Senior Women Web

Milwaukee’s Civil Rights Legacy by Jo Freeman

Editor — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 18:31:00 +0000

As I walked the streets of Milwaukee, viewing some elegant old churches, I thought about its civil rights legacy. One street is named Dr. M.L.King Jr. Drive, though I don’t think Dr. King ever spoke in Milwaukee. Another is named Vel R. Phillips Ave. A Milwaukee native, she was a multiple first. The first Black woman who: graduated from U. Wisconsin Law School, elected to the city council, judge, elected Secretary of State, served on the Democratic National Committee. She was also active in the NAACP, leading open housing marches and getting arrested.

Shortly after she died in 2018, N. 4th St. was renamed in her honor. That’s why the official address of the Fiserv Forum, where the Republican convention was held July 15-18, is 1111 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave.

Less well known in Milwaukee, but better known to civil rights activists, is Father James Groppi, also a Milwaukee native. A few years after ordination in 1959, he was assigned to St. Boniface Church in the segregated Black community of north Milwaukee. There he developed an empathy with the Black poor. He took several of his parishioners to the 1963 March on Washington and the 1965 Selma march. On June 4, 1965 he and four other clergymen were arrested when they blocked a school bus. They were among 50 demonstrators protesting the Milwaukee School Board’s policy of keeping Black children in separate classrooms in otherwise white schools. The Board was under court order to bus children from overcrowded Black schools to white schools to foster integration, but it didn’t want to integrate the classrooms.

Groppi’s influence brought quite a few Catholic youth, Black and white, into the civil rights movement. Ten of them worked with SCOPE, SCLC’s 1965 summer project. Fr. Groppi drove seven to Atlanta, where they helped set up for orientation. One of those was his future wife. Fr. Groppi couldn’t stay in the South for the entire summer. But he spent his two-week vacation in August in Bullock County, AL working with those he had brought South in June. St. Boniface Church was razed in 1975 to make way for a new high school. Fr. Groppi was not reassigned to an African-American parish. Instead, he married in 1976 and became a bus driver. Always an activist, he led fair housing marches across the 16th St. Viaduct, which spans the Menomonee River Valley. This bridge separated north Milwaukee, where poor Blacks lived, from south Milwaukee, home of middle-class whites. James Groppi died of brain cancer in Milwaukee on November 4, 1985. In 1988 the Viaduct was renamed the James E. Groppi Unity Bridge.

Then there’s America’s Black Holocaust Museum, further north into the (still) poor Black neighborhoods of Milwaukee. It’s a purely private endeavor. Founded by James Cameron in 1988, the ABHM was inspired by the Holocaust memorial museum in Israel. It interprets the Black experience in the US as an ongoing series of mass atrocities. Cameron teamed up with philanthropist Daniel Bader to open the Museum. After Cameron died in 2006, the physical museum closed due to lack of funding. The museum went online as a virtual museum in 2012. After additional funding was secured, it reopened in 2022, but is only open a couple days a week. One of its seven History galleries is about the Civil Rights Movement – nationally, not Milwaukee.

Women's Congressional Policy Institute; Weekly Legislative Update, July 22, 2024; Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, Agriculture, Nutrition Assistance, Child Care, Women-owned Business Programs at the Small Business Administration.

Editor — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 20:24:00 +0000

Bringing women policymakers together across party lines to advance

issues of importance to women and their families.

Weekly Legislative Update

July 22, 2024

Bills Introduced: July 15-19, 2024

Child Care

H.R. 9068 –– Rep. Josh Harder (D-CA)/Education and the Workforce (07/18/24) –– A bill to assist states in carrying out projects to expand the child care workforce and child care facilities.

Child Protection

H.R. 9047 –– Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX)/Judiciary (07/15/24) –– A bill to modify provisions relating to kidnapping, sexual abuse, and illicit sexual conduct with respect to minors.

Reproductive Health

H.R. 9049 –– Rep. Zachary Nunn (R-IA)/Energy and Commerce (07/15/24) –– A bill to provide states with the option to provide coordinated care through a pregnancy medical home for high-risk pregnant women.

Violence Against Women

H.R. 9051 –– Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)/Energy and Commerce (07/15/24) –– A bill to expand trauma-informed training for law enforcement personnel related to sexual assault cases.

Congressional Schedule: July 22-26, 2024

Floor Action: The House and Senate are in session.

Appropriations – This week, the House is scheduled to consider H.R. 9027, the FY2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies spending bill. The legislation includes funding for several domestic and international nutrition assistance programs and FDA user fees.

This week, the House is scheduled to consider H.R. 8998, the FY2025 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies spending bill. The legislation includes funding for the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.

Also this week, the House is scheduled to consider H.R. 8773, the FY2025 Financial Services and General Government spending bill. The legislation includes funding for women-owned business programs at the Small Business Administration.

Mark-Ups:

On Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee will mark up the FY2025 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered). The legislation includes funding for programs to combat violence against women and encourage women to enter STEM-related professions.

On Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee will mark up the FY2025 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered). The legislation includes funding for housing programs for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and to support affordable housing for women with dependents.

On Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee will mark up the FY2025 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered). The legislation includes funding for the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.

Also on Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee will mark up the FY2025 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered). The legislation includes funding for several international assistance programs supporting women and girls.

Jo Freeman: There’s Plenty To Do at the RNC – If You Have the Right Credentials

Editor — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 23:29:00 +0000

by Jo Freeman

Every national nominating convention has plenty of auxiliary events, some authorized, some not. Getting space can be a challenge; getting the word out even more so. But they do it nonetheless. Press were given a RNC 2024 Master Event Calendar, which was updated a few days later. Events began on Sunday and ended on Thursday. The actual convention sessions were just one item on the list. The calendar said if an event was Open or Closed to press, and also whom to contact to register. I’m going to describe some of the events, including a couple I went to, and a couple I was turned away from.

Since my focus is on women, I obviously wanted to go to those events – if I could.

The National Federation of Republican Women is the largest grassroots Republican women's organization in the country with hundreds of clubs. Founded in 1938, its members made the phone calls and knocked on the doors that elected Republican candidates for decades. It’s Tuesday luncheon featured Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders. The Master Calendar said it was SOLD OUT and they wouldn’t let me in. I was able to get into their lounge at the Fiserv Forum Wednesday evening, where I was repeatedly asked if I was a member, and if not, would I join. “I’m press,” I said. “I can’t join anything partisan.” I then said: “What brings you here?” On hearing that, finding anyone willing to chat with me was like pulling teeth.

Moms for Liberty met in a concert hall that afternoon. I had pre-registered, and I got in. From high in a balcony seat I listened to several people talk about the evils of transgenderism. It’s webpage says WE BELIEVE Power Belongs to the People. Sound Familiar? With a focus is on parental rights, it wants to “STOP WOKE indoctrination.”

Tuesday I went to “The New Mavericks” reception co-hosted by the Black Republican Mayors Association and the Georgia Republican Party. They honored Sen. Tim Scott, four Congressmen and two Georgia delegates – all male. There was only one mayor on stage, from Aurora, IL. The chair of the Georgia Republican Party was the one white man on the stage. At that event, women served; they didn’t speak. The RNC reported that 55 delegates to the 2024 convention are Black, up from 18 in 2016.

I missed the Independent Women’s Forum toast to “Women Who Make Our Country Great” because I went to Convention Fest: The Official Delegate Experience, which was held in the streets outside the Fiserve Forum and Baird Hall as well as some space inside Baird. To get to that one you not only needed a credential of some sort, but a USSS pass (which I have).

Concerned Women for America parked its pink bus across from the Baird Center the week before the RNC. No one was home. When Convention Fest opened on Tuesday afternoon, they set up a pink tent, from which its leaders preached to whomever passed by. It calls itself “the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization” but its focus is evangelical Christian. The slogan on the side of its pink bus captures this emphasis: “She Prays, She Votes.” A prayer precedes each sermon.

Security at the RNC By Jo Freeman: My Second Dispatch From The Republican NC

Editor — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 19:07:00 +0000

by Jo Freeman

“It’s for security” is the repeat answer every time you try to get information that was freely available at past conventions.

To start with, the US Secret Service has created a double security perimeter around the Fiserve Forum where the actual convention is being held July 15-18. The larger perimeter is roughly a ten square block area that is open to pedestrians, but any vehicle entering it must be screened. The smaller perimeter is restricted to those who have convention credentials; they must enter through a security checkpoint. You can see the security map with its boundaries online, but trying to get a paper copy you can carry with you is a study in frustration. Even the online version downloads as a webpage. Too small to see on a phone screen, you’d have to carry your laptop with you to see where the perimeter is and the checkpoints are located.

This is similar to the double security boundaries created around the Capitol and the White House for the 2020 inauguration, with one big difference. In DC, streets in the outer security perimeter had concrete bulwarks. You could walk between them or carry bikes over them. Only the inner perimeter had ten foot high fences forcing you to go to the very few checkpoints. In Milwaukee, the outer perimeter is high fencing. Pedestrians can only get in where cars can go, and there aren’t many of those.

Worst, the fencing seems to change every day. One day you can use one route; the next you must find another. I can see the Fiserve Forum from the AB&B where I am sleeping, but I can no longer get there from here. Each day is an adventure (and a waste of time) trying to get from one place to another.

The Baird Center is where things are happening other than the actual convention meetings. It occupies two city blocks not far from the Fiserve Forum. I was emailed to go there to pick up my pre-convention credentials – which are necessary to get into anything inside the inner security ring. But when I got there on Wednesday, no one could tell me where to go. After three hours of being told Not Here, and escorted hither and yon, I finally found the right place in a nearby hotel.

On Thursday, I took a walk to the Federal Building, which occupies an entire city block in West Milwaukee, well outside the security zone. Nonetheless, it was surrounded with the same ten foot fences that partitioned the security zone. I walked around the entire block looking for an opening before finally finding one on one side of the building. It was unguarded.

Once inside the fence I entered the front of the building to go through a security scrutiny that makes TSA look tame. Items were confiscated that I could carry on an airline. (They were returned when I left). In the atrium I saw three tables occupied by older women. They were registering voters for the League of Women Voters. They told me that a couple dozen new citizens were taking their oaths upstairs and they hoped to register them when they descended. I could only imagine what these new citizens thought about their new country after negotiating “security” to get into the building.

Even with pre-convention credentials, some places are closed. The North building of the Baird Center is open to press. The South Building is not. I was turned away completely before getting my pre-convention credentials. Once they were hanging from my neck, security let me in. I discovered that the convention committees (Platform, Bylaws, Credentials) were meeting in that side of the Baird Center. But they were closed to press. Indeed on my way out, when I happened to mention to the two Security guards that I wrote for a small online magazine, they told me that I wasn’t allowed into the South building at all. They let me in initially because I don’t look like press and they thought I was one of many volunteers

Special buses will carry delegates and others with the right credentials to and from the Fiserve Forum for each of the five official meetings (one day, four nights). Since those with press credentials can ride those buses (or so they could at past conventions), I thought it would be easier than walking late at night to take a bus to the hotel a block from where I’m staying. But which bus? When I asked the desk clerk at the nearby hotel which delegations were staying there, he said he couldn’t tell me. “It’s for security,” he said. “You understand that we have to protect people.” That approach certainly doesn’t protect me!

The federal government gives each convention $75 million dollars for security. They use part of that to feed and house police imported from all over. This year cops are coming from 15 Wisconsin police departments, and 25 out of state PDs. A list supplied by the Milwaukee press office lists cities mostly from Southern states – especially Florida and North Carolina. At the 2016 RNC in Cleveland, they were housed in college dorms. Milwaukee has enough residence halls to house several thousand cops.

I spoke to a group of four police sitting on very large horses, hoping to find out where they were staying. One told me they were from Louisville, KY. “You brought your horses?” I said. “Yes,” he replied. "We drove them from Louisville." “Where are you staying,” I asked. “In the Milwaukee PD barn.” he said. “You mean your horses are staying there. Where are you staying?” “With them,” he responded. “On cots we brought with us.”

That’s true dedication.

Study Suggests Reinfections From the Virus That Causes COVID-19 Likely Have Similar Severity As Original Infection

Editor — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 15:59:00 +0000

Thursday, July 11, 2024, NIH-funded analysis of health record data shows severe reinfections often follow severe first infections.

Colorized scanning electron micrograph of a cell (red) infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (blue), isolated from a patient sample.NIAID

ry (RECOVER(link is external)) Initiative, is published in Communications Medicine(link is external).

The analysis used data from electronic health records of 3.1 million Americans who are part of the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C). Researchers focused on 212,984 people who reported a reinfection. Those individuals were originally infected between March 1, 2020-Dec. 31, 2022, and experienced a second infection by March 2023. Most participants (203,735) had COVID-19 twice, but a small number (478) had it three times or more. COVID-19 vaccines, though not available during the entire study period, correlated with a protective effect(link is external).

About 27% of those with severe cases, defined as receiving hospital care for a coronavirus infection, also received hospital care for a reinfection. Adults with severe cases were more likely to have underlying health conditions and be ages 60 or older. In contrast, about 87% of those who had mild COVID cases that did not require hospital care the first time also had mild cases of reinfections.

Reinfections were defined as having occurred at least two months after a first infection. They were found to occur most frequently when omicron variants were circulating in late 2021 and early 2022. Waning immunity and increased exposure to the coronavirus, including the highly-infectious variants, likely accounted for the uptick.

Scientists also discovered that regardless of the variant, long COVID cases were more likely to occur after a first infection compared to a reinfection. Long COVID(link is external) was defined in the review as those experiencing long-term COVID-19 symptoms, such as feeling tired, coughing, or having problems sleeping, breathing, or thinking, after an acute coronavirus infection.

Researchers also found that lower levels of albumin, a protein made by the liver, may indicate a higher risk for reinfection. This finding could indicate lower albumin as a possible risk marker for reinfection. Scientists believe this deserves further attention, such as by considering trials to test if nutritional interventions may prevent reinfection or its severity.

The study is funded by NIH’s RECOVER(link is external) Initiative. Additional support came from the N3C Data Enclave(link is external), which is supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, also part of NIH.

Who

David C. Goff, M.D., Ph.D., a senior scientific program director for the RECOVER Observational Consortium Steering Committee and director of the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of NIH, is available for interviews on this paper.

Study

Hadley E, Yoo YJ, Patel S, et al. Insights from an N3C RECOVER EHR-based cohort study characterizing SARS-CoV-2 reinfections and Long COVID. Commun Med. 2024; doi: 10.1038/s43856-024-00539-2.(link is external)

Melting of Alaskan glaciers Shown to be Accelerating; Could Reach an Irreversible Tipping Point Earlier Than Previously Thought

Editor — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 17:47:00 +0000

https://www.ncl.ac.uk/press/articles/latest/2024/07/alaskaglaciermeltaccelerating/

Published on: 2 July 2024 - Melting of glaciers in a major Alaskan icefield has accelerated and could reach an irreversible tipping point earlier than previously thought, research led by Newcastle University suggests; Dr Bethan Davies: “This work has shown that different processes can accelerate melt, which means that current glacier projections may be too small and underestimate glacier melt in the future.”

Taku Glacier and the flat plateau area of Juneau Icefield, Alaska show that different processes can accelerate melt, meaning that current glacier projections may be too small and underestimate glacier melt in the future; Image credit: Bethan Davies;

Newcastle University (https://www.ncl.ac.uk)

Dr Bethan Davies: The research found that glacier loss on Juneau Icefield, which straddles the boundary between Alaska and British Columbia, Canada, has increased dramatically since 2010.

The team, which included universities in the UK, USA and Europe, looked at records going back to 1770 and identified three distinct periods in how icefield volume changed. They saw that glacier volume loss remained fairly consistent from 1770 – 1979 at between 0.65- 1.01 km3 per year, increasing to 3.08-3.72 km3 per year between 1979-2010. Between 2010-2020 there was a sharp acceleration when the rate of ice loss doubled, reaching 5.91 km3 per year.

In particular, the research, published in Nature Communications, found that icefield-wide, rates of glacier area shrinkage were five times faster from 2015-2019 relative to 1948-1979.

Overall, the total ice loss across the Juneau icefield between 1770-2020 (315.3 ± 237.5 km3) equated to just under a quarter of the original ice volume.

The increased rate of glacier thinning has also been accompanied by increased glacier fragmentation. The team mapped a dramatic increase in disconnections, where the lower parts of a glacier become separated from the upper parts. Additionally, 100% of glaciers mapped in 2019 have receded relative to their position in 1770, and 108 glaciers have disappeared completely.

Study lead, Dr Bethan Davies, Senior Lecturer, Newcastle University, said: “It’s incredibly worrying that our research found a rapid acceleration since the early 21st century in the rate of glacier loss across the Juneau icefield.

“Alaskan icefields – which are predominantly flat, plateau icefields - are particularly vulnerable to accelerated melt as the climate warms since ice loss happens across the whole surface, meaning a much greater area is affected. Additionally, flatter ice caps and icefields cannot retreat to higher elevations and find a new equilibrium.

“As glacier thinning on the Juneau plateau continues and ice retreats to lower levels and warmer air, the feedback processes this sets in motion is likely to prevent future glacier regrowth, potentially pushing glaciers beyond a tipping point into irreversible recession.”

Alaska contains some of the world’s largest plateau icefields and their melting is a major contributor to current sea level rise. The researchers think the processes they observed at Juneau are likely to affect other, similar icefields elsewhere across Alaska and Canada, as well as Greenland, Norway and other high-Arctic locations.

They also say current published projections for the Juneau icefield that suggest ice volume loss will be linear until 2040, accelerating only after 2070, may need to be updated to reflect the processes detailed in this latest study.

Dr Davies said: “This work has shown that different processes can accelerate melt, which means that current glacier projections may be too small and underestimate glacier melt in the future.”

The team used a combination of historical glacier inventory records, 20th century archival aerial photographs, and satellite imagery as well as geomorphological mapping conducted during fieldwork in 2022 to piece together a comprehensive picture of changes over the past 250 years.

Dr Robert McNabb, Lecturer in Remote Sensing, Ulster University, said: "What was really exciting about this research was piecing together thousands of archived aerial photographs to extract elevation, which gave us a really detailed insight into the long-term behaviour of the icefield.

“Putting together this archive of photographs, collected 70 and 50 years ago, was a little like doing the world's hardest jigsaw puzzle but the quality of the imagery meant we were able to reconstruct the icefield elevation in the pre-satellite era for the first time. Longer term archives like this one are an incredibly valuable resource, as they give us a much better understanding of the thresholds for accelerating change, as we've seen on the Juneau Icefield.”

Reference: Bethan Davies et al (2024) ‘Accelerating glacier volume loss on Juneau icefield driven by hypsometry and melt-accelerating feedbacks’, Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49269-y

National Institutes of Health: For Healthy Adults, Taking Multivitamins Daily is Not Associated With a Lower Risk of Death

Editor — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 18:37:00 +0000

Findings come from an NIH analysis of more than two decades of dietary data from 390,124 U.S. adults, questions the benefits of regular multivitamin use. Credit: iStock/bert_phantana

What

A large analysis of data from nearly 400,000 healthy U.S. adults followed for more than 20 years has found no association between regular multivitamin use and lower risk of death. The study, led by researchers at the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute, was published June 26, 2024, in JAMA Network Open.

Many adults in the United States take multivitamins with the hope of improving their health. However, the benefits and harms of regular multivitamin use remain unclear. Previous studies of multivitamin use and mortality have yielded mixed results and been limited by short follow-up times.

To more deeply explore the relationship between long-term regular multivitamin use and overall mortality and death from cardiovascular disease and cancer, the researchers analyzed data from three large, geographically diverse prospective studies involving a total of 390,124 U.S. adults who were followed for more than 20 years. The participants included in this analysis were generally healthy, with no history of cancer or other chronic diseases.

Because the study population was so large and included lengthy follow-up and extensive information on demographics and lifestyle factors, the researchers were able to mitigate the effects of possible biases that may have influenced the findings of other studies. For example, people who use multivitamins may have healthier lifestyles in general, and sicker patients may be more likely to increase their use of multivitamins.

The analysis showed that people who took daily multivitamins did not have a lower risk of death from any cause than people who took no multivitamins. There were also no differences in mortality from cancer, heart disease, or cerebrovascular diseases. The results were adjusted for factors such as race and ethnicity, education, and diet quality.

The researchers noted that it is important to evaluate multivitamin use and risk of death among different kinds of populations, such as those with documented nutritional deficiencies, as well as the potential impact of regular multivitamin use on other health conditions associated with aging.

Who:

Erikka Loftfield, Ph.D., M.P.H., Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute

The Study:

“Multivitamin Use and Mortality Risk in 3 Prospective US Cohorts” appears June 26, 2024, in JAMA Network Open.

About the National Cancer Institute (NCI): NCI leads the National Cancer Program and NIH’s efforts to dramatically reduce the prevalence of cancer and improve the lives of people with cancer. NCI supports a wide range of cancer research and training extramurally through grants and contracts. NCI’s intramural research program conducts innovative, transdisciplinary basic, translational, clinical, and epidemiological research on the causes of cancer, avenues for prevention, risk prediction, early detection, and treatment, including research at the NIH Clinical Center — the world’s largest research hospital. Learn more about the intramural research done in NCI’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics. For more information about cancer, please visit the NCI website at cancer.gov or call NCI’s contact center at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit nih.gov.

Reference

Loftfield E, O’Connell CP, Abnet CC, et al. Multivitamin Use and Mortality Risk in 3 Prospective US Cohorts. JAMA Network Open. June 26, 2024. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.18729.

National Cancer Institute's original title: “For healthy adults, taking multivitamins daily is not associated with a lower risk of death was originally published by the National Cancer Institute

Who

Erikka Loftfield, Ph.D., M.P.H., Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute

Study

“Multivitamin Use and Mortality Risk in 3 Prospective US Cohorts” appears June 26, 2024, in JAMA Network Open.

About the National Cancer Institute (NCI): NCI leads the National Cancer Program and NIH’s efforts to dramatically reduce the prevalence of cancer and improve the lives of people with cancer. NCI supports a wide range of cancer research and training extramurally through grants and contracts. NCI’s intramural research program conducts innovative, transdisciplinary basic, translational, clinical, and epidemiological research on the causes of cancer, avenues for prevention, risk prediction, early detection, and treatment, including research at the NIH Clinical Center—the world’s largest research hospital. Learn more about the intramural research done in NCI’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics. For more information about cancer, please visit the NCI website at cancer.gov or call NCI’s contact center at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).

Federal Study Examines Care Following Nonfatal Overdose Among Medicare Beneficiaries; Identifies Effective Interventions and Gaps in Care

Editor — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 19:20:00 +0000

Right, Nora D. Volkow, M.D., Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse

Researchers from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that among a cohort of 137,000 Medicare beneficiaries who experienced a nonfatal overdose in 2020, almost 24,000 (17.4%) experienced a subsequent nonfatal overdose, and about 1,300 (1%) died from overdose in the following year. Results were published today in JAMA Internal Medicine(link is external), identifying both effective interventions and significant gaps in care.

“People who have experienced one overdose are more likely to experience another,” said Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., HHS Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the leader of SAMHSA. “But we found that when survivors received gold-standard care such as medications for opioid use disorder and naloxone, the chances of dying from an overdose in the following year drop dramatically. In short, medications for opioid use disorder, opioid overdose reversal medications, and behavioral health supports save lives.”

The study identifies effective, lifesaving interventions following initial nonfatal overdoses. The odds of dying from a subsequent lethal overdose decreased among cohort members who received methadone (58% lower odds), buprenorphine (52% lower odds), or behavioral health assessment or crisis services (75% lower odds). The risk of overdose mortality among those who filled a prescription for naloxone was also reduced by 30%.

However, significant gaps in care were also noted. Only 4.1% of the cohort received medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and only 6.2% filled a prescription for naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, despite these being gold-standard interventions. Beneficiaries receiving MOUD waited a mean of 72 days between their nonfatal overdose and receiving medication.

Overall, 89% of beneficiaries in the cohort received behavioral health services in the 12 months following their nonfatal overdose for a median duration of 15 days throughout the year.

Attorney General Merrick Garland Testifies: Seventeen Federal Agencies Recognize Decade of Federal Progress Addressing Elder Abuse

Editor — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 17:23:00 +0000

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

At a meeting of the Elder Justice Coordinating Council (EJCC) on Wednesday, June 12, 17 federal agencies including the Justice Department and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will look back on a decade in which the federal government has significantly expanded efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation — including in the areas of enforcement, public education, training, interagency collaboration, research, and support for older adults who experience or are at risk of experiencing abuse.

“We know that the vast majority of elder abuse cases go unreported. And that too many victims remain unseen,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland (above). “That is why the Department of Justice has aggressively targeted perpetrators of elder fraud and abuse, while providing victims with the support they need. In the last five years, the Department has pursued more than 1,500 criminal and civil cases involving conduct that targeted or disproportionately affected older adults. We have provided services to more than 1.5 million older victims. And we have returned hundreds of millions of dollars to elder fraud victims. The Elder Justice Coordinating Council has played a key role in our work.”

“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to supporting the health, well-being, and independence of older adults and to advancing equity for all Americans. Elder justice is a crucial element of both,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Today, we celebrate the progress we have made advancing elder justice. But we will not rest until every older person lives with dignity and without fear of abuse or neglect.”

“We know that it will take an all-of-government approach to make our shared vision of elder justice and community inclusion a reality, and in the last decade, the federal response to elder abuse has become more robust and coordinated,” said Alison Barkoff, who leads the Administration for Community Living. “It is incredible to reflect on the progress we have made in the years since the EJCC first convened. We have a lot of progress to build upon and so many opportunities to do more. The work of advancing elder justice has never been more important, or more urgent.”

The EJCC was established by the 2010 Elder Justice Act to coordinate federal activities related to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation across the federal government. Today’s meeting looked back on accomplishments in the decade since the EJCC adopted Eight Recommendations for Increased Federal Involvement in Addressing Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation as a common set of priorities to guide federal efforts. Highlights include:

Jo Freeman Writes: The 2024 Libertarian National Convention as Seen Through Feminist Eyes

Editor — Thu, 30 May 2024 23:14:00 +0000

BECOME UNGOVERNABLE declared the screens surrounding the International Ballroom at the Libertarian National Convention, held in Washington, D.C. May 23-26.

There were times when the convention itself seemed ungovernable, despite plenty of rules of order.

Bored by the interminable debate over credentialing I wandered the halls where tables were set up. There were tables for most of the candidates for President and for LP offices; there were tables for LP caucuses; there were tables for authors selling their books; and there were tables for various causes. Indeed there were three tables devoted to different ways to count votes. The tables cost the vendors from $250 to $1000, depending on size and location.

(Right, Angela McArdle, 22nd Chairperson of the LP, 22nd Chair of the Libertarian National Committee)

I was surprised to see a Right to Life table, as I always thought that a woman’s right to control her body and her reproduction was a Libertarian principle. Apparently I was wrong. Ninety-five percent of the time no one was sitting at that table. The one time I was able to talk to someone I asked what they meant by Right to Life. I assumed there would be a Libertarian version and was surprised when I heard the standard view that life begins at conception and should not be destroyed through human action.

From talking to others, apparently there used to be a version of a pro-choice plank in the LP platform, but that was removed in 2022.

Now the platform says “We ... hold that where governments exist, they must not violate the rights of any individual: namely, (1) the right to life — accordingly we support the prohibition of the initiation of physical force against others.” It also says “Individuals own their bodies and have rights over them that other individuals, groups, and governments may not violate.”

Figure that one out.

Lots of tables said “caucus” but apparently none of the caucuses were meeting. The Bitcoin Caucus didn’t even have a person behind the table – not once. The Radical Caucus had a large display of buttons and stickers with “Abolish.....” Followed by the initials of various agencies – dozens of them. Is there any government agency they don’t want to abolish? One button said “Privatize Nature” They were for the taking but displayed on a glittery background that made them difficult to photograph. No one was there to explain how radical libertarianism was different from anarchism – or is it?

Although there were plenty of women behind tables and at booths, there was no women’s caucus, or feminist caucus, or any version of a racially explicit caucus.

I saw few female faces in the delegate ballroom. From counting faces, I estimated that women were only 20 percent of the delegates. A couple of women sitting behind credentialing tables said they thought it was closer to 30 percent. Unlike the two major parties, the LP does not require half women or any other percentage among its delegates. I also saw few dark faces; one wore a t-shirt that said Black Guns Matter.

I asked a couple women why the LP was so overwhelmingly male. Their best guess was because it has a heavy emphasis on the right to bear arms and the right to ingest mind-altering substances. They said that guns and drugs were male issues.

That doesn’t mean the LP is afraid of female leadership. Angela McArdle was elected to another two-year term as Chairperson of the LP and Caryn Ann Harlos was re-elected as Secretary.

Jo Freeman Writes: Kennedy vs. Trump at the Libertarian National Convention

Editor — Mon, 27 May 2024 19:02:00 +0000

by Jo Freeman

Both applause and boos greeted U.S. Presidential candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald J. Trump on separate days at the Libertarian National Convention, held in Washington D.C. over Memorial Day weekend.

Kennedy, a former Democrat, is running as an Independent. Trump, also a former Democrat, is running as a Republican. Over half a dozen men wanted to run for President as the candidate of the Libertarian Party. Chase Oliver of Georgia, another former Democrat, was chosen near the end of the convention.

Since many members of the LNC had objected to non-Libertarians addressing their convention, the speeches were held in a different ballroom to a somewhat different crowd. In effect, these men were speaking at the LNC but not to the LNC.

Despite an unappealing raspy voice, Kennedy made an appealing speech to libertarians. He had clearly identified those issues on which he and libertarians agreed, without saying that he was a libertarian. He also said he would go after both Trump and Biden, but spent 90 percent of his time going after Trump. He worked his way through the Constitution, starting with the first ten amendments, aka the Bill of Rights, interpreting each in libertarian language, while identifying Trump actions to the contrary.

For this, Kennedy mostly got applause. There was one “Free Palestine” shout from the audience, but that was pretty much it.

Trump was supposed to speak the following afternoon but the time was changed to 8:00 and he didn’t begin until 8:45 p.m. The Secret Service opened the doors at 4:00 to search everyone who entered. A lot of people sat in auditorium chairs for more than three hours. The time switches and delays were typical of his presidency.

One had to register to sit in the audience, but didn’t have to be a convention attendee (or press). Consequently, there was a significant pro-Trump crowd spread among the anti-Trumpsters. The yells and the boos were so intermixed that it was hard to tell which was which; sometimes there was just noise. There was a lot of noise.

Trump made his usual rant against “crooked Joe Biden” who was “the worst president in American history.” He began by saying that after all his criminal indictments “If I wasn’t a Libertarian before, I sure as hell am a Libertarian now.” He pointedly said the libertarians should nominate him as their candidate, or at least vote for him. That got him one of his bigger boos.

Pub Med: Traversing the Menopause: Changes in Energy Expenditure and Body Composition

Editor — Thu, 23 May 2024 01:57:00 +0000

Traversing the menopause: changes in energy expenditure and body composition

E T Poehlman 1, A Tchernof

Affiliations

PMID: 9894924

Abstract

The menopause transition is associated with several physiological changes that may impact women's health outcome. Among the changes associated with the loss of ovarian function is an increased risk of metabolic and cardiovascular disease. The present review focuses on changes in energy expenditure, body composition and body fat distribution during the postmenopausal transition. Previous work indicates that the most important component of total daily expenditure, resting metabolic rate, may be reduced by the menopause, independently of the effects of the normal aging process. This effect is mainly attributable to a decrease in fat-free mass. The energy expenditure associated with physical activity is the most variable component of total daily energy expenditure. However, small changes in this component may have a substantial impact on body composition. Longitudinal data from our laboratory indicate that the menopause transition also leads to significant decreases in physical activity energy expenditure. The changes in body composition that accompany the menopause transition have been studied by several groups and, although some studies suggested increases in body mass index or total body fat mass with the menopause, currently available cross-sectional data preclude a firm conclusion. Nevertheless, results from our longitudinal study showed significant increases in fat mass with the menopause. The accumulation of abdominal fat, which may be a better correlate of the comorbidities associated with obesity, has also been shown to be accelerated by the menopause transition. In this regard, it has been shown that treatment with hormone replacement therapy prevents the increase in the rate of abdominal adipose tissue accumulation that was noted with the menopause. Thus, it appears that the loss of ovarian function induces a reduction in resting metabolic rate, physical activity energy expenditure, fat-free mass, and an increase in fat mass and abdominal adipose tissue accumulation. These modifications probably contribute to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease of postmenopausal women.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

Findings of scientific misconduct.
[No authors listed]NIH Guide Grants Contracts. 2005 Mar 25:NOT-OD-05-040.PMID: 15791736 Free PMC article. No abstract available.

Tribute to Madeline Albright: The Highest - Ranking Woman in the Country at the Time She Served In the Administration

Editor — Wed, 15 May 2024 20:12:00 +0000

Madeleine
Albright

American politician

Madeleine Jana Korbel Albright was an American diplomat and political scientist who served as the 64th United States secretary of state from 1997 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party, Alb…

Wikipedia

Madeleine Jana Korbel Albright^[1] (born Marie Jana Körbelová, later Korbelová; May 15, 1937 – March 23, 2022)^[2]^[3] was an American diplomat and political scientist who served as the 64th United States secretary of state from 1997 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the first woman to hold that post.^[4]

Born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, Albright immigrated to the United States after the 1948 communist coup d'état when she was eleven years old. Her father, diplomat Josef Korbel, settled the family in Denver, Colorado, and she became a U.S. citizen in 1957.^[5]^[6] Albright graduated from Wellesley College in 1959 and earned a PhD from Columbia University in 1975, writing her thesis on the Prague Spring.^[7] She worked as an aide to Senator Edmund Muskie from 1976 to 1978, before serving as a staff member on the National Security Council under Zbigniew Brzezinski. She served in that position until 1981 when President Jimmy Carter left office.^[8]

After leaving the National Security Council, Albright joined the academic faculty of Georgetown University in 1982 and advised Democratic candidates regarding foreign policy. Following the 1992 presidential election, Albright helped assemble President Bill Clinton's National Security Council. She was appointed United States ambassador to the United Nations from 1993 to 1997, a position she held until her elevation as secretary of state. Secretary Albright served in that capacity until President Clinton left office in 2001.

Albright served as chair of the Albright Stonebridge Group, a consulting firm, and was the Michael and Virginia Mortara Endowed Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.^[9] She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in May 2012.^[10] Albright served on the board of the Council on Foreign Relations.^[11]

Early life and career

See all

Born Marie Jana Korbelová · May 15, 1937 · Prague, Czechoslovakia

Died March 23, 2022 (aged 84) · Washington, D.C., U.S.

Citizenship Czechoslovakia (before 1993) · United States (from 1957)

Political party Democratic

National Portrait Gallery Presents “Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900–1939"

Editor — Wed, 01 May 2024 19:33:00 +0000

On View April 26–Feb. 23, 2025

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery is presenting “Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900–1939,” highlighting the myriad ways that American women contributed to the city’s vibrant modernist milieu. This is the first exhibition to focus on the impact of American women on Paris — and of Paris on American women — from the turn of the 20th century until the outbreak of World War II.

Through portraiture and biography, the exhibition illuminates the accomplishments of more than 60 convention-defying women who crossed the Atlantic to pursue professional goals and lead authentic lives. “Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900–1939” is curated by Robyn Asleson, curator of prints and drawings at the National Portrait Gallery, and will be on view from until Feb. 23, 2025. A press preview with the curator will be held Thursday, April 25, at 10 a.m. RSVP to obusekge@si.edu.

Featured in the exhibition of nearly 80 artworks are portraits of cultural influencers, such as Sylvia Beach, Josephine Baker, Natalie Clifford Barney, Elsie de Wolfe, Isadora Duncan, Jessie Redmon Fauset, Zelda Fitzgerald, Janet Flanner, Peggy Guggenheim, Theresa Helburn, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Florence Mills, Anaïs Nin, Rose O’Neill, Gertrude Stein, Sarah Samuels Stein, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney and Anna May Wong. As foreigners in a cosmopolitan city, these “exiles” escaped the constraints that limited them at home as a result of prejudices based on gender, class, race, and sexual orientation. Many used their newfound freedom to pursue culture-shifting experiments in a variety of fields, including art, literature, design, publishing, music, fashion, journalism, theater and dance. An impressive number rose to preeminence as cultural arbiters, not merely participating in important modernist initiatives but leading them. The progressive ventures they undertook while living abroad profoundly influenced American culture and opened up new possibilities for women.

“By bringing the experiences of American women to the fore, ‘Brilliant Exiles’ provides a counternarrative to conventional histories of Americans in Paris that focus on the interwar period and the ‘Lost Generation’ of men such as Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald,” Asleson said. “The exhibition will highlight alternative approaches to modernism developed by women, as well as the enterprises through which they catalyzed creativity and forged interconnected communities.”

The exhibition reveals the dynamic role of portraiture in articulating the new identities that American women were at liberty to develop in Paris, with works by artists including Berenice Abbott, Alice Pike Barney, Romaine Brooks, Anne Goldthwaite, Loïs Mailou Jones, Henri Matisse, Isamu Noguchi, Pablo Picasso, Man Ray, Anne Estelle Rice, Augusta Savage, Edward Steichen, Alfred Stieglitz, Laura Wheeler Waring and Marguerite Zorach.

The richly illustrated 288-page catalog, published by the National Portrait Gallery and Yale University Press, will feature essays by Asleson and scholars Zakiya R. Adair, Samuel N. Dorf, Tirza True Latimer and T. Denean Sharpley-Whiting, as well as a foreword by Kim Sajet, director of the National Portrait Gallery. The book will officially be released May 28. A series of public programs inspired by the exhibition will take place at the Portrait Gallery through winter 2025. For more on related events, visit npg.si.edu/events.

The exhibition will travel to the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky (March 29, 2025 to June 22, 2025) and the Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia, Athens (July 19, 2025 to Nov. 2, 2025).

“Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900–1939” is presented by Chanel, Inc. and the Terra Foundation for American Art. This project received federal support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative Pool, administered by the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.

National Portrait Gallery

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery tells the multifaceted story of the United States through the individuals who have shaped American culture. Spanning the visual arts, performing arts and new media, the Portrait Gallery portrays poets and presidents, visionaries and villains, actors and activists whose lives tell the nation’s story.

The National Portrait Gallery is located at Eighth and G streets N.W., Washington, D.C. Smithsonian Information: (202) 633-1000. Connect with the museum at npg.si.edu and on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

Jo Freeman On Silent Cavalry: How Union Soldiers from Alabama Helped Sherman Burn Atlanta and Then Got Written Out of History by Howell Raines

Editor — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 21:00:00 +0000

By Jo Freeman

Silent Cavalry: How Union Soldiers from Alabama Helped Sherman Burn Atlanta -- and Then Got Written Out of History

by Howell Raines

New York: Crown, 2023, xxv + 540 pages. Cloth $36.00

Silent Cavalry caught my eye because my great-grandfather joined the Union army from Alabama and was left out of family history. My mother, who was born and raised in Marion County AL, never so much as mentioned his name. Nor did her mother, who spent her life in that county and was always telling me who in it was related to whom. Raines’ says that his great-grandfather traveled with the First Alabama Calvary as a horse tender, but not as a soldier.

This book is about Raines’ effort to put together a jigsaw puzzle about Union sentiment in Alabama, beginning with his family. Raised in Birmingham, Raines’ ancestral roots are in Winston County in NW Alabama, famous for the legend of the Free State of Winston. According to the legend, a mass meeting was held at Looney’s Tavern in Winston County to decide how to respond to Alabama’s vote to secede from the Union. (pp.121-2) Those present passed a resolution that no state can legally get out of the Union, but if it could, then a county could cease to be a part of the state. Winston County didn’t set up its own independent government; it just asked to be left alone because its citizens didn’t want “to shoot at their neighbors ... or the flag of Washington, Jefferson and Jackson.” (pp. 180-81)

I heard about the “Free State of Winston” while growing up, without knowing that it was part of my own family history. The story was not told with approval. By the 1950s the history of Southern resistance to secession had all but disappeared from common knowledge. The statement “.... must be from Winston Co.” was applied to those who didn’t know their place or didn’t follow the rules. I was on the receiving end of that accusation many times.

Not until 1995 did an older cousin tell me about our great-grandfather, Andrew D. Mitchell, who had fought in the First Alabama Calvary, USA along with his two older brothers. Born in Georgia, his mother took her children to Winston County in January of 1861, the same month that Alabama seceded from the Union.

Raines doesn’t explain what made northern Alabama different, but the obvious explanation is economics. Plantations were rare in the hill country and slaves were few. Individual family farms and small towns dotted the landscape. Hardscrabble farmers had little sentiment about slavery and no interest in supporting it. Most Southern states had hill and mountain sections which saw the coming conflict as “a rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight.” That’s probably why every Confederate state except South Carolina was able to raise a military unit of white men to fight for the Union.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco Deliver Remarks at ATF’s Inaugural Gun Violence Survivors’ Summit

Editor — Wed, 24 Apr 2024 01:48:00 +0000

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Location, Washington, DC, United States

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery

I’m honored to be joining all of you today to help open ATF’s Inaugural Gun Violence Survivors’ Summit.

Today’s discussions and dedication of the Faces of Gun Violence Exhibit this afternoon reflect a deep and abiding commitment by the women and men of the ATF to victims and survivors of gun violence.

I’m grateful to the ATF and to all of you for being here — especially those who have lost loved ones to gun violence. Your presence honors their memory and fuels our fight for a better, safer future.

The community gathered today shares a powerful bond.

You are survivors. You are advocates. You are members of law enforcement. You call different places home and you come from different walks of life.

But together, you’re bound by extraordinary courage.

Your lives have been transformed by gun violence – but you are not defined by it.

You share a commitment — to turn your pain into purposeful action — doing everything you can to prevent another family from enduring the same loss.

I just spent some time in the Faces of Gun Violence Exhibit.

These beautiful photos pay tribute to 118 lives cut short by gun violence. 118 individuals. 118 smiles and stories.

They represent a fraction of the vast toll gun violence takes on our country every year.

They are 118 souls who aren’t with us today but who live on in those who loved them most and knew them best.

We stand together in recognition of that profound loss, alongside all those who have been touched by the tragedy of gun violence.

We stand together, in common cause, to end gun violence and its devastation.

And we stand together, undaunted, with resolve and hope for the future.

Now, when it comes to this issue, hope can be hard to hold onto.

Because every day, gun violence continues to devastate families and communities across our nation.

It’s the leading cause of death for American children and teenagers.

And it’s responsible for more than 100 deaths of law enforcement officers in the line of duty over the past two years.

But there are reasons for hope.

Just look around this room.

Survivors are here today to listen, learn, and tell their stories. Members of law enforcement are also here, as fellow survivors to listen, learn, and tell their stories.

We must come together — we must pull together — as we’re doing today to stop gun violence.

US Food and Drug Administration, DA: Counterfeit Version of Botox Found in Multiple States

Editor — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 18:47:00 +0000

Counterfeit Version of Botox Found in Multiple States

[4-16-2024] FDA is alerting health care professionals and consumers that unsafe counterfeit versions of Botox (botulinum toxin) have been found in multiple states and administered to consumers for cosmetic purposes.

FDA is aware of adverse events, including hospitalizations, linked to the counterfeit Botox. Symptoms included blurred or double vision, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, constipation, incontinence, shortness of breath, weakness and difficulty lifting one’s head following injection of these products. These symptoms are similar to those seen when botulinum toxin spreads to other parts of the body.

FDA takes reports of counterfeit products seriously and is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state health departments and manufacturers to help protect the nation’s drug supply. FDA’s investigation is ongoing, and the agency is currently working with AbbVie (the Botox manufacturer) to identify, investigate and remove suspected counterfeit Botox products found in the U.S.

These incidents have occurred when counterfeit Botox is injected by licensed and unlicensed individuals and/or in non-medical or unlicensed settings. The products appear to have been purchased from unlicensed sources. Medications purchased from unlicensed sources may be misbranded, adulterated, counterfeit, contaminated, improperly stored and transported, ineffective and/or unsafe.

Information for Health Care Professionals

Purchasing and administering counterfeit products puts your patients at risk.
Check the product for any signs of counterfeiting before using it.
Federal law requires that all health care providers who dispense or administer prescription drugs purchase those products only from authorized sources.
Visit FDA’s website for information about how to safely purchase prescription drugs for your patients: Know Your Source: Protecting Patients from Unsafe Drugs.

Information for Consumers

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, following an injection of botulinum toxin products, contact a health care professional or go to the emergency room.
Confirm with your health care professional that you are receiving a product from an authorized source.
Ask your health care professional if they are licensed and trained to administer the product.

Signs of Counterfeit Versions of Botox

There are some similarities between the counterfeit Botox products and the FDA-approved Botox.

AbbVie manufactures the authentic Botox products in 50-, 100- and 200-unit dose forms. The product descriptions on the outer cartons are either “BOTOX® COSMETIC / onabotulinumtoxinA / for Injection” or “OnabotulinumtoxinA / BOTOX® / for injection.” The manufacturer identified on the outer carton is either “Allergan Aesthetics / An AbbVie Company” or “abbvie.” FDA-approved Botox displays the active ingredient as “OnabotulinumtoxinA” on the outer carton and vial.

Currently, there is no indication that the reported events were linked to AbbVie’s FDA-approved Botox, and the genuine product should be considered safe and effective for its intended and approved uses.

The counterfeit product includes counterfeiting of the outer carton and vial. The counterfeit product may be identified by one or more of the following:

the outer carton and vial contain lot number C3709C3
the outer carton displays the active ingredient as “Botulinum Toxin Type A” instead of “OnabotulinumtoxinA”
the outer carton and vial indicates 150-unit doses, which is not a unit made by AbbVie or Allergan
the outer carton contains language that is not English

Counterfeit Vial

Ferida Wolff's Backyard: Vee-ing Across the Sky

Editor — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 18:09:00 +0000

Ferida Wolff's Backyard: Vee-ing Across the Sky

The geese were flying back

from their warmer winter places,

honking as they flew over our house,

speaking goose talk as they guided each other

through the winds and the clouds.

The vee was long and announced

how many birds were returning home.

Spring brings such interesting things

for us to see. I wonder

what the geese are observing

as they watch our human packs

below them.

Ferida Wolff is author of 19 books for children and three essay books for adults. Her essays appear in anthologies, newspapers and magazines. She is a frequent contributor to the Chicken Soup for the Soul Series. Her picture book IS A WORRY WORRYING YOU? coauthored with Harriet May Savitz (Tanglewood Books) is pertinent to our current times. Her latest book RACHEL'S ROSES is an historical mid-grade novel.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Eurasian cranes in a V formation(video) Birds flying in V formation

A V formation is a symmetric V- or chevron-shaped flight formation. In nature, it occurs among geese, swans, ducks, and other migratory birds, improving their energy efficiency, while in human aviation, it is used mostly in military aviation, air shows, and occasionally commercial aviation.

Flying in the V formation likely improves energy efficiency. Usually, large birds fly in this formation since smaller birds create more complex wind currents that are hard for the back members to take advantage of.^[1] V formations also improve the fuel efficiency of aircraft.

Women's Congressional Policy Institute: Ensuring Equity for Women Veterans at the VA, Missing Children’s Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2023

Editor — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 17:52:00 +0000

Bringing women policymakers together across party lines to advance

issues of importance to women and their families.

Weekly Legislative Update

April 8, 2024

Bills Introduced: April 1-5, 2024

No legislation specific to women and girls was introduced last week.

This Week: April 8-12, 2024

Floor Action: The House and Senate are in session.

Child Protection: On Tuesday, the House is scheduled to consider S. 2051, the Missing Children’s Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2023, with an amendment to broaden the definition of child sexual abuse material, expand the AMBER alert system, and create additional reporting processes.

Hearings:

Child Care - On Wednesday, the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee will hold a hearing, “The Role of Child Care Small Businesses in Supporting Parents and the American Workforce.”

Veterans - On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs will hold a hearing, “Caring for All Who Have Borne the Battle: Ensuring Equity for Women Veterans at the VA.”

Access the Weekly Legislative Update online

New Report From American Cancer Society: Cancer Facts and Figures

Editor — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 21:32:00 +0000

https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2024/2024-cancer-facts-and-figures-acs.pdf

Special Section: Cancer in People Who Identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, or Gender-nonconforming – see page 32

Estimated number of new cancer cases for 2024, excluding basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers and in situ carcinoma except urinary bladder. Estimates are not available for Puerto Rico. Note: Incidence counts are model-based projections and should be interpreted with caution. State estimates may not equal US total due to rounding. ©2024, American Cancer Society, Inc. Surveillance and Health Equity Science

Chair Jerome H. Powell Remarks at the Stanford Business, Government and Society Forum

Editor — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 19:51:00 +0000

April 03, 2024

Opening Remarks

Chair Jerome H. Powell

At the Stanford Business, Government, and Society Forum, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stanford, California

It is a pleasure to be here today. I will begin with the economy and the road ahead for monetary policy before briefly discussing the Federal Reserve's monetary policy independence.

Over the past year, inflation has come down significantly but is still running above the Federal Open Market Committee's (FOMC) 2 percent goal. In February, headline inflation was 2.5 percent over the past 12 months based on the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index. A year earlier, it was 5.2 percent. Core inflation, which excludes the volatile food and energy components, stood at 2.8 percent; a year ago, it was 4.8 percent. While this progress is welcome, the job of sustainably restoring 2 percent inflation is not yet done.

Tight monetary policy continues to weigh on demand, particularly in interest-sensitive spending categories. Nonetheless, growth in economic activity and employment was strong in 2023, as real gross domestic product expanded more than 3 percent and 3 million jobs were created, even as inflation fell substantially. This combination of outcomes reflects significant improvements in supply that offset to some extent the effects on demand of tighter financial conditions. The healing of global supply chains helped address pent-up demand for goods, particularly in sectors that had faced considerable shortages, such as autos. In addition, labor supply increased significantly, thanks to rising participation among 25-to-54-year-olds, as well as a strong pace of immigration.

Recent readings on both job gains and inflation have come in higher than expected. The economy added an average of 265,000 jobs per month in the three months through February, a faster pace than we have seen since last June. And the higher inflation data over January and February were above the low readings in the second half of last year.

The recent data do not, however, materially change the overall picture, which continues to be one of solid growth, a strong but rebalancing labor market, and inflation moving down toward 2 percent on a sometimes bumpy path. Labor market rebalancing is evident in data on quits, job openings, surveys of employers and workers, and the continued gradual decline in wage growth. On inflation, it is too soon to say whether the recent readings represent more than just a bump. We do not expect that it will be appropriate to lower our policy rate until we have greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably down toward 2 percent. Given the strength of the economy and progress on inflation so far, we have time to let the incoming data guide our decisions on policy.

We have held our policy rate at its current level since last July. As shown in the individual projections the FOMC released two weeks ago, my colleagues and I continue to believe that the policy rate is likely at its peak for this tightening cycle. If the economy evolves broadly as we expect, most FOMC participants see it as likely to be appropriate to begin lowering the policy rate at some point this year.

Of course, the outlook is still quite uncertain, and we face risks on both sides. Reducing rates too soon or too much could result in a reversal of the progress we have seen on inflation and ultimately require even tighter policy to get inflation back to 2 percent. But easing policy too late or too little could unduly weaken economic activity and employment. As progress on inflation continues and labor market tightness eases, these risks continue to move into better balance.

As conditions evolve, monetary policy is well positioned to confront either of these risks. We are making decisions meeting by meeting, and we will do everything we can to achieve our maximum-employment and price-stability goals.

Dirty Dozen: IRS Warns About False Fuel Tax Credit Claims; Taxpayers Should be Wary of Scammers

Editor — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 22:29:00 +0000

English

IR-2024-89, April 2, 2024

WASHINGTON —

The Internal Revenue Service today warned taxpayers to watch out for promoters who push improper Fuel Tax Credits claims in the fourth day of the 2024 Dirty Dozen list of tax scams.

The Fuel Tax Credit is available only for off-highway business and farming use and not for most taxpayers. But the IRS continues to see instances where unscrupulous promoters or return preparers mislead taxpayers about fuel use and create fictitious documents or receipts for fuel.

The IRS has seen an increased number of fictitious claims for fuel tax credits on Form 4136, Credit for Federal Tax Paid on Fuels. By claiming the fuel tax, these promoters are looking out for their own financial interests by charging the taxpayers inflated fees. But taxpayers should realize the IRS has heightened scrutiny on this scam, and people claiming it improperly risk future compliance action by the IRS.

“Promoters are pushing the accelerator on bad Fuel Tax Credit claims and driving honest taxpayers to a bad choice,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “These promoters frequently charge a large fee to the taxpayer to make these false claims. While the scammers drive away with the fees, the taxpayers are left behind with a bad claim and all the risk and responsibility to make it right. Taxpayers must remain cautious and seek out a reputable tax professional rather than a reckless promoter.”

Fuel Tax Credits mark day four of the Dirty Dozen. Started in 2002, the IRS' annual Dirty Dozen campaign lists 12 scams and schemes that put taxpayers, businesses and the tax professional community at risk of losing money, personal information, data and more. While the Dirty Dozen is not a legal document or a formal listing of agency enforcement priorities, the education effort is designed to raise awareness and protect taxpayers and tax pros from common tax scams and schemes, including the Fuel Tax Credit.

Watch out for Fuel Tax Credit third-party promoters

The IRS continues to focus on stopping improper Fuel Tax Credit claims. Any taxpayer contemplating participating in any questionable tax scheme should know that the IRS has implemented new identity theft screening filters and processing systems that stop many suspicious Fuel Tax Credit refund claims. Falsely claiming the Fuel Tax Credit is a fraudulent practice with severe consequences, including civil and criminal penalties.

Taxpayers must exercise caution when filing their tax returns and ensure they only claim credits to which they’re entitled. Otherwise, they may face fines and be subject to federal criminal prosecution and imprisonment. If individuals have doubts about the legitimacy of a particular tax credit, they should seek advice from a qualified tax professional.

Report fraud

As part of the Dirty Dozen awareness effort regarding tax schemes and unscrupulous tax return preparers, the IRS urges individuals to report those who promote abusive tax practices and tax preparers who intentionally file incorrect returns.

To report a tax scheme or a dishonest tax return preparer individuals should send a completed Form 14242, Report Suspected Abusive Tax Promotions or Preparers PDF, along with any supporting materials via mail or fax to the IRS Lead Development Center in the Office of Promoter Investigations.

Mail:

Internal Revenue Service Lead Development Center
Stop MS5040
24000 Avila Road
Laguna Niguel, California 92677 3405
Fax: 877 477 9135

Taxpayers and tax professionals can also submit this information to the IRS Whistleblower Office, where they may be eligible for a monetary award. For details, refer to the sections on Abusive Tax Schemes and Abusive Tax Return Preparers.

Legislative Update: Bills, Resolutions, Introduced: March 18-22, 2024; Hirono, Gillibrand, Tillis, Graham, Duckworth, Murkowski, Granger, Ernst and More

Editor — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 18:27:00 +0000

(From the Women's Congressional Policy Institute)

Abortion

S. 3983 –– Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)/Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (3/20/2024) –– A bill to authorize a grant program to increase capacity for providing abortion services and other sexual and reproductive health care.

Senator Mazie Hirono, right

Human Trafficking

S. 4007 –– Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)/Judiciary (3/20/2024) –– A bill to direct the Attorney General to study issues relating to human trafficking.

International

S. Res. 599 –– Sen. Thomas Tillis (R-NC)/Foreign Relations (3/20/2024) –– A resolution to protect the Iranian political refugees, including female foreign political prisoners, in Ashraf-3 in Albania.

S. Res. 620 –– Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)/Foreign Relations (3/22/2024) –– A resolution to demand that the international community hold accountable those who perpetrated acts of sexual violence and sexual torture during and after the attack on the state of Israel on October 7, 2023.

Miscellaneous

S. Res. 596 –– Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)/Considered and agreed to (3/19/2024) –– A resolution to recognize Girl Scouts of the United States of America on its 112th birthday and celebrating its legacy of providing girls with a secure, inclusive space where they can explore their world, build meaningful relationships, and have access to experiences that prepare them for a life of leadership.

S. Res. 597 –– Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)/Considered and agreed to (3/19/2024) –– A resolution to recognize the heritage, culture, and contributions of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women in the United States.

H. Res. 1091 –– Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX)/Education and the Workforce (3/19/2024) –– A resolution to recognize and thank the Nation's women's colleges and universities and to recognize March 5 as "National Women's Colleges and Universities Day."

S. Res. 604 –– Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA)/Considered and agreed to (3/20/2024) –– A resolution to designate March 21, 2024, as “National Women in Agriculture Day.”

H.R. 7770 –– Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA)/Financial Services (3/21/2024) –– A bill to require the Secretary of Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the women who contributed to the Home Front during World War II.

S. Res. 621 –– Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV)/Judiciary (3/22/2024) –– A resolution to designate March 24, 2024, as “National Women of Color in Tech Day.”

H. Res. 1105 –– Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL)/Agriculture (3/22/2024) –– A bill to designate March 21, 2024, as “National Women in Agriculture Day.”

Reproductive Health

H.R. 7815 –– Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA)/Energy and Commerce (3/22/2024) –– A bill to award grants to expand and improve maternal health care services.

Small Business

S. 3971 –– Sen. Christopher Coons (D-DE)/Small Business and Entrepreneurship (3/19/2024) –– A bill to require reporting on additional information with respect to small business concerns owned and controlled by women, qualified HUBZone small business concerns, and small business concerns owned and controlled by veterans.

Tax Policy

S. 4005 –– Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA)/Finance (3/20/2024) –– A bill to allow an investment credit for certain domestic infant formula manufacturing projects and to allow a domestic production credit for certain infant formula.

H.R. 7744 –– Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)/Ways and Means (3/20/2024) –– A bill to allow an investment credit for certain domestic infant formula manufacturing projects and to allow a domestic production credit for certain infant formula.

H.R. 7813 –– Rep. Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ)/Ways and Means (3/22/2024) –– A bill to require an individual to provide a social security number to claim the child tax credit.

Ferida Wolff's Backyard: Spring is Coming

Editor — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 21:16:00 +0000

Spring is Coming

By Ferida Wolff

My backyard is beginning to awaken. The daffodils are flowering across the yard and brightening what had dulled during winter.

The daffies have been spreading over the years. They seem to decide where to plant themselves and then surprise me when they bloom. It’s a pleasure to see the vibrant yellow greeting me when I look out the kitchen window and it feels like the flowers’ energy is present when I do qigong exercises outside on a nice pre-spring day.

A daffodil is seen as a symbol of hope and healing. It feels like an awakening as it begins to bring our thoughts to Spring. It’s almost an invitation to set aside what the winter offered and to welcome what is yet to come.

Lots of symbolism about daffodils:

https://orchidrepublic.com/blogs/flower-facts/flower-facts-daffodils-spring-flower-arrangement-tips

https://flower-meanings.com/daffodil-meaning/#google_vignette

Antony Blinken, Secretary of State: Building A More Resilient Information Environment

Editor — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 18:18:00 +0000

ANTONY J. BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE

SHILLA HOTEL

SEOUL, REPUBLIC OF KOREA

MARCH 18, 2024

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you. Thank you very, very much, and good afternoon, everyone. I want to start again by thanking our South Korean friends, all of our co-hosts, everyone here at this summit for coming together today and in the days to follow.

Our democracies have different histories, different strengths, different challenges. But we’re all determined to deliver a safer, healthier, more prosperous, more inclusive future for our people and for people around the world.

Now, we know there’s no shortage of obstacles to meeting that objective. Lingering barriers to political participation. Corruption. Economic growth that isn’t broadly shared.

What I’d like to do this afternoon is spend a few minutes focusing on one longstanding problem that’s become increasingly complicated and increasingly consequential, and that’s the challenge of disinformation – of material deliberately meant to deceive and divide – as well as other forms of false and misleading content.

We all know that a world in which reliable information is readily accessible is pretty much foundational to every issue, in every country. It empowers us to understand and engage with the world around us. To make decisions that shape our lives, that shape our communities, that shape our countries.

But we also know the information space has become more crowded, more complex, more confusing, more contested than ever.

That, in turn, creates an enabling environment for disinformation – an environment in which state and non-state actors are undermining the objective truths on which open societies depend.

And I think we all know this. We’ve all experienced this in our daily lives. As someone who’s a little bit older than probably most of the people in this audience, this has maybe been the most profound change that I’ve experienced during my own career and working life.

If you go back the 30 or so years that I’ve been in government, the most profound change has been in the information space. When I started out a little over 30 years ago, pretty much everyone did the same thing: They opened the door of their apartment or their home in the morning and picked up a hard copy of a newspaper, and there were only a few newspapers that everyone tended to rely on. And then, if you had a television in your office, which some people did but not everyone did, in the United States, you’d turn it on at 6:30 at night or 7:00 at night and you’d get one of our three broadcast networks – ABC, CBS, NBC – for the evening news. And those were the foundational sources of information that pretty much everyone relied on.

Now, to state the obvious, we live in a world where we seem to be intravenously connected to information, and we’re getting new inputs every millisecond. The use of technology, particularly when it comes to digital technologies – social media, and now artificial intelligence – they’re dramatically accelerating what had already been an incredibly fast pace of change. But that accelerant has also created an accelerant for disinformation, fueling polarization, adding to the general sense of confusion that people have about the world around them.

During COVID, disinformation discouraged millions from getting vaccinated – with sometimes fatal results.

Hashtags like “Climate Scam” have inundated online platforms, helping to delay action on the climate crisis.

Nearly half the people of the world are going to be going to the polls this year – this is an extraordinary election year in country after country – but citizens and candidates will face a flood of falsehoods that suffocate serious civic debate.

Our competitors, our adversaries are using disinformation to exploit fissures within our democracies by further sowing suspicion, cynicism, instability. Pitting one group against another. Discrediting our institutions.

People within our own societies have exacerbated these dynamics – sometimes deliberately, sometimes influenced by bots and algorithms that are trained on biased information.

This distortion of the marketplace of ideas is not an unfortunate byproduct of free speech – it’s a direct threat to freedom of expression itself.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrines not only the right to express ourselves; it protects our freedom, and I quote, “to hold opinions without interference.” The manipulation of information undermines our ability to exercise that fundamental right.

Building a more resilient information environment is, for us, a vital national security interest. It’s also an urgent priority for our diplomacy. And I want to discuss some of the ways we’re trying to advance that objective.

To begin with, we continue to expose, to disrupt, and to deter disinformation.

The State Department’s Global Engagement Center coordinates our governmentwide and multilateral efforts to identify, to analyze, to reveal foreign manipulation of information.

Last September, we released a report detailing how the Chinese Government has invested billions of dollars to spread propaganda and twist the global information environment. For example, buying cable TV platforms in Africa and excluding international news channels from subscription packages. Or using local subsidiaries to surreptitiously purchase media companies in Southeast Asia – which then run heavily pro-PRC news.

We unmasked the Kremlin’s covert campaign to undermine support for Ukraine across the Western Hemisphere, laundering Russian content through Latin American media to make it look like it was organic.

By discovering and publicizing these influence operations, we’ve enabled other governments, media, civil society to track and to thwart them. For example, after the United States disclosed Moscow’s hidden involvement in a Brazilian nationalist organization, a Brazilian political party expelled 50 members tied to the Russia-linked group.

Senior Women Web

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Melting of Alaskan glaciers Shown to be Accelerating; Could Reach an Irreversible Tipping Point Earlier Than Previously Thought

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Findings come from an NIH analysis of more than two decades of dietary data from 390,124 U.S. adults, questions the benefits of regular multivitamin use. Credit: iStock/bert_phantana

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Federal Study Examines Care Following Nonfatal Overdose Among Medicare Beneficiaries; Identifies Effective Interventions and Gaps in Care

Attorney General Merrick Garland Testifies: Seventeen Federal Agencies Recognize Decade of Federal Progress Addressing Elder Abuse

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Tribute to Madeline Albright: The Highest - Ranking Woman in the Country at the Time She Served In the Administration

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National Portrait Gallery Presents “Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900–1939"

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US Food and Drug Administration, DA: Counterfeit Version of Botox Found in Multiple States

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Ferida Wolff's Backyard: Vee-ing Across the Sky

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English

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Ferida Wolff's Backyard: Spring is Coming

Antony Blinken, Secretary of State: Building A More Resilient Information Environment

ANTONY J. BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE

Madeleine
Albright