersburg , Russia displayed extraordinary dedication to ensure an invaluable biological collection had a future , even when they did not .
This tragic story resonates with many scientists today who have dedicated careers to cataloging and preserving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are risking their personal health during the coronavirus pandemic to ensure the survival of awe-inspiring assemblages of algae , arthropods , bacteria , fungi , mammals , plants , viruses and fishes .
Staying on top of these collections is time-consuming during the best of times , and this task becomes even more complex in the age of social distancing .
Yet hundreds of scientists across the United States are doing just that , maintaining everything from crickets , to tissue cultures , mice , powdery mildews , nematodes , psyllids , zebrafish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beloved backyard garden , these collections must be constantly nurtured .
They need to be ready to accommodate new specimens but also relinquish those that are no longer viable .
Such collections have taken lifetimes to build , as specimens are painstakingly acquired and undergo observation , purification and scrutiny of genetics and measurable traits .
Scientists like us collect what we do partly because these organisms inspire our research and capture our imaginations .
But just as importantly , these collections are significant to society and its advancement .
Seed vaults , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safely store bygone seeds with unique traits that can be plucked from dormancy and bred with modern varieties to improve them .
Within other collections , similar secrets await discovery with potential insights into human disease , microbiology and food biosecurity .
As modern science techniques like genome sequencing continue to advance , researchers will certainly learn more from these living collections and further increase their value to humanity .
Living collections are typically housed within academic or government labs but are generally accessible to the broader scientific community .
Funding for maintenance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many collections relying on the U.S. Department of Agriculture , National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health for support .
The hidden costs of living collections are often shouldered by collections managers and staff .
No one sees the days or even months curators and technical workers spend cultivating a single unique organism or colony , the holidays spent setting up cages , the weekends changing food , providing water , and , yes , picking up waste .
It takes a lot of labor and technical skill to keep collections alive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this unassuming work becomes even more difficult .
Many scientists have been left scrambling to justify the importance of their collections to their administrations in order to gain laboratory access during social distancing restrictions .
We know this because we ’ re spending our time maintaining living collections of our own here at West Virginia University .
We maintain INVAM , the world ’ s largest collection of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi .
These are fungi that have formed an intimate beneficial partnership with plant roots – so intimate that they can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To maintain our collection of more than 900 individual strains , these fungi must be individually partnered with their plant hosts .
Then the plants must be maintained in greenhouses for several months each year .
With 250 to 300 isolates cultured every three months and watered daily , this is a serious time commitment .
We also need to support commercial sales , which are part of the collection , problematic cultures that need special attention , and research projects that require additional space , labor and maintenance .
Despite the many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because our collection provides scientists with an unparalleled resource to ask questions about how these close partnerships evolve and how they can be leveraged to grow healthier food and fitter crops now and under our changing environment now and in the near future .
Elsewhere on campus , the Rio lab maintains one of only two tsetse fly colonies in the United States .
These bloodthirsty flies transmit parasites that cause some of the most devastating neglected diseases .
These colonies are critical to advancing scientists ’ understanding of fly biology and parasite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategies .
These finicky insects are constantly in search of blood and require feeding multiple times a week , no matter what is happening in the world .
Like people , individual tsetse flies have a low number of offspring .
This means it ’ s important to keep tsetse fly numbers high in colonies to promote genetic diversity .
To keep collections going while observing social distancing rules , scientists seem to have taken two approaches : Put collections into “ hibernation ” or bring them home .
For regulatory and logistical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collections home , so we ’ ve carefully planned the minimum required maintenance to limit personnel required and the number of visits to the university .
Our goal is simply to usher as many fungal strains or flies through this human public health crisis as possible without conducting experiments or growing our collections .
To accomplish this , we ’ ve had to justify our status as essential employees to our university .
We go in wearing masks and scrupulously disinfect shared surfaces .
We not only coordinate with other essential personnel to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at different times , but use different routes through the building .
We do this to protect our communities , while also protecting scientific resources that have consumed considerable time and effort to amass .
The other option is to bring collections home .
This works for organisms that take up little space and can leave the confines of a laboratory , unlike permit-regulated tsetse flies , and can handle the conditions of our households .
This short-term solution allows more effective social distancing but presents new logistical challenges .
Imagine sharing your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 400 overwintering Boisduval ’ s butterflies or even 1,500 widow spiders .
Though their scientist caretakers are well suited to deal with the challenges of rearing these organisms at home , they ’ re still faced with difficult questions .
Where do you store them ?
How will you secure enough food to weather this ambiguous period of self-isolation ?
How do you keep your cats or kids out of incubators full of flour beetles ?
The imposition of bringing a colony of insects home or jumping through risky hoops to visit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worth it for scientists like us .
The effort necessary during this pandemic to literally keep science alive is justified by the value these collections provide to researchers and society .
[ You ’ re smart and curious about the world .
So are The Conversation ’ s authors and editors .
You can get our highlights each weekend . ]
Matthew T. Kasson receives funding from NSF , USDA and The Ohrstrom Foundation .
Brian Lovett does not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ article , and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-04-23--Why there isn’t a one-size-fits-all plan for states to reopen their economies

Editor ’ s Note : How and when states reopen their economies will look different from one state to the next state depending , in part , on where that state is in the trajectory of its coronavirus illnesses .
In this Q & A , Hilary Godwin , dean of the University of Washington School of Public Health , explains why , and why it makes sense for groups of states , such as Washington , Oregon and California , to coordinate their plans .
Governors are walking a tightrope as they try to figure out how to safely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their economies without triggering a new surge in coronavirus cases .
Do they start allowing businesses like restaurants , theaters and hair salons to reopen , as Georgia plans to do by Monday despite more than 20,000 COVID-19 cases there so far and opposition from several mayors ?
Is it OK to reopen beaches and stores , like South Carolina did this week ?
Or do they take a more cautious approach , as Massachusetts is doing by keeping schools closed through the end of the school year ?
Can states start reopening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At this point , we expect to see some rise in cases when economic and social activities restart .
We don ’ t want to wait until there is no chance that would happen – people would literally go stir-crazy in their homes and it would decimate the economy .
What we want is to be confident that we have the capacity to identify coronavirus cases quickly and control the spread through contact tracing and isolation when we see them start to emerge again .
Can every state just follow the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federalist system , protection of public health and safety is reserved to the state , so it is up to each governor to choose a path forward .
The White House ’ s plan provides a helpful starting point by offering a least restrictive path , but it suggests removing restrictions much more quickly than many public health people feel comfortable with .
For example , one trigger for the first phase of lifting restrictions is a downward trajectory , with 14 days of decreasing numbers of new COVID-19 cases .
At that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there can be large gatherings including at sports events and movie theaters , provided social distancing is followed .
Washington state has probably met that two-week threshold , but don ’ t expect Washington to allow large gatherings soon .
Statistically , the chance of someone asymptomatic and infectious being at one of those gatherings and exposing a large number of people is pretty high .
That ’ s a risk many states aren ’ t going to take .
A number of different models , including by researchers at Harvard Chan School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of Washington , have suggested that you need to wait longer than just seeing 14 days of a downward trajectory to be confident you wouldn ’ t get a large resurgence of cases .
That could mean three or four weeks – I ’ m not saying months and months and months .
But 14 days seems really short based on what I ’ ve seen of the coronavirus case curves and where most places are on that trajectory .
What do states gain by coordinating their plans ?
Going into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states need to have enough testing and contact tracing capacity to be confident they can manage the cases that will still turn up .
Even if a state isn ’ t seeing cases spreading within communities , travelers are still coming in from places where the pandemic is active .
Right now , we don ’ t have that capacity , even in Washington , and we have better capacity that most of the country .
That ’ s one reason partnering with other states makes sense .
When Washington partners with California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resources for developing testing capacity and contact tracing capacity .
That bumps up the timeline for getting enough resources in place that we can be confident we can start lifting restrictions .
It should take us much less time if we ’ re working together , and that ’ s huge .
Another big advantage is consistent messaging across a region where people cross state lines all the time .
Should all states be coordinating with others ?
For states to coordinate , it ’ s helpful if they ’ re at similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s part of why it makes sense for a few states to coordinate on the same plan rather than having one plan for the entire country .
New York is having such a different experience right now that it would be difficult for that state to coordinate reopening plans with Washington or California .
In Washington , when the cases numbers plateaued , we were able to send extra ventilators to other regions that needed them .
New York needs to be taking different steps at different times and has different resource challenges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we also have similarities in how people and the governors weigh public health risk versus economic risk in a situation like this .
Part of the reason Washington has done well after the early outbreak was that our local health departments were good about jumping on contact tracing and preparations , so by the time we did have community-level transmission , they had been preparing for weeks .
We also have elected officials who have worked hand in hand with their public health officials .
Is a second surge of cases a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we won ’ t see a second peak .
There are things that could keep that from happening .
Having a vaccine widely available or a treatment people could take to prevent transmitting the disease could help the country avoid another surge in cases .
It ’ s also possible , as we saw with MERS and SARS , that once we are able to contain everything and get it to a low enough level , the coronavirus could die out on its own .
But we don ’ t want to count @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibility it comes back , particularly since so many people haven ’ t been infected .
We still have a lot of people who are really vulnerable , so if we ’ re not careful enough about how we bring economic and social activities back online , we could have a resurgence .
[ Get facts about coronavirus and the latest research .
Sign up for The Conversation ’ s newsletter . ]
Hilary Godwin does not work for , consult , own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment .


freedomdaily--2020-04-24--WINNING: Supreme Court Sides With Trump Admin, Rules Criminal Immigrant Can Be Deported

The Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration on Thursday , finding that the government can deport criminal immigrants from the U.S. even if they have been living legally in the country for a long time .
In a split 5-4 decision , the court ’ s conservative bloc agreed with the administration that Andre Martello Baron , a non-citizen from Jamaica , is eligible for deportation after being charged with drug and firearm offenses , despite him living in the U.S. since the 1980s .
The decision makes it more difficult for green card holders with criminal offenses in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barton ’ s crimes made him eligible for removal , but he argued that he was not , citing a 1996 decision that allows some long-term legal residents to avoid deportation .
Under the law touted by Barton ’ s legal team , green card holders can request to have their deportation orders repealed if they ’ ve been living in the U.S. continuously for at least seven years .
The Supreme Court ’ s majority , however , ruled that legal residents who have committed certain crimes before reaching this “ inadmissible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brett Kavanaugh , writing for the court ’ s majority opinion , wrote that “ when a lawful permanent resident has amassed a criminal record of this kind , ” the country ’ s immigration laws deem them ineligible to request to remain in the U.S. “ Removal of a lawful permanent resident from the United States is a wrenching process , especially in light of the consequences for family members , ” Kavanaugh stated .
“ Congress made a choice , however , to authorize removal of non-citizens — even lawful permanent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crimes , ” he continued .
“ And Congress also made a choice to categorically preclude cancellation of removal for noncitizens who have substantial criminal records .
Congress may , of course , amend the law at any time .
In the meantime , the Court is constrained to apply the law as enacted by Congress.
” Kavanaugh was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas , Neil Gorsuch , and Samuel Alito .
The decision marks a major win for the White House , and also notably expands the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have committed serious crimes within the first seven years of their arrival into the U.S .


freedomdaily--2020-04-24--How to listen to your loved ones with empathy when you yourself are feeling the strain of social dis

How to listen to your loved ones with empathy when you yourself are feeling the strain of social distancing

COVID-19 has revealed a great many things about our world , including the vulnerabilities inherent in our economic , health care and educational institutions .
The pandemic and the resulting orders to shelter in place have also uncovered vulnerabilities in our relationships with others .
Many of us are not just dealing with our own feelings of anxiety , anger and sadness ; we are dealing with the anxiety , anger and sadness expressed by the people with whom we live and other loved ones with whom we ’ ve maintained virtual connections .
How do we respond with empathy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emotions ourselves ?
Is it even possible ?
As a clinical psychologist , I have spent the last two decades studying how couples facing chronic stressors can be there for each other in the midst of their own personal suffering .
My research and that of my colleagues has shown that it is possible , and even beneficial to oneself , to others and to our relationships if we learn to practice empathy and other skills even when we ’ re not feeling at peace with the world .
Considering that we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forever , it makes sense to put in the effort now to preserve and promote healthy relationships that will last far beyond the time of COVID-19 .
Sharing emotions is good , but listening is also required Expressing our emotions to loved ones is a natural response to feeling stressed .
In fact , we share our feelings with others for a number of reasons : to bond with others , to be comforted or to seek advice .
Sharing our feelings with others can help us get a handle on our emotions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the act of disclosing emotions that helps us feel better .
Having a listening partner who is emotionally responsive and “ gets it ” is key .
It ’ s difficult to really be there for someone when we are feeling stressed out ourselves .
In fact , listening to our loved one ’ s suffering can adversely affect our well-being .
My colleagues and I have found that couples in which one or both partners experience chronic pain report feelings of isolation , helplessness and resentment in their relationships that affected their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both partners have chronic pain , they may experience it differently and have different coping strategies and emotions surrounding an uncertain future with a chronic illness .
Yet , couples found that building what we psychologists call relational flexibility skills supported their quality of life and their relationships .
The ability to share feelings with a partner and listen to a partner ’ s feelings in a nonjudgmental manner that respects both partner ’ s values is something that we therapist calls relational flexibility .
Our research has shown that there are several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Reconnect with your values : We can get caught up in the moment and forget what is really important .
Therapies like acceptance and commitment therapy and spiritual practices can support realign our actions with our personal values so that external worries , time pressure or other factors do not drive our behavior .
Imagining what we want people to say at our retirement , birthday or anniversary party or even at our funeral can bring your values into stark focus .
• Be curious : Stop and consider how we would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were sharing these same feelings .
And consider why they may be feeling the way they do .
What might they need right now ?
You might be surprised to learn that your partner may not always want you to problem-solve when they are upset .
Often , they already know what to do but are seeking emotional support instead .
Match your response to what they want .
When in doubt , ask .
• Validate : Emotional validation , a key part of therapies such as dialectical behavior therapy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone for who they are .
We can express emotional validation by paying attention to them , acknowledging that what they feel is real , reflecting back what we have heard them say , expressing our sorrow or anger about what they ’ ve experienced , and asking questions about what you can do to support them .
• Pay attention to the present moment : It can be hard to hear about a loved one ’ s suffering .
Sometimes we disengage , become distracted , jump into problem-solving mode , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distressing to listen to a partner ’ s distress .
With practice , you can monitor , become aware of , and accept your own feelings even as you calmly listen to another .
We adapted meditations from mindfulness practitioners and researchers including Jon Kabat-Zinn , Thich Nhat Hanh in our couples interventions and there are many more available on the web .
• Spend time with your loved ones in valued activities : This is a staple of couple therapies such as integrative behavioral couple therapy and may seem like a common-sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loved ones is more difficult when our attention is split between working from home , homeschooling and caregiving , managing a variety of pandemic-related stressors , and leisure activities .
Recall your values and make appointments in your calendars for mutually valued activities .
The positive feelings that come from these activities will sustain you both .
To be sure , we have our limits when listening to another person ’ s pain .
Even our most tolerant and loving partners may not be able to respond the way we hope .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In this case , it may be wise to seek out others who share your situation or circumstances for peer support .
And if you are the listener , and you feel overwhelmed by another ’ s pain , it ’ s important to take care of yourself and let them know that you are not able to give them what they need .
And if you or your loved one discloses that they are feeling so down that they are thinking of harming themselves , it ’ s time to seek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sharing the good , the bad and the ugly with loved ones during this pandemic , let ’ s recognize that we have much to be grateful for our relationships , however socially distant we have to be right now .
This time of great stress will eventually pass and we will be out and about again .
Practice relational flexibility to ensure that you and your loved ones will enjoy that happy day together .
[ You need to understand the coronavirus pandemic , and we can help .
Read The Conversation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received funding for some of the work cited in this essay from the National Institutes of Health/National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health .


freedomdaily--2020-04-24--As the coronavirus interrupts global supply chains, people have an alternative – make it at home

As COVID-19 wreaks havoc on global supply chains , a trend of moving manufacturing closer to customers could go so far as to put miniature manufacturing plants in people ’ s living rooms .
Most products in Americans ’ homes are labeled “ Made in China , ” but even those bearing the words “ Made in USA ” frequently have parts from China that are now often delayed .
The coronavirus pandemic closed so many factories in China that NASA could observe the resultant drop in pollution from space , and some products are becoming harder to find .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are open-source , freely available digital designs for making millions of items with 3D printers , and their numbers are growing exponentially , as is an interest in open hardware design in academia .
Some designs are already being shared for open-source medical hardware to help during the pandemic , like face shields , masks and ventilators .
The free digital product designs go far beyond pandemic hardware .
The cost of 3D printers has dropped low enough to be accessible to most Americans .
People can download , customize and print a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they often end up costing less than it takes to purchase them .
Not so long ago , the prevailing thinking in industry was that the lowest-cost manufacturing was large , mass manufacturing in low-labor-cost countries like China .
At the time , in the early 2000s , only Fortune 500 companies and major research universities had access to 3D printers .
The machines were massive , expensive tools used to rapidly prototype parts and products .
More than a decade ago , the patents expired on the first type of 3D @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had the intriguing idea of making a 3D printer that could print itself .
He started the RepRap project – short for self-replicating rapid prototyper – and released the designs with open-source licenses on the web .
The designs spread like wildfire and were quickly hacked and improved upon by thousands of engineers and hobbyists all over the world .
Many of these makers started their own companies to produce variants of these 3D printers , and people can now buy a 3D printer for US $ 250 to $ 550 .
Today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manufacturing robots , which build products one layer at a time .
Additive manufacturing is infiltrating many industries .
My colleagues and I have observed clear trends as the technology threatens major disruption to global value chains .
In general , companies are moving from using 3D printing for prototyping to adopting it to make products they need internally .
They ’ re also using 3D printing to move manufacturing closer to their customers , which reduces the need for inventory and shipping .
Some customers have bought 3D printers and are making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a small trend .
Amazon now lists 3D printing filament , the raw material for 3D printers , under “ Amazon Basics ” along with batteries and towels .
In general , people will save 90 % to 99 % off the commercial price of a product when they print it at home .
We had expected that adoption of 3D printing and the move toward distributed manufacturing would be a slow process as more and more products were printed by more and more people .
But that was before there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the coronavirus spread .
A good example of sharp demand for 3D printed products is personal protective equipment ( PPE ) .
The National Institutes of Health 3D Print Exchange , a relativity small design repository , has exploded with new PPE designs .
Already , because of the global impact of the coronavirus , 94 % of Fortune 1000 companies are having their supplies chains disrupted and businesses dependent on global sourcing are facing hard choices .
The value of industrial commodities continues to slide because the coronavirus has put a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down and potential customers are quarantined .
This will limit people ’ s access to products while increasing their costs .
The disruptions to global supply chains caused by strict quarantines , stay-at-home orders and other social distancing measures in industrialized nations around the world present an opportunity for distributed manufacturing to fill unmet needs .
Many people are likely , in the short to medium term , to find some products unavailable or overly expensive .
In many cases , they will be able to make the products they need themselves ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
Our research on the global value chains found that 3D printing with plastics in particular are well advanced so any product with a considerable number of polymer components , even if the parts are flexible , can be 3D printed .
Making functional toys and household products at home is easy even for beginners .
So are adaptive aids for arthritis patients and other medical products and sporting goods like skateboards .
Metal and ceramic 3D printing is already available and expanding rapidly for a range of items , from high-cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simple bulk manufactured products with 3D printed brackets at low costs .
Printable electronics , pharmaceuticals and larger items like furniture are starting to become available or will be in the near future .
These more advanced 3D printers could help accelerate the trend toward distributed manufacturing , even if they don ’ t end up in people ’ s homes .
There are some hurdles , particularly for consumer 3D printing .
3D printing filament is itself subject to disruptions in global supply chains , although recyclebot technology allows people to create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3D printers are still expensive and the fine metal powder many of them use as raw material is potentially hazardous if inhaled , but there are now $ 1,200 metal printers that use more accessible welding wire .
These new printers as well as those that can do multiple materials still need development , and there ’ s a long way to go before all products and their components can be 3D printed at home .
Think computer chips .
When my colleagues and I initially analyzed when products would be available for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economics .
If the coronavirus continues to disrupt supply chains and hamper international trade , however , the demand for unavailable or costly products could speed up the transition to distributed manufacturing of all products .
Professor Joshua M. Pearce has received funding from the Air Force Research Laboratory ( ARFL ) through America Makes : The National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute , which is managed and operated by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining ( NCDMM ) .
He also receives funding from the U.S. Department of Energy ( DOE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( ARPA-E ) , and the National Science Foundation ( NSF ) for 3D printing related projects .
In addition , his past and present research is supported by many non-profits and for-profit companies in the open source additive manufacturing industry including re:3D , Miller , Aleph Objects , Lulzbot , CNC Router Parts , Virtual Foundry , Ultimaker and Youmagine , Cheap 3D Filaments , MyMiniFactory , Zeni Kinetic , Matter Hackers , and Ultimachine .


freedomdaily--2020-04-24--How the Hubble Space Telescope opened our eyes to the first galaxies of the universe

The Hubble Space Telescope launched on the 24th of April , 30 years ago .
It ’ s an impressive milestone especially as its expected lifespan was just 10 years .
One of the primary reasons for the Hubble telescope ’ s longevity is that it can be serviced and improved with new observational instruments through Space Shuttle visits .
When Hubble , or HST , first launched , its instruments could observe ultraviolet light with wavelengths shorter than the eye can see , as well as optical light with wavelengths visible to humans .
A maintenance mission in 1997 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light , which are longer wavelengths than people can see .
Hubble ’ s new infrared eyes provided two new major capabilities : the ability to see farther into space than before and see deeper into the dusty regions of star formation .
I am an astrophysicist at the University of Arizona who has used near infrared observations to better understand how the universe works , from star formation to cosmology .
Some 35 years ago , I was given the chance to build a near infrared camera and spectrometer for Hubble .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The camera my team designed and developed has changed the way humans see and understand the universe .
The instrument was built at Ball Aerospace in Boulder , Colorado , under our direction .
Seeing further and earlier Edwin Hubble , HST ’ s namesake , discovered in the early 1900s that the universe is expanding and that the light from distant galaxies was shifted to longer , redder wavelengths , a phenomenon called the redshift .
The greater the distance , the larger the shift .
This is because the further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it takes for the light to reach us here on Earth and the more the universe has expanded in that time .
The Hubble ultraviolet and optical instruments had taken images of the most distant galaxies ever seen , known as the Northern Hubble Deep Field , or NHDF , which were released in 1996 .
These images , however , had reached their distance limit due to the redshift , which had shifted all of the light of the most distant galaxies out of the visible and into the infrared .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the second maintenance mission has the awkward name , the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer , NICMOS , pronounced “ Nick Moss.
” The near infrared cameras on NICMOS observed regions of the NHDF and discovered even more distant galaxies with all of their light in the near infrared .
Astronomers have the privilege of watching things happen in the past which they call the “ lookback time.
” Our best measurement of the age of the universe is 13.7 billion years .
The distance that light travels in one year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most distant galaxies observed by NICMOS were at a distance of almost 13 billion light years .
This meant that the light that NICMOS detected had been traveling for 13 billion years and showed what the galaxies looked like 13 billion years ago , a time when the universe was only about 5 % of its current age .
These were some of the first galaxies ever created and were forming new stars at rates that were more than a thousand times the rate at which most galaxies form stars in the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formation for decades , many questions remain .
Part of the problem is that most stars are formed in clouds of molecules and dust .
The dust absorbs the ultraviolet and most of the optical light emitted by forming stars , making it difficult for Hubble ’ s ultraviolet and optical instruments to study the process .
The longer , or redder , the wavelength of the light , the less is absorbed .
That is why sunsets , where the light must pass through long lengths of dusty air , appear red @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has an even easier time passing through dust than the red optical light .
NICMOS can look into star formation regions with the superior image quality of Hubble to determine the details of where the star formation occurs .
A good example is the iconic Hubble image of the Eagle Nebula , also known as the pillars of creation .
The optical image shows majestic pillars which appear to show star formation over a large volume of space .
The NICMOS image , however , shows a different picture .
In the NICMOS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transparent with no star formation .
Stars are only being formed at the tip of the pillars .
The optical pillars are just empty dust reflecting the light of a group of nearby stars .
The dawning of the age of infrared When NICMOS was added into the HST in 1997 NASA had no plans for a future infrared space mission .
That rapidly changed as the results from NICMOS became apparent .
Based on the data from NICMOS , scientists learned that fully formed galaxies existed in the universe much earlier than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the expansion of the universe is accelerating rather than slowing down as previously thought .
The NHDF infrared images were followed by the Hubble Ultra Deep Field images in 2005 , which further showed the power of near infrared imaging of distant young galaxies .
So NASA decided to invest in the James Webb Space Telescope , or JWST , a telescope much larger than HST and completely dedicated to infrared observations .
On Hubble , a near infrared imager was added to the third version of the Wide Field camera which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This camera used an improved version of the NICMOS detector arrays that had more sensitivity and a wider field of view .
The James Webb Space Telescope has much larger versions of the NICMOS detector arrays that have more wavelength coverage than the previous versions .
The James Webb Space Telescope , scheduled to be launched in March 2021 , followed by the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope , form the bulk of future space missions for NASA .
These programs were all spawned by the near infrared observations by HST .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a near infrared camera and spectrometer to give Hubble its infrared eyes .
With the James Webb Space Telescope , astronomers expect to see the very first galaxies that formed in the universe .
[ Deep knowledge , daily .
Sign up for The Conversation ’ s newsletter . ]
Rodger I. Thompson was the Principal Investigator for the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer , NICMOS .
He was responsible for the execution of a contract to Arizona Board of Regents from NASA to deliver NICMOS as a Hubble Space Telescope Instrument @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
Prof. Thompson received summer salary from this contract at his University pay rate during the execution of the contract which ended in 2004 .
Prof. Thompson is not currently receiving any external funding .


freedomdaily--2020-04-24--Coronavirus drifts through the air in microscopic droplets – here’s the science of infectious aeroso

Coronavirus drifts through the air in microscopic droplets – here’s the science of infectious aerosols

During the 1970s when I was growing up in Southern California , the air was so polluted that I was regularly sent home from high school to “ shelter in place.
” There might not seem to be much in common between staying home due to air pollution and staying home to fight the coronavirus pandemic , but fundamentally , both have a lot to do with aerosols .
Aerosols are the tiny floating pieces of pollution that make up Los Angeles ’ famous smog , the dust particles you see floating in a ray of sunshine and also the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mouth when you talk , cough or breathe .
These small pieces of floating liquids can contain pieces of the coronavirus and can be major contributor to its spread .
If you walk outside right now , chances are you will see people wearing masks and practicing social distancing .
These actions are in large part meant to prevent people from spreading or inhaling aerosols .
I am a professor of mechanical engineering and study aerosols and air pollution .
The more people understand how aerosols work , the better people can avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aerosol is a clump of small liquid or solid particles floating in the air .
They are everywhere in the environment and can be made of anything small enough to float , like smoke , water or coronavirus-carrying saliva .
When a person coughs , talks or breathes , they throw anywhere between 900 to 300,000 liquid particles from their mouth .
These particles range in size from microscopic – a thousandth the width of a hair – up to the size of a grain of fine beach sand .
A cough can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 mph .
Size of the particle and air currents affect how long they will stay in the air .
In a still room , tiny particles like smoke can stay airborne for up to eight hours .
Larger particles fall out of the air more quickly and land on surfaces after a few minutes .
By simply being near other people , you are coming into constant contact with aerosols from their mouth .
During a pandemic this a little more concerning than normal .
But the important question is not do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infectious are they ?
The new coronavirus , SARS-CoV-2 , is tiny , about 0.1 microns – roughly 4 millionths of an inch – in diameter .
Aerosols produced by people when they breathe , talk and cough are generally between about 0.7 microns to around 10 microns – completely invisible to the naked eye and easily able to float in air .
These particles are mostly biological fluids from people ’ s mouths and lungs and can contain bits of virus genetic material .
Researchers don ’ t yet know how many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by an infected person ’ s cough might hold .
But in one preprint study , meaning it is currently under peer review , researchers used a model to estimate that a person standing and speaking in a room could release up to 114 infectious doses per hour .
The researchers predict that these aerosolized bits of saliva would easily infect other people if this happened in public indoor spaces like a bank , restaurant or pharmacy .
Another thing to consider is how easy these particles are to inhale .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that people would most likely inhale aerosols from another person that is talking and coughing while sitting less than 6 feet away .
While this seems bad , the actual process from exposure to infection is a complicated numbers game .
Often , viral particles found in aerosols are damaged .
A study looking at the flu virus found that only 0.1 % of viruses exhaled by a person are actually infectious .
The coronavirus also starts to die off once it has left the body , remaining viable in the air for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course , not every aerosol coming from an infected person will contain the coronavirus .
There is a lot of chance involved .
Public health officials still don ’ t know whether direct contact , indirect contact through surfaces , or aerosols are the main pathway of transmission for the coronavirus .
But everything experts like myself know about aerosols suggests that they could be a major pathway of transmission .
It is almost impossible to study viral transmission in real time , so researchers have turned to environmental sampling and contact tracing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus in aerosols .
This research is happening extremely fast and most of it is still under peer review , but these studies offer extremely interesting , if preliminary , information .
To test the environment , researchers simply sample the air .
In Nebraska , scientists found airborne SARS-CoV-2 in a hospital .
In China , scientists also found the virus in the air of a number of hospitals as well as a department store .
But environmental sampling alone can not prove aerosol transmission .
That requires contact tracing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the site of a small outbreak on Jan. 23 and offers direct evidence of aerosol transmission .
Researchers believe that there was one infected but asymptomatic person sitting at a table in the restaurant .
Because of the air currents circulating in the room due to air conditioning , people sitting at two other tables became infected , likely because of aerosols .
Overall , the evidence suggests that it is much more risky to be inside than outside .
The reason is the lack of airflow .
It takes between 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be sucked outside by a ventilation system or float out an open window .
Another preprint study of outbreaks in Japan suggests that the chances of direct transmission are almost 20 times higher indoors compared to outdoors .
In Singapore , researchers traced the first three outbreaks directly to a few shops , a banquet dinner and a church .
Once outside , these potentially infectious aerosols disappear in the expanse of the atmosphere and are much less of a worry .
It is of course possible to catch the virus outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sick person , but this seems very rare .
Researchers in China found that only one of 314 outbreaks they examined could be traced back to outdoor contact .
There has been recent concern over aerosol transmission during running and biking .
While the science is still developing on this , it is probably wise to give other bikers or runners a little more room than normal .
With all of this knowledge of how aerosols are produced , how they move and the role they play in this pandemic , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing a face mask in any public setting where social distancing is hard to do .
This is because homemade masks probably do a reasonable job of blocking aerosols from leaving your mouth .
The evidence generally supports their use and more research is coming to show that masks can be very effective at reducing SARS-CoV-2 in air .
Masks aren ’ t perfect and more studies are currently underway to learn how effective they really are , but taking this small precaution could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wearing a mask , follow common sense and the guidance of public health officials .
Avoid crowded indoor spaces as much as possible .
Practice social distancing both inside and outdoors .
Wash your hands frequently .
All of these things work to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and can help keep you from getting it .
There is a significant amount of evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted by the inhalation of airborne particles , but by carefully following the advice of experts , individuals can minimize the risk they pose .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest research .
Sign up for The Conversation ’ s newsletter . ]
Shelly Miller 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--2020-04-24--Coronavirus is spreading through rural South’s high-risk population – reopening economies will make

Coronavirus is spreading through rural South’s high-risk population – reopening economies will make it worse

In the rural South , the COVID-19 pandemic is becoming a silent disaster .
As rural residents commute to jobs in cities and transportation hubs , they ’ re being exposed to the virus and bringing it home to a population already at risk .
Chronic diseases that can lead to more severe COVID-19 symptoms are common across the rural South .
The population is older and poorer than much of the country , and the health care system has been deteriorating for years as hospitals lose staff and close .
Despite the population ’ s vulnerability , Southern states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal and international recommendations around COVID-19 protective measures .
Most of the states ’ delays and refusals to enact “ shelter-at-home ” policies were tied to economic arguments .
Now , governors are using the same economic reasons for loosening those restrictions .
Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp called for reopening several types of businesses , including hair salons , restaurants and even theaters starting this week and next , despite warnings from public health officials .
Mississippi is also considering lifting its shelter-at-home orders for economic reasons .
When that happens , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposure , will find themselves at greater risk .
As University of Mississippi sociologists who work with rural communities on a range of resilience issues , especially health , we are concerned about the economic and health consequences of returning to business before the region is prepared to protect its residents .
Rural areas may seem isolated from the coronavirus threat , but in the South , one in 12 rural residents commutes to an urban hub for work .
Many of those jobs are on the front lines of health care and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people is hard to avoid .
In much of the South , “ shelter-at-home ” orders have had loose interpretations of “ essential personnel ” who are exempted from the order .
They include employees in high-exposure jobs – cashiers , fast food workers and registered nurses , all among the largest employment areas for Southern states .
Many of these workers are less likely to have sick leave or be able to work from home .
And they are paid lower wages , so many still go to work even when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been saved some exposure while restaurants shifted to drive-through operations and social distancing was encouraged .
However , if other Southern states follow Georgia ’ s lead and begin lifting their current protections , workers ’ chances of being exposed to someone infectious with the coronavirus rise .
Mississippi ’ s rural infection numbers stand out in particular : 62 % of the state ’ s coronavirus cases as of mid-April were in rural counties , and the state had counted more than 200 deaths .
Rural infection rates were higher than in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people compared to 128 in urban counties .
The South as a whole had more urban cases , but still a high rural infection rate .
Southern states are already scrambling to manage both detection of coronavirus cases and treatment of the disease .
Their testing capacity , essential to controlling the pandemic , has been increasing but remains sporadic and well below the national average .
Access to care is increasingly difficult .
Mississippi has just over 400 ICU beds in its largest hospital service area , Jackson .
Currently , 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predict that needs for rural ICU beds will double to more than 800 in the next six months under moderate coronavirus infection projections .
Ventilators are an even bigger concern .
University of Mississippi Medical Center has only about 125 to 150 ventilators in its facilities , and officials estimate 40 % to half are in use on any given day .
The rural South ’ s health profile adds to the risk .
The region has higher rates of chronic medical conditions that have been found to significantly increase the likelihood that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ develop severe COVID-19 .
Among the first 159 people to die from COVID-19 in Mississippi , over half had cardiovascular disease , over 40 % had diabetes or high blood pressure , and one-third were obese .
Much of the care for these patients is being delivered through a shrinking rural health care system .
Of the 128 rural hospital closures across the country in the last 10 years , over half were in the South .
The pandemic has created more financial troubles for rural hospitals as nonessential procedures have been postponed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underserved , meaning residents don ’ t have enough doctors , even if they have access to a health care facility .
In the short term , Southern states need to increase their testing for coronavirus cases .
Per capita , the South administered about 20 % fewer tests .
Many southern states currently rely on pop-up testing at sites temporarily opened in locations where other facilities are not available .
Permanent , well-stocked testing centers would help residents know where to go .
In the long-term , these states need to invest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals and pharmacies are essential to reducing long-term risk among rural Southerners , particularly those with chronic health conditions .
They are also important “ economic anchors ” for their communities .
According to the American Hospital Association statistics , every dollar spent by a hospital supports US $ 2.30 of additional business activity within the community and hospitals are a top source of private sector jobs .
[ You need to understand the coronavirus pandemic , and we can help .
Read The Conversation ’ s newsletter . ]
Meagen Rosenthal receives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute for Innovation : Discovery Grants Program , Mississippi Department of Health , UNC TraCS Institute ( pilot grant ) .


freedomdaily--2020-04-25--Blue Angels, Thunderbirds to Conduct Multi-City Flyovers Championing National Unity Behind Frontline

Blue Angels, Thunderbirds to Conduct Multi-City Flyovers Championing National Unity Behind Frontline Responders

In a show of national solidarity , the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron , the Blue Angels , and the Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron , the Thunderbirds , will conduct a series of multi-city flyovers over the next two weeks .
America Strong is a collaborative salute from the Navy and Air Force to recognize healthcare workers , first responders , and other essential personnel while standing in solidarity with all Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ We ’ re excited to fly over cities across America as our way of saying thanks to the healthcare workers , first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selflessly run into the breach working to keep America strong , ” said Gen. Dave Goldfein , Chief of Staff of the Air Force , and Adm. Michael Gilday , Chief of Naval Operations .
“ This is also our way of showing that we are all in this together and that America ’ s spirit will prevail.
” The two demonstration teams will fly over areas of the country hardest hit by COVID-19 , starting next week as both joint and individual team flights occurring every one-to-two days until mid-May .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local governments and media outlets to help ensure spectators follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention social distancing guidelines .
Both teams are also implementing various measures to maintain personnel and community safety .
This includes air-to-air refueling during transit and no scheduled stops en route to reduce potential exposure to the virus .
The Blue Angels , based at Naval Air Station Pensacola , Florida , and Thunderbirds , based at Nellis Air Force Base , Las Vegas , typically fly at more than 30 air shows each year to demonstrate American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teams have been forced to cancel many performances in response to Department of Defense direction resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak .
While America Strong will showcase Department of Defense support to healthcare workers , first responders , military , essential employees , and aims to unite all Americans in the fight against COVID-19 , it also fulfills critical training requirements for both teams .
Pilots must execute a minimum number of flight hours to maintain proficiency .
These flyovers will incur no additional cost to taxpayers .
In order to reach the maximum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America Strong will feature only the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds , while others will include both teams flying in their signature Delta formations simultaneously .
More information to be provided soon on dates and locations .
America Strong schedule : Both teams will work with local media to provide exact times and locations .
For more information on the Blue Angels , visit this site .
For more information on the Thunderbirds , visit this site .


freedomdaily--2020-04-25--Investigation Into Stacey Abrams’s 2018 Campaign ‘Ongoing,’ Ethics Commission Says

While former Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams publicly pitches herself as a potential running mate for former Vice President Joe Biden , the state ethics commission still has an “ active investigation ” into her 2018 campaign , the Daily Caller News Foundation has learned .
“ The investigation into the Abrams campaign remains ongoing , ” David H. Emadi , the executive director of the Georgia Government Transparency & Campaign Finance Commission , told the DCNF in an email .
“ Because it is an active investigation , we can not comment any further pursuant to Rule 3.6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the State Bar of Georgia , ” he added .
The commission is investigating allegations that Abrams ’ s campaign illegally coordinated with outside groups in violation of campaign finance laws .
Emadi said in December 2019 that a nonprofit tied to Abrams acted as a de facto political committee during the campaign .
A spokesman for Abrams didn ’ t return a request for comment .
She has previously denied any wrongdoing .
The most recent development in the investigation came two months ago in February , when a judge denied the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Abrams ’ s campaign and the outside groups in question .
Emadi said at the time that he was considering appellate options .
Abrams has aggressively promoted the case for herself as Biden ’ s running mate .
“ I would be an excellent running mate , ” she said in an interview earlier this month .
“ If I am selected , I am prepared and excited to serve , ” she added .
Abrams , who has never held office higher than state senator , has received a boost from sympathetic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told Abrams in an interview Tuesday that she is “ extremely qualified ” to be vice president .
MSNBC host Rev .
Al Sharpton is expected to throw his support behind Abrams in the coming weeks , the New York Times reported on Friday .
Left-wing podcast host Steve Phillips argued in an April 14 New York Times op-ed that Abrams is the clear choice to be Biden ’ s running mate .
“ Ultimately , Mr. Biden will make a pick based on comfort , fit and fitness for the office , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women he can choose .
If he wants to base his decision on the available evidence and proven success in areas where he has failed , then choosing Stacey Abrams is the smartest move , ” Phillips wrote .


freedomdaily--2020-04-26--Great Smoky National Park Resort Area’s Plan To Reopen – Step By Step

is the most visited National park in the United States , averaging 11.5 million visitors annually , 2019 numbers were historic at 12.9 million visitors .
The Grand Canyon averages less than 7 million , and Yellow Stone just under 5 million for perspective .
The GSNP generates , on average , 750 million in tourist dollars annually .
However , in 2018-2019 , it boasted 953 million in tourism and supported 13,737 jobs year-round locally .
The central location of the park is nestled in Sevier county , which is surrounded by the Tri-Cities of Gatlinburg , Sevierville , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2.5 billion dollar tourism industry and dramatically impacted the economic health of the area .
Dolly Parton ‘ s famous amusement park , “ DollyWood , ” located in the county , has recently laid off temporarily over 600 employees .
Here ’ s Gatlinburg ’ s plan to reopen next week , April 27th and 29th .
has released the state guidelines , and Sevier County leaders applied additional ones in preparation for businesses to come back online .
There will be a brief staggering with Restaurants opening on Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Both may only experience a 50 % occupancy at any time .
Here is the current status of the reopening : • Wear face coverings and gloves • Report any symptoms of illness to supervisor • Follow daily sanitation protocols • Limit occupancy to 50 % of seating capacity • Space tables 6 feet apart • Limit seating to 6 per table • Use social distancing standards in waiting areas • Keep bar areas closed • No live music • Screen customers with basic questions about COVID-19 symptoms • Wear dedicated cloth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal protection items as recommended by the CDC • Report any symptoms of illness to supervisor • Provide training on personal protective equipment based on CDC guidelines • Sanitize hands with soap and/or hand sanitizer • Stagger shifts , breaks , and meals to maintain social distancing Protecting Customers • Limit customer occupancy to 50 % of store capacity • Customers should wear face coverings inside stores • Consider shopping hours for the elderly , medically vulnerable , and health care workers • Establish one-way aisles and traffic patterns for social distancing • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service options • Prompt customers regarding the importance of social distancing facilities , as set forth by CDC guidelines .
Sevier County officials strongly recommend closing all businesses by 11 p.m , encourage contactless payment , cleaning credit car machines between each use , and emailing receipts when possible .
There will continue to be a hold on aggressive marketing tourism for the area as it gets acclimated to reopening and access risk as we go .
The goal is to ramp up in phases and hopefully instill confidence in successful measures that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resort area .
Many private owners indicate they may use temperature checks on customers as well .
Citizens of the county recognize nature as a healing power for the body and mind but are fully accepting of the risk that cases may uptick as reopening progresses .


freedomdaily--2020-04-26--Chinese Government Pressured EU To Alter Report On Coronavirus Disinformation

The Chinese government successfully pressured European Union officials to water down language in a report that cited the communist regime ’ s disinformation campaign regarding the coronavirus pandemic , according to news reports .
Chinese diplomats reached out to the EU earlier this week after learning through a Politico story about the imminent release a report noting Beijing ’ s disinformation efforts , according to Reuters .
“ China has continued to run a global disinformation campaign to deflect blame for the outbreak of the pandemic and improve its international image , ” the initial version of the report , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both overt and covert tactics have been observed.
” The report also criticized the Chinese government for casting blame on France for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
The revelation in Politico angered Chinese diplomats , who reached out to their EU counterparts threatening ramifications if the report was published .
“ The Chinese are already threatening with reactions if the report comes out , ” a diplomat with the European Union , Lutz Güllner , wrote in an email on Tuesday , according to The New York Times .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that said that a senior Chinese foreign ministry official , Yang Xiaoguang , told his EU counterparts that the report in its original form would make Beijing “ very angry.
” “ If the report is as described and it is released today it will be very bad for cooperation , ” the EU diplomatic correspondence says , according to Reuters .
EU officials initially delayed the report before rewriting parts of it to remove the reference to China ’ s “ global disinformation campaign , ” according to The Times and Reuters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released on Friday is softer toward the Chinese government .
One section cites disinformation from “ state-backed sources from various governments , including Russia and – to a lesser extent – China.
” One analyst upset by the revisions wrote to her bosses that the EU was “ self-censoring to appease the Chinese Communist Party , ” according to The Times .
Chinese government officials and government-controlled propaganda outlets have pushed several different narratives about coronavirus to deflect blame from Beijing over its early response to the pandemic .
On March 12 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China ’ s foreign ministry information department , asserted on Twitter that “ it may be that the US military brought the epidemic to Wuhan.
” The novel coronavirus originated in Wuhan , possibly either from a wildlife food market or a science lab that studies viruses in bats .
Experts in infectious diseases have asserted that the virus could have been contained and prevented from spreading across the globe if the Chinese government had shared information early on about the new virus .
Chinese officials assured the World Health Organization ( WHO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus was not transmitted from person to person .
WHO , which has been accused of catering to Beijing , cited the government ’ s assurances on Jan. 14 that coronavirus was not transmitted through human-to-human contact .
Dr. Scott Gottlieb , the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration , blasted the Chinese government for refusing to share live strains of the virus with scientists outside of China .
The delay slowed the development of diagnostic tests .
“ China was not truthful with the world at the outset of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview on April 12 .
“ Had they been more truthful with the world , which would have enabled them to be more truthful with themselves , they might have actually been able to contain this entirely.
” Dr. Deborah Birx , the White House coronavirus task force coordinator , said earlier this month that China ’ s false assurances about the transmission of the virus slowed health experts ’ response to the pandemic .
“ The medical community interpreted the Chinese data as , this was serious , but smaller , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference .
“ Because , I think , probably we were missing a significant amount of the data .
”


freedomdaily--2020-04-27--Chinese Government Claims To Be Victim Of Coronavirus Disinformation, Turns Around And Accuses US Of

Chinese Government Claims To Be Victim Of Coronavirus Disinformation, Turns Around And Accuses US Of ‘Hiding Something’

The Chinese government ’ s foreign ministry portrayed China as the victim of coronavirus disinformation on Monday , before suggesting minutes later that the U.S. government is “ hiding something ” regarding the pandemic .
“ China always stands against disinformation campaign .
We are victim rather than producer of disinformation , ” the Chinese foreign ministry wrote from its Twitter account .
The account then suggested without evidence that the U.S. government has lied about the extent of coronavirus pandemic here .
“ Growing doubts over the US government ’ s handling of the # COVID19 , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did the first infection occur in the US ?
Is the US government hiding something ?
Why they opt to blame others ?
” The Chinese government has come under withering criticism both for its handling of the coronavirus outbreak late last year , and a disinformation campaign it has waged to deflect blame for Beijing ’ s handling of the crisis .
The virus originated in Wuhan in November 2019 , either from an outdoor wildlife market or a lab that studies viruses in bats .
Experts in infectious diseases have accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the severity of the virus .
Chinese officials assured the World Health Organization as recently as the middle of January that the virus was not being transmitted through human-to-human contact .
They also refused to share live strains of the virus , which slowed the ability of foreign scientists to develop tests to diagnose those infected with the virus .
The Chinese government has waged a multi-prong disinformation strategy .
Government officials and government-controlled propaganda mills have criticized other nations for their handling of their own coronavirus outbreaks .
They have also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makers of racism for calling the virus the “ Chinese virus ” or “ Wuhan virus.
” Beijing has also portrayed itself as helping other nations with medical supplies and equipment , even though much of it has been found to be defective .
The communist regime ’ s most aggressive disinformation strategy has involved blaming the U.S. and other Western nations of being the point of origin for the virus .
On March 12 , Zhao Lijian , a deputy director of the Chinese foreign ministry information department , asserted on Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus in China .
“ It may be that the US military brought the epidemic to Wuhan , ” he tweeted .
U.S. intelligence officials reportedly assessed that Chinese government agents helped disseminate text messages and social media posts asserting that the U.S. government planned to institute a nationwide curfew .
The CIA has also reportedly concluded that the Chinese government has falsified data on the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the country .


freedomdaily--2020-04-27--Three Female Potential Biden VPs Appeared On Sunday Shows. Media Failed To Ask Them About Tara Reade

Three Female Potential Biden VPs Appeared On Sunday Shows. Media Failed To Ask Them About Tara Reade |

Media failed to discuss 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden ’ s accuser Tara Reade during separate Sunday interviews with three women who Biden may pick to be his vice president , a Daily Caller News Foundation analysis of transcripts found .
Former Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and Democratic Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar each appeared on Sunday shows where they were not asked about Reade ’ s allegations of sexual assault against Biden , an examination by Fox News found .
The Daily Caller News Foundation also confirmed that Democratic Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer , who Biden is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not asked about the allegations Sunday morning .
NBC ’ s Chuck Todd and CNN ’ s Jake Tapper did not bring up the allegations during their separate interview with Abrams , the DCNF confirmed , while ABC ’ s George Stephanopoulos failed to bring up the allegations to Whitmer or Klobuchar during his separate Sunday morning interviews with these two potential Biden VP ’ s .
Major Sunday morning shows made no mention of Reade at all , the DCNF found : CNN ’ s “ State of the Union , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press , ” ABC ’ s “ This Week , ” CBS ’ s “ Face the Nation , ” and Fox ’ s “ Fox News Sunday ” did not mention Reade or her allegations against Biden .
The networks did not respond to requests for comment .
Media silence comes after Reade told the DCNF that video evidence uncovered Friday proves she was forced out of her job as a senate staffer for Biden in 1993 .
This also follows a Saturday DCNF report in which Reade tore into the media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s groups for their failure to support her allegations against the former vice president .
56-year-old Reade had previously told The Intercept that her mother called into “ Larry King Live ” on CNN regarding Biden ’ s alleged assault .
A transcript obtained by The Intercept , as well as a video uncovered by the Media Research Center Friday , show that someone from her mother ’ s city did indeed call into CNN in 1993 and asked for advice about her daughter ’ s problems with a “ prominent senator.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mother died and hearing her voice made me cry , ” Reade told the DCNF Friday after listening to the video and hearing the transcript .
“ She was such a good mom and always watching out for me even now.
” Reade worked as a Senate staffer for Biden in 1993 and has accused the then-senator of kissing her , touching her and penetrating her with his fingers without her consent .
The Biden campaign has denied the assault and said it “ absolutely did not happen.
” Reade lamented that her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partisan tool , ” saying that Republicans have weaponized her and Democrats have both ignored and discredited her .
“ I ’ m sorry that I ’ m politically inconvenient but my perpetrator was Joe Biden , ” she told the DCNF .
“ And people need to deal with it .
”


freedomdaily--2020-04-27--Nunes Calls On Alleged Dossier Source To Come Forward

California Rep. Devin Nunes , the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee , said Sunday he is seeking an interview with a Belarusian-American businessman alleged to be an unwitting source for major allegations in the Steele dossier .
In an interview on Fox News ’ “ Sunday Morning Futures , ” Nunes said he wants to speak with three individuals linked to the dossier .
He said the most important of that trio is Sergei Millian , the former chairman of the Russian-American Chamber of Commerce .
Christopher Steele , the author of the dossier , told the FBI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was an unwitting sub-source for several bombshell allegations made in the dossier .
Steele also told investigators that Millian is identified under different source names in the dossier : Source D , Source E , and a Russian ethnic close associate of Trump .
Millian is identified as “ Person 1 ” in the Justice Department inspector general ’ s ( IG ) report of the FBI ’ s Crossfire Hurricane investigation .
The IG report said that Steele told the FBI on Oct. 3 , 2016 that Millian was a “ boaster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still used his information for the dossier .
The IG report also said that the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation of Millian nine days after agents met with Steele .
Steele relied on a single source to collect information from several sub-sources , both inside and outside of Russia .
Steele alleges that Millian provided information about a video tape of Donald Trump with prostitutes , as well as about a “ well-developed conspiracy of cooperation ” between the Trump campaign and Russian government .
Millian has vehemently denied being a source for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him as such on Jan. 24 , 2017 .
He has claimed he was framed by Steele and Fusion GPS , the opposition research firm that investigated the Trump campaign on behalf of Democrats .
The special counsel found no evidence of a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia .
The IG report also said that the FBI received evidence in early 2017 that Russian intelligence operatives may have fed disinformation to Steele .
Nunes appealed to Millian to reach out to his office to discuss the dossier , noting that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to track down and interview the businessman .
“ He is hiding somewhere around the globe , we don ’ t know exactly what country he ’ s in , but we really would like Sergei to come forward and talk to us , ” Nunes said .
“ Either he was , you know , working for Fusion GPS and the Clinton campaign , and dirtying up Trump people , or it ’ s quite possible he may have been framed.
” “ We don ’ t know which of those is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out.
” “ He is Steele and Glenn Simpson and Fusion GPS , he is one of their major sources.
” Nunes said that he could guarantee Millian ’ s safety is he comes forward .
Millian established contact with Trump aide George Papadopoulos on July 15 , 2016 .
According to the special counsel ’ s report , Millian sent Papadopoulos a message that referred to “ disruptive technology.
” The pair met multiple times between August 2016 and January 2017 .