Monthly Archives: March 2022

Culture, government, Politics, White House

Did you know that Jackson pushes back at GOP critics, defends judicial record?

2 Comments

Brown, Ketanji Jackson vehemently defended her record as a judge Tuesday, rebutting Republican charges that she was soft on crime and stating that if confirmed as the first black woman on the Supreme Court, she would rule as an “independent jurist.”

Republicans aggressively questioned Jackson during a marathon hearing that lasted into the night about the sentences she handed down to sex offenders during her nine years as a federal judge, her advocacy on behalf of terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, her views on critical race theory, and even her religious beliefs. In February, President Joe Biden appointed Jackson to the Supreme Court, completing a campaign commitment to nominate a black woman to the court for the first time in American history. Cruz pressed Jackson on her sentencing for child pornographers, bringing up a giant poster board and marking passages he believed were heinous. 

The White House has rejected the criticism as “toxic and weakly presented misinformation.” And sentencing expert Douglas Berman, an Ohio State law professor, noted on his blog that although Jackson’s record indicates she is suspicious of the range of prison sentences proposed in child pornography cases, “so were prosecutors in the majority of her cases and district judges nationally.” Jackson said that the notion does not arise in her job as a judge and “would not be anything I would depend on” if approved. Jackson’s answers bypassed a key point: the court weighs whether to overrule those cases that affirm a nationwide right to abortion.

Reference

Jackson pushes back at GOP critics, defends judicial record. https://apnews.com/article/ketanji-brown-jackson-hearing-day-2-live-updates-219ce62acd87ca205163781f5b6623a0?fbclid=IwAR3L5e1TdHHui49NkKb_LwHfhgscFcptsRgqGb9DmXc9Jqr7FA-BPYh1DkQ

Culture, government, Jewish Community, Politics

Did you know that three Russian billionaires resigned from different boards?

Leave a comment

Petr Aven, Mikhail Fridman, and German Kahn, three Russian billionaires, have resigned from the board of Genesis Philanthropy Group, a Jewish grantmaking charity they formed in 2007. Sanctions on the three oligarchs were imposed by the EU and UK in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

LetterOne owns the health retail chain Holland & Barrett and a swathe of energy assets across Europe. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

From French vineyards to English football teams, sanctioned billionaires are scurrying to relocate and sell Western assets to escape confiscation. According to the release, the oligarchs’ resignations would have no effect on a $10 million payment that GPG had previously agreed to make to the Ukrainian Jewish community. Mikhail Fridman, a Ukrainian-born Jew, was one of the first Russian billionaires to speak out against the conflict in Ukraine, according to a statement addressed to LetterOne staff. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, he said that sanctioned oligarchs like him had little influence on Putin and that challenging him on Ukraine would be “death.” Despite mounting criticism from Russia’s elite, which has lost billions since the conflict began, analysts have told Insider that Putin is likely unconcerned with the oligarchs’ pushback, with just his small inner circle having his ear.

Reference


Three more Russian billionaires resign from the LetterOne board. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/mar/07/three-more-russian-billionaires-resign-from-letterone-board

Culture, government, human rights, Politics

Did you know that a mysterious superyacht docked in Italy has a crew that may include Putin’s bodyguards, according to activists working with Putin opponent Alexei Navalny?

Gallery Leave a comment

According to activists working with imprisoned Putin opponent Alexei Navalny, a mystery superyacht whose owner has not been publicly identified is manned by numerous personnel of a Russian state agency entrusted with defending Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images

The Scheherazade, one of the world’s biggest boats of its type, is a private superyacht, according to The New York Times. According to a personnel roster received by Pevchikh and Alburov in December 2020, all permanent crew members are Russian except for the ship’s commander. The United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union have imposed economic sanctions on Russia and confiscated several Russian billionaires’ luxury assets, including superyachts, in response to Russia’s continuing military attack on Ukraine. Navalny’s team is pleading with Italian authorities to confiscate the yacht if they discover that Putin owns it. Guy Bennett-Pearce, the superyacht’s skipper, told The Times that Italian investigators boarded the vessel early this month as part of an investigation launched by the Italian financial police. As a result, he was “forced” to turn over paperwork disclosing the owner’s name. Bennett-Pearce, a British native and the ship’s only non-Russian employee, would not rule out the possibility that the superyacht’s owner is Russian but could not comment more owing to a “watertight nondisclosure agreement” and said that the superyacht’s owner is not on any sanctions list.

Reference
Superyacht docked in Italy was outfitted by Putin’s …. https://soggros.com/index.php/2022/03/22/superyacht-docked-in-italy-was-outfitted-by-putins-protection-agency-activists-say/.

The Avalon Project: The Moscow Conference, October 1943. https://avalon.law.yale.edu/wwii/moscow.asp

Diet, disease, Health, Public health

Did you know that High-protein diets may drive down testosterone levels in men, researchers say?

Leave a comment

According to recent research, high-protein diets may decrease testosterone levels in males.

grandriver/Getty Images

The study, conducted by nutritionist Joe Whittaker and published in the Journal of Nutrition and Health, examined the testosterone levels of 309 males over eight weeks. Their testosterone levels had reduced by 37% after the trial. According to Whittaker, a nutritional therapy researcher at the University of Worcester in the United Kingdom, participants had symptoms consistent with low testosterone levels, including erectile dysfunction, exhaustion, sadness, and muscular weakness. According to Whittaker, the results indicate that consuming 35 percent of a man’s total calorie intake as protein—double the norm for males, according to certified dietitian Erin Coleman via SF Gate—can decrease testosterone levels. According to his studies, he thinks that consuming less than 35% protein might still result in reduced testosterone. Bonnie Taub-Dix, a registered dietitian, told Insider that while she agrees that too much protein can result in decreased testosterone in men, she believes this would not apply to most people and would only affect those who consume an excessive amount of protein in an attempt to build muscle. One disadvantage of the research is that it followed patients for eight weeks and did not account for other lifestyle variables that may affect testosterone levels. Taub-Dix said that guys who consume a high-protein diet to fuel their gains may make muscle growth more difficult since low testosterone levels might impede a man’s bulking process. Testosterone is the primary hormone responsible for muscular building, according to Healthline. Chronic diseases may be exacerbated by low testosterone levels. Whittaker noted that while the study’s subjects experienced numerous short-term side effects of low testosterone levels, he cited research indicating that long-term low testosterone levels can result in risks and conditions such as infertility and an increased risk of chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. Healthy testosterone levels are often related to robust bone density, the capacity to grow muscle and strength, mood and cognitive function management, and sexual desire in males, according to Kevin Codorniz, MD, head of endocrinology at Loma Linda University Health.

Reference

High-protein diets may drive down testosterone levels in men, researchers say. https://www.insider.com/high-protein-diets-decrease-men-testosterone-levels-researchers-say-2022-3?fbclid=IwAR26cxQww7bQNVHd-qa4B44hdfyiwpt6WOO8Cf2nOUfMbEyjb3lhX2Vf4HM

Behavioral Science, disease, drugs, Health, Public health

Why would anyone start vaping?

Leave a comment

Some people report that they feel less anxious and more concentrated after taking their first nicotine vape. Others say they feel like they have just aced an exam after taking their first inhale.

Human brains aren’t fully developed until around age 25. Credit: Truth

As a result, if you began vaping to deal with difficulties from the outside, you now have stress from the inside: your body is screaming for nicotine, and it isn’t going away any time soon. Here’s why using nicotine vapes might cause more stress rather than less. The more you vape, the more you program your body to seek the short-lived rush of dopamine that comes from the nicotine you inhale. As a result, you develop synapses more quickly, making it easier to get hooked to nicotine.

For this reason, vape businesses have targeted you since you were at summer camp, if not before. According to research, Vaping nicotine may increase stress levels and enhance symptoms of despair and anxiety. According to t Truth Initiative poll, 93 percent of vapers said that vaping harmed their lives because it caused them to be more agitated, sad, or nervous than before they started.

Reference

Why Vaping Nicotine Can Mean More.https://mashable.com/ad/article/vaping-nicotine-myth-stress-relief?fbclid=IwAR37OnT7CRQZxs5rln-a9A8Yu6_cFXmcnqraFZ3ZPwv4isp9LLGDE6bQsMg

Culture, equal rights, Ethics, History, human rights, Politics, White House

Condemnation or Russian President

Leave a comment

US President Joe Biden has condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin for his country’s invasion of Ukraine. He then referred to Putin as a “murderous despot” and “pure thug.” Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, says he is “prepared for conversations” with Putin. The concern today is what Biden’s views — and those of others — signal for the future of the Ukraine conflict. What does President Putin anticipate when he behaves adolescent-like? The Ukrainian people have historically been fearless. Some Ukrainians have relatives in Russia, but they cannot obtain accurate information due to state-controlled media. The Ukrainian people and the Russian people in Russia should be free to think for themselves. Why should one individual dictate what they should consider? One day, the Russian people will rise up against such activities and liberate themselves from their ignorance.

Photo by u0414u043cu0438u0442u0440u0438u0439 u0422u0440u0435u043fu043eu043bu044cu0441u043au0438u0439 on Pexels.com

Reference

Calling Putin a war criminal is a bigger deal than you think. https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/21/politics/putin-war-criminal-ukraine-russia-what-matters/index.html?fbclid=IwAR0gr6FalS9OzEebI80a2u9_3kO4v81lnPPzuz1jK60NU-9mAhmUpwPNmSg

disease, drugs, Health, medications, Pharmaceuticals, Public health

Did you Know COVID-19 infections are increasing again in Europe?

Leave a comment

COVID-19 infections are increasing again in Europe after a decline over the Christmas holiday season, and scientists are warning that another wave might hit the US.

An annotated map showing subvariant distribution in the US as of March 15. CDC/Insider

COVID-19 outbreaks in Europe have historically preceded an increase in cases in the United States, and scientists have speculated that this may be the case here as well. The increase in instances, as seen below, is believed to be the consequence of a combination of the emergence of a more infectious subvariant of Omicron termed BA.2 and the recent easing of COVID-19 limitations in several European nations, according to Eric Topol, a cardiologist, and director of the Scripps Institute, in The Guardian. However, we must exercise caution since we are not yet out of the woods. This virus has not been eradicated, and we must be prepared to cope with it.

Reference

COVID-19 is surging again in Europe thanks to the BA.2 subvariant and will likely spread to the US soon. https://www.businessinsider.com/omicron-europe-surge-ba2-us-wave-likely-coming-2022-3?fbclid=IwAR2iaVekoequ6Rx6blwaEpJXcrExFUS3SKDSDqLpjA3KSwHnjnli4clxYko

disease, drugs, Health, medications, Pharmaceuticals, Public health

Should Individuals Be Worried About Covid — Again?

Leave a comment

Covid instances are declining in the United States, and mask restrictions are being removed throughout the country. Despite this, almost a third of the wastewater sampling locations in the United States revealed growing Covid-19 levels in the first ten days of March. So, is Covid on its way out or not?

According to experts, there are many reasons why Americans should not relax their guard just yet. “For some reason, the world has decided Covid is finished — and that really bothers me,” said Akiko Iwasaki, a professor of immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine. “It’s asking for problems to lift all of these regulations so rapidly.”

Reference

Should I Be Worried About Covid — Again?.https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-16/is-covid-over-how-to-protect-yourself-post-lockdown?fbclid=IwAR0OyKQnW-DCSR57uqylMsvkVd9Ar-yzyxrU0V8rSeyf1frrFQQ4pl5tgrk

disease, drugs, Health, medications, Pharmaceuticals, Public health

Did you know China’s zero covid wavers as infections spread and complaints about lockdowns surge?

Leave a comment

China’s greatest coronavirus epidemic in two years has spread to practically every corner of the nation, straining medical resources, closing companies, and industrial plants, and raising doubts about the government’s steadfast adherence to its zero COVID policy.

On Wednesday, health officials recorded 3,054 domestic coronavirus cases, a decrease from the previous day, when officials reported the country’s highest daily toll since 2020 of 5,154 local infections—still tiny numbers compared to most other big nations, but huge jumps for China.

On Tuesday, there were new coronavirus cases in at least 28 of the country’s 31 provinces and regions. The majority of the cases were caused by the BA.2 variant of the omicron coronavirus.

China is especially susceptible to the rapidly expanding omicron form.

According to a National Health Commission briefing on Tuesday, more than 50 million Chinese citizens over the age of 60 have not been completely immunized. If the epidemic is not contained, China risks becoming like Hong Kong, where more than 4,500 people died as a result of not being adequately vaccinated.

One user tweeted on the microblog Weibo on Monday that their family was detained on a highway for 14 hours attempting to reach the eastern Chinese town of Wuxi due to the abrupt new lockdown measures.

Despite signals of dissent, China has vowed to stick to its zero COVID policy.

Reference

China’s zero covid wavers as infections spread and complaints over lockdowns surge. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/16/china-coronavirus-zero-covid-outbreak/?fbclid=IwAR1W-fAMbWARxZCoXUkm9mJ8z0wh0FiJlsISSyWN0OmZFKMr4I5eF8Fn6uI

Diet, Fitness, Health, Public health

Strength training: Low weight, high reps, or high weight, low reps? Is it preferable to lift larger weights for fewer repetitions or lower weights for more repetitions?

Leave a comment

Many fitness experts believe that doing fewer repetitions with heavy weights improves muscle hypertrophy whereas doing more repeats with low weight enhances muscular endurance.

eclipse_images / Getty Images

Lifting heavier and lifting lighter may both assist you to burn fat and losing weight when it comes to weight reduction. According to one research after 8 weeks of strength training, individuals who lifted higher weights with fewer repetitions had greater strength. The research also found that participants who exercised with fewer weights but performed more repetitions had higher muscle-building activity. What are your fitness objectives? As a weight-loss consultant and personal trainer who focuses on women’s health and physique, every one of my clients has sought a sleek and toned appearance for the last 15 years, which is generally attained by doing more repetitions with lesser weights. More stress on their body is the last thing they need in order to lose weight and attain the physique they want. On the other hand, are you someone who is as calm as a cucumber and appreciates a good challenge? Even if weight reduction is your aim, if you are not stressed, exercising with heavier weights for fewer repetitions may be ideal for you at this point in your life. So, if you think it’s ideal for your body right now, consider lifting heavier weights with fewer repetitions. Lifting greater weights will certainly cause your strength to improve quicker, which may be your aim! My customers’ next inquiry is how to tell when it’s time to gain weight. Is it necessary to raise weights, reps, or both when it comes to strength training? If you, like me, quickly bulk up, the solution is to stick to smaller weights with greater repetitions. After 2-3 weeks of executing 3 rounds of 15 reps, raise the weight to 4- or 5-pound dumbbells and repeat the cycle. If you think this is too simple and the pace is too sluggish, speed it up! However, bear in mind that I want my customers to concentrate on their overall strength and growth, rather than on continuing to increase their weight.

Reference

Strength training 101: Is it better to lift heavier weights or do more reps?. https://www.today.com/health/diet-fitness/low-weight-high-reps-or-high-weight-low-reps-rcna20248?fbclid=IwAR2hHV2IxJKy2qN_Mp4eYlhUU1b4eOBrdxsv_JT9f7REKtneUPn-dOlRBGs