huffpost--2020-04-07--Elon Musk's Billionaire Brother Told His Workers They Were Family. Until COVID-19 Hit.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin via Getty Images Kimbal Musk touted his restaurant chain as a business that took care of people .
Not a family as wealthy as Musk ’ s ― the self-proclaimed philanthropist and restaurateur , known for his signature cowboy hat , is the younger brother of multibillionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk .
But workers at Next Door did have something called the Family Fund .
A pool of money they contributed to out of their paychecks , the fund was supposed to be there for them in times of crisis .
As the restaurant chain grappled with the business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told employees on March 16 that it would temporarily shut down operations for two weeks .
Managers would have to take pay cuts , they were told .
Hourly workers would get no pay at all , though they were told they could access paid sick time ― but they never got it .
Many applied for grants from the Family Fund , according to several former employees .
That ’ s only for current employees , they were told .
“ This has always been a rule of the program , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an email to one employee in Memphis who asked about the money .
“ Of course , we are all upset by the closure of these locations and we are here to assist you in any way we can.
” “ The Kitchen Restaurant Group did this 100 % the wrong way , ” the ex-manager said , referring to the owner of the Next Door chain .
“ They took people who were loyal to them and they slammed the door in their face .
I understand that sometimes business decisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way , I felt like it was really wrong.
” “ While we are working on making the Family Fund more accessible to employees at this time , it has limitations of only $ 400 per eligible employee , ” he said .
“ I will continue to personally help fund it and I remain thankful to everyone who has contributed .
My heart goes out to those who have been impacted and I hope that our industry , and our country , can recover quickly , ” he added .
Maybe He @ @ @ @ @

Kimbal Musk touted his restaurant chain as a business that took care of people. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin via Getty Images
At Next Door, the community-oriented, “sustainable” restaurant chain owned by billionaire Kimbal Musk, workers were told they were part of a family.
Not a family as wealthy as Musk’s ― the self-proclaimed philanthropist and restaurateur, known for his signature cowboy hat, is the younger brother of multibillionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk. But workers at Next Door did have something called the Family Fund. A pool of money they contributed to out of their paychecks, the fund was supposed to be there for them in times of crisis.
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Then a crisis hit. And the Family Fund wasn’t there for them at all.
Next Door and Kimbal Musk touted themselves as all about “empowering the community, taking care of people, wanting to invest in people,” said a former manager, who had been putting $2.50 a check into the fund. “That’s part of the shock. Was this all just a hoax?”
As the restaurant chain grappled with the business impact of the coronavirus, Next Door told employees on March 16 that it would temporarily shut down operations for two weeks. Managers would have to take pay cuts, they were told. Hourly workers would get no pay at all, though they were told they could access paid sick time ― but they never got it. Many applied for grants from the Family Fund, according to several former employees.
What happened next was “pretty shady,” said Reggie Moore, the former head chef at the Indianapolis Next Door and one of seven former Next Door employees who spoke with HuffPost.
Five days after the temporary shutdown, management told workers that the Family Fund was changing. “In an effort to better help our employees, we are in the process of revising our Family Fund program,” reads an email sent March 21 to employees, which HuffPost reviewed.
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The email promises that under the revised program, employees will get a $400 grant within one to two days. There was a catch, written in bold and underlined: “Please note that if you have already applied to Family Fund, you will need to re-apply through the new application link.”
But employees never got that link. Just two days later, on March 23, about 100 of them were officially out of a job. Musk closed four of the restaurant’s 11 locations, in Indianapolis, Memphis, the Cleveland area and Highlands Ranch, Colorado.
The timing of the closures, halfway through the “temporary” two-week pause, surprised some workers. Many asked about the Family Fund.
That’s only for current employees, they were told. “This has always been a rule of the program,” wrote a Next Door human relations representative in an email to one employee in Memphis who asked about the money. “Of course, we are all upset by the closure of these locations and we are here to assist you in any way we can.”
Workers in the restaurants, some of whom made the tipped minimum wage of $2.13 an hour, were not given any severance. Many have not been paid their accrued sick time.
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“It’s a betrayal. It seems really sneaky,” one former Next Door manager told HuffPost, declining to publish his name for fear of repercussions from Musk.
“The Kitchen Restaurant Group did this 100% the wrong way,” the ex-manager said, referring to the owner of the Next Door chain. “They took people who were loyal to them and they slammed the door in their face. I understand that sometimes business decisions must be made but doing it this way, I felt like it was really wrong.”
Just Branding
Kimbal Musk founded the Kitchen Restaurant Group with the aim of promoting “real food,” he told The New York Times in 2017. Next Door, one of its brands, serves standard modern healthy fare ― salads, quinoa, tahini, kale chips and more.
But Musk’s proclaimed mission was more ambitious than veggie bowls. He has said he wanted to combine his passion for farming and food with his Silicon Valley tech background. (He helped found a company with his brother in the 1990s that they sold to Compaq Computers for $381 million.)
Musk also founded a startup incubator in Brooklyn, New York, called Square Roots, which provides equipment to urban farmers looking to experiment with growing arugula and romaine without using soil. Lately, he’s been posting on Instagram about planting seeds and saving restaurants during the pandemic by advocating for the federal stimulus program. Musk has also aggressively promoted his $25 million nonprofit, which helps bring gardens to public schools.
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It would’ve cost a lot less than $25 million to give them severance, former Next Door employees said. The way the company handled the restaurant closings ran completely counter to the restaurants’ alleged mission, they told HuffPost.
The former head chef in the Memphis outpost, Mason Whitman, said he’d never really bought into all the Next Door marketing hype. Though the fast timeline ― from business pause to total closure ― was jarring, he wasn’t too surprised by how things ended.
“I knew that in order to succeed at the company that I sort of had to drink a little bit of the Kool-Aid, but I tried to keep in the back of my mind that it was just branding,” said Whitman.
HuffPost sent a list of questions to Kimbal Musk, asking how much money was in the Family Fund and whether any of that cash has been disbursed, among other things.
He responded with a statement noting that the government would provide his former employees with assistance far beyond what the Family Fund could offer. Musk also said that he personally contributes to the fund and implied that no employees have received any of the money.
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“When the government mandated restaurants to close in mid-March, we helped rally the government for the stimulus package to support workers across the hospitality industry,” Musk said in the statement. “I’m glad the government has been able to step in and offer a relief package. This is far and above what our Family Fund could provide.”
Musk said that the Family Fund “was never intended to support a pandemic,” but rather meant to help employees deal with personal emergencies.
“While we are working on making the Family Fund more accessible to employees at this time, it has limitations of only $400 per eligible employee,” he said. “I will continue to personally help fund it and I remain thankful to everyone who has contributed. My heart goes out to those who have been impacted and I hope that our industry, and our country, can recover quickly,” he added.
Musk gave more details about the Family Fund in a live-streamed video for current employees on Wednesday, after HuffPost published this article. Along with company co-founder Hugo Matheson, he said that since the crisis they have disbursed 21 grants of $400 each from the fund to current employees, according to a clip obtained by HuffPost.
Eighty-eight workers remain on the waiting list for grants. And it’s unclear whether those employees will get money. It will depend on the help his workers receive from government stimulus efforts, Musk said.
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Musk also noted that the company changed the way the Family Fund operated after the pandemic hit in order to handle the surge in applications. He said he and his co-founder kicked in an extra $10,000 to the fund, bringing its total holdings to around $25,000.
Two days after he announced Next Door’s temporary shutdown, Musk and his wife had posted this video about donating to food banks and helping people plant seeds:
Looking For Options
The seven former Next Door employees who spoke with HuffPost have applied for unemployment insurance. None has received a check yet. None has heard of any of their former co-workers receiving benefits yet.
Some are looking for work at grocery stores. Moore, the head chef in Indianapolis, said that he’d applied to CVS, Sam’s Club and Aldi and that he’s waiting on his unemployment check.
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He’s doing OK relying on savings, he said. But Moore was worried about his colleagues. He’d been donating $2 a week from his pay to the Family Fund.
“If I can give two dollars and give someone any opportunity to keep their lights on or keep some food in their fridge, two dollars is not too bad for me,” he said, adding that he thought the restaurant group had enough money to give something to out-of-work employees.
It’s possible that former employees who contributed to the Family Fund could have a fraud claim against the company, but without more understanding of the details of the fund’s plans, it’s hard to tell if the company did anything illegal, said Aaron Holt, a labor and employment attorney at Cozen O’Connor.
Denying money to former employees might jibe with the fund’s parameters, he said. But questions might be asked over how the fund was managed between the time of the Next Door pause and the official shuttering of stores.
“If this manager has control of the fund and they sit on it or take and don’t pay out anything, that’s close to fraud,” Holt said.
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Maybe He’ll Learn From This
When Kimbal Musk, a South African native, first opened his restaurant in Memphis, he spoke glowingly of the city, telling The New York Times, “The Americana here gives me goose bumps. I’ve been to Graceland twice. The community has been so welcoming, it’s just ridiculous.”
Former employees in Memphis said that, up until the end, working at Musk’s restaurant was a great experience.
“Next Door was the best food industry job I ever had. By far,” said a former back-of-the-house worker, who touted the paid sick leave and the staff’s camaraderie. He declined to be named, citing privacy concerns.
But the way it ended? “That was cold.” He and his partner ― who also worked at Next Door ― both applied to the Family Fund after the temporary shutdown was announced, he said.
The way the company handled the Family Fund website, felt misleading, he said. It’s like they found a “loophole.”
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But this worker said he’s not angry at Musk.
“Me sitting around being mad at Kimbal Musk doesn’t really do me any good,” he said. He added that Musk must be scared about the restaurants not making money.
“I know I don’t make very good decisions when I’m afraid,” he said. “Hopefully one day he’ll see he didn’t handle this the best way.”


huffpost--2020-04-07--Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Reveal Name Of Their New Nonprofit Organization

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle revealed the name of their new nonprofit organization Tuesday , nearly one week after announcing that they would no longer update their website or Instagram account , Sussex Royal .
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that they will call their initiative Archewell — which sounds a lot like their son ’ s name , Archie — after The Telegraph found paperwork applications the couple filed in the U.S. last month .
“ Like you , our focus is on supporting efforts to tackle the global Covid-19 pandemic but faced with this information coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ share the story of how this came to be , ” the Sussexes said in a statement about Archewell , obtained by HuffPost .
“ Before SussexRoyal came the idea of ‘ arche ’ — the Greek word meaning ‘ source of action , ’ ” the couple continued .
“ We connected to this concept for the charitable organization we hoped to build one day , and it became the inspiration for our son ’ s name .
To do something of meaning , to do something that matters .
Archewell is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for strength and action , and another that evokes the deep resources we each must draw upon.
” The couple added that they would still like the focus to remain on the coronavirus pandemic , but they “ look forward to launching Archewell when the time is right.
” The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend the Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House on March 5 in London .
The Telegraph reported that the paperwork filed for Archewell covered emotional support groups , a multimedia educational empire and a well-being website .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent others from using the couple ’ s name once they officially launch the organization .
The Sussexes officially stepped back from their royal duties on March 31 and reportedly located to Los Angeles from their temporary home on Vancouver Island .
As the couple inch closer to Hollywood , the duchess returned to her pre-royal roots with a Disney movie fit for the whole family .
Meghan narrated the new nature documentary “ Elephant , ” which follows an elephant family ’ s 1,000-mile journey across Africa for water .

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle revealed the name of their new nonprofit organization Tuesday, nearly one week after announcing that they would no longer update their website or Instagram account, Sussex Royal.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that they will call their initiative Archewell — which sounds a lot like their son’s name, Archie — after The Telegraph found paperwork applications the couple filed in the U.S. last month.
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“Like you, our focus is on supporting efforts to tackle the global Covid-19 pandemic but faced with this information coming to light, we felt compelled to share the story of how this came to be,” the Sussexes said in a statement about Archewell, obtained by HuffPost.
“Before SussexRoyal came the idea of ‘arche’ — the Greek word meaning ‘source of action,’” the couple continued. “We connected to this concept for the charitable organization we hoped to build one day, and it became the inspiration for our son’s name. To do something of meaning, to do something that matters. Archewell is a name that combines an ancient word for strength and action, and another that evokes the deep resources we each must draw upon.”
The couple added that they would still like the focus to remain on the coronavirus pandemic, but they “look forward to launching Archewell when the time is right.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend the Endeavour Fund Awards at Mansion House on March 5 in London. Max Mumby/Indigo via Getty Images
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The Telegraph reported that the paperwork filed for Archewell covered emotional support groups, a multimedia educational empire and a well-being website. The trademark applications could be purely protective to prevent others from using the couple’s name once they officially launch the organization.
The Sussexes officially stepped back from their royal duties on March 31 and reportedly located to Los Angeles from their temporary home on Vancouver Island.
As the couple inch closer to Hollywood, the duchess returned to her pre-royal roots with a Disney movie fit for the whole family. Meghan narrated the new nature documentary “Elephant,” which follows an elephant family’s 1,000-mile journey across Africa for water.
The U.K. Times first reported in January that the duchess was doing a voiceover deal with Disney in exchange for a donation to Elephants Without Borders.
Subscribe to HuffPost’s Watching the Royals newsletter for all things Windsor (and beyond).


huffpost--2020-04-07--It's Time To Say It: Trump Is Handling COVID-19 Like A Dictator

Since the start of the crisis , advanced democracies — even those ruled by right-leaning parties — have listened to public health experts and taken drastic steps to safeguard both their residents and their economies .
In the United Kingdom , for example , Boris Johnson ’ s Conservative Party is offering laid-off workers 80 % of their salaries if their employers keep them on the payroll .
The world ’ s authoritarians , on the other hand , have responded to COVID-19 , the illness caused by the coronavirus , with tantrums of paranoia and denial .
As recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bolsonaro was calling coronavirus a “ little cold.
” Vladimir Putin claimed that Russia had conducted 200,000 tests but had found just 495 COVID-19 cases .
In Turkey , President Recep Erdogan delayed imposing a full lockdown order , insisting that “ the cogs must keep turning under every circumstance and every condition.
” The effects of this mismanagement are already showing up in the polls .
Nearly every world leader , democratic and otherwise , has seen a bump in their approval rating over the last 30 days .
Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and is already starting to fade .
To researchers of modern authoritarianism , however , Trump ’ s actions aren ’ t so confusing .
The last 30 years have given rise to a new type of leader and a new way of doing politics .
From Putin ’ s Russia to Bolsonaro ’ s Brazil to Viktor Orbán ’ s Hungary , a global drift away from democracy has changed the way experts think about dictatorships .
“ It ’ s a more subtle and smart form of authoritarianism , ” Frantz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was no fooling ordinary people that the regime was repressive .
Now , when it comes to things like restricting the independence of judges or shutting down political opposition , authoritarians are careful to maintain plausible deniability .
The smartest dictators have huge numbers of citizens who don ’ t think they live in a dictatorship.
” These days , Frantz said , dictators achieve their repressive goals not through mass terror but through seemingly harmless administrative procedures and technicalities .
Instead of canceling elections , they underfund polling stations in jurisdictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of assassinating their political opponents , they require them to get an impossible number of signatures to appear on ballots .
Instead of censoring journalists , they sue them for libel or subject them to tax audits .
But while this strategy is great for staying in power , it ’ s terrible for handling a crisis like COVID-19 .
Most modern authoritarians are much more concerned about seeming competent than being competent .
Under normal circumstances , they can use propaganda , social media or — ahem — daily press briefings to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cracking down on corruption or deftly handling the economy .
And that , she said , is when things will get dangerous .
So far , modern authoritarians have responded to falling popular support by enacting “ emergency ” legislation that entrenches their power and stifles dissent .
Turkey has started harassing citizens who criticize Erdogan on social media .
Russia has banned the distribution of “ fake news ” — i.e .
anything that makes Putin look bad .
Last week , in a stunning echo of the 1930s , Hungary ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by decree indefinitely .
“ The things to watch out for are the expansion of emergency powers , changing the timing of the election and anything that seeks to sideline critical voices , ” Frantz said .
“ This is something we ’ re going to see a lot of in other places and we should watch out for here.
” Before the early 2000s , the typical dictator was a military leader , a monarch or the head of an established political party .
When he gained power , he brought an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What made leaders like Stalin , Hitler and Mao so dangerous was not only their genocidal policies , but their competence in implementing them .
“ Authoritarianism is fueled by insecurity , fear and tribalism , ” Norris said , adding that most of the world ’ s authoritarian populist leaders appeal to older , rural and conservative populations , majorities who feel they are losing their grip on power .
“ These groups feel their status and power is under threat and they are willing to vote for someone who promises to @ @ @ @ @

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President Donald Trump is handling the coronavirus more like the world’s authoritarian rulers than its democratically elected leaders.
Since the start of the crisis, advanced democracies — even those ruled by right-leaning parties — have listened to public health experts and taken drastic steps to safeguard both their residents and their economies. In the United Kingdom, for example, Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party is offering laid-off workers 80% of their salaries if their employers keep them on the payroll.
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The world’s authoritarians, on the other hand, have responded to COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, with tantrums of paranoia and denial. As recently as last week, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was calling coronavirus a “little cold.” Vladimir Putin claimed that Russia had conducted 200,000 tests but had found just 495 COVID-19 cases. In Turkey, President Recep Erdogan delayed imposing a full lockdown order, insisting that “the cogs must keep turning under every circumstance and every condition.”
By any rational calculation, authoritarian leaders should be using the virus to boost their own popularity. Instead, they’re taking a stance that will allow COVID-19 to ravage their populations and destroy their economies — both of which risk sparking popular movements against them.
Trump is following the same playbook. Though tackling the virus and offering generous relief to workers would likely improve his chances of winning the election in November, Trump has spent the last two months denying the virus’ existence, then downplaying its significance, then signing a skimpy relief package.
The effects of this mismanagement are already showing up in the polls. Nearly every world leader, democratic and otherwise, has seen a bump in their approval rating over the last 30 days. Trump’s bump was one of the smallest — and is already starting to fade.
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“Authoritarian populists don’t trust science and expertise in general and they mistrust scientific evidence. It’s a philosophy that defines how they approach everything they do.” - Pippa Norris, Harvard political scientist
To most people, this represents a paradox. Why would Trump handle COVID-19 in a way that’s almost guaranteed to cause the most deaths, irritate the most voters and maximize his chances of losing the election?
To researchers of modern authoritarianism, however, Trump’s actions aren’t so confusing. The last 30 years have given rise to a new type of leader and a new way of doing politics. From Putin’s Russia to Bolsonaro’s Brazil to Viktor Orbán’s Hungary, a global drift away from democracy has changed the way experts think about dictatorships.
“If you check the boxes, Trump fits the classic description of a populist authoritarian,” said Ronald Inglehart, a political science professor at the University of Michigan and the author of “Cultural Evolution: People’s Motivations are Changing, and Reshaping the World.”
“The message is always ‘rally behind a strong leader who will protect you from dangerous outsiders.’ That’s where we’ve been since his campaign started.”
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A New Kind of Authoritarian
Dictatorships are not what they used to be. Since the end of the Cold War, authoritarian regimes have changed in two fundamental ways, both of which have profound implications for the global spread of the coronavirus.
First, modern dictators are more likely to mimic the characteristics of more liberal countries.
“Most dictatorships these days pretend to be democratic,” said Erica Frantz, a political scientist at Michigan State University. “They didn’t use to do that.”
As opposed to old-school authoritarians like Adolf Hitler, Mao Zedong or Joseph Stalin, modern dictators are more likely to hold regular elections and allow popular protests. Their goal isn’t to terrorize their own populations. They simply want to convince them — through state propaganda and misinformation — that they’re doing a good job.
“It’s a more subtle and smart form of authoritarianism,” Frantz said. “In the past, there was no fooling ordinary people that the regime was repressive. Now, when it comes to things like restricting the independence of judges or shutting down political opposition, authoritarians are careful to maintain plausible deniability. The smartest dictators have huge numbers of citizens who don’t think they live in a dictatorship.”
Like Trump, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has responded to the coronavirus with paranoia and denial. EVARISTO SA via Getty Images
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These days, Frantz said, dictators achieve their repressive goals not through mass terror but through seemingly harmless administrative procedures and technicalities. Instead of canceling elections, they underfund polling stations in jurisdictions where they’re unpopular. Instead of assassinating their political opponents, they require them to get an impossible number of signatures to appear on ballots. Instead of censoring journalists, they sue them for libel or subject them to tax audits.
While a few exceptions still remain (like in North Korea, Myanmar and Iran), today’s dictatorships, on the surface, look a lot like democracies: They’re embedded in the global economy, accepted by international institutions — and very good at hiding their true nature from much of their own populations.
But while this strategy is great for staying in power, it’s terrible for handling a crisis like COVID-19. Most modern authoritarians are much more concerned about seeming competent than being competent. Under normal circumstances, they can use propaganda, social media or — ahem — daily press briefings to make citizens believe that they’re cracking down on corruption or deftly handling the economy.
But they can only maintain the illusion for so long. As their rosy public statements fall further behind the real-world conditions of their populations, their approval ratings begin to catch up to reality.
“In the long term, if deaths keep going up and the disaster is as bad as everyone predicts, there has to be a blowback on Trump,” said Pippa Norris, a political science professor at Harvard.
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And that, she said, is when things will get dangerous. So far, modern authoritarians have responded to falling popular support by enacting “emergency” legislation that entrenches their power and stifles dissent. Turkey has started harassing citizens who criticize Erdogan on social media. Russia has banned the distribution of “fake news” — i.e. anything that makes Putin look bad. Last week, in a stunning echo of the 1930s, Hungary’s Orbán gained the power to rule by decree indefinitely.
These moves, Frantz said, are exactly what Americans should watch out for with Trump. If the short-term spike in his approval ratings starts to fade, he may take more desperate steps to protect himself from accountability.
“The things to watch out for are the expansion of emergency powers, changing the timing of the election and anything that seeks to sideline critical voices,” Frantz said. “This is something we’re going to see a lot of in other places and we should watch out for here.”
Authoritarians Value Loyalty Over Competence
Another subtle shift in authoritarianism is what political scientists call “personalization”: Today’s dictators run their countries more like cults than like governments.
Before the early 2000s, the typical dictator was a military leader, a monarch or the head of an established political party. When he gained power, he brought an entire hierarchy into office with him. What made leaders like Stalin, Hitler and Mao so dangerous was not only their genocidal policies, but their competence in implementing them.
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Since then, however, evil-genius authoritarians have become rarer. The new generation of dictators are more likely to be what Inglehart and Norris call “populist authoritarians” — charismatic leaders who promise to be the political vessel for their supporters’ cultural frustrations and xenophobia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has used the coronavirus pandemic as a reason to expand his powers. ASSOCIATED PRESS
“Authoritarian populists depict themselves as outsiders,” Norris said. Brazil’s Bolsonaro, Turkey’s Erdogan and Hungary’s Orbán all rose to power by bragging about their lack of political experience, blaming minority groups for their country’s problems and promising to restore traditional values. (Sound familiar?)
“Authoritarianism is fueled by insecurity, fear and tribalism,” Norris said, adding that most of the world’s authoritarian populist leaders appeal to older, rural and conservative populations, majorities who feel they are losing their grip on power. “These groups feel their status and power is under threat and they are willing to vote for someone who promises to speak for them.”
In contrast to traditional dictators, however, modern-day authoritarians often don’t have the skill — or, in many cases, the interest — to competently enact their agendas. Instead of employing experienced administrators, authoritarians typically appoint loyalists and family members. When they fail to deliver on their outsize campaign promises, authoritarians double down, blaming shadowy conspiracies and wily saboteurs inside their own government agencies.
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“Authoritarian populists don’t trust science and expertise in general and they mistrust scientific evidence,” Norris said. “And it’s not just them as individuals. It’s a philosophy that defines how they approach everything they do.”
This explains why modern authoritarians have responded to COVID-19 with paranoia and denial: They’ve deliberately purged their administrations of anyone who will tell them hard truths about their own performance.
Trump’s COVID-19 response follows the same outline: deny science, purge whistleblowers, and install unqualified family members in key positions.
“When leaders hollow out the institutions and get rid of people who aren’t loyal to them, that leads to erratic behavior,” Frantz said. “They insulate themselves from information. They surround themselves with yes-men. That’s a recipe for incompetence.”
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huffpost--2020-04-07--What People Who Work From Home All The Time Have To Say About A Good WFH Routine

What may have started out as a vicious cycle of waking up a few minutes before your first morning meeting and staying in your pajamas all day with “ The Office ” on in the background might quickly have become an unsustainable work-from-home routine .
As remote work becomes more common in the era of social distancing , many are reevaluating what a good work-from-home routine looks like .
Setting up a proper workspace is a start , whether that ’ s finally investing in a desk for your small space or making working from your bed a bit more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from folks who ’ ve worked from home long before now ?
From freelancers to small business owners , the people who ’ ve worked from home well before the COVID-19 era have a lot of wisdom to share when it comes to productivity at home .
So we decided to ask them — the work-from-homers — how they make the most of their home office setups .
The most common advice we received from people who work from home all the time was about creating — and sticking to — a routine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Lauren Harbury , the founder of Feminist Goods Co. , a womxn-positive clothing brand , which she runs from her North Carolina home .
The brand donates 10 % of its annual proceeds to Planned Parenthood .
“ Working from home can turn into sitting in front of a computer for 12 hours a day .
This isn ’ t good for anyone , ” Harbury told HuffPost Finds .
“ I set calendar alerts for breaks at least every 2 to 3 hours .
Get up and do some stretching .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ around your block ( and be safe ) .
” In fact , there ’ s some science to Harbury ’ s tip .
Experts agree that taking a break every now and then is one of the best things you can do for both your physical and mental health at work .
Mostly , taking a short break roughly every 90 minutes or so is a good way to refresh and refocus on the task at hand .
That ’ s good advice whether you ’ re working from the office or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and post-work routine is another way Harbury separates work time from home time .
That might mean like starting your day with breakfast by the window , and ending it with a screen-free outdoor walk .
In the end , working from home probably isn ’ t for everyone .
But it ’ s a reality many people are adjusting to for the time being , and there are small ways you can make your work-from-home routine feel more productive .
Here are some of the best tips , tricks and finds that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days .

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What may have started out as a vicious cycle of waking up a few minutes before your first morning meeting and staying in your pajamas all day with “The Office” on in the background might quickly have become an unsustainable work-from-home routine.
Advertisement
As remote work becomes more common in the era of social distancing, many are reevaluating what a good work-from-home routine looks like.
But what can we learn from folks who’ve worked from home long before now? From freelancers to small business owners, the people who’ve worked from home well before the COVID-19 era have a lot of wisdom to share when it comes to productivity at home.
So we decided to ask them — the work-from-homers — how they make the most of their home office setups.
Advertisement
The most common advice we received from people who work from home all the time was about creating — and sticking to — a routine. Particularly one that involves breaks, said Lauren Harbury, the founder of Feminist Goods Co., a womxn-positive clothing brand, which she runs from her North Carolina home. The brand donates 10% of its annual proceeds to Planned Parenthood.
“Working from home can turn into sitting in front of a computer for 12 hours a day. This isn’t good for anyone,” Harbury told HuffPost Finds. “I set calendar alerts for breaks at least every 2 to 3 hours. Get up and do some stretching. Pat your dog. Take a walk around your block (and be safe).”
In fact, there’s some science to Harbury’s tip. Experts agree that taking a break every now and then is one of the best things you can do for both your physical and mental health at work. Mostly, taking a short break roughly every 90 minutes or so is a good way to refresh and refocus on the task at hand. That’s good advice whether you’re working from the office or your dining table.
Establishing a pre- and post-work routine is another way Harbury separates work time from home time. That might mean like starting your day with breakfast by the window, and ending it with a screen-free outdoor walk.
In the end, working from home probably isn’t for everyone. But it’s a reality many people are adjusting to for the time being, and there are small ways you can make your work-from-home routine feel more productive.
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Here are some of the best tips, tricks and finds that help work-from-homers stay on track throughout the days.
Here’s what they said:


huffpost--2020-04-07--Lady Gaga Apologizes To Jimmy Fallon After Awkward Interview

Like in her song “ Telephone , ” Lady Gaga was k-kinda busy during her previous interview with Jimmy Fallon .
Last Wednesday , the singer was supposed to go on the “ Tonight Show ” with a big announcement , and the whole thing went south quickly .
“ I can ’ t , Jimmy .
I can ’ t talk right now , ” Gaga said during the call , adding , “ Am I on TV ?
” The “ Stupid Love ” singer then changed the call to Friday , before calling back and changing it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m so sorry , ” Gaga said with a laugh .
“ We weren ’ t quite ready yet , and I really appreciate you being so nice about it .
And thank you , and I love you .
I love your viewers and everyone at home watching .
I just wish everybody well.
” By the time of the call , the big news was already revealed : Lady Gaga would be coordinating a massive COVID-19 benefit special with Global Citizen and the World Health Organization called “ One World : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on basically every major service April 18 .
Gaga then dished the deets , saying the event will include athletes , actors , “ Sesame Street ” characters and more .
Plus , it ’ ll be hosted by a late night holy trinity : the triple trifecta of Fallon , Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert .
“ Especially in this time , I don ’ t think there is an NBC , a CBS , ABC ratings thing .
It doesn ’ t matter at this point , ” Fallon said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting out there and telling everybody and reassuring everyone and spreading kindness and saying , ‘ Hey we ’ re in this .
Let ’ s help each other when we can.
’ ” Hear all about it below , and give everyone participating in the special some applause , applause , applause .

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Like in her song “Telephone,” Lady Gaga was k-kinda busy during her previous interview with Jimmy Fallon.
Last Wednesday, the singer was supposed to go on the “Tonight Show” with a big announcement, and the whole thing went south quickly.
Advertisement
“I can’t, Jimmy. I can’t talk right now,” Gaga said during the call, adding, “Am I on TV?”
The “Stupid Love” singer then changed the call to Friday, before calling back and changing it again to Monday.
On Monday, true to her word, Gaga showed up.
“I’m so sorry,” Gaga said with a laugh. “We weren’t quite ready yet, and I really appreciate you being so nice about it. And thank you, and I love you. I love your viewers and everyone at home watching. I just wish everybody well.”
By the time of the call, the big news was already revealed: Lady Gaga would be coordinating a massive COVID-19 benefit special with Global Citizen and the World Health Organization called “One World: Together at Home.” It will stream on basically every major service April 18.
Gaga then dished the deets, saying the event will include athletes, actors, “Sesame Street” characters and more. Plus, it’ll be hosted by a late night holy trinity: the triple trifecta of Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert.
Advertisement
“Especially in this time, I don’t think there is an NBC, a CBS, ABC ratings thing. It doesn’t matter at this point,” Fallon said. “It’s about entertaining and getting out there and telling everybody and reassuring everyone and spreading kindness and saying, ‘Hey we’re in this. Let’s help each other when we can.’”


huffpost--2020-03-23--Criticized For His Coronavirus Response, Trump Returns To The ‘Blame Obama’ Standby

“ We inherited a broken , obsolete system , ” Trump said Sunday , the third straight White House briefing in which he has blamed his administration ’ s slow response to the coronavirus pandemic on Obama , even though Trump has been in office now a full three years and two months .
It is unclear what “ system ” Trump was referring to .
His administration ’ s failure to aggressively ramp up coronavirus testing in early February and prepare hospitals for a surge of critical respiratory cases , experts said , was largely due to his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hurting the stock market and , in turn , his own reelection .
Trump ’ s blame of Obama comes even as Trump ignored warnings from his own Department of Health and Human Services last October that a pandemic would overwhelm the country ’ s ability to deal with it , as well as a similar briefing prepared by the outgoing Obama administration in January 2017 .
More recently , Trump ignored intelligence community reports this January and February that the virus was spreading far more rapidly in China than its government was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Donald Trump disregarded warnings from his top medical and intelligence experts about this outbreak for months , while lying to the American people about the overwhelming threat we faced , ” said Andrew Bates , a spokesman for likely Democratic nominee Joe Biden , who served as Obama ’ s vice president .
“ This is a historic failure of leadership that every American is paying for.
” Trump in 2018 also dismantled the pandemic response team Obama created three years earlier following an Ebola outbreak in Africa .
That had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level within the White House , and eliminating that structure hurt the administration ’ s ability to respond to the new virus quickly , wrote Beth Cameron , who ran the office .
“ He wants to blame everybody but himself , ” said Norman Ornstein , a scholar with the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute .
“ But we know that every action he took , including disbanding the pandemic unit , was to do the opposite of what Obama did.
” Trump has also repeatedly — and inaccurately — criticized Obama for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , falsely claiming that Obama ignored that problem .
On Sunday , he said that was the reason he has not tried to contact Obama for advice with the coronavirus pandemic .
Reaching out to predecessors had been a common practice among modern presidents , but not for Trump , who frequently claims that he is smarter than those who came before him .
Attacking the nation ’ s first Black president raised Trump ’ s profile in the Republican Party a decade ago , when he became the most prominent “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obama had not been born in the United States and therefore was an illegitimate president .
Trump claimed he had sent investigators to Hawaii to look into Obama ’ s birth certificate and that “ they can not believe what they ’ re finding.
” None of that was true , but his enthusiastic support for the conspiracy theory helped make him an early favorite in the 2016 Republican primaries .
Attacking Obama was a common theme among candidates in that race .
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz frequently rallied his audiences by promising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and rip the Iranian nuclear deal “ to shreds ” on his first day in office .
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio even suggested that Obama ’ s policies were not merely misguided , but intentionally designed to hurt America .
Since taking office , Trump has continued to call Obama ’ s presidency a failure , even as he has taken credit for his accomplishments .
Trump has repeatedly claimed that he got the VA Choice Act passed into law to give veterans the ability to see a private doctor if wait @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In fact , Obama signed that into law in 2014 .
More broadly , Trump had called the economy during his term the best in history , even though Obama oversaw the creation of 1.5 million more jobs in his last three years than Trump had in his first three and the GDP growth rates have been roughly the same .
“ Yes , in his album of greatest hits , going after Barack Hussein Obama is his single greatest hit , ” said Walsh , who , as a former conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ethnic slurs against Obama , for which he has since apologized .
“ No other dog whistle , outside of going after brown people coming across the border , will rile up his base more .
”

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WASHINGTON — After seven weeks of downplaying the threat of a looming pandemic, President Donald Trump has gone back to a favorite well: blaming his predecessor, Barack Obama.
“We inherited a broken, obsolete system,” Trump said Sunday, the third straight White House briefing in which he has blamed his administration’s slow response to the coronavirus pandemic on Obama, even though Trump has been in office now a full three years and two months.
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“We took over an obsolete, broken testing system that wouldn’t have worked for even a small problem, let alone one of the biggest pandemics in history,” Trump said Saturday, a day after claiming: “We inherited a broken, old — frankly, a terrible system.”
It is unclear what “system” Trump was referring to. His administration’s failure to aggressively ramp up coronavirus testing in early February and prepare hospitals for a surge of critical respiratory cases, experts said, was largely due to his own attempts to downplay the virus to avoid hurting the stock market and, in turn, his own reelection.
“His entire campaign this year will be to blame someone for what’s happening,” said Joe Walsh, a former Illinois congressman who unsuccessfully ran against Trump for the 2020 nomination. “The Chinese, Obama, the scientists and experts.”
President Donald Trump delivers remarks beside HHS Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield during a tour of the CDC following a COVID-19 coronavirus briefing in Atlanta, Georgia, March 6, 2020. Tom Brenner / Reuters
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White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham did not respond to a HuffPost request for comment.
Trump’s blame of Obama comes even as Trump ignored warnings from his own Department of Health and Human Services last October that a pandemic would overwhelm the country’s ability to deal with it, as well as a similar briefing prepared by the outgoing Obama administration in January 2017. More recently, Trump ignored intelligence community reports this January and February that the virus was spreading far more rapidly in China than its government was letting on, The Washington Post reported.
“Donald Trump disregarded warnings from his top medical and intelligence experts about this outbreak for months, while lying to the American people about the overwhelming threat we faced,” said Andrew Bates, a spokesman for likely Democratic nominee Joe Biden, who served as Obama’s vice president. “This is a historic failure of leadership that every American is paying for.”
Trump in 2018 also dismantled the pandemic response team Obama created three years earlier following an Ebola outbreak in Africa. That had been led at the National Security Council level within the White House, and eliminating that structure hurt the administration’s ability to respond to the new virus quickly, wrote Beth Cameron, who ran the office.
“He wants to blame everybody but himself,” said Norman Ornstein, a scholar with the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute. “But we know that every action he took, including disbanding the pandemic unit, was to do the opposite of what Obama did.”
Trump has also repeatedly — and inaccurately — criticized Obama for his handling of the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic, falsely claiming that Obama ignored that problem. On Sunday, he said that was the reason he has not tried to contact Obama for advice with the coronavirus pandemic.
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Reaching out to predecessors had been a common practice among modern presidents, but not for Trump, who frequently claims that he is smarter than those who came before him.
Attacking the nation’s first Black president raised Trump’s profile in the Republican Party a decade ago, when he became the most prominent “birther” to spread the lie that Obama had not been born in the United States and therefore was an illegitimate president.
Trump claimed he had sent investigators to Hawaii to look into Obama’s birth certificate and that “they cannot believe what they’re finding.” None of that was true, but his enthusiastic support for the conspiracy theory helped make him an early favorite in the 2016 Republican primaries.
Attacking Obama was a common theme among candidates in that race. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz frequently rallied his audiences by promising to “repeal every word of Obamacare” and rip the Iranian nuclear deal “to shreds” on his first day in office. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio even suggested that Obama’s policies were not merely misguided, but intentionally designed to hurt America.
Trump, though, went far beyond anyone else, and would call Obama and his policies “stupid” and claimed that Obama was incompetent.
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Since taking office, Trump has continued to call Obama’s presidency a failure, even as he has taken credit for his accomplishments. Trump has repeatedly claimed that he got the VA Choice Act passed into law to give veterans the ability to see a private doctor if wait times at VA clinics grew too long. In fact, Obama signed that into law in 2014. More broadly, Trump had called the economy during his term the best in history, even though Obama oversaw the creation of 1.5 million more jobs in his last three years than Trump had in his first three and the GDP growth rates have been roughly the same.
And in recent campaign rallies, Trump had started calling Obama “Barack Hussein Obama” again — a huge applause line for his audiences and a touchstone back to the idea that Obama was somehow not really American.


huffpost--2020-03-23--Florida Woman Accused Of Assault Also Coughed In Paramedic's Face: Police

A Florida woman accused of assaulting her boyfriend also allegedly shouted “ I have the coronavirus ” and then coughed in the face of a paramedic .
LaDonald Shakkie Holmes , 38 , was arrested on March 18 after officers for the Lake County Sheriff ’ s Office responded to a domestic violence call in Lady Lake .
Holmes ’ boyfriend told officers that she had broken his nose after he declined to have sex with her , according to documents obtained by The Smoking Gun .
The report said Holmes is a black belt in martial arts and allegedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nose and then punched him , according to local news website Villages-News.com .
He then left the house and called 911 .
Holmes was in bed when deputies arrived on the scene and thwarted their attempts to arrest her by repeatedly falling to the ground .
Concerned that she might be suffering a medical episode , the officers summoned paramedics to the scene .
When the paramedics attempted to secure Holmes to a stretcher , she allegedly coughed in the face of one EMT and shouted , “ I have the coronavirus.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of saliva ” exited Holmes ’ mouth and landed on the paramedic ’ s face .
Holmes was then taken to a local hospital for evaluation , though the probable cause affidavit does not say if she did have the coronavirus .
The report also does not mention if the paramedic received an evaluation for the possible health risk .
Holmes was charged with two felony counts : domestic battery and battery on a paramedic .
Jail records show she was released on Thursday after posting a $ 7,000 bond .
She is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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A Florida woman accused of assaulting her boyfriend also allegedly shouted “I have the coronavirus” and then coughed in the face of a paramedic.
LaDonald Shakkie Holmes, 38, was arrested on March 18 after officers for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to a domestic violence call in Lady Lake.
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Holmes’ boyfriend told officers that she had broken his nose after he declined to have sex with her, according to documents obtained by The Smoking Gun.
The report said Holmes is a black belt in martial arts and allegedly “roundhouse kicked” her boyfriend in the nose and then punched him, according to local news website Villages-News.com. He then left the house and called 911.
Holmes was in bed when deputies arrived on the scene and thwarted their attempts to arrest her by repeatedly falling to the ground. Concerned that she might be suffering a medical episode, the officers summoned paramedics to the scene.
When the paramedics attempted to secure Holmes to a stretcher, she allegedly coughed in the face of one EMT and shouted, “I have the coronavirus.”
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The report said “copious amounts of saliva” exited Holmes’ mouth and landed on the paramedic’s face.
Holmes was then taken to a local hospital for evaluation, though the probable cause affidavit does not say if she did have the coronavirus. The report also does not mention if the paramedic received an evaluation for the possible health risk.
Holmes was charged with two felony counts: domestic battery and battery on a paramedic.


huffpost--2020-03-23--Woody Allen Releases Memoir After Quietly Finding New Publisher

With little advance notice , the 84-year-old filmmaker ’ s book arrives at a time when much of the world is otherwise preoccupied with the coronavirus pandemic .
Arcade is an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing and a Skyhorse spokeswoman said no decisions had been made on whether he would give any interviews .
Financial details for his deal with Arcade were not released and the spokeswoman had no immediate comment on whether the book would come out in Europe , where publishers in several countries have expressed interest .
“ Apropos of Nothing ” begins in the wry tone of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and George S. Kaufman , describing his New York City upbringing and love affairs with Diane Keaton and others with a sense of nostalgia and angst that also mirrors Allen movies ranging from “ Radio Days ” and “ The Purple Rose of Cairo ” to “ Annie Hall ” and “ Hannah and Her Sisters.
” But it darkens and becomes defensive , not surprisingly , as he recalls his relationship with Mia Farrow and the allegations he abused daughter Dylan Farrow that for many have come to define his public image @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mia Farrow for more than a decade , and recalls happy times with the “ very , very beautiful ” actress that would cool over the years , especially after the 1987 birth of their one biological child , Ronan ( named Satchel at birth ) .
As he has alleged before , he and Farrow were essentially apart by the time he began dating her daughter Soon-Yi Previn , more than 30 years younger than him , in the early 1990s .
“ At the very early stages of our new relationship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couldn ’ t keep our hands off each other , ” he writes of Previn , whom he married in 1997 and to whom he dedicates the book .
Recalling the day Farrow learned of the affair , after discovering erotic photographs of her twenty-something daughter at Allen ’ s apartment , Allen writes : “ Of course I understand her shock , her dismay , her rage , everything .
It was the correct reaction.
” But he also expresses no regret over he and Previn becoming lovers .
“ Sometimes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was maligned everywhere , I was asked if I had known the outcome , do I ever wish I never took up with Soon-Yi ?
” he writes .
“ I always answered I ’ d do it again in a heartbeat.
” Allen has long denied sexually abusing Dylan , and , as he has alleged before , he speculates that the accusations arose from what he calls Farrow ’ s “ Ahab-like quest ” for revenge .
“ I never laid a finger on Dylan , never did anything to her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her ; it was a total fabrication from start to finish , ” he writes .
Describing a visit to Farrow ’ s Connecticut house in August 1992 , when he allegedly molested Dylan , he acknowledges briefly placing his head on his 7-year-old daughter ’ s lap , but adds : “ I certainly didn ’ t do anything improper to her .
I was in a room full of people watching TV mid-afternoon.
” Allen was never charged after two separate investigations in the 1990s .
Dylan has maintained in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegations have been increasingly embraced in the # MeToo era .
Ellen Page and Greta Gerwig are among the actors who have said that they won ’ t work with him again and his most recent movie , “ A Rainy Day in New York , ” never came out in the United States ; ( Amazon , which was to release that movie and three others , ended their deal with Allen ; Allen sued and an out-of-court settlement was reportedly reached ) .
Numerous publishers reportedly shied from his memoir when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I can ’ t deny that it plays into my poetic fantasies to be an artist whose work isn ’ t seen in his own country and is forced , because of injustice , to have his public abroad , ” Allen writes .
“ Henry Miller comes to mind .
D.H. Lawrence .
James Joyce .
I see myself standing amongst them defiantly .
It ’ s about at that point my wife wakes me up and says , ‘ You ’ re snoring.
’ ” While Allen writes at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he remembers warmly their films together , among them “ Hannah and Her Sisters ” and “ Broadway Danny Rose , ” and calls her an actress of versatility and depth .
He also praises such longtime Allen defenders as Dick Cavett and Alec Baldwin and shares fond memories of Mel Brooks , Bette Midler and Neil Simon among others .
The initial announcement of “ Apropos of Nothing ” came earlier this month , when Grand Central Publishing confirmed to The Associated Press that it would release his book April 7 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and growing outrage , centered on allegations that Allen abused Dylan Farrow .
Ronan Farrow , who shared the Pulitzer Prize with the New York Times for his New Yorker investigation into Harvey Weinstein , was enraged to learn that Allen ’ s book was being published by the same parent company , Hachette Book Group .
that released his “ Catch and Kill.
” The acclaimed book further delved into the MeToo movement .
Dozens of Hachette employees staged a walkout over the Allen book and Farrow , who had been working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time Machete acquired Allen ’ s memoir , said he would stop working with the publisher .
Skyhorse is a prolific , diverse and sometimes provocative company which has a catalogue including books by everyone from Samuel Beckett and Octavio Paz to JFK conspiracy theorist Jim Garrison and Alan Dershowitz , the attorney , commentator and frequent defender of President Donald Trump who has his own history with Allen .
In the 1990s , when Allen and Farrow were fighting over custody of their children , Dershowitz denied allegations by Allen that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behalf of Farrow , for millions of dollars in exchange for the actress dropping allegations that he abused Dylan .

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NEW YORK (AP) — Woody Allen’s memoir, dropped by its original publisher after widespread criticism, has found a new home, The Associated Press has learned.
The 400-page book, still called “Apropos of Nothing,” was released Monday by Arcade Publishing.
“The book is a candid and comprehensive personal account by Woody Allen of his life,” Arcade announced, “ranging from his childhood in Brooklyn through his acclaimed career in film, theater, television, print and standup comedy, as well as exploring his relationships with family and friends.”
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Woody Allen’s controversial memoir, Apropos of Nothing, was released Monday by Arcade Publishing. ASSOCIATED PRESS
With little advance notice, the 84-year-old filmmaker’s book arrives at a time when much of the world is otherwise preoccupied with the coronavirus pandemic. Arcade is an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing and a Skyhorse spokeswoman said no decisions had been made on whether he would give any interviews. Financial details for his deal with Arcade were not released and the spokeswoman had no immediate comment on whether the book would come out in Europe, where publishers in several countries have expressed interest.
“Apropos of Nothing” begins in the wry tone of such literary heroes as J.D. Salinger and George S. Kaufman, describing his New York City upbringing and love affairs with Diane Keaton and others with a sense of nostalgia and angst that also mirrors Allen movies ranging from “Radio Days” and “The Purple Rose of Cairo” to “Annie Hall” and “Hannah and Her Sisters.” But it darkens and becomes defensive, not surprisingly, as he recalls his relationship with Mia Farrow and the allegations he abused daughter Dylan Farrow that for many have come to define his public image in recent years.
He was with Mia Farrow for more than a decade, and recalls happy times with the “very, very beautiful” actress that would cool over the years, especially after the 1987 birth of their one biological child, Ronan (named Satchel at birth). As he has alleged before, he and Farrow were essentially apart by the time he began dating her daughter Soon-Yi Previn, more than 30 years younger than him, in the early 1990s. “At the very early stages of our new relationship, when lust reigns supreme ... we couldn’t keep our hands off each other,” he writes of Previn, whom he married in 1997 and to whom he dedicates the book.
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Recalling the day Farrow learned of the affair, after discovering erotic photographs of her twenty-something daughter at Allen’s apartment, Allen writes: “Of course I understand her shock, her dismay, her rage, everything. It was the correct reaction.” But he also expresses no regret over he and Previn becoming lovers.
“Sometimes, when the going got rough and I was maligned everywhere, I was asked if I had known the outcome, do I ever wish I never took up with Soon-Yi?” he writes. “I always answered I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
Allen has long denied sexually abusing Dylan, and, as he has alleged before, he speculates that the accusations arose from what he calls Farrow’s “Ahab-like quest” for revenge. “I never laid a finger on Dylan, never did anything to her that could be even misconstrued as abusing her; it was a total fabrication from start to finish,” he writes. Describing a visit to Farrow’s Connecticut house in August 1992, when he allegedly molested Dylan, he acknowledges briefly placing his head on his 7-year-old daughter’s lap, but adds: “I certainly didn’t do anything improper to her. I was in a room full of people watching TV mid-afternoon.”
Allen was never charged after two separate investigations in the 1990s. Dylan has maintained in recent years that she was abused and her allegations have been increasingly embraced in the #MeToo era. Ellen Page and Greta Gerwig are among the actors who have said that they won’t work with him again and his most recent movie, “A Rainy Day in New York,” never came out in the United States; (Amazon, which was to release that movie and three others, ended their deal with Allen; Allen sued and an out-of-court settlement was reportedly reached). Numerous publishers reportedly shied from his memoir when an Allen representative shopped it last year.
“I can’t deny that it plays into my poetic fantasies to be an artist whose work isn’t seen in his own country and is forced, because of injustice, to have his public abroad,” Allen writes. “Henry Miller comes to mind. D.H. Lawrence. James Joyce. I see myself standing amongst them defiantly. It’s about at that point my wife wakes me up and says, ‘You’re snoring.’”
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While Allen writes at length about his breakup with Farrow, he remembers warmly their films together, among them “Hannah and Her Sisters” and “Broadway Danny Rose,” and calls her an actress of versatility and depth. He also praises such longtime Allen defenders as Dick Cavett and Alec Baldwin and shares fond memories of Mel Brooks, Bette Midler and Neil Simon among others.
The initial announcement of “Apropos of Nothing” came earlier this month, when Grand Central Publishing confirmed to The Associated Press that it would release his book April 7. But the news was met with quick and growing outrage, centered on allegations that Allen abused Dylan Farrow. Ronan Farrow, who shared the Pulitzer Prize with the New York Times for his New Yorker investigation into Harvey Weinstein, was enraged to learn that Allen’s book was being published by the same parent company, Hachette Book Group. that released his “Catch and Kill.” The acclaimed book further delved into the MeToo movement. Dozens of Hachette employees staged a walkout over the Allen book and Farrow, who had been working on “Catch and Kill” at the time Machete acquired Allen’s memoir, said he would stop working with the publisher.
Hachette canceled the release less than a week later, although Stephen King was among those questioning the decision as an infringement of free speech, writing on Twitter: “It’s who gets muzzled next that worries me.”
In a postscript to the Arcade edition, Allen alleges that Hachette had vowed to publish “Apropos of Nothing” despite his “being a toxic pariah and menace to society.” But, he writes, “When actual flak did arrive they thoughtfully reassessed their position” and ”dumped the book like it was a hunk of Xenon 135.”
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Arcade editor Jeannette Seaver said in a statement: “In this strange time, when truth is too often dismissed as ‘fake news,’ we as publishers prefer to give voice to a respected artist, rather than bow to those determined to silence him.”


huffpost--2020-03-11--Senate GOP Blocks Emergency Paid Sick Leave Bill

Sen. Patty Murray ( D-Wash. ) tried to speed the measure up for a vote on the Senate floor through a procedural maneuver , but an objection from Sen. Lamar Alexander ( R-Tenn. ) prevented the bill from bypassing the Republican-controlled health committee .
Murray noted that many people who don ’ t have paid leave through their jobs will inevitably miss work due to being sick or quarantined in the coming weeks .
She argued that guaranteed paid leave was important both for public health and the good of the broader economy .
“ For many of our workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service industry workers ― they may not have an option to take a day off without losing their pay or losing their job , ” Murray said .
“ That ’ s not a choice we should be asking anyone to make in the United States in the 21st century.
” Alexander said that paid sick leave is a “ good idea.
” But if lawmakers want to require employers to provide it , then the federal government should have to foot the bill , he argued .
“ Employees are struggling , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not a cure for the coronavirus to put a big new expensive federal mandate on employers who are struggling in the middle of this matter , ” Alexander said .
Although the bill is bottled up for now , Democrats could try to attach the measure to another legislative package aimed at dealing with the virus .
Democrats proposed the emergency legislation in both chambers last week .
The bill sponsored by Murray in the Senate and Rep. Rosa DeLauro ( D-Conn. ) in the House would immediately guarantee workers 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event of a public health emergency like the current one .
Workers would separately accrue up to seven sick days over the course of a year under the bill .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised people stay home from work if they exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
Under the Democratic bill , workers could use the 14 emergency sick days if their workplace or their child ’ s school is closed , or if they or a family member ends up quarantined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mandates on the books , including California and Murray ’ s home state of Washington , both of which have been hit hard by the novel coronavirus .
But unlike in most other developed countries , there is no federal law requiring employers to give workers paid time off when they ’ re sick .
The outbreak has brought unprecedented public attention to the lack of a mandate in the U.S. Seventy-three percent of private sector workers have paid sick leave , according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who don ’ t have it , many are concentrated in lower-wage service jobs like retail and fast food .
For many of our workers ... they may not have an option to take a day off without losing their pay or losing their job .
Some companies have moved to institute more generous policies amid the criticism stirred up by the coronavirus emergency .
Darden Restaurants , which owns the Olive Garden and Longhorn Steakhouse chains , recently announced that all its hourly employees would now start accruing sick leave .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick days .
Democrats have been trying to pass sick leave measures for years and have succeeded in the House .
But the GOP majority in the Senate has prevented such bills from coming up for a vote , arguing that small businesses can not withstand the cost increases of sick leave .
Murray ’ s emergency bill was all but certain to die in the Senate , but the measure still afforded Democrats an opportunity to put Republicans on the record in opposing it .
Polling shows that the idea of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ popular , with even a strong majority of Republican voters supporting it .

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Democrats hoping to pass an emergency paid sick leave bill to deal with the fallout from the coronavirus were stymied by Senate Republicans on Wednesday.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) tried to speed the measure up for a vote on the Senate floor through a procedural maneuver, but an objection from Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) prevented the bill from bypassing the Republican-controlled health committee.
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Murray noted that many people who don’t have paid leave through their jobs will inevitably miss work due to being sick or quarantined in the coming weeks. She argued that guaranteed paid leave was important both for public health and the good of the broader economy.
“For many of our workers ― restaurant workers, truck drivers, service industry workers ― they may not have an option to take a day off without losing their pay or losing their job,” Murray said. “That’s not a choice we should be asking anyone to make in the United States in the 21st century.”
Alexander said that paid sick leave is a “good idea.” But if lawmakers want to require employers to provide it, then the federal government should have to foot the bill, he argued.
“Employees are struggling, our employers are struggling, and it’s not a cure for the coronavirus to put a big new expensive federal mandate on employers who are struggling in the middle of this matter,” Alexander said.
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An objection from Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), seen during a March 3 coronavirus hearing on Capitol Hill, blocked an emergency paid sick leave bill sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) left. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Although the bill is bottled up for now, Democrats could try to attach the measure to another legislative package aimed at dealing with the virus.
Democrats proposed the emergency legislation in both chambers last week. The bill sponsored by Murray in the Senate and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) in the House would immediately guarantee workers 14 days of paid sick leave in the event of a public health emergency like the current one. Workers would separately accrue up to seven sick days over the course of a year under the bill.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised people stay home from work if they exhibit symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Under the Democratic bill, workers could use the 14 emergency sick days if their workplace or their child’s school is closed, or if they or a family member ends up quarantined.
Many states already have sick leave mandates on the books, including California and Murray’s home state of Washington, both of which have been hit hard by the novel coronavirus. But unlike in most other developed countries, there is no federal law requiring employers to give workers paid time off when they’re sick.
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The outbreak has brought unprecedented public attention to the lack of a mandate in the U.S. Seventy-three percent of private sector workers have paid sick leave, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of the remaining 27% who don’t have it, many are concentrated in lower-wage service jobs like retail and fast food.
“For many of our workers ... they may not have an option to take a day off without losing their pay or losing their job.” - Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.)
Some companies have moved to institute more generous policies amid the criticism stirred up by the coronavirus emergency. Darden Restaurants, which owns the Olive Garden and Longhorn Steakhouse chains, recently announced that all its hourly employees would now start accruing sick leave. The company has previously opposed legislative mandates on sick days.
Democrats have been trying to pass sick leave measures for years and have succeeded in the House. But the GOP majority in the Senate has prevented such bills from coming up for a vote, arguing that small businesses cannot withstand the cost increases of sick leave.
Murray’s emergency bill was all but certain to die in the Senate, but the measure still afforded Democrats an opportunity to put Republicans on the record in opposing it. Polling shows that the idea of a sick leave mandate tends to be extremely popular, with even a strong majority of Republican voters supporting it.
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huffpost--2020-03-11--How To Work From Home Without Losing It With Your Partner Or Kids

Instead of interacting with the co-workers whose rhythms and foibles you ’ ve learned over time , you might find yourself listening in on your partner ’ s calls .
Or trying to chime in on an important conference call while your kid whines for an ice cream sundae at 9 a.m. Part of what makes the coronavirus pandemic so stressful for many people is how little we know about what is to come .
You can ’ t control whether the virus is going to come to your area .
You can ’ t control whether its spread is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You can ’ t control how long any of this lasts .
That means taking a few minutes to look at a calendar and mark down any virtual meetings or important phone calls you have .
Or any looming deadlines .
If you ’ ve got kids at home , what is your general plan for the morning ?
What time is lunch ?
When are you signing off for the day ?
When are you going to do the other things you normally do , like shower , workout , etc.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stick to our regular schedules as much as possible , ” said Mikaela Kiner , a Seattle-area executive coach currently working from home with her husband and daughter .
“ Get up in the morning like it ’ s a normal workday .
Exercise .
Take proper meal breaks .
Having a routine , especially for my 15-year-old , keeps us all productive and helps manage disruption and anxiety.
” First , consider carving out areas within your home that are strictly yours .
Maybe you get the bedroom , while your partner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you live in a tiny apartment , you can give everyone their own little spot .
“ They could end up being your car , or a corner in your bedroom or the bathroom — what you ’ re looking for are the quietest , most private and secluded parts of your home where you know have WiFi and cell phone service , ” said Riley , adding that they might not be your favorite spots , but they should provide the most privacy .
“ Then you and your partner need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meetings that you ’ re going to take there.
” If you ’ re home with kids who are demanding your time and energy , you ’ re probably not going to be able to work a typical 9 to 5 shift — or whatever the usual is for you .
You can ’ t really change that it ’ s harder to get work done when you ’ re also parenting , so don ’ t try .
Instead , Riley advised talking with your partner about when you each are most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really well in the morning ?
Claim that time to focus while your partner watches the kids .
Are you more of a night owl ?
Put your partner in charge of dinner and bedtime .
If you both like to work at the same point in the day , take turns .
“ People are really productive when they know they have a set amount of time to get something done , ” Riley said .
“ And you ’ ll be able to look back on this time together and say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a team.
’ ” Yes , that ’ s a weird thing to say when a serious virus is spreading around the globe .
But WFH experts say it can help to focus on the silver lining , which is the opportunity to spend time with your partner or kids in a way you don ’ t normally get to .
It can also be pretty damn interesting to see your partner work , which is a side of them you might not often have access to .
Let yourself be impressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Yes , there is a very scary virus looming over all of this , but your home is your safe space , and your people are your people , ” Riley said .
“ Try and frame it in a positive way , which is that you can work together as a team , plan the things you can plan , and spend this time together.
” By that , she means not beating yourself up if you are feeling stressed , and not trying to push that stress away , either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of getting sick , very real and pressing questions about how they ’ re going to make ends meet and how they ’ re going to get their work done .
Those are big , frightening questions .
So take deep breaths .
When you feel anxiety taking a hold of you , acknowledge it outright : Like , literally say to yourself , “ I am feeling anxious right now — and this is a normal thing to feel anxious about .
”

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As the new coronavirus continues to spread, many people used to working in an office face a new sudden reality: working from home.
Instead of interacting with the co-workers whose rhythms and foibles you’ve learned over time, you might find yourself listening in on your partner’s calls. Or trying to chime in on an important conference call while your kid whines for an ice cream sundae at 9 a.m.
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Even if COVID-19 isn’t in your area, the situation is so fluid that quarantines and strict social distancing measures may soon come your way.
So how do you work from home while remaining calm, productive and patient with your new co-workers (as it were)?
1. Plan in 24-hour chunks
Part of what makes the coronavirus pandemic so stressful for many people is how little we know about what is to come. You can’t control whether the virus is going to come to your area. You can’t control whether its spread is going to close down workplaces and schools. You can’t control how long any of this lasts.
What you can control (in addition to your own hand hygiene, of course) is what happens within your home every 24 hours.
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“It feels bad to not have structure and boundaries,” said Perri Shaw Borish, a Philadelphia-based licensed clinical social worker who specializes in treating anxiety among parents. “It’s important to sit down every night and plan for the next day.”
That means taking a few minutes to look at a calendar and mark down any virtual meetings or important phone calls you have. Or any looming deadlines. If you’ve got kids at home, what is your general plan for the morning? What time is lunch? When are you signing off for the day? When are you going to do the other things you normally do, like shower, workout, etc.?
“We’re going to stick to our regular schedules as much as possible,” said Mikaela Kiner, a Seattle-area executive coach currently working from home with her husband and daughter. “Get up in the morning like it’s a normal workday. Exercise. Take proper meal breaks. Having a routine, especially for my 15-year-old, keeps us all productive and helps manage disruption and anxiety.”
2. Establish “blue zones”
First, consider carving out areas within your home that are strictly yours. Maybe you get the bedroom, while your partner works in the kitchen. Even if you live in a tiny apartment, you can give everyone their own little spot.
In addition, you want to establish what Britt Riley, co-founder of the Coggeshall Club — a combination daycare, co-working, and fitness space — called “blue zones.”
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“They could end up being your car, or a corner in your bedroom or the bathroom — what you’re looking for are the quietest, most private and secluded parts of your home where you know have WiFi and cell phone service,” said Riley, adding that they might not be your favorite spots, but they should provide the most privacy. “Then you and your partner need to sit down and identify any calls or meetings that you’re going to take there.”
3. Work in shifts
If you’re home with kids who are demanding your time and energy, you’re probably not going to be able to work a typical 9 to 5 shift — or whatever the usual is for you. You can’t really change that it’s harder to get work done when you’re also parenting, so don’t try.
Instead, Riley advised talking with your partner about when you each are most productive. Are you someone who works really well in the morning? Claim that time to focus while your partner watches the kids. Are you more of a night owl? Put your partner in charge of dinner and bedtime. If you both like to work at the same point in the day, take turns.
“People are really productive when they know they have a set amount of time to get something done,” Riley said. “And you’ll be able to look back on this time together and say, ‘Wow, we really worked as a team.’”
4. Focus on the upsides
Yes, that’s a weird thing to say when a serious virus is spreading around the globe. But WFH experts say it can help to focus on the silver lining, which is the opportunity to spend time with your partner or kids in a way you don’t normally get to.
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“You might have lunch as a family every day, and that might be just kind of the coolest thing,” Riley said.
It can also be pretty damn interesting to see your partner work, which is a side of them you might not often have access to. Let yourself be impressed watching your partner get it done.
“Yes, there is a very scary virus looming over all of this, but your home is your safe space, and your people are your people,” Riley said. “Try and frame it in a positive way, which is that you can work together as a team, plan the things you can plan, and spend this time together.”
5. Make “friends” with your anxiety
“It’s normal to feel anxious. It’s OK that you’re feeling anxious,” Shaw Borish said. “Probably the best thing to do is not to try and fight the anxiety. It’s to try and be friends with it.”
By that, she means not beating yourself up if you are feeling stressed, and not trying to push that stress away, either. People are stressed about the possibility of getting sick, very real and pressing questions about how they’re going to make ends meet and how they’re going to get their work done. Those are big, frightening questions. So take deep breaths. When you feel anxiety taking a hold of you, acknowledge it outright: Like, literally say to yourself, “I am feeling anxious right now — and this is a normal thing to feel anxious about.”
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Then set some boundaries around your consumption of coronavirus-related news. You likely wouldn’t spend all day in the office reading or watching the news for hours on end, so don’t do it at home. Pretend your boss is peering over your shoulder if helps.


huffpost--2020-03-11--Store Owner Charged After Homemade Coronavirus Sanitizer Burns Youths

RIVER VALE , N.J. ( AP ) — A convenience store owner in New Jersey reacting to the coronavirus outbreak created and sold a spray sanitizer that left four children with burns , state and county law enforcement officials said .
Authorities on Tuesday issued a summons charging Manisha Bharade , 47 , of Wood-Ridge , with endangering the welfare of children and deceptive business practices .
State consumer officials also opened an investigation into the sale and promotion of health and sanitation products at her 7-Eleven store in River Vale .
Bharade mixed commercially available foaming sanitizer , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with water and packaged the bottles in her store , authorities said .
“ An apparent chemical reaction from the mixture caused the burns ” to the three 10-year-olds and an 11-year-old , authorities said .
“ Let me be perfectly clear : if you try to take advantage of our residents during a public health emergency , we will hold you accountable , ” said Attorney General Gurbir Grewal in a news release .
” Retailers who try to make a quick buck by exploiting others will face civil and criminal consequences.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ died and more than a dozen residents have been sickened from the coronavirus .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia .
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus .
According to the World Health Organization , people with mild illness recover in about two weeks , while those with more severe illness may take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In mainland China , where the virus first exploded , more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered .
Five of the 14 bottles that were sold were turned over to police for analysis .
It was not known if Bharade has an attorney .

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RIVER VALE, N.J. (AP) — A convenience store owner in New Jersey reacting to the coronavirus outbreak created and sold a spray sanitizer that left four children with burns, state and county law enforcement officials said.
Authorities on Tuesday issued a summons charging Manisha Bharade, 47, of Wood-Ridge, with endangering the welfare of children and deceptive business practices. State consumer officials also opened an investigation into the sale and promotion of health and sanitation products at her 7-Eleven store in River Vale.
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Bharade mixed commercially available foaming sanitizer, which wasn’t meant for resale, with water and packaged the bottles in her store, authorities said. “An apparent chemical reaction from the mixture caused the burns” to the three 10-year-olds and an 11-year-old, authorities said.
“Let me be perfectly clear: if you try to take advantage of our residents during a public health emergency, we will hold you accountable,” said Attorney General Gurbir Grewal in a news release. ”Retailers who try to make a quick buck by exploiting others will face civil and criminal consequences.”
One person in the state has died and more than a dozen residents have been sickened from the coronavirus.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
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The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered.
Five of the 14 bottles that were sold were turned over to police for analysis.


huffpost--2020-03-11--70 Percent Of Germany Could Become Infected By Coronavirus: Chancellor

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is citing expert estimates that up to 70 % of the population could be infected by the new coronavirus as she insists on the necessity of measures to slow its spread .
Germany had confirmed some 1,300 infections as of Wednesday , with two deaths .
The government has recommended the cancellation of all events with more than 1,000 people , among other things .
Merkel noted at a news conference in Berlin : “ You have to understand that if the virus is there , and the population has no immunity yet to this virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ therapy so far , a high percentage – experts say 60 to 70 % ― of the population will be infected.
” She said the priority is to slow the spread of the disease “ so all the measures we are taking are of the greatest significance because they are giving us time – it does matter what we do , it is not in vain.
” Merkel has made clear that Germany doesn ’ t intend to close its borders in the light of Europe ’ s coronavirus epidemic , arguing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from badly hit regions to quarantine themselves at home .
Merkel said at a rare , hastily convened news conference Wednesday in Berlin that it ’ s important for European leaders to discuss “ what are good and effective measures and what aren ’ t. ” She said “ we in Germany , in any case , are of the opinion that border closures are not an appropriate response to the challenge.
” Germany isn ’ t a direct neighbor of Italy , the epicenter of Europe ’ s outbreak .
Austria and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Malta to the south have largely closed their borders with Italy .

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel is citing expert estimates that up to 70% of the population could be infected by the new coronavirus as she insists on the necessity of measures to slow its spread.
Germany had confirmed some 1,300 infections as of Wednesday, with two deaths. The government has recommended the cancellation of all events with more than 1,000 people, among other things.
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Merkel noted at a news conference in Berlin: “You have to understand that if the virus is there, and the population has no immunity yet to this virus, there are no vaccines and no therapy so far, a high percentage – experts say 60 to 70% ― of the population will be infected.”
She said the priority is to slow the spread of the disease “so all the measures we are taking are of the greatest significance because they are giving us time – it does matter what we do, it is not in vain.”
Merkel has made clear that Germany doesn’t intend to close its borders in the light of Europe’s coronavirus epidemic, arguing that it makes more sense for people arriving from badly hit regions to quarantine themselves at home.
Merkel said at a rare, hastily convened news conference Wednesday in Berlin that it’s important for European leaders to discuss “what are good and effective measures and what aren’t.”
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She said “we in Germany, in any case, are of the opinion that border closures are not an appropriate response to the challenge.”


huffpost--2020-03-11--Does The Type Of Soap Or Hand Sanitizer You Use Matter For Coronavirus?

Tons of cleaning and sanitization products are selling out amid the COVID-19 outbreak , including hand soap , hand sanitizer , dish soap and cleaning wipes .
But which of these products will best help protect you from contracting the novel coronavirus ?
“ These are small particles that are microscopic , which contain virus , proteins , carbohydrates and other materials .
They travel through the air short distances less than one meter , typically , ” he continued .
One meter is a little bit over three feet .
If someone coughs or sneezes , virus-containing particles travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be inhaled , and experts believe this “ may be another route for transmission ” of COVID-19 .
Fichtenbaum said that nose or mouth secretions can also cause the virus to spread ― coming in contact with a used tissue or sharing a drink with an infected person , for example .
“ The virus can also be spread from hands to other people , or briefly on inanimate objects like surfaces , ” he added .
When your hands come in contact with so many people and surfaces on a given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pick up germs as you go .
This makes washing and sanitizing your hands one of the very best ways to avoid contracting the illness .
The best way to clean your hands is the old-fashioned way .
Some forms of hand-cleansing are better than others , said Dr. Neha Vyas , a family medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic .
She says , for the most part , hand sanitizers play “ second fiddle ” to the actual act of washing your hands .
You should wash your hands for at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the old trick to sing your ABCs helps mark time .
Vyas noted that while hand sanitizer has been harder to find , there ’ s still plenty of soap available to stock up on .
Here ’ s the important part : The type of soap does not matter .
Since COVID-19 is a virus , antibacterial hand soap is not going to give you an advantage over other varieties .
“ There is no clear evidence that antibacterial soap works better than any other soap , ” Fichtenbaum said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands for at least 20 seconds , and then it is a combination of soap plus mechanical disruption that works [ to rid hands of the virus ] .
” Of course , you might not have access to water , soap and a sink at all times .
This is where hand sanitizer comes in .
If you can carry a small bottle and use it after coming in contact with people and surfaces , you ’ ll be in better shape than someone who doesn ’ t use it frequently .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in large quantities , as well , but they are not recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The CDC recommends soap and water because the process is better at killing certain types of germs , including norovirus , than hand sanitizer .
Also , if your hands are dirty or greasy , sanitizer is less effective .
If you do use hand sanitizer , the CDC notes to check the back of the bottle and apply the recommended amount to the palm of your hand .
Make sure you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of both hands , as well as the backs of hands and in between fingers , so the entire surface area of both hands are covered .
Once it dries completely , it should be fully effective .
( If there ’ s grease or a lot of dirt on your hands , it might help to try and wipe that off before applying . )
Bottom line ?
Cleanse your hands as often as you can , with soap and water if it ’ s available , and alcohol-based sanitizer if it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s very hard , but try not to touch your face .

Sean Justice via Getty Images From antibacterial soap to specialized sanitizers, experts say not all products are created equal.
Tons of cleaning and sanitization products are selling out amid the COVID-19 outbreak, including hand soap, hand sanitizer, dish soap and cleaning wipes. But which of these products will best help protect you from contracting the novel coronavirus?
First, it’s important to understand how the virus spreads. “Coronavirus is spread by droplets,” said Dr. Carl Fichtenbaum, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
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“These are small particles that are microscopic, which contain virus, proteins, carbohydrates and other materials. They travel through the air short distances less than one meter, typically,” he continued. One meter is a little bit over three feet.
If someone coughs or sneezes, virus-containing particles travel through the air. The smaller particles can be inhaled, and experts believe this “may be another route for transmission” of COVID-19.
Fichtenbaum said that nose or mouth secretions can also cause the virus to spread ― coming in contact with a used tissue or sharing a drink with an infected person, for example. “The virus can also be spread from hands to other people, or briefly on inanimate objects like surfaces,” he added.
When your hands come in contact with so many people and surfaces on a given day, it is incredibly challenging not to pick up germs as you go. This makes washing and sanitizing your hands one of the very best ways to avoid contracting the illness.
Advertisement
The best way to clean your hands is the old-fashioned way.
Some forms of hand-cleansing are better than others, said Dr. Neha Vyas, a family medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic. She says, for the most part, hand sanitizers play “second fiddle” to the actual act of washing your hands.
You should wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, she said, adding that the old trick to sing your ABCs helps mark time. Vyas noted that while hand sanitizer has been harder to find, there’s still plenty of soap available to stock up on.
Here’s the important part: The type of soap does not matter. Since COVID-19 is a virus, antibacterial hand soap is not going to give you an advantage over other varieties.
“There is no clear evidence that antibacterial soap works better than any other soap,” Fichtenbaum said. “The most important thing is washing hands for at least 20 seconds, and then it is a combination of soap plus mechanical disruption that works [to rid hands of the virus].”
elenabs via Getty Images Here's a guide on how to properly wash your hands.
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Of course, you might not have access to water, soap and a sink at all times. This is where hand sanitizer comes in. If you can carry a small bottle and use it after coming in contact with people and surfaces, you’ll be in better shape than someone who doesn’t use it frequently.
“Anything that has about 60% alcohol or more is probably a good product,” Vyas said.
Alcohol-free hand sanitizing products are currently selling in large quantities, as well, but they are not recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC recommends soap and water because the process is better at killing certain types of germs, including norovirus, than hand sanitizer. Also, if your hands are dirty or greasy, sanitizer is less effective.
If you do use hand sanitizer, the CDC notes to check the back of the bottle and apply the recommended amount to the palm of your hand. Make sure you rub the product all over the palms of both hands, as well as the backs of hands and in between fingers, so the entire surface area of both hands are covered. Once it dries completely, it should be fully effective. (If there’s grease or a lot of dirt on your hands, it might help to try and wipe that off before applying.)