All posts by nedhamson

Activist, writer, researcher, addicted to sharing information and facts.

Scientists Found a 200,000-Year-Old Human Bed Made From Grass and Ash

As Wadley also explained, this seemingly simple discovery of 200,000-year-old grass bedding has some very meaningful anthropological implications. It shows that early humans living at this time—some 100,000 years after the debut of Homo sapiens—were already using their big brains to solve problems and innovate, in what is a hallmark of our species. These humans also exhibited the capacity to create and use fire and to find uses for its byproducts, namely ash and medicinal smoke.

“Through the use of ash and medicinal plants to repel insects, we realise that they had some pharmacological knowledge,” she added. “Furthermore, they could extend their stay at favoured campsites by planning ahead and cleaning them through burning fusty beds. They therefore had some basic knowledge of health care through practicing hygiene.”

 

Source: Scientists Found a 200,000-Year-Old Human Bed Made From Grass and Ash

Taking Hard Line, Greece Turns Back Migrants by Abandoning Them at Sea – The New York Times (AKA: Negligent Homicide)

The Greek government has secretly expelled more than 1,000 refugees from Europe’s borders in recent months, sailing many of them to the edge of Greek territorial waters and then abandoning them in inflatable and sometimes overburdened life rafts.

Since March, at least 1,072 asylum seekers have been dropped at sea by Greek officials in at least 31 separate expulsions, according to an analysis of evidence by The New York Times from three independent watchdogs, two academic researchers and the Turkish Coast Guard. The Times interviewed survivors from five of those episodes and reviewed photographic or video evidence from all 31.

COVID-19: 743 employees at Hindu temple test positive since reopening two months ago | India – Gulf News

Hyderabad: Within two months of re-opening the Sri Venkateswara temple of Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh, 743 of its employees have tested positive for COVID-19 a top official of the managing body of the temple said.

Anil Singhal, Chief Executive Officer of the Tirumala Tirupati Devsthanam (TTD) said that 402 staff members had recovered after treatment and returned to work while 338 were still undergoing treatment. He confirmed the death of three employees due to COVID-19.

Source: COVID-19: 743 employees at Hindu temple test positive since reopening two months ago | India – Gulf News

Oregon’s Leading Republican Political Strategist Explains Why He’ll Vote for Joe Biden – Willamette Week

“I’m angry and sad about what has happened to the political party I’ve supported since before I was old enough to even vote. It’s no longer a conservative party committed to a better America for all Americans. It’s Trump’s Party—riddled with conspiracy theories, racism, sexism and intolerance. It’s anti-intellectual and anti-science. It’s corrupt to the core. Trump must be defeated and in a big way.” Trump never had a chance of winning in Oregon this fall. But Lavey’s public pronouncements show not only how far the president’s stock has fallen in Oregon with what used to be the mainstream of his party, but that a longtime leader in that party feels safe talking about his dissatisfaction. “Although my vote for President will have no impact on the outcome, it matters to my conscience,” Lavey added. “So I will be voting for Joe Biden come November. I hope Uncle Joe will remember that he won the Democratic Party nomination promising results, not a revolution.

Source: Oregon’s Leading Republican Political Strategist Explains Why He’ll Vote for Joe Biden – Willamette Week

Facebook turned blind eye to BJP leader’s hate speech to protect its business, says WSJ report

In a 14 August report headlined “Facebook’s Hate-Speech Rules Collide With Indian Politics”, The Wall Street Journal has quoted former and current Facebook employees as saying that the aforementioned accounts, flagged for “promoting or participating in violence”, were spared a ban at the intervention of the company’s top public policy executive in the country, Ankhi Das.

Source: Facebook turned blind eye to BJP leader’s hate speech to protect its business, says WSJ report

Lunch Workers Union, School Aides Urge De Blasio To Delay NYC School Reopening – Gothamist

The Local 372 DC 37 union, which represents nearly 23,000 Department of Education school aides, health aides, lunch cooks, lunch helpers, food loaders and handlers, crossing guards, substance abuse prevention and intervention specialists, family paraprofessionals, and parent coordinators, has also requested a delayed reopening. Source: Lunch Workers Union, School Aides Urge De Blasio To Delay NYC School Reopening – Gothamist

NBA-Funded Saliva Test For COVID-19 Cleared For Immediate Use – Gothamist

The SalivaDirect test offers several advantages in that saliva can be collected in any sterile container, so no special swabs or equipment are needed. Results can take as little as three hours, depending on how quickly the labs can obtain samples. The SalivaDirect tests also do not require a separate nucleic acid extraction step, streamlining the process and avoiding the need for special kits that have been in short supply, the FDA said.

The testing methodology for SalivaDirect also can work with a range of widely available reagents and instruments, so that most labs are already able to work with the tests. Yale is also open-sourcing the testing protocol so that labs can obtain the required components and perform the test in their lab themselves, the FDA said.

 

Source: NBA-Funded Saliva Test For COVID-19 Cleared For Immediate Use – Gothamist

Lawmakers Urge Postmaster General to Fix ‘Troubling’ Delays of Veterans’ Medication | Military.com

Lawmakers urged Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on Friday to reverse disruptive changes at the U.S. Postal Service, voicing grave concerns about veterans whose mail-order medications are delayed.

President Donald Trump appointed DeJoy, a former fundraiser for the Republican National Convention, to the job this summer as the coronavirus pandemic threatened the Postal Service’s financial viability. Staff hours have been cut and high-volume mail-processing machines were removed from post offices, according to multiple news outlets.

 

Source: Lawmakers Urge Postmaster General to Fix ‘Troubling’ Delays of Veterans’ Medication | Military.com