buzzfeed--2020-06-28--Most Of Gen Z Leans Left, But Their First Member Of Congress Will Probably Be Way To The Right

Madison Cawthorn is a hardcore Republican .
The 24-year-old opposes so-called sanctuary cities , universal healthcare , and abortion — and is a climate change skeptic .
He ’ s a committed Christian who wants to cut government spending .
He counts Charlie Kirk and Ben Shapiro as his conservative role models .
He is also very likely to be the first Gen Z member of Congress .
“ I want to be a different kind of candidate .
We want to set ourselves apart .
We ’ ve been sending the exact same thing to Washington so many times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Congress is designed to be a cross-section of the American people and it ’ s definitely not.
” On Tuesday night , Cawthorn won the Republican primary in North Carolina ’ s 11th Congressional District , besting his 62-year-old opponent , Lynda Bennett , by winning two-thirds of the vote .
She had been endorsed by President Donald Trump and Mark Meadows , the former representative of the district who is now serving as the White House chief of staff .
Given the traditionally conservative politics of the seat , which takes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cawthorn is now the odds-on favorite to win in November , when he will face Democrat Moe Davis , a retired Air Force colonel and prosecutor at Guantánamo Bay .
If he is elected , Cawthorn will become the youngest member of Congress , taking office at just 25 — the minimum age set forth in the Constitution .
But just as polls show there are some generational divides among young and older conservatives , some of Cawthorn ’ s views splinter from the most vocal senior members of his party .
Unlike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statues of Confederate generals should be taken down — albeit by government process , not by those protesting against racism , and not necessarily because they are memorials glorifying racism .
“ These people seceded from our country .
They declared war on the United States .
I don ’ t necessarily want to have hero worship for them , ” he said .
“ I do believe statues romanticize history.
” Although Cawthorn is from North Carolina , a one-time member of the Confederacy , many of his ancestors actually fought for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee — an enslaver who waged a war to keep Black people in chains — was “ an incredible man ” but not one who should be honored through statues .
“ He could have fought for either side and he chose the wrong side , ” said Cawthorn .
“ He ’ s on the wrong side of history.
” Cawthorn said he supports those peacefully protesting against racial injustice and the “ horrendous killing ” of George Floyd , but he previously told local ABC affiliate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was systemic racism in the US .
Asked if he supported the Black Lives Matter movement specifically , he told BuzzFeed News , “ I believe Black lives matter , ” but then hedged that answer with a variation of a common conservative refrain : “ I think all life is precious , I really do.
” Being in a primary against a candidate backed by deep-pocketed donors and super PACs has also left Cawthorn taking a different position from others in his party on campaign finance reform .
He said he supports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 2010 decision in Citizens United v. FEC , which allowed corporations and labor unions to spend money outside of campaigns during elections .
“ I think it gives people undue influence in our democratic process , ” said Cawthorn .
And when he says he wants to use his time in Congress to push back against older generations in power , he doesn ’ t just mean saying “ OK boomer.
” Like many other Gen Z ’ ers , he ’ s also pushing back against millennials , whom he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I see a significantly higher amount of conservatives in my generation , Gen Z , than I do in the millennial generation , ” he told BuzzFeed News in an interview Friday .
“ So I view myself as a retort to this far-left narrative , whether it ’ s been pushed by people like Rep. Ilhan Omar or Rep. Ocasio-Cortez.
” Despite Cawthorn ’ s belief that his generation ’ s politics are swinging right , a 2019 Pew Research Center report actually found Gen Z to be even further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s in line with most polls that show young Americans lean left .
Just this week , the New York Times and the Siena College Research Institute found 60 % of 18- to 29-year-olds planned to vote for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election .
Only a quarter of them had , like Cawthorn , a favorable opinion of the president .
But Gen Z , Cawthorn believes , also values diversity — and he thinks his perspective is a diverse one because of his physical disability .
During spring break @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passenger seat of a car when his friend fell asleep and crashed , crushing Cawthorn ’ s spine .
The accident transformed him , he said , from a privileged , independent man to someone with a drastically different outlook on life .
“ I know what it ’ s like to be looked over in a crowd , ” he said .
“ I know what it ’ s like for someone to not view things from your perspective .
I know what it ’ s like to be disenfranchised , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people who feel like the system has left them behind.
” On most issues , though , Cawthorn is a staunch Republican .
Like others in his party , he is skeptical of the 97 % of scientists who believe humans are causing climate change .
Cawthorn said he wasn ’ t convinced — despite overwhelming scientific evidence — that enough carbon had been emitted since the Industrial Revolution to alter the trajectory of the planet ’ s climate .
“ I believe that humans are contributing to a change in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberals is on how much , ” he said , adding , falsely : “ I would argue it ’ s pretty minimal.
” And while he said he has gay friends and supports marriage for same-sex couples , he admitted he doesn ’ t know any transgender people and hadn ’ t read much about last week ’ s Supreme Court decision on LGBTQ employment protections — saying he was busy campaigning .

Madison Cawthorn is a hardcore Republican. The 24-year-old opposes so-called sanctuary cities, universal healthcare, and abortion — and is a climate change skeptic. He’s a committed Christian who wants to cut government spending. He counts Charlie Kirk and Ben Shapiro as his conservative role models.
He is also very likely to be the first Gen Z member of Congress.
“I want to be a different kind of candidate. We want to set ourselves apart. We’ve been sending the exact same thing to Washington so many times,” Cawthorn told BuzzFeed News. “Congress is designed to be a cross-section of the American people and it’s definitely not.”
On Tuesday night, Cawthorn won the Republican primary in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District, besting his 62-year-old opponent, Lynda Bennett, by winning two-thirds of the vote. She had been endorsed by President Donald Trump and Mark Meadows, the former representative of the district who is now serving as the White House chief of staff.
Given the traditionally conservative politics of the seat, which takes up most of Western North Carolina, Cawthorn is now the odds-on favorite to win in November, when he will face Democrat Moe Davis, a retired Air Force colonel and prosecutor at Guantánamo Bay.
If he is elected, Cawthorn will become the youngest member of Congress, taking office at just 25 — the minimum age set forth in the Constitution.
But just as polls show there are some generational divides among young and older conservatives, some of Cawthorn’s views splinter from the most vocal senior members of his party.
Unlike Trump, for example, he believes statues of Confederate generals should be taken down — albeit by government process, not by those protesting against racism, and not necessarily because they are memorials glorifying racism. “These people seceded from our country. They declared war on the United States. I don’t necessarily want to have hero worship for them,” he said. “I do believe statues romanticize history.”
Although Cawthorn is from North Carolina, a onetime member of the Confederacy, many of his ancestors actually fought for the Union, he claimed. Cawthorn said Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee — an enslaver who waged a war to keep Black people in chains — was “an incredible man” but not one who should be honored through statues. “He could have fought for either side and he chose the wrong side,” said Cawthorn. “He’s on the wrong side of history.”
Cawthorn said he supports those peacefully protesting against racial injustice and the “horrendous killing” of George Floyd, but he previously told local ABC affiliate WLOS that he did not believe there was systemic racism in the US.
Asked if he supported the Black Lives Matter movement specifically, he told BuzzFeed News, “I believe Black lives matter,” but then hedged that answer with a variation of a common conservative refrain: “I think all life is precious. I really do.”
Being in a primary against a candidate backed by deep-pocketed donors and super PACs has also left Cawthorn taking a different position from others in his party on campaign finance reform. He said he supports a constitutional amendment overturning the Supreme Court’s 2010 decision in Citizens United v. FEC, which allowed corporations and labor unions to spend money outside of campaigns during elections. “I think it gives people undue influence in our democratic process,” said Cawthorn.
And when he says he wants to use his time in Congress to push back against older generations in power, he doesn’t just mean saying “OK boomer.” Like many other Gen Z’ers, he’s also pushing back against millennials, whom he views as being dominated by liberal voices.
“I see a significantly higher amount of conservatives in my generation, Gen Z, than I do in the millennial generation,” he told BuzzFeed News in an interview Friday. “So I view myself as a retort to this far-left narrative, whether it’s been pushed by people like Rep. Ilhan Omar or Rep. Ocasio-Cortez.”
Despite Cawthorn’s belief that his generation’s politics are swinging right, a 2019 Pew Research Center report actually found Gen Z to be even further to the left of millennials. That’s in line with most polls that show young Americans lean left. Just this week, the New York Times and the Siena College Research Institute found 60% of 18- to 29-year-olds planned to vote for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Only a quarter of them had, like Cawthorn, a favorable opinion of the president.
But Gen Z, Cawthorn believes, also values diversity — and he thinks his perspective is a diverse one because of his physical disability.
During spring break 2014, he was asleep in the passenger seat of a car when his friend fell asleep and crashed, crushing Cawthorn’s spine. The accident transformed him, he said, from a privileged, independent man to someone with a drastically different outlook on life. “I know what it’s like to be looked over in a crowd,” he said. “I know what it’s like for someone to not view things from your perspective. I know what it’s like to be disenfranchised, and I really want to be a representative for people who feel like the system has left them behind.”
On most issues, though, Cawthorn is a staunch Republican. Like others in his party, he is skeptical of the 97% of scientists who believe humans are causing climate change. Cawthorn said he wasn’t convinced — despite overwhelming scientific evidence — that enough carbon had been emitted since the Industrial Revolution to alter the trajectory of the planet’s climate. “I believe that humans are contributing to a change in the Earth, but where we differ with liberals is on how much,” he said, adding, falsely: “I would argue it’s pretty minimal.”
And while he said he has gay friends and supports marriage for same-sex couples, he admitted he doesn’t know any transgender people and hadn’t read much about last week’s Supreme Court decision on LGBTQ employment protections — saying he was busy campaigning.


buzzfeed--2020-06-27--People Spent Thousands To Go On A Cruise With Glenn Beck. Now They Can’t Get Their Money Back.

“ We are booked on the Glenn Beck Cruise but are concerned about our safety from the Corona virus , ” the Wolaks wrote to CruiseBuilder customer support on Feb. 20 .
“ What have you been instructed to tell customers ?
What is the time limit to cancel and get full refund if we decide to go that way ?
Please be honest.
” Beth Wolak and her husband , Stephen , 67 and 70 , from Willow Spring , North Carolina , had fully paid for their cruise by Nov. 30 last year .
But when news of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was going to happen with the trip , Beth began emailing the travel agency .
The Wellivers , who are from Montoursville , Pennsylvania , spent over $ 10,000 on their cruise ; after weeks of haggling with anyone he could think of , including complaining to the Utah and Pennsylvania attorneys general , the Better Business Bureau , and CruiseBuilder , Jeff finally got the couple ’ s credit card company to give them a temporary credit for the bulk of the expenses , though he said they are awaiting a final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse position ; some couples spent $ 20,000 or more on the postponed trip .
“ My position is that anyone who wants a refund in these uncertain times should receive one , and I 've strongly encouraged the cruise line , airlines , and the hotels to accommodate , ” Beck said in an emailed statement on Thursday .
“ I look forward to going on this Cruise Through History when the circumstances surrounding this global pandemic allow us to do so . ''
But the cruise is now indefinitely postponed because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ booked it say they ’ ve been unable to get their money back even while other cruise customers around the world have been refunded for virus-impeded trips .
Multiple passengers told BuzzFeed News they have begged CruiseBuilder , the Utah-based travel agency that handled the bookings , to give them information as far back as February , when the coronavirus outbreak in Italy was becoming severe and as cruise ships were in the news as major vectors of the virus .
But they 've struggled to get a clear answer on what was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve since been left in limbo as the company insists the cruise is not canceled , only postponed to sometime in late fall or next spring — and thus refunds aren ’ t available .
A Facebook Group set up by the company to discuss the cruise has become a hotbed of discontent as angry customers have demanded answers .
And through it all , Beck has remained almost totally silent about the cruise apart from a short video message in March — until BuzzFeed News reached out to his spokesperson this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roughly 2,000 people who registered for Beck ’ s “ Cruise Thru History ” that was scheduled to take place this spring .
The cruise was to stop in Italy , Croatia , Israel , and Greece , with tours along the way .
“ What better way could there be to let your family embrace the faith , culture and values that you cherish than to let them experience it for themselves in the places where it actually happened : Jerusalem , Athens or Venice ?
” reads the website for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Venice on March 25 , and the cruise would return on April 5 .
The ship , Costa Cruise Lines ’ Costa Luminosa , had space for 2,260 guests and “ every creature comfort imaginable.
” The most basic cabins started at $ 5,395 with airfare and going up to $ 9,395 for a “ Grand Suite.
” Guests could pay an extra $ 4,999 per person for the “ Inner Circle ” package with access to a cocktail hour with Beck and other hosts , exclusive onstage access to a show with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ 2 nights dining with Glenn Beck.
” “ This was going to be our big fling , ” Jeff said .
“ And then it turned out to be a nightmare.
” Last June , Jeff and Jennifer Welliver heard about a cruise around the Mediterranean to be hosted by conservative radio host Glenn Beck and featuring other right-wing luminaries like Bill O ’ Reilly .
Jeff , 68 , a retired pharmacist , and Jennifer , 66 , had never been on a cruise before .
But they ’ re conservatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Bill O'Reilly–sponsored .
And we thought it would be nice to be around like-minded people and not have to worry about political conversation or any innuendos.
” A customer support representative replied , saying the company was “ taking precautions ” and that the trip was moving forward .
“ I understand your concern , and we are doing everything we can , your trip is important to us .
In saying that , you are welcome to cancel but there would be no refund at this time.
” Finally in March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be rescheduled .
But this wasn ’ t going to work for the Wolaks ; Beth needed back surgery , which she had in April and is still recovering from .
On April 27 , the Wolaks emailed CruiseBuilder again , asking for a refund .
“ That money was very hard to save but we were willing to spend on [ the ] trip of a lifetime but now we need it for medical issues.
” CruiseBuilder again declined to issue a refund , saying that the money had already been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ As of now , we are unable to issue any refunds simply because we have already used the money you paid to pay for everything in your cruise package , ” the customer support representative wrote .
The Wolaks have now hired a lawyer , who sent a letter to CruiseBuilder demanding their refund within 14 days on June 16 .
Despite CruiseBuilder 's insistence that the cruise has only been postponed , not canceled , the cruise line itself referred to the situation as a cancellation in an automated email to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We write to inform you that due to the cancellation of your cruise , all related optional bookings made on MyCosta have also been canceled , ” Costa Cruise Lines wrote .
Costa Cruise Lines did not comment on the customer complaints about the trip .
But in a comment responding to a customer seeking answers on the cruise Facebook Group last week , CruiseBuilder wrote that the company had not received its money back from the cruise line and that it was looking at two potential new dates for the cruise , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year and one next spring .
Beck ’ s only public comments on the subject before this week came in a YouTube video shot selfie-style and uploaded on March 6 .
He sounded apologetic to the cruisers while telling them the trip was being postponed .
“ I really want to go see the Holy Land and have these experiences and have them with you when we ’ re all relaxed and not freaking out about the coronavirus , ” he said .
Beck has encouraged older Americans to go back to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May , “ I would rather have my children stay home and have all of us who are over 50 go in and keep this economy going and working .
Even if we all get sick , I ’ d rather die than kill the country .
Because it ’ s not the economy that ’ s dying , it ’ s the country.
” Beck in the March video thanked CruiseBuilder , which “ have been remarkable partners for us '' and promised that the cruise organizers would “ get back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ details on when this is happening.
” O ’ Reilly did not reply to a request for comment about the trip .
CruiseBuilder is based in South Jordan , Utah , and was launched in 2017 .
According to a source familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity , CruiseBuilder approached Beck to do the cruise .
The source also said Beck hadn ’ t yet received any compensation for the cruise .
In a phone call with BuzzFeed News , two CruiseBuilder executives , President Wes Cobos and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , confirmed they had been the ones to retain Beck and the other talent for the trip , and the company was now looking at a spring 2021 date .
“ Overwhelmingly , the large majority of our guests are super excited about this trip , ” Burgess said .
But , he added , “ we totally understand that there are some who simply won ’ t be able to make the new dates work ” and that “ options ” would be provided to people in that category when the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ options ” would include a refund .
The pair said the future cruise would feature the same itinerary as the original one .
Cobos and Burgess said the cruise had involved dealing with dozens of different vendors in various countries , and “ very few of them have offered refunds.
” Cobos said some of the vendors had offered travel credits , but because the postponement had taken place within 20 days of the scheduled departure date , they weren ’ t “ contractually obligated to do anything.
” He blamed “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” for the continuing uncertainty around the dates , adding , “ patience is one thing we ’ ve asked of our customers.
” When asked about Beck ’ s statement that refunds should be offered to anyone who wants one , Cobos said , “ We 're an advocate for our customer .
That 's why we 'll have options for them that they 'll be able to be reimbursed if they 're unable to make those new dates , and we 'll continue to do that.
” Asked if they felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place , Burgess said , “ We 're excited and looking ahead to 2021 , and like the majority of our customers , they 're excited , too .
We ’ re aware of those who are excited to go , and we ’ re aware of those who have questions and are trying to address those and help those individually.
” The comments piling up on CruiseBuilder ’ s Yelp page , the “ Come Sail Away ” page on Facebook built for the Beck cruise , the Facebook Group it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Better Business Bureau indicate a different customer experience .
“ Why do you refuse to issue a refund , ” wrote one angry customer , Chris D. Connell , on the `` Come Sail Away '' Facebook page .
“ These people are criminals and are not to be trusted , ” wrote “ Jon M. ” in a review on CruiseBuilder ’ s Better Business Bureau page in February .
It ’ s unclear how many people are demanding their money back , and there are indications that some interest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the “ Glenn Beck Cruise Thru History : Book Club ” Facebook Group , which now features weekly complaints from disgruntled passengers , a separate group has sprung up “ for only those who are going on Glenn 's Cruise .
If you have decided you can not go forward and commit to the new dates , please no angry/disrespectful commentary will be allowed .
Comments will be deleted and you will be blocked from the page .
We want to keep the excitement of the cruise to continue.
” Even people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies don ’ t cover this situation , since CruiseBuilder is continuing to say that the trip is not canceled , merely postponed .
Bess Foster and Jon Mabry , 52 and 49 , who live just outside the Grand Canyon in Arizona , bought travel insurance through American Express after the news about the coronavirus in February raised doubts about the trip .
Like everyone else , the couple spent weeks in suspense about the status of the trip before learning it was being “ rescheduled.
” “ It seems like they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ word 'canceled , ' ” Foster said .
Foster compiled all the information they would need to file a claim through their travel insurance , but the claim was denied because the trip has not been officially canceled .
Foster and Mabry spent $ 22,000 on their trip .
Nancy Lee Clark , a travel insurance agent who has two customers in this situation , said it was highly unusual that cruise companies would refuse to issue refunds in the current environment .
“ It 's extremely unusual right now , ” Clark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are just being told , ‘ you 're basically out of luck until we feel like doing this.
’ ” Kelly Stevenson , 39 , an author of teen romance novels who lives in the Dallas area with her husband , said that going through CruiseBuilder had been the only way to book the trip .
That fact has ended up preventing the couple from getting back the $ 13,000 they spent booking the trip ; Stevenson spoke with Costa Cruise Lines and was told that although they had issued refunds to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not do so for people on Beck ’ s cruise because they had booked through CruiseBuilder .
Stevenson said her and her husband ’ s experience with CruiseBuilder has been “ awful.
” She said they have had to badger the company almost daily with phone calls and emails , only to be either ignored or told they won ’ t be getting a refund — or in one case , she said , mocked for expressing reservations about going to Italy .
“ The way we ’ ve been treated by this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beck , has been beyond disappointing , ” Stevenson wrote .
“ When all the cruise lines ( and airlines ) are offering refunds and Glenn Beck is silent on the matter ... it ’ s downright disgusting.
” Asked about the Stevensons ' experience , CruiseBuilder 's Burgess on Friday said , `` This is concerning because it is not typical at all .
As was mentioned yesterday , our goal is 100 % customer satisfaction '' and that the company would `` look into the matter further . ''
Even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall , some who signed up are now wary of getting on a cruise at any point , like Jeff Welliver , who has preexisting conditions that make him especially vulnerable to the virus .
“ It is almost laughable to listen to Glenn Beck on the radio right now knowing what I know now , ” he said .
“ His crusade for righteousness is the biggest hypocrisy I have ever encountered .
He knows what the right thing is to do .
It 's just a matter of : Is he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our money ?
”

A customer support representative replied, saying the company was “taking precautions” and that the trip was moving forward. “I understand your concern, and we are doing everything we can, your trip is important to us. In saying that, you are welcome to cancel but there would be no refund at this time.”
Finally in March, the travel agency announced the trip would be rescheduled. But this wasn’t going to work for the Wolaks; Beth needed back surgery, which she had in April and is still recovering from. On April 27, the Wolaks emailed CruiseBuilder again, asking for a refund. “That money was very hard to save but we were willing to spend on [the] trip of a lifetime but now we need it for medical issues.”
CruiseBuilder again declined to issue a refund, saying that the money had already been spent on vendors for the cruise. “As of now, we are unable to issue any refunds simply because we have already used the money you paid to pay for everything in your cruise package,” the customer support representative wrote.
The Wolaks have now hired a lawyer, who sent a letter to CruiseBuilder demanding their refund within 14 days on June 16.
Despite CruiseBuilder's insistence that the cruise has only been postponed, not canceled, the cruise line itself referred to the situation as a cancellation in an automated email to the Wellivers on March 11. “We write to inform you that due to the cancellation of your cruise, all related optional bookings made on MyCosta have also been canceled,” Costa Cruise Lines wrote.
In a comment responding to a customer seeking answers on the cruise Facebook Group last week, CruiseBuilder wrote that the company had not received its money back from the cruise line and that it was looking at two potential new dates for the cruise, one in the last quarter of this year and one next spring.
In a statement Saturday evening, Cruisebuilder said the company is "evaluating ongoing transportation restrictions and pending port openings with the goal of setting a new departure date within the next two weeks."
The company said because the cruise was postponed and not canceled, guests booked on the cruise have not received refunds. "Refund options will be clarified once a date is set," according to the statement.
Scott Knutson, vice president of sales and marketing for Costa Cruises North America, said, “Obviously, the COVID-19 pandemic created new and unprecedented challenges that have continued to complicate our efforts to fix an alternative departure date. Cruisebuilder and Costa are working with the relevant authorities and ports to set a replacement date, and we anticipate making an announcement in the coming weeks relative to providing an identical package to the one guests originally purchased.”
Beck’s only public comments on the subject before this week came in a YouTube video shot selfie-style and uploaded on March 6. He sounded apologetic to the cruisers while telling them the trip was being postponed. “I really want to go see the Holy Land and have these experiences and have them with you when we’re all relaxed and not freaking out about the coronavirus,” he said. Beck has encouraged older Americans to go back to work on his radio show, saying in May, “I would rather have my children stay home and have all of us who are over 50 go in and keep this economy going and working. Even if we all get sick, I’d rather die than kill the country. Because it’s not the economy that’s dying, it’s the country.”
Beck in the March video thanked CruiseBuilder, which “have been remarkable partners for us" and promised that the cruise organizers would “get back to you next week with all of the details on when this is happening.”
O’Reilly did not reply to a request for comment about the trip.
CruiseBuilder is based in South Jordan, Utah, and was launched in 2017. According to a source familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity, CruiseBuilder approached Beck to do the cruise. The source also said Beck hadn’t yet received any compensation for the cruise.
In a phone call with BuzzFeed News, two CruiseBuilder executives, President Wes Cobos and Jason Burgess, vice president for marketing, confirmed they had been the ones to retain Beck and the other talent for the trip, and the company was now looking at a spring 2021 date.
“Overwhelmingly, the large majority of our guests are super excited about this trip,” Burgess said. But, he added, “we totally understand that there are some who simply won’t be able to make the new dates work” and that “options” would be provided to people in that category when the new dates are finalized. He said the “options” would include a refund. The pair said the future cruise would feature the same itinerary as the original one.
Cobos and Burgess said the cruise had involved dealing with dozens of different vendors in various countries, and “very few of them have offered refunds.” Cobos said some of the vendors had offered travel credits, but because the postponement had taken place within 20 days of the scheduled departure date, they weren’t “contractually obligated to do anything.” He blamed “multiple factors that are beyond our control” for the continuing uncertainty around the dates, adding, “patience is one thing we’ve asked of our customers.”
When asked about Beck’s statement that refunds should be offered to anyone who wants one, Cobos said, “We're an advocate for our customer. That's why we'll have options for them that they'll be able to be reimbursed if they're unable to make those new dates, and we'll continue to do that.”
Asked if they felt certain that the rescheduled cruise would take place, Burgess said, “We're excited and looking ahead to 2021, and like the majority of our customers, they're excited, too. We’re aware of those who are excited to go, and we’re aware of those who have questions and are trying to address those and help those individually.”
The comments piling up on CruiseBuilder’s Yelp page, the “Come Sail Away” page on Facebook built for the Beck cruise, the Facebook Group it’s hosting for cruisers, and complaints to the Better Business Bureau indicate a different customer experience.
“Why do you refuse to issue a refund,” wrote one angry customer, Chris D. Connell, on the "Come Sail Away" Facebook page.
“These people are criminals and are not to be trusted,” wrote “Jon M.” in a review on CruiseBuilder’s Better Business Bureau page in February.
It’s unclear how many people are demanding their money back, and there are indications that some interest in the trip continues; apart from the “Glenn Beck Cruise Thru History: Book Club” Facebook Group, which now features weekly complaints from disgruntled passengers, a separate group has sprung up “for only those who are going on Glenn's Cruise. If you have decided you can not go forward and commit to the new dates, please no angry/disrespectful commentary will be allowed. Comments will be deleted and you will be blocked from the page. We want to keep the excitement of the cruise to continue.”
Even people who bought travel insurance have found that their policies don’t cover this situation, since CruiseBuilder is continuing to say that the trip is not canceled, merely postponed.
Bess Foster and Jon Mabry, 52 and 49, who live just outside the Grand Canyon in Arizona, bought travel insurance through American Express after the news about the coronavirus in February raised doubts about the trip.
Like everyone else, the couple spent weeks in suspense about the status of the trip before learning it was being “rescheduled.”
“It seems like they were very careful to never use the word 'canceled,'” Foster said. Foster compiled all the information they would need to file a claim through their travel insurance, but the claim was denied because the trip has not been officially canceled. Foster and Mabry spent $22,000 on their trip.
Nancy Lee Clark, a travel insurance agent who has two customers in this situation, said it was highly unusual that cruise companies would refuse to issue refunds in the current environment.
“It's extremely unusual right now,” Clark said. “These are older Americans who are just being told, ‘you're basically out of luck until we feel like doing this.’”
Kelly Stevenson, 39, an author of teen romance novels who lives in the Dallas area with her husband, said that going through CruiseBuilder had been the only way to book the trip. That fact has ended up preventing the couple from getting back the $13,000 they spent booking the trip; Stevenson spoke with Costa Cruise Lines and was told that although they had issued refunds to people on other cruises, they could not do so for people on Beck’s cruise because they had booked through CruiseBuilder.
Stevenson said her and her husband’s experience with CruiseBuilder has been “awful.” She said they have had to badger the company almost daily with phone calls and emails, only to be either ignored or told they won’t be getting a refund — or in one case, she said, mocked for expressing reservations about going to Italy.
“The way we’ve been treated by this company, and the silence from Glenn Beck, has been beyond disappointing,” Stevenson wrote. “When all the cruise lines (and airlines) are offering refunds and Glenn Beck is silent on the matter... it’s downright disgusting.”
Asked about the Stevensons' experience, CruiseBuilder's Burgess on Friday said, "This is concerning because it is not typical at all. As was mentioned yesterday, our goal is 100% customer satisfaction" and that the company would "look into the matter further."
Even if the cruise does take place in the fall, some who signed up are now wary of getting on a cruise at any point, like Jeff Welliver, who has preexisting conditions that make him especially vulnerable to the virus.
“It is almost laughable to listen to Glenn Beck on the radio right now knowing what I know now,” he said. “His crusade for righteousness is the biggest hypocrisy I have ever encountered. He knows what the right thing is to do. It's just a matter of: Is he gonna sacrifice us rather than refund our money?”


buzzfeed--2020-06-27--Almost 17,000 Protesters Had No Idea A Tech Company Was Tracing Their Location

Data company Mobilewalla used cellphone information to estimate the demographics of protesters .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren says it ’ s “ shady ” and concerning .
On the weekend of May 29 , thousands of people marched , sang , grieved , and chanted , demanding an end to police brutality and the defunding of police departments in the aftermath of the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor .
They marched en masse in cities like Minneapolis , New York , Los Angeles , and Atlanta , empowered by their number and the assumed anonymity of the crowd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a tech company was using location data harvested from their cellphones to predict their race , age , and gender and where they lived .
Just over two weeks later , that company , Mobilewalla , released a report titled `` George Floyd Protester Demographics : Insights Across 4 Major US Cities . ''
In 60 pie charts , the document details what percentage of protesters the company believes were male or female , young adult ( 18–34 ) ; middle-aged 35º54 , or older ( 55+ ) ; and `` African-American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hispanic , '' or “ Asian-American.
” '' African American males made up the majority of protesters in the four observed cities vs. females , ” Mobilewalla claimed .
“ Men vs. women in Atlanta ( 61 % vs. 39 % ) , in Los Angeles ( 65 % vs. 35 % ) , in Minneapolis ( 54 % vs. 46 % ) and in New York ( 59 % vs .
41 % ) . ''
The company analyzed data from 16,902 devices at protests — including exactly 8,152 devices in New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,357 in Minneapolis , and 1,866 in Atlanta .
Sen. Elizabeth Warren told BuzzFeed News that Mobilewalla ’ s report was alarming , and an example of the consequences of the lack of regulation on data brokers in the US .
“ This report shows that an enormous number of Americans – probably without even knowing it – are handing over their full location history to shady location data brokers with zero restrictions on what companies can do with it , ” Warren said .
“ In an end-run around the Constitution 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can even sell this data to the government , which can use it for law and immigration enforcement .
That 's why I 've opened an investigation into the government contracts held by location data brokers , and I ’ ll keep pushing for answers.
” It ’ s unclear how accurate Mobilewalla ’ s analysis actually is .
But Mobilewalla 's report is another revelation from a wild west of obscure companies with untold amounts of sensitive information about individuals — including where they go and what their political allegiances may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place to prevent this information from being abused .
Mobilewalla CEO Anindya Datta told BuzzFeed News that the data analysis that made the George Floyd Protester Demographics possible wasn ’ t a new kind of project .
“ The underlying data , the underlying observations that came into the report , is something that we collect and produce on a regular basis , ” he said Datta said Mobilewalla didn ’ t prepare the report for law enforcement or a public agency , but rather to satisfy its own employees ' curiosity about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could reveal about the demonstrators .
Datta told BuzzFeed News that the company doesn ’ t plan to include information about whether a person attended a protest to its clients , or to law enforcement agencies .
“ It ’ s hard to tell you a specific reason as to why we did this , ” Datta said .
“ But over time , a bunch of us in the company were watching with curiosity and some degree of alarm as to what ’ s going on.
” He defined those sources of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behavior , '' including vandalism , looting , and actions like `` breaking the glass of an Apple store.
” He added that they were attempting to test if protests were being driven by outside agitators .
Datta said that he and a few Mobilewalla employees chose locations where they expected protests would occur — including the George Floyd memorial site in Minneapolis , and Gracie Mansion in New York — and analyzed data from mobile devices in those areas collected between May 29 and May 31 .
Jacinta González , a senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , told BuzzFeed News that by monitoring protesters , Mobilewalla could undermine freedom of assembly .
“ It is really just fundamentally terrifying to understand the way that companies can access such vast amounts of data to process for their own gain — without folks understanding even that they have consented to their information being taken , much less used in this way , ” González said .
“ It ’ s important to understand that once technology hits the market , it 's actually very hard to limit who has access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or whether it is other actors that want to harm communities , ” González added .
“ Once this stuff is out there , we just have no way of understanding how it ’ s being used .
Often we don ’ t even know that it ’ s out there to begin with.
” Mobilewalla does not collect the data itself , but rather buys it from a variety of sources , including advertisers , data brokers , and internet service providers .
Once it has it , the company uses artificial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data , device IDs , and browser histories to predict a person 's demographics — including race , age , gender , zip code , or personal interests .
Mobilewalla sells aggregated versions of that stuff back to advertisers .
On its website , Mobilewalla says that it works with companies across a variety of industries — like retail , dining , telecom , banking , consulting , health , and on-demand services ( like ride-hailing ) .
It ’ s unclear how accurate this report actually is .
Datta told BuzzFeed News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has access to location data for 30 % to 60 % of people in any given location in the United States .
Mobilewalla said in a YouTube video that it collects an average of 25 billion “ signals ” ( or pieces of information , like GPS coordinates ) every day .
Every week , these signals pour in from an average of 1.6 billion devices .
Datta said that about 300 million of these devices are in the US .
( This doesn ’ t mean that Mobilewalla collected data on 300 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have more than one device that Mobilewalla is tracking . )
Saira Hussain , a staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation , told BuzzFeed News that Mobilewalla ’ s report was not surprising , but very troubling .
“ If [ this data ] ends up in hands of the government , or if protesters are concerned that it could end up in the hands of the government , that may suppress speech , it may deter people from going to protests , ” Hussain said .
Mobilewalla 's privacy policy says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of certain uses of their personal information .
But it also says , `` Even if you opt out , we , our Clients and third parties may still collect and use information regarding your activities on the Services , Properties , websites and/or applications and/or information from advertisements for other legal purposes as described herein . ''
There is currently no federal law that regulates how companies like Mobilewalla — which buy and sell people ’ s data on the internet — can use people ’ s information .
Hussain noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Terms of Service , there isn ’ t meaningful consent built into most privacy policies .
“ Given how many different industries that this company works within for targeted advertising , it seems that you probably wouldn ’ t know , once the information in the company ’ s hands , exactly what they ’ re gon na be using it for , ” Hussain said .
“ And who would know that they ’ d be using it to track demographics of people at protests ?
”

Jacinta González, a senior campaign organizer at Latinx advocacy group Mijente, told BuzzFeed News that by monitoring protesters, Mobilewalla could undermine freedom of assembly.
“It is really just fundamentally terrifying to understand the way that companies can access such vast amounts of data to process for their own gain — without folks understanding even that they have consented to their information being taken, much less used in this way,” González said.
“It’s important to understand that once technology hits the market, it's actually very hard to limit who has access to it — whether it is police, or whether it is other actors that want to harm communities,” González added. “Once this stuff is out there, we just have no way of understanding how it’s being used. Often we don’t even know that it’s out there to begin with.”
Mobilewalla does not collect the data itself, but rather buys it from a variety of sources, including advertisers, data brokers, and internet service providers. Once it has it, the company uses artificial intelligence to turn a stew of location data, device IDs, and browser histories to predict a person's demographics — including race, age, gender, zip code, or personal interests. Mobilewalla sells aggregated versions of that stuff back to advertisers. On its website, Mobilewalla says that it works with companies across a variety of industries — like retail, dining, telecom, banking, consulting, health, and on-demand services (like ride-hailing).


buzzfeed--2020-06-28--15 Hookup Stories From People Who've Had Sex With A Micropenis

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to open up about their sexual experiences with someone who has a micropenis .
Here are the results .
In case you 're wondering , the average erect penis is 5 inches long , while a micropenis is at least 2.5 standard deviations smaller ( so , smaller than 7 centimeters or 2.75 inches ) .
Also , about .6 % of the male population has a micropenis .
Before we dive into the stories , we spoke to Dr. Kate Balestrieri , a licensed psychologist and certified sex addiction therapist , to get a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact sex .
Here 's what she said : “ Whether someone has a large penis or a micropenis , the quality of their sexual experience with a partner depends largely on their non-penetrative behaviors .
There are strap-ons and penis extenders that can offer a different tactile experience for penetration , if desired , but nothing can take the place of confidence , erotic kissing , amazing foreplay , and hot sexual energy .
Focus on cultivating an experience that goes beyond penetration , cherish each other , and let sex become @ @ @ @ @ @

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to open up about their sexual experiences with someone who has a micropenis. Here are the results.
In case you're wondering, the average erect penis is 5 inches long, while a micropenis is at least 2.5 standard deviations smaller (so, smaller than 7 centimeters or 2.75 inches). Also, about .6% of the male population has a micropenis.
Before we dive into the stories, we spoke to Dr. Kate Balestrieri, a licensed psychologist and certified sex addiction therapist, to get a better understanding of how a micropenis might impact sex. Here's what she said: “Whether someone has a large penis or a micropenis, the quality of their sexual experience with a partner depends largely on their non-penetrative behaviors. There are strap-ons and penis extenders that can offer a different tactile experience for penetration, if desired, but nothing can take the place of confidence, erotic kissing, amazing foreplay, and hot sexual energy. Focus on cultivating an experience that goes beyond penetration, cherish each other, and let sex become a whole body experience.”


buzzfeed--2020-06-28--If You Think It's Weird For Parents To Keep Baby Teeth, There's Research Showing They May Harvest St

If You Think It's Weird For Parents To Keep Baby Teeth, There's Research Showing They May Harvest Stem Cells

If you 're wanting to keep your kids ' baby teeth for possible future stem cell use , you have @ @ @ @ @ plan ahead .
Dr. Shtivelman said it 's important to not let the tooth just @ @ @ @ @ .
When the tooth starts wiggling , you 'll want to pull it right away @ @ @ @ @ rich blood supply of the tooth .
If you want more information on how to @ @ @ @ @ baby teeth , talk to your dentist .

If you're wanting to keep your kids' baby teeth for possible future stem cell use, you have to do it properly and plan ahead. Dr. Shtivelman said it's important to not let the tooth just fall out on its own. When the tooth starts wiggling, you'll want to pull it right away in order to maintain the rich blood supply of the tooth. If you want more information on how to safely preserve your kid's baby teeth, talk to your dentist.


buzzfeed--2020-06-28--This Young Woman Was Just Asked Out By Her Old High School Teacher — What Should She Do?

First of all , there 's the obvious fact that he used to be your teacher .
It helps that @ @ @ @ @ , that you have n't had any contact over the years , and that you @ @ @ @ @ .
And yet I ca n't help but think there 's something a little bit @ @ @ @ @ , after taking on the responsibility of educating young , impressionable teens in their most @ @ @ @ @ around later and pursue a romantic relationship with one of them .
That , to @ @ @ @ @ flag .

First of all, there's the obvious fact that he used to be your teacher. It helps that it was a decade ago, that you haven't had any contact over the years, and that you're both consenting adults now. And yet I can't help but think there's something a little bit off about a man who, after taking on the responsibility of educating young, impressionable teens in their most formative years, can turn around later and pursue a romantic relationship with one of them. That, to me, is a red flag.


buzzfeed--2020-06-28--Someone Edited Clips Of People Freaking Out About Face Masks Into A "Parks And Rec" Town Hall Meetin

Someone Edited Clips Of People Freaking Out About Face Masks Into A "Parks And Rec" Town Hall Meeting And It's Perfect

`` It was kind of painful to listen through these people complaining about having to wear a mask , but @ @ @ @ @ the end , '' Law added .
`` Mostly , I ’ m just happy @ @ @ @ @ of it and we ’ re able to laugh during a pretty dark time in @ @ @ @ @ . ''

Well, as you've probably seen on the news, there have been lots of REAL town hall meetings happening recently, in which people have thrown massive tantrums about having to wear face masks in public — and spread lots of (incorrect) conspiracy theories about COVID-19 being a hoax.


buzzfeed--2020-06-28--This Woman's Boyfriend Wants To Have A Threesome With Her Best Friend — What Should She Do?

And then there 's the fact that he keeps pushing this idea on you , despite what I imagine must @ @ @ @ @ discomfort on your part whenever he does .
Frankly , anything less than an enthusiastic @ @ @ @ @ you should have been his cue to drop it .
At this point , he @ @ @ @ @ 's crossed the line from `` merely suggesting '' into `` pressuring , '' and @ @ @ @ @

And then there's the fact that he keeps pushing this idea on you, despite what I imagine must be some obvious, visible discomfort on your part whenever he does. Frankly, anything less than an enthusiastic "hell yes" from you should have been his cue to drop it. At this point, he should be aware that he's crossed the line from "merely suggesting" into "pressuring," and that's not cool.


buzzfeed--2020-06-28--People Spent Thousands To Go On A Cruise With Glenn Beck. Now They Can’t Get Their Money Back.

“ We are booked on the Glenn Beck Cruise but are concerned about our safety from the Corona virus , ” the Wolaks wrote to CruiseBuilder customer support on Feb. 20 .
“ What have you been instructed to tell customers ?
What is the time limit to cancel and get full refund if we decide to go that way ?
Please be honest.
” Beth Wolak and her husband , Stephen , 67 and 70 , from Willow Spring , North Carolina , had fully paid for their cruise by Nov. 30 last year .
But when news of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was going to happen with the trip , Beth began emailing the travel agency .
The Wellivers , who are from Montoursville , Pennsylvania , spent over $ 10,000 on their cruise ; after weeks of haggling with anyone he could think of , including complaining to the Utah and Pennsylvania attorneys general , the Better Business Bureau , and CruiseBuilder , Jeff finally got the couple ’ s credit card company to give them a temporary credit for the bulk of the expenses , though he said they are awaiting a final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse position ; some couples spent $ 20,000 or more on the postponed trip .
“ My position is that anyone who wants a refund in these uncertain times should receive one , and I 've strongly encouraged the cruise line , airlines , and the hotels to accommodate , ” Beck said in an emailed statement on Thursday .
“ I look forward to going on this Cruise Through History when the circumstances surrounding this global pandemic allow us to do so . ''
But the cruise is now indefinitely postponed because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ booked it say they ’ ve been unable to get their money back even while other cruise customers around the world have been refunded for virus-impeded trips .
Multiple passengers told BuzzFeed News they have begged CruiseBuilder , the Utah-based travel agency that handled the bookings , to give them information as far back as February , when the coronavirus outbreak in Italy was becoming severe and as cruise ships were in the news as major vectors of the virus .
But they 've struggled to get a clear answer on what was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve since been left in limbo as the company insists the cruise is not canceled , only postponed to sometime in late fall or next spring — and thus refunds aren ’ t available .
A Facebook Group set up by the company to discuss the cruise has become a hotbed of discontent as angry customers have demanded answers .
And through it all , Beck has remained almost totally silent about the cruise apart from a short video message in March — until BuzzFeed News reached out to his spokesperson this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roughly 2,000 people who registered for Beck ’ s “ Cruise Thru History ” that was scheduled to take place this spring .
The cruise was to stop in Italy , Croatia , Israel , and Greece , with tours along the way .
“ What better way could there be to let your family embrace the faith , culture and values that you cherish than to let them experience it for themselves in the places where it actually happened : Jerusalem , Athens or Venice ?
” reads the website for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Venice on March 25 , and the cruise would return on April 5 .
The ship , Costa Cruise Lines ’ Costa Luminosa , had space for 2,260 guests and “ every creature comfort imaginable.
” The most basic cabins started at $ 5,395 with airfare and going up to $ 9,395 for a “ Grand Suite.
” Guests could pay an extra $ 4,999 per person for the “ Inner Circle ” package with access to a cocktail hour with Beck and other hosts , exclusive onstage access to a show with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ 2 nights dining with Glenn Beck.
” “ This was going to be our big fling , ” Jeff said .
“ And then it turned out to be a nightmare.
” Last June , Jeff and Jennifer Welliver heard about a cruise around the Mediterranean to be hosted by conservative radio host Glenn Beck and featuring other right-wing luminaries like Bill O ’ Reilly .
Jeff , 68 , a retired pharmacist , and Jennifer , 66 , had never been on a cruise before .
But they ’ re conservatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Bill O'Reilly–sponsored .
And we thought it would be nice to be around like-minded people and not have to worry about political conversation or any innuendos.
” A customer support representative replied , saying the company was “ taking precautions ” and that the trip was moving forward .
“ I understand your concern , and we are doing everything we can , your trip is important to us .
In saying that , you are welcome to cancel but there would be no refund at this time.
” Finally in March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be rescheduled .
But this wasn ’ t going to work for the Wolaks ; Beth needed back surgery , which she had in April and is still recovering from .
On April 27 , the Wolaks emailed CruiseBuilder again , asking for a refund .
“ That money was very hard to save but we were willing to spend on [ the ] trip of a lifetime but now we need it for medical issues.
” CruiseBuilder again declined to issue a refund , saying that the money had already been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ As of now , we are unable to issue any refunds simply because we have already used the money you paid to pay for everything in your cruise package , ” the customer support representative wrote .
The Wolaks have now hired a lawyer , who sent a letter to CruiseBuilder demanding their refund within 14 days on June 16 .
Despite CruiseBuilder 's insistence that the cruise has only been postponed , not canceled , the cruise line itself referred to the situation as a cancellation in an automated email to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We write to inform you that due to the cancellation of your cruise , all related optional bookings made on MyCosta have also been canceled , ” Costa Cruise Lines wrote .
In a comment responding to a customer seeking answers on the cruise Facebook Group last week , CruiseBuilder wrote that the company had not received its money back from the cruise line and that it was looking at two potential new dates for the cruise , one in the last quarter of this year and one next spring .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company is `` evaluating ongoing transportation restrictions and pending port openings with the goal of setting a new departure date within the next two weeks . ''
The company said because the cruise was postponed and not canceled , guests booked on the cruise have not received refunds .
`` Refund options will be clarified once a date is set , '' according to the statement .
Scott Knutson , vice president of sales and marketing for Costa Cruises North America , said , “ Obviously , the COVID-19 pandemic created new and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our efforts to fix an alternative departure date .
Cruisebuilder and Costa are working with the relevant authorities and ports to set a replacement date , and we anticipate making an announcement in the coming weeks relative to providing an identical package to the one guests originally purchased.
” Beck ’ s only public comments on the subject before this week came in a YouTube video shot selfie-style and uploaded on March 6 .
He sounded apologetic to the cruisers while telling them the trip was being postponed .
“ I really want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have these experiences and have them with you when we ’ re all relaxed and not freaking out about the coronavirus , ” he said .
Beck has encouraged older Americans to go back to work on his radio show , saying in May , “ I would rather have my children stay home and have all of us who are over 50 go in and keep this economy going and working .
Even if we all get sick , I ’ d rather die than kill the country .
Because it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dying , it ’ s the country.
” Beck in the March video thanked CruiseBuilder , which “ have been remarkable partners for us '' and promised that the cruise organizers would “ get back to you next week with all of the details on when this is happening.
” O ’ Reilly did not reply to a request for comment about the trip .
CruiseBuilder is based in South Jordan , Utah , and was launched in 2017 .
According to a source familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do the cruise .
The source also said Beck hadn ’ t yet received any compensation for the cruise .
In a phone call with BuzzFeed News , two CruiseBuilder executives , President Wes Cobos and Jason Burgess , vice president for marketing , confirmed they had been the ones to retain Beck and the other talent for the trip , and the company was now looking at a spring 2021 date .
“ Overwhelmingly , the large majority of our guests are super excited about this trip , ” Burgess said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ totally understand that there are some who simply won ’ t be able to make the new dates work ” and that “ options ” would be provided to people in that category when the new dates are finalized .
He said the “ options ” would include a refund .
The pair said the future cruise would feature the same itinerary as the original one .
Cobos and Burgess said the cruise had involved dealing with dozens of different vendors in various countries , and “ very few of them have offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vendors had offered travel credits , but because the postponement had taken place within 20 days of the scheduled departure date , they weren ’ t “ contractually obligated to do anything.
” He blamed “ multiple factors that are beyond our control ” for the continuing uncertainty around the dates , adding , “ patience is one thing we ’ ve asked of our customers.
” When asked about Beck ’ s statement that refunds should be offered to anyone who wants one , Cobos said , “ We 're an advocate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we 'll have options for them that they 'll be able to be reimbursed if they 're unable to make those new dates , and we 'll continue to do that.
” Asked if they felt certain that the rescheduled cruise would take place , Burgess said , “ We 're excited and looking ahead to 2021 , and like the majority of our customers , they 're excited , too .
We ’ re aware of those who are excited to go , and we ’ re aware of those who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and help those individually.
” The comments piling up on CruiseBuilder ’ s Yelp page , the “ Come Sail Away ” page on Facebook built for the Beck cruise , the Facebook Group it ’ s hosting for cruisers , and complaints to the Better Business Bureau indicate a different customer experience .
“ Why do you refuse to issue a refund , ” wrote one angry customer , Chris D. Connell , on the `` Come Sail Away '' Facebook page .
“ These people are criminals and are not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ M. ” in a review on CruiseBuilder ’ s Better Business Bureau page in February .
It ’ s unclear how many people are demanding their money back , and there are indications that some interest in the trip continues ; apart from the “ Glenn Beck Cruise Thru History : Book Club ” Facebook Group , which now features weekly complaints from disgruntled passengers , a separate group has sprung up “ for only those who are going on Glenn 's Cruise .
If you have decided you can not go forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ please no angry/disrespectful commentary will be allowed .
Comments will be deleted and you will be blocked from the page .
We want to keep the excitement of the cruise to continue.
” Even people who bought travel insurance have found that their policies don ’ t cover this situation , since CruiseBuilder is continuing to say that the trip is not canceled , merely postponed .
Bess Foster and Jon Mabry , 52 and 49 , who live just outside the Grand Canyon in Arizona , bought travel insurance through American Express @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February raised doubts about the trip .
Like everyone else , the couple spent weeks in suspense about the status of the trip before learning it was being “ rescheduled.
” “ It seems like they were very careful to never use the word 'canceled , ' ” Foster said .
Foster compiled all the information they would need to file a claim through their travel insurance , but the claim was denied because the trip has not been officially canceled .
Foster and Mabry spent $ 22,000 on their trip .
Nancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has two customers in this situation , said it was highly unusual that cruise companies would refuse to issue refunds in the current environment .
“ It 's extremely unusual right now , ” Clark said .
“ These are older Americans who are just being told , ‘ you 're basically out of luck until we feel like doing this.
’ ” Kelly Stevenson , 39 , an author of teen romance novels who lives in the Dallas area with her husband , said that going through CruiseBuilder had been the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That fact has ended up preventing the couple from getting back the $ 13,000 they spent booking the trip ; Stevenson spoke with Costa Cruise Lines and was told that although they had issued refunds to people on other cruises , they could not do so for people on Beck ’ s cruise because they had booked through CruiseBuilder .
Stevenson said her and her husband ’ s experience with CruiseBuilder has been “ awful.
” She said they have had to badger the company almost daily with phone calls and emails , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they won ’ t be getting a refund — or in one case , she said , mocked for expressing reservations about going to Italy .
“ The way we ’ ve been treated by this company , and the silence from Glenn Beck , has been beyond disappointing , ” Stevenson wrote .
“ When all the cruise lines ( and airlines ) are offering refunds and Glenn Beck is silent on the matter ... it ’ s downright disgusting.
” Asked about the Stevensons ' experience , CruiseBuilder 's Burgess on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because it is not typical at all .
As was mentioned yesterday , our goal is 100 % customer satisfaction '' and that the company would `` look into the matter further . ''
Even if the cruise does take place in the fall , some who signed up are now wary of getting on a cruise at any point , like Jeff Welliver , who has preexisting conditions that make him especially vulnerable to the virus .
“ It is almost laughable to listen to Glenn Beck on the radio right now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ His crusade for righteousness is the biggest hypocrisy I have ever encountered .
He knows what the right thing is to do .
It 's just a matter of : Is he gon na sacrifice us rather than refund our money ?
”


buzzfeed--2020-06-28--The CDC Lost Control Of The Coronavirus Pandemic. Then The Agency Disappeared.

The world ’ s premier health agency pushed a flawed coronavirus containment strategy — until it disappeared from public view one day before the outbreak was declared a pandemic .
On January 17 , the world ’ s most trusted public health agency , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , announced it was screening travelers from Wuhan , China , because of a new infectious respiratory illness striking that city .
It was the CDC ’ s first public briefing on the outbreak , coming as China reported 45 cases of the illness and two deaths linked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Chinese health officials had not yet confirmed that the new illness was transmitted from person to person .
But there was reason to believe that it might be : four days earlier , officials in Thailand confirmed their first case , a traveler from Wuhan who had not visited the seafood market .
“ Based on the information that CDC has today , we believe the current risk from this virus to the general public is low , ” said Nancy Messonnier , the CDC ’ s director of the National Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 54 , was a veteran of the CDC ’ s renowned Epidemiological Intelligence Service , where she had risen through the ranks during the national responses to the anthrax attacks and the previous decade ’ s swine flu pandemic to eventually head the agency ’ s vaccines center .
Most of the novel coronavirus ’ s infections apparently went “ from animals to people , ” she explained , and human transmission was “ limited.
” There were many reasons why the information the CDC had on January 17 was wrong .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders withheld what they already knew about the virus from the World Health Organization .
It was wrong , perhaps , because Trump administration officials had cut CDC staffers in Beijing who might have reported the truth directly from China .
And it was wrong because past coronavirus outbreaks provided a false guide to an illness new to humanity .
That last reason — a fateful misjudgment of the basic biology of the virus — drove a flawed strategy to contain the outbreak .
In 17 press briefings from January to March , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travelers , first from Wuhan and then from China , were quickly identified , traced , and isolated , it could “ slow and reduce ” the spread of the virus on US soil .
Believing people without symptoms did n't spread the virus , the agency limited testing , discouraged masking , and left the country blinded by a faulty COVID-19 test .
Then , when the containment strategy 's failure became undeniable , just one day before the WHO declared the outbreak a pandemic — the CDC disappeared from public view @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we had an aggressive tracing program , but unfortunately , as the cases rose , it went beyond the capacity , ” CDC Director Robert Redfield later testified to Congress .
A fatal misunderstanding about the new virus At that first CDC coronavirus briefing , Messonnier explained what two other coronaviruses , MERS and SARS , could tell us about how to contain the mysterious new virus .
And she described the crux of their containment plan : stopping the disease from entering the US by screening for travelers with a fever and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ putting sick people in isolation .
“ We know from investigation of those two viruses that they are more likely to spread when somebody is more contagious , ” she said .
“ Asymptomatic people can spread , but at a much lower rate.
” SARS was a novel coronavirus whose outbreak in 2002 and 2003 killed 774 people , largely travelers and hospital personnel .
It was most contagious when someone was severely ill , making quarantines very effective because by the time someone was most contagious , they were usually already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has killed at least 845 people since 2012 , is likewise most often transmitted from terribly ill patients .
SARS-CoV-2 is entirely different .
We now know that COVID-19 patients have the heaviest viral load — and appear most infectious — at the onset of symptoms , not at the end .
People who haven ’ t yet developed any symptoms , and therefore wouldn ’ t show up in the CDC ’ s temperature checks , are responsible for more than 40 % of the virus ’ s spread .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ early in an infection will develop a fever .
In its first briefing , CDC officials acknowledged they still knew very little about the new virus .
“ CDC will adjust its screening and response procedures appropriately , ” said the CDC ’ s Marty Cetron , director of the Global Migration and Quarantine Division .
Three days later , China confirmed the virus spread from person to person .
Within a week , Chinese officials took the unprecedented move of quarantining Wuhan , a city of 11 million people , sending a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread outside the hospital setting .
Nevertheless , the CDC stuck to its screening plan .
“ We are looking for returning travelers who have fever , cough , and respiratory symptoms , ” said Messonnier at the agency ’ s next briefing on January 23 .
At the following briefing , on January 27 , she reiterated the core assumption of the agency ’ s screening strategy : “ We at CDC don ’ t have any clear evidence of patients being infectious before symptom onset.
” We now know that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soil by this time , with at least four lines of evidence supporting that conclusion .
There is the case of a Northern California woman who became sick on January 31 and died within a week .
And there is genetic evidence : The slow but steady mutation rate of the novel coronavirus , amounting to a few tiny changes every month , serves as a kind of footprint to track its spread .
Scientists currently believe that trail points to the virus ’ s spread starting in November in China and arriving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through undetected , asymptomatic cases .
On January 30 , with 7,800 known cases in 22 countries , the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern .
The same day , the US announced the first case of person-to-person transmission of the virus in the country ; the husband of a Chicago woman who had acquired the illness in China .
The next day , Health and Human Service Secretary Alex Azar announced the outbreak was a national public health emergency , and the White House declared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China .
China typically sent 14,000 air passengers a day into the US .
The order allowed the quarantine of anyone exposed to the virus , and both Redfield and Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , cited the risk of asymptomatic transmission to justify the action .
Despite the need for widespread testing made apparent by the reports of people without symptoms spreading the disease , the CDC ’ s criteria was very narrow : Only people with a fever , cough , and shortness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ province or had close contact with a confirmed patient could be tested .
Hospitalized patients with those symptoms who had traveled to China within the last 14 days could also get a test .
Driven in part by these restrictions , others with symptoms — including healthcare workers concerned about their exposure to the virus in hospitals — initially struggled to get tested .
Genetic tests for coronavirus work by detecting traces of signature genetic material from the virus called RNA .
The CDC developed a test that looked for three pieces of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The WHO , meanwhile , had been sending a reliable test made by the German Center for Infection Research worldwide since the middle of January .
China had five commercial tests already on the market by the beginning of February .
The US had only the CDC test , used on fewer than 250 people by February 1 and processed solely at the agency ’ s Atlanta headquarters .
When asked about the other testing options , Messonnier said the CDC preferred to have its own , more precise test .
Whatever the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touted the authorization of its genetic test for wider use alongside FDA Chief Scientist Denise Hinton , who said her agency had sent the template for similar authorizations to 35 other test developers .
Things went bad quickly .
On February 9 , the Association of Public Health Laboratories sent a message to its member labs in all 50 states , notifying them that they ’ d had problems verifying the test .
In a press conference five days later , optimism about containing the virus began to fade , with Messonnier acknowledging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” in the diagnostic test .
“ We must prepare for the possibility that at some point we may see sustained community spread in other countries or in the US , and this will trigger a change in our response strategies.
” Asked what that meant , Messonier replied that switching from containment to “ mitigation ” of the outbreak would mean “ social distancing , school closures , canceling mass gatherings , ” as well as “ teleschooling , telemedicine , teleworking ” — the first mention of such measures at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s playbook on flu pandemics , Messonnier discouraged the public from using face masks , echoing similar advice from the WHO and US Surgeon General Jerome Adams .
Since masks were thought to prevent the transmission of a virus from coughing , health officials feared a run on surgical masks would keep them from reaching vulnerable public health workers in hospitals , where most infectious patients driving a coronavirus outbreak would be located .
In April , facing increasing pressure from public health experts , the CDC urged Americans to don cloth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first noted by Redfield and Fauci at the end of January .
But the damage was done : Months later , the initial confusion over the utility of widespread use of face coverings has only made masks more of a political flashpoint .
Meanwhile , as February came to a close , the CDC ’ s test still wasn ’ t working in most labs .
An FDA official arrived to inspect the CDC ’ s lab on February 22 , a Saturday , but was not allowed in until the next day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contamination fouling the test .
A June HHS investigation confirmed that the CDC ’ s Respiratory Virus Diagnostic Lab , which was assembling the reagents , was also likely contaminated .
The investigation noted that the agency skipped quality control testing on the kits before shipping them to public health labs .
Frustrated , the Association of Public Health Laboratories on February 25 requested that the FDA allow its labs across the country to go ahead with their own tests .
Only a dozen labs were able to run the CDC ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the federal health agency was running tests for only around 100 patients a day .
In her opening remarks at a fateful CDC briefing on February 25 , Messonnier finally dropped any pretense that the US would not suffer from the outbreak .
“ You should ask your children ’ s school about their plans for school dismissals or school closures , ” she said .
“ You should think about what you would do for childcare if schools or daycares close , if teleworking is an option for you.
” The remarks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , combined with a stock market drop , reportedly enraged President Donald Trump .
The next day , he replaced Azar with Vice President Mike Pence as chair of his coronavirus task force , which began daily briefings that would soon replace the CDC ’ s .
`` It 's going to disappear .
One day , it ’ s like a miracle , it will disappear , '' Trump said on February 27 , at a Black History Month reception .
The FDA and the CDC soon gave public health labs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , permission to use their own tests instead of the CDC ’ s .
No other authorized tests were available yet for the virus in the US at the time , despite the FDA ’ s claim that 35 companies were working to develop their own tests at the beginning of the month .
Then , weeks after its first guidance was issued , the CDC broadened its criteria for testing patients , eliminating the travel requirement and allowing anyone with pneumonia to get tested .
One day later , Washington State Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested positive for the coronavirus without any link to a travel-connected case , making it the first known case of community spread in the country .
In an interview with BuzzFeed News , the CDC pushed back against the notion that the health agency could have detected the spread of the virus earlier if it had not had such narrow testing guidelines and a defective test .
The CDC would have needed “ a huge amount of testing available at that time ” to detect the virus before it had started spreading on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a member of the agency ’ s COVID-19 Response Team who later worked on a report finding genetic signs of the coronavirus in the US since late January .
“ It still would have been difficult to pick up community transmission in early February .
I think probably at best we would have been able to pick it up a week or two earlier , ” Armstrong said .
“ You would have had to test everybody who comes to the emergency room , ” he added .
But many experts have noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a challenge , not an impossibility .
“ The federal government has consistently underestimated the need for urgency around testing for this virus , ” said Boston University School of Public Health Dean Sandro Galea , adding that this misjudgment has been a fiasco for public health labs .
Two days later , on February 29 , those same Washington state officials reported the first suspected US death from COVID-19 , of a man in his fifties with an underlying illness .
They also reported the first outbreak in a nursing home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington , where ultimately at least 43 residents died .
The same day , Gov .
Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency .
The virus was clearly loose in the US .
Asked on the day of the Life Care Center report whether nursing homes should be closed , Messonnier replied , “ Right now , we still judge the general risk to the American public to be low , and that includes residents of long-term care facilities.
” Another Washington state resident , a man in his seventies , died that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more died , bringing the death total in the US to six people .
Four of them were Life Care Center residents .
Nursing home residents would eventually account for about 40 % of coronavirus deaths in the US .
At the same CDC briefing on February 29 , Jeff Duchin of Seattle and King County ’ s public health office revealed that the man who had died was only eligible for testing because of the CDC ’ s updated recommendations .
“ If we had the ability to test earlier , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients earlier in the community , ” he said .
Frieden , the former CDC chief , argued that the agency failed largely because it has been shackled to an inept administration .
“ The overarching problem has been the failure to have a clear national strategy , a national plan , and consistent communication .
Everything really stems from that , ” he said .
“ Hindsight really always is twenty-twenty , and there were absolutely mistakes made by CDC , but also by FDA , by HHS — and by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after more than 113,000 Americans had died in the pandemic , the CDC held its first briefing in three months .
In a presentation by CDC Director Redfield , he shared the agency ’ s recommendations for lowering the risk of infection as states begin to reopen .
Along with the CDC ’ s Jay Butler , deputy director for infectious diseases , he emphasized staying 6 feet apart , washing hands , and wearing cloth masks .
The pair deflected questions on whether the guidelines applied to mass rallies announced by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the surges in cases currently hitting states like Arizona , Florida , and Texas , Butler suggested it could be explained by a rise in testing , a suggestion Fauci would dismiss in a congressional hearing two weeks later .
Messonnier was not on the call .
“ You know , I 'm hopeful that we 'll continue to have these dialogues , ” said Redfield at the close of the briefing .
” I want to thank you for what you do to help communicate the messages that we feel are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” ●

In her opening remarks at a fateful CDC briefing on February 25, Messonnier finally dropped any pretense that the US would not suffer from the outbreak. “You should ask your children’s school about their plans for school dismissals or school closures,” she said. “You should think about what you would do for childcare if schools or daycares close, if teleworking is an option for you.”
The remarks set off a news firestorm, which, combined with a stock market drop, reportedly enraged President Donald Trump. The next day, he replaced Azar with Vice President Mike Pence as chair of his coronavirus task force, which began daily briefings that would soon replace the CDC’s. "It's going to disappear. One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear," Trump said on February 27, at a Black History Month reception.
The FDA and the CDC soon gave public health labs, starting with New York state’s, permission to use their own tests instead of the CDC’s. No other authorized tests were available yet for the virus in the US at the time, despite the FDA’s claim that 35 companies were working to develop their own tests at the beginning of the month.
Then, weeks after its first guidance was issued, the CDC broadened its criteria for testing patients, eliminating the travel requirement and allowing anyone with pneumonia to get tested. One day later, Washington State Department of Health officials reported a teenager had tested positive for the coronavirus without any link to a travel-connected case, making it the first known case of community spread in the country.
In an interview with BuzzFeed News, the CDC pushed back against the notion that the health agency could have detected the spread of the virus earlier if it had not had such narrow testing guidelines and a defective test. The CDC would have needed “a huge amount of testing available at that time” to detect the virus before it had started spreading on US soil, said Greg Armstrong, a member of the agency’s COVID-19 Response Team who later worked on a report finding genetic signs of the coronavirus in the US since late January.
“It still would have been difficult to pick up community transmission in early February. I think probably at best we would have been able to pick it up a week or two earlier,” Armstrong said.
“You would have had to test everybody who comes to the emergency room,” he added.
But many experts have noted that this level of widespread testing was a challenge, not an impossibility. “The federal government has consistently underestimated the need for urgency around testing for this virus,” said Boston University School of Public Health Dean Sandro Galea, adding that this misjudgment has been a fiasco for public health labs.
Two days later, on February 29, those same Washington state officials reported the first suspected US death from COVID-19, of a man in his fifties with an underlying illness. They also reported the first outbreak in a nursing home, the Life Care Center of Kirkland, Washington, where ultimately at least 43 residents died. The same day, Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency.
The virus was clearly loose in the US.
Asked on the day of the Life Care Center report whether nursing homes should be closed, Messonnier replied, “Right now, we still judge the general risk to the American public to be low, and that includes residents of long-term care facilities.”
Another Washington state resident, a man in his seventies, died that Sunday. And on Monday, four more died, bringing the death total in the US to six people. Four of them were Life Care Center residents. Nursing home residents would eventually account for about 40% of coronavirus deaths in the US.
At the same CDC briefing on February 29, Jeff Duchin of Seattle and King County’s public health office revealed that the man who had died was only eligible for testing because of the CDC’s updated recommendations.
“If we had the ability to test earlier, I’m sure we would have identified patients earlier in the community,” he said.


buzzfeed--2020-06-28--Miley Cyrus Revealed She Quit Drugs Six Months Ago And Opened Up About The "Stigma" Of Being Young A

Miley Cyrus Revealed She Quit Drugs Six Months Ago And Opened Up About The "Stigma" Of Being Young And Sober

`` My mom was adopted , and I inherited some of the feelings she had , the abandonment feelings and @ @ @ @ @ ’ re wanted and valuable , '' Miley explained .
She went on : `` @ @ @ @ @ family history , which has a lot of addiction and mental health challenges .
So @ @ @ @ @ asking , 'Why am I the way that I am ? '
By understanding the @ @ @ @ @ present and the future much more clearly . ''

"I’ve been sober sober for the past six months. At the beginning, it was just about this vocal surgery," she said, before revealing she had done some research into her family background and found a history of addiction.