huffpost--2020-05-07--How To Tell If Your Coronavirus Mask Is Counterfeit Or Safe

Whether you ’ re a frontline medical worker or just wearing a mask when you take your dog for a walk , here ’ s how you can tell whether your mask is safe to wear — not just for you but for others .
These popular masks have been certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health ( NIOSH ) to ensure that at least 95 % of small airborne particles are filtered out .
They are designed to have a close facial fit with a seal that forms around the nose and mouth .
If worn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level of protection provided by a surgical face mask .
Defective masks offer lower levels of protection , either due to the material or the facial fit and application , according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration .
How can I tell if my N95 mask is a counterfeit ?
N95 masks made in the U.S. will have a NIOSH approval label either on or within the respirator ’ s packaging .
With few exceptions , this label is not on the respirator itself , according to the Centers for Disease Control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imported from other countries — including Australia , Brazil , Japan , South Korea and Mexico — that have been approved for use during the pandemic by NIOSH .
Some approved mask producers are in China , but the CDC says China has also been the source of many counterfeit products .
You can see the agency ’ s list of approved imported masks here .
What to do if you have a counterfeit mask ?
Why are masks with valves an issue ?
This is because these valves filter the air that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not the air that is exhaled , which could harm others if the wearer is infected .
Why are valved masks available then ?

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As more Americans are required to wear masks during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, authorities have warned that counterfeit N95 masks are flooding the market.
Over the last several weeks, there have been reports of hospitals and first responders in New Jersey, West Virginia, Missouri and elsewhere that purchased faulty face masks.
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On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration reduced the number of approved Chinese N95-style mask producers, because many masks imported from China did not meet U.S. safety standards, the Wall Street Journal reported.
A Seattle police officer wears an N95 mask. ASSOCIATED PRESS
But it’s not just counterfeit masks that are posing potential health risks. Masks with air valves are being banned in some cities because they are ineffective in protecting the wearer from infecting others around them.
Whether you’re a frontline medical worker or just wearing a mask when you take your dog for a walk, here’s how you can tell whether your mask is safe to wear — not just for you but for others.
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What makes an N95 mask defective?
The masks posing the greatest concern here are N95 masks, also known as N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators, which federal health agencies recommend that health care workers wear.
These popular masks have been certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to ensure that at least 95% of small airborne particles are filtered out. They are designed to have a close facial fit with a seal that forms around the nose and mouth. If worn properly, an N95 will exceed the level of protection provided by a surgical face mask. Defective masks offer lower levels of protection, either due to the material or the facial fit and application, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
A 3M N95 mask, which is certified by NIOSH. These masks ensure that at least 95% of small airborne particles are filtered out. ASSOCIATED PRESS
How can I tell if my N95 mask is a counterfeit?
N95 masks made in the U.S. will have a NIOSH approval label either on or within the respirator’s packaging. With few exceptions, this label is not on the respirator itself, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
NIOSH-approved respirators will also always have one the following designations: N95, N99, N100, R95, R99, R100, P95, P99 or P100.
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Fakes will also sometimes have one or more of the following:
Ear loops instead of a headband
A missing testing and certification approval number on the mask’s exterior face, on the exhalation valve (if one exists), or on the head straps
No markings on the filtering face piece respirator
Misspellings, such as the NIOSH acronym
Decorations of any kind
Approval for children, since there are no NIOSH-approved respirators for children.
NIOSH-approved N95 masks will feature various labelings on them, including a testing and certification approval number on the mask’s exterior face, on the exhalation valve (if one exists), or on the head straps. CDC.gov
What about imported N95-style masks?
There are some respirators imported from other countries — including Australia, Brazil, Japan, South Korea and Mexico — that have been approved for use during the pandemic by NIOSH. Some approved mask producers are in China, but the CDC says China has also been the source of many counterfeit products. You can see the agency’s list of approved imported masks here.
The NIOSH #ScienceBlog explains NIOSH-approved respirators and imported non-NIOSH-approved respirators. Find answers to your questions: https://t.co/52JJlt2bH1 pic.twitter.com/yJpunOuMLm — NIOSH (@NIOSH) May 4, 2020
What to do if you have a counterfeit mask?
Counterfeit N95 respirators can be reported to NIOSH, via PPEConcerns@cdc.gov, while all other counterfeit products can be reported to the Better Business Bureau.
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Why are masks with valves an issue?
Masks featuring small air valves have been banned as coronavirus facial coverings by some cities, including San Francisco. They are also not advised for medical use by the CDC.
This is because these valves filter the air that is inhaled by the wearer, but not the air that is exhaled, which could harm others if the wearer is infected.
Valves, like the one seen here, are designed to filter air that is breathed in. They do not filter air that is breathed out. delihayat via Getty Images
As one online seller describes the product: “The valve works by opening when you exhale and closing when you inhale.”
Though there are NIOSH-approved N95 masks with valves available for those in the medical community, federal health officials advise against wearing them when a sterile environment is necessary.
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Why are valved masks available then?
Many of these masks are sold as a way to prevent the inhalation of toxins like dust, smoke and air pollution, since their specialty is filtering air that’s being inhaled.
Masks with exhalation valves may be more appealing to users because they reduce exhalation resistance, making it easier to breathe during use, which can help those with asthma. Some users also say the valves keep their faces cooler and reduce moisture buildup inside of the masks, according to the CDC. But this bit of comfort can come at a cost if you’re trying to prevent infecting others around you.


huffpost--2020-04-19--Black-White Divide Grows Starker As More Coronavirus Data Emerges

On Friday , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its first breakdown of COVID-19 case data by race , showing that 30 % of patients whose race was known were black .
The federal data was missing racial information for 75 % of all cases , however , and did not include any demographic breakdown of deaths .
The latest Associated Press analysis of available state and local data shows that nearly one-third of those who have died are African American , with black people representing about 14 % of the population in the areas covered in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher rates in the black community ― obesity , diabetes and asthma ― make African Americans more susceptible to the virus .
They also are more likely to be uninsured , and often report that medical professionals take their ailments less seriously when they seek treatment .
“ If we do not take an appreciation for the historical context and the political determinants , then we ’ re only merely going to nibble around the edges of the problem of inequities , ” he said .
The AP analysis , based on data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 21,500 victims whose demographic data was known and disclosed by officials , more than 6,350 were black , a rate of nearly 30 % .
African Americans account for 14.2 % of the 241 million people who live in the areas covered by the analysis , which encompasses 24 states and the cities of Washington D.C. , Houston , Memphis , Pittsburgh and Philadelphia — places where statewide data was unavailable .
In some areas , Native American communities also have been hit hard .
In New Mexico , Native Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s 1,484 cases and about 11 % of the state ’ s population .
Of the 112 deaths where race is known in Arizona , 30 were Native Americans .
After Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation this week to try to compel federal health officials to post daily data breaking down cases and deaths by race , ethnicity and other demographics , the CDC released only caseload data that — similar to the AP ’ s analysis of deaths —show 30 % of 111,633 infected patients whose race is known were black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 65-to-74 age groups represented an even larger share of the national caseload .
According to a recording of the call obtained by the AP , Redfield said the CDC has been collecting demographic data from death certificates but that the comprehensiveness of the data depends on state and local health departments , many of which are overburdened by virus response .
No plan was offered to help health officials in hard-hit communities collect the data , leaders who were on the call said .
Kristen Clarke , president of the Lawyers ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which took part in the call , said African Americans “ have every reason to be alarmed at the administration ’ s anemic response to the disproportionate impact that this crisis is having on communities of color.
” Barnes said the hospital where his brother sought treatment initially sent him home without testing him and suggested he self-quarantine for 14 days .
Five days later , his brother was back in the hospital , where he was placed on a ventilator for two weeks .
He died April 13 .
Barnes ’ brother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an 88-year-old man in the same apartment , who died from the virus around the same time .
Rush , whose job includes community engagement , was diagnosed with COVID-19 near the end of March after what he initially thought was just a sinus infection .
He had to be hospitalized twice , but is now on the mend at home , along with his 16-year-old son , who also was diagnosed with COVID-19 .
“ I had a former lieutenant for the city of Ypsilanti who passed while I was in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who caught the virus and were sick at the hospital , ” Rush said .
“ At that point , I said , ‘ Well , this is really , really affecting a lot of people ’ and they were mostly African American .
That ’ s how I knew that it was really taking a toll a little bit deeper in the African American community than I realized .
”

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As a clearer picture emerges of COVID-19’s decidedly deadly toll on black Americans, leaders are demanding a reckoning of the systemic policies they say have made many African Americans far more vulnerable to the virus, including inequity in access to health care and economic opportunity.
A growing chorus of medical professionals, activists and political figures is pressuring the federal government to not just release comprehensive racial demographic data of the country’s coronavirus victims, but also to outline clear strategies to blunt the devastation on African Americans and other communities of color.
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On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its first breakdown of COVID-19 case data by race, showing that 30% of patients whose race was known were black. The federal data was missing racial information for 75% of all cases, however, and did not include any demographic breakdown of deaths.
The latest Associated Press analysis of available state and local data shows that nearly one-third of those who have died are African American, with black people representing about 14% of the population in the areas covered in the analysis.
Roughly half the states, representing less than a fifth of the nation’s COVID-19 deaths, have yet to release demographic data on fatalities. In states that have, about a quarter of the death records are missing racial details.
Health conditions that exist at higher rates in the black community ― obesity, diabetes and asthma ― make African Americans more susceptible to the virus. They also are more likely to be uninsured, and often report that medical professionals take their ailments less seriously when they seek treatment.
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“It’s America’s unfinished business ― we’re free, but not equal,” civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson told the AP. “There’s a reality check that has been brought by the coronavirus, that exposes the weakness and the opportunity.”
This week, Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition and the National Medical Association, a group representing African American physicians and patients, released a joint public health strategy calling for better COVID-19 testing and treatment data. The groups also urged officials to provide better protections for incarcerated populations and to recruit more African Americans to the medical field.
Jackson also expressed support for a national commission to study the black COVID-19 toll modeled after the Kerner Commission, which studied the root causes of race riots in African American communities in the 1960s and made policy recommendations to prevent future unrest.
Daniel Dawes, director of Morehouse College’s School of Medicine’s Satcher Health Leadership Institute, said America’s history of segregation and policies led to the racial health disparities that exist today.
“If we do not take an appreciation for the historical context and the political determinants, then we’re only merely going to nibble around the edges of the problem of inequities,” he said.
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The release of demographic data for the country’s coronavirus victims remains a priority for many civil rights and public health advocates, who say the numbers are needed to address disparities in the national response to the pandemic.
The AP analysis, based on data through Thursday, found that of the more than 21,500 victims whose demographic data was known and disclosed by officials, more than 6,350 were black, a rate of nearly 30%. African Americans account for 14.2% of the 241 million people who live in the areas covered by the analysis, which encompasses 24 states and the cities of Washington D.C., Houston, Memphis, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia — places where statewide data was unavailable.
The nation had recorded more than 33,000 deaths as of Thursday.
In some areas, Native American communities also have been hit hard. In New Mexico, Native Americans account for nearly 37% of the state’s 1,484 cases and about 11% of the state’s population. Of the 112 deaths where race is known in Arizona, 30 were Native Americans.
After Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation this week to try to compel federal health officials to post daily data breaking down cases and deaths by race, ethnicity and other demographics, the CDC released only caseload data that — similar to the AP’s analysis of deaths —show 30% of 111,633 infected patients whose race is known were black. African American patients in the 45-to-64 and 65-to-74 age groups represented an even larger share of the national caseload.
The lawmakers sent a letter last month to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar urging federal release of the demographic data. And Joe Biden, the former vice president and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, also called for its release.
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Meanwhile, some black leaders have described the Trump administration’s response to COVID-19 as inadequate, after what they said was a hastily organized call with Vice President Mike Pence and CDC Director Robert Redfield last week.
According to a recording of the call obtained by the AP, Redfield said the CDC has been collecting demographic data from death certificates but that the comprehensiveness of the data depends on state and local health departments, many of which are overburdened by virus response. No plan was offered to help health officials in hard-hit communities collect the data, leaders who were on the call said.
Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which took part in the call, said African Americans “have every reason to be alarmed at the administration’s anemic response to the disproportionate impact that this crisis is having on communities of color.”
Mistrust runs deep among residents in many communities.
St. Louis resident Randy Barnes is grappling not just with the emotional toll of losing his brother to the coronavirus, but also with the feeling that his brother’s case was not taken seriously.
Barnes said the hospital where his brother sought treatment initially sent him home without testing him and suggested he self-quarantine for 14 days. Five days later, his brother was back in the hospital, where he was placed on a ventilator for two weeks. He died April 13. Barnes’ brother and his wife also were caring for an 88-year-old man in the same apartment, who died from the virus around the same time.
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“Those people are not being tested. They’re not being cared for,” Barnes said.
Eugene Rush lives in one of the areas outside large urban cities that have been hit hard with coronavirus cases. He is a sergeant for the sheriff’s department in Michigan’s Washtenaw County, west of Detroit, where black residents account for 46% of the COVID-19 cases but represent only 12% of the county’s population.
Rush, whose job includes community engagement, was diagnosed with COVID-19 near the end of March after what he initially thought was just a sinus infection. He had to be hospitalized twice, but is now on the mend at home, along with his 16-year-old son, who also was diagnosed with COVID-19.
“I had a former lieutenant for the city of Ypsilanti who passed while I was in the hospital and I had some fraternity brothers who caught the virus and were sick at the hospital,” Rush said. “At that point, I said, ‘Well, this is really, really affecting a lot of people’ and they were mostly African American. That’s how I knew that it was really taking a toll a little bit deeper in the African American community than I realized.”
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huffpost--2020-04-19--Trump Boasts He Likely Saved 'Billions' Of Lives In A Nation With 330 Million People

President Donald Trump busted his boastful exaggeration record Saturday when he claimed he likely saved “ billions ” of lives with his measures against COVID-19 .
The entire population of the U.S. is just 330 million .
Trump had claimed Monday that he saved “ tens of thousands ” or possibly “ hundreds of thousands ” of lives because in late January he restricted foreign nationals from entering the country if they ’ d been in China the previous two weeks .
The restrictions did not apply to Americans , however , allowing a conduit for the disease to enter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billions ” claim at his press briefing Saturday .
Based on some models , the COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. was predicted to reach 100,000 to 220,000 , he noted .
“ I really believe it could have been billions of people [ who died ] had we not done what we did , ” he added .
“ We made a lot of good decisions.
” '' It could have been billions of people if we had not done what we did '' -- Trump absurdly claims that his move to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or more lives pic.twitter.com/GbkI4ozs8F — Aaron Rupar ( @ atrupar ) April 18 , 2020 There are 8 billion people in the world , so it ’ s possible Trump was taking credit for saving an extraordinary number of lives around the world for some unknown reason .
The U.S. has nearly a third of the 2.3 million COVID-19 cases around the globe — the highest number in the world — but only 4.2 % of the Earth ’ s population .
The U.S. also has the highest number of deaths — over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whatever measures the nation is taking don ’ t appear to be particularly successful .
Trump , however , declared Saturday that the U.S. has “ produced dramatically better health outcomes than any other country with the possible exception of Germany.
” It ’ s uncertain how many people will ultimately die of COVID-19 .
But several experts have said that Trump ’ s months of inaction , with a lack of testing , disease contact isolation and early social distancing measures , likely cost countless lives in America .

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President Donald Trump busted his boastful exaggeration record Saturday when he claimed he likely saved “billions” of lives with his measures against COVID-19. The entire population of the U.S. is just 330 million.
Trump had claimed Monday that he saved “tens of thousands” or possibly “hundreds of thousands” of lives because in late January he restricted foreign nationals from entering the country if they’d been in China the previous two weeks. The restrictions did not apply to Americans, however, allowing a conduit for the disease to enter the U.S.
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Trump made his outlandish “billions” claim at his press briefing Saturday. Based on some models, the COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. was predicted to reach 100,000 to 220,000, he noted. “I really believe it could have been billions of people [who died] had we not done what we did,” he added. “We made a lot of good decisions.”
"It could have been billions of people if we had not done what we did" -- Trump absurdly claims that his move to restrict travel from China saved a billion or more lives pic.twitter.com/GbkI4ozs8F — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 18, 2020
There are 8 billion people in the world, so it’s possible Trump was taking credit for saving an extraordinary number of lives around the world for some unknown reason. The U.S. has nearly a third of the 2.3 million COVID-19 cases around the globe — the highest number in the world — but only 4.2% of the Earth’s population. The U.S. also has the highest number of deaths — over 36,000 — of any country. So whatever measures the nation is taking don’t appear to be particularly successful.
Trump, however, declared Saturday that the U.S. has “produced dramatically better health outcomes than any other country with the possible exception of Germany.”
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It’s uncertain how many people will ultimately die of COVID-19. But several experts have said that Trump’s months of inaction, with a lack of testing, disease contact isolation and early social distancing measures, likely cost countless lives in America.


huffpost--2020-04-19--Trump Dings Social Distancing At Air Force Academy Commencement As 'Politically Correct'

President Donald Trump appeared to take a stealthy swipe at social distancing arrangements at the Air Force Academy commencement Saturday by referring to them as “ politically correct.
” Social distancing is also a prudent safety measure that ’ s recommended by the Trump administration ’ s own Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Trump uses the term “ politically correct ” to belittle actions that he believes are unnecessary and demanded by progressives .
“ I think the big problem this country has is being politically correct , ” he said during his campaign .
Trump claimed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Pence as the commencement speaker , required 10 feet between people for social distancing .
In fact , organizers required at least 6 feet , as recommended by the CDC .
Chairs for the 30-minute ceremony were placed 8 feet apart .
Family and friends of the 1,000 graduates watched the live-streamed event in Colorado Springs online .
Graduates will all be tested for COVID-19 before their postings , according to an Air Force statement .
Pence is “ making the commencement address right now at the Air Force Academy where they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone standing not 6 feet , but 10 feet apart , okay ?
” Trump said at his press briefing .
`` Mike Pence is a phenomenal guy .
He is making the commencement address right now at the Air Force Academy where they are being very politically correct .
10 feet apart . ''
-- Trump pic.twitter.com/YEwjUDrMS5 — Aaron Rupar ( @ atrupar ) April 18 , 2020 Though Trump has appeared increasingly unconcerned about the risk of COVID-19 as he clamors for Americans to get back to work ( he claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billions ” of lives ) , the military is continuing to take the risk of COVID-19 seriously .
The Department of Defense announced Saturday its travel ban for military personnel has been extended to at least June 30 , The Military Times reported .
A secret military task force is also preparing to “ secure ” the nation ’ s capital in the event of a heightened COVID-19 emergency as cases there surge , Newsweek reported this week .
Trump , on the other hand , is calling for his followers to “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — all headed by Democratic governors — because of their social distancing restrictions and business closures .
He also ominously told supporters in a tweet Friday to fight in Virginia for gun rights , which he claimed were “ under siege.
” He reiterated his call to “ liberate Virginia ” at his press briefing .
“ They ’ re trying to take your guns away in Virginia , ” he said , which is not the case .
New gun control laws in the state include background checks for all firearm sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to confiscate weapons from people who are deemed a danger to themselves or others .
Let ’ s not normalize this : the President of the United States is encouraging citizens to engage in armed rebellion .
He sent this tweet a day after his supporters showed up with assault weapons at state capitols .
He knows what ’ s he ’ s doing .
https : //t.co/25XGY5BbmA — Chris Murphy ( @ ChrisMurphyCT ) April 17 , 2020

President Donald Trump appeared to take a stealthy swipe at social distancing arrangements at the Air Force Academy commencement Saturday by referring to them as “politically correct.”
Social distancing is also a prudent safety measure that’s recommended by the Trump administration’s own Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Trump uses the term “politically correct” to belittle actions that he believes are unnecessary and demanded by progressives. “I think the big problem this country has is being politically correct,” he said during his campaign.
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Trump claimed the graduation ceremony, which featured Vice President Mike Pence as the commencement speaker, required 10 feet between people for social distancing. In fact, organizers required at least 6 feet, as recommended by the CDC. Chairs for the 30-minute ceremony were placed 8 feet apart. Family and friends of the 1,000 graduates watched the live-streamed event in Colorado Springs online. Graduates will all be tested for COVID-19 before their postings, according to an Air Force statement.
Pence is “making the commencement address right now at the Air Force Academy where they’re being very politically correct — everyone standing not 6 feet, but 10 feet apart, okay?” Trump said at his press briefing.
"Mike Pence is a phenomenal guy. He is making the commencement address right now at the Air Force Academy where they are being very politically correct. 10 feet apart." -- Trump pic.twitter.com/YEwjUDrMS5 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 18, 2020
Trump calls the Air Force Academy ceremony procedure of standing 10 feet apart, "very politically correct", rather than "medically sound" or "at recommended social distancing", etc.
Trump is politicizing and belittling sound medical advice.#Coronavirus #COVID19 #TrumpPressConf — Dr. Jack Brown (@DrGJackBrown) April 18, 2020
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Though Trump has appeared increasingly unconcerned about the risk of COVID-19 as he clamors for Americans to get back to work (he claimed Saturday he has already saved possibly “billions” of lives), the military is continuing to take the risk of COVID-19 seriously. The Department of Defense announced Saturday its travel ban for military personnel has been extended to at least June 30, The Military Times reported.
A secret military task force is also preparing to “secure” the nation’s capital in the event of a heightened COVID-19 emergency as cases there surge, Newsweek reported this week.
Trump, on the other hand, is calling for his followers to “liberate” Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia — all headed by Democratic governors — because of their social distancing restrictions and business closures. He also ominously told supporters in a tweet Friday to fight in Virginia for gun rights, which he claimed were “under siege.”
He reiterated his call to “liberate Virginia” at his press briefing. “They’re trying to take your guns away in Virginia,” he said, which is not the case. New gun control laws in the state include background checks for all firearm sales, and and power by enforcement officers to confiscate weapons from people who are deemed a danger to themselves or others.
Let’s not normalize this: the President of the United States is encouraging citizens to engage in armed rebellion.
He sent this tweet a day after his supporters showed up with assault weapons at state capitols. He knows what’s he’s doing. https://t.co/25XGY5BbmA — Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) April 17, 2020
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huffpost--2020-04-19--Senator Reportedly Tells VP Mike Pence Failed Coronavirus Testing A 'Dereliction Of Duty'

At one point in the Friday call , Maine Sen. Angus King , an independent and former governor , told Pence the administration ’ s failure to develop an adequate national testing regime is a “ dereliction of duty , ” according to a person who joined the hour-long call but was unauthorized to discuss it and granted anonymity .
The outburst came as Republicans signaled Friday they are willing to accept Democratic demands for additional federal funding for hospitals as part of an effort to break a stalemate over the Trump administration ’ s $ 250 billion emergency request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s out of money .
But he said Republicans would draw the line at Democratic demands for additional tens of billions of dollars in additional funding for state and local governments suffering from plummeting tax revenues .
McCarthy said Republicans also want replenishment of another Small Business Administration program that offers disaster loans .
“ I think it ’ ll be ( paycheck protection ) , the other SBA ... the disaster portion .
And probably some hospital money , ” McCarthy said in an interview Friday with the AP .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll see any money for states in there because states already have it.
” State and local governments were awarded $ 150 billion last month .
The House met in a pro forma session Friday in which no business was conducted .
A Senate session quickly adjourned Thursday without any progress .
The next meeting of either the House or Senate is a Senate session Monday that could be used for legislative action if all sides agree .
At issue is the Paycheck Protection Program that was a centerpiece of last month ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gives grants to businesses with fewer than 500 workers so they can maintain payroll and pay rent while shutting down their businesses during social distancing edicts .
But it has been swamped by businesses applying for loans and has reached its appropriations limit .
Frustrated businesses are demanding more help , and pressure is intense on Democrats to deliver more .
“ Many of these businesses — which together comprise the backbone of our economy — are on the precipice of insolvency .
Congress must cast aside partisan affiliations and pass relief for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No excuses , ” Phillips said in a statement .
“ This is for our country ’ s small business owners , their employees , and their families .
We simply can not afford to let them down.
” Republican senators also discussed testing on their own private call earlier this week with the president and administration officials .
But they counter that plenty of money has already been appropriated for testing .
“ In the last month , Congress has given federal agencies up to $ 38 billion to develop tests , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lamar Alexander , chairman of the Senate health panel .
“ We should start by using the money Congress has already provided , put politics aside , and work together on more tests with quick results.
” The Senate is away from Washington through May 4 , but it convenes twice each week for pro forma sessions that could be used to pass more coronavirus aid — though only if no senator objects .

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Frustration boiled over into anger on a private call with Vice President Mike Pence as Democratic senators questioned administration officials about coronavirus testing plans but left without adequate answers.
At one point in the Friday call, Maine Sen. Angus King, an independent and former governor, told Pence the administration’s failure to develop an adequate national testing regime is a “dereliction of duty,” according to a person who joined the hour-long call but was unauthorized to discuss it and granted anonymity.
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“I have never been so mad about a phone call in my life,” King told the administration officials, the person said.
The plea for more testing before implementing President Donald Trump’s new guidelines to ease stay-home restrictions is a top priority for Democrats. They are heeding the warnings of health officials worried the virus will simply boomerang into prolonged national crisis.
The outburst came as Republicans signaled Friday they are willing to accept Democratic demands for additional federal funding for hospitals as part of an effort to break a stalemate over the Trump administration’s $250 billion emergency request for a small-business paycheck subsidy program that’s out of money.
Senate Armed Services Committee member, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, speaks during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy told The Associated Press he is also willing to meet a demand by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to set aside some of the requested “paycheck protection” funding for community lenders.
But he said Republicans would draw the line at Democratic demands for additional tens of billions of dollars in additional funding for state and local governments suffering from plummeting tax revenues. McCarthy said Republicans also want replenishment of another Small Business Administration program that offers disaster loans.
“I think it’ll be (paycheck protection), the other SBA ... the disaster portion. And probably some hospital money,” McCarthy said in an interview Friday with the AP. “I don’t think you’ll see any money for states in there because states already have it.” State and local governments were awarded $150 billion last month.
The House met in a pro forma session Friday in which no business was conducted. A Senate session quickly adjourned Thursday without any progress. The next meeting of either the House or Senate is a Senate session Monday that could be used for legislative action if all sides agree.
Negotiations are continuing into the weekend and pressure is mounting since the SBA announced Thursday it has reached its $349 billion lending limit and is no longer accepting applications.
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At issue is the Paycheck Protection Program that was a centerpiece of last month’s massive rescue bill. The program gives grants to businesses with fewer than 500 workers so they can maintain payroll and pay rent while shutting down their businesses during social distancing edicts.
But it has been swamped by businesses applying for loans and has reached its appropriations limit. Frustrated businesses are demanding more help, and pressure is intense on Democrats to deliver more.
“They can’t sustain this any longer,” McCarthy predicted, citing unrest among rank-and-file Democrats like Dean Phillips, a freshman from Minnesota.
“Many of these businesses — which together comprise the backbone of our economy — are on the precipice of insolvency. Congress must cast aside partisan affiliations and pass relief for these companies NOW. No delay. No excuses,” Phillips said in a statement. “This is for our country’s small business owners, their employees, and their families. We simply cannot afford to let them down.”
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said more money is needed for widespread, accessible testing for the coronavirus before the economy can be reopened with confidence.
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“Right now the testing regime is scattershot and totally inadequate for the job that’s needed to get the country back to work,” Schumer said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
Republican senators also discussed testing on their own private call earlier this week with the president and administration officials. But they counter that plenty of money has already been appropriated for testing.
“In the last month, Congress has given federal agencies up to $38 billion to develop tests, treatments and vaccines,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Senate health panel. “We should start by using the money Congress has already provided, put politics aside, and work together on more tests with quick results.”
Thursday’s Senate session featured a short speech by a frustrated majority leader, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who said he had cleared the $250 billion package on the GOP side but Democrats would have stopped it.
“Democrats would not let us reopen the program,” McConnell said. “This really should be above politics.”
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On Friday, Trump added his voice, tweeting that the “Do Nothing Democrats” should immediately return to Washington and approve the legislation. “End ENDLESS VACATION!” he wrote.
The Capitol is largely shuttered, requiring consensus from all sides for any legislation to pass, and top GOP leaders are vowing to stick closely to Trump’s request despite Democrats’ additional demands.
The Senate is away from Washington through May 4, but it convenes twice each week for pro forma sessions that could be used to pass more coronavirus aid — though only if no senator objects.
McConnell, asked by a reporter whether he could support any agreement reached by Schumer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, was noncommittal.
“Well, look, we’d take a look at it. My members want to plus up the small-business program. We think the need is obvious,” he told reporters.
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Democrats want money for hospitals burdened under COVID-19 caseloads and additional funding for states and local governments straining as the economy slides into recession.
They also want to make sure the Paycheck Protection Program is opened up more to businesses that don’t have established relationships with banks that have been accepting applications for rescue funding.


huffpost--2020-04-02--Jazz Legend Ellis Marsalis Jr. Dies At 85

Ellis Marsalis III confirmed in an Associated Press phone interview that his father ’ s death was sparked by the virus that is causing the global pandemic .
“ Pneumonia was the actual thing that caused his demise .
But it was pneumonia brought on by COVID-19 , ” he said .
He said he drove Sunday from Baltimore to be with his father as he was hospitalized in Louisiana , which has been hit hard by the outbreak .
Others in the family spent time with him , too .
Four of the jazz patriarch ’ s six sons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is America ’ s most prominent jazz spokesman as artistic director of jazz at New York ’ s Lincoln Center .
Branford , saxophonist , led The Tonight Show band and toured with Sting .
Delfeayo , a trombonist , is a prominent recording producer and performer .
And Jason , a percussionist , has made a name for himself with his own band and as an accompanist .
Ellis III , who decided music wasn ’ t his gig , is a photographer-poet in Baltimore .
In a statement , Mayor LaToya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d continued to perform regularly in New Orleans until December : “ Ellis Marsalis was a legend .
He was the prototype of what we mean when we talk about New Orleans jazz .
He was a teacher , a father , and an icon — and words aren ’ t sufficient to describe the art , the joy and the wonder he showed the world.
” Because Marsalis opted to stay in New Orleans for most of his career , his reputation was limited until his sons became famous and brought him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracts and headliner performances on television and tour .
The Marsalis “ family band ” seldom played together when the boys were younger but in 2003 toured East in a spinoff of a family celebration that became a PBS special when the elder Marsalis retired from teaching at the University of New Orleans .
Marsalis was born in New Orleans , son of the operator of a hotel where Marsalis met touring black musicians who couldn ’ t stay at the segregated downtown hotels where they performed .
He played saxophone in high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time he went to Dillard University .
“ His great love was jazz a la bebop — he was a lover of Thelonious Monk and the idea that bebop was a music of freedom .
But when he had to feed his family , he played R & B and soul and rock ‘ n ’ roll on Bourbon Street , ” Spitzer said .
Ornette Coleman was in town at the time .
In 1956 , when Coleman headed to California , Marsalis and the others went along , but after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He told the New Orleans Times-Picayune years later , when he and Coleman were old men , that he never figured out what a pianist could do behind the free form of Coleman ’ s jazz .
Back in New Orleans , Marsalis joined the Marine Corps and was assigned to accompany soloists on the service ’ s weekly TV programs on CBS in New York .
There , he said , he learned to handle all kinds of music styles .
Returning home , he worked at the Playboy Club and ventured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went bust .
In 1967 trumpeter Al Hirt hired him .
When not on Bourbon Street , Hirt ’ s band appeared on national TV — headline shows on The Tonight Show and The Ed Sullivan Show , among others .
Marsalis got into education about the same time , teaching improvisation at Xavier University in New Orleans .
In the mid-1970s , he joined the faculty at the New Orleans magnet high school and influenced a new generation of jazz musicians .
His melodic style , with running improvisations in the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ romantic , contemporary , or simply “ Louisiana jazz.
” He ’ s always on acoustic piano , never electric , and even in interpreting old standards there ’ s a clear link to the driving bebop chords and rhythms of his early years .
He founded a record company , ELM , but his recording was limited until his sons became famous .
After that he joined them and others on mainstream labels and headlined his own releases , many full of his own compositions .
He often played at the New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than three decades he played two 75-minute sets every Friday night at Snug Harbor until he decided it was exhausting .
Even then , he still performed on occasion as a special guest .

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Ellis Marsalis Jr., jazz pianist, teacher and patriarch of a New Orleans musical clan that includes famed performer sons Wynton and Branford, has died after battling pneumonia brought on by the new coronavirus, one of his sons said late Wednesday.
He was 85.
Ellis Marsalis III confirmed in an Associated Press phone interview that his father’s death was sparked by the virus that is causing the global pandemic. “Pneumonia was the actual thing that caused his demise. But it was pneumonia brought on by COVID-19,” he said.
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He said he drove Sunday from Baltimore to be with his father as he was hospitalized in Louisiana, which has been hit hard by the outbreak. Others in the family spent time with him, too.
Four of the jazz patriarch’s six sons are musicians: Wynton, trumpeter, is America’s most prominent jazz spokesman as artistic director of jazz at New York’s Lincoln Center. Branford, saxophonist, led The Tonight Show band and toured with Sting. Delfeayo, a trombonist, is a prominent recording producer and performer. And Jason, a percussionist, has made a name for himself with his own band and as an accompanist. Ellis III, who decided music wasn’t his gig, is a photographer-poet in Baltimore.
In a statement, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said of the man who’d continued to perform regularly in New Orleans until December: “Ellis Marsalis was a legend. He was the prototype of what we mean when we talk about New Orleans jazz. He was a teacher, a father, and an icon — and words aren’t sufficient to describe the art, the joy and the wonder he showed the world.”
Because Marsalis opted to stay in New Orleans for most of his career, his reputation was limited until his sons became famous and brought him the spotlight, along with new recording contracts and headliner performances on television and tour.
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“He was like the coach of jazz. He put on the sweatshirt, blew the whistle and made these guys work,” said Nick Spitzer, host of public radio’s American Routes and a Tulane University anthropology professor.
Ellis Marsalis, 1934 - 2020
He went out the way he lived: embracing reality pic.twitter.com/sPyYUuBoIG — Wynton Marsalis (@wyntonmarsalis) April 2, 2020
The Marsalis “family band” seldom played together when the boys were younger but in 2003 toured East in a spinoff of a family celebration that became a PBS special when the elder Marsalis retired from teaching at the University of New Orleans.
Harry Connick Jr., one of Marsalis’ students at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, was a guest. He’s one of many now-famous jazz musicians who passed through Marsalis’ classrooms. Others include trumpeters Nicholas Payton and Terence Blanchard, saxophonists Donald Harrison and Victor Goines, and bassist Reginald Veal.
Marsalis was born in New Orleans, son of the operator of a hotel where Marsalis met touring black musicians who couldn’t stay at the segregated downtown hotels where they performed. He played saxophone in high school; he also played piano by the time he went to Dillard University.
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Although New Orleans was steeped in traditional jazz, and rock ‘n’ roll was the new sound in the 1950s, Marsalis preferred bebop and modern jazz.
Spitzer described Marsalis as a “modernist in a town of traditionalists.”
“His great love was jazz a la bebop — he was a lover of Thelonious Monk and the idea that bebop was a music of freedom. But when he had to feed his family, he played R&B and soul and rock ‘n’ roll on Bourbon Street,” Spitzer said.
The musician’s college quartet included drummer Ed Blackwell, clarinetist Alvin Batiste and saxophonist Harold Battiste playing modern.
Ornette Coleman was in town at the time. In 1956, when Coleman headed to California, Marsalis and the others went along, but after a few months Marsalis returned home. He told the New Orleans Times-Picayune years later, when he and Coleman were old men, that he never figured out what a pianist could do behind the free form of Coleman’s jazz.
Ellis Marsalis Jr. (left) and his son, fellow musician Wynton Marsalis, backstage after a rare performance as a duo at The Blue Note nightclub in New York in 1990. Jack Vartoogian/Getty Images via Getty Images
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Back in New Orleans, Marsalis joined the Marine Corps and was assigned to accompany soloists on the service’s weekly TV programs on CBS in New York. There, he said, he learned to handle all kinds of music styles.
Returning home, he worked at the Playboy Club and ventured into running his own club, which went bust. In 1967 trumpeter Al Hirt hired him. When not on Bourbon Street, Hirt’s band appeared on national TV — headline shows on The Tonight Show and The Ed Sullivan Show, among others.
Marsalis got into education about the same time, teaching improvisation at Xavier University in New Orleans. In the mid-1970s, he joined the faculty at the New Orleans magnet high school and influenced a new generation of jazz musicians.
When asked how he could teach something as free-wheeling as jazz improvisation, Marsalis once said, “We don’t teach jazz, we teach students.”
In 1986 he moved to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. In 1989, the University of New Orleans lured him back to set up a jazz-studies program.
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Marsalis retired from UNO in 2001 but continued performing, particularly at Snug Harbor, a small club that anchored the city’s contemporary jazz scene — frequently backing young promising musicians.
His melodic style, with running improvisations in the right hand, has been described variously as romantic, contemporary, or simply “Louisiana jazz.” He’s always on acoustic piano, never electric, and even in interpreting old standards there’s a clear link to the driving bebop chords and rhythms of his early years.
He founded a record company, ELM, but his recording was limited until his sons became famous. After that he joined them and others on mainstream labels and headlined his own releases, many full of his own compositions.
He often played at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. For more than three decades he played two 75-minute sets every Friday night at Snug Harbor until he decided it was exhausting. Even then, he still performed on occasion as a special guest.
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On Wednesday night, Ellis III recalled how his father taught him the meaning of integrity before he even knew the word.
He and Delfeayo, neither of them yet 10, had gone to hear their father play at a club. Only one man — sleeping and drunk — was in the audience for the second set. The boys asked why they couldn’t leave.
“He looked at us and said, ‘I can’t leave. I have a gig.’ While he’s playing, he said, ‘A gig is a deal. I’m paid to play this set. I’m going to play this set. It doesn’t matter that nobody’s here.’ ”
Marsalis’ wife, Dolores, died in 2017. He is survived by his sons Branford, Wynton, Ellis III, Delfeayo, Mboya and Jason.
___
This story has been corrected to fix the spelling of the last name of New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell.


huffpost--2020-04-19--There’s No Real Oversight Of The $2 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Law

Three weeks later , none of the three options ― a special inspector general appointed by President Donald Trump , a council of existing inspectors general , or a special oversight panel set up by Congress ― are active .
Sabotage by the Trump administration , combined with congressional apathy and gridlock , means the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve are spending hundreds of millions of dollars with no real watchdogs .
The oversight commission , which is supposed to oversee the $ 500 billion that Congress handed to the Federal Reserve to help local governments and businesses survive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five members : one appointed by each congressional leader , plus a chairman agreed upon by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-Calif. ) .
“ Her leadership as Secretary of Health and Human Services will serve the American people extremely well , as she works to ensure that this historic coronavirus relief package is being used wisely and efficiently to protect the lives and livelihoods of the American people , and not be exploited by profiteers and price-gougers , ” Pelosi said in announcing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has little to do with health care , and Shalala does not serve on the House Oversight or the House Financial Services committees , leading progressives to fear she ’ ll be outgunned by Toomey and Hill , both of whom have more expertise on financial services issues .
Adding to progressives ’ frustration is that Rep. Katie Porter ( D-Calif. ) , another Warren protege who serves on both the Oversight and Financial Services committees , was open about her desire for the job .
“ Overseeing the CARES Act is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dedication to unearthing the truth , regardless of what powerful bank or corporation wants to keep the truth hidden amidst complex accounting , ” said progressive strategist Jeff Hauser , citing scandals during Shalala ’ s tenure as president of the University of Miami , including an ill-conceived hospital acquisition .
“ I would have strongly preferred a finance expert skilled at finding financial fraud , like Katie Porter , to someone whose primary experience with complex economic scandals is to try to claim that the buck stopped below her , like Donna @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an interview not long after his appointment , is troublesome .
The commission is required to deliver its first report 30 days after the Federal Reserve begins spending money ― which means it has just under three weeks to organize itself , hire staffers and write an initial report .
In the interim , Ramamurti is using his Twitter account to ask questions of the Fed .
Oversight advocates are conflicted about Miller .
Most believe he was an effective and fair overseer of the GSA ― his investigations helped force the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GSA head in 2008 ― but more recent comments , indicating he believes that inspectors general have little responsibility to answer to Congress , have worried them .
( Inspectors general are somewhat unique in federal law : They ’ re part of the executive branch but also have an explicit requirement to report to Congress . )
“ If you ’ re reporting to the Congress in that fashion , your independence is jeopardized , ” Miller said during a talk at Patrick Henry College , an evangelical college in Virginia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the political agenda is for the Congress or the Senate , and being used basically as a tool for them.
” ( Miller ’ s comments were first reported by The New York Times . )
Just three days after the other IGs picked Fine , Trump removed him from his post as the acting inspector general at the Pentagon by picking someone else for the job .
While Fine , a well-respected former IG at the Justice Department , simply reverted to his old job as the principal deputy inspector general at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ title meant he was no longer eligible to lead the pandemic commission .
Democrats have tried to make political hay out of Trump ’ s move , one of several he ’ s taken against inspectors general in recent weeks .
He also fired the inspector general for the intelligence community , blaming him for acting on a whistleblower complaint that led to Trump ’ s impeachment , and criticized an HHS investigator general for a report critical of how the administration handled the run-up to the pandemic .

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When Congress passed the largest spending law in American history, a $2 trillion outlay aimed at offsetting the economic damage wrought by the coronavirus pandemic, it set up three different ways to look after the enormous sums and root out corruption or mismanagement of the cash.
Three weeks later, none of the three options ― a special inspector general appointed by President Donald Trump, a council of existing inspectors general, or a special oversight panel set up by Congress ― are active. Sabotage by the Trump administration, combined with congressional apathy and gridlock, means the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve are spending hundreds of millions of dollars with no real watchdogs.
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The special inspector general appointed by Trump has views of executive power that have alarmed Democrats, and stands little chance of confirmation until May. Trump shoved aside the leader of the council of existing inspectors general. And the congressional oversight panel’s roster remains unfilled.
Meanwhile, the government program to loan money to small businesses to keep workers on the job has already burned through more than $300 billion, and the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department have unveiled a slew of programs to push trillions more into the economy.
President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing with members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force on April 18. Sarah Silbiger via Getty Images
The shambolic state of efforts to oversee the relief efforts has left government accountability advocates dismayed and progressives frustrated with the oversight of a massive spending deal that Democrats and Republican teamed up to pass with almost no objections.
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“We can’t really afford to be behind the ball on oversight right now, because we will miss a crucial opportunity to stop waste, fraud and abuse before it happens,” said Liz Hempowicz, director of public policy at the Project On Government Oversight.
Here’s a breakdown of how each part of the oversight triad is failing:
The Congressional Oversight Commission
The oversight commission, which is supposed to oversee the $500 billion that Congress handed to the Federal Reserve to help local governments and businesses survive the pandemic, is made up of five members: one appointed by each congressional leader, plus a chairman agreed upon by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) moved quickly with his pick, naming Bharat Ramamurti, a former aide to Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), to the commission. But the rest of the congressional leaders didn’t name their picks until late on Friday. McConnell picked Sen. Pat Toomey (D-Pa.), a former banker and longtime ally of the financial services industry. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) picked Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.), another former banker.
But it was Pelosi’s pick that irritated progressives the most. She selected Rep. Donna Shalala (D-Fla.), citing the first-term, 79-year-old representative’s experience as Health and Human Services secretary under President Bill Clinton.
“Her leadership as Secretary of Health and Human Services will serve the American people extremely well, as she works to ensure that this historic coronavirus relief package is being used wisely and efficiently to protect the lives and livelihoods of the American people, and not be exploited by profiteers and price-gougers,” Pelosi said in announcing the appointment.
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But the oversight job has little to do with health care, and Shalala does not serve on the House Oversight or the House Financial Services committees, leading progressives to fear she’ll be outgunned by Toomey and Hill, both of whom have more expertise on financial services issues. Adding to progressives’ frustration is that Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), another Warren protege who serves on both the Oversight and Financial Services committees, was open about her desire for the job.
“Overseeing the CARES Act is an almost impossible job that requires a ferocious dedication to unearthing the truth, regardless of what powerful bank or corporation wants to keep the truth hidden amidst complex accounting,” said progressive strategist Jeff Hauser, citing scandals during Shalala’s tenure as president of the University of Miami, including an ill-conceived hospital acquisition. “I would have strongly preferred a finance expert skilled at finding financial fraud, like Katie Porter, to someone whose primary experience with complex economic scandals is to try to claim that the buck stopped below her, like Donna Shalala.”
Meanwhile, Pelosi and McConnell have yet to agree on a chair for the commission, though Pelosi on Thursday said the two leaders were exchanging names about whom they could appoint.
The delay, Ramamurti said in an interview not long after his appointment, is troublesome. The commission is required to deliver its first report 30 days after the Federal Reserve begins spending money ― which means it has just under three weeks to organize itself, hire staffers and write an initial report. In the interim, Ramamurti is using his Twitter account to ask questions of the Fed.
I sent a letter to the Fed on Wednesday requesting they disclose detailed and timely information about the companies getting taxpayer-backed support.
The New York Fed posted this last night. It offers some answers but raises new questions too. 1/ pic.twitter.com/ncg6IyvMt2 — Bharat Ramamurti (@BharatRamamurti) April 18, 2020
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“The congressional oversight commission is the only one Trump can’t interfere with directly,” Ramamurti said. “It underscores the importance of this panel and of getting it up and running as quickly as possible.”
The Special Inspector General
Trump moved quickly to nominate a special inspector general, choosing Brian Miller, an associate White House counsel who had formerly served as the inspector general of the General Services Administration. (The GSA, as the agency is known, is essentially the federal government’s office manager, overseeing real estate, the motor pool and other functions.)
But he was even quicker to undermine that inspector general. In a signing statement attached to the law, Trump asserted he could limit what information the new inspector general, who is supposed to oversee a $500 billion Treasury bailout fund, would be able to share with Congress.
Oversight advocates are conflicted about Miller. Most believe he was an effective and fair overseer of the GSA ― his investigations helped force the resignation of the Bush administration’s GSA head in 2008 ― but more recent comments, indicating he believes that inspectors general have little responsibility to answer to Congress, have worried them. (Inspectors general are somewhat unique in federal law: They’re part of the executive branch but also have an explicit requirement to report to Congress.)
“If you’re reporting to the Congress in that fashion, your independence is jeopardized,” Miller said during a talk at Patrick Henry College, an evangelical college in Virginia. “You’re looking at whatever the political agenda is for the Congress or the Senate, and being used basically as a tool for them.” (Miller’s comments were first reported by The New York Times.)
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Hempowicz said Miller’s views on the executive branch are “something the Senate should consider strongly when weighing his nomination.”
Democrats have signaled they’ll oppose Miller’s nomination, noting that he was also part of the White House’s efforts to obstruct Congress during Trump’s impeachment. “A member of the president’s own staff is exactly the wrong type of person to choose for this position,” Schumer said when Trump nominated Miller.
Republicans, with their 53-47 majority in the Senate, could confirm Miller on a party-line vote. But the earliest that vote can happen is May 4, the next time the full Senate is set to meet.
The Pandemic Response Accountability Commission
Trump’s most blatant interference with the oversight so far has been his move to oust Glenn Fine, a longtime government watchdog whom the nation’s inspectors general had picked to lead the Pandemic Response Accountability Commission, a collection of IGs who would team up to oversee the spending.
Just three days after the other IGs picked Fine, Trump removed him from his post as the acting inspector general at the Pentagon by picking someone else for the job. While Fine, a well-respected former IG at the Justice Department, simply reverted to his old job as the principal deputy inspector general at the Defense Department, the change in title meant he was no longer eligible to lead the pandemic commission.
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Democrats, led by House Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney (N.Y.), have introduced legislation that would allow Fine to lead the commission anyway, but the proposal is unlikely to become law. And there’s been no clear movement toward picking a new leader for the commission.
Democrats have tried to make political hay out of Trump’s move, one of several he’s taken against inspectors general in recent weeks. He also fired the inspector general for the intelligence community, blaming him for acting on a whistleblower complaint that led to Trump’s impeachment, and criticized an HHS investigator general for a report critical of how the administration handled the run-up to the pandemic.
Senate Democrats’ campaign arm released a statement pressuring Republican incumbents to speak out against Trump’s move, but few in the president’s own party have made any noise about the issue. During a tele-town hall this week, Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), who is facing a stiff challenge from Democrat Mark Kelly, brushed off a voter’s question about Fine’s removal.
“I’m not dialed into the Washington, D.C., drama and those things that are happening,” she said during a discussion with voters of Coconino County. “So I can’t speak specifically to that decision and the dynamics behind it.”
McSally added that she was worried about the potential for “abuse or scams or price gouging” with the massive spending law.
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huffpost--2020-05-21--Boy, 6, Cracks Open Robbery Case By Reeling In Sunken Safe From Lake

ASSOCIATED PRESS In this May 9 , 2020 , photo provided by Catherine Brewer , Knox Brewer stands next to a safe he pulled out of Whitney Lake in South Carolina .
The 6-year-old was using a magnet attached to a string to fish for metal in the water when he reeled in a lockbox that police said was stolen from a woman who lived nearby eight years ago .
( Catherine Brewer via AP ) JOHNS ISLAND , S.C. ( AP ) — A 6-year-old boy helped crack open a nearly decade-old robbery case when he reeled in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Carolina lake .
Knox Brewer of Johns Island took up “ magnet fishing ” and began hunting for metal objects underwater as a way to pass time during the coronavirus pandemic , his family members told WCIV-TV this week .
The boy was out with his family at Whitney Lake this month when the magnet attached to his line stuck to something heavy in the mud below , the news outlet reported .
With the help of a bystander , Knox pulled in and pried open what turned out to be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cards , as well as a checkbook , according to a video of the discovery .
“ I knew the right thing to do was go ahead and call the local authorities , get them involved and try to solve this mystery , ” the child ’ s father , Jonathan Brewer , told the outlet .
Authorities determined the sunken safe belonged to a woman who lived across the street from the lake .
She said it had been stolen from her home eight years ago , the outlet reported .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken , the find still turned out to be a valuable catch , according to the Brewers .
They said they were able to reunite her with charms from an old bracelet .
“ The first thing that she did was just kneel down , hug Knox and thanked him and thanked him for bringing that closure to her , ” Jonathan Brewer said .

In this May 9, 2020, photo provided by Catherine Brewer, Knox Brewer stands next to a safe he pulled out of Whitney Lake in South Carolina. The 6-year-old was using a magnet attached to a string to fish for metal in the water when he reeled in a lockbox that police said was stolen from a woman who lived nearby eight years ago. (Catherine Brewer via AP) ASSOCIATED PRESS
JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — A 6-year-old boy helped crack open a nearly decade-old robbery case when he reeled in a locked safe from the bottom of a South Carolina lake.
Knox Brewer of Johns Island took up “magnet fishing” and began hunting for metal objects underwater as a way to pass time during the coronavirus pandemic, his family members told WCIV-TV this week.
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The boy was out with his family at Whitney Lake this month when the magnet attached to his line stuck to something heavy in the mud below, the news outlet reported. With the help of a bystander, Knox pulled in and pried open what turned out to be a waterlogged lockbox containing debris-covered jewelry and credit cards, as well as a checkbook, according to a video of the discovery.
“I knew the right thing to do was go ahead and call the local authorities, get them involved and try to solve this mystery,” the child’s father, Jonathan Brewer, told the outlet.
Authorities determined the sunken safe belonged to a woman who lived across the street from the lake. She said it had been stolen from her home eight years ago, the outlet reported.
While most of the expensive items had been taken, the find still turned out to be a valuable catch, according to the Brewers. They said they were able to reunite her with charms from an old bracelet.
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huffpost--2020-05-21--How To Renew A Contacts Prescription During A Pandemic

“ Everyone is wanting to wear their contacts because it ’ s so much easier with the masks , ” said Ashley Brisette , an assistant professor of ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medicine .
“ They are safe and fine to wear , but just make sure you are washing your hands before and after [ use ] , and not rubbing the eyes at all.
” But you do need a current prescription to order more contacts , and you may not be able to visit your eye doctor in person .
During the coronavirus pandemic , many routine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is safer for patients and doctors to interact face-to-face .
“ When you first get a pair , you have to go in to check what brand is good for you and the fit of the contact lens on your eye , ” Saleem said .
“ There ’ s no way you can do that unless you go in to see someone .
Contact lens renewal is really renewals .
You can ’ t really get a new pair.
“ You can ask your eye doctor to renew your prescription for you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a doctor , you can call and ask them to renew your previous contact lens prescription .
Brisette noted that offices are more lenient with renewing prescriptions right now , given the difficulty with office visits .
“ At our office , if you call in , we ’ ll just renew if for you for at least three months so that you don ’ t have to come in and get refitted , ” she said .
You can renew your contacts prescription online .
Ordering new contact lenses online is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been checked for contact lenses and you feel like your prescription is probably the same , Brisette said .
“ I recommend sticking to what you ’ re currently wearing , not making any changes to the brand or the fit , ” she said .
“ If it ’ s not fitting properly on your eye , that can lead to irritation or to damage.
“ “ Wherever you go , you want to make sure that you have an ophthalmologist that is reviewing your result , ” Saleem said .
Keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t replace a full eye exam , but “ it does save you that trip that you may not need to take right now , ” Saleem said .
When to consult a doctor before getting new contact lenses

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If you’ve worn a mask during the coronavirus pandemic, you know that contact lenses have one advantage over glasses: They don’t fog up as glasses do.
“Everyone is wanting to wear their contacts because it’s so much easier with the masks,” said Ashley Brisette, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at Weill Cornell Medicine. “They are safe and fine to wear, but just make sure you are washing your hands before and after [use], and not rubbing the eyes at all.”
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But you do need a current prescription to order more contacts, and you may not be able to visit your eye doctor in person. During the coronavirus pandemic, many routine health checkups are being delayed until it is safer for patients and doctors to interact face-to-face.
Renewing your current contact lens prescription is a better option than wearing your contact lenses for too long, said Sophia Saleem, senior director of teleophthalmology at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai.
“These days, people might be overwearing their lenses because they don’t want to deal with going to the eye doctor,” Saleem said. “Most ophthalmologists are very in favor of renewing contact lenses online, because it prevents their patients from getting bad infections.”
If you want to wear contact lenses for the first time, it’s better to wait until you can go in person to do a contact lens exam, said Saleem.
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“When you first get a pair, you have to go in to check what brand is good for you and the fit of the contact lens on your eye,” Saleem said. “There’s no way you can do that unless you go in to see someone. Contact lens renewal is really renewals. You can’t really get a new pair.“
So, if you already wear contacts and can’t meet up in person, you have several options, depending on your eye health and your reason for getting a renewal:
You can ask your eye doctor to renew your prescription for you.
If you already have a relationship with a doctor, you can call and ask them to renew your previous contact lens prescription. Brisette noted that offices are more lenient with renewing prescriptions right now, given the difficulty with office visits. “At our office, if you call in, we’ll just renew if for you for at least three months so that you don’t have to come in and get refitted,” she said.
An advantage with going to a doctor who has seen you before is that they can access your medical history to explain any vision changes.
“They can look back at your old exam, review your history with you, and they know you a little bit better,” Saleem said.
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Punyaporn Phuangmala / EyeEm via Getty Images Contact lenses are popular to wear with face masks. Here's how to renew your prescription during the COVID-19 pandemic.
You can renew your contacts prescription online.
Ordering new contact lenses online is best for when you’ve already been checked for contact lenses and you feel like your prescription is probably the same, Brisette said. “I recommend sticking to what you’re currently wearing, not making any changes to the brand or the fit,” she said. “If it’s not fitting properly on your eye, that can lead to irritation or to damage.“
Brisette said 1-800-Contacts does a free online eye exam for prescription renewal. But no matter how you choose to renew your prescription online, make sure that an eye care specialist reviews your eye test and renewal request.
“Wherever you go, you want to make sure that you have an ophthalmologist that is reviewing your result,” Saleem said. Keep in mind that the online test doesn’t replace a full eye exam, but “it does save you that trip that you may not need to take right now,” Saleem said.
When to consult a doctor before getting new contact lenses
Contact lenses can cause damage to your cornea when they are not worn properly. If you are having drastic changes in your vision, or pain with your eyes, it’s time to talk with a doctor before you renew your contacts prescription.
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“The last thing you would want is to develop an eye infection or something that could cause damage to the vision, especially in these trying times,” Brisette said. “If you’re having any trouble, definitely make an appointment to see somebody.”
Saleem said patients should schedule a telemedicine appointment first. “I think that’s safer for the patients, safer for the doctors, and it really prevents unnecessary visits,” she said. “Schedule your telemedicine visit first, get triaged, and then if you need to come in, your doctor will let you know.”


huffpost--2020-05-21--Trevor Noah Shows How Mail-In Voting Will Turn Trump Into A 2nd-Grader

Trevor Noah on Wednesday predicted how much crazier President Donald Trump will get as the election nears .
“ The Daily Show ” host , pointing to Trump ’ s threats against Michigan and Nevada to scrap mail-in voting , quipped : “ I guess in Trump ’ s mind , voting should be like your wife smiling at you : once a year , in public , and never at home.
” The president has amplified Republican conspiracy theories that mail-in voting encourages fraud ― even though he voted by mail in March and there ’ s no evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the GOP to oppose mail balloting during the coronavirus crisis because it would favor Democrats ― another dubious assertion .
And it ’ s only going to get worse , the comedian predicted .
Like elementary school-playground worse .
“ Clearly Trump is looking for an excuse to avoid losing , ” Noah said .
“ As the election gets closer , Trump is gon na get crazier .
He ’ s gon na start sounding like one of those second-graders playing sports.
” See what Noah means starting at the 1:20 @ @ @

Trevor Noah on Wednesday predicted how much crazier President Donald Trump will get as the election nears.
“The Daily Show” host, pointing to Trump’s threats against Michigan and Nevada to scrap mail-in voting, quipped: “I guess in Trump’s mind, voting should be like your wife smiling at you: once a year, in public, and never at home.”
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The president has amplified Republican conspiracy theories that mail-in voting encourages fraud ― even though he voted by mail in March and there’s no evidence for the claim. He has egged on the GOP to oppose mail balloting during the coronavirus crisis because it would favor Democrats ― another dubious assertion.
And it’s only going to get worse, the comedian predicted. Like elementary school-playground worse.
“Clearly Trump is looking for an excuse to avoid losing,” Noah said. “As the election gets closer, Trump is gonna get crazier. He’s gonna start sounding like one of those second-graders playing sports.”


huffpost--2020-05-23--Fire Breaks Out On San Francisco's Historic Fisherman's Wharf

“ That is something of grave concern , that is why we ’ re actively trying to confirm if anybody saw anybody in this building , ” he told KGO-TV .
“ To our knowledge ... nobody is supposed to be in the building and we are hoping ... that there is no victim , ” he said .
However , at least two workers told the San Francisco Chronicle they were inside the fish processing and storage warehouse when the fire broke out before dawn .
“ I saw a lot of smoke .
A few minutes later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It was very , very scary .
I ’ ve never seen anything like it.
” The fire tore through the warehouse near the end of the concrete pier , causing its walls to collapse , Baxter said .
The flames singed the first fire truck to respond to the scene , forcing firefighters to turn their hoses on the vehicle to save it , he said .
More than 130 firefighters fought the flames , with some using ladder trucks to drench the warehouse from above .
A fire boat was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Brien , a liberty ship that stormed Normandy on D-Day in 1944 .
The ship docks by Pier 45 and is among numerous tourist attractions on the wharf , a maritime hub for cruises around San Francisco Bay as well as fishing boats hauling in the catch of the day .
Visitors come for the Dungeness crabs , clam chowders served in sourdough bread bowls , the sea lions that hang out on the floating docks and shops and curiosities on Pier 39 .
Shops and restaurants on the wharf have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to slow the spread of the coronavirus and were expected to reopen on May 31 .
The fire was confined to the end of the pier , well away from the Musée Mécanique and its historic arcade games and the popular restaurant Alioto ’ s .
Fishing companies that have been operating out of Pier 45 said the fire exacerbated an already tough business climate caused by the pandemic .
Kenny Belov , owner of the seafood wholesaler TwoXSea , told the Chronicle his building near the warehouse was not damaged but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pier could ruin the fish in his freezer .
“ Not that it would ever need this , but the seafood industry didn ’ t need this now , ” Belov said .
“ It ’ s surreal .
We ’ ve obviously had a tough go the last couple months , with restaurants ( closed ) .
… Of all the problems in the world , this is not a big one .
But it ’ s frustrating .
”

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A fire engulfed a warehouse on San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf early Saturday, sending a thick plume of smoke over the waterfront and threatening to spread to a historic World War II-era ship before firefighters brought the flames under control.
One firefighter sustained a hand injury while battling the fire at the warehouse the size of a football field on Pier 45, San Francisco Fire Lt. Jonathan Baxter said.
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First responders battle a massive fire that erupted at a warehouse early Saturday, May 23, 2020 in San Francisco. KPIX-TV CBS-Viacom via AP
Baxter said after the fire subsided, investigators scoured the building to determine whether homeless people were inside.
“That is something of grave concern, that is why we’re actively trying to confirm if anybody saw anybody in this building,” he told KGO-TV.
“To our knowledge ... nobody is supposed to be in the building and we are hoping ... that there is no victim,” he said.
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However, at least two workers told the San Francisco Chronicle they were inside the fish processing and storage warehouse when the fire broke out before dawn.
Alejandro Arellano, who works for La Rocca Seafood, was cleaning out a fish storage locker when the fire began, shortly after 4 a.m..
“I saw a lot of smoke. A few minutes later, fire everywhere,” he said. “It was very, very scary. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
The fire tore through the warehouse near the end of the concrete pier, causing its walls to collapse, Baxter said. The flames singed the first fire truck to respond to the scene, forcing firefighters to turn their hoses on the vehicle to save it, he said.
This photo provided by National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area, smoky conditions linger after a fire broke out before dawn on San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf and destroyed a warehouse, Saturday, May 23, 2020 in San Francisco. National Weather Service San Francisco Bay Area via AP
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More than 130 firefighters fought the flames, with some using ladder trucks to drench the warehouse from above. A fire boat was used to protect the SS Jeremiah O’Brien, a liberty ship that stormed Normandy on D-Day in 1944.
“Our firefighters absolutely saved the SS Jeremiah O’Brien during this fire as flames were pinching on the side of this vessel,” Baxter said.
The ship docks by Pier 45 and is among numerous tourist attractions on the wharf, a maritime hub for cruises around San Francisco Bay as well as fishing boats hauling in the catch of the day. Visitors come for the Dungeness crabs, clam chowders served in sourdough bread bowls, the sea lions that hang out on the floating docks and shops and curiosities on Pier 39.
Shops and restaurants on the wharf have been shut by the city’s stay-at-home order to slow the spread of the coronavirus and were expected to reopen on May 31.
The fire was confined to the end of the pier, well away from the Musée Mécanique and its historic arcade games and the popular restaurant Alioto’s.
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Fishing companies that have been operating out of Pier 45 said the fire exacerbated an already tough business climate caused by the pandemic.
Kenny Belov, owner of the seafood wholesaler TwoXSea, told the Chronicle his building near the warehouse was not damaged but he worried a power outage on the pier could ruin the fish in his freezer.
“Not that it would ever need this, but the seafood industry didn’t need this now,” Belov said. “It’s surreal. We’ve obviously had a tough go the last couple months, with restaurants (closed). … Of all the problems in the world, this is not a big one. But it’s frustrating.”
Coast Guard crew members and police assisted by keeping other vessels away from the pier.


huffpost--2020-05-24--Joe Biden Wins Hawaii Democratic Primary In A Delayed, Mail-In Election

HONOLULU ( AP ) — Joe Biden won the Democratic Party of Hawaii ’ s party-run presidential primary on Saturday , which was delayed by more than a month because of the coronavirus .
Biden won 16 of Hawaii ’ s delegates and Sanders will take eight .
Biden has a total of 1,566 delegates to the party ’ s national convention , according to the count by the Associated Press .
He needs 1,991 delegates to win the nomination , a threshold he is projected to reach in June .
The party had initially planned to hold the primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party members would vote by mail and some would cast ballots at about 20 in-person polling sites around the state .
It began mailing ballots to registered party members in early March back when Sanders and Biden were the two front-runners and Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard was still maintaining her long-shot bid for the nomination .
But concerns about the spread of the coronavirus forced the party to announce on March 20 it would cancel plans for in-person voting and allow only mail ballots .
To give those who expected to vote in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cast a ballot , the party said it would mail another round of ballots to members and wait until late May for them to be returned and counted .
Only candidates receiving at least 15 % of the votes cast in a given congressional district were to be allocated delegates .
Votes for candidates who didn ’ t receive at least 15 % were redistributed to voters ’ second-ranked choices , starting with the candidate who received the lowest number of votes .
Gabbard represents Hawaii ’ s second congressional district in Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote in the first round of voting .
She was absent from the district during much of the year while she campaigned for the presidency in Iowa and New Hampshire .
State Sen. Kai Kahele , a fellow Democrat , fiercely criticized her for neglecting her constituents and mounted a campaign for her seat , which covers suburban Honolulu and the more rural islands of the state .
Not long after , Gabbard said she wouldn ’ t run for reelection and would focus on her presidential bid .
Hawaii Democrats hired a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handle aspects of the election , including designing the vote-by-mail package and safely keeping returned ballots .
The company has experience running elections for labor unions and organizations such as the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative , the electric utility on Kauai island .
The Republican Party of Hawaii canceled its presidential caucus after President Donald Trump was the only candidate to declare for the ballot by the Dec. 2 deadline .
The party is committing its national convention delegates to Trump .

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HONOLULU (AP) — Joe Biden won the Democratic Party of Hawaii’s party-run presidential primary on Saturday, which was delayed by more than a month because of the coronavirus.
Biden defeated Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders 63% to 37%.
Biden won 16 of Hawaii’s delegates and Sanders will take eight. Biden has a total of 1,566 delegates to the party’s national convention, according to the count by the Associated Press. He needs 1,991 delegates to win the nomination, a threshold he is projected to reach in June.
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A total of 35,044 voters cast ballots in the party-run primary. All ballots were cast by mail.
The party had initially planned to hold the primary on April 4 and had expected most party members would vote by mail and some would cast ballots at about 20 in-person polling sites around the state.
It began mailing ballots to registered party members in early March back when Sanders and Biden were the two front-runners and Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard was still maintaining her long-shot bid for the nomination.
But concerns about the spread of the coronavirus forced the party to announce on March 20 it would cancel plans for in-person voting and allow only mail ballots. To give those who expected to vote in person on April 4 a chance to cast a ballot, the party said it would mail another round of ballots to members and wait until late May for them to be returned and counted.
Amidst these shifts, Gabbard dropped out and endorsed Biden. Sanders ended his bid and endorsed Biden on April 13.
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Voters were instructed to mark their top three choices on paper ballots.
Only candidates receiving at least 15% of the votes cast in a given congressional district were to be allocated delegates. Votes for candidates who didn’t receive at least 15% were redistributed to voters’ second-ranked choices, starting with the candidate who received the lowest number of votes.
Gabbard represents Hawaii’s second congressional district in Congress, and got 4% of the vote in the first round of voting. She was absent from the district during much of the year while she campaigned for the presidency in Iowa and New Hampshire. State Sen. Kai Kahele, a fellow Democrat, fiercely criticized her for neglecting her constituents and mounted a campaign for her seat, which covers suburban Honolulu and the more rural islands of the state. Not long after, Gabbard said she wouldn’t run for reelection and would focus on her presidential bid.
Hawaii Democrats hired a contractor, Merriman River Group, to handle aspects of the election, including designing the vote-by-mail package and safely keeping returned ballots. The company has experience running elections for labor unions and organizations such as the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative, the electric utility on Kauai island.


huffpost--2020-05-24--The Best Recipes, Products And More Things We Tried This Week

Call me Britney Spears because I did it again : I painted another wall in my house .
You might call this anxiety-induced decorating , and you ’ d be right .
But that doesn ’ t make it any less eye-pleasing .
I painted my bedroom a beautiful blue color ( Benjamin Moore Florida Keys Blue , for interested parties ) and bought these West Elm nightstands ( on sale ! )
and I can not describe how much happiness seeing the whole thing every day makes me .
― Jamie Feldman , Lifestyle & Personal Reporter This week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foods .
It ’ s a delivery service that sells “ imperfect ” produce and other groceries to eliminate food waste .
Thing is , my first box of veggies and fruit looked perfect !
Not a warty carrot or wonky apple among them !
I was very pleased .
It ’ s such a good service to try out right now since it limits your trips to the market !
( Worth noting : You can specify what types of groceries you want before the delivery goes out , but I just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brittany Wong , Senior Lifestyle Reporter Use your walks as a time to tune out coronavirus news .
I usually listen to a podcast during my morning walks .
Other people ’ s conversations are a welcome distraction from my own anxious thoughts .
But lately , all that chatter has been overstimulating my brain too early in the day .
So in the last week , I ’ ve tried listening to music or even strolling in silence so I can breathe deeply , take in my surroundings and let my mind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kelsey Borresen , Senior Lifestyle Reporter

Spruce up your sleep space.
Call me Britney Spears because I did it again: I painted another wall in my house. You might call this anxiety-induced decorating, and you’d be right. But that doesn’t make it any less eye-pleasing. I painted my bedroom a beautiful blue color (Benjamin Moore Florida Keys Blue, for interested parties) and bought these West Elm nightstands (on sale!) and I cannot describe how much happiness seeing the whole thing every day makes me. ― Jamie Feldman, Lifestyle & Personal Reporter
Product Recommendations
This week I got my first box of Imperfect Foods. It’s a delivery service that sells “imperfect” produce and other groceries to eliminate food waste. Thing is, my first box of veggies and fruit looked perfect! Not a warty carrot or wonky apple among them! I was very pleased. It’s such a good service to try out right now since it limits your trips to the market! (Worth noting: You can specify what types of groceries you want before the delivery goes out, but I just took the default box.) ― Brittany Wong, Senior Lifestyle Reporter
Workout Recommendations
Use your walks as a time to tune out coronavirus news.
I usually listen to a podcast during my morning walks. Other people’s conversations are a welcome distraction from my own anxious thoughts. But lately, all that chatter has been overstimulating my brain too early in the day. So in the last week, I’ve tried listening to music or even strolling in silence so I can breathe deeply, take in my surroundings and let my mind wander in a healthy way. ― Kelsey Borresen, Senior Lifestyle Reporter
Recipe Recommendations