huffpost--2020-05-11--Food Influencers Get Real About The Not-So-Fun Parts Of Their Job

The life of a food influencer seems pretty fun .
Before the pandemic , there plenty of free meals and mail swag , and even now some bloggers are paid hundreds to thousands of dollars to simply post a photo endorsement .
And watching those likes roll in on a picture can feel intoxicating .
But beyond the bright ring lights , some influencers are finding that the Insta-hustle is taking a toll on their mental health .
After popular food account The Infatuation reposted one of her pictures , she decided to start an Instagram account dedicated to just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any big plans for it .
“ It was definitely nothing special .
It was all the places I was trying in New York , and whenever something came out and was really pretty , I would take a picture of it , ” Lipkin told HuffPost .
It didn ’ t take long for the invitations to restaurants and events to pour in .
“ But I think the real turning point [ in becoming an influencer ] is the first time that somebody said , ‘ I want to pay you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me was shocking .
I can ’ t believe somebody would want to pay me for just sharing the things that I enjoy doing , ” Wolf told HuffPost .
Eventually it became the new normal and suddenly her nights and weekends became dedicated to events or visiting restaurants .
“ It starts to feel more like a job , ” Wolf said .
For Lipkin , the side hustle of being a food influencer took a mental and physical toll , compounded by the fact that her day job was doing social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ My life at all times was pretty much consumed with Instagram and social media , and it all just came to not be as enjoyable anymore because I didn ’ t have a break , ” she said .
It didn ’ t help that there were cliques within the food influencing world .
“ The competition of who gets invited to what event , who has what contacts and what PR firms , who takes who to be their plus-ones , and who could get the most comments and likes on photos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Going to the same event with a gaggle of other influencers meant posting the same pictures as everyone else who attended , but she couldn ’ t help but wonder , “ Why did they get a thousand likes , and I only got 500 and we have the same follower count ?
” Not only was she exhausted , but her self-worth took a hit , too .
It turns out that she ’ s not alone in this .
A recent study confirms what many of us already know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to self-worth .
You don ’ t have to be an influencer to find that relatable .
Similarly , Wolf found that the joy of experiencing new restaurants began to wear off after growing her account into a side hustle .
When she started out , she was going to four or five places on a Saturday — not because she wanted to , but because her account grew and so did the demands that came along with it .
“ It became kind of this unexpected , almost a nuisance in some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I ’ m living my life , but then I ’ m having to shoot campaigns on the weekends or at night or in the morning , submitting content to brands , worrying about photographers and how I look , because a lot of times now I ’ m in my content , ” Wolf said .
There ’ s also an isolation factor .
“ I think it has a cultural stigma to it where when I go out to eat , taking pictures , I ’ m trying to create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve been looked at and made fun of .
For the older generations , it ’ s like , ‘ Why are you doing this ?
’ And it just makes me feel like an oddball , ” she said .
“ It definitely can feel lonely because all my friends might be hanging out doing something and I ’ m like , ‘ Well , I have to go shoot content , I have a deadline.
’ So it feels like you ’ re not a normal 20-something or you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the coronavirus pandemic , Wolf has gone through different phases as she ’ s adjusted to the new way of life .
“ The first couple of weeks I felt compelled to jump in and help promote restaurants as much as I can .
I personally donated to the Giving Kitchen and did as much as I could financially , ” she said .
As time went on , though , she needed a mental break .
Adjusting to working from home for her full-time job while living alone took a toll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job in May 2018 , she decided it was time to say goodbye to Talk Foodie ’ s 53,000 followers .
“ When I left that job , it was almost very freeing in the sense that I don ’ t have to do this anymore .
I don ’ t need to feel this intrinsic need to keep posting , ” she said .
She shared a vulnerable , open post and hasn ’ t posted on the account since ( she does , however , still have a personal account ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her heartfelt post , she said , “ It was a really positive reaction .
It was exactly what I hoped for.
” At the beginning of the pandemic , Lipkin took to Talk Foodie To Me ’ s Instagram stories to highlight ways to support New York businesses during this dark time .
She was unsure if she should , but she felt an overwhelming urge to help out in some way .
But she isn ’ t back .
“ While I do have a platform , the burden of supporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to carry alone and mentally , knowing that I would not be able to move the marker as much as I ’ d like to , I ’ ve realized that I am back to being a customer and that ’ s A-OK with me , ” Lipkin said .
Wolf also shared an emotional post at the beginning of the year telling her followers that changes were coming .
But she ’ s not ready to walk away quite yet , even though the landscape has changed .
One thing that gives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aggressive people ’ s comments have been .
After Georgia governor Brian Kemp allowed restaurants to reopen , Wolf , who is typically quiet about her political views on Instagram , shared a post urging her followers to stay home and continue supporting restaurants throughout takeout and delivery in accordance with CDC guidelines .
This prompted Kemp supporters to leave nasty comments and DMs on Wolf ’ s account .
On another post , she shared that an open air rooftop amusement park would be reopening with strict limitations in place , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deleted ) comment .
“ I ’ ve had to block people because they ’ ve become so aggressive .
It ’ s not my job to tell people what to do , and if people are going to attack me , I don ’ t need to share , ” she said .
She feels that she has a responsibility to use her platform to keep her followers in the loop during the pandemic , but for now she ’ s stepping back .

LOADING ERROR LOADING
The life of a food influencer seems pretty fun. Before the pandemic, there plenty of free meals and mail swag, and even now some bloggers are paid hundreds to thousands of dollars to simply post a photo endorsement. And watching those likes roll in on a picture can feel intoxicating. But beyond the bright ring lights, some influencers are finding that the Insta-hustle is taking a toll on their mental health.
Carly Lipkin started her Instagram account, Talk Foodie To Me, in 2015 after living in New York for a couple of years. The word “influencer” wasn’t even a thing yet, and for Lipkin, Instagram was just a creative outlet. Living in New York provided her with opportunities to try new food, and she’d always been interested in photography.
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Carly Lipkin Carly Lipkin and a photo from her Instagram account, Talk Foodie To Me.
After popular food account The Infatuation reposted one of her pictures, she decided to start an Instagram account dedicated to just food, but didn’t have any big plans for it. “It was definitely nothing special. It was all the places I was trying in New York, and whenever something came out and was really pretty, I would take a picture of it,” Lipkin told HuffPost.
In Atlanta, Nichole Wolf of ATL Adventurer had a similar experience. She started her account in 2015 as a way to highlight the city’s burgeoning dining scene when she moved there after graduate school.
“I don’t think I thought much about it at all, what I was actually going to become, because I didn’t have any expectations,” Wolf said. “It was more for me to share what I really loved about Atlanta and finally living in a real city with real cultural progression going on.”
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“I think it has a cultural stigma to it where when I go out to eat, taking pictures. I’m trying to create content on the go and I’ve been looked at and made fun of. For the older generations, it’s like, ‘Why are you doing this?’ And it just makes me feel like an oddball.” - food influencer Nichole Wolf
It didn’t take long for the invitations to restaurants and events to pour in. “But I think the real turning point [in becoming an influencer] is the first time that somebody said, ‘I want to pay you for doing this,’ which to me was shocking. I can’t believe somebody would want to pay me for just sharing the things that I enjoy doing,” Wolf told HuffPost. Eventually it became the new normal and suddenly her nights and weekends became dedicated to events or visiting restaurants. “It starts to feel more like a job,” Wolf said.
For Lipkin, the side hustle of being a food influencer took a mental and physical toll, compounded by the fact that her day job was doing social media for a restaurant group. “My life at all times was pretty much consumed with Instagram and social media, and it all just came to not be as enjoyable anymore because I didn’t have a break,” she said.
It didn’t help that there were cliques within the food influencing world. “The competition of who gets invited to what event, who has what contacts and what PR firms, who takes who to be their plus-ones, and who could get the most comments and likes on photos [was overwhelming],” she said. Going to the same event with a gaggle of other influencers meant posting the same pictures as everyone else who attended, but she couldn’t help but wonder, “Why did they get a thousand likes, and I only got 500 and we have the same follower count?”
Nichole Wolf Nichole Wolf and a food photo from her account ATL Adventurer.
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Not only was she exhausted, but her self-worth took a hit, too. It turns out that she’s not alone in this. A recent study confirms what many of us already know: Excessive Instagram usage can be detrimental to self-worth. You don’t have to be an influencer to find that relatable.
Similarly, Wolf found that the joy of experiencing new restaurants began to wear off after growing her account into a side hustle. When she started out, she was going to four or five places on a Saturday — not because she wanted to, but because her account grew and so did the demands that came along with it.
“It became kind of this unexpected, almost a nuisance in some ways, where I work all week, I’m living my life, but then I’m having to shoot campaigns on the weekends or at night or in the morning, submitting content to brands, worrying about photographers and how I look, because a lot of times now I’m in my content,” Wolf said.
There’s also an isolation factor. “I think it has a cultural stigma to it where when I go out to eat, taking pictures, I’m trying to create content on the go and I’ve been looked at and made fun of. For the older generations, it’s like, ‘Why are you doing this?’ And it just makes me feel like an oddball,” she said. “It definitely can feel lonely because all my friends might be hanging out doing something and I’m like, ‘Well, I have to go shoot content, I have a deadline.’ So it feels like you’re not a normal 20-something or you’re constantly working toward something.”
Now, during the coronavirus pandemic, Wolf has gone through different phases as she’s adjusted to the new way of life. “The first couple of weeks I felt compelled to jump in and help promote restaurants as much as I can. I personally donated to the Giving Kitchen and did as much as I could financially,” she said. As time went on, though, she needed a mental break. Adjusting to working from home for her full-time job while living alone took a toll.
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It’s hard to cut back completely, though, when she’s not only making money but also getting messages from her followers to whom she’s a resource. “So it feels like it’s a sense of responsibility to the people that I’ve met in Atlanta who look to me as that,” she said.
When Lipkin left her social media job in May 2018, she decided it was time to say goodbye to Talk Foodie’s 53,000 followers. “When I left that job, it was almost very freeing in the sense that I don’t have to do this anymore. I don’t need to feel this intrinsic need to keep posting,” she said. She shared a vulnerable, open post and hasn’t posted on the account since (she does, however, still have a personal account). When asked how people responded to her heartfelt post, she said, “It was a really positive reaction. It was exactly what I hoped for.”
At the beginning of the pandemic, Lipkin took to Talk Foodie To Me’s Instagram stories to highlight ways to support New York businesses during this dark time. She was unsure if she should, but she felt an overwhelming urge to help out in some way. But she isn’t back. “While I do have a platform, the burden of supporting the NYC restaurant scene is not mine to carry alone and mentally, knowing that I would not be able to move the marker as much as I’d like to, I’ve realized that I am back to being a customer and that’s A-OK with me,” Lipkin said.
Wolf also shared an emotional post at the beginning of the year telling her followers that changes were coming. But she’s not ready to walk away quite yet, even though the landscape has changed. One thing that gives her pause during the pandemic is how aggressive people’s comments have been. After Georgia governor Brian Kemp allowed restaurants to reopen, Wolf, who is typically quiet about her political views on Instagram, shared a post urging her followers to stay home and continue supporting restaurants throughout takeout and delivery in accordance with CDC guidelines. This prompted Kemp supporters to leave nasty comments and DMs on Wolf’s account. On another post, she shared that an open air rooftop amusement park would be reopening with strict limitations in place, which prompted someone to leave a (now deleted) comment. “I’ve had to block people because they’ve become so aggressive. It’s not my job to tell people what to do, and if people are going to attack me, I don’t need to share,” she said. She feels that she has a responsibility to use her platform to keep her followers in the loop during the pandemic, but for now she’s stepping back.


huffpost--2020-05-11--Don't Expect To See Biden's Papers

Don't Expect To See Biden's Papers

Tara Reade , who served as a staffer to the former vice president when he was in the Senate , says Biden sexually assaulted and harassed her in 1993 .
Biden has repeatedly and forcefully denied the allegations , telling the press to request documentation from the National Archives of a formal complaint she says she made at the time .
So far , though , the search has been fruitless .
The National Archives doesn ’ t keep Senate personnel records , and the Senate itself refuses to give up its HR documents for 50 years after severance .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Senate records , but they ’ re closed to the public .
Biden refused in his MSNBC interview denying the allegations to open them up himself , and said they don ’ t contain personnel records .
This raises two questions , which are likely to linger over the next few months as the controversy simmers on .
Does the law offer the public a way to get at these records ?
And if it does , are Biden ’ s Senate papers likely to hold any smoking guns ?
The short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the only way to know for sure is to look .
Delaware ’ s FOIA law exempts universities .
Some Democrats want to change that .
Delaware ’ s Freedom of Information Act , or FOIA , laws exempt most public university records .
Biden donated his Senate papers to the university eight years ago , on the condition that they remain closed to the public until two years after he ’ d left office .
Last year , ahead of the announcement of his presidential bid , that deadline was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ public life.
” Several media outlets , including HuffPost , have already asked the University of Delaware to provide documents relating to Biden ’ s Senate papers , including the agreement that stipulates when the collection becomes public and visitor logs .
A conservative legal group and a political action committee backing President Donald Trump ’ s reelection have taken the request a step further , demanding access to the Biden collection itself under the state ’ s Freedom of Information Act .
On Monday , Reade ’ s lawyer Douglas Wigdor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s papers .
He pointed to the case of a former University of Delaware professor as evidence of the need for reform .
After transferring to San Diego State University , the former professor was accused of sexually harassing four female students .
He asked one student to meet him a hotel while wearing a “ French maid outfit , ” repeatedly asked another out to drinks over the course of 200 text messages even though she was underage , and made a third student feel “ extremely uncomfortable ” when trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to steal a box of wine from a hotel conference room , according to allegations documented by NBC San Diego .
Kowalko described himself as friendly with Biden despite backing Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary .
The Delaware Democrat doubted Biden was capable of perpetrating the allegations Reade accused him of .
But Kowalko still believed the University of Delaware should have to disclose its records “ regardless of what the outcome would be , ” including portions of the Biden collection that might relate to the Reade allegations .
Federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former presidents and vice presidents .
Members of Congress , on the other hand , aren ’ t subject to the federal Freedom of Information Act .
And once they leave office , the records they take with them are considered personal property — even if they donate them to a public institution like a university , which is common .
Donor agreements , rather than state or federal law , usually dictate when such collections become public .
( The University of Delaware describes the Biden collection as private property received as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Legal and Policy Center , a conservative nonprofit , hopes to dispute that .
The group filed a lengthy Freedom of Information Act Request last week asking the university to disclose any Biden collection documents dating from 1993 that mention Reade .
The request acknowledges the university doesn ’ t have to comply under Delaware law , but asks it to do so voluntarily .
“ I don ’ t think they have much of an argument that these are not records within the control and custody of the university , because in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul Kamenar said .
“ We intend to take judicial action if they turn us down on this.
” Will the Biden collection settle the dispute ?
Access to Biden ’ s Senate papers would give important insight into Biden ’ s thinking during his three-decade career in the Senate , including on some of his more controversial positions such as his opposition to school busing and his handling of Anita Hill ’ s testimony against Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas .
It would , however , be unusual for a former member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the public ― which would also provide potential fodder for their opponents ― in the midst of a White House campaign .
But Biden ’ s Senate records probably won ’ t confirm or disprove Reade ’ s allegations .
Reade herself says she did not discuss her most severe allegation against Biden with his staff at the time , and that she described upsetting behavior without using the term “ sexual harassment ” in the written complaint she says she filed with the Senate personnel office .

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Somewhere, there may be documents that shed light on allegations of sexual harassment and assault leveled by a former aide against presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. But if they exist, it will be difficult to unearth them.
Tara Reade, who served as a staffer to the former vice president when he was in the Senate, says Biden sexually assaulted and harassed her in 1993. Biden has repeatedly and forcefully denied the allegations, telling the press to request documentation from the National Archives of a formal complaint she says she made at the time.
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Such a document, if it exists, could help corroborate Reade’s story. It could do the opposite: cast doubt on the allegation. Or it may not include anything relevant at all.
So far, though, the search has been fruitless. The National Archives doesn’t keep Senate personnel records, and the Senate itself refuses to give up its HR documents for 50 years after severance. The University of Delaware has Biden’s Senate records, but they’re closed to the public. Biden refused in his MSNBC interview denying the allegations to open them up himself, and said they don’t contain personnel records.
This raises two questions, which are likely to linger over the next few months as the controversy simmers on. Does the law offer the public a way to get at these records? And if it does, are Biden’s Senate papers likely to hold any smoking guns? The short answer to both questions is probably no. But the only way to know for sure is to look.
Delaware’s FOIA law exempts universities. Some Democrats want to change that.
In this April 4, 2019, photo Tara Reade poses for a photo during an interview with The Associated Press in Nevada City, California. (AP Photo/Donald Thompson) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Delaware’s Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, laws exempt most public university records. Biden donated his Senate papers to the university eight years ago, on the condition that they remain closed to the public until two years after he’d left office. Last year, ahead of the announcement of his presidential bid, that deadline was postponed to two years after Biden left “public life.”
Several media outlets, including HuffPost, have already asked the University of Delaware to provide documents relating to Biden’s Senate papers, including the agreement that stipulates when the collection becomes public and visitor logs. A conservative legal group and a political action committee backing President Donald Trump’s reelection have taken the request a step further, demanding access to the Biden collection itself under the state’s Freedom of Information Act. On Monday, Reade’s lawyer Douglas Wigdor sent a letter asking to inspect Biden’s papers.
None of these requests are promising.
The university only has to release documents if they concern financial records, University of Delaware communications director Andrea Boyle Tippet said. The Biden collection was a gift.
Delaware has the “broadest exemption anywhere in the country for records maintained by public universities,” according to Frank LoMonte, the director of the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information — putting the state in a “very extreme category with only Pennsylvania for company.”
“It’s just bad luck that it’s in Delaware,” LoMonte said. “Pretty much any other state, you’d have a fighting chance.”
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Delaware State Rep. John Kowalko, a Democrat, has tried multiple times to put public universities squarely under the state’s Freedom of Information Act. His most recent bill died last session in committee.
He pointed to the case of a former University of Delaware professor as evidence of the need for reform. After transferring to San Diego State University, the former professor was accused of sexually harassing four female students. He asked one student to meet him a hotel while wearing a “French maid outfit,” repeatedly asked another out to drinks over the course of 200 text messages even though she was underage, and made a third student feel “extremely uncomfortable” when trying to kiss her twice after urging her to steal a box of wine from a hotel conference room, according to allegations documented by NBC San Diego.
But when reporters sought the man’s disciplinary record at the University of Delaware, the university refused to provide it, citing the institution’s carve-out from the FOIA law. California officials later disclosed that he had resigned from the University of Delaware after a student accused him of sexual harassment.
Kowalko described himself as friendly with Biden despite backing Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary. The Delaware Democrat doubted Biden was capable of perpetrating the allegations Reade accused him of. But Kowalko still believed the University of Delaware should have to disclose its records “regardless of what the outcome would be,” including portions of the Biden collection that might relate to the Reade allegations.
“A public institution should not enjoy some kind of privacy exclusion when it’s in the public interest to look at what’s in there,” Kowalko said. “That FOIA exemption should be repealed.”
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Are Biden’s records public?
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden delivers remarks about the coronavirus outbreak at the Hotel Du Pont on March 12 in Wilmington, Delaware. Drew Angerer via Getty Images
Those requests raise a rarely considered hypothetical: Should a politician’s congressional records be considered public once they enter the possession of a university? Historically, the answer to that question is no.
Federal law governs access to the papers of former presidents and vice presidents. Members of Congress, on the other hand, aren’t subject to the federal Freedom of Information Act. And once they leave office, the records they take with them are considered personal property — even if they donate them to a public institution like a university, which is common. Donor agreements, rather than state or federal law, usually dictate when such collections become public. (The University of Delaware describes the Biden collection as private property received as a gift.)
“These are not university records,” said Mark Walsh, a certified archivist who chairs the Advocacy Committee for the National Association for Government Archives and Records Administrations. “They’re a private donation to the university. These are personal papers.”
But the National Legal and Policy Center, a conservative nonprofit, hopes to dispute that. The group filed a lengthy Freedom of Information Act Request last week asking the university to disclose any Biden collection documents dating from 1993 that mention Reade. The request acknowledges the university doesn’t have to comply under Delaware law, but asks it to do so voluntarily.
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Whether or not that Hail Mary succeeds, NLPC insists the Biden collection is actually public, pointing to a federal FOIA standard dictating that records become public when they enter the government’s hands, regardless of who created them.
Delaware’s legal definition of a public record includes “information of any kind” that is “owned,” “used,” “retained,” or “received” by an agency.
“I don’t think they have much of an argument that these are not records within the control and custody of the university, because in fact they are,” NLPC lawyer Paul Kamenar said. “We intend to take judicial action if they turn us down on this.”
Will the Biden collection settle the dispute?
Access to Biden’s Senate papers would give important insight into Biden’s thinking during his three-decade career in the Senate, including on some of his more controversial positions such as his opposition to school busing and his handling of Anita Hill’s testimony against Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. It would, however, be unusual for a former member of Congress to open up their records to the public ― which would also provide potential fodder for their opponents ― in the midst of a White House campaign.
But Biden’s Senate records probably won’t confirm or disprove Reade’s allegations. Reade herself says she did not discuss her most severe allegation against Biden with his staff at the time, and that she described upsetting behavior without using the term “sexual harassment” in the written complaint she says she filed with the Senate personnel office.
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The most likely possibility is that the papers might contain records of Biden staffers referring to Reade’s sexual harassment allegations or the terms on which she left her job. (Three of Biden’s former Senate staffers told The New York Times they didn’t recall Reade making harassment allegations against their boss.)
Even unearthing that scrap of evidence is unlikely. Historical archives usually don’t contain voluminous personnel files, largely because librarians try to avoid taking them. They view them as business records that offer little interest to historians, but saddle archivists with the job of redacting sensitive information like social security numbers.
“If you imagine for a moment that somehow you could wave a wand and we would know every document that’s in the collection, it’s unlikely that there’s anything pertinent to the Tara Reade matter,” Princeton University Library archivist Daniel Linke said. “As a rule, we don’t want personnel information in these collections.”
“This was the approach before the ‘Me Too’ movement,” Linke added. “Maybe we’ll change our minds about this.”


huffpost--2020-04-02--Mom's 'Bucket List' Jar Offers Hope Amid Social Distancing

Katie Eborall and her family are on lockdown at home in Leeds , England , thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Wanting to turn a negative situation into something positive , she decided last week to create a fun activity for her husband , Kevin , and their two children , 4-year-old Max and 2-year-old Evie .
“ Every time we wish we could do something , go somewhere , treat ourselves , see someone we love , visit a new place , invite people to visit us , we ’ re going to write it down on a post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jar , ” she wrote .
“ When all this is over this will be our bucket list and we ’ ll work our way through the jar and be more grateful than ever for the little and lovely things in our lives .
Until then we ’ ll enjoy watching the jar fill up with magical things to look forward to.
” Eborall told HuffPost she decided to share her idea for a bucket-list jar because she ’ s friends with many other parents with young children and has benefited from their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time of social distancing .
“ I ’ m absolutely humbled and overwhelmed by the response , ” she told HuffPost .
“ I genuinely never thought it would reach so many people , and I ’ ve been bowled over by the lovely comments , people sharing their stories and thanking me .
It ’ s really special to know that an idea that I just had one day in my kitchen has resonated with so many people and potentially helped families and communities all around the world .
I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread some positivity.
” “ I want it to be something my children can look back on and know they were a part of and that the whole idea was only inspired because of them , ” Eborall explained .
“ So in an indirect way , it was because of them that so many people around the world benefited from this.
” “ We ’ re getting better at balancing work and childcare , we have plenty of supplies , and we are very lucky to have a garden and plenty of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
“ The thing we miss most by far is people ― my parents , my in-laws , brothers and sisters , friends , the kids ’ friends.
” Her children are a bit young to understand what ’ s happening , but they know their interactions with others are now limited to video calls .
Eborall said they ask about their loved ones every day , and two of their newest wishes are for sleepovers with their grandparents .
“ We ’ re just a normal family like any other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am the world ’ s most positive person ― I ’ ve certainly had my down days and struggled with the concept of lockdown and the fear that goes with it , ” she noted .
“ But I ’ m a mum , and I have to find a positive to make sure my babies get through this OK. ” “ It ’ s all we really have right now ― hope that our loved ones will all be OK , hope that we will survive this , and hope that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we love and do the things we love , ” she said .
“ That ’ s what this is all about ― collecting all of those precious things we take for granted and when we come to taking them back out of the jar , they will mean so much more to us .
”

A U.K. mom’s child-friendly take on a “bucket list” is inspiring others to foster a sense of hope and optimism in this difficult time.
Katie Eborall and her family are on lockdown at home in Leeds, England, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Wanting to turn a negative situation into something positive, she decided last week to create a fun activity for her husband, Kevin, and their two children, 4-year-old Max and 2-year-old Evie.
On March 24, Eborall shared the activity on her Facebook page.
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“Every time we wish we could do something, go somewhere, treat ourselves, see someone we love, visit a new place, invite people to visit us, we’re going to write it down on a post it note and put it in a jar,” she wrote. “When all this is over this will be our bucket list and we’ll work our way through the jar and be more grateful than ever for the little and lovely things in our lives. Until then we’ll enjoy watching the jar fill up with magical things to look forward to.”
Eborall told HuffPost she decided to share her idea for a bucket-list jar because she’s friends with many other parents with young children and has benefited from their posts about activities for kids during this time of social distancing.
“I was of the mindset that if it helps just one person the way it’s helped us, then that’s fantastic,” she explained.
Her wish certainly came true. Eborall’s post has been shared over 135,000 times as of April 2.
“I’m absolutely humbled and overwhelmed by the response,” she told HuffPost. “I genuinely never thought it would reach so many people, and I’ve been bowled over by the lovely comments, people sharing their stories and thanking me. It’s really special to know that an idea that I just had one day in my kitchen has resonated with so many people and potentially helped families and communities all around the world. I’m proud to have created something that has spread some positivity.”
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Eborall estimates that by now her family’s jar has between 30 and 40 bucket-list items. She’s also started a blog to document their growing bucket list and, eventually, their progress in ticking off the items.
“I want it to be something my children can look back on and know they were a part of and that the whole idea was only inspired because of them,” Eborall explained. “So in an indirect way, it was because of them that so many people around the world benefited from this.”
As time has passed, Eborall said her family has found that some aspects of their lockdown life get easier while others have become more challenging.
“We’re getting better at balancing work and childcare, we have plenty of supplies, and we are very lucky to have a garden and plenty of activities to keep us going,” she said. “The thing we miss most by far is people ― my parents, my in-laws, brothers and sisters, friends, the kids’ friends.”
Her children are a bit young to understand what’s happening, but they know their interactions with others are now limited to video calls. Eborall said they ask about their loved ones every day, and two of their newest wishes are for sleepovers with their grandparents.
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“We’re just a normal family like any other, and I wouldn’t say I am the world’s most positive person ― I’ve certainly had my down days and struggled with the concept of lockdown and the fear that goes with it,” she noted. “But I’m a mum, and I have to find a positive to make sure my babies get through this OK.”
Ultimately, Eborall wants people who see her Facebook post and try the jar activity to come away with a sense of hope.
“It’s all we really have right now ― hope that our loved ones will all be OK, hope that we will survive this, and hope that one day we can see the people we love and do the things we love,” she said. “That’s what this is all about ― collecting all of those precious things we take for granted and when we come to taking them back out of the jar, they will mean so much more to us.”


huffpost--2020-04-02--A Pandemic Is Hell For Everyone, But Especially For Those With OCD

In these dark times , silly homemade videos encouraging people to vigilantly wash their hands to curb the spread of the coronavirus have been a rare source of levity for many people .
The lineup has been eclectic and powerful , as if half of A-list Hollywood were competing to create the most viral “ Sesame Street ” special of all time .
Jimmy Fallon played guitar for his two singing daughters , Neil Diamond rewrote “ Sweet Caroline , ” Miley Cyrus lent her lyrics to an instructional meme , and Gloria Gaynor belted out “ I Will Survive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For those who have contamination OCD ― a subset of the mental health condition in which people are terrified of getting an infection ― germs present the ultimate uncertainty .
They ’ re an invisible threat that can not be avoided .
With work , you can achieve hard-earned moments of clarity where you know that , while life may be uncertain , it ’ s unlikely you ’ re at a heightened risk of catching any particular illness .
But an outbreak as widespread and deadly as COVID-19 can seem to validate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further .
“ We have heard from both individuals with OCD and therapists all across the country who are saying the individuals who have been in effective treatment for their OCD are in general faring better than the average person , ” Szymanski said .
“ In part , this appears to be [ because ] one of the basic skills you learn in treatment is how to accept and live with uncertainty.
” Keep a regular routine to the best of your ability .
“ People should continue to socialize virtually , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ While we are all home , it may be tempting to sleep in , stay up late , or not even get out of our pajamas for the day .
However , the more we can stick to good self-care strategies , the better off we should be .
So , stick to your regular wake-up and go-to-bed times , eat meals at the same time you were before , etc.
” Stay informed , but not too informed .
Know that this may be hard ― and that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase of symptoms , and that ’ s your body and mind ’ s way of letting you know you need something : more support , more resources , new interventions , ” she said .
“ Be loving and compassionate to yourself .
Your stress is understandable , and it ’ s not reasonable to expect anyone to manage this alone .
”

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In these dark times, silly homemade videos encouraging people to vigilantly wash their hands to curb the spread of the coronavirus have been a rare source of levity for many people. The lineup has been eclectic and powerful, as if half of A-list Hollywood were competing to create the most viral “Sesame Street” special of all time. Jimmy Fallon played guitar for his two singing daughters, Neil Diamond rewrote “Sweet Caroline,” Miley Cyrus lent her lyrics to an instructional meme, and Gloria Gaynor belted out “I Will Survive” next to a bathroom sink.
I’ve laughed at a few of the hand-washing videos, too. But for the most part, they serve as a reminder of a bleak chapter in my life, one that I fight every day to not repeat. It’s always difficult to have obsessive-compulsive disorder, and for many people with OCD, this global pandemic is an unprecedented challenge.
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“I’ve certainly observed in my clients ― and in my community ― just how profoundly activating this moment is for people with OCD, OCD-spectrum and mental health concerns,” said Annalise Ophelian, a San Francisco-based psychotherapist. “A lot of what’s going on right now will feel like it’s undoing progress that was made in treatment.”
OCD can manifest in many different ways, all of them connected to a central tension, according to Jeff Szymanski, the executive director of the Boston-based International OCD Foundation.
“The core struggle for those who have OCD is the need for certainty along with a constant struggle to try to get away from anxiety,” he said.
For those who have contamination OCD ― a subset of the mental health condition in which people are terrified of getting an infection ― germs present the ultimate uncertainty. They’re an invisible threat that cannot be avoided. With work, you can achieve hard-earned moments of clarity where you know that, while life may be uncertain, it’s unlikely you’re at a heightened risk of catching any particular illness. But an outbreak as widespread and deadly as COVID-19 can seem to validate those original fears and inflame them even further.
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Stephanie Jones, a woman in the United Kingdom who has contamination OCD, told HuffPost that she has severely curtailed her time outside over the last month. As a social worker, she’s considered an essential employee. However, she’s received permission to work from home three days a week and takes a taxi instead of public transportation to her job when she does go in.
At the same time, Tim Abbott, who lives with contamination OCD in Australia, said that the public response to the pandemic has somewhat eased his mind.
“Knowing that everyone is cleaning their hands and surfaces makes it actually a little easier to be able to cope with being in a social setting,” Abbott said.
People with OCD who have obsessions and rituals that have little to nothing to do with contamination or germs are also handling the pandemic and the quarantines in variable ways.
Personally, a lot of my OCD manifests in rigidity, from meals and exercise to work and places I visit. I’m very grateful and fortunate to be healthy, but suddenly having to be flexible with every aspect of my well-honed daily existence is its own exhausting battle.
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For those having difficulties in this new world, here are a few tips from professionals that might help you cope better.
Use your existing skills.
The first thing to remember is that despite the elevated pressures, if you’ve learned tools in therapy, they’re still valid and crucial.
“We have heard from both individuals with OCD and therapists all across the country who are saying the individuals who have been in effective treatment for their OCD are in general faring better than the average person,” Szymanski said. “In part, this appears to be [because] one of the basic skills you learn in treatment is how to accept and live with uncertainty.”
Many of the tools are meant to help you de-escalate and stop what can feel like a violent whirlpool of unwanted thoughts. Ophelian lists helpful behavioral exercises such as thought-stopping, reality-checking and de-catastrophizing. Basically, it’s all about taking a breath and trying to remember that there is no dire threat demanding certain rituals.
In some cases, the unpredictability and severity of COVID-19 might feel like it directly conflicts with that advice. To combat such thoughts as much as possible, recognize the unusual circumstances without jumping to conclusions or concerns that years of hard work in therapy have now been negated.
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“What’s important is being able to objectively separate the facts of a situation from the way that you feel about it,” Ophelian said. “The facts of our circumstances have changed, so what we’re striving for is to always be making appropriate behavioral choices for the reality that we’re living in.”
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Keep a regular routine to the best of your ability.
Whether you are newly working at home or have no job at all, you’re likely facing a lot of downtime, possibly in complete isolation. Free time can be an enemy or an ally to people with OCD, depending on their symptoms.
For some people, it’s been a blessing. A friend of mine who has very ritual-based OCD said that working from home has given him the time to think, talk to himself and, if necessary, run through the essential steps to attain some relief.
On the other hand, I find myself trying to stay overly busy and maintain a schedule explicitly because I don’t do well with free time. Szymanski stressed the importance of finding a sustainable rhythm.
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“People should continue to socialize virtually, exercise and eat healthy,” he said. “While we are all home, it may be tempting to sleep in, stay up late, or not even get out of our pajamas for the day. However, the more we can stick to good self-care strategies, the better off we should be. So, stick to your regular wake-up and go-to-bed times, eat meals at the same time you were before, etc.”
Socialize while social distancing.
While millions of us are stuck inside, we don’t have to be alone. Just as offices around the country have shifted to Slack conversations and Zoom video calls, so too can friendships. And when you have OCD, taking the conversation outside your own head is a major priority.
Ophelian recommends using social media apps meant for actual socializing, including Zoom, Twitch and Netflix Party, which will help you to stay busy and talk with friends and loved ones. Interconnectivity is crucial to minimizing the negative impact of isolation and the vacuum it creates for harmful thoughts to rush in.
And just as you should use the tools you learned in therapy, you should also do your best to stay in touch with your therapist. There are also teletherapy resources available on the International OCD Foundation and the National Alliance for Mental Illness sites.
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Stay informed, but not too informed.
COVID-19 is an unprecedented global event and it’s vital that you keep up-to-date on the news that directly impacts your life. But, as much as possible, avoid falling into the trap of watching coverage of the pandemic 24/7.
As Ophelian noted, repetitive news cycles work in the same way as repetitive thoughts, and there’s no reason to let either spin through your mind.
“Make sure you’re getting sound information from medical sources ― like the World Health Organization, the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], research hospitals ― and avoiding repetitive stories of horror or loss or highly commercial news sources that play information on a loop,” she said.
“Resist the temptation to learn everything there is to know about COVID-19. There is new information every day, but you don’t need to be looking at the news all day to get it,” she added.
Know that this may be hard ― and that’s OK.
Both Ophelian and Szymanski noted that the pandemic may have long-term consequences for some OCD patients, but continuing treatment can help with that. Feeling fear now is natural and shouldn’t trigger a second wave of self-criticism.
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“Working on our mental health is an ongoing process. ... Being able to adapt to new situations, even something as unprecedented and extreme as the one we’re in now, doesn’t represent a setback,” Ophelian said.


huffpost--2020-04-02--Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Hits Trump With Sassy T-Shirt Message

Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ( D ) has taken an insult from President Donald Trump and turned it into a T-shirt .
In the past week , Trump has slammed Whitmer ― at times refusing to even say her name ― for appealing to the federal government for help in fighting a surge of coronavirus cases .
While speaking to Trevor Noah on “ The Daily Show ” Wednesday , Whitmer wore a T-shirt under her blazer that read “ that woman from Michigan , ” which was a play on one of the phrases Trump has used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her shirt , Whitmer told Noah that it wasn ’ t the time for politics : “ People are dying .
I don ’ t have any time to think about fighting anything other than COVID-19 and that ’ s precisely why I say let ’ s not fight one another .
We are not the enemy .
This virus is.
” Earlier in the interview , Whitmer lamented that a lot of governors ― Republicans and Democrats ― weren ’ t receiving the support they ’ d hoped for from authorities on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve got to supplement that by contracting with anyone we can find masks from or test kits from , and we ’ re ending up bidding against one another , ” she said , calling the process “ destructive.
” Trump has taken several swipes at Whitmer for her assistance requests .
“ We ’ ve had a big problem with the young , a woman governor , you know who I ’ m talking about , from Michigan , ” Trump told Sean Hannity in an interview last week .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vice President Mike Pence ― who is leading the White House ’ s response to the pandemic ― not to call Whitmer or Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee , another Democrat who has been critical of the administration .
“ I say , ‘ Mike , don ’ t call the governor of Washington ; you ’ re wasting your time with him .
Don ’ t call the woman in Michigan.
’ It doesn ’ t make any difference what happens , ” Trump said .
“ If they don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t call.
” Former Vice President Joe Biden , the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination , has said that Whitmer is on the shortlist to be his running mate .

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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) has taken an insult from President Donald Trump and turned it into a T-shirt.
In the past week, Trump has slammed Whitmer ― at times refusing to even say her name ― for appealing to the federal government for help in fighting a surge of coronavirus cases.
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While speaking to Trevor Noah on “The Daily Show” Wednesday, Whitmer wore a T-shirt under her blazer that read “that woman from Michigan,” which was a play on one of the phrases Trump has used to describe her.
Despite the joke on her shirt, Whitmer told Noah that it wasn’t the time for politics:
“People are dying. I don’t have any time to think about fighting anything other than COVID-19 and that’s precisely why I say let’s not fight one another. We are not the enemy. This virus is.”
Earlier in the interview, Whitmer lamented that a lot of governors ― Republicans and Democrats ― weren’t receiving the support they’d hoped for from authorities on the federal level.
“So we’ve got to supplement that by contracting with anyone we can find masks from or test kits from, and we’re ending up bidding against one another,” she said, calling the process “destructive.”
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Whitmer also appealed for a strategy of national buying power to ensure equitable access to needed supplies:
Trump has taken several swipes at Whitmer for her assistance requests.
“We’ve had a big problem with the young, a woman governor, you know who I’m talking about, from Michigan,” Trump told Sean Hannity in an interview last week.
The next day, Trump said he told Vice President Mike Pence ― who is leading the White House’s response to the pandemic ― not to call Whitmer or Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, another Democrat who has been critical of the administration.
“I say, ‘Mike, don’t call the governor of Washington; you’re wasting your time with him. Don’t call the woman in Michigan.’ It doesn’t make any difference what happens,” Trump said. “If they don’t treat you right, I don’t call.”
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Pence called anyway.


huffpost--2020-04-02--Joe Exotic In COVID-19 Isolation In Prison, Husband Dillon Passage Says

The star of the Netflix series “ Tiger King ” is now in isolation due to concerns about the coronavirus , according to his husband .
Joe Maldonado-Passage , aka “ Joe Exotic , ” is currently being housed at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth , Texas , for his role in a murder-for-hire plot that was the focus of the popular crime documentary .
“ We speak like three to five times every day , but since he ’ s been moved to this new facility , they are putting him on a COVID-19 isolation because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there were cases , ” Dillon Passage told Andy Cohen on Wednesday about his husband .
“ I ’ ve yet to speak to him since he moved.
” Cohen followed up by asking if the tiger breeder “ is in his own COVID-19 quarantine.
” Passage told Variety he last spoke to his husband last week ― just as “ Tiger King ” was becoming a viral hit .
“ He had received hundreds and hundreds of emails , and he was spending all day on the computer just going through these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Passage said .
“ He had people from all over the world saying like , ‘ Team Joe ’ [ and ] ‘ Free Joe.
’ ” “ I would talk to him about some of the memes that were made and he just laughed his butt off .
It was hilarious .
He loved it , ” Passage said .
“ He loves the attention , obviously , so any fame or spotlight that he has had was greatly appreciated.
” Maldonado-Passage , who is currently serving a 22-year sentence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly $ 94 million in damages .
He claims he was convicted based on false and perjured testimony , according to The Associated Press .
In the suit , he says he was singled out for prosecution because he “ is an openly gay male with the largest collection of generic tigers and cross breeds .
”

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The star of the Netflix series “Tiger King” is now in isolation due to concerns about the coronavirus, according to his husband.
Joe Maldonado-Passage, aka “Joe Exotic,” is currently being housed at the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, for his role in a murder-for-hire plot that was the focus of the popular crime documentary.
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“We speak like three to five times every day, but since he’s been moved to this new facility, they are putting him on a COVID-19 isolation because of the previous jail he was at, there were cases,” Dillon Passage told Andy Cohen on Wednesday about his husband. “I’ve yet to speak to him since he moved.”
Cohen followed up by asking if the tiger breeder “is in his own COVID-19 quarantine.”
“From what I know, yes,” Passage said. “From what he told me.”
Passage told Variety he last spoke to his husband last week ― just as “Tiger King” was becoming a viral hit.
“He had received hundreds and hundreds of emails, and he was spending all day on the computer just going through these emails and trying to respond to them,” Passage said. “He had people from all over the world saying like, ‘Team Joe’ [and] ‘Free Joe.’”
As you might expect, the self-proclaimed “Tiger King” is enjoying the attention.
“I would talk to him about some of the memes that were made and he just laughed his butt off. It was hilarious. He loved it,” Passage said. “He loves the attention, obviously, so any fame or spotlight that he has had was greatly appreciated.”
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Maldonado-Passage, who is currently serving a 22-year sentence, has filed a federal lawsuit seeking nearly $94 million in damages. He claims he was convicted based on false and perjured testimony, according to The Associated Press.
In the suit, he says he was singled out for prosecution because he “is an openly gay male with the largest collection of generic tigers and cross breeds.”


huffpost--2020-04-01--The Trump Administration Doesn't Care If You're Uninsured And Have COVID-19

On Tuesday , Politico reported that the federal government will not reopen health insurance enrollment on the federal HealthCare.gov exchange that serves the residents of 38 states .
Peculiarly , those places are mostly GOP-leaning states that declined to create their own health insurance exchanges and that Trump won in the 2016 presidential election .
The people living in the 38 states that use HealthCare.gov ― and those in Idaho , which hasn ’ t reactivated its state-run exchange ― will likely remain uninsured , leaving them potentially exposed to tens of thousands of dollars in costs if they get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical treatment .
Moreover , the high cost of health care frequently discourages Americans from seeking care , especially those who are among the 28 million uninsured .
And sick people not being isolated and treated means they are at risk of spreading the coronavirus to more people .
No one benefits from not allowing these millions of Americans to get health coverage in the midst of a pandemic that has practically shut down the nation .
There is no upside to the Trump administration ’ s decision .
It is plain , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s entire presidency , that he is utterly unconcerned about people in need .
It is just as plain that this cruel and spiteful move is rooted at least in part in Trump ’ s obsession with tearing down anything his predecessor Barack Obama did .
The Affordable Care Act , which created the exchanges , anticipated a moment like this .
Even in the states where people can ’ t enroll because of the Trump administration and the Idaho government , they still can qualify for health insurance and income-based subsidies under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job .
The law allows for “ special enrollment periods ” for emergencies , which is why 11 states and the District of Columbia have taken advantage of the option .
More than 100 House Democrats pleaded with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar for a special enrollment period for the coronavirus outbreak in a letter , as did nine Senate Democrats in a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-Ky. ) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-N.Y. ) .
So did more than 200 patient advocacy organizations , labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vice President Mike Pence , Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma and Azar .
Rep. Lloyd Doggett ( D-Texas ) and Sen. Bob Casey ( D-Penn . )
authored legislation to force a special enrollment period , but it has not advanced .
But for Trump and other Republicans , using the Affordable Care Act to offer assistance during an emergency would be an admission that the law and its benefits help people .
An admission of that sort would blow up the decade-long Republican mantra that “ Obamacare ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American health care system .
It was only days ago that Trump affirmed that he continues to support a lawsuit pending at the Supreme Court that would eliminate the Affordable Care Act .
“ What we want to do is terminate it , ” he said on March 22 .
( The Republican state attorneys general who originated the lawsuit also aren ’ t backing down . )
Prior to running for president , Trump railed against Obamacare .
He promised to repeal it on the campaign trail four years ago .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a half in office on a failed effort to repeal the law in Congress .
He joined the lawsuit awaiting a hearing at the Supreme Court .
But the harms that would befall the estimated 20 million people who would become uninsured if that lawsuit succeeds remain abstract .
What ’ s very real is that a growing number of Americans are getting sick from a disease with no cure and are staring down life-destroying medical bills , and Trump has decided the right thing to do about that is nothing .

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President Donald Trump and his administration have a message for uninsured Americans who fear the cost of treatment for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus: We don’t care.
On Tuesday, Politico reported that the federal government will not reopen health insurance enrollment on the federal HealthCare.gov exchange that serves the residents of 38 states. Peculiarly, those places are mostly GOP-leaning states that declined to create their own health insurance exchanges and that Trump won in the 2016 presidential election.
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The negative consequences of this active refusal to offer help to vulnerable Americans are obvious.
The people living in the 38 states that use HealthCare.gov ― and those in Idaho, which hasn’t reactivated its state-run exchange ― will likely remain uninsured, leaving them potentially exposed to tens of thousands of dollars in costs if they get sick from the novel coronavirus and need medical treatment.
Moreover, the high cost of health care frequently discourages Americans from seeking care, especially those who are among the 28 million uninsured. And sick people not being isolated and treated means they are at risk of spreading the coronavirus to more people.
No one benefits from not allowing these millions of Americans to get health coverage in the midst of a pandemic that has practically shut down the nation. There is no upside to the Trump administration’s decision.
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It is plain, as it has been during Trump’s entire presidency, that he is utterly unconcerned about people in need. It is just as plain that this cruel and spiteful move is rooted at least in part in Trump’s obsession with tearing down anything his predecessor Barack Obama did.
The Affordable Care Act, which created the exchanges, anticipated a moment like this. Even in the states where people can’t enroll because of the Trump administration and the Idaho government, they still can qualify for health insurance and income-based subsidies under certain circumstances, such as losing a job. The law allows for “special enrollment periods” for emergencies, which is why 11 states and the District of Columbia have taken advantage of the option.
Newly jobless people also may be eligible for Medicaid coverage, which is cost-free in most cases.
More than 100 House Democrats pleaded with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar for a special enrollment period for the coronavirus outbreak in a letter, as did nine Senate Democrats in a letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
So did more than 200 patient advocacy organizations, labor unions and nonprofits in a letter to Vice President Mike Pence, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma and Azar. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) and Sen. Bob Casey (D-Penn.) authored legislation to force a special enrollment period, but it has not advanced.
But for Trump and other Republicans, using the Affordable Care Act to offer assistance during an emergency would be an admission that the law and its benefits help people. An admission of that sort would blow up the decade-long Republican mantra that “Obamacare” is nothing but a train wreck destroying the American health care system.
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It was only days ago that Trump affirmed that he continues to support a lawsuit pending at the Supreme Court that would eliminate the Affordable Care Act. “What we want to do is terminate it,” he said on March 22. (The Republican state attorneys general who originated the lawsuit also aren’t backing down.)
Perhaps it’s not surprising that Trump’s hostility toward the Affordable Care Act ― arguably Obama’s most impactful domestic policy initiative ― wouldn’t abate, even during a global public health emergency.
Prior to running for president, Trump railed against Obamacare. He promised to repeal it on the campaign trail four years ago. He spent much of his first year and a half in office on a failed effort to repeal the law in Congress. He joined the lawsuit awaiting a hearing at the Supreme Court.
But the harms that would befall the estimated 20 million people who would become uninsured if that lawsuit succeeds remain abstract. What’s very real is that a growing number of Americans are getting sick from a disease with no cure and are staring down life-destroying medical bills, and Trump has decided the right thing to do about that is nothing.


huffpost--2020-04-02--Ryan Reynolds Says Isolation Has Been Educational, But He's 'Mostly Drinking'

Ryan Reynolds is taking gin straight to the face as he isolates to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
The actor appeared on Stephen Colbert ’ s video chat for “ The Late Show ” on Wednesday and talked about what it ’ s been like for him to stay cooped up at home with his wife , Blake Lively , their three daughters , and his mother-in-law .
“ We ’ re doing a lot of home-schooling .
We ’ re lucky enough to have a little , tiny garden , so we ’ re learning a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re trying to make this an educational experience , but I ’ m mostly drinking , ” said Reynolds , who happens to own a gin company , Aviation gin , so he clearly has a plentiful supply of alcohol .
Reynolds called his ownership a “ blessing and a huge curse ” and told Colbert that he tells people he likes gin and soda , but he ’ s usually just drinking it by itself in a glass .
The 43-year-old also shared that he ’ s been enjoying his time with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colbert that he does “ not miss masculine company at all.
” “ Really , most men tend to just be the architects of someone ’ s demise .
So it ’ s fine .
I like just being here with the girls .
I like doing the girls ’ stuff , ” he said .
“ Like , I try not to push sort of gender normative ideas on my kids as they ’ re born , but each one as soon as they came out of the chute , they wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dress in hot pink all day , ” he said .
“ That ’ s what I ’ ve been doing .
This morning we made dresses out of tissue paper , which was fun for them.
” We ’ d love to see what those dresses look like .

Ryan Reynolds is taking gin straight to the face as he isolates to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The actor appeared on Stephen Colbert’s video chat for “The Late Show” on Wednesday and talked about what it’s been like for him to stay cooped up at home with his wife, Blake Lively, their three daughters, and his mother-in-law.
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“We’re doing a lot of home-schooling. We’re lucky enough to have a little, tiny garden, so we’re learning a little bit about gardening. We’re trying to make this an educational experience, but I’m mostly drinking,” said Reynolds, who happens to own a gin company, Aviation gin, so he clearly has a plentiful supply of alcohol.
Reynolds called his ownership a “blessing and a huge curse” and told Colbert that he tells people he likes gin and soda, but he’s usually just drinking it by itself in a glass.
The 43-year-old also shared that he’s been enjoying his time with the ladies in his life, telling Colbert that he does “not miss masculine company at all.”
“Really, most men tend to just be the architects of someone’s demise. So it’s fine. I like just being here with the girls. I like doing the girls’ stuff,” he said.
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“Like, I try not to push sort of gender normative ideas on my kids as they’re born, but each one as soon as they came out of the chute, they wanted to make dresses, they wanted to dress in hot pink all day,” he said. “That’s what I’ve been doing. This morning we made dresses out of tissue paper, which was fun for them.”
We’d love to see what those dresses look like.


huffpost--2020-04-02--As Unemployment Claims Surge, Millions Are Still Waiting For Expanded Benefits

They ’ re among the record number of Americans who are out of work because of the pandemic .
The Labor Department announced Thursday that 6.6 million people applied for jobless benefits last week alone .
That number is expected to rise ―ultimately , the unemployment rate may hit 32 % because of the economic shutdown required to slow the spread of the virus .
The couple , who immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico about 15 years ago , is about to run out of the little money they had saved .
Rafael Rodriguez is lucky to have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 400 a week .
But it ’ s not even enough to cover their mortgage .
The family recently had to visit a food bank for supplies .
Each of the parents applied for unemployment benefits about a week ago .
Martha Rodriguez was turned down because she hadn ’ t worked enough hours at her part-time job to meet the threshold to qualify for benefits .
Her husband was approved , but only for around $ 100 a week since he still had a side gig .
It ’ s barely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill .
Under the new law , everyone who has lost a job because they ’ ve been furloughed or their employer was forced to shut down or they were laid off would get $ 600 a week on top of their usual benefit .
Even better , all kinds of workers would qualify , including part-timers and gig workers who aren ’ t usually eligible for benefits .
The problem is that implementing the new jobless benefits is a big bureaucratic procedure .
The Department of Labor is supposed to send guidance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
The states are still waiting .
The unemployment assistance in the stimulus benefit isn ’ t like typical jobless benefits , which are meant to provide a cushion to workers as they look for new jobs .
Typically , those payments only replace some of a worker ’ s salary .
These benefits are heftier , as they ’ re actually meant to let people stay home , so social distancing measures can happen without throwing millions of people into poverty .
But without sufficient help , many people don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Both the Rodriguezes said they are contemplating applying for jobs at Costco , one of the many essential grocery businesses looking to hire seasonal workers to deal with the crush of shoppers .
But that ’ s not really an option .
Martha Rodriguez probably can ’ t afford such a job ― she ’ s home-schooling her kids at the moment , and would somehow have to pay for child care .
And Rafael Rodriguez ’ s side job doesn ’ t have a consistent schedule , so it would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some states have already put in place their own beefed-up jobless benefits .
At least 27 states have gotten rid of the requirement that you must keep looking for work in order to receive money , which just isn ’ t possible during this unprecedented time when the economy has essentially been put on hold so Americans can stay home .
Others have extended the number of weeks they ’ d hand out money or waived waiting periods to get benefits .
“ This is an economic and public health crisis of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our lifetimes , ” Sanders told HuffPost in a statement .
“ Millions of people right now do not know how they ’ re going to feed their families.
” Still , Martha Rodriguez is thinking about taking their children to Mexico , where her mother lives , so they can save money on food and her husband can rent out the kids ’ room to make ends meet .
But , she said , Mexico is also dealing with the pandemic .

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Martha and Rafael Rodriguez, who are raising their two children in a condo in Renton, Washington, are exactly the kind of people Congress meant to help with the coronavirus stimulus package it passed last week.
They’re among the record number of Americans who are out of work because of the pandemic. The Labor Department announced Thursday that 6.6 million people applied for jobless benefits last week alone. That number is expected to rise ―ultimately, the unemployment rate may hit 32% because of the economic shutdown required to slow the spread of the virus.
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Rafael Rodriguez’s job vanished when the state went on lockdown and the local restaurant where he worked shut down. He typically made about $600 per week. Martha Rodriguez’s part-time position as a bilingual instructor at a local preschool is on ice until the schools reopen.
The couple, who immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico about 15 years ago, is about to run out of the little money they had saved. Rafael Rodriguez is lucky to have a second job, where he earns about $400 a week. But it’s not even enough to cover their mortgage. The family recently had to visit a food bank for supplies.
“We try not to eat too much,” Martha Rodriguez told HuffPost. “I said to my kids, ‘Don’t eat too much.’ It’s hard.”
She said her 11-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son know about the pandemic, but that they don’t really understand what’s going on with their finances.
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The Rodriguez family. Courtesy Martha Rodriguez
Each of the parents applied for unemployment benefits about a week ago. Martha Rodriguez was turned down because she hadn’t worked enough hours at her part-time job to meet the threshold to qualify for benefits. Her husband was approved, but only for around $100 a week since he still had a side gig. It’s barely enough to cover part of a grocery bill.
It’s not supposed to be like this. The pandemic benefit Congress passed last week is supposed to cover workers in precisely this kind of situation.
Under the new law, everyone who has lost a job because they’ve been furloughed or their employer was forced to shut down or they were laid off would get $600 a week on top of their usual benefit. Even better, all kinds of workers would qualify, including part-timers and gig workers who aren’t usually eligible for benefits.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called it “unemployment on steroids.” But steroids don’t work if you can’t get a hold of them.
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The problem is that implementing the new jobless benefits is a big bureaucratic procedure. The Department of Labor is supposed to send guidance to the states on how to do it. The states are still waiting.
“It’s a scary, scary time,” said Michelle Evermore, a senior researcher and policy analyst and the National Employment Law Project.
And it’s critical that this increased unemployment benefit gets out as quickly and as smoothly as possible.
The unemployment assistance in the stimulus benefit isn’t like typical jobless benefits, which are meant to provide a cushion to workers as they look for new jobs. Typically, those payments only replace some of a worker’s salary. These benefits are heftier, as they’re actually meant to let people stay home, so social distancing measures can happen without throwing millions of people into poverty.
“This is like a stay-at-home check,” Evermore said.
“I said to my kids, ‘Don’t eat too much.’ It’s hard.” - Martha Rodriguez
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But without sufficient help, many people don’t have the option to stay home. Both the Rodriguezes said they are contemplating applying for jobs at Costco, one of the many essential grocery businesses looking to hire seasonal workers to deal with the crush of shoppers.
But that’s not really an option. Martha Rodriguez probably can’t afford such a job ― she’s home-schooling her kids at the moment, and would somehow have to pay for child care. And Rafael Rodriguez’s side job doesn’t have a consistent schedule, so it would be hard to make another job work.
Once the guidance comes in from the Department of Labor, state unemployment agencies ― already facing an incredible volume of calls from desperate out-of-work people ― have to put a new system in place to hand out benefits.
Some states have already put in place their own beefed-up jobless benefits. At least 27 states have gotten rid of the requirement that you must keep looking for work in order to receive money, which just isn’t possible during this unprecedented time when the economy has essentially been put on hold so Americans can stay home. Others have extended the number of weeks they’d hand out money or waived waiting periods to get benefits.
But the big prize is coming from the stimulus bill, and everyone is just going to have to wait on that.
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Courtesy Martha Rodriguez
Washington state isn’t going to be giving out the new pandemic benefits until at least April 18, said Nick Demerice, public affairs director of the state’s employment security department.
“It is a long time to wait for folks,” he said. “Particularly those who haven’t been able to access traditional benefits.”
He emphasized that once Washington did have its system in place, benefits would be paid retroactively.
“It’s super important we get the aid out as fast as we can,” he said. “People desperately need this money and it’s also a tremendous undertaking.”
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A handful of Democratic senators recently called Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia to go over implementing the rules. And on Wednesday, Schumer, along with Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), sent a letter urging Scalia to act quickly.
“This is an economic and public health crisis of a magnitude that we have not seen in our lifetimes,” Sanders told HuffPost in a statement. “Millions of people right now do not know how they’re going to feed their families.”
The Rodriguezes didn’t even know about the jobless piece of the stimulus bill, and were somewhat hopeful that help was on the way.
Still, Martha Rodriguez is thinking about taking their children to Mexico, where her mother lives, so they can save money on food and her husband can rent out the kids’ room to make ends meet. But, she said, Mexico is also dealing with the pandemic.
Rafael Rodriguez said he’s having a hard time sleeping at night.
If it’s been this hard for their family, longtime citizens who are at least getting that $100 now, Martha Rodriguez is concerned about what it’s like for those in the community who are undocumented.
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huffpost--2020-04-01--California Governor Urges Other States To Issue Coronavirus Stay-At-Home Orders

California Gov .
Gavin Newsom ( D ) is calling on the governors of states that have not yet issued stay-at-home orders to do so now to help stem the spread of the coronavirus .
In an interview on Wednesday , CNN ’ s Jake Tapper asked Newsom if he had a message for those governors who have not taken such “ strong measures ” as California ’ s statewide shelter-in-place directive .
“ My message is this : What are you waiting for ?
What more evidence do you need ?
” Newsom said about issuing a stay-at-home order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home unless they ’ re performing or seeking out services deemed “ essential.
” The Golden State governor noted that there was “ no greater intervention , period , full stop , none , than physical distancing ” to curb further spread of the coronavirus , saying that such efforts can “ bend the curve , can save lives.
” As the U.S. has become the epicenter of the pandemic worldwide , more than a dozen states still have not issued statewide stay-at-home orders .
President Donald Trump has also not called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 200,000-plus reported cases in the U.S. as of Wednesday ― more than double the number less than a week ago .
Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis ( R ) finally issued such an order on Wednesday , to go into effect at midnight Thursday , after mounting cases in his state and pressure from state lawmakers .
Florida is currently among the states with the highest number of cases , with nearly 7,000 confirmed infections and at least 87 people dead .
California , which was one of the initial states to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March , became the first state to issue a shelter-in-place order nearly two weeks ago .
In the Golden State , there have been nearly 10,000 confirmed cases and more than 200 dead so far .
“ None of that could have happened soon enough , ” Newsom said Wednesday of his state ’ s efforts to stem the spread of the virus .
“ And all of that has bought us time and has helped us bend the curve in this respect ― that while we see things increasing , we don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as other parts of the country .
”

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is calling on the governors of states that have not yet issued stay-at-home orders to do so now to help stem the spread of the coronavirus.
In an interview on Wednesday, CNN’s Jake Tapper asked Newsom if he had a message for those governors who have not taken such “strong measures” as California’s statewide shelter-in-place directive.
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“My message is this: What are you waiting for? What more evidence do you need?” Newsom said about issuing a stay-at-home order, which generally instructs residents to remain at home unless they’re performing or seeking out services deemed “essential.”
“Take responsibility and meet it head-on,” he added of the COVID-19 pandemic. “You will never regret overcompensating.”
The Golden State governor noted that there was “no greater intervention, period, full stop, none, than physical distancing” to curb further spread of the coronavirus, saying that such efforts can “bend the curve, can save lives.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s message to states that have not issued stay-at-home orders: “What are you waiting for? What more evidence do you need? … There’s no greater intervention, period, full stop, none, than physical distancing.” pic.twitter.com/iiAoxr3O4k — The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) April 1, 2020
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As the U.S. has become the epicenter of the pandemic worldwide, more than a dozen states still have not issued statewide stay-at-home orders.
President Donald Trump has also not called for a national stay-at-home order, even with 200,000-plus reported cases in the U.S. as of Wednesday ― more than double the number less than a week ago.
California, which was one of the initial states to experience a rise in coronavirus cases in March, became the first state to issue a shelter-in-place order nearly two weeks ago. In the Golden State, there have been nearly 10,000 confirmed cases and more than 200 dead so far.
“None of that could have happened soon enough,” Newsom said Wednesday of his state’s efforts to stem the spread of the virus. “And all of that has bought us time and has helped us bend the curve in this respect ― that while we see things increasing, we don’t see them increasing as fast as other parts of the country.”
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huffpost--2020-04-02--Man Intentionally Derailed Speeding Train In Attempt To Smash Hospital Ship, Feds Say

LOS ANGELES ( AP ) — A train engineer intentionally drove a speeding locomotive off a track at the Port of Los Angeles because he was suspicious about the presence of a Navy hospital ship docked there to help during the coronovirus crisis , federal prosecutors said Wednesday .
The locomotive crashed through a series of barriers and fences before coming to rest more than 250 yards ( 230 meters ) from the U.S. Navy Hospital Ship Mercy on Tuesday , the U.S. Department of Justice said in a release .
Eduardo Moreno , 44 , was charged with one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It wasn ’ t immediately known if he has an attorney .
Moreno acknowledged in two separate interviews with law enforcement that he intentionally derailed and crashed the train near the Mercy , according to the criminal complaint .
“ You only get this chance once .
The whole world is watching .
I had to , ” Moreno told investigators , according to the complaint .
“ People don ’ t know what ’ s going on here .
Now they will.
” Moreno said he was suspicious of the Mercy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ related to COVID-19 or a government takeover , an affidavit states .
Moreno stated that he acted alone and had not pre-planned the attempted attack .
In an interview with FBI agents , Moreno stated that “ he did it out of the desire to ‘ wake people up , ’ ” according to an affidavit .
“ Moreno stated that he thought that the USNS Mercy was suspicious and did not believe ‘ the ship is what they say it ’ s for , ’ ” the complaint said .
# BREAKING @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after allegedly running a locomotive off the tracks in an attempt to hit USNS Mercy .
The Mercy is docked in the Port of LA to ease crowding at local hospitals during the # COVIDー19 pandemic .
@ Stu_Mundel reports from # Sky9 pic.twitter.com/IYnDUuQDat — Mike Rogers ( @ MikeRogersTV ) April 1 , 2020 The Mercy arrived in port this week to provide a thousand hospital beds for non-coronavirus cases to take the load of regional medical centers expecting a surge of COVID-19 patients .
Cell phone video showed the locomotive upright @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apparently smashed through a concrete barrier at the end of the track , slid across pavement and gravel , and hit a chain-link fence before coming to a rest .
Phillip Sanfield , spokesman for the Port of Los Angeles , said the locomotive never came close to the Mercy .
“ It would have had to have gone several hundred yards through a parking lot and cross a water channel to reach the ship , ” Sanfield said .
“ The tracks are nowhere near the Mercy.
” The engineer wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working for Pacific Harbor Line Inc. , a train company that handles cargo in the port and connects to major railroad lines , Sanfield said .
The company didn ’ t immediately return a phone call seeking comment .
Moreno was arrested by a California Highway Patrol officer who witnessed the crash and captured him as he fled the scene .
The FBI ’ s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Port of Los Angeles Police are now leading the investigation .
The CHP officer reported seeing “ the train smash into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track , smash into a steel barrier , smash into a chain-link fence , slide through a parking lot , slide across another lot filled with gravel , and smash into a second chain-link fence , ” according to an affadavit .

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — A train engineer intentionally drove a speeding locomotive off a track at the Port of Los Angeles because he was suspicious about the presence of a Navy hospital ship docked there to help during the coronovirus crisis, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
The locomotive crashed through a series of barriers and fences before coming to rest more than 250 yards (230 meters) from the U.S. Navy Hospital Ship Mercy on Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a release.
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Nobody was hurt.
Eduardo Moreno, 44, was charged with one count of train wrecking, prosecutors said. It wasn’t immediately known if he has an attorney.
Moreno acknowledged in two separate interviews with law enforcement that he intentionally derailed and crashed the train near the Mercy, according to the criminal complaint.
“You only get this chance once. The whole world is watching. I had to,” Moreno told investigators, according to the complaint. “People don’t know what’s going on here. Now they will.”
Train derailment in San Pedro was a deliberate attempt to smash USNS Mercy, prosecutors say. https://t.co/M68qunPLZ8 — Julie Bykowicz (@bykowicz) April 2, 2020
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Moreno said he was suspicious of the Mercy and believed it had an alternate purpose related to COVID-19 or a government takeover, an affidavit states. Moreno stated that he acted alone and had not pre-planned the attempted attack.
In an interview with FBI agents, Moreno stated that “he did it out of the desire to ‘wake people up,’” according to an affidavit.
“Moreno stated that he thought that the USNS Mercy was suspicious and did not believe ‘the ship is what they say it’s for,’” the complaint said.
#BREAKING: Train engineer arrested on terrorism charges after allegedly running a locomotive off the tracks in an attempt to hit USNS Mercy. The Mercy is docked in the Port of LA to ease crowding at local hospitals during the #COVIDー19 pandemic. @Stu_Mundel reports from #Sky9 pic.twitter.com/IYnDUuQDat — Mike Rogers (@MikeRogersTV) April 1, 2020
The Mercy arrived in port this week to provide a thousand hospital beds for non-coronavirus cases to take the load of regional medical centers expecting a surge of COVID-19 patients.
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Cell phone video showed the locomotive upright in a patch of dirt. It apparently smashed through a concrete barrier at the end of the track, slid across pavement and gravel, and hit a chain-link fence before coming to a rest.
Phillip Sanfield, spokesman for the Port of Los Angeles, said the locomotive never came close to the Mercy.
“It would have had to have gone several hundred yards through a parking lot and cross a water channel to reach the ship,” Sanfield said. “ The tracks are nowhere near the Mercy.”
The engineer wasn’t a port employee but apparently was working for Pacific Harbor Line Inc., a train company that handles cargo in the port and connects to major railroad lines, Sanfield said. The company didn’t immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
A small fuel leak was quickly controlled and port operations weren’t seriously affected, Sanfield said.
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Moreno was arrested by a California Highway Patrol officer who witnessed the crash and captured him as he fled the scene. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Port of Los Angeles Police are now leading the investigation.