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Confronting the Immense Weight of Educational Burden (Also Called Homework)

Dana R
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Confronting the Immense Weight of Educational Burden (Also Called Homework)

Homework is seldom a pleasant time for any student. Most students often wonder as to why they are writing a lengthy paper on a random topic. Most teachers and parents feel that homework is assigned to help a student review their classwork and increase their overall study time. But the real question is there is a real need for regular homework. Many experts feel that the present system of homework causes unnecessary burnout in students and puts them off studies.

Homework on a Seesaw

The American education system has always been back and forth about implementing the system of homework. At the start of the last century, many progressive educational reformers pointed out the detrimental effects of undue stress on students. This developed some amount of anti-homework sentiments. But during the mid-century, these sentiments vanished. Fear arose that America is falling behind the Soviet Union at the time of the cold war and the pressure on education surmounted. The ’60s and ’70s saw an open cultural society which claimed that school homework is affecting creativity. But in the ’80s American researchers blamed the school system for the economic downfall and homework became important again.

In the 21st century, in spite of all the debate that goes around it, the importance of homework has the upper hand. Students these days have to spend twice the amount of time on homework than what 90’s students used to. Although they have an advantage because they can find answers to homework online. Still, this homework heavy regime seems to be taking a heavy toll on students, parents, and teachers alike.

Present Guidelines

The National PTA and the National Education Association agree that every night a student should spend 10 minutes of homework per grade level. There is no specification about the quality of the homework that needs to be assigned. The guideline also seems to be ignorant of the fact that not all students have the same level of intelligence. A piece of homework might take one student 10 minutes to complete while another student might need 30 minutes to complete it. At times the reason behind the student spending more time on homework might be out of their control.

Need for New Guidelines

Many experts suggest that homework guidelines should not be governed by a centralized organization. There should be certain flexibility involved in these guidelines as well. Teachers should not mark every assignment for grades but assess a student’s overall efforts toward the learning process. They can take tests based on the assigned homework to understand how much knowledge the student has gained from doing it. This will also act as a cross-check for the teacher’s efficiency and the productivity of the lessons.

The Good Side of Homework

It cannot be completely denied that homework has certain positive effects on a student’s academic success. It gives a student an opportunity to revise and practice the lessons learned at school. However, the process of grading assignments is what creates undue pressure on the students. Many experts agree that there should be a system of providing constructive feedback instead. That will help students to maintain focus and achieve the goals better. It will also help students establish a better connection between what they learn and what they already know. Experts feel that grading homework shortens a student’s learning process and cuts it off midway.

Many experts agree that homework has a better potential of being a formative assessment than tests, provided they are not graded. Tests are not ideal to measure a student’s learning process because they are conducted after the teaching and learning process of the unit is over. Homework, on the other hand, can be used to enable students to develop a better level of focus and strive to achieve mastery of the subject. But grading the homework would hinder this entire process.

The new method also takes into consideration that different students have different learning curves. Individual feedback to homework would allow every student to improve upon their previous knowledge of the subject matter and replace it with the new knowledge. Students will also realize and appreciate their teacher’s efforts towards their learning process instead of feeling pushed for better grades.

Research has shown that homework strengthens the parent-child bond which is a key factor in a child’s learning process. It helps to reinforce the knowledge and skills learned at school. It also helps students prepare better for upcoming lectures, develop independence and discipline. With the help of certain homework, a student can learn the application of classroom knowledge in the real world. Homework should not be a rat race for better grades. Instead, it should be a time to reflect on oneself, family, knowledge, and survival in the real world.

Senator Richard Burr To Step Down As Intel Chair Amid Stock Sales Investigation

Diane A. Wade
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Senator Richard Burr To Step Down As Intel Chair Amid Stock Sales Investigation

Richard Burr, the Republican chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, will step down while an insider trading inquiry is carried out.

He said he had decided to do so because he did not want the investigation to distract the committee from its work.

Senator Richard Burr’s phone has been seized by the FBI as part of the inquiry.

The 64-year-old North Carolina senator, who denies wrongdoing, allegedly used inside information to avoid market losses from coronavirus.

He declined a request for comment.

Richard Burr and his wife sold as much as $1.7 million of equities in February, just before markets plunged on fears of an economic crisis.

It is illegal for members of Congress to trade based on non-public information gathered during their official duties.

Republican Senators Kelly Loeffler of Georgia and James Inhofe of Oklahoma, as well as Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, also reportedly sold holdings before the downturn, but are not confirmed to be under investigation.

Dianne Feinstein said she had answered questions from the FBI regarding trades made by her husband, however.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Senator Burr had contacted him to inform of his decision to step aside temporarily.

“We agreed that this decision would be in the best interests of the committee and will be effective at the end of the day tomorrow [May 15],” Mitch McConnell said in a statement.

Richard Burr said: “The work the Intelligence Committee and its members do is too important to risk hindering in any way. I believe this step is necessary to allow the Committee to continue its essential work free of external distractions.”

The senator turned over his mobile phone to authorities after federal agents issued and executed a search warrant at his Washington, DC, home.

The justice department began investigating Richard Burr in March.

Public disclosures first investigated by ProPublica show the senator sold more than 30 stocks between late January and mid-February. Some of the stocks were in sectors now devastated by the coronavirus outbreak, such as the hotel, restaurant and shipping industries. 

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

As chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, Richard Burr receives nearly daily briefings on threats to US national security. He defended the transactions, saying he had “relied solely on public news reports” to instruct his decision to sell.  

However, the senator was criticized for publicly downplaying the seriousness of the virus, even as he privately sold equities and warned a private North Carolina business group of the stark risks it posed.

Tara Reade Interview: Joe Biden Assault Accuser Urges Him to Quit Presidential Race

Richard Burr’s lawyer, Alice Fisher, said in March the senator welcomed the justice department investigation because it would “establish that his actions were appropriate”. 

“The law is clear that any American – including a Senator – may participate in the stock market based on public information, as Senator Burr did,” she said. 

The bulk of Richard Burr’s sales occurred on February 13, just before his speech to the wealthy business constituent group about the dire economic impact of the coronavirus, at a time when the Trump administration was publicly downplaying the threat.

In an audio recording, obtained by US outlet National Public Radio (NPR) Richard Burr also told the group to curtail their travel. He has accused NPR of “misrepresenting” his speech. 

First elected to the Senate in 2004, Richard Burr chaired the Senate Intelligence Committee when it investigated Russian election interference in the 2016 presidential election.

The committee endorsed intelligence community findings that Russia had interfered on President Donald Trump’s behalf.

Richard Burr’s six-year term ends in 2023 and he does not plan to run for re-election, the Associated Press reports.

Coronavirus: President Donald Trump Clashes with Dr Anthony Fauci

Diane A. Wade
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Coronavirus: President Donald Trump Clashes with Dr Anthony Fauci

President Donald Trump has said a sobering warning by Dr. Anthony Fauci, his top infectious diseases expert, about lifting pandemic restrictions too soon was unacceptable.

The president accused Dr. Fauci of wanting “to play all sides of the equation” in his testimony to lawmakers on May 12.

He said he was especially dissatisfied with Dr. Fauci’s caution around reopening schools too quickly.

Nearly 1.4 million people have been infected with Covid-19 in the US. Another 84,000 people have been killed by the new coronavirus, while ravaging the economy.

Image source Wikipedia

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Speaking on May 13 at the White House, President Trump took issue with Dr. Fauci’s comments to a Senate hearing a day earlier about the risks to children of reopening and his assessment that a vaccine was unlikely before classes could begin this autumn.

He said: “Look, he wants to play all sides of the equation.”

“I was surprised by his answer actually, because, you know, it’s just to me – it’s not an acceptable answer, especially when it comes to schools,” the president told reporters.

The president said “the only thing that would be acceptable” is giving older teachers and professors a few more weeks before they return.

“Because this is a disease that attacks age, and it attacks health,” he said.

“But with the young children, I mean, and students, it’s really – just take a look at the statistics. It’s pretty amazing,” he added.

President Trump is keen to get Americans back to work and has praised governors who are moving to do so while criticizing others for not acting aggressively enough.

The US is split over President Trump’s focus on protecting livelihoods, critics accuse him of gambling with lives to serve his own political interests ahead of November’s re-election bid.

His latest comments come amid reports of some young children being severely affected by an inflammatory syndrome that could be linked to the virus.

Speaking to lawmakers on May 12, Dr. Fauci, a White House task force coronavirus expert, warned that relaxing stay-at-home rules too quickly could bring more “suffering and death”.

The director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases emphasized the importance of not being “cavalier in thinking that children are completely immune to the deleterious effects” of the disease.

Dr. Anthony Fauci said: “We just have to see on a step-by-step basis as we get into the period of time with the fall, about reopening the schools, exactly where we will be in the dynamics of the outbreak.”

He also said the real US death toll is probably higher than the official figure.

On May 12, Maryland’s Governor Larry Hogan said he was lifting that state’s stay-at-home measure, replacing it on May 15 with a “safer-at-home” order.

The Republican, who has been critical of President Trump, cited a two-week decline in severe cases and deaths that federal guidelines recommend.

How to Avoid Back Pain When Working from Home

Kathryn R. Bown
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How to Avoid Back Pain When Working from Home

A lot of us are working from home amid the worldwide pandemic currently happening. This is nothing new to some. Maybe you have a nice, comfortable office space complete with a supporting chair. However, to others, this is anything but normal, and maybe your office is a kid’s art table and chair.

Whatever your situation is, a lot of us are finding ourselves sitting and working more often than not. This can mean experiencing more and new aches and pains that weren’t noticed while working in the office. This is because most offices furnish their desks with ergonomic furniture and most employees get up and walk around the office for various reasons throughout the day. There is no water cooler at home.

back-pain

These weeks have turned to months for working at home, and they have strained our bodies not only mentally, but physically. These new aches and pains may lead us down a road to debilitating muscle injuries such as bad backs, sore necks, and achy shoulders.

To avoid going down this path, make sure you are spending as much time as you are able working in a neutral position where no body part is awkwardly bent or twisted. Also, try to move around every 30 minutes. You want to walk around and get yourself a cup of coffee or water. If you can, try to stretch. There are a plethora of apps and online sites that will help you figure out what back exercises to do to stay limber. There are even health sites that will help with lumbar disc bulge exercises.

If you work at a computer, try to view your screen with a straight neck. This means putting your screen at a comfortable viewing height. We tend to look down at laptop screens, so you may want to evaluate your computer to combat this habit.

After you have found the best height for your screen, make sure it is sideways to a bright window. This will minimize eye strain from a glare and you don’t want your back to your screen because the incoming light will cause a glare on it. Also, you won’t be straining your neck and back to look away from a screen if it is too bright. If you have blue light glasses, make sure you wear those as well.

Also, don’t read from an iPad or papers that are flat on your desk or table to where you are constantly moving your head up and down. If you go back from a screen to reading material, use a vertical document holder or iPad stand to relieve this strain.

Since your computer is at a comfortable height in front of you, so should your keyboard. Your keyboard and mouse should be used with your forearms and hands level and straight. Also, your arm should be close to the side of your body when you use a mouse. You have nerves that leave your neck and run down your shoulder, elbow and wrist, so when your arm is at your side, the nerves aren’t compromised. The more you have to stretch, the greater chance there will be to strain your back, neck, or shoulder.

Other small tips are to make sure you sit back in your chair and limit the time you spend working in bed. Also try to limit the time you spend standing. Just following some of these tips at your home work environment can help you lessen your chance of injury.

Coronavirus: Dr Fauci and Other Members of White House Task Force Self-Isolate

Diane A. Wade
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Coronavirus: Dr Fauci and Other Members of White House Task Force Self-Isolate

Dr. Anthony Fauci and two other members of the White House coronavirus task force are self-isolating for two weeks after possible exposure to the illness.

Dr. Fauci has become the public face of the fight against the virus in the US.

His agency, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he was at “relatively low risk” due to the degree of his exposure.

However, the 79-year-old has tested negative.

Dr. Fauci will work from home for the time being and will be regularly tested, the institute said.

VP Mike Pence’s press secretary Katie Miller, the wife of President Donald Trump’s aide Stephen Miller, tested positive for the virus on May 8.

Katie Miller’s diagnosis came after a valet for President Trump was also confirmed to have the illness.

CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield and FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn are also self-isolating.

In a statement, the CDC said Dr. Redfield, 68, had no symptoms and was not feeling unwell, but would also be working from home for two weeks after “low risk exposure” to someone at the White House. It is unclear who this person is.

Image source Wikipedia

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An FDA spokesman told Reuters on May 8 that 60-year-old Stephen Hahn was also self-isolating. He has also tested negative, the spokesman said.

The three men were due to address a Senate committee on May 12.

Before the news about Dr. Anthony Fauci became public, committee chairman Senator Lamar Alexander said Dr. Redfield and Dr. Hahn would be allowed to testify by videolink.

The US has 1.3 million confirmed cases and has recorded 78,794 deaths – by far the highest total in the world, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

Many states brought in lockdown measures in March to try to contain the outbreak. But now some have lifted restrictions to allow people to return to work, a move health officials fear could further spread the virus.

Former President Barack Obama has sharply criticized his successor’s response to the crisis. During a private phone call to former staffers, Barack Obama called the response “an absolute chaotic disaster”.

Last week, President Trump said he would refocus the White House task force on kick starting the US economy, a day after suggesting he would disband it.

Coronavirus: Number of Confirmed Cases Worldwide Passes 4 Million

Kathryn R. Bown
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0
Coronavirus: Number of Confirmed Cases Worldwide Passes 4 Million

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide has passed 4 million milestone, according to data collated by Johns Hopkins University.

The global death toll has also risen to above 277,000.

The US remains the worst-hit country in the world, accounting for over a quarter of confirmed cases and a third of deaths.

Experts warn the true number of infections is likely to be far higher, with low testing rates in many countries skewing the data.

Daily death tolls are continuing to drop in some nations, including Spain, but there is concern that easing lockdown restrictions could lead to a “second wave” of infections.

In addition, governments are bracing for economic fallout as the pandemic hits global markets and supply chains.

A senior Chinese official has told local media that the pandemic was a “big test” that had exposed weaknesses in the country’s public health system. The rare admission, from the director of China’s National Health Commission, Li Bin, comes after sustained criticism abroad of China’s early response.

Coronavirus: Global Cases Pass 1 Million

This week, some lockdown measures have begun easing in Italy, once the global epicenter of the pandemic. Italians have been able to exercise outdoors and visit family members in their region.

France has recorded its lowest daily number of coronavirus deaths for more than a month, with 80 deaths over the past 24 hours. Authorities are preparing to ease restrictions from May 11, as is the government in neighboring Spain.

Meanwhile, lockdowns are continuing in countries like South Africa, despite calls from opposition parties for it to end.

In South Korea, renewed restrictions are being imposed on bars and clubs after a series of transmissions linked to Seoul’s leisure district.

Russia also canceled a military parade in Moscow, planned as part of the country’s Victory Day celebrations. Instead, President Vladimir Putin hosted a subdued event on May 9, laying roses at the Eternal Flame war memorial.

However, despite scientific evidence, leaders of several countries have continued to express skepticism about the virus and the need for lockdowns.

In Belarus, thousands of soldiers marched to celebrate Victory Day, as President Alexander Lukashenko rejected calls for tougher measures.

British medical journal The Lancet has written a scathing editorial about Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, calling him the biggest threat to his country’s ability to contain the spread of coronavirus. Brazil is currently reporting the highest number of cases in Latin America – over 10,000 more on May 9, bringing the national total to nearly 156,000. But despite the outbreak, President Bolsonaro continues to dismiss the virus’ severity and has clashed with governors over lockdown measures.

Rock and Roll Legend Little Richard Dies Aged 87

Lisa.Felice
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Rock and Roll Legend Little Richard Dies Aged 87

Rock and roll legend Little Richard has died at the age of 87, his family has confirmed.

The musician’s hit Good Golly Miss Molly made the charts in 1958. Other well-known songs include Tutti Frutti and Long Tall Sally.

Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Elton John all cited Little Richard an influence. The musician was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

The pioneering rock ‘n’ roll singer died of bone cancer in Tullahoma, Tennessee, his family said.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

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Little Richard was born as Richard Wayne Penniman in Macon, Georgia, on December 5, 1932. Growing up in the southern US state, he absorbed the rhythms of gospel music and the influences of New Orleans, blending them into his own piano-laden extravaganzas.

His father was a preacher who also ran a nightclub, and his mother was a devout Baptist.

“I was born in the slums. My daddy sold whiskey, bootleg whiskey,” Little Richard told Rolling Stone magazine in 1970.

The singer left home in his teens after disagreements with his father who initially didn’t support his music.

“My daddy wanted seven boys, and I had spoiled it, because I was gay,” he later said.

Little Richard was one of 12 children, and said he had started singing because he wanted to stand out from his siblings.

His music was embraced by both black and white fans at a time when parts of the US were still segregated, and concerts had a rope up the centre of the auditorium to divide people by color.

Little Richard had his biggest hits in the 1950s and was known for his exuberant performances, shrieks, raspy voice and flamboyant outfits. He sold more than 30 million records worldwide.

Tara Reade Interview: Joe Biden Assault Accuser Urges Him to Quit Presidential Race

Nancy Clayson
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Tara Reade Interview: Joe Biden Assault Accuser Urges Him to Quit Presidential Race

Tara Reade, who accuses Democratic White House candidate Joe Biden of assaulting her 27 years ago, has called on him to quit the presidential race.

In an interview, Tara Reade urged Joe Biden to “please step forward and be held accountable”.

The 56-year-old added: “You should not be running on character for the president of the United States.”

Joe Biden, who is set to challenge President Donald Trump in November, has denied Tara Reade’s accusation.

Photo AP

Tara Reade worked as a staff assistant to Joe Biden from 1992 to 1993 when he was a Delaware senator.

In her most detailed account yet of the alleged assault, Tara Reade told media personality Megyn Kelly the incident happened in 1993.

Tara Reade was asked by Megyn Kelly if she wanted Joe Biden to withdraw from the race.

She said: “I wish he would, but he won’t, but I wish he would.

“That’s how I feel emotionally.”

She offered to take a lie detector test about her claim, on condition that Joe Biden do so also.

#MeToo: Second Woman Accuses Joe Biden of Inappropriate Touching

Tara Reade said she had received a death threat after Biden supporters accused her without evidence of being a Russian agent.

She continued: “His surrogates have been saying really horrible things about me and to me on social media.

“He hasn’t himself, but there is a measure of hypocrisy with the campaign saying it’s been safe – it’s not been safe.

“All of my social media has been hacked, all of my personal information has been dragged through.”

Joe Biden campaign communications director Kate Bedingfield said in a statement after the interview aired that Tara Reade’s story contained “inconsistencies”.

“Women must receive the benefit of the doubt,” said the statement.

“They must be able to come forward and share their stories without fear of retribution or harm – and we all have a responsibility to ensure that.

“At the same time, we can never sacrifice the truth. And the truth is that these allegations are false and that the material that has been presented to back them up, under scrutiny, keeps proving their falsity.”

Joe Biden, who is the Democratic Party’s presumptive presidential nominee, broke his silence on the matter a week ago, appearing on a morning TV show to brand the allegations “false”.

A court document from 1996 shows Tara Reade’s ex-husband describing “a problem she was having at work regarding harassment, in US Senator Joe Biden’s office”, the San Luis Obispo Tribune reported.

“It was obvious that this event had a very traumatic effect on [Reade], and that she is still sensitive and effected [sic] by it today,” wrote Theodore Dronen, Tara Reade’s then-husband, in a legal memo during their divorce battle.

The file obtained by the California newspaper appears to be the only document from the time that might describe Tara Reade’s allegation.

Tara Reade’s brother, a former neighbor and a former colleague have all said they heard her describe the accusation against her boss after the alleged incident. Her mother appears to have called a CNN show about the claim back in 1993.

High-powered Manhattan lawyer Douglas Wigdor said in a statement that he is representing Tara Reade. He has also represented alleged assault victims of jailed Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

Coronavirus: 33.3 Million Americans Filed Unemployment Claims in Last Six Weeks

Clyde K. Valle
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Coronavirus: 33.3 Million Americans Filed Unemployment Claims in Last Six Weeks

The number of US unemployment claims has hit 33.3 million since mid-March amid coronavirus lockdown, about 20% of the US workforce.

A further 3.2 million Americans sought unemployment benefits last week as the economic toll from the coronavirus pandemic continued to mount.

The number of new claims reported each week by the Department of Labor has subsided since hitting a peak of 6.9 million in March.

However, they remain extraordinarily high.

The number of Americans collecting benefits has continued to rise, despite recent moves to start re-opening in some parts of the country.

Photo Getty Images

Companies such as Lyft, Uber and Airbnb are amongst the companies that have announced cuts in recent weeks, as shutdowns halted significant amounts of travel.

The impact has been felt across the economy, affecting medical practices, restaurants and administrative workers among many others.

Economists say the monthly unemployment rate for April, which will be released on May 8, is likely to reach 15% or higher.

Just two months ago, the unemployment rate was at 3.5%, a 50-year low.

Since the coronavirus has taken hold in the US, the country has suffered its worst growth numbers in a decade, the worst retail sales report on record and declines in business activity not seen since the 2008 financial crisis.

Meanwhile, weeks of elevated unemployment claims have far surpassed the prior record of 700,000.

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Food pantries have seen spikes in demand, and homeowners and renters have delayed monthly payments.

The National Multifamily Housing Council – an industry group for apartment owners – reported last month that nearly a third of renters did not make their full payment by the first of the month.

Economists are hoping the pain will ease as businesses gradually restart.

Retailers such as Gap have already announced plans for re-opening some stores. Others, including J Crew and department store Neiman Marcus, have been pushed into bankruptcy.

Moody’s Investors Service has predicted that the US unemployment rate could fall back to 7% by the end of the year, but that forecast depends on the virus. The longer the shutdown persists, the harder it will be for the economy to rebound.

Coronavirus: Germany To Reopen All Shops

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Coronavirus: Germany To Reopen All Shops

Germany is to reopen all shops as lockdown restrictions are eased.

Meanwhile, Bundesliga soccer has been given the green light to resume and schools will gradually reopen in the summer term.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has said Germany’s goal of slowing the spread of coronavirus has been achieved.

Germany’s 16 federal states, under an agreement with the government, will take control of timing the reopening.

They will operate an “emergency brake” if there is a new surge in infections.

General contact rules involving will continue for another month. A limited resumption has already begun, but this easing of restrictions is far broader.

Two households will be able to meet and eat together, and elderly people in nursing homes and facilities for the disabled will be able to have visits from one specific person.

Chancellor Merkel said: “I think we can safely state that the very first phase of the pandemic is behind us. But we need to be very much aware we are still in the early phases and we’ll be in it for the long haul.”

Germany has seen fewer than 7,000 deaths in the coronavirus pandemic – a much lower figure than in other Western European countries including the UK, Italy, France and Spain.

Image source Wikimedia

On May 6, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), a federal public health body, reported 165 deaths in the past 24 hours and some 947 new infections.

The rate of infection has been consistently low for some time, and Angela Merkel said she was very pleased that the number of new, daily infections was into three digits. She praised the responsibility of German citizens in sticking to lockdown measures to protect the lives of others as well as themselves.

Shops of up to 800 square meters (8,600ft) in size have already been allowed to open. All restrictions on shops will now be lifted, although masks must be worn and social distancing maintained.

Schools have already begun opening for older children; all pupils will be allowed to return to class gradually during the summer term.

Germany, in common with other countries, is wary of a second surge in infections. If new infections rise to above 50 people in every 100,000 in a district over a seven-day period, then it will be up to the local authority in the affected area to re-impose restrictions.

A number of the 16 lands have been less affected by the crisis, so some are more eager to ease restrictions than others.

Bavaria in the south plans to reopen restaurants on May 18 while Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in the north plans to do that on May 9.

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Reopening restaurants and hotels is seen as a particular risk because it will heighten the number of people travelling across Germany and raising infection rates. Large public events will remain banned.

The German soccer league, the Bundesliga, has been given the green light to kick off for the first time since March.

So-called ghost games without spectators could start again as early as May 15 or 21 as long as a two-week quarantine is put in place for the players, in the form of a type of training camp. A decision on the date will be made by the football authorities on May 7.

The Bundesliga will be the first major football league in Europe to resume after the pandemic. However, it is not without risk. Ten positive cases were revealed this week by the German football league out of 1,724 tests across the top two divisions.

Meanwhile, tourism commissioner Thomas Bareiss has held out the hope that Germans will be able to go on holiday this summer.

If the outbreak remained under control, he suggested they could go away in Germany and in neighboring countries that had seen a similar drop in infections.

White House Coronavirus Task Force Could Be Disbanded Within Weeks

Diane A. Wade
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0
White House Coronavirus Task Force Could Be Disbanded Within Weeks

President Donald Trump has confirmed the White House coronavirus task force will be winding down, with Vice-President Mike Pence suggesting it could be disbanded within weeks.

He said during a visit to a mask-manufacturing factory in Arizona: “We are bringing our country back.”

New confirmed infections per day in the US currently top 20,000, and daily deaths exceed 1,000.

However, US health officials warn the virus may spread as businesses begin to reopen.

Image source Wikipedia

The US currently has 1.2 million confirmed coronavirus infections and more than 70,000 related deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, which is tracking the pandemic.

During a visit to the plant in Phoenix after weeks holed up at the White House, President Trump told journalists: “Mike Pence and the task force have done a great job, but we’re now looking at a little bit of a different form, and that form is safety and opening. And we’ll have a different group probably set up for that.”

President Trump – who wore safety goggles but no face mask during his tour of the facility – was asked if it was “mission accomplished”, and he said: “No, not at all. The mission accomplished is when it’s over.”

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Critics have accused the president of sacrificing Americans’ public health in his eagerness to reopen the economy ahead of his re-election battle in November.

Acknowledging a human cost to the plans, President Trump told reporters: “I’m not saying anything is perfect, and yes, will some people be affected? Yes.

“Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon.”

However, it will be up to individual states to determine how they reopen.

Some Democratic governors in badly hit states have been cautious, calling for more testing and other safeguards before easing lockdowns. Other states, many led by Republicans in the south and mid-west, have already begun lifting restrictions.

The White House coronavirus task force was set up on January 29. VP Mike Pence became its chairman four weeks later and its members include more than 20 experts and leading administration officials. The White House said the task force’s duty was to “lead the administration’s efforts to monitor, contain and mitigate the spread of the virus” and provide the public with information.

President Trump’s once-daily task force briefings became increasingly scarce after he was widely condemned by the medical community for pondering at the podium last month whether injecting disinfectant might kill the virus.

How to Build a Great Law Firm Website for Your Legal Practice

Dana R
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How to Build a Great Law Firm Website for Your Legal Practice

Build a lead-generating law firm website for your legal practice by following this step-by-step guide. This guide covers all aspects of a great online presence.

There are over 1.3 million attorneys in the United States. With so many attorneys in the US, it’s difficult to stand out from the competition. 

Having a great website for your law firm is one of the best things you can do to have your name stand out. However, it’s not as easy to have a website that is easy to use, fast, and informative.

If your law firm website is not where you want it to be, you came to the right place. Read on to learn how you can create the best law firm website. 

1. Visible Law Firm Name and Logo

If you want your law firm website to stand out, you need to use your name and logo throughout your site. Using your firm name and logo on every page of your website will help create brand recognition. 

Whenever potential clients see your name offline and online, it will resonate with them. Make sure you also use your law firm name in the URL. 

2. Use the Colors of Your Logo Throughout the Website

Another way to help boost your law firm’s website is by incorporating your brand colors. Using the colors in your logo throughout your website will help solidify your brand. 

You can get creative on how you use brand colors. For example, you can use the color in the background, buttons, calls-to-action, visual accents, and more. If you haven’t settled on a color palette, you can choose a brighter one.

3. Highlight Your Area of Specialization

To ensure you attract the right client to your website, you need to highlight your area of specialization. Although many people think all lawyers are created equal, there are different areas of specialization. 

If your law firm specializes in family law, then you need to make sure you highlight this throughout your page. Aside from highlighting your area of specialization, you also need to tell them why they need to pick you as their lawyer. 

Giving them a reason why they should pick you as your lawyer should be a priority when you build your website. After all, you’re building the best website because you want to show clients you’re the best.

4. Create a Google My Business for Your Law Firm

Long gone are the days when people brought out the phone book to look for a lawyer. Whenever people need to find a product or service nowadays, they search for it on Google or any other search engine.

The purpose of a Google My Business account is to keep your business information as up to date as possible. If clients cannot find your business online, they won’t click on your website. To create a Google My Business, you should follow these steps:

Sign in to Google

Before you claim your business, you should create a Google account. Rather than using a personal email account, create an account with your firm’s name. 

Find Your Location

You want to tell your clients the specific location of your business. To get started, search for your business name and city. 

You will need to click on the navigation option under “maps” in Google. It will give you the option to find the exact location of your business. Once you have the location, you will have to pin your business on the map. 

More Information

Once you have pinned the map, a “more info” link will pop up. This is your opportunity to manage the rest of the information. Click on the “manage this page” button on the bottom of the page.

Edit

When the window pops up, you will get the opportunity to edit, suspend, or unclaim the business. If you’re sure about claiming your business, start to edit the information. 

Once you start editing the information, it’s very important you verify all the links are correct. In this section, you should add links to your website and all of your social media handles. 

Photos are a useful thing to add to your Google My Business account to familiarize your clients with your firm. If you want to add photos of the attorneys working at your firm, it will give clients an opportunity to familiarize themselves with your staff. 

Make sure you also add the hours of operation, address, phone number, and any other useful information. 

Verify

Once you have completed filling out the information, it’s time to verify the account by entering a specific PIN. You can obtain the PIN in several ways, but the easiest is by calling Google and providing them with your business’ phone number. 

After you completed the steps, your firm will appear on Google. 

5. Incorporate Social Listening

While most attorney websites focus on listing case studies and outcomes, you should dig a bit deeper. To learn exactly what your clients want to see, you should dedicate some time to social listening. The purpose of social listening is to dig deeper and get more involved with potential clients. 

Start by becoming active on the social media platforms that matter, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and even Twitter. You should focus on searching for hashtags that relate to your industry and area of the law. 

After you see the search results, you will get a sense of what people are talking about. You will get a chance to look at current trends and listen to the problems people are currently facing on a daily basis. 

Social listening also gives you the option to reply to the comments and have a conversation with potential clients. 

Once you become more familiar with the issues they’re facing, you can create and write articles that address these issues. Make sure you also make your articles and blog posts shareable to keep the conversation going. 

6. SEO Optimization

Almost everyone who owns a website these days has heard the term SEO. If your law firm website is not SEO optimized, you could be missing out on organic legal leads. The purpose of optimizing your website is to help it pop up on the top of the Google results. 

While you can hire a company to help with your SEO, it’s also possible to do it yourself with a few steps.

Keyword Research

The world of SEO is all about keyword research. You need to pick the right keywords that will help you land visitors organically. Think about what your clients would type on Google if they were in search of a lawyer. 

Google keyword planner is a great tool that helps you pick the best words for your law firm. It will give you an opportunity to find only relevant keywords. 

Tailor Content to Your Keywords

Once you pick the right keywords for your law firm, you should create content that incorporates those keywords. 

Make sure you use your keywords in all of your pages but make sure you do it in a way that flows naturally. The last thing you want is to overuse keywords or use them in a way that doesn’t flow.

Increase the Speed

If you want to improve your SEO results, you need to make sure your law firm website is fast. On average, website visitors expect a website to load in 3 seconds or less. 

If your website is too slow, Google and other search engines will have no problem placing you at the bottom of the results.

Landing Pages

To help improve your law firm’s SEO, you should use landing pages the right way. When you create landing pages, make sure you keep your keywords in mind. 

Mobile-Friendly

Nowadays, people do most of their internet searches via mobile. When your potential clients look for a lawyer, they will probably use their phone. 

If you want to improve your SEO results for your law firm’s website, make sure you make it mobile-friendly. It means visitors will have the same experience if they view your site on their phone or computer. 

7. Have Client Testimonials

When potential clients look for a lawyer, they want to see the wins and testimonials. Although people care about attorney qualifications, they also want to know what previous clients have to say about them. 

If you want to take your law firm website to the next level, make sure you share client testimonials and display them on your website.

While you don’t have to display them on the main page, you should make it easy for your customers to find them. You could create banners to display on your main page, but have a dedicated page for full reviews. 

8. Show Your Achievements 

Aside from reading about what your clients have to say about you, it’s important that your clients learn about the accomplishments.

It’s very important that you put some work into the biography page of your law firm. Aside from focusing on highlighting education, you need to highlight awards and special achievements.

Clients want to know that they’re hiring the best of the best, so you need to highlight this for them. Make sure you also let your clients know which areas of the law your attorneys specialize in.

You can also have professional photographs next to attorney bios, so your clients can put a face to the name.  

9. Provide a Full List of Services

Clients want to know they’re in the right place, so make sure you display your full list of services. The last thing you want is to mislead clients to think you can take their case when you don’t specialize in that area of the law. 

Make sure you tell clients right away about all of your services. They want to know you have the full set of skills they’re looking for.

You can give them a preview on your main page, and have a separate page with a full list of services. 

10. Calls-to-Action

The main goal of your law firm’s website should be to have clients schedule an in-person consultation. Therefore, you need to include multiple calls-to-action on your website. 

If you have a blog, make sure you encourage visitors to contact you at the end of an article. Also, you should encourage them to visit other pages on your site, such as the bio page, testimonials, or a full list of services page. 

Make sure you have calls-to-action in all of the pages of your website as well.

And don’t forget to make it easy for them to find your contact forms. Rather than having a single designated contact page, you can have a contact form at the bottom of every page. 

11. Create a Responsive Website

As we briefly mentioned before, having a mobile-friendly website can help your SEO score, but it can also give your clients the best experience. 

Make sure you focus on creating a responsive website so that people can view the same content on a smartphone, tablet, or computer monitor. 

If your website freezes when someone wants to view it on a mobile device, they won’t even bother to give you a call. 

12. Contact Forms

As we mentioned, you should have plenty of calls to action on your website. However, if the call-to-action includes a contact form, you need to simplify it. 

Make sure you keep the contact forms simple to use. Trying to collect a lot of information from your clients might make them feel overwhelmed, and they might choose not to do it. 

Even if you want to collect more information about their case, avoid making this mistake. For the initial contact form, all you need is their name, email, and phone number. 

You can get more information about them later. 

13. Keep It User Friendly

Although this is the era of technology, not everyone is tech-savvy. To help your clients navigate your website, make it as easy to use as possible.

Make sure you have the most useful information on full display. Keep your menu simple and free of any distracting icons. 

Also, try to keep ads, pop-ups, and any video content from distracting your visitors. Only show the information they want to see. 

Create the Best Law Firm Website Today

Now that you know how to create the best law firm website, it’s time you put your skills to the test. 

Start by keeping it user friendly, creating a responsive website, focusing on SEO, providing testimonials, and more. 

If you enjoyed these tips and would like to learn more, check out the rest of our blog.

Boris Johnson and Partner Carrie Symonds Name Baby Boy Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas

Lisa.Felice
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Boris Johnson and Partner Carrie Symonds Name Baby Boy Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas

UK’s PM Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds have named their baby boy Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson.

The names are a tribute to their grandfathers and two doctors who treated Boris Johnson while he was in hospital with coronavirus, Carrie Symonds wrote in an Instagram post.

Image source: Carrie Symonds/Instagram

Carrie Symonds also thanked staff at University College London Hospital, saying: “I couldn’t be happier. My heart is full.”

She posted a picture of herself with the baby, who was born on April 29.

The birth came just weeks after Boris Johnson was discharged from intensive care at another London hospital following treatment for coronavirus.

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Carrie Symonds wrote on May 2 that their son shares his first name with Boris Johnson’s grandfather, and the first of his middle names, Lawrie, with her own.

Dr. Nick Price and Prof. Nick Hart offered their “warm congratulations” to the prime minister and Carrie Symonds.

They said in a statement: “We are honored and humbled to have been recognized in this way, and we give our thanks to the incredible team of professionals who we work with at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and who ensure every patient receives the best care.

“We wish the new family every health and happiness.”

Boris Johnson’s newborn is only the third baby born to a serving UK prime minister in living memory.

North Korea Fires Gunshots at South Korean Guard Post in DMZ

Roy Siemens
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North Korea Fires Gunshots at South Korean Guard Post in DMZ

North Korea and South Korea have exchanged gunfire in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) which divides the two Asian countries.

Gunshots fired by North Korea at 07:41 AM local time hit a South Korean guard post in the central border town of Cheorwon, Seoul’s military said.

No casualties were reported on the South Korean side.

In response, South Korea fired “two rounds of gunfire and a warning announcement according to our manual”, the military statement said.

It is not clear what provoked the initial gunshots. The joint chiefs of staff (JCS) said that they were trying to contact North Korea through their military hotline to determine the cause of the incident.

Kim Jong-un Appears In Public After 20 Days of Absence

This is the first time in five years that North Korean troops have directly fired on South Korea. The last incident happened when a North Korean soldier made a dash across the military demarcation line to defect to South Korea.

The DMZ was set up after the Korean War in 1953 in order to create a buffer zone between the two countries.

For the past two years, the South Korean government has tried to turn the heavily fortified border into a peace zone.

Easing military tensions at the border was one of the agreements reached between the leaders of the two countries held a summit in Pyongyang in September 2018.

Coronavirus: FDA Authorizes Ebola Drug Remdesivir for Treating Covid-19

Kathryn R. Bown
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0
Coronavirus: FDA Authorizes Ebola Drug Remdesivir for Treating Covid-19

The FDA has authorized emergency use of the Ebola drug remdesivir for treating the coronavirus.

The authorization means the anti-viral drug can now be used on people who are hospitalized with severe Covid-19.

A recent clinical trial showed remdesivir helped shorten the recovery time for people who were seriously ill.

However, the drug did not significantly improve survival rates.

Experts have warned remdesivir – which was originally developed to treat Ebola, and is produced by Gilead pharmaceutical company in California – should not be seen as a “magic bullet” for coronavirus.

Remdesivir interferes with the virus’s genome, disrupting its ability to replicate.

During a meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, Gilead Chief Executive Daniel O’Day said the FDA authorization was an important first step.

Gilead would donate 1.5 million vials of the drug, he said.

FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn also said at the meeting: “It’s the first authorized therapy for Covid-19, so we’re really proud to be part of it.”

Emergency FDA authorization is not the same as formal approval, which requires a higher level of review.

Remdesivir did not cure Ebola, and the producing company says on its website: “Remdesivir is an experimental medicine that does not have established safety or efficacy for the treatment of any condition.”

Gilead also warns of possible serious side-effects.

However, President Trump has been a vocal supporter of remdesivir as a potential treatment for the coronavirus.

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In its clinical trial, whose full results are yet to be released, the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) found that remdesivir cut the duration of symptoms from 15 days down to 11.

The trials involved 1,063 people at hospitals around the world – including the US, France, Italy, the UK, China and South Korea. Some patients were given the drug and others were given a placebo (dummy) treatment.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, who runs NIAID, said that remdesivir had “a clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery”.

However, although remdesivir may aid recovery – and possibly stop people having to be treated in intensive care – the trials did not give any clear indication whether it can prevent deaths from coronavirus.

As much remains uncertain about the treatment regime, Gilead suggests a 10-day dosing duration for patients on ventilators and five days for patients who are not.

The FDA’s jurisdiction does not stretch overseas so the authorization only applies to US. Experts also stressed that the emergency use is not the same as full approval.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPsXpeao9yo

Kim Jong-un Appears In Public After 20 Days of Absence

Roy Siemens
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Kim Jong-un Appears In Public After 20 Days of Absence

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has appeared in public for the first time after 20 days of absence, North Korean state media says.

According to KCNA news agency, Kim Jong-un cut the ribbon at the opening of a fertilizer factory.

The agency adds that people at the factory “broke into thunderous cheers of hurrah” when he appeared on May 1st.

The reported appearance – Kim Jong-un’s first since an event on state media on April 12 – comes amid global speculation over his health.

However, the latest reports from North Korean media could not be independently confirmed.

State media later released images that it said showed Kim Jong-un cutting a ribbon outside a factory.

Asked about Kim Jong-un’s reported reappearance, President Donald Trump told reporters that he didn’t want to comment yet.

According to KCNA, Kim Jong-un was accompanied by several senior North Korean officials, including his sister Kim Yo-jong.

He cut a ribbon at a ceremony at the plant, in a region north of Pyongyang, and people who were attending the event “burst into thunderous cheers of ‘hurrah!’ for the Supreme Leader who is commanding the all-people general march for accomplishing the great cause of prosperity”, KCNA says.

Kim Jong-un said he was satisfied with the factory’s production system, and praised it for contributing to the progress of the country’s chemical industry and food production, the state news agency adds.

Speculation about Kim Jong-un’s health began after he missed the birth anniversary celebrations of his grandfather, state founder Kim Il-sung on April 15.

The anniversary is one of the biggest events in the North Korean calendar, and the North Korean usually marks it by visiting the mausoleum where his grandfather lies. Kim Jong-un had never missed this event.

Claims about Kim Jong-un’s ill-health then surfaced in a report for a website run by North Korean defectors.

An anonymous source told the Daily NK that they understood Kim Jong-un had been struggling with cardiovascular problems since last August “but it worsened after repeated visits to Mount Paektu”.

Image source: KCNA

Kim Jong-un Climbs Mount Paektu on Horseback

Kim Jong-un climbs Mount Paektu

This led to a chain of reporting by international media on a single-sourced story.

News agencies then began to run with that claim, and it was all they had until some reports emerged that intelligence agencies in South Korea and the US were monitoring the claim.

Then came a more sensational headline in US media that Kim Jong-un was in a critical condition after heart surgery.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appeared to stoke the rumors on April 29, by saying US officials “hadn’t seen” Kim Jong-un recently.

However, a statement from the South Korean government, and sources at Chinese intelligence – speaking to the Reuters – said this was not true.

Kim Jong-un went missing for 40 days in September 2014, after attending a concert. He reappeared in mid-October, using a cane.

State media never explained where Kim Jong-un had been. However, South Korea’s intelligence agency said he probably had an operation on his left ankle stemming from problems with a cyst.

How to Exercise Safely During the COVID-19 Lockdown

Nancy Clayson
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How to Exercise Safely During the COVID-19 Lockdown

The coronavirus has affected nearly every aspect of modern life. From movie theaters, to sporting events, to bars and restaurants, virtually no industry has been spared from lockdowns and cancellations. Of course, most gyms and fitness centers have also closed down for the time being. However, it’s still important for health-conscious individuals to exercise –– even during this pandemic. Fortunately, it is possible to stick to a fitness regimen without putting yourself or others at risk. Here are a few ways how:

diet
Dumbells green apple and tape measure isolated on white.

Work Out Indoors

Though you may not be able to go to the gym, it’s still possible to engage in a solid exercise session in your own home. Individuals can use treadmills, weights, or yoga mats to exercise on their own at home. Make sure to designate a space for exercise inside of your house, and try to avoid any unnecessary distractions. Don’t try and watch television while working out, and avoid busy areas like your kitchen, for instance.

Go on Walk, Run, or Jog

If you or someone you know has been exposed to COVID-19, or if you or someone you know has experienced COVID-19 symptoms, it’s important to maintain a stringent self quarantine for several weeks. However, for others who haven’t been exposed, it’s still possible to take a walk, run, or jog around their neighborhood or local park. Just ensure that you maintain proper social distancing while outside of your home. Also, wash your hands thoroughly after you work out –– especially outside of your home. Lastly, don’t join up with friends or neighbors for a work-out session in the park or elsewhere.

Avoid Overexertion

If you’re bored and tired of staying inside, you might find yourself motivated to push yourself during your next work out. While it’s great to be excited about physician fitness, it’s also important not to overexert yourself during workouts, particularly during quarantine. Always stretch and warm up before you begin a workout in earnest, and give yourself plenty of time to recover. Rest days can be crucial for your physical and mental well-being.

Speak to a Doctor

If you experience pain or discomfort during any of your workouts, then don’t hesitate to speak to a doctor. They may be able to recommend a number of treatments, such as minimally invasive bunion surgery for individuals with foot issues, for example.

Conclusion

Staying safe during the lockdown is tough, but necessary. That’s why developing a winning exercise program is so important. It will help you stay fit and reduce stress during this difficult time. Keep these tips handy for future reference!

How Healthy Are You? How to Gauge Your Own Wellness

Kathryn R. Bown
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How Healthy Are You? How to Gauge Your Own Wellness

Do you know how healthy you are, really? Sure, you might know how you feel right now: energetic, tired, bored, sick, etc. But do you know if you’re living a healthy life? And do you know how susceptible you might be to certain infections or conditions?

The harsh reality is that how healthy you feel doesn’t always reflect how healthy you are. Indeed, it’s possible for seemingly healthy individuals to come down with surprisingly serious medical issues. With all that in mind, today we’ll help you examine your own health in a more objective manner:

Lifestyle Choices

Obviously, people do have a certain level of control over their own physical fitness. As such, decisions like diet composition and how often you exercise can have a big impact on your overall health. The problem, of course, is that judging a lifestyle is very difficult. Relatively few people follow their diets to a strict level –– and not everyone works out as often as they should. On the other hand, people with “bad habits” might still be relatively healthy for other reasons. Nevertheless, actions like eating fast food, smoking, drinking, and remaining sedentary for long periods of time are universally detrimental to health and wellness.

Genetics

The bad news here is that no matter how hard you try, you could be at risk for certain medical conditions simply because members of your family had them. Make no mistake, genetics plays a huge part in determining a person’s long-term health. So, for instance, if your mother and father each had high cholesterol, there’s a good chance you could have high cholesterol too –– regardless of how well you diet and exercise. 

Community Health

Believe it or not, the health and wellness of those around you can have an impact on your own fitness and morale. An obvious example would be someone who is married to a smoker –– since second-hand smoke can be just as damaging as inhaling smoking yourself. On a broader level, though, surrounding yourself with individuals who take their health seriously can improve your own self-discipline.

Ask for Help

It can be very tempting to look for easy solutions to health-and-wellness problems. Yet, quick-fixes rarely provide long-term benefits. (Consider bunion correctors as a real-life example of this axiom in action.) Individuals shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help. At the end of the day, it’s imperative for everyone –– healthy, unhealthy, young, old (etc.) –– to consult with a medical professional on a regular basis. Doing so is the best way to take care of yourself and get a clear picture of your overall well-being.

Coronavirus: President Trump Claims He Saw Evidence Virus Started In China Lab

Diane A. Wade
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Coronavirus: President Trump Claims He Saw Evidence Virus Started In China Lab

President Donald Trump has suggested he has seen evidence coronavirus originated in a Chinese laboratory.

Earlier the US national intelligence director’s office said it was still investigating how the virus began.

However, the office said it had determined Covid-19 “was not manmade or genetically modified”.

China has rejected the lab theory and criticized the US response to Covid-19.

Since emerging in China at the end of 2019, the new coronavirus has killed 230,000 people worldwide including 63,000 in the US.

The pandemic has seen at least 3.2 million people infected, a million of them Americans, since the virus spread from the city of Wuhan.

At the White House on April 30, President Trump was asked by a reporter: “Have you seen anything at this point that gives you a high degree of confidence that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was the origin of this virus?”

“Yes, I have. Yes, I have,” said President Trump, without specifying.

“And I think the World Health Organization [WHO] should be ashamed of themselves because they’re like the public relations agency for China.”

Asked later to clarify his comment, the president said: “I can’t tell you that. I’m not allowed to tell you that.”

President Trump also told reporters: “Whether they [China] made a mistake, or whether it started off as a mistake and then they made another one, or did somebody do something on purpose?

“I don’t understand how traffic, how people weren’t allowed into the rest of China, but they were allowed into the rest of the world. That’s a bad, that’s a hard question for them to answer.”

Image source Flickr

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In a rare public statement, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which oversees US spy agencies, said on April 30 it concurs with the “wide scientific consensus” regarding Covid-19’s natural origins.

The statement said: “The [intelligence community] will continue to rigorously examine emerging information and intelligence to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan.”

It was the first clear response from American intelligence debunking conspiracy theories – both from the US and China – that the virus is a bio-weapon.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology, which was founded in the 1950s, houses China’s first Biosafety Level 4 laboratory.

Such labs handle the most dangerous pathogens for which there are few available vaccines or treatments, and one of the areas the Wuhan facility studies is coronaviruses from bats.

President Trump has recently been escalating his war of words with China over the pandemic after what officials within the president’s administration had described as a truce with Beijing.

On April 29, he suggested China wanted him to lose his re-election bid in November.

President Trump has formerly accused Chinese officials of covering up the virus early on and saying they could have stopped the disease from spreading.

He has similarly criticized the WHO and withdrawn US funding for the global body.

China’s foreign ministry, meanwhile, has accused the Trump administration of trying to distract from its own problems tackling the crisis.

The Confusion Around Coronavirus: What Is Fact And What Is Fiction?

Diane A. Wade
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0
The Confusion Around Coronavirus: What Is Fact And What Is Fiction?

The Coronavirus outbreak has affected virtually everyone on earth in some way or another, redefining social interaction, work productivity and our capacity to enjoy something as simple as the outdoors. With nationwide lockdown expected to go on for some time in countries inflicted severely by the outbreak, such as the UK and US, many people are looking at their governments and public health organisations as a source of complete truth and accountability.

Whilst research into the relationship of contracting and transmitting COVID-19 has been somewhat cloudy and inconclusive, the real facts and evidence on the virus are constantly being discovered and debated. Scientists and health professionals all over the globe are working across the clock to not just try and find a vaccine but to explore the intricate details of the virus and why it has become so deadly. Whilst this has been resoundingly applauded across society, the release of findings, guidelines and stance of governments have been an embarrassing mismatch of contradictory information.

We examine some of the claims voiced by experts and government officials regarding COVID-19 over the course of the last few months, whilst shedding light on certain lifestyle choices which could impact contracting the virus.

Clear As Mud

Let’s rewind back to the start of the year, when regular routine was operated across the globe, except in China where a newfound virus threatened to damage normality in all senses. With news bulletins partially mentioning the outbreak of this unknown virus, government officials played down the prospect of it having a catastrophic effect.

As the virus spread across the world, In the UK PM Boris Johnson ignored advice from the World Health Organization (WHO) to refrain from shaking hands by boasting he was in close contact with those affected, “”I’m shaking hands continuously. I was at a hospital the other night where I think there were actually a few coronavirus patients and I shook hands with everybody, you’ll be pleased to know. I continue to shake hands.” He went on to assert, “I want to stress that for the vast majority of the people of this country, we should be going about our business as usual.”

A large proportion of the news relating to COVID-19 over the course of early March, when the outbreak began to hit western nations, was that the disease only really affected elderly people and that younger, fit adults and children shouldn’t need to worry. Going by what we know now, this was greatly underestimated as despite the majority of deaths attributed to older people with underlying health conditions, younger people who are deemed healthy have still experienced severe symptoms of the virus and have required intensive care. A staggering 40% of patients requiring medical attention were in the age bracket of 20-54 in the US, according to CDC statistics.

Whilst the initial hypothesis that this disease affects older people far greater than younger age groups, there’s no denying that governments miscommunication on the severity of the virus on all age groups has potentially costs thousands of lives.

Furthermore, isolation and social distancing guidelines have become an increasingly contentious and confusing issue. In the UK under the sanctioned lockdown, citizens are required to self-isolate except to:

  • Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home).
  • If you go out, stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people at all times.

Despite the resounding nature of these measures, the clarity of rhetoric used can be construed in many ways. For example, it’s stressed that a person can go out to exercise once daily alone or with members of their household, but no time measures are attached. This essentially means under law, a person or family could stay outside for as long as they wish over a 24 hour period as long as they’re staying active.

As well as this, the fact that most unessential businesses have been forced to close highlights the seriousness of the situation, however construction workers are deemed to be key workers and obviously cannot conduct their work from home in the majority of circumstances. This has led many labourers having to go to work to make ends meet, whilst the 2m social distancing measure implied is nigh on impossible for many who have to work in close proximity. This complete lack of disregard for a huge sector of the economy has again put thousands of people at risk of contracting the virus.

Up In Smoke

Whilst governments and public health officials have been inconsistent in their approach to tackling the pandemic, in regards to smokers (who make up over 1 billion worldwide), the message has been resoundingly clear.

The WHO states, ‘Smokers are likely to be more vulnerable to COVID-19 as the act of smoking means that fingers (and possibly contaminated cigarettes) are in contact with lips which increases the possibility of transmission of virus from hand to mouth. Smokers may also already have lung disease or reduced lung capacity which would greatly increase risk of serious illness.’

This is further echoed by UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock who says, “It is abundantly clear from the research into previous coronaviruses that smoking makes the impact of a coronavirus worse.”

It’s also highly evidenced that smoking causes the immune system to weaken, whilst the fact that Coronavirus is a respiratory disease clearly highlights that smoking can have huge effects on those who have contracted the virus or developed symptoms.

This resonant assertion whilst respected, doesn’t cover the borderline product of e-cigarettes. Vaping is seen by many, including PHE, NHS, Cancer Research and The British Lung Foundation as a viable harm-reducing alternative to nicotine consumption. Yet many believe vaping could transmit COVID-19, especially through vape clouds.

Rosanna O’Connor, Director of Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs at PHE refutes this logic, “Public Health England’s 2018 independent evidence review found that to date, there have been no identified health risks of passive vaping to bystanders. There is currently no evidence that coronavirus can be caught from exposure to e-cigarette vapour.”

In line with this, Leading academic Physician and Professor of Medicine at the University of California, Dr Neal Benowitz states,” It is my understanding that exhaled e-cigarette vapor consists of very small particles of water, propylene glycol and glycerin and flavor chemicals, not droplets of saliva. The vaping aerosol evaporates very quickly, while particles that are emitted when coughing or sneezing are large particles that persist in the air for a relatively long period of time. Thus, I would not think that vapers present any risk of spreading COVID-19, unless they are coughing when they exhale the vapor.”

Whilst vaping is only recommended for smokers looking to make the switch over, now could be the ideal time for those who smoke cigarettes to change over their habit. Vape Club’s dedicated guide section provides an extensive knowledge on all aspects of vaping for those unsure of the harm-reducing benefits when compared to tobacco.

Summing Up

Of course, many of us can feel like we’re left out in the cold with all of the differing opinions and claims floating around. It’s essential to be able to use common sense in the majority of social situations, with a large proportion of the population across the world adhering to guidelines and ultimately taking pressure of health services.

It’s also worth pointing out whilst the public couldn’t really conceive what was about to come in the early stages of Coronavirus, governments and health experts were briefed on the grimness of the situation about to hit as early as last year. This complete unpreparedness and lack of initiative has unfortunately paid dividends at the cost of thousands, potentially millions of lives, in what will inevitably come to be the biggest health crisis of our generation.

There is still a lot more to discover regarding COVID-19 and its existence, which will no doubt come to light in the ensuing months and years.

Why Use CNC Turning For Your Project?

Nancy Clayson
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Why Use CNC Turning For Your Project?

CNC turning and milling are two of the most common processed used to create custom parts and components on a lathe.  These areas of precision engineering are the state of the art versions of very ancient forms of machinery – the lathe – which was used back as far as the Ancient Egyptians.  Today’s equipment is very different from those historic versions and works in different ways.  So how do you know when CNC turning is needed for a project versus CNC milling?

If you aren’t doing the work yourself, then the precision engineering firm you are working with will understand these processes and know which one is right.  But it never hurts to understand the basics, what the differences are, and which might be the right one for the job.

CNC turning versus CNC milling

Both of these processes allow users to create patterns as well as add details to metals that simply cannot be done by hand.  With CNC milling, codes are programmed into a computer and the mill then drills and turn along the axes to cut the materials to match the designs entered into the computer.  Programs allow for the most precision cuts while users can also adjust things manually to speed up or slow down the process as needed.

CNC turning uses computer-controlled machines to make the final product.  It has a single-point cutting tool that inserts parallel to the material and makes cuts.  The material is rotated at different speeds to allow the cutting tool to make cylinder shaped cuts to very precise measurements.  It is ideal for circular or tube-shaped parts from larger pieces.  While it is mostly automated, speeds can be adjusted manually.

Benefits of CNC turning and milling

Both of these systems have a few core benefits that make them ideal for a range of projects, ahead of manual or traditional methods of turning and milling.

High precision levels

For starters, CNC machining allows the highest precision possible for any project.  There’s just no way that a human can match the precision of a computer and this opens up many possibilities in terms of what can be made and the size it can be made.  CNC machining can produce hundreds of identical parts down to 0.01mm and sometimes less.

Large quantities

Often a project needs a lot of a certain part and creating these by hand simply isn’t practical.  That’s where CNC machining comes in – it is simple to create large numbers of parts that are all identical and often in a short time frame.  For some parts, a machine can create 30 or more parts per hour – this would take at least three for manual machining.

Speed of manufacture

It is worth mentioning the speed of manufacture again as the benefit of CNC turning or milling.  It can take around an hour to set up the machine then some parts can be created in as little as two minutes while the same piece made manually would take at least twenty minutes.  Even if there is only a need for a few pieces for a prototype, the speed of creation means it can be ready and tested in a very short time, allowing the project to move ahead.

When is CNC turning needed?

Now we have established the difference between these two main types of CNC machining and the benefits they bring, it is worth looking at some examples of when CNC turning is needed as opposed to milling.

In simplest terms, if something is round, you will turn it.  There are plenty of examples of this including things like washers, ball bearings, casters and even chess pieces.  Turning works on rounded pieces and therefore if you need something round, this is the system that will be used.

In the majority of cases, the smaller the batch of parts needed, the more likely that turning is the right choice.  CNC turning is perfect for short run volumes and prototypes that are less than 60-65mm in size.  Anything larger than this and each part will need to be to checked individually when turning is used, which can impact the cost of the production and the time involved.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS-EmKjWiQA

When is CNC milling needed?

For anything that isn’t round (and a few things that are), CNC milling is a common choice.  It can be used to fabricate a part from start to finish but can also work as a secondary process for something already made.  So, it might be that you have an item that has been created with CNC turning and then milling is used to make further alterations to it to complete the design.

Whatever the project, CNC machining experts will know what process to use – or if more than one is required.  This means you always get the right quality piece for your needs.

Coronavirus: US Tops 1 Million Covid-19 Cases

Diane A. Wade
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Coronavirus: US Tops 1 Million Covid-19 Cases

The US passed a grim milestone, with more than a million cases of Covid-19 recorded.

There are now 3,098,391 confirmed cases worldwide and 216,160 deaths, Johns Hopkins University says.

The House of Representatives has abandoned plans to return to Washington next week. Several states, including Georgia and Texas, have pressed ahead with plans to reopen amid the infection rise.

President Donald Trump was speaking earlier at a White House event about supporting small businesses through the coronavirus pandemic.

As he closed the event, President Trump expressed his pride at the work being done by his government and tried to compare the scale of the outbreak with the Spanish Flu pandemic.

He said: “We’re going through a period of time the likes of which we’ve never seen in this country before, certainly even if you go back into 1917 – it was the worst of all time but it was also not as bad here.

“It was very bad, it was very rough – it was a bad one. But it wasn’t quite like what we’re going through right now.”

Coronavirus: VP Mike Pence Appears Without Face Mask While Visiting Mayo Clinic

Coronavirus: New York Expands Testing to Pharmacies

However, the Spanish Flu pandemic happened in 1918, not 1917. It also had a far higher death toll than the coronavirus pandemic has had so far.

According to Johns Hopkins University tracking, more than 50 million people died of Spanish Flu worldwide while the current death toll from the coronavirus is about 216,000.

Some 675,000 Americans died in the 1918 pandemic, while some 58,000 are thought to have died with Covid-19.

In other developments, the organizers of the Academy Awards have announced that they will bend their own rules to let films only released on streaming platforms be eligible for nomination.

Under current rules, films have to be screened in a cinema in Los Angeles for at least seven days to qualify for awards.

On April 28, Academy president David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson said in a statement that their commitment to theatre releases was “unchanged and unwavering” but said the pandemic has made the rule change necessary.

The Academy’s new policy is only temporary while most cinemas are closed because of coronavirus.

Many scheduled movie releases have been completely delayed by the pandemic.

Coronavirus: VP Mike Pence Appears Without Face Mask While Visiting Mayo Clinic

Kathryn R. Bown
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Coronavirus: VP Mike Pence Appears Without Face Mask While Visiting Mayo Clinic

Vice-President Mike Pence has appeared without wearing a face mask while visiting the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota despite the medical centre’s own rules that visitors wear personal protective equipment.

In a deleted tweet, the Mayo Clinic said Mike Pence had been notified in advance of its policy requiring masks.

The vice-president leads the White House coronavirus taskforce.

Image source Twitter

Coronavirus: New Zealand Ends Community Transmission of Covid-19

Coronavirus: New York Expands Testing to Pharmacies

The government’s own coronavirus-prevention advice is that people should wear face coverings “in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain”.

The Mayo Clinic itself requires all patients and visitors to its medical centers to wear a mask or face covering.

VP Pence’s visit came on the same day that the US coronavirus caseload topped one million and the number of deaths surpassed 57,000.

President Donald Trump has himself previously said he has no plans to wear a mask.

The vice-president defended his decision to flout hospitals rules as necessary in order to meet with staff and patients.

He said: “As vice-president of the United States, I’m tested for the coronavirus on a regular basis, and everyone who is around me is tested for the coronavirus.

“And when the CDC issued guidelines about wearing a mask, it was their recognition that people that may have the coronavirus could prevent the possibility of conveying the virus to someone else by wearing a mask.

“And since I don’t have the coronavirus, I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to be here, to be able to speak to these researchers, these incredible healthcare personnel, and look them in the eye and say thank you.”

According to news website Axios, Mike Pence has never once worn a mask while in public since the pandemic began while continuing to travel throughout the country.

A Mike Pence aide was the first White House member to test positive for the virus in late March.

Coronavirus: New Zealand Ends Community Transmission of Covid-19

Diane A. Wade
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Coronavirus: New Zealand Ends Community Transmission of Covid-19

New Zealand claims it has stopped community transmission of Covid-19, effectively eliminating the virus.

With new cases in single figures for several days – one on April 26 – PM Jacinda Ardern said the virus was “currently” eliminated.

However, officials have warned against complacency, saying it does not mean a total end to new coronavirus cases.

The news came hours before New Zealand moved out of its toughest level of social restrictions.

From April 28, some non-essential business, healthcare and education activity will be able to resume.

Most people will still be required to remain at home at all times and avoid all social interactions.

PM Ardern said at the daily government briefing: “We are opening up the economy, but we’re not opening up people’s social lives.”

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Coronavirus: New York Expands Testing to Pharmacies

New Zealand has reported fewer than 1,500 confirmed or probable cases of coronavirus and 19 deaths.

The country’s Director-General of Health, Ashley Bloomfield, said the low number of new cases in recent days “does give us confidence that we have achieved our goal of elimination”.

Ashley Bloomfield warned that “elimination” did not mean there would be no new cases “but it does mean we know where our cases are coming from”.

PM Ardern said there was “no widespread undetected community transmission in New Zealand”, adding: “We have won that battle.”

However, the prime minister said New Zealand “must remain vigilant if we are to keep it that way”.

New Zealand brought in some of the toughest restrictions in the world on travel and activity early on in the pandemic, when it only had a few dozen cases.

The country closed its borders, started enforcing quarantine of all arrivals in the country, brought in a stringent lockdown and mounted an extensive testing and contact tracing operation.

Beaches, waterfronts and playgrounds were shut on March 26, as were offices and schools. Bars and restaurants were also closed, including for takeaway and delivery.

PM Ardern said modeling indicated New Zealand could have had more than 1,000 cases a day if it had not brought in the lockdown so early.

She said New Zealand could never know how bad it would have been but that “through our cumulative actions we have avoided the worst”.

The country’s remote location and easily sealable borders played in its favor when the virus broke out, experts say.

However, the government has also been praised for the clarity of its messaging throughout the crisis.

Coronavirus: New York Expands Testing to Pharmacies

Nancy Clayson
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Coronavirus: New York Expands Testing to Pharmacies

New York, the epicenter of the US Covid-19 outbreak, will allow pharmacies to carry out tests for the virus, Governor Andrew Cuomo says.

He said some 5,000 pharmacies would be able to carry out testing, with the aim to provide 40,000 per day.

As of April 25, the US has more than 938,000 confirmed cases. Almost a third of the 53,751 deaths happened in New York City alone.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump did not hold his daily briefing, saying it was not worth his “time or effort”.

Speaking on Twitter on April 25, the president blamed the media for asking “nothing but hostile questions”. Donald Trump was heavily criticized after suggesting at the previous White House news conference that injecting disinfectant could potentially be used as a treatment for the virus.

The president’s remarks have been condemned as dangerous by doctors and manufacturers, as disinfectants are hazardous substances and can be poisonous if ingested.

In NYC, calls to the hotline for exposure to certain household chemicals more than doubled in the 18 hours after President Trump’s remarks – 30 cases compared to 13 for the same time frame last year.

Photo: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit

Coronavirus: US Death Toll Becomes World’s Highest
Coronavirus: US Becomes First Country to Record Over 2,000 Deaths In A Single Day

President Trump’s tweet appears to confirm reports that the conferences may be coming to an end because polls suggest they have not bolstered his popularity among voters.

On April 24, his briefing was unusually short – lasting just over 20 minutes – and he took no questions from the media.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on April 25 that antibody screenings would be expanded at four hospitals, beginning with frontline medical workers.

He also said independent pharmacies would be allowed to collect samples for diagnostic tests.

It is part of a drive to find out how widely the virus has spread across the state of 20 million people.

He said: “Twenty-one days of hell, and now we are back to where we were 21 days ago. Testing is what we are compulsively or obsessively focused on now.”

New York healthcare staff and essential workers – such as police officers, firefighters, bus drivers and shop assistants – would be able to get tests even if they did not have any symptoms of infection, he said.

According to Governor Cuomo, this was important not just for their own safety but also to protect the public.

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