Accra (Agenzia Fides) – The fight against illegal mining “Galamsey”, which pollutes waterways, destroys forests and livelihoods and causes serious health and environmental risks for communities, is the aim of the “Environmental Prayer Walk” organized by the Archdiocese of Accra in collaboration with the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious Ghana (CMSR-GH).”The event, called ‘Environmental Prayer Walk’,” writes the President of the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious Ghana, Father Paul Ennin of the Society of African Missions (SMA), in a note sent to Fides, “will take place on Friday, October 11, 2024 and is in line with our initiatives for the Holy Year 2025: Care for creation and protection of the environment.””This initiative reflects our civil, community and religious commitment to our land and its ecosystem, which is being destroyed,” notes Metropolitan Archbishop John Bonaventure Kwofie, C.S.Sp., in a message addressed to all priests, religious and lay people of the Archdiocese for the occasion.According to reports and human rights groups, dozens of miners have died in recent years when mines collapse, while hospitals and health centers report a high number of early deaths from lung diseases among miners and residents of towns and villages near the mines. These are caused by inhaling dust containing heavy metals such as lead, as well as the toxic fumes of mercury and nitric acid that miners use to extract gold from the sediments. The chemicals are then dumped into the soil or rivers. The Ghana Water Authority says mercury and heavy metals from mining have already contaminated about 65% of water sources.“On October 11, we will undertake a prayer march for peace, praying the rosary, which is our weapon against all enemies. We will gather at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Adabraka, a southern suburb of Kumasi in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, to pray, walk through the main streets and conclude the event with a Holy Mass at the Christ the King Grotto in Cantonment, Accra District. Finally, we will present a petition to the Presidency at Jubilee House,” Archbishop Kwofie concluded.Local statistics show that illegal gold mining grew at a dizzying pace in 2024, following the almost 30 percent increase in global gold prices. According to the Ghana Mining Authority, gold mines produced 1.2 million ounces of gold in the first seven months of this year, more than in the whole of 2023. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 9/10/2024)
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President Meloni: Government commitment to greater opportunities for young people. New talent to boost Italy’s southern regions
A recruitment process has been launched today, as part of the ‘RIPAM’ public administration requalification project, to hire 2,200 new officials for local authorities in the Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Apulia, Sardinia and Sicily regions and for the Department for Cohesion Policy and Southern Italy, organised by the Department for Public Administration at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, in agreement with the Department for Cohesion Policy and Southern Italy.
This initiative by the Government, supported by the European Commission and funded by both European and national resources through the national operational programme for cohesion capacity 2021-2027, provides for new, additional staff to be hired with permanent contracts for the authorities concerned.
Hiring young graduates also fulfils the Government’s strategic goal to modernise the public administration, with a view to making public action more effective through innovation, digitalisation and new skills.
The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, expressed great satisfaction with this important result: “The Government has undertaken this commitment to meet the needs repeatedly voiced by local areas as well as to offer new opportunities to young people. This will significantly strengthen administrative capacity in Italy’s southern regions, where new talents and skills will give fresh impetus to the implementation of cohesion policy-funded projects”.
The new recruits will in fact be tasked with ensuring that European funds are used more efficiently, accelerating social and economic development in the areas involved and thereby contributing to the nation’s overall growth and helping to reduce historical regional disparities.
In particular, this national recruitment process responds to the need to enhance staffing expressed by Municipalities, the Union of Municipalities, Provinces, Metropolitan Cities and Regions in the areas concerned, and forms part of the Government’s priority actions to make better use of European funds and improve expenditure performance, thus guaranteeing cohesion policy objectives are fully met in the South.
The recruitment procedures will be completed by the end of 2024 and the successful candidates will then undergo specific training on cohesion policy so as to be fully operational by spring 2025.
Furthermore, there is also a parallel initiative to strengthen staffing for authorities unable to benefit from these new hires, involving a specialist-technical support service to facilitate full implementation of cohesion policy projects in local areas. This will also be funded by resources from the national operational programme for cohesion capacity 2021-2027.
The Minister for European Affairs, Southern Italy, Cohesion Policy and the NRRP, Raffaele Fitto, commented: “This achievement is the result of months of intense and rewarding work, carried out through ongoing dialogue with local areas and the European Commission. As we promised in the Government’s coalition programme, we are optimising use of European resources, also by providing more than two thousand new recruits with specialist skills through specific training in this area. This is a unique opportunity for Italy”.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, expressed his profound sorrow over the passing of the former Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 10th and 11th National People’s Congress (NPC), Mr Wu Bangguo.
Mr Lee said, “Chairman Wu had all along held the development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) close to his heart. He had reached out to people from all walks of life during his various visits to Hong Kong, fully demonstrating the Central Authorities’ unwavering support for Hong Kong.
“Chairman Wu had reiterated on multiple occasions the Central Government’s firm commitment to the implementation of the ‘one country, two systems’ principle, under which ‘the people of Hong Kong administer Hong Kong’ with a high degree of autonomy; working in strict accordance with the Basic Law; as well as fully supporting the administration of the Chief Executive and the HKSAR Government in accordance with the law to maintain Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability. During his tenure as the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC, the Standing Committee deliberated and unanimously passed the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on Issues Relating to the Methods for Selecting the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and for Forming the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in the Year 2012 and on Issues Relating to Universal Suffrage.
“On behalf of the HKSAR, I extend my deepest condolences to Chairman Wu’s family.”
Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury, and Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministers of Energy and Natural Resources and Official Languages, today announced that the Government of Canada is providing the City of Greater Sudbury with $150,000 in funding for a fact-finding mission and case study project aimed at improving wellbeing in mining communities in Northern Ontario. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister to Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor.
FedNor’s contribution supporting the completion of a fact-finding mission and case study to help communities in Northern Ontario better respond to opportunities and challenges in the mining sector
October 9, 2024 – Sudbury, ON – Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario – FedNor
Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury, and Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministers of Energy and Natural Resources and Official Languages, today announced that the Government of Canada is providing the City of Greater Sudbury with $150,000 in fundingfor a fact-finding mission and case study project aimed at improving wellbeing in mining communities in Northern Ontario. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister to Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor.
Funded through the Northern Ontario Development Program, the report adds to six previous case studies completed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as part of its Mining Regions and Cities Initiative. The study will include a review of the regulatory and policy environment for mining and related industries, with the goal of making recommendations for consideration by the federal and provincial governments.
To achieve this the OECD, in cooperation with Northern Ontario stakeholders, will explore the impact of the mining sector on economic, social and environmental wellbeing in Northern Ontario. This includes looking at its contribution to regional development, and assessing the progress of regional strategies and policies on improving the business environment for mining in Northern Ontario. Additionally, the fact-finding mission will create opportunities for knowledge exchange and learning among communities and the private sector.
Quotes
“Today’s investment of $150,000 into Northern Ontario mining and supply services sector will help better understand the opportunities and challenges miners face, how to protect the environment, and develop the needed support for long-term success within the industry.”
– The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor
“Sudbury has a rich history rooted in the mining sector that has expanded over the years to include a diverse mining supply and services industry. By supporting this study, the Government Canada is demonstrating its commitment to wellbeing of Northern Ontario and ensuring that the sector will continue to thrive, along with the communities and people that play a crucial role in its success.”
– Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury
“Today’s announcement will help us identify, plan for and develop a roadmap that will help lead us to a stronger, more sustainable mining industry that respects the environment and creates meaningful jobs for Canadians. We are proud to partner with the City of Greater Sudbury, the OECD and communities across the region to complete a full review of the regulatory and policy environment to develop recommendations to make mining stronger here at home and around the world.”
– Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministers of Energy and Natural Resources and Official Languages
“The City of Greater Sudbury is grateful for FedNor’s support and is excited to be partnering with the OECD on this important fact-finding mission. We know that Northern Ontario is home to a world-class mining and mining supply and services sector, and this study will allow us to identify our competitive advantages and share lessons learned with fellow OECD members.”
– Paul Lefebvre, Mayor, City of Greater Sudbury
Quick facts
The funding announced today is provided through FedNor’s Northern Ontario Development Program, which enables communities and First Nations to increase the number of community and/or regional economic development initiatives implemented, leading to increased business investment, job creation, and regional collaboration and partnerships.
The OECD is an international organization that works to build better policies for better lives. Their goal is to shape policies that foster prosperity, equality, opportunity and well-being for all. Together with governments, policy makers and citizens, they work on establishing evidence-based international standards and finding solutions to a range of social, economic and environmental challenges.
The OECD’s Mining Cities and Regions Initiative serves as a platform for exchanging good practices and promoting international standards aimed at improving well-being outcomes in mining regions.
The Government of Canada’s Prosperity and Growth Strategy for Northern Ontario identifies investing in building the economic development capacity of municipalities and Indigenous communities in the region as a key action.
Associated links
Contacts
Jennifer Kozelj Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor jennifer.kozelj@sac-isc.gc.ca
Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario Media Relations
For Pennsylvania residents like me, there is no escape from the record-breaking number of political attack ads disrupting our favorite shows and filling our social media feeds.
A projected US$10.7 billion is being spent nationwide – but particularly in battleground states – on political ads this election season.
For those who are feeling election fatigue and just want to stream in peace: Buckle in, because it’s about to get worse.
As of late August 2024, over $1.7 billion in political ads had been reserved nationwide to run between Labor Day and Election Day. Over $400 million of that is just for presidential election ads in seven key battleground states.
With Pennsylvania widely considered the most decisive state in the 2024 presidential election, it may be no surprise that the Keystone State has the most presidential ad reservations, totaling $137 million.
As a political communication expert and professor of media and social influence who lives in Philadelphia, I am often asked: “Why are there so many political ads, why are they so negative, and more importantly, how do we make it stop?”
I’ll answer the first two below. For the last, the truth is we don’t.
When voters perceive ads as unfair or manipulative, they are less likely to vote for the candidate or party producing the ads. And when subjected to repeated unwanted exposure to political ads, they can experience “psychological reactance” and behave opposite of what the ads intended.
Some studies also suggest that negative ads create election stress, which can reduce voter turnout among the less politically interested.
Historically, political advertising was considered an effective tool for educating voters, building momentum and engaging the politically uninterested.
Political ad spending has monumentally increased over the past several election cycles, and hit the billions after the landmark 2010 Citizens United case.
In that ruling, the Supreme Court decided that limiting spending from corporations or outside groups violated those groups’ First Amendment right to free speech. Prior to Citizens United, corporations and other groups like nonprofits and labor unions were subject to prohibitions on campaign donations. Individual campaign contribution limits, which currently stand at $3,300 per candidate per election, kept spending relatively level across the electorate.
Following the ruling, however, the influx of corporate and outside money completely changed the campaign finance landscape.
In 2010, political ad spending reached $3.3 billion – an 11% increase from the 2008 election that took place pre-Citizens United. A decade later, total spending on political ads soared to $9 billion in the 2020 election.
Significant portions of this spending come from political action committees that are not bound by traditional campaign contribution limits as long as they do not donate the money directly to a candidate or coordinate with a candidate’s campaign.
These groups, known as super PACs, can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money from undisclosed donors. While super PACs have to disclose identities of people who donate over $200 in a year, donors can use shell companies to hide their identities.
During the 2024 election cycle, over $2.4 billion has been raised by super PACs. This is where much of the funding for the political ad barrage that voters experience in the weeks leading up to the election comes from.
For example, in the weeks following President Joe Biden leaving the race, 95% of pro-Trump ads focused on attacking Vice President Kamala Harris rather than promoting policy, according to the Wesleyan Media Project, which tracks political advertising.
But the media environment has changed drastically, and voters are growing resentful.
Voters resent microtargeting
Unlike traditional voter segmentation where an entire group of voters would receive similar messages, campaigns now use data analytics to microtarget messages for specific voters.
Microtargeting enlists the help of social monitoring companies to identify voters’ psychometric data – their hopes, fears, likes, dislikes and so on – so that campaigns can finely tune messages to target them on social media.
A 2020 Pew survey found that over half of voters believe tech companies should not allow political ads on social media. Three-quarters oppose campaigns using their personal data to target them with political ads.
Put simply, the political ad barrage coupled with microtargeting strategies is not an effective campaign strategy that sways voters’ minds. Meanwhile, there is growing evidence that this level of negativity is harming the electorate and undermining trust in democracy.
Heather LaMarre does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Democratic candidate Tim Walz, during the vice presidential debate in which he said he ‘misspoke’ about being in Hong Kong during Tiananmen Square protests.Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
During the Sept. 24, 2024, debate, Democratic vice presidential hopeful Tim Walz said he “misspoke” when asked to clarify his story of being in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square crackdown in June 1989.
To many, Walz’s use of the word misspoke came across as an attempt to weasel out of what was at best an embellishment and at worst an outright lie.
The word misspoke has certainly long been used to politically backpedal after verbal inaccuracies or blunders, as Ronald Reagan learned in 1981 after he said that Syrian surface-to-air missiles placed in Lebanon were “offensive weapons,” when they were in fact defensive weapons. Both Presidents Bill Clinton and the much “misunderestimated” George W. Bush likewise were deemed to have misspoken after making mistakes, big and small.
For instance, a spokesperson for Clinton claimed he had misspoken when the then-president said that North Korea would not be allowed to develop a nuclear bomb – after there was reason to believe they had already developed them. During George W. Bush’s term in office, verbal errors were so common they earned a nickname of their own: “Bushisms.”
But misspoke’s extension to factual fabrication is one step further down the semantic road. In using it in this way, Walz joined other “misspoken” politicians, such as Hillary Clinton, who used it after falsely recollecting having landed in Bosnia under sniper fire.
As a sociolinguist who writes about how language changes over time, misspoke’s euphemistic recasting of lying as an inadvertent mistake calls for deeper linguistic scrutiny.
Tim Walz, being pressed on a statement he made and whether it was true, during the vice presidential debate.
From mumble to mea culpa
To understand how and why words morph like this, linguists like to trace them to their very beginnings.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “misspeaking” is quite old in the history of English, appearing as “missprecon” in a Northumbrian text dating before the 11th century. Its original sense was one of “to grumble” or “to mumble,” a meaning now obsolete.
But after the 11th century, its meaning shifted from inarticulateness to that of speaking amiss or disparagingly, often mentioned in reference to saying something improper or upsetting. Chaucer makes use of this sense in the “Miller’s Tale”: “And therfore if that I mysspeke or seye, Wyte it the ale of Southwerk, I you preye,” where the Miller handily blames a bit too much ale for whatever impropriety might fall from his mouth.
Around the time Chaucer was composing “The Canterbury Tales” in the late 14th century, the word “misspeak” branched off down yet another semantic path, taking on the meaning of “to speak incorrectly or misleadingly.” It is this sense that gave birth to the modern political mea culpa used when backtracking on a misleading prior statement, such as by Sen. John McCain after he claimed President Barack Obama was directly responsible for terrorist attacks on Americans.
Expanding meaning
These shifts in the meaning of a word over time fall under what linguists refer to as “semantic broadening.” Semantic broadening, which means expansion of a word’s meaning, is incredibly common, generally occurring when a word becomes used more frequently and across more situations. As a result, its core sense can expand to take on supplemental or tangential meanings.
Semantic shift like this is constantly at work, pushing and pulling senses in related but new directions to stay relevant to the needs of speakers.
The word “soon,” for instance, at first carried a meaning of “immediately,” but human nature being what it is, its meaning began to creep in the direction of “as immediately as possible” as people took their merry time.
Some new meanings, such as the nonliteral use of “literally” and Walz’s use of “misspeak,” are sites of contest, with multiple meanings at play.
The semantic broadening of misspeaking to cover not just misleading but knowingly false information didn’t start with Walz, nor did it begin with Clinton. In fact, this politically expedient expansion seems to go back at least to the Nixon administration.
There’s been a lot of misspeaking by politicians over the years, as these stories show. The Guardian US; The Hill; Wall Street Journal; Politico; Washington Post.
‘I misspoke myself’
In 1973, Nixon and his advisers were called to task in a Time article accusing them of a tendency to “make flat statements one day, and the next day reverse field with the simple phrase, ‘I misspoke myself.’” Given the Watergate scandal, it’s safe to say that misspoke as used by his administration had already shifted into deceptive speech territory.
Perhaps misspeaking’s semantic slippery slope started even further back, when the prefix “mis,” with its sense of “badly,” combined with “speaking.”
Consider other potentially weaselly words that are also formed by “mis” prefixation: misunderstood, misinterpret, mishear, mistake. These are all examples of words, like misspeak, that can and have been used by politicians to avoid taking responsibility for the false or “misleading” things they say.
Even if led astray by its prefix, from a linguistic perspective, the broadening of misspeak to cover not just incorrect but fabricated statements turns out to be not such a surprising development given the tendency of words to take on new senses over time, particularly in the world of political doublespeak.
The bigger surprise might be how this new meaning translates with voters, but that’s one surprise that will have to wait for the ballot box.
Valerie M. Fridland does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Many Americans are not thrilled with either of the two major-party candidates for president. As of Oct. 4, 2024, polls showed that 46.5% had an unfavorable opinion of Kamala Harris and 52.6% felt unfavorably toward Donald Trump.
Some of these unhappy voters are considering voting for a third-party candidate, or not voting at all. They may be thinking of those actions as a form of protest against the two-party system dominant in the United States, or against these two particular candidates.
For example, in a September poll 3.5% of Michigan voters said they planned to vote for a candidate other than Harris and Trump.
At first glance, these choices might seem perfectly reasonable: If you don’t like a candidate, don’t vote for that person. But my work as a scholar of cognitive biases – systematic errors people make in their thinking – makes me fear that this option does not best serve the interests of those voters.
Instead, protest voting is in fact likely to harm the democratic process, potentially leading to the election of the candidate the majority of voters overall, and protest voters specifically, most dislike. There are several reasons protest voters might make this mistake.
How much does one vote matter?
It’s clear that any one vote is very unlikely to swing the presidential election. And some might say that if one vote doesn’t really matter, then voters may as well vote however they want, or not bother to vote at all. Here’s why that’s flawed thinking:
Suppose there are 10,000 voters in a state who feel unhappy with both candidates. But they almost surely dislike one candidate more than they dislike the other. Perhaps they disagree with some of Harris’ views but fear Trump. Or maybe it’s the other way around. They don’t have to agree on why they’re unhappy about the candidates either – some who are unhappy with Harris but prefer her over Trump may think Harris is too far left, while others may think she’s not enough of a leftist.
Now suppose the rest of the state’s voters – those who are happy to vote for one of the two major candidates – are very narrowly split. Perhaps the gap is 5,000 votes. So, if the 10,000 unhappy voters do vote for one of the two major-party candidates, they can swing the election.
Again, these unhappy voters really do have a preference – they like one of the major candidates better than the other. So while each individual unhappy voter wants to keep their hands clean and not vote, they would each like the other 9,999 unhappy voters to step up and swing the outcome in favor of their preferred candidate.
Parents teach the Golden Rule to kids – do unto others as you would have them do unto you – and most people do actually believe in it and try to act accordingly. In this case, following the Golden Rule means that if you’re an unhappy voter and would like other unhappy voters to hold their noses and vote for the major candidate they least dislike, you should be willing to do the same thing yourself.
But not all unhappy voters think this way. Some are led astray by their intuition and choose to protest-vote even when their own values would indicate they shouldn’t.
One reason a person might still think a protest vote makes sense is because of the assumption that boycotting something they don’t like is an effective means of contributing to positive change.
A boycott against a person or organization you have a problem with often makes good sense. For instance, if there’s a restaurant in town with a reputation for being discriminatory, or just for being slow to get the food out, don’t go to it. Maybe it will close and make room for another business with better performance. Or maybe it will make some changes in hopes of growing its customer base.
But when you cast a vote, whether on Election Day or beforehand, boycotting the viable candidates isn’t going to help. One of them is going to win whether you like it or not. Boycotting in this context is an example of a misapplied heuristic – a rule of thumb that’s often, but not always, helpful. Boycotting here doesn’t help you achieve your goal of eliminating or improving something you don’t like.
Omission vs. commission
Another reason people might choose a protest vote is because of a phenomenon in which people prefer to make mistakes of inaction – omission – over making mistakes that involve taking action – commission. People feel less guilty when they haven’t acted directly in support of a bad outcome. But both action and inaction can be errors, and both can deliver undesired results that constitute bad outcomes.
The omission bias can help explain why some people are hesitant to get vaccinated against serious diseases: If they chose to get vaccinated and the vaccination led to a health problem, that would be a mistake of commission. Not getting vaccinated also might lead to a health problem, but that would be a mistake of omission. People tend to prefer the latter.
Similarly, voting for a candidate you’re unsatisfied with could feel like a mistake of commission. Not voting, or voting for a third party, risks a mistake of omission – an error often assumed to be less significant. But choosing the possibility of an error of omission over one of commission doesn’t ensure you aren’t making a mistake – it just changes your mistake to one that’s intuitively more appealing.
They are both politicians, but they are very different candidates. AP Photo
False equivalence
A final reason people might opt out of voting or choose to back a third-party candidate is that they object to the assumption that they dislike one candidate more than the other. Instead, these people claim the two main options are equally bad.
But regardless of what your actual values and policy preferences are, that’s almost certainly untrue. The two candidates hold very different views on a wide range of issues, and have different records of what they have done – and not done – when in office.
Some people think about 1-in-10 chances and 1-in-a-million chances as both being in the category of “possibilities.” But they’re very different: If you’re flipping a coin repeatedly, one is about equal to your chance of getting heads three times in a row, and the other is how likely you are to get heads 20 times in a row.
All of those were actions Gore would almost certainly not have taken. The two candidates were very far from being the same, and even though my friend didn’t see it beforehand, he should have been able to.
The U.S. will have a new president on Jan. 20, 2025: Trump or Harris. A third-party winner is not a real option.
In some states voters can rank candidates in order of preference, more clearly expressing their choices without wasting their vote on a candidate who can’t win. People who believe it would be nice to have more choices with realistic chances of winning could work to adopt that system – known as ranked-choice voting – in their communities, or seek to adopt other methods that could eventually yield more viable options in the future. But it won’t happen in time for this election.
Whether you like it or not, you face a binary choice: Vote for one or vote for the other. And please vote.
Daniel F. Stone does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Members of the white militia group Proud Boys march on the Ohio state capitol in Columbus on Jan. 6, 2024. Paul Becker, CC BY
The first time many Americans heard about Springfield, Ohio, came during the September 2024 presidential debate when Donald Trump falsely claimed that Haitian immigrants in the city were eating other residents’ cats and dogs.
Though shocking, these harmful rumors had been spreading on social media since the beginning of the summer and had gained more notoriety when JD Vance, a U.S. senator from Ohio and Trump’s running mate, made similar statements on X, the social media platform formerly called Twitter.
But what has gone mostly overlooked is the effect these racist lies have had on energizing Ohio’s nearly 50 white extremist groups.
Members of the white supremacist group Blood Tribe marched through Springfield on Aug. 10, 2024, with with swastikas on their signs.
Since then, members of the Ku Klux Klan and the right-wing extremist group Proud Boys have each marched in separate demonstrations through Springfield.
In our research, we have found that the rapidly changing social conditions in Ohio have played a significant role in the growth of extremism.
Between 1990 and 2019, for instance, manufacturing jobs shrank from 21.7% of all employment in the state to 12.5%, a loss of nearly 360,000 jobs. As a result, income disparities between the professional and working classes have widened – as has the heightened sense among some alienated white men that white conservatives are the real victims of bias in a society growing more racially and culturally diverse.
A neo-Nazi group speaks under heavy police protection at a 2005 rally sponsored by the National Socialist Movement at City Hall in Toledo, Ohio. Bill Pugliano/Getty Images
For many of these alienated men, particularly those in rural areas that lack significant numbers of Black and Hispanic residents, extremist ideologies offer easy answers to complex questions that involve their sense of disenfranchisement.
In 2020, for example, the population of Springfield was about 60,000. But over the past three years, city officials estimate that the population has grown by about 25%, partly fueled by the arrival of as many as 15,000 Haitian immigrants during that time. Many of them are legally living in the U.S. under a special federal program.
Similar demographic shifts are occurring throughout the state. Between 2010 and 2022, the percentage of the white population dropped from 81.2% to 77.3%, a loss of about 250,000, putting the state’s white population at about 9.1 million. During the same time, the Hispanic population, for instance, grew from about 357,000 in 2010 to nearly 525,000.
For some of these white extremists, these population changes will lead to an inevitable race war between white people and nonwhite people. We have found that the attraction of belonging to a group that promises strength, protection and a source of identity can be particularly compelling.
The Ohio connection
In recent years, white extremism in Ohio has received attention as a result of the extremist rhetoric of and often violent crimes committed by white men who call the state home. Consider just a few examples:
James Alex Fields Jr., a white nationalist from the Toledo area, was sentenced to life in prison in 2019 for the murder of Heather Heyer in Charlottesville, Virginia. Fields was convicted of driving his car into a crowd of counterprotesters during the white nationalist Unite the Right Rally in August 2017.
Prior to the attack, Fields frequently posted the hashtag #Hitlerwasright on his social media accounts and called for violence against nonwhites and Jews.
In the summer of 2022, Ohio law enforcement officers shot and killed Ricky Shiffer after the armed Navy veteran fired a nail gun at the FBI field office in Cincinnati. On his social media accounts, Shiffer had called for violence against federal law enforcement officials after the FBI searched Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago as part of the federal probe into Trump’s handling of classified documents.
Tres Genco, a self-described incel – short for “involuntary celibate” – who hated women and believed he was owed sex from them, was from the Cincinnati area and pled guilty in 2022 to plotting a mass shooting of women at Ohio State University. Law enforcement officials in Ohio stopped the planned attack before it happened.
On April 21, 2023, Christopher Brenner Cook, 20, of Columbus, Ohio, and others were sentenced to nearly eight years in prison for his plan to attack power grids across the U.S. Cook and his accomplices believed that they were starting a race war and used neo-Nazi propaganda and white supremacist ideology to recruit young people to join their group.
Online recruitment tactics
Leaders of white supremacist and militia groups often use both traditional outreach and digital platforms to recruit people to their groups. Traditional outreach includes recruitment in conversations, attending events, and sharing books, pamphlets, flyers and posters.
At the same time, social media has become a critical tool for extremist groups to spread their message, recruit members and organize events.
These online platforms create echo chambers that reinforce extremist beliefs in debunked conspiracy theories, such as the assumption that the federal government is part of a plot to eliminate the white race.
In addition to the increased traffic on social media, we have seen a rise of extremist groups in Ohio known as active clubs, where members engage in physical fitness, combat training and emotional support that encourages the development of a warrior mentality in preparation for what followers believe is an inevitable race war.
Countering extremism in Ohio
Though the emergence of white extremist groups goes far beyond the borders of Ohio, we have found that community-based, educational initiatives are effective in understanding and ultimately eradicating the root causes of racial and ethnic hatred on the local level.
In our view, community engagement that emphasizes dialogue and understanding across different racial groups is crucial for demonstrating the dangers of intolerance – and the benefits of diversity.
Paul J. Becker is part of a team at The University of Dayton that received funding from the Department of Homeland Security for the Preventing Radicalization to Extremist Violence through Education, Network-Building and Training in Southwest Ohio (PREVENTS-OH) project. Funded by the Department of Homeland Security under the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program, PREVENTS-OH recognizes that domestic violent extremism and hate movements pose a serious threat to the realization of human rights.
Art Jipson is part of a team at The University of Dayton that received funding from the Department of Homeland Security for the Preventing Radicalization to Extremist Violence through Education, Network-Building and Training in Southwest Ohio (PREVENTS-OH) project. Funded by the Department of Homeland Security under the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program, PREVENTS-OH recognizes that domestic violent extremism and hate movements pose a serious threat to the realization of human rights.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By C. Michael White, Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy Practice, University of Connecticut
In just a few years, brand-name injectable drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound have rocketed to fame as billion-dollar annual sellers for weight loss as well as to control blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.
But the price of these injections is steep: They cost about US$800-$1,000 per month, and if used for weight loss alone, they are not covered by most insurance policies. Both drugs mimic the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1 to help regulate blood sugar and reduce cravings. They can be taken only with a prescription.
The Food and Drug Administration announced an official shortage of the active ingredients in these drugs in 2022, but on Oct. 2, 2024, the agency announced that the shortage has been resolved for the medicine tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjaro and Zepbound.
Despite the soaring demand and limited supply of these drugs, there are no generic versions available. This is because the patents for semaglutide – the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, which is still in shortage – and tirzepatide don’t expire until 2033and 2036, respectively.
As a result, nonbrand alternatives that can be purchased with or without a prescription are flooding the market. Yet these products come with real risks to consumers.
The dietary supplement market has sought to cash in on the GLP-1 demand with pills, teas, extracts and all manner of other products that claim to produce similar effects as the brand names at a much lower price.
Poison control centers have seen a steep rise in calls related to off-brand weight loss medications.
The role of compounding pharmacies
Unlike the dietary supplements that are masquerading as GLP-1 weight loss products, compounding pharmacies can create custom versions of products that contain the same active ingredients as the real thing for patients who cannot use either brand or generic products for some reason.
These pharmacies can also produce alternative versions of brand-name drugs when official drug shortages exist.
These products may come in versions that differ from the brand-name companies, such as vials of powder that must be dissolved in liquid, or as tablets or nasal sprays.
Just like the brand-name drugs, you must have a valid prescription to receive them. The prices range from $250-$400 a month – still a steep price for many consumers.
Compounding pharmacies must adhere to the FDA’s sterility and quality production methods, but these rules are not as rigorous for compounding pharmacies as those for commercial manufacturers of generic drugs.
In addition, the products compounding pharmacies create do not have to be tested in humans for safety or effectiveness like brand-name products do.
Proper dosing can also be challenging with compounded forms of the drugs.
Companies that work the system
For people who cannot afford a compounding pharmacy product, or cannot get a valid prescription for semaglutide or tirzepatide, opportunistic companies are stepping in to fill the void. These include “peptide companies,” manufacturers that create non-FDA approved knockoff versions of the drugs.
From November 2023 to March 2024, my team carried out a study to assess which of these peptide companies are selling semaglutide or tirzepatide products. We scoured the internet looking for these peptide companies and collected information about what they were selling and their sales practices.
We found that peptide sellers use a loophole to sell these drugs. On their websites, the companies state that their drugs are for “research purposes only” or “not for human consumption,” but they do nothing to verify that the buyers are researchers or that the product is going to a research facility.
By reading the comments sections of the company websites and the targeted ads on social media, it becomes clear that both buyers and sellers understand the charade. Unlike compounding pharmacies, these peptide sellers do not provide the supplies you need to dissolve and inject the drug, provide no instructions, and will usually not answer questions.
Peptide sellers, since they allegedly are not selling to consumers, do not require a valid prescription and will sell consumers whatever quantity of drug they wish to purchase. Even if a person has an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa, the companies will happily sell them a semaglutide or tirzepatide product without a prescription. The average prices of these peptide products range from $181-$203 per month.
Skirting regulations
Peptide sellers do not have to adhere to the rules or regulations that drug manufacturers or compounding pharmacies do. Many companies state that their products are 99% pure, but an independent investigation of three companies’ products from August 2023 to March 2024 found that the purity of the products were far less than promised.
One product contained endotoxin – a toxic substance produced by bacteria – suggesting that it was contaminated with microbes. In addition, the products’ promised dosages were off by up 29% to 39%. Poor purity can cause patients to experience fever, chills, nausea, skin irritation, infections and low blood pressure.
In this study, some companies never even shipped the drug, telling the buyers they needed to pay an additional fee to have the product clear customs.
If a consumer is harmed by a poor-quality product, it would be difficult to sue the seller, since the products specifically say they are “not for human consumption.” Ultimately, consumers are being led to spend money on products that may never arrive, could cause an infection, might not have the correct dose, and contain no instructions on how to safely use or store the product.
Instead of its traditional injection pen products that cost more than $1,000 for a month’s supply, this product comes in vials that patients draw up and inject themselves. For patients who take 5 milligrams of Zepbound each week, the vial products would cost them $549 a month if patients buy it through the company’s online pharmacy and can show that they do not have insurance coverage for the drug.
After a grilling on Capitol Hill in September 2024, pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk came under intense pressure to offer patients without prescription coverage a lower-priced product for its brand-name Wegovy as well.
When new pharmaceutical companies enter this market, they will have to offer patients lower prices than Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk in order to gain market share. This is the most likely medium-term solution to drive down the costs of GLP-1 drugs and eliminate the drug shortages in the marketplace.
C. Michael White does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Elena Jackson Albarrán, Associate Professor of History and Global and Intercultural Studies, Miami University
Demonstrators make graffiti reading ‘Columbus Out, Long Live the People’ on a fence protecting a statue of Christopher Columbus in Mexico City on Oct. 12, 2020. Pedro Pardo/AFP via Getty Images
This is the season of patriotism in Latin America as many countries commemorate their independence from colonial powers. From July to September, public plazas in countries from Mexico to Honduras and Chile fill with crowds dressed and painted in national colors, parades feature participants costumed as independence heroes, fireworks fill the skies, and schoolchildren reenact historical battles.
Beneath these nationalist displays ripples an uneasy tide: the colonial legacies that still tie the Americas to their Iberian conquerors. And as the calendar turns to October, another holiday highlights similar tensions – Columbus Day.
Since 1937, the U.S. has observed the holiday on the second Monday of the month, commemorating the explorer’s 1492 arrival in the New World. It remains a federal holiday, even as many states and cities rename it “Indigenous Peoples’ Day,” rejecting Christopher Columbus as a symbol of imperialism.
Indigenous groups protest in front of a statue of Christopher Columbus on Oct. 12, 1997, during marches in Mexico against ‘Dia de la Raza’ celebrations. David Hernandez/AFP via Getty Images
Most Latin Americans, meanwhile, know Oct. 12 as “Día de la Raza,” or Day of the Race, which also celebrates Columbus’ arrival in the New World and the tide of Iberian conquistadors that followed. But commemorating the event is all the more charged in these countries, home to the Spanish Empire’s most lucrative territorial assets and sweeping spiritual conquests. Days before taking office in September 2024, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum reiterated her predecessor’s demand that the king of Spain apologize for the genocide and exploitation of the conquest 500 years ago.
As a historian of Latin America, I’ve paid attention to the ways calendars signal a nation’s “official” values and how countries wrestle with these holidays’ meanings.
This moment of contact began Mexico’s 500-year transformation into a “mestizo” nation: a hybrid identity with largely European and Indigenous roots. During the colonial period, racial differences were codified into law, and those with “pure” Spanish bloodlines enjoyed legal privileges over the racially mixed categories that fell below them. The 19th century ushered in independence from Spain and liberal ideas that promoted racial equality – in principle – but in reality, European influence prevailed.
It was Spain that first proposed the Día de la Raza, held on Oct. 12, 1892, to commemorate the 400-year anniversary of Columbus’ arrival in the Americas – implying a celebration of Spain’s contributions to the mestizo racial mixture.
The celebration was part of a bid to fortify nationalism in Spain, as the waning colonial power continued its retreat from the hemisphere it controlled for the better part of four centuries. Spain also hoped to export the invented holiday to the Americas, strengthening trans-Atlantic cultural affinities tested by the United States’ growing sway. Across the Americas, Día de la Raza came to be synonymous with celebrating European influence.
In Mexico, the 1892 commemoration empowered members of the political elite who promoted European investments and culture as the model for modernizing the country. They used the occasion to extol the civilizing influence of the “madre patria,” or motherland, justifying the conquest and colonialism as a period of benevolent rule.
Mestizo nationalism
Only a few years later, however, the U.S. victory in the Spanish-American War swept the last vestiges of Spanish empire from the hemisphere. Spain’s exit made way for dual – and dueling – phenomena: rising patriotic spirit in Latin American countries, even amid increasing economic pressure and cultural influence from the U.S.
The 1910 Mexican Revolution ignited mestizo nationalism, which soon extended to other countries. In 1930s Nicaragua, Augusto Sandino started a revolution to oust the occupying U.S. Marines while calling for the unification of the “Indo-Hispanic Race.” Meanwhile, Peruvian intellectual José Mariátegui envisioned a modern nation built upon the ideals of a collective, reciprocal society, modeled by the Incan ayllu system. And in Mexico, beauty pageants celebrating native features gained popularity among the social classes accustomed to perusing department stores for Parisian imports.
Yet a tendency to emphasize Spanish cultural ancestry rather than Indigenous ones persisted. In the late 1930s, for example, October issues of Mexican children’s magazine Palomilla celebrated Columbus’ arrival as a heroic entry that provided the region with a common language and religion.
Pan American Day
Meanwhile, the U.S viewed Pan-Hispanic sentiments as a threat: Spanish economic goals, cloaked in racial and cultural solidarity.
The Pan American Union, an inter-American organization headquartered in Washington, saw the new date as an opportunity to forge common traditions across the hemisphere. It vigorously promoted Pan American Day celebrations, primarily among schoolchildren, exhorting teachers to implement games, puzzles, pageants and songs created in Pan American Union offices.
The holiday met enthusiastic reception in the United States. Midwesterners donned sombreros for parades, and Spanish language clubs in California hosted pageants celebrating the flags of American nations.
But Latin American commemoration was tepid at best. The Organization of American States, the successor to the Pan American Union, still recognizes Pan American Day. However, it never gained traction in Latin America and faded in the U.S. during World War II.
Recent shift
Latin America’s ambivalence toward holidays to commemorate the colonizers has taken a turn since 1992. The 500-year anniversary of Columbus’ arrival corresponded with yet another form of colonialism, in many Latin Americans’ eyes, as a new wave of multinational corporations colluded with heads of state to tap the continent’s oil, lithium, water and avocados.
Activists used the commemoration to call attention to lingering economic, social, racial and cultural inequities. In particular, the anniversary inspired Indigenous rights movements – some of which commemorated an “anti-quincentenary” to celebrate “500 years of resistance.”
A statue in honor of ‘women who fight’ has replaced an effigy of Christopher Columbus on Paseo de la Reforma Avenue in Mexico City. Pedro Pardo/AFP via Getty Images
In some places, renaming the holiday has drawn attention to Indigenous rights and culture. Bolivians, for example, draped a statue of a European monarch in a traditional “aguayo” garment, transforming her into an Indigenous woman. However, critics suggest that removing the holiday’s reference to the colonizers erases an important reminder of the conquest and its painful legacy.
As in the U.S., monuments to colonizers are coming down – including the monument to Columbus that occupied a conspicuous spot on La Reforma, one of Mexico City’s most-traversed thoroughfares.
In its place is a new installation: a purple silhouette of a girl with her fist raised, in honor of Latin America’s women activists. She heralds a new era of statues lining La Reforma, and heroes for the future – not mired in the colonial legacies of the past.
Elena Jackson Albarrán does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Richard Flory, Executive Director, Center for Religion and Civic Culture, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Evangelicals may share the same basic theology, but they are not a monolithic group.Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Yet, the reality is much more complex. In 2016, for example, evangelical leaders such as Jerry Falwell Jr. and Robert Jeffresscelebrated Trump’s victory and evangelicalism’s role in bringing America back to God. Others – such as Russell Moore, currently editor of the evangelical magazine Christianity Today – saw Trump as the opposite of what evangelicalism represents.
We have identified and described five varieties, or “types,” within the broader evangelical movement.
Evangelicals and their beliefs
At its core, evangelicalism is characterized by a belief in the literal truth of the Bible.
For example, evangelicals believe that the world and humans were created by God; that Jesus was literally God’s son and also born as a human; that Jesus died and physically rose from the dead; and that God currently acts through humans to achieve his ends for humanity. A hallmark belief for evangelicals is having a “personal relationship with Jesus Christ” and a focus on encouraging others to be “born again” or “saved” through Jesus.
Despite sharing the same basic theology, there are differences within evangelicalism politics and social engagement.
We used three criteria to develop our five categories: First, each type shares a basic agreement on evangelical theology. Second, they each understand themselves as existing within the larger tradition of American evangelicalism. And third, their theology motivates how they act in the world, including appropriate social and political actions.
Typologies simplify in order to explain, but they also can blur some of the finer distinctions between categories. Still, the perspectives these different varieties of evangelicals maintain shape not only who they will vote for but also why they vote a certain way.
1. MAGA-vangelicals
MAGA-vangelicals consist of the white Christian nationalist core of the “Make America Great Again” or MAGA, movement, with some Latino, Asian and Black American pastors aligning themselves with this movement.
MAGA-vangelicals have been the most vocal and visible group of evangelicals since the 2016 election.
The origins of this group trace back to the 1980s – the time of the emergence of the religious right. MAGA-vangelicals echo many of the same issues – such as opposition to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights and support for anti-immigration policies. One significant shift, however, since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, is an increased acceptance of political violence. “Jan. 6 was not an insurrection,” evangelical leader Lance Wallnau has falsely asserted. “It was an election fraud intervention.” The baseless election fraud myth was the pretext for the violence on Jan. 6.
2. Neo-fundamentalist evangelicals
Neo-fundamentalists are evangelicals who are as theologically or politically conservative as MAGA-vangelicals but maintain a [theological commitment] to remain separate from any relationships – whether personal, social or political – that would, in their view, compromise the teachings of evangelical Christianity and their own identity as evangelical Christians.
For example, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler and Christianity Today editor Russell Moore have opposed Trump due to his, by evangelical standards, lack of values and amoral lifestyle.
However, they support how the Trump administration furthered the political goals of evangelical Christianity. In particular, they support the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and supporting evangelicals’ religious freedom to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people in their businesses.
Yet there has recently been some qualified support among neo-fundamentalists offered for Trump himself, despite their opposition to his personal morals. For example, Mohler has argued that Trump is the better candidate to achieve their goals in 2024, despite his personal shortcomings. Mohler takes the position, though, that this support largely depends on Trump remaining committed to evangelical goals on issues such as abortion.
3. iVangelicals
iVangelicals are evangelicals primarily focused on personal faith and the weekly worship experience in their churches. They are mainly concentrated in the evangelical megachurch movement.
iVangelicals want to reach large numbers of people through their popular worship services, varied social programs and small group ministries.
There is, however, a range of beliefs and commitments among iVangelicals, with some being attracted to groups such as Evangelicals for Harris, a new effort to mobilize evangelicals to move away from Republicans, Trump and MAGA and to vote for Harris. Their approach uses biblical examples and references to argue that true Christian teachings and actions are more aligned with Democrats than Republicans.
Evangelicals for Harris.
4. Kingdom Christians
Kingdom Christians are evangelicals who, in their churches and ministries, strive to mirror the demographic and socioeconomic mix of the neighborhoods where they are rooted.
They tend to have a more diverse racial and ethnic mix of members than other evangelical churches. Their focus is to be a part of, and to serve, their local communities in a manner that mirrors their conception of the kingdom of God on Earth.
Leaders among Kingdom Christians often critique the economic and political systems that produce poverty and racial injustice. The focus of their efforts, however, is on creating relationships with local businesses and activists in the local community and contributing to policy through engagement with local officials.
Kingdom Christians are present-oriented; the kingdom of God is to be realized in the communities where believers live, as well as in some future spiritual world.
5. Peace and Justice evangelicals
Peace and Justice evangelicals are a loose network of pastors, nonprofit leaders, professors and activists. They are a small segment within evangelicalism often embedded in larger organizations, and they focus their work on key social and political issues such as racial justice, immigration reform and environmental issues. They seek to have a wider impact than just a focus on the local community.
Peace and Justice evangelicals trace their origins to the late 1960s publication, The Other Side, originally Freedom Now, which represented a freshly emerging evangelical social consciousness around issues of racial justice. Following close behind was the Sojourners community, and Sojourners magazine, which is still active today.
This is a small but growing minority in the larger evangelical world, with many belonging to traditional evangelical institutions. For example, Alexia Salvatierra, at Fuller Seminary, is a longtime “faith-rooted” community organizer and has more recently been instrumental in forming Matthew 25/Mateo25, a group that aids immigrants and “defends the vulnerable.” Shane Claiborne, a long-time urban activist, is currently head of Red Letter Christians, a movement that combines “Jesus and justice” and seeks to “live out Jesus’ counter-cultural teachings.”
Following historical evangelical voting patterns, it is likely that most white evangelicals will vote for Trump in 2024. I believe many will do so with enthusiasm, while others will vote for him because of his policies, while remaining troubled by his rhetoric.
Of the evangelicals who oppose Trump, some will refuse to vote for either Trump or Harris, refusing to cast a vote for president. Others will vote for Harris, following the example of many Republican leaders who are seeking to move beyond the damage that Trump and the MAGA movement have done to the Republican Party and to conservatism.
Meanwhile, for the Kingdom Christians and Peace and Justice evangelicals, the true values of evangelical Christianity will be supported by the more progressive policies of the Democratic Party.
Regardless of how they vote in the 2024 election, evangelicals in all of these categories will continue to promote their distinct vision of evangelicalism and educate members on how they should bring their faith to bear on important social and political issues in American culture.
Richard Flory has received funding from the John Templeton Foundation and the Lilly Endowment.
Think of your favorite fantasy or science fiction novel. You’ll know the author and title, of course. But can you think of its editor or publisher?
In publishing, the people who work behind the scenes rarely get their due. But on Oct. 1, 2024, at least, one industry pioneer got the limelight. On that day, PBS aired “Judy-Lynn del Rey: The Galaxy Gal,” the first episode of its new documentary series “Renegades,” which highlights little-known historical figures with disabilities.
A woman with dwarfism, Judy-Lynn del Rey was best known for founding Del Rey Books, a science fiction and fantasy imprint that turned fantasy in particular into a major publishing category.
As a scholar of fantasy literature, I had the good fortune to serve as research consultant for the PBS project. Due to time constraints, however, the episode could tell only half of del Rey’s story, passing over how she affected science fiction and fantasy themselves.
Judy-Lynn del Rey, you see, had very clear notions on what kind of stories people wanted to buy. For some critics, she also committed the unforgivable sin of being right.
The Mama of ‘Star Wars’
Over the course of her career, del Rey earned a reputation as a superstar editor among her authors. Arthur C. Clarke, who co-wrote the screenplay for “2001: A Space Odyssey,” called her the “most brilliant editor I ever encountered,” and Philip K. Dick said she was the “greatest editor since Maxwell Perkins,” the legendary editor of Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
She got her start, though, working as an editorial assistant – in truth, a “gofer” – for the most lauded science fiction magazine of the 1960s, Galaxy. There she learned the basics of publishing and rose rapidly through the editorial ranks until Ballantine Books lured her away in 1973.
Soon thereafter, Ballantine was acquired by publishing giant Random House, which then named del Rey senior editor. Yet her first big move was a risky one – cutting ties with Ballantine author John Norman, whose highly popular “Gor” novels were widely panned for their misogyny.
Nonetheless, del Rey’s mission was to develop a strong backlist of science fiction novels that could hook new generations of younger readers, not to mention adults. One early success was her “Star Trek Log” series, a sequence of 10 novels based on episodes of “Star Trek: The Animated Series.”
This savvy gamble led to years of lucrative tie-in products for Ballantine such as calendars, art books, sketchbooks, the Star Wars Intergalactic Passport and, of course, more novels set in the Star Wars universe – so many different tie-ins, in fact, that del Rey dubbed herself the “Mama of Star Wars.”
Afterward, she became someone who, as reporter Jennifer Crighton put it, radiated “with the shameless glee of one of the Rebel forces, an upstart who won.”
A big player in big fiction
Del Rey’s tendencies as an editor were sometimes criticized – often by competitors who could not match her line’s success – for focusing too much on Ballantine’s bottom line. But she also chose to work within the publishing landscape as it actually existed in the 1970s, rather than the one she only wished existed.
In his book “Big Fiction,” publishing industry scholar Dan Sinykin calls this period the “Conglomerate Era,” a time when publishing houses – usually small and family run – were being consolidated into larger corporations.
One benefit of this shift, however, was greater corporate investment in the industry, which boosted print runs, marketing budgets, author advances and salaries for personnel.
Ballantine’s parent company, Random House, was also known as an industry leader in free speech, thanks to the efforts of legendary CEOs Bennett Cerf and Robert L. Bernstein.
Accordingly, Random House gave their publishing divisions, including Ballantine, immense creative autonomy.
And when del Rey was finally given her own imprint in 1977, she took her biggest risk of all: fantasy.
The Del Rey era
In prior decades, fantasy had a reputation for being unsellable – unless, of course, your name was J.R.R. Tolkien, or you wrote Conan-style barbarian fiction. Whereas the top science fiction magazines often had distinguished runs, fantasy magazines often folded due to lack of sales.
In 1975, though, del Rey hired her husband, Lester del Rey, to develop a fantasy line, and when Del Rey Books launched two years later, it landed major successes with bestsellers such as Terry Brooks’ “The Sword of Shannara” and Stephen R. Donaldson’s “The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever.” Yet even though Lester edited the fantasy authors, Judy-Lynn oversaw the imprint and the marketing.
Today, most people know the 1987 film, but the movie originated as a much earlier novel by William Goldman. The original 1973 edition, however, sold poorly. It might have faded into obscurity had del Rey not been determined to revive Ballantine’s backlist.
She reissued “The Princess Bride” in 1977 with a dazzling, gate-folded die-cut cover and a new promotional campaign, without which the novel – and the film – might never have found its later success.
Accolades accumulate
Thanks to these efforts, Del Rey Books dominated genre publishing, producing more bestselling titles through 1990 than every other science fiction and fantasy publisher combined. Yet despite complaints that the imprint prioritized commercial success over literary merit, Del Rey authors earned their fair share of literary accolades.
The prestigious Locus Poll Award for best science fiction novel went to Del Rey authors Julian May and Isaac Asimov in 1982 and 1983. Other Locus awardees include Patricia A. McKillip, Robert A. Heinlein, Larry Niven, Marion Zimmer Bradley and Barbara Hambly.
Barry Hughart’s “Bridge of Birds” was one of two winners for the World Fantasy Award in 1985 and won the Mythopoeic Society Award in 1986. Even more impressively, Del Rey ran away with the Science Fiction Book Club Award during that prize’s first nine years of existence, winning seven of them. The imprint’s titles also won three consecutive August Derleth Fantasy Awards – now called the British Fantasy Award – from 1977 through 1979.
Yet despite these accolades, Del Rey’s reputation continued to suffer from its own commercial success. Notably, Judy-Lynn del Rey was never nominated for a Hugo Award for best professional editor. When she died in 1986, the Hugo committee belatedly tried granting her a posthumous award, but her husband, Lester, refused to accept it, saying that it came too late.
Although the current narrative continues to be that Del Rey Books published mainly formulaic mass-market fiction in its science fiction and fantasy lines, the time may be ripe to celebrate the foresight and iconoclasm of a publisher who expanded speculative fiction beyond the borders of a small genre fandom.
I was research consultant for the PBS episode mentioned in the article, but I am not an employee of PBS or any other organization mentioned in this article.
The news drew strong reactions from critics: 25 Republican lawmakers sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland protesting any changes to federal marijuana laws. They argued that the decision “was not properly researched … and is merely responding to the popularity of marijuana and not the actual science.”
As a philosopher and drug policy expert, I focus on assessing arguments and evidence rather than politics or rhetoric. So, what are the arguments for and against rescheduling cannabis?
Scheduling under the Controlled Substances Act
The Controlled Substances Act places each prohibited drug into one of five schedules based on known medical use, addictive potential and safety. Schedule I drugs – which, along with marijuana, also includes heroin, LSD, psilocybin, ecstasy (MDMA) and quaaludes – is the most restrictive category.
Schedule I substances cannot be legally used for any purpose, including medical use or research, though an exception for research can be made with special permission from the DEA. The criteria for inclusion in the Schedule I category is that the substance has a high potential for abuse, is extremely addictive and has “no currently accepted medical use.”
Schedule II, which is slightly less restrictive than Schedule I, includes drugs that are addictive and potentially unsafe but also have some accepted medical use. These include strong opioids such as fentanyl, as well as cocaine, PCP and methamphetamine. Though they are still tightly regulated, Schedule II drugs can be used medically with a prescription or administered by a licensed physician.
Schedule III is much less restrictive and is intended for substances with legitimate medical use and only moderate risk of abuse or dependency. This category includes low-dose morphine, anabolic steroids and ketamine.
Schedule IV – which includes the sedative valium, the weak opioid tramadol and sleep medicines such as Ambien – is even less restrictive.
The least restrictive category is Schedule V, which includes cough syrups with codeine and calcium channel blockers such as gabapentin and pregabalin. All scheduled drugs require a doctor’s prescription and can be distributed only by licensed pharmacies.
What rescheduling would mean for marijuana
The push to reschedule is largely to make federal laws consistent with state medical marijuana programs that – as of October 2024 – are legal in 38 states plus the District of Columbia.
Moving marijuana to Schedule III would not change its legal status in states where it is banned. It would make marijuana legal at the federal level but only for medical use. Recreational use would still be federally prohibited, even though it is currently legal in 24 states plus Washington.
Rescheduling, however, might not make medical marijuana any easier for patients to access and could even make it much harder for some. Currently, getting a medical marijuana card is quite easy in most states. In Washington D.C., where I live, patients can self-certify.
Reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III drug would legitimize its medical use.
If marijuana is reclassified as Schedule III, medical marijuana programs will have to start requiring a doctor’s prescription, just like with all other scheduled substances. And it could be distributed only by licensed pharmacies, which would put medical dispensaries that are now selling it without a license from the Food and Drug Administration out of business.
Rescheduling, however, would give medical marijuana legitimacy as a bona fide medicine. And the intent of the move is to increase access, even if it is unclear how rescheduling would achieve that.
So, assuming that rescheduling would have the intended effect of expanding access to medical marijuana, should it be rescheduled?
Medical uses of marijuana
Though there are three criteria for Schedule I in the Controlled Substances Act, the DEA in fact relies on only the medical use criterion. This was the basis of the DEA’s proposal to reschedule marijuana. The fact that almost 75% of Americans live in a state with a medical marijuana program suggests that marijuana has an accepted medical use.
More importantly, Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act already includes dronabinol, which is delta-9 THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. Although dronabinol is synthesized in the lab rather than extracted from the cannabis plant, it is the exact same molecule. The FDA approved THC in the form of dronabinol in 1985 for treating anorexia caused by HIV/AIDS as well as nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy. Placing marijuana in the same schedule as its primary active ingredient makes a lot of sense.
Another argument in favor of rescheduling is that it would open up new opportunities for medical research into marijuana’s effects, research that is currently hampered by its Schedule I status. This work is critical because the system of cannabinoid receptors through which marijuana causes its therapeutic and psychoactive effects is crucial for almost every aspect of human functioning.
There is also good evidence that marijuana can help treat other conditions, including Lou Gehrig’s disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS), glaucoma, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, migraine, post-traumatic stress disorder and Tourette syndrome. Keeping marijuana in the Schedule I category severely hampers research that might establish more effective treatments for these conditions.
Researchers have been extremely limited in their abilities to study marijuana because of its Schedule I classification.
Balancing risks and benefits
Those opposed to rescheduling cite possible health risks associated with marijuana consumption. Heavy use is linked to an increased risk of developing schizophrenia. However, the increased risk of schizophrenia from cannabis use is comparable to that caused by watching excessive television, eating junk food or smoking cigarettes.
Long-term marijuana use can also lead to sleep problems and diminished visuospatial memory. It can also cause gastrointestinal trouble, such as cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, which is characterized by nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. The symptoms, while extremely unpleasant, are temporary and occur only after consuming marijuana. The condition disappears in people who stop using.
Marijuana use can also be addictive. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about three out of every 10 regular marijuana users meet the diagnostic criteria for cannabis use disorder.
All of the concerns above are legitimate, though it is worth noting that virtually no effective medicine is free from undesirable side effects. And although marijuana can be habit-forming, it is not as addictive as alcohol, tobacco, oxycodone, cocaine, methamphetamine or benzodiazepines. None of those other drugs are categorized as Schedule I, and alcohol and tobacco are not scheduled at all.
Unlike most other prescription medications, marijuana use is associated with many benefits. For example, in states where marijuana has been legalized, worker’s compensation payments have fallen by an average of 21% among people over 40. Researchers think that this is because marijuana helps workers better manage chronic pain. The use of marijuana for pain management also helps to reduce dependency on opioids. One study found that U.S. counties with one or two marijuana dispensaries had an average of 17% fewer opioid-related fatalities compared with counties with no dispensaries.
Research also shows that marijuana use can help to prevent Alzheimer’s by blocking the enzymes that produce amyloid plaques. It also shows promise for reducing a person’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by helping the body regulate insulin and glucose levels.
Chris Meyers does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Marat Khusnullin: To accelerate the pace of economic development in Donbass, it is necessary to change the quality of roads
The economic component of new regions depends, among other things, on the condition of the road surface on federal and regional highways. In order to develop the potential of the subjects, the road from Dokuchaevsk to Starobeshevo has been repaired in the Donetsk People’s Republic, and in the Lugansk People’s Republic, sections of the strategically important federal highway Znamenka – Lugansk – Izvarino are being updated. This was reported by Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.
“In order to accelerate the pace of economic development and expand cooperation ties in the new Russian regions, it is necessary to ensure a qualitative change in the transport and logistics component. It is also important to put in order the roads of Donbass bordering other entities. For example, as part of this work, 30 km of one of the main highways of the DPR – the highway from Dokuchaevsk to Starobeshevo – have been repaired. It will provide a comfortable exit to the federal highway R-150 Belgorod – Starobelsk – Lugansk – Donetsk – Mariupol, and will also create conveniences for travel in the direction of the Uspenka and Shramko checkpoints on the border with the Rostov Region,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.
The work was carried out under the supervision of specialists from the State Company “Avtodor”.
“About 500 people are working at the facilities in the LPR, and over 250 units of equipment are involved. They are currently renovating the Znamenka-Lugansk-Izvarino highway. At the moment, work is nearing completion on the section from the village of Samsonovka to the settlement of Izvarino. We are also completing the renovation of 23 km of the Raygorodka-Slavyanoserbsk-Mikhailovka highway, which connects the federal highway R-150 with the regional highway on the section from Lugansk to Lisichansk,” said Vyacheslav Petushenko, Chairman of the Board of the State Company “Avtodor”.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Danmarks Nationalbank generally shares the Chairmanship’s assessment of the outlook for the Danish economy and the risk outlook. Interest rate rises in recent years have contributed to slowing growth in the Danish and international economy and to a fall in inflation. This has prompted the European Central Bank (ECB) and others to ease monetary policy again. Like the Chairmanship, Danmarks Nationalbank believes that the development of the Danish economy has been characterised by a dichotomy in recent years. On the one hand, there has been a slowdown in growth in most parts of the domestic economy, while on the other, there has been an increase in exports, in particular driven by production abroad under Danish ownership, known as merchanting and processing (M&P). Like the Chairmanship, Danmarks Nationalbank assesses that M&P activities as such have only a minor impact on the domestic cyclical position. M&P is expected to make a significant contribution to growth in the Danish economy over the next few years, while the rest of the export-oriented industries are also expected to grow. Domestic demand is expected to pick up as real wage growth and gradually looser monetary policy translate into increased private consumption and investment.
The Chairmanship believes that the Danish economy is currently experiencing a boom with more than normal pressure on the labour market. Danmarks Nationalbank shares the view that there is still some pressure on the labour market, although it has eased compared to a few years ago. However, Danmarks Nationalbank believes that the pressure on the labour market, measured by the employment gap, has eased to a greater extent and that it is currently smaller than the Chairmanship’s assessment. This is supported by a number of indicators such as the labour shortages and number of vacancies reported by companies, both of which indicate that the pressure has eased compared to a few years ago. Unlike the Chairmanship, Danmarks Nationalbank believes that the Danish economy is currently in an approximately neutral cyclical position.
Danmarks Nationalbank share the Chairmanship’s expectations that wage growth will slow down next year due to less pressure on the labour market and significantly lower inflation. However, Nationalbanken also expect lower wage increases than the Chairmanship. Inflation is currently fuelled by domestic factors, and Danmarks Nationalbank expects to a larger extend than the Chairmanship that the current high wage increases will lift inflation going forward. Nationalbanken therefore expect slightly higher consumer price increases than the Chairmanship next year.
Like the Chairmanship, Danmarks Nationalbank believes that monetary and fiscal policy is still neededto contribute to an appropriate development in the business cycle in Denmark, which will support stable price development.Nationalbanken has raised interest rates significantly since the summer of 2022 as a result of the tightening of monetary policy implemented by the ECB in the euro area to bring down inflation. The Chairmanship believes that monetary policy has dampened activity in recent years and will also dampen activity next year, whereas fiscal policy is expected to counteract this in 2025. Specifically, the Chairmanship estimates that fiscal policy has been eased by around 1 per cent of GDP in 2025 compared to 2023. Based on the assessment of the current situation of high capacity pressures, the Chairmanship believes that fiscal policy should be tightened. From a purely stabilisation point of view, it is considered appropriate to tighten fiscal policy to return it approximately to the level of 2023.
In the current situation with continued high wage increases and some pressure on the labour market, including low unemployment, Danmarks Nationalbank shares the Chairmanship’s assessment that this is a good time to ease fiscal policy to the extent proposed in the government’s proposal for the 2025 budget. However, Danmarks Nationalbank believes that a tightening of the magnitude recommended by the Chairmanship would be too much. This is due to the fact that inflation has fallen sharply and that pressure on the labour market has been reduced over the past few years. Danmarks Nationalbank also believes that monetary policy and financial conditions remain tight in Denmark.
Danmarks Nationalbank agree with the Chairmanship that the green tripartite agreement (“Agreement on a Green Denmark”) is a step towards uniform taxation of carbon emissions in Denmark, but that the effective tax level, including the proposed basic deduction, is still lower in agriculture than in other industries. Danmarks Nationalbank also shares the Chairmanship’s assessment that there is a risk of the reductions assumed in the agreement not being realised, partly because the agreement involves untested technologies. Thus, it remains unclear whether the carbon tax level is sufficient to ensure the fulfilment of the objectives of the Climate Act. Clarity on future tax levels contributes to price and financial stability by clarifying risks associated with emission-intensive business models.
Danmarks Nationalbank contributed to the work of the “Expert Group for a Green Tax Reform” in 2023 by assessing the impact of carbon taxes on agriculture on banks and mortgage credit institutions. Danish banks and mortgage credit institutions are generally expected to be well equipped to handle any losses resulting from a carbon tax. This is due to their ongoing profits, a decrease in the institutions’ total lending to the industry and a generally high level of security in underlying collateral.
As we celebrate the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR Day on October 9 and Energy Awareness Month throughout October, Samsung Electronics America is proud to spotlight two significant milestones that reflect our unwavering commitment to sustainability. From energy-efficient operations to greener transportation methods, Samsung continues to lead by example in reducing our environmental impact. Our Logan, Utah facility recently earned the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry recognition, and we’ve also joined the EPA’s SmartWay® Transport Partnership, both reflecting our dedication to creating a more sustainable future.
Leading by Example: EPA Recognition for Energy Efficiency at Logan, Utah Facility
In a major achievement aligned with the spirit of Energy Awareness Month, the Prismview – A Samsung Electronics Company commercial display manufacturing facility based in Logan, Utah, was recognized by the EPA for reducing its energy intensity by 10% in just one year, earning the prestigious ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry designation. This challenge encourages industrial sites worldwide to reduce their energy intensity by 10% over five years. Samsung’s Logan site accomplished this goal far ahead of schedule, thanks to the efforts of our Workplace Operations and Facility Management teams, who developed and implemented energy demand mitigation strategies across our enterprise.
A Met detective has called on parents to make sure they are aware of their children’s online purchases after a youth, who murdered a teenager in Newham with a knife bought from a website, was jailed.
Following a five-week trial at the Old Bailey, a jury found the 17-year-old male, who cannot be named for legal reasons, guilty of the murder of 16-year-old Rahaan Ahmed Amin.
He was sentenced at the same court on Wednesday, 9 October to life imprisonment, to serve a minimum of 15 years.
Detective Chief Inspector Kelly Allen, the lead investigator from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “The defendant’s claim that he acted in self-defence was completely rejected by the jury. Rahaan was murdered in cold blood after the 17-year-old cycled up to him and stabbed him within seconds of arriving, giving him no opportunity to react.
“This case demonstrates how easy it is for young people to purchase deadly knives online. I would urge all parents to be aware of their child’s online activity and what purchases they are making. It is also important for parents to keep their ID documents secure to ensure they are not misused by their children.”
The court heard Rahaan was fatally attacked in West Ham Park on 9 July 2023 after the 17-year-old cycled up to him and stabbed him in the chest. Rahaan died in hospital the next day.
Homicide detectives launched an investigation immediately and a long red knife was found in a tree in the park. Forensic testing recovered the 17-year-old’s fingerprint and Rahaan’s blood.
A number of eye-witnesses were also spoken to and CCTV was collated to piece together what had happened.
A photograph was also identified on a Snapchat account linked to the 17-year-old that showed a collection of nine knives lined up on a bed. One of those knives was identical in appearance to the knife found in the tree at West Ham Park – and also identical in appearance to a knife ordered on the internet through an online shop on 12 June 2023.
Detectives traced the transaction details of that order, along with two similar orders, which had been placed using the name of the father of one of the 17-year-old’s friends. When the police told the man about these transactions, he had no knowledge of them at all. The last of the three orders for knives had a delivery address the same as the 17-year-old’s.
The 17-year-old was arrested on suspicion of murder two days after Rahaan died in hospital (12 July) and he was charged on 13 July.
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, met with President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), H.E. Jin Liqun, on the sidelines of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in Vientiane, Lao PDR today. SG Dr. Kao commended the AIIB’s efforts in advancing connectivity and infrastructure development and looked forward to having deeper cooperation between ASEAN and AIIB in enhancing connectivity in the region.
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Secretary-General of ASEAN joined the ASEAN Leaders in a dialogue with youth representatives during the ASEAN Leaders’ Interface with ASEAN Youth, held on the sidelines of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits. The session highlighted the critical role of youth in driving the region’s future, aligned with ASEAN’s commitment to fostering a more inclusive and forward-looking community.
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SAN DIEGO — Military Sealift Command Pacific (MSCPAC) bids fair winds and following seas to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) fleet replenishment oiler USNS Pecos (T-AO 197) as it made its last departure from the San Diego Bay today. The ship will transit to the East Coast, where it will be deactivated and removed from service.
Christened in 1989, Pecos served as part of the MSC fleet for 35 years. During its career, Pecos served in the Persian Gulf during both Operation Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom.
In 2006 Pecos deployed with the MSC Hospital Ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) for five-months, delivering aid and humanitarian assistance to the Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia, following the humanitarian assistance missions in the wake of the tsunami in Indonesia. Missions like this evolved into what is now known as the Pacific Partnership missions. These missions continue to provide medical and humanitarian assistance, while building international friendships throughout Southeast Asia.
In 2011, following the deadly earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Pecos rendezvoused with United States Seventh Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) near Kyushu, Japan as part of Operation Tomodachi. Blue Ridge transferred 96 pallets of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief material to Pecos for delivery to the Essex Amphibious Group and Carrier Strike Group 5. The pallets consisted of water containers and water purification tablets, first-aid products, tarpaulins, blankets, and other supplies. During her support effort to Operation Tomodachi, Pecos completed nine underway replenishments and delivered more than 2.3 million U.S. gallons of fuel to other supporting ships.
On November 28, 2018, the United States Navy sent Pecos and guided missile destroyer USS Stockdale (DDG 106) through the Taiwan Strait as a demonstration of the “U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. Most recently, Pecos provided logistics support to the multi-national maritime exercise, Rim of the Pacific 2024, delivering nearly 4 million gallons of diesel fuel and 2.2 million gallons of jet fuel through 36 underway replenishment events.
“This ship and its crew have answered all bells, time and time again. ” said Capt. Micah Murphy, commander, Military Sealift Command Pacific (MSCPAC). “The ship’s longstanding success, highlighted by this year’s RIMPAC, is really a testament to the professional mariners abilities, dedication to duty, and relentless pursuit of quality customer service to the fleet. It is fitting that one of the longest tenured Masters in MSC, Captain Keith Walzak, was at the helm during the last phase of this ship’s prolific career, capping off a storied career for them both. While it is sad to see a ship’s service end, it is special to be here to say fair winds and following seas to a ship as rich in MSC history as Pecos. Her spirit will live on in the new John Lewis class of oilers that her crew embarks and brings to life.”
Ahead of Pecos’ departure, Murphy and the MSCPAC team boarded the ship and took a moment to recognize members of the crew, for their outstanding support to the MSC mission, specifically to RIMPAC 2024, and to honor the retirement of Capt. Keith Walzak, Pecos’ civil service master, as he brings to end a 45-year career with MSC.
“I have served on a lot of ships during my career, but Pecos will be the one I really remember,” Walzak said as he addressed the crew. “I might remember this ship, because it is my last, and will be foremost on my mind, but I think I will also remember it, because of the hard work and dedication of all of you. We have a real team here, and that is why we were able to work through a lot of the challenges we’ve had, and to do the great work we’ve done this summer. I am proud of each and every one of you, and I am proud to have served with you.”
Walzak graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in 1980 and was recruited directly into MSC. Over the course of his career, Walzak served 40 ship assignments, 30 as ship’s master. He is the Plank owner of USNS Butte (T-AE 27), USNS Mount Baker (T-AE 34), and USNS Cesar Chavez (T-AKE 14), the latter as the first master, something he considers a career highlight.
“Looking over my whole career, I would have to say that one of the most memorable moments would have to be in 2012, standing on the dais with my wife, as USNS Cesar Chavez, the last-AKE built, was being christened and launched into San Diego Bay, as the first Master on the last T-AKE,” said Walzak.
On behalf of the Secretary of the Navy, Murphy presented Walzak with the Civilian Meritorious Civilian Service Award for his, support to RIMPAC 2024.
“In 45 years of service I have gotten two certificates from the Secretary of the Navy,” joked Walzak. “The first was my discharge from the Navy Ready Reserve, and this one, that I received today. I appreciate the recognition, and I’m proud to have had the opportunity to serve with MSC and to have had the long career that I’ve had. I’ve seen a lot, done a lot, and now I am ready to do whatever my wife wants me to do. She’s spent 41 years waiting for this day. We will travel about, visit family, and get in some relaxation time.”
Pecos is one of the 15 ships of the Henry J. Kaiser class fleet replenishment oilers which are operated by Military Sealift Command. As the class ages out of the MSC fleet, it is being replaced by the new John Lewis class which includes USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205), USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206) and USNS Earl Warren (T-AO 207), all currently operating under MSC.
MSC directs and supports operations for approximately 140 civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships at sea, conduct specialized missions, preposition combat cargo at sea around the world, perform a variety of support services, and move military equipment and supplies to deployed U.S. forces. Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024, MSC exists to support the joint warfighter across the full spectrum of military operations, with a workforce that includes approximately 6,000 Civil Service Mariners and 1,100 contract mariners, supported by 1,500 shore staff and 1,400 active duty and reserve military personnel.
PORT HUENEME, Calif. — Information Systems Technician 2nd Class (IT2) Donovan Asberry, performed CPR on a crash victim on the I-5 freeway in Downey, potentially saving the man’s life. The incident occurred on August 19th 2024 when IT2 Asberry, driving home from work, noticed a car collide with the freeway median. After pulling over and observing the driver breathing abnormally, IT2 Asberry, alongside other concerned motorists, took immediate action to help.
IT2 Asberry, who had a recent CPR certification, noticed the driver exhibiting unusual breathing patterns. “It was a deep breath followed by pauses. I hadn’t seen anything like it, not even in movies,” IT2 Asberry recalled. Acting quickly, he and another bystander worked together to break the car window, unlock the doors, and pull the driver to safety.
Emergency responders arrived after 30 minutes of IT2 Asberry administering chest compressions. According to paramedics on the scene, the driver’s pulse was weak but present, and they credited IT2 Asberry’s quick thinking and persistence with helping keep the man alive.
“I’m just glad I was there at the right time,” said IT2 Asberry , reflecting on the ordeal. “It’s a reminder of how important it is to be ready to help others when you can.”
The crash occurred in Downey, impacting traffic on the busy freeway for hours as authorities cleared the scene. Witnesses described the incident as chaotic but were inspired by the efforts of civilians who intervened.
IT2 Asberry’s actions are a testament to the value of CPR training, a skill that, as he learned, can make the difference between life and death.
IT2 Asberry’s efforts serve as a powerful reminder of community responsibility and readiness, and highlighting how training can be crucial in emergency situations.
SAN DIEGO — The Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Comstock (LSD 45) returned to homeport in San Diego, following a nearly four-month deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, Oct. 8.
Along with its more than 400 Sailors, Comstock participated in multiple exercises and operations, displaying interoperability and the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
“The Sailors aboard Comstock performed their duty in an exemplary manner to support tasking in U.S. 7th Fleet,” said Cmdr. Byron Stocks, commanding officer of Comstock. “The mission execution afforded the opportunity to demonstrate joint force capability.”
With a focus on joint operations, Comstock and its embarked units supported the America Amphibious Ready Group and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) during advanced integrated training and MEU certification. Comstock also successfully integrated with motorized weapons company of 31st MEU and Combat Logistics Battalion 31.
During the deployment, Comstock embarked two landing crafts utility from Naval Beach Group 7 to rehearse and demonstrate capability of the amphibious Navy’s shore connectors.
Comstock also participated in Exercise Ssang Yong 24. During the decisive action phase of Ssang Yong, Republic of Korea and U.S. combined and joint forces conducted large-scale maneuvers from sea and air to showcase the overwhelming power of the alliance and its capability to carry out combined amphibious operations.
Since 2012, the ROK and U.S. Navy and Marine Corps have regularly conducted Ssang Yong to enhance defensive posture on the Korean Peninsula while improving naval and amphibious capabilities.
After Ssang Yong, Comstock transited home to San Diego following a nearly four-month deployment.
When not at sea, Comstock Sailors had the opportunity to enjoy foreign cultures during port visits to Guam, Japan, and Republic of Korea.
USS Comstock is homeported at Naval Base San Diego and assigned to Amphibious Squadron 1.
An integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. 3rd Fleet leads naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary to flawlessly execute our Navy’s role across the full spectrum of military operations—from combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. U.S. 3rd Fleet works together with our allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security for the Indo-Pacific region.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Chinese Film Panorama 2024 opens tonight (with photo) Chinese Film Panorama 2024 opens tonight (with photo) *****************************************************
The opening ceremony for the Chinese Film Panorama 2024 was held tonight (October 9) at Hong Kong City Hall, followed by a screening of the opening animated film “Into the Mortal World” (2024) directed by Zhong Ding. The Acting Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Raistlin Lau; the Film and Television Artistic Director of the Bauhinia Culture Group, Mr Deng Wugui; the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Publicity, Cultural and Sports Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Lin Nan; the Chairman of the Southern Film Culture Foundation, Mr Ding Kai; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Vincent Liu; the Chairman of the South China Film Industry Workers Union, Mr Cheung Hong-tat; and the executive producer of the opening film, Mr Huang Long, officiated at the opening ceremony. The Panorama is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and the Southern Film Culture Foundation in association with Sil-Metropole Organisation Ltd, the China Film Foundation and the South China Film Industry Workers Union, and supported by the Bauhinia Culture Group. Ten distinctive feature-length animated films and two short film programmes produced on the Mainland will be shown at the Theatre of Hong Kong City Hall, the Cinema of the Hong Kong Film Archive, and lecture halls of the Hong Kong Science Museum and the Hong Kong Space Museum, the East Kowloon Cultural Centre (EKCC), Cine-Art House (Maritime Square) and the Rayson Huang Theatre of the University of Hong Kong from today to November 16. The opening film, “Into the Mortal World”, is a reinterpretation of the mythology of “The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl”. The weaver girl’s son is reconnected with his long-lost sister when he is demoted to the mortal world and embarks on an adventure in the divine realm. Other selected films include “Princess Iron Fan” (1941) (4K restored version), “The Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven” (First and Second Parts) (1961-1964), “Peacock Princess” (1963), “Nezha Conquers the Dragon King” (1979), “The Legend of Sealed Book” (1983) (4K restored version), “To the Bright Side” (2021), “Chang An” (2023), “The Storm” (2024) , and “Boonie Bears: Time Twist” (2024). Apart from animated feature films, two collections of animated short films will also be screened. “Into the Mortal World” is in Cantonese while other films are in Putonghua. “Chang An” will be screened on October 14 at Rayson Huang Theatre of the University of Hong Kong and on November 16 at the EKCC for free. Cine-Art House (Maritime Square) will offer a free screening of “Peacock Princess” on October 12. The admission tickets for the screening at Rayson Huang Theatre of the University of Hong Kong have been available at The University of Hong Kong Staff Association located at 5/F, T T Tsui Building of the University of Hong Kong starting from September 30. The admission tickets for the free screenings at Cine-Art House (Maritime Square) and the EKCC are available at the respective screening locations from September 30 and November 1. Each person can obtain up to two tickets per screening on a first-come, first-served basis. Other film tickets priced at $70 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme details, please call 2734 2900 (LCSD) or 2780 5355 (for screenings at Cine-Art House (Maritime Square) and the University of Hong Kong) or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/fp/en/listing.html?id=66. The Chinese Film Panorama 2024 is one of the activities in the Chinese Culture Promotion Series. The LCSD has long been promoting Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public to learn more about the broad and profound Chinese culture. For more information, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ccpo/index.html.
Ends/Wednesday, October 9, 2024Issued at HKT 21:28
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Ministry of Commerce today signed the Second Agreement Concerning Amendment to the Mainland & Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) Agreement on Trade in Services (Amendment Agreement II).
Chief Executive John Lee witnessed the signing of the new agreement by Financial Secretary Paul Chan and Deputy China International Trade Representative of the Ministry of Commerce Li Yongjie this afternoon.
Scheduled to be implemented on March 1, 2025, the Amendment Agreement II introduces new liberalisation measures across several service sectors where Hong Kong enjoys competitive advantages, such as financial services, construction and related engineering services, testing and certification, telecommunications, motion pictures, television and tourism services.
The Trade & Industry Department explained that the liberalisation measures take various forms, including removing or relaxing restrictions on equity shareholding and business scope in the establishment of enterprises, relaxing qualification requirements for Hong Kong professionals providing services, and easing restrictions on Hong Kong’s exports of services to the Mainland market.
Most of the measures apply to the whole Mainland, while some of them are designated for pilot implementation in the nine Pearl River Delta municipalities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, it added.
The Chief Executive thanked the central government for its care and support for the Hong Kong SAR, as well as the Ministry of Commerce and relevant authorities for actively working towards the Hong Kong SAR Government’s proposal of further opening up the Mainland market to Hong Kong in trade in services.
“The Amendment Agreement II introduces new liberalisation measures across different service sectors where Hong Kong enjoys competitive advantages, making it easier for Hong Kong service suppliers to establish enterprises and develop business on the Mainland, enabling more Hong Kong professionals to obtain qualifications to practise on the Mainland, allowing more of Hong Kong’s quality services to be provided to the Mainland market, and contributing to and serving the country’s development,” he said.
“The Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to encourage different sectors of the community to leverage the unique advantages of ‘one country, two systems’ and join hands with their counterparts on the Mainland to promote the competitiveness of the professional services sector, in order to inject new impetus to economic development and achieve high-quality development.”
Speaking at a media session after the signing ceremony, the Financial Secretary pointed out that the further relaxation under CEPA will enable Hong Kong firms and professional sectors to get into the Mainland market a lot easier.
“Depending on specific sectors, the progress will be different. But I am sure for the professional sectors, people are very keen to expand their foothold into the Mainland by using the Greater Bay Area as the starting point. So this will have a very positive impact on Hong Kong,” Mr Chan said.
An example of the measures regarding construction and related engineering services is that Hong Kong general practice surveying enterprises will be allowed to provide professional services in Guangdong Province through filing of records.
For tourism services, there will be measures to optimise the implementation of the 144-hour visa-exemption policy for foreign group tours entering Guangdong from Hong Kong.
Mr Chan said the Government will be communicating with the different sectors and working with the different stakeholders to move as fast as possible, to materialise the various implementation details, so that the businesses and professionals in Hong Kong would find it useful and easier to expand into the Mainland.
Furthermore, the department noted that the Amendment Agreement II brings institutional innovation and collaboration enhancement, including the addition of allowing Hong Kong-invested enterprises to adopt Hong Kong law and allowing Hong Kong-invested enterprises to choose for arbitration to be seated in Hong Kong.
It also added commitments regarding domestic regulation to ensure the transparency, predictability and efficiency of regulations on trade in services.
In addition, the new agreement removed the period requirement on Hong Kong service suppliers to engage in substantive business operations in Hong Kong for three years in most service sectors.
This will allow Hong Kong startups to enjoy the preferential treatment under CEPA in a shorter time and attract enterprises and talent from around the world to establish a presence in Hong Kong and explore the Mainland market, the department noted.
Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced the final regulatory amendments to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act that limits the use of dry cells and improves the search and seizure of contraband in federal correctional institutions.
October 9, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario
Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced the final regulatory amendments to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act that limits the use of dry cells and improves the search and seizure of contraband in federal correctional institutions.
The regulations provide direction on the use of body scanner searches in federal correctional institutions. Adding body scanner technology to the Correctional Service of Canada’s toolkit gives them a fast and efficient way to detect contraband that is located on, or inside, an offender’s body. These new regulations will be monitored, evaluated, and improved as needed.
Dry cells are detention cells without conventional plumbing fixtures that allow for close monitoring of the offender while awaiting the expulsion of contraband. The new framework specifies when dry cells can be used, limits the duration of dry cell detention, and improves the monitoring of the physical and mental health of those detained. It also expands data collection on the use of dry cells to better inform decisions going forward.
These regulations, including the cap on dry cell placement duration, are a direct response to recommendations from the Office of the Correctional Investigator. They have also been informed by the advocacy and policy proposals of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, John Howard Society and the Elizabeth Fry Society, and a public consultation through the Canada Gazette, Part I held in May 2023.
Gabriel Brunet Press Secretary Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs 819-665-6527 gabriel.brunet@iga-aig.gc.ca
Thunder Bay, Ontario — Please be advised that David Paul Achneepineskum , CEO of Matawa First Nations Management Company, and the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services, will highlight and celebrate the success of Matawa’s Animal Services Pilot Project.
Date: Friday, October 11, 2024 Time: 9:00 a.m. (ET)
Where: North Star Air Thunder Bay Airport 405 John Paterson Drive Thunder Bay, ON P7E 6M8 Google Maps Link (Parking available in the lot across the street)
Jennifer Kozelj Press Secretary Office of the Honourable Patty Hajdu Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor jennifer.kozelj@sac-isc.gc.ca
Lancaster City Council is to temporarily remove cash payments from most of its car parks following a string of thefts and damage to its pay and display machines.
One of the damaged pay and display machines
Ten machines have been damaged in car parks across Lancaster and Morecambe since the end of August, with four of these coming in just the last week. On each occasion the cash boxes attached to the machines have been cut open and the coins removed.
It’s estimated that the cost of replacing the machines, along with the theft of the coins inside the machines, brings the total loss to the taxpayer to around £40,000.
To prevent any more machines being damaged while the police investigate the thefts, the council has taken the decision to remove the coin boxes from all of its machines except at St Nics in Lancaster, which is locked overnight.
Customers are instead being asked to pay by card or via the RingGo system.
Councillor Jean Parr, cabinet member with responsibility for planning and placemaking, said: “We know that this decision will be disappointing for those who like to pay by cash, but we have no other option while a gang of thieves is actively targeting our car parks. Each time a machine is damaged there’s a cost to replace it.
“Hopefully the police will be able to catch the culprits and we will be able to resume normal service as soon as possible.
“In the meantime, we’d ask people to be patient and if anyone has any information about who may be responsible, please contact the police.”
Motorists are reminded that paying for parking at all the councils pay & display car parks is still required and card payments and RingGo is still available.
Non-payment of parking fees may result in a penalty charge notice being issued.
Headline: FEMA Is Contacting People Affected by Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Helene
FEMA Is Contacting People Affected by Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Helene
ATLANTA – Georgians who apply for disaster assistance for Tropical Storm Debby or Hurricane Helene may be eligible for assistance for both disasters. FEMA is placing calls to survivors in Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, Long, and Screven counties who only registered for one of the disasters to inform them that they can apply for assistance for both disasters if they sustained damaged from both storms.
These calls may come from unfamiliar area codes or phone numbers. FEMA may also send a text message if they are unable to reach you by phone. If you are concerned about verifying if it is FEMA, you can call 800-621-3362. FEMA representatives never charge applicants for disaster assistance, inspections or help in filling out applications. Their services are free.
Applications for both storms must be submitted separately. Eligible survivors affected by both storms may receive funds for food, water, baby formula and other emergency needs as well as money to help pay for a temporary place to stay. Federal grant funds may help with survivors’ immediate housing needs and can be used for the cost of staying with friends and family or hotel/motel lodging. If applicants already created a Login.gov account, they may use that same account in accessing both applications.
Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA App or call 800-621-3362 to apply for FEMA assistance. The telephone line is open every day and help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. To view an accessible video on how to apply visit Three Ways to Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube.
When applying, people will need to describe what damage occurred and on what date, to ensure federal disaster assistance from the two storms is not duplicated. Keep all receipts for expenses associated both disasters, including:
Home repairs
Repairs to a septic system, water well or private road
Purchase of a generator or chainsaw
Replacement of personal property items such as appliances
Vehicle repairs or replacement
Insurance settlement or denial
For the latest information about Georgia’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4821 and fema.gov/disaster/4830. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.
During 2025 the Isle of Wight Council will be renewing its contract to provide information, advice, guidance and support for unpaid carers across the Isle of Wight.
We want to make sure that the views of local unpaid carers, about the support they need in this area help us to shape theses services moving forward. If you are, or were, or are likely to become and unpaid carer, the council would like to hear from you. Your experience, knowledge and comments are invaluable.
All you need to do to share your thoughts is to complete a very short survey which can be found at Isle of Wight Carers Support Service – User Experience Survey 2024 The survey should take 5 – 10 minutes to complete and all feedback will be taken on-board and considered to shape the service plan. The closing date for the survey is Saturday 30 November. If you would prefer a paper version of the survey this can be arranged by contacting Liz.Hennessy@iow.gov.uk
Laura Gaudion, director of adult social services ‘’The Isle of Wight Council recognises unpaid carers as the ‘quiet heroes’ in our Island’s community and want to ensure that they have the help and support to enable them to carry out their caring responsibilities while improving and protecting their own wellbeing. We want to make sure that the carers services we put in place for local people are of the highest quality so that carers on the Island receive the best possible support to enable them to look after the people they care for.’’
Carers who would like to discuss views or receive help to complete this survey can attend a public meeting and drop-in session on Tuesday 22 October between 2pm and 5pm at the Riverside Centre, The Quay, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 2QR.
Esther Baumann works in the lab where a team of researchers has developed an improved version of a laser-based measurement technique called dual-comb spectroscopy.
Credit: R.Jacobson/NIST
Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new laser-based technique that could dramatically improve our ability to analyze a variety of materials and gases, including greenhouse gases. This new method, called “free-form dual-comb spectroscopy,” offers a faster, more flexible and more sensitive way to analyze substances in the air and other materials.
In this specific study, published in Nature Photonics, researchers demonstrated that their laboratory-based system could detect a single gas, in this case the potent greenhouse gas methane, with 22 times higher sensitivity than a traditional dual-comb system. This increased sensitivity could one day help identify small leaks or emissions that might otherwise go unnoticed, potentially aiding in efforts to combat climate change.
Technological Advancements
Spectroscopy is a sophisticated technique that allows scientists to identify and measure different materials by observing how they interact with light. Just as a prism separates white light into a rainbow of colors, spectroscopy separates the light coming from or passing through a substance, revealing its unique “fingerprint” and providing valuable information about its properties and composition.
The NIST researchers have created an improved version of a laser-based measurement technique called dual-comb spectroscopy. Dual-comb spectroscopy is a particularly high-resolution form of spectroscopy that allows many colors of light to be examined at the same time and in fine detail.
The new laser measurement technique improves on older methods by allowing scientists to control the timing of laser pulses with incredible precision. This precise control lets them focus on the most important parts of a sample’s fingerprint and ignore areas that don’t provide useful information. As a result, the smarter system can detect and measure substances much faster than before.
This new approach can be used in several ways. For example, scientists can use it to quickly create images showing how the gas is distributed in space. Alternatively, if researchers don’t know exactly what kind of gas is in the area they are investigating, they can use a generic technique called compressive sampling. This is a “smart” method of making measurements, concentrating on areas likely to have important information and taking fewer measurements elsewhere. This strategy makes the whole process 10 to 100 times more efficient than traditional methods.
Visualizing Gas Plumes
This technology can create fast, detailed images of a variety of gas clouds. In this study, researchers created real-time images of methane plumes. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, so being able to detect and address these leaks efficiently could one day help protect the environment and improve air quality. By quickly generating images of methane plumes, scientists could quickly identify where gas is escaping.
Methane cloud with free-form dual-comb spectroscopy
Researchers use free-form dual-comb spectroscopy to make videos like this 2D methane cloud. Dark areas mean there’s little or no methane present, while brighter colors show where there’s more methane. Because it can take pictures very quickly, this technology can show how the methane cloud creates swirling patterns and changes in real time, which wasn’t possible previously. This technology can be easily adjusted to look for different gases, not just methane.
This technique is useful not only for detecting greenhouse gases but for any situation in which scientists need to identify and measure gases.
Two Lasers Are Better Than One
Free-form dual-comb spectroscopy may be a mouthful to pronounce, but understanding how this technology works can be more easily digested by breaking it down into several parts that work seamlessly together.
The heart of this method lies in the Nobel Prize-winning optical frequency comb, a laser tool that produces light at a series of equally spaced, precise frequencies that resemble the teeth of a comb. These frequency combs are used for a variety of purposes, from precision timekeeping to medical diagnostics and even the search for elusive dark matter.
The “dual-comb” aspect of this technology refers to the use of two optical frequency combs working together. This approach enables rapid, precise measurements of substances by analyzing how they interact with the light from both combs. This technique is much faster than a single comb and can provide more detailed information than many traditional spectroscopy methods.
“Free-form” refers to the flexibility in highly precise frequency comb control that has recently become possible. The frequency combs emit light pulses that are just 100 femtoseconds in duration. Inside each of these brief light bursts, there’s an electric field that vibrates extremely rapidly, millions of millions of times per second. The ability to quickly and accurately control this fast light allows researchers to improve and adjust how they take measurements.
Dual-Comb’s Next Big Leap
As the world grapples with environmental challenges and the need for improved safety measures, this innovative laser technology offers a promising new tool. By enabling smarter detection of gases and other substances, it could play a crucial role in protecting both public health and the environment in the years to come.
The researchers plan to continue improving their system in the laboratory, making it even faster and adapting their approach to work with a wide range of laser wavelengths.
“The flexibility of our system means it could be adapted for a wide range of applications,” said NIST researcher Esther Baumann. “In the future, we might see more versatile and efficient sensors based on this technology in everything from air quality monitors to food safety detectors to studying how materials burn or assessing muscle health noninvasively.”
Paper: Fabrizio R. Giorgetta, Simon Potvin, Jean-Daniel Deschênes, Ian Coddington, Nathan R. Newbury and Esther Baumann. Free-form dual-comb spectroscopy for compressive sensing and imaging. Nature Photonics. Published online Sept 30, 2024. DOI:10.1038/s41566-024-01530-y
