Lost In The Fray

Filosofa's Word

Amid the continual coverage of last Tuesday’s elections, and amid the speculation about whether the former guy would be so dumb as to launch another presidential campaign, this little tidbit of actual news seemed to be largely overlooked on Monday …

Three killed and two wounded in shooting at University of Virginia

Now, I know that last week’s elections were among the most important mid-terms in the history of our nation, and I know a lot of people are fixated on the former guy, but … how can a shooting that killed three college students be relegated to a minor news story???

And while most of you probably did hear about the UVa shooting once the networks eventually found time to report on it, four students were found dead on Sunday in an off-campus house at the University of Idaho.

Having read about the UVa shooting in The Guardian

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Chinese Government Intelligence Officer Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Espionage Crimes, Attempting to Steal Trade Secrets From Cincinnati Company | OPA | Department of Justice

Yanjun Xu, 42, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. According to court documents, Xu targeted American aviation companies, recruited employees to travel to China, and solicited their proprietary information, all on behalf of the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

“As proven at trial, the defendant, a Chinese government intelligence officer, used a range of techniques to attempt to steal technology and proprietary information from companies based in both the U.S. and abroad,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today’s sentence demonstrates the seriousness of those crimes and the Justice Department’s determination to investigate and prosecute efforts by the Chinese government, or any foreign power, to threaten our economic and national security.”

“This case sends a clear message: we will hold accountable anyone attempting to steal American trade secrets,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio. “Xu conspired to steal American science and technology. Thanks to the diligent work of the FBI, GE Aviation and our trial team, he’ll spend decades in federal prison.”

Source: Chinese Government Intelligence Officer Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Espionage Crimes, Attempting to Steal Trade Secrets From Cincinnati Company | OPA | Department of Justice

Sick Of This Whiff: Pollution From Factory Farms

How about regulating water pollution from factory farms? Nope, the agency has neglected to create a plan, and now dozens of advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit against the federal department, claiming it has not responded to a 2017 legal petition demanding better enforcement of the Clean Water Act (CWA) for factory farms.

These farms, also known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), are huge facilities that house thousands of animals in crowded, confined spaces and are usually run by large agricultural companies like Cargill, Smithfield, and Tyson.

More than 20,000 CAFOs are scattered across the United States, according to FoodIndustry.com. Much of the animal waste from these operations is stored in lagoons, which are large, swamp-like pits. They stink and they also can water pollution as the manure can easily flow into lakes and streams or seep into groundwater.

This waste contains a variety of potential contaminants, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, pathogens such as E. coli, growth hormones, antibiotics, chemicals used as additives to the manure or to clean equipment, animal blood, silage leachate from corn feed, and more, according to research.

Source: Sick Of This Whiff: Pollution From Factory Farms

New medicine against RSV brings hope to worried parents – Radio Sweden | Sveriges Radio

  • A new medicine to protect babies and infants from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection has been authorised by the European Commission.
  • Last year a recond number of small children were affected in Sweden and had to be taken to hospital with breathing difficulties.
  • “If you can stop other children from becoming as ill as our daughter, I think you should do it,” says Ellinor Bjurström whose daughter Novali was hospitalised with RSV last year.

Source: New medicine against RSV brings hope to worried parents – Radio Sweden | Sveriges Radio

Uganda reports more Ebola cases; vaccine to arrive next week | CIDRAP

Tedros also announced that an outside advisory group to the WHO has reviewed three candidate Sudan Ebola vaccines and has recommended that all be included in planned trials in Uganda. The country’s health officials have already approved plans to test the vaccines in the outbreak setting, and Tedros said Uganda’s health ministry and the WHO have accepted the group’s recommendation. He added that the first vaccine doses are expected to arrive in Uganda next week.

In addition, a separate WHO advisory group has selected two investigational treatments for a trial and a trial design, which have been submitted to the WHO and authorities in Uganda. In late October, the country’s health minister said officials are evaluating some promising treatments, including monoclonal antibodies and repurposed drugs and added that a few patients had already received them.

 

Source: Uganda reports more Ebola cases; vaccine to arrive next week | CIDRAP

Gal Costa

Pensamentos.me/VEM comigo!

” Eu vi o menino correndo eu vi o tempo

Brincando ao redor redor do caminho daquele menino

Eu pus os meus pés no riacho

E acho que nunca os tirei

O sol ainda brilha na estrada que nunca passei

Eu vi a mulher preparando outra pessoa

O tempo parou pr’eu olhar para aquela barriga

A vida é amiga da arte

É a parte que o sol me ensinou

O sol que atravessar essa estrada que nunca passou

Por isso uma força me leva a cantar

Por essa força estranha no ar

Por isso é que eu canto não posso parar

Por isso essa voz tamanha…”

Gal Costa. Força Estranha

Composição: Caetano Veloso.

https://www.vagalume.com.br

Marii Freire

https://Pensamentos.me/VEM comigo!

Imagem: pinterest/ Anabela

Santarém, Pá 16 de novembro de 2022

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Good People Doing Good Things — Too Many To Count

Filosofa's Word

I have just one story for this week’s ‘good people’ post, but it involves so many good people helping a family of refugees from Ukraine that I’ve lost count.  Be sure you have a box of tissues handy for this one, my friends.

Back in February when Russian troops attacked Ukraine and rockets landed less than two miles from their home, the Bezhenar family of Odessa knew they needed to leave the country for their safety.  So the family of six: (Oleksandr (father), Mariia (mother), Nina (grandmother) and 3 daughters – Ahnessa (age 10), Anhelina (age 15), and Eleonora (age 17) set out for the border leaving everything behind except one suitcase each.  They left their home, Oleksandr’s business, and the family pets, two dogs and a couple of cats.

It was no small feat leaving Ukraine … they waited in line for more than 24 hours at the border…

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