A man who lost 70lb without setting foot in a gym has shared his weight loss secrets.

Gavin Quinn, a sports reporter, lost five stone in seven months with regular meals and exercise.

The feat is even more astonishing because he did not once go to the gym during his weight loss journey.

He puts his remarkable loss down to a combination of diet and exercise.

Gavin, who writes for the Irish Mirror, shed the weight in seven months, but rewarded himself with some snacks along the way.

BelfastLive reports that he had started to gain weight when he was a teenager.

He said: "I lost 70 pounds (32 kg or five stone) in seven months after deciding to make a change in October 2020.

"Tipping the scales at around 17 stone, I wasn't massively overweight but I'd noticed a gradual increase since I was a teenager that was accelerated by the initial Covid-19 lockdown.

"I looked into what I was eating and slowly turned around my diet and found cycling as a great way to get active to complement the changes I'd made.

"By Christmas I had lost over two stone and I kept it up in the New Year before hitting the five stone mark in May 2021."

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Gavin's weight continued to fall to 12 stone (just over 76 kg) and he eased off and worked on fitness goals rather than weight.

He said for some people this was an "epiphany moment" similar to a favourite shirt no longer fitting them.

Gavin added: "But for me it was just a culmination of all the right things, I don't have any overriding reason for making a change."

At the time Ireland was staring at another Covid-19 lockdown which lasted seven months.

"I'd tried almost all of the 'fad diets' to no avail in the months and years before, and I could just feel my confidence was at an all-time-low," Gavin added.

"And on October 4, a Sunday morning, I said to myself that I need to make a change and that day would be day one."

He tackled his eating and sleeping habits first and establishing a structure to his diet.

Gavin gave himself a simple plan to start off with; get eight hours sleep and have three meals a day at roughly the same time of day.

"I set myself a rough target of 2,000 daily calories and used apps such as MyFitnessPal to help track what I was eating," Gavin added.

"Initially I didn't pay too much attention to my macro-nutrients, but made an effort to ensure I was drinking plenty of water, eating foods with high fibre, vitamins and lower fat counts - particularly saturated fats.

"This meant I still had treats and snacks to enjoy, but the small changes slowly begin to add up and the 2,000 calories I consumed each day began to feel like more and more as the days and weeks went by.

"Some days it was 1,700 calories and other days it was 2,200 calories - don't beat yourself up over going over your allowance every once in a while.

"It's not about cutting yourself off from food, but rather improving your relationship with food."

The amazing thing about Gavin's weight loss was he did not join a gym.

He never had great interest in the gym and hadn't done when he was younger.

"Personally, I never took to the gym when I was younger and always liked to exercise as a means of engaging in a sport or activity," Gavin said.

"Gyms can be intimidating if you've never become a member, but I'd suggest anybody looking to get active consider it.

"For me, I found a means to exercise in cycling - which has grown into somewhat of a passion for me over the past 15 months."

Here are more of Gavin's 's top tips on how he did it, from his diet to level of exercise:

It can be difficult to follow a calorie deficit, when you're consuming less calories than you're burning your body is being forced to eat into fat reserves to fill that void.

I made sure not to overdo it - deliberately eating just 1,000 calories per day can be too much and you could risk reverting back to old ways.

Having my breakfast and lunches at very similar times (9-10 am for breakfast and 1-2 pm for lunch) helped build early eating habits that would set me up for the day.

Again to ensure I wasn't completely flipping my diet completely I used a degree of leniency when it came to dinner time, small changes like portion control and avoiding fatty foods when you have the option can make all the difference.

Initially I found myself eating a lot of the same foods I already had, particularly snacks, but doing so meant I'd simply be eating less of what I used to rather than eating right.

After the first week I began replacing some snack foods with lower calorie snacks, which in turn meant I had more calories to play with for my substantial meals.

If I was eating a pack of 200 calorie crisps, I'd replace them with 100 calorie crisps, swap the Cadbury chocolate bars for lower calorie rice cake bars, treating myself to a zero calorie fizzy drink rather than a full sugar alternative.

This meant I still had treats and snacks to enjoy, but the small changes slowly begin to add up and the 2,000 calories I consumed each day began to feel like more and more as the days and weeks went by.

Some days it was 1,700 calories and other days it was 2,200 calories - don't beat yourself up over going over your allowance every once in a while.

It's not about cutting yourself off from food, but rather improving your relationship with food.

I've found so many great foods the past 15 months that I never enjoyed before, and I'd be confident in saying my relationship with food has really grown as I became more aware of what I was putting into my body.

Here's some of my favoured foods these days:

Cous Cous: I sometimes use it as a lighter alternative to rice, it's easy to make and is high in carbohydrates and fibre.

Rice crispy bars: Excellent for a quick snack, they're a lot better than a bar of chocolate.

Lentil curls: A low calorie alternative to many brands of crisps, I've grown to love them.

Nuts and seeds: A great snack, good source of protein and fats.

Turkey burgers: Lean, high in protein and delicious - no explanation needed.

Vegetables: Whatever they are eat plenty of them, they're good for you and should be an essential pillar of your diet.

Not really.

We've always had a 'Takeaway Friday' at home so I made sure to allow myself the Friday treat. Although instead of chips in the chinese takeaway some weeks I'd get rice or even eat a smaller portion.

I initially gave up alcohol until Christmas, but when I did drink I opted for lower calorie light beers or spirits more often than not instead of calorie-dense lagers or stout.

Everybody needs support when undertaking such a big change.

Whether that be a personal trainer, or just a family member or close friend, I'd recommend you get someone on board to be there for support.

In my case, I asked a close friend to act almost like my 'coach' to keep me honest. He would get in touch every now and then to see how I was getting on, was there to listen if I had problems and cheer me on to my goals.

Needless to say that educated professionals are much more qualified to play such a role, but having someone to bounce off and hold you accountable on the journey is essential.

Yeah, I came pretty close on November 1.

I was making good progress in the weeks before but that morning I weighed in after a particularly tough week and had lost just one pound.

In hindsight losing a pound in a week is a good achievement, but that week had been so difficult and the loss was a lot lower than I was expecting.

I was agitated and questioning what I was doing for hours before I was convinced to take an hour to go on a short cycle to clear my mind.

If I hadn't walked out to get some headspace I would've broken and dialled back weeks of progress, especially since I'd already been fully committed to nearly a month.

If you're about to give in - take a step back and remember why you're doing it.

Some days you just wake up and the same motivation you initially had just isn't there - it'll happen to everybody.

Of course motivation is great, but it comes and goes. Behind the motivation you do need to have a certain amount of discipline.

It can be very tough but you need discipline for when the inspiration and motivation just isn't there.

Weekly goals can help keep you focused.

The real goal wasn't to get down to a certain weight or number, it was to feel good and take back some confidence that I'd probably lost.

I started to notice a difference in how I looked around Christmas time (two months in), but had already felt better after about 10 days or so.

I tipped the scales initially every week but increased that to twice weekly to avoid any discouraging fluctuations.

Weighing yourself can be a good way of mapping out progress, but it's not the most important.

If you're not getting the expected results one week, don't get discouraged, it's important to make sure to keep doing the right things - the results will come.

Quite important.

I found a passion in cycling during my weight loss journey, but any form of exercise can give you similar results. Some people like running, walking, playing certain sports or of course the gym.

It really doesn't matter what your form of exercise is, if you have a healthy and balanced diet then exercise is your best friend.

Think of it as a complimentary relationship, the old saying of you cant out-exercise a bad diet can also be true for having a healthy diet but sitting on the couch all day.

As little as a walk in the park, a short hike, leisurely bike ride or a dip in the sea can compliment whatever calories deficits you're creating and help you reach your goals faster.

But if you are taking on more rigorous exercise, it's important to ensure you aren't creating too large of a deficit and are re-fuelling adequately.

Everyone has their golden rules for weight loss, and although these particularly rules won't work for everyone, here's a couple of mine:

- Calorie deficit: If you create a daily calorie deficit, you will lose weight. It's simple when you break it down like that.

- Always treat yourself: It's not about burning your bridges with certain foods, it's about improving your relationship with food.

- Take your time: There's no rush, everyone's bodies are different and once you're moving in the right direction that's all that matters.

- Find your support network: Find someone to keep you on the right path and hold you accountable in the long run.

- Exercise: Doesn't matter what it is, get out there and get active.

- Listen to your body: If you're hungry, eat something. If you're over-exercising, rest.

If you were to take one thing from reading this, it would be my real golden rule.

Sustainability.

Whatever habits, calorie deficits or exercise regimes you're trying to put in place - you have to ask yourself if it's sustainable.

When I set out to lose some weight, the one huge difference between all my failed attempts in the past was I asked myself is it sustainable?

You should be trying to implementing a lifestyle, not a 'lose weight quick' hack.

When you start on day one, ask yourself could you see yourself doing the same on day 100 or day 1000?

Because to lose weight and live a healthy and well balanced lifestyle, whatever way you go about it needs be sustainable in the long term.

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Man loses 70lb without stepping foot in gym and while enjoying regular meals - The Mirror

Take the rest of the noodles and the pak choi and you can have it for your lunch tomorrow. My dad pushed the takeaway containers and their remaining contents across the table towards me.

Ive got loads of food at mine, why dont you and Mum keep it? I protested. I knew hed insist I take the leftovers with me. This routine would always play out at the end of family dinners once Id left home and, this time around, it felt both familiar and oddly comforting because it had been a while since our last dinner.

Well, more than a while. It was spring, last year, and the pandemic had meant that, for months, like most families, wed only seen one another through our screens. This was the first time in a long while that wed been able to get together for a meal. We were even legally allowed to hug (if we exercised care and common sense!). I had brought champagne to celebrate, and we ordered from the local Chinese takeaway. Id like to say it was a bid to support an Asian business that had been struggling, like many others, during the pandemic, but in truth it was sheer laziness. Wed talked and gorged ourselves on crispy aromatic duck with pancakes, stir-fried king prawns with peppers in black bean sauce, and chow mein with beansprouts. My childhood favourites.

OK, Ill take them, I said, but my bags too small to carry the boxes. My dad got up from the table and went to the hallway to retrieve his rucksack. He rummaged around inside for a moment and then pulled out a neatly folded plastic bag. Opening it out, he offered it to me. I reached for it and then my hand paused in mid-air as I gawped in disbelief.

How long have you had this? I asked in amazement. He shrugged. This was no ordinary plastic bag. Indeed, the bag was not of this millennium.

It was vintage Marks & Spencer, made from thick white polythene emblazoned with St Michael QUALITY FOODS in blue lettering, the St Michael logo in a distinctive handwritten style. If you shopped in M&S in the 90s, you may remember it. Its a classic. Ive since found out that the St Michael brand was phased out in the year 2000, making this bag at least 20 years old.

My dad isnt a man of many words, but that night hed had a few glasses of wine. He told us that he used the bag regularly, despite its pristine appearance, and that the last time hed used it in the local M&S the cashier had shrieked, Oh my lord, I havent seen one of these in years, and made the other members of staff gather round to take a look. This moment perfectly encapsulated what I would describe as Dads Golden Rule No 1: nothing goes to waste, which applies equally to food, clothes, household items, cars everything really. Things will be used until they break, if they can be mended they will be mended, but rarely will anything be thrown away. This was established in his childhood out of necessity, but even now, in relative comfort, he still treats everything with such care and hates wastefulness.

A couple of weeks later, I came across an article written by the journalist Dan Hancox in the Guardian. I had thought I was pretty familiar with the long history of anti-Asian racism and discrimination in the UK and elsewhere; the shifting stereotypes, the scapegoating, Yellow Peril and the like, and the erasure of the contributions of the 140,000 men of the Chinese Labour Corps who risked their lives carrying out essential work for the allies in the first world war. But this was a story I had never heard before.

In the aftermath of the second world war, Britain forcibly deported hundreds of Chinese seamen who had served in the merchant navy, deeming them an undesirable element of British society. These men had helped keep the UK fed and fuelled on highly dangerous crossings of the Atlantic (approximately 3,500 vessels of the merchant navy were sunk by German U-boats, with the loss of 72,000 lives).

Many of the surviving men had married and started families with British women in Liverpool. However, they were secretly rounded up without notice and shipped back to east Asia. Many of their wives never knew what happened to them, and their children grew up believing they had been abandoned.

The fact that this story is only now coming to light, with no official acknowledgment or apology, may not be surprising, but it is still heartbreaking and enraging. By the time I finished reading the article, I was in tears. I realised that this had struck a deep chord because my own father had served for years in the merchant navy before he settled in the UK.

My dad grew up as one of six kids in a poor, single-parent household in Hong Kong. He was the third child and the oldest son. My ah-ma (his mother: barely 5ft tall, very fierce, could out-haggle anyone) worked three jobs to support her children. One was as a seamstress, with long hours bent over a sewing machine in a sweatshop, earning the equivalent of less than 1 a day. Initially my dads family lived in a shack on a hillside, with no running water. Then they moved into a block where they had one room, sharing a bathroom with 30 other families on the same floor. At one point they were made homeless when the block of flats burned down.

After leaving school, my dad worked for years on ships mostly oil tankers at sea for months at a time, and sent money home to pay for his siblings school fees. Only after they had all finished school could he save enough to pay for his own degree, coming to the UK to study engineering at the University of Strathclyde, where he would meet my mum (her own familys tumultuous journey to the UK is a story for another time).

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During my childhood, my dad was the most selfless and diligent father. His love for my sister and me was expressed not through words but through small acts of devotion: always cutting fresh fruit for us; making sure we drank two full glasses of milk each day so our bones would grow strong (milk being a luxury they rarely had in Hong Kong); patiently teaching us how to swim (Golden Rule No 2: learn how to swim). However, when I was younger, there were some things about him that I found hard to understand: his obsession with education, his aversion to waste of any kind, his insistence that we finish every bit of food on our plates; and his constant reminders not to take anything for granted. It was because he knew what it was like to have nothing.

After I sent him the article about the Chinese seamen, we had a long conversation on the phone. He doesnt often speak about his past, but we talked about his time in the merchant navy. Some things I remembered him telling me long ago: how hard and lonely those years at sea were, how much he missed his family, and how dangerous it could be. On his third voyage, his ship, a chemical tanker, was sailing between Taipei and Kobe when they were caught in the tail end of a typhoon. The chief officer went out on deck to help secure the cover of the anchor chain locker, which was filling up with water, and was killed when a large wave dashed him against the ship. He was buried at sea.

But other details were new. I found out that, after seven continuous months at sea on his first voyage, my dad had noticed that the white British officers and crew spent six months at sea at most, with some serving four-month contracts before getting tickets to fly home to be with their families. This was in contrast to the Chinese crew, who usually had to serve long periods of nine months.

While some of his fellow junior engineers were apprehensive about being seen to be causing trouble, he represented other Chinese crew members on board and took it up with the shipping companys superintendent. He found out that the British crew were employed under Article A (better pay, shorter sea time, paid study leave, etc), whereas the Chinese crew were employed under Article B (less pay, longer sea time, fewer benefits). The company told my dad he was the first person to complain. Dad told them he just wanted equal treatment. As a result, he and the others who protested were allowed to fly back home with holiday pay. They had docked in Trinidad, so he flew from there to Toronto, on to Vancouver, then Honolulu, then Tokyo. Finally, after three days of flying, he was reunited with his family in Hong Kong.

When I heard this story, it was impossible not to think again of the deported Chinese seamen. One of the reasons they were considered undesirable was because they had gone on strike to fight for an increase in their basic pay (originally less than half that of their British crew mates) and for the payment of the standard 10-a-month war risk bonus.

Its a precarious business simply to stand up for your rights, especially if you are poor or a person of colour; and it unfortunately remains the case that those in power usually dont appreciate being held to account. I hope that one day there will be an official acknowledgment of this terrible act of state-sanctioned racism and of the wrong done to those men and their families. I hope that the surviving children get the answers and justice they deserve, and that they can find peace.

My relationship with my dad hasnt always been easy as is often the case, its possible to derive both pain and gratitude from the same place but I know how lucky we are to have him. And I will be forever thankful for the sacrifices he made for our family and for the things he taught me: the value of hard work, never to look down on those who have less, to stand up for others, and that a Bag for Life truly means life.

This essay appears in East Side Voices, edited by Helena Lee, published by Hodder & Stoughton on 20 January at 14.99. To support The Guardian and Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.

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Gemma Chan on the truth about her fathers life at sea: He knew what it was like to have nothing - The Guardian

Pixabay/A bone cancan show if you have osteoporosis.

After the regions first and another predicted for Friday morning, snow, sleet and ice will define the landscape and create a perfect storm for increased falls and subsequent broken bones. While people of all ages can experience fractures and need to be especially wary this time of year, individuals with osteoporosis present a particular concern for healthcare professional of the Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Program team at AtlantiCare.

Certainly, slippery sidewalks and wind gusts make winter even more dangerous for people already at risk for fractures, and these individuals, as well as their loved ones and caretakers, need to be at heightened awareness during the winter, said AtlantiCare rheumatologist Susan Ward, MD. However, the reality for people with osteoporosis is that even in the most ideal of circumstances they can experience a fracture from something as simple as stepping awkwardly off a curb. Being aware of your bone health and managing osteoporosis is key to preventing fractures as well as some significant health issues and even death that can stem from them.

Osteoporosis, which occurs in approximately 10.2 million people in the U.S., is a skeletal disorder that causes the bones weaken, leading to increased fracture risk. Unfortunately, a common myth is that osteoporosis and fractures are only something my grandmother has to worry about. While osteoporosis is most common among women over 50, one in six men will get the disorder. It can also strike younger people with certain medical problems such as eating disorders, cancer, kidney disease, celiac disease and others.

When you look at fractures as a whole, the numbers in the U.S. are staggering. According toOhio State University studies, about 6.8 million fracture cases occur annually, resulting in 3.5 million visits to emergency departments and nearly 900,000 hospitalizations. In addition, until age 45 men are more likely to experience a fracture, and the average person will have two bone fractures during their lifetime.

Through their mid-20s most people regenerate bone faster than their bone deteriorates, so they build bone mass, said AtlanitCare rheumatologist Zain U. Abideen, MD. This means most people have peak bone mass by age 30 and from there bone mass can start declining, causing fracture risk to increase. The golden rule is to take care of your bone health throughout your lifetime. Dont smoke, exercise regularly, maintain a diet that gives you significant calcium and vitamin D, and limit alcohol consumption. If you take certain medications that can contribute to osteoporosis, such as steroids and those used to treat cancer and gastric reflux, you should also take greater care to practice regular bone density screening.

After experiencing a wrist fracture, adults over age 60 are more than 5.5 times more likely to fracture a hip within a year, and 17 times more likely within the first month. Perhaps even more shocking is this statistic from theJournal of the American Medicine Association: approximately 30% of people with hip fractures will die within the following year.

AtlantiCares Fracture Liaison program is working to change these realities. The program, which recently saw its 100thpatient, works to intervene with fracture patients and their caregivers to put practices into place to prevent additional fractures and fracture complications that can lead to lessened mobility, lower quality of life, or death. Through the program, the Fracture Liaison visits patients while they are in the hospital recovering from a fracture to assess their bone health, pinpoint the cause of the fracture, and establish protocols ranging from bone scans (DEXA scans) and taking medication, to ensuring they visit a primary care provider or rheumatologist regularly, to diet, physical therapy and exercise programs. The liaison program also assesses the home environment to mitigate fall risks and does follow-up checks to make sure the necessary steps continue after discharge. The AtlantiCare fracture liaison also reaches out to non-admission fracture cases to encourage those patients to participate in the program.

Many people think of fractures, especially wrist fractures, as an accident, not an indication of something more significant, said Fracture Liaison Heather Schultz, RN. A fracture is a red flag that someone might have an underlying condition osteopenia, which is often a precursor for osteoporosis. My role is to intervene to help the individual manage the condition and prevent injury. Most patients and their caregivers are surprised to learn how much can be done with little disruption to their lives to keep osteoporosis in check and significantly decrease their risk of getting another fracture.

One of only three NJ Hospitals certified by Own the Bone for high performance in Osteoporosis care, AtlantiCare encourages individuals to contact their healthcare provider if they experience symptoms of osteoporosisincluding loss of height over time, stooped posture, and compression fractures or full fractures that occur with little or no trauma. For people with average risk, the National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends bone density screening to begin in women at age 65 and men at age 70. People who have had one or more fractures, or who have osteoporosis risk factors, should talk to their provider about what is right for them.

To learn more aboutosteoporosis risk and treatment, maintaining bone health, and AtlantiCares Fracture Liaison program, visitatlanticare.orgor call 1-888-569-1000.

TIPS TO AVOID THE SLIPS

If you must venture out in snow, ice or temperatures where ice can form on walkways, practice these safety tips:

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Winter weather means its time to 'bone up' on osteoporosis prevention - DOWNBEACH - Downbeach.com

Navarro is the assistant editor for The San Diego Union-Tribune en Espaol. She lives in Tijuana.

Like many binational kids in our CaliBaja region, I grew up in Tijuana, believing in Santa Claus and singing carols in English and Spanish, eating spicy tamales and turkey with gravy. And while my White friends will usually take down their holiday decorations right after Christmas, in my house everything stays the same until Jan. 6. Im sure that Im not the only one who follows the unwritten tradition: For Mexicans, the holidays go from Dec. 12, on the Day of the Virgen de Guadalupe feast, to Jan. 6, the Epiphany a time frame that even has its own name, el maratn Guadalupe-Reyes.

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For many Latino families, on both sides of the border, the Da de Reyes on Jan. 6 is the last day of the season to celebrate and cherish the joy with your loved ones, and it is also the last chance to bring gifts to the little ones while celebrating an important date in our faith. The story in the Bible describes three wise men who visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They symbolize the first gentiles converted to Christianity. Even now, the kings are always present on my moms nativity ornaments, el nacimiento. I remember them in my grandmas decorations: Melchior, a white-skinned and golden bearded king riding a camel; Gaspar, with an Arabic look, riding a horse; and Balthazar with dark skin, riding an elephant. All three men wore fine capes and jeweled crowns. I also remember how my grandma use to play with the three figurines when I was a kid.

First, she would place them away from the nativity manger, and every day she would move them, so they could walk closer to the nativity scene. There are different traditions associated with the Three Kings Day. The first one has to do with presents. Before going to sleep, on Jan. 5, the children place one shoe near the nativity decorations or next to a window, so they can collect a gift from the wise man the following morning. Then there is food, just like in any other celebration. Before the date, and on Jan. 6, we drink hot chocolate, champurrado (a thick drink made of corn masa and Mexican chocolate, with or without milk) or coffee while eating the rosca de Reyes. The sweet bread, shaped like a wreath and decorated with nuts and fruits, represents the kings crowns and another biblical passage. Inside each rosca, the baker hides a tiny baby figure that represents the hiding of baby Jesus from King Herods troops. On larger roscas, there are several babies hidden.

Most recently, the baby has morphed into popular figures, like Grogu (aka Baby Yoda) and many other characters. Also, the extravagant and exquisite cuisine of our region innovates every year, offering a wide variety of roscas on both sides of the border. From the classic sweet bread that you can find for cheap at any Hispanic market to gourmet creations from exclusive bakeries and upscale prices stuffed with cream cheese, chocolate, cajeta (dulce de leche) or fruits. For those on a special diet, a quick search on social media can lead them to specialty places where its possible to order vegan and gluten-free choices.

Once you choose your rosca, you should know that, at least in my house, there is one rule to obtain your piece of that special cake: no one else can cut your piece of rosca, because if you touch it, the baby is yours. And of course, there is a golden rule: If your piece of bread has the baby figure, then you must serve tamales the following month, on Feb. 2. Some say that receiving the baby is a symbol of good luck, others that it is just an excuse to keep partying with your loved ones, with more champurrado and tamales. No matter on what side of the border you celebrate the Epiphany, this will be the last day of this seasons holidays. After this day, its fine to remove the Christmas decorations and start working out to lose those extra holiday pounds. Because if you eat rosca, tamales will be back next month!

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Opinion: For many Latino families the holidays arent over until the Epiphany - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Millions of people could starve to death in Afghanistan this winter.

Two Philadelphians are trying to prevent that from happening.

This is a campaign for humanity, said Naser Shahalemi, 42, a Kabul-born, University City businessman who helps lead a new and burgeoning awareness campaign, End Afghan Starvation. Twenty years we were helping them, and now were not helping them?

He and Gulmakai Popal Saleh, 44, a childrens book author in Northeast Philadelphia, started and lead a movement thats gained supporters across the globe, spread across the internet, and generated demonstrations in three cities. Nearly 10,000 people have signed online petitions pleading for U.S. action to avoid a humanitarian disaster.

Why Philadelphia as a starting point?

Things spark up in Philly, Shahalemi said. He and Saleh, both Afghan Americans who immigrated here as children, decided they had to act as they saw a crisis developing.

Afghanistan has long been beset by malnutrition. But now its being racked by a convergence of drought, war, poverty, unemployment, and pandemic thats wiped out crops and cut off international aid.

More than half the population, 22.8 million people, face severe hunger, according to U.N. analyses, and more than 8.7 million of those are nearing famine.

The billions of dollars in aid that flowed to the U.S.-backed Afghan government vanished when the country fell to the Taliban in August. Subsequent American economic sanctions have limited Afghanistans access to global financial markets and left humanitarian organizations unable to pay workers, buy supplies, and distribute food.

The Biden administration moved to exempt aid groups from the sanctions shortly before Christmas, but its unclear whether that will be sufficient to forestall famine.

Part of the challenge is political the Biden administration risks being seen as supporting the Taliban if it provides assistance.

End Afghan Starvation calls on the administration to ignore political concerns and get food to hungry people, mounting Twitter storms under the hashtag #endafghanstarvation.

The group seeks no monetary donations, noting that funding for food programs already is being sought and collected by groups that include the World Food Programme, International Rescue Committee, UNICEF, and Action Against Hunger.

More than 4,100 people have signed a petition that urges immediate action, to be submitted to the Biden administration, the United Nations, the European Union, and the United Kingdom governments.

For Gods sake, please help Afghans meet their basic needs! wrote one signer, Shahla Sadiq of McKinney, Texas, near Dallas. Each one of us knows what its like to be hungry for a couple of hours and not be able to eat, never mind not having the food!

A similar petition by Just Foreign Policy, a Washington-based reform group, has drawn 5,300 signatures.

Particularly vulnerable this winter are three million Afghans who have been internally displaced, that is, forced by war and violence to flee their homes but not to leave their homeland.

An estimated 50,000 fled to the capital of Kabul a city higher than Denver in elevation where winter temperatures often fall below zero at night. Many will spend the winter in makeshift shelters or unheated rooms, according to the U.N. High Commission on Refugees.

Roughly 3.2 million Afghan children under age 5 are acutely malnourished,according to UNICEF, and an estimated 1.1 million could die. Many mothers struggle to breastfeed because they themselves are undernourished.

This week End Afghan Starvation intends to reach out to the 40-some House Democrats who called on Biden and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to unfreeze Afghanistans bank reserves. The lawmakers say that continuing to enforce international restrictions on Afghanistans banking system risks economic pain and humanitarian collapse.

Were American citizens, Saleh said. At the same time we care about our people, the place we were born.

The author of four childrens books is the founder and director of the Golden Tree of Goodness, which seeks to promote kindness through reading and encourages children to follow the golden rule.

She came to the United States at age 4 in 1981, two years after the Soviet invasion. Last month she helped gather speakers for a rally outside the White House, as similar demonstrations against hunger took place in London and Vienna.

Were getting phone calls from around the world, she said. The support is growing. Were uniting, regardless of what ethnic group or religion you belong to.

Shahalemi, a business consultant who arrived in this country at age 1 in 1980, said action is needed now, as winter snows threaten to cut off remote areas of Afghanistan.

Were speaking up for the defenseless children of Afghanistan. Every day, another child could die.

For more information, or to contact the organizers, visit endafghanstarvation.org.

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Millions face starvation in Afghanistan. Two Philadelphians are trying to stop it. - The Philadelphia Inquirer

There's nothing more festive than putting up the Christmas tree and going totally overboard with the decorations.

Once you've got your best artificial Christmas tree out, baubles at the ready, the next hurdle is untangling the lights. The Home Depot has shared a golden rule that will make your tree shine extra bright this year.

(Image credit: Cox & Cox)

Sarah Fishburne is the Director of Trend and Design at The Home Depot. Working in Atlanta, she leads a team of interior designers. When it comes to Christmas lights, she has a 'go big or go home' philosophy.

'For live trees and shrubs, use 100 mini lights or 50 C7 lights for every vertical foot,' she advises.

(Image credit: Cox & Cox)

More sparse-looking, asymmetrical trees have proven popular this year, with people embracing slimline trees with a branch out of place.On such trees, Sarah says can use half that number of lights, so you'll only need 50 for every vertical foot.

However, if you want the brightest tree in your neighbourhood, the key is to double that number. 'Depending on your preferences, you may want a brighter tree,' Sarah says. 'In which case you can double the number of recommended lights,' she says.

(Image credit: Cox & Cox)

We knew it, more is always more when it comes to Christmas decorating ideas.

With Black Friday home deals and Cyber Monday offers ongoing, you may just bag yourself some additional string lights at a great price. The Home Depot Christmas lights that have been most popular this year are the Holiday 300-Light Clear Incandescent Mini Lights and the Set of 100 Warm White LED Lights on Green Wire.

You might want to add some festive Christmas lighting to other areas of your home besides the tree to help set the mood. Wherever you're hanging your lights, Sarah recommends starting with 'at least 60 feet' of string lights.

The same goes for exterior Christmas lights, and if you have the time and patience, you can measure your eaves and awnings to determine the exact length of string lights you need.

Turning on the tree lights each morning is one of the joys of the festive season, so make sure you have plenty for that extra Christmas magic.

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The Home Depot's secret to creating the brightest tree with Christmas lights - Real Homes

November 23, 2021

By Mark Cox

The prospect of festive flying is looking anything but jolly this year.

The Transportation Security Administration said that it expected to screen an estimated 20 million people over the Thanksgiving travel period, which began last week. And airports are bracing for near pre-pandemic levels of holiday travel next month as well.

As air travel has ramped up, so have the headaches: expensive fares, canceled flights, airport crowds, sardine-packed planes and disruptive passengers.

Dont worry, though: Jeff Price, Metropolitan State University of Denver Aviation professor, has some expert advice to help you avoid any nightmare trips.

Book early, if possible

Its the golden rule of booking flights: Prices will go up the longer you wait. There definitely is an optimal window when airfares are typically at their lowest, Price said, and thats usually around three months out. But there may still be some good deals out there for the holiday season since airlines sometimes add late flights.

Get to the airport early

The security-checkpoint lines can change, ebb and flow considerably at DIA, which recommends arriving in the terminal at least two hours in advance of your flight. During busy periods, its worth arriving earlier than usual since you may need to navigate around the airport to find your line entrance, especially if youre a member of Clear or TSA PreCheck. Check the DIA website for all the latest parking, airport and flight information and to subscribe for updates.

Remember to mask up

If youre heading to an airport, dont forget your mask. The federal government requires all passengers, regardless of vaccination status, to wear their mask at all times with the exception of when they are eating or taking a drink, Price said.

Id suggest buying a mask that is comfortable to wear, easy to breathe in and doesnt get too hot, said Price, who has travelled by air twice in the past two weeks. Its a worthy investment if you want a more comfortable flight.

Stay Covid-safe and sanitize

A crowded airport is like a giant petri dish filled with germs. To help protect against the spread of Covid-19, the Transportation Security Administration is allowing travelers to bring up to 12 ounces of hand sanitizer, plus alcohol or anti-bacterial wipes, in their carry-on bags.

Check your flight, then check it again

When youre traveling during the holidays, one thing you can rely on is that you cant really rely on anything. During holiday season, Price said, there are always lots of flight changes, delays and, unfortunately, cancellations especially if there is bad weather.

He recommends downloading a flight app so you can regularly check for delays or changes to your itinerary.

Many airline apps, such as FlightAware and FlightRadar, now enable you to track the real-time status of your flight, which is incredibly useful, Price said.

Flying internationally? Check for travel restrictions

Travel rules have been eclectic and fluid lately, so international travelers should carefully check the latest requirements for all stages of their journey.

The Department of State website is a good place to find clear guidance on restrictions regarding international locations, Price said. And Id also recommend checking websites in the actual country youre visiting for additional information, restrictions or rules.

Listen to airport staff

The TSA has warned that its going to be a busy holiday season. And as passenger numbers start ramping up again, airport security staff have a simple request: Listen to them because they can help.

Travelers should pay attention to the guidance TSA officers provide at checkpoints, TSA Administrator David Pekoske said. They could be directing you to a shorter line or guiding you around someone who is moving slowly. And they may give you advice that will lessen the likelihood that youll need a pat-down.

Unruly passengers

Pandemic-era flying has seen an unprecedented rise in air-rage incidents. More than 85% of flight attendants have had to deal with unruly passengers this year. And Prices advice is stark: Dont be one of those people.

Interference with a crew member is a federal offense, he said. Unruly passengers may find themselves under criminal prosecution and ultimately have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. Its really not worth it.

If youre on a flight and someone starts acting up, however, then its up to you whether to intervene.

There could be repercussions, of course, just like if you tried to stop a fight on the street, Price said. But in most cases, passengers who assist crew members have not been arrested for trying to help.

Excerpt from:

Have a stress-free flight this holiday season - MSU Denver Newsroom

Construction of a new 8,000-square-foot building dedicated to the skilled trades on the Fauquier campus of Lord Fairfax Community College is expected to begin in February and be open for classes in fall 2022.

An LFCC press release said that the building is being made possible through a gift of 60 acres adjacent to campus from Fauquier County to theLFCCEducational Foundation. The college has been leasing space for trades instruction at Vint Hill, but that site is not ideal for those needs, the release said, and the lease expires in 2022.

With the new trades building, the college will be able to offer trades classes for the first time in Fauquier, and even begin a new carpentry program. Electrical, HVAC, plumbing and heavy equipment operator programs will be held in the new structure.

Providing career training and apprenticeships in the trades requires a custom-designed facility we need flexible labs for hands-on learning, hard floors, high ceilings, state-of-the-art ventilation systems, multiple outlets and drop cords to accommodate the industrial and commercial training equipment, said Jeanian Clark, vice president of Workforce Solutions and Continuing Education, in the press release.

Thats why this new building is such exciting news. And it couldnt come at a better time. With the states investment in the G3, FastForward and Re-Employing Virginians initiatives, enrolling in skilled-trades programs and high-demand career pathways has never been more affordable for students. Our area businesses and industries need our trades graduates, Clark said.

In addition to expanding trade offerings, the new facility will allow the college to explore partnerships with Fauquier County and Rappahannock County schools for potential new ventures, such as a trades academy.

The expansion of trades programs on the Fauquier campus is good news for the home construction industry, saidLFCCFoundation Board Member Joel Barkman in the press release. He is founder and president/CEO of Golden Rule Builders in Catlett.

By investing in the infrastructure to develop the next generation of building trade professionals,LFCCis a valuable partner in addressing the skilled labor shortage. Im proud to support the college, he said.

The foundation, which will own the building and lease it to the college, has established the Building the Future Fund with a fundraising goal of $1.5 million. According to the press release, the money raised will go toward fully equipping the site; bringing in experienced instructors; offering scholarships, and expanding instruction to more fields within career and technical education.

There are naming opportunities for the building itself, as well as spaces inside, according to the press release.

For more information or to donate to the Building the Future Fund, anyone interested may contact Tami OBrien, development officer, at 540-351-1046 ortobrien@lfcc.edu.

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LFCC's Fauquier campus will add building dedicated to skilled trades education - Fauquier Times

Ive been in orthopedic practice in this community for approaching 35 years. Id like to believe Ive either helped, or at least tried my very best to help, as many of my patients as I possibly could. I appreciate the fact that Ive made many of my patients more than that and were also now friends. Friends who trust me to care for them, their spouses, their children, and their parents.

Ive always tried to practice medicine by the golden rule of doing for your patients as if they were your own family.

So I ask you, those that are not vaccinated, or havent received your boosters, to please do so. There are many untruths about the COVID vaccine that exist.

As in anything that happens in health care there is whats called a Risk Benefit Ratio. There are risks in receiving a treatment and there are risks in not receiving a treatment. For those of you who are undecided as to get vaccinated, as your friend, your caregiver, someone that you may have trusted to provide you spinal care, injury care, to care for your families, I beg you, I beseech you all, to please set aside any fears, political standings, the inconvenience and get vaccinated.

At our beloved community hospital alone weve had 135 deaths and sadly the number continues to rise unnecessarily.

Many unvaccinated people have exposed not only themselves but also their families to this potentially lethal virus and the outcome has been deadly.

Our hospital staff has been overwhelmed with the sadness and sense of helplessness that occurs when trying to save someone who is dying from COVID. The human cost to this can be crushing.

Whenever I see a veteran wearing a military hat, I always go out of my way to thank them for their service to our country. As a final note, consider doing the same when you see a health care provider these days. It makes a difference to them I know.

I accept the fact that some will never get vaccinated, but if youre on the fence, and you trust me, please do it, for yourselves, for your family, for our country.

Dr. Paul S. Lin,

Lewisburg

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If you're on the fence | Opinion | dailyitem.com - Sunbury Daily Item

Ozark is one of the most popular series on Netflix, and the fourth and final season will release in January 2022. The first seven episodes will come out first, with the remaining seven to follow later. In the meantime, you can check out other movies and shows on the streamer starring Ozarks leading man Jason Bateman.

Bateman is anactor, director and producer who started his acting career in the 1980s when he starred in Little House on the Prairie.He would go on to star in other 80s shows such asSilver Spoons and The Hogan Family.

Since that time, Bateman has become a seasoned actor as well as a director. He has directed Bad Words, The Family Fang and Ozark, and starred in Juno, The Switch, The Break-up, Horrible Bosses and its sequel.

Be sure to check out the movies starring Bateman that are available to watch on Netflix.

This series sees Bateman as the patriarch of the Byrde family, Marty. The title is the location he transplants his family to when he becomes embroiled in a huge money-laundering scheme.

The Byrdes meet many unsavory people who they eventually get into business with to maintain the laundering of so much money. The first three seasons have been outstanding, and the fourth and final is likely to be even more dynamic.

Arrested Development

Bateman playedMichael Bluthon theFox/NetflixsitcomArrested Development from 2003 to 2019, a role for which he would earn a Golden Globe and Satellite Award.

This series follows the Bluths, a once-wealthy and always dysfunctional family. Michael is forced to keep the crew on track after his father is arrested for shifty accounting practices in the family-owned business.

In this superhero comedy, Bateman stars with Melissa McCarthy,Octavia Spencer,Bobby Cannavale,Pom Klementieff,Taylor Mosby and Melissa Leo. This film is written and directed by Ben Falcone, McCarthys husband, marking their fifth collaboration.

Thunder Force is a Netflix original that follows two childhood friends who have discovered a way to become superheroes.

Bateman portrays a villain called The Crab who doesnt have superpowers but has crab legs, complete with claws where his arms should be. There is an interesting backstory to how he acquired his crab claws.

The political thriller State of Play is based on a British series of the same name.

Russell Crowe plays journalist Cal McAffrey, who digs into the story of a suspicious death of a Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) mistress.

Dominic Foy, played by Bateman, is a PR executive at a subsidiary of PointCorp, aprivate defense contractor being investigated by Collins for its controversial operations involving mercenaries.

It is a thrilling movie with a great cast that also includesRachel McAdams, Robin Wright Penn, Jeff Daniels and Helen Mirren.

Starsky & Hutch is an adaptation of the 1970s TV series of the same name. Ben Stiller plays David Starsky andOwen Wilson plays Ken Hutch Hutchinson in the comedy action movie.

This movie is a prequel to the TV series and explains how Starsky and Hutch became partners. They are undercover cops in Bay City, California, who bust drug criminals with the assistance of Huggy Bear (Snoop Dogg), an underworld boss.

Bateman plays Kevin Jutsum, right-hand man to drug kingpin Reese Feldman (Vince Vaughn). They develop a new type of cocaine that is untraceable by scent or taste.

The comedy The Sweetest Thing isdirected byRoger Kumbleand written byNancy Pimental, who based the characters on herself and friendKate Walsh (fromGreys Anatomy).

Best friends Christina (Cameron Diaz) and Courtney (Christina Applegate) abide by their golden rule when dating: Avoid searching for Mr. Right and focus on Mr. Right Now. One night Christina meets Peter (Thomas Jane) and hes nowhere to be found the next day, so the girls head out on a road trip to find him. Like any road trip, this one becomes wild with many hilarious moments along the way.

Bateman plays Peters womanizing brother Roger.

Is your favorite Jason Bateman movie or show on Netflix?

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All of the Jason Bateman movies and shows on Netflix - Netflix Life

Published: 11/25/2021 10:00:27 PM

Modified: 11/28/2021 10:00:03 AM

At this time of year we give thanks, and we thank by giving. Here in the Upper Valley are numerous local organizations that receive support of work and money from those who are able.

Organizations often print an annual list of donors to recognize the support from larger donors and individuals with more limited means. It heartens me that many volunteers and donors recognize the importance nonprofits have in nurturing our community. This year, I am thankful that my neighbors participate in helping organizations such as Red Logan Dental Clinic, the Upper Valley Land Trust and the Lebanon Opera House.

Nov. 30 is this years Giving Tuesday. This day is a way to balance the materialism celebrated on Black Friday with care for the world and those in need. Thank you to all who support others and work to preserve and protect the Earth, which is our home.

INGRID CURTIS

Etna

Thank you, Valley News, for highlighting folks shopping locally this year (Shoppers thinking outside the box, Nov. 22).

We are fortunate to live among so many talented craftspeople. Shopping locally directly benefits the community by supporting local businesses and crafters. It also benefits our community in a less direct way when the local craft fair is associated with a fundraiser for social services. As one example, the Bugbee Senior Center is hosting a craft fair Dec. 3 and 4 at the center in White River Junction.

Revenue from the event supports the center, which provides a variety of services to Upper Valley seniors. This past year we served more than 25,000 meals through Meals on Wheels and daily lunch at the center. We provided local seniors with fitness and health programs, including fall prevention. Seniors who came back to the center after the isolation of COVID-19 are so grateful. Now they are back to their card games, crafts, trips, educational activities and, of course, bingo. Please keep local craft fairs in mind when shopping for your loved ones, some of whom might even frequent the Bugbee Senior Center.

SUSAN MANLEY

Wilder

The writer is volunteer and activity coordinator at the Bugbee Senior Center.

This holiday season, please add the Hanover Garden Club to your list of organizations doing things differently! In addition to our traditional in-person sale, we are offering items via an online order format: https://form.jotform.com/212916992795170. (Payment is made at the time of pick up or delivery.)

The clubs sale is one of the last of the season, so our products are fresh for holiday gatherings. They include tabletop boxwood trees, mixed green centerpieces, English cracker/poppers (very fun!) and gift boxes of cookies. All items are made by club members. The traditional holiday sale will take place at the RW Black Community Center, 48 Lebanon St., Hanover, on Dec. 11, from 9 a.m. to noon. The above-mentioned items will be available, along with the clubs Gardeners Nook, Attic Treasures and jewelry tables. While shopping, enjoy some free coffee, tea and homemade treats.

All proceeds from this sale are used to plant the 13 gardens around the town of Hanover. Thank you for keeping the gardens alive for all to enjoy.

BETSY EATON and MARY WAUGH

Hanover

The writers are co-chairs of the Hanover Garden Club holiday sale.

Suzanne Lupiens Perspectives column in the Sunday Valley News touched my heart (Weve forgotten how much we really need each other, Nov. 21). I agree with her when she says people dont have a choice about getting the vaccine, and I too believe that the actions of individuals affect us all.

But take heart, because people are still giving and concerned about their neighbors. Two years ago, my husband was struck with an illness that put him in the hospital for a week and left him unable to perform the many chores that we do on our farm in Grantham.

One of these chores is throwing in wood for my woodstove. Yes, I still cook on a woodstove, and we put in our own wood, just like we did in Cornish when I was a child. Hearing of our situation, neighbors, friends and relatives all came on a Sunday afternoon, some from many miles away, to throw wood into our cellar.

Yes, the ancient golden rule of the countryside was being observed at our farm in Grantham that Sunday, and it was not just elderly but young and old who came to help. The only thing that could have made that day more wonderful would have been a platter of Bernice Johnsons wonderful doughnuts, which I have been lucky enough to have shared with her.

CINDY TOWLE

Grantham

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Forum, Nov. 26: Thanks to everyone who supports nonprofits - Valley News

Fans cant trust that the report recommendations will be swiftly implemented while top-flight clubs are profiting from a broken system, writes Laura Lawrence.

Less than 12 hours after the government commissioned review into English football was released, Aston Villas chief executive Christian Purslow said the following on the BBC Radio 4 Today show:

The Premier League has always really been the source of funding for the rest of football and the danger here is of course, as you said, killing the golden goose if we over-regulate a highly successful financial and commercial operation.

Nothing to see here. Just the free-market economy working so well for the few and not the many. The Premier League sucked up all the money long ago so clubs further down the pyramid had no choice but to rely on begrudged handouts.

Of course, the golden goose doesnt want government intervention. Whats in it for them when the system has been weighted to their advantage?

Former Sports Minister and chair of the review panel Tracey Crouch, believes the answer lies in a new independent regulator. While the governing bodies (The Football Association, Premier League and English Football League) acknowledge changes need to be made they believe they can solve the problems between themselves. I give a hearty laugh to that one. Especially at the FA who have been as useful as a chocolate fireguard as English football goes up in flames.

The report laid out 47 recommendations to stop the industry from lurching from crisis to crisis. The report itself is sound. Recommendations include changes to the Owners and Directors Tests and assessments of the flow of money through the leagues.

The protection of clubs from free-market economics has also been addressed in the review. The heritage of clubs should be taken into account and guarded. The recommendation is to introduce into legislation a golden share for supporters so they would have a say over major plans such as moving grounds. These protections are needed but the report doesnt address how situations like Newcastle Uniteds ownership would be addressed.

Villas CEO doesnt believe that a government appointee is the right person to take on the issues within football. We killed the Super League in 48 hours. Itll take her (Crouch) 48 weeks to appoint someone.

While I agree with the sentiment that it may move at a glacial government pace, if members of the Premier League hadnt attempted the Super League coup in the first place this intervention wouldnt be as high on the government agenda.

If it was anyone other than this government, I might trust that the findings of this report would be implemented but they have just voted for the free-market privateers to sit on NHS primary care trust panels. Footballs governing bodies will sit on this report for as long as possible. Dont expect quick changes. The few are making money from the broken system. That will sound familiar to this government.

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Premier League golden goose isnt cooked governing bodies will sit on English football review - The Offside Rule

On Dec. 1, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, a case in which the state of Mississippi is seeking to ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Pro-choice advocates see it as a challenge to Roe v. Wade, which permits abortions so long as the fetus is not yet viable, which amounts to considerably more than 15 weeks.

Which side is correct, and why? Each side has its strengths and each its weaknesses. Is there a compromise?

Pro-choice advocates point to the influential Turnaway Study, which followed 1,132 women seeking an abortion at 30 abortion clinics in 22 states over a 12-year period. Half got the abortion they sought, while half were turned away. The Study was designed to compare the long-term effects on women in the two groups. Writing about the Study in The New Yorker, Margaret Talbot found that there were no long-term differencesin depression, anxiety, PTSD, self-esteem, life satisfaction, drug abuse, or alcohol abuse among the two groups. She underscored the finding that only 5 percent of the aborters regretted their decision five years later and that there was little evidence to support the claim by pro-lifers that a large percentage of aborters are wracked with guilt later in life. She concluded that the evidence was welcome news for anyone who supports reproductive justice. She also pointed out, ingenuously, that the vast majority of women whod been denied abortion were glad five years later that they hadnt been able to get one welcome evidence that a 5-year-old child will almost always capture the heart of a mother.

The Turnaway Study makes a strong case for the advantages of getting an abortion, but it doesnt address the sticky moral issue of ending the life of a future human being, much less an already existing one.

The strength of pro-life, by contrast, is that it tackles this issue head on. This is not to say that its position is correct, only that it doesnt shirk the moral question. According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the union of sperm and egg at conception produces a new living being that is distinct from both mother and father. Modern genetics demonstrated that this individual is, at the outset, distinctively human, with the inherent and active potential to mature into a human fetus, infant, child and adult. Catholic teaching declares that the presence of an immaterial soul created by God and placed in its fleshly receptacle gives it an inherent dignity possessed uniquely by a human person. It rejects an old theory that the receptacle must reach fetal status before it can be ensouled.

The weakness of the Catholic position is that it cannot demonstrate that an immaterial soul is implanted in this new being or that it even exists. At best it can claim, according to its pro-choice opponents, that the fetus is on a trajectory toward becoming a person, and that to claim more is a matter of faith that is not shared by everyone. Thus, for pro-choice, an abortion does not constitute murder, and the well-being of the mother is justifiably the first consideration, in fact the only consideration that is relevant.

Ancillary factors might come into play. The decision to deny human life to a fetus that is well on the way to becoming a person cannot be easy. Pro-choice parents, female and male alike, have only to ask what would have happened to them if their parents had chosen to abort them. The Golden Rule, we would hope, would weigh heavily in their decision. Couples with money and support who choose to abort because they hadnt planned on a child and dont want to be bothered with one dont usually earn our admiration.

On the other hand, there might be good reason for those inclined not to abort to question their resolve. Most of us can imagine circumstances we would dread being born into. Would we choose life if we knew our mother was on crack or lived in dire poverty with no father to help raise us? Heartless though it might sound, some of us can even say about people we know that it would have been better for them not to be born.

In the final analysis, is there a compromise position? Ultimately it would seem not: either the fetus is a person or it is not. If not, a person is not being killed. If so, a person is being killed, and we can justifiably call it murder. How can we decide?

President Biden, a Catholic, has made it clear that he personally cannot condone abortion but will not condemn those who do. He justifies his position by pointing out that as president of the nation he has no right to condemn those who disagree with him: he was elected to represent all, whatever their personal views. He feels justified in receiving Communion in his Church, and he has the Popes support. But what about Catholics who dont feel the burden of representing a large constituency? Should they think of pro-choice advocates as murderers?

On the other hand, should pro-choice advocates denounce pro-lifers as gullible, perhaps stupid victims of an unsupportable superstition required by their Church?

My answer is no to both questions. For me it is impossible to decide based on the evidence at hand. I would choose not to abort if an unwanted pregnancy showed up, but my decision would not be based on a certainty. I would bear in mind that what happens at conception is unknowable, and this uncertainty would keep me from condemning those who abort. I believe that a compassionate agnosticism is the correct position to take.

Of course, the Supreme Court will not have such a luxury. The justices will have to decide, and both sides will probably find a lot to dislike. Nevertheless, the rancor that divides the nation over this issue should find no place in our hearts. Whatever our view, we should remember that the other side has its reasons, and they should be respected.

Stafford Betty is professor emeritus of religious studies at Cal State Bakersfield.

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Community Voices: What is the correct stance? - The Bakersfield Californian

A Jewish carpenter lived some 2,000 years ago and suggested how we should live our daily lives: In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you. Many people call it the Golden Rule, and it puts forward a goal for how we should treat each other i.e., like we want them to treat us.

How would this work in day-to-day life? Say for example you are at the movies. Everyone is wearing a mask and social distancing. Then someone has a heart attack. Most people would call 911 for an ambulance, because that is what they would want others to do if they were the one having the heart attack. Treat people like you want them to treat you. Simple.

Now lets say there is a major recession and millions of people lose their jobs. As a result, they lose their health insurance when they lost their jobs. As time goes on, people start having difficulty putting food on the table for their family because they have no income. How do we respond when we see our neighbors suffering during the recession for no fault of their own?

In Garrett County, we saw Mountain Laurel Medical Center and Community Action organize food drives to help our neighbors who are facing food insecurity. Treat others like you want them to treat you. Simple.

During the pandemic, however, some changed the rules for food stamps, taking food stamps from nearly a million people as they face increasing food insecurity. Does that make sense in a pandemic? Also, some are in court trying to take health care away from 20 million people during this pandemic. Is that how you would like to be treated?

Eight weeks ago, there were 75 cases of the coronavirus and no deaths in Garrett County. Today we have 1,130 cases and 14 deaths. Why? Our governor, commissioners and health department did the right thing and took aggressive, early steps to contain the virus. Those efforts worked in Garrett County until about two months ago because people in the county generally followed the rules. For their own safety and the safety of their neighbors, they treated others as they wanted to be treated.

The health department says there is some coronavirus fatigue after 10 months, but they also recognized that a couple of unique religious events in the county around Autumn Glory also contributed to the spike in cases and deaths. They were super spreader events.

The Constitution says that Congress shall make no laws respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof That means people can start their own churches and believe what they want to believe. That does not mean that someone can hold a super spreader event that spreads the virus throughout the county and contributes to the death of 14 people.

Treat others like you want to be treated. Respect your neighbors. Wear a mask. Social distance. Follow the rules. Protect your community.

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Letter to the editor Follow the golden rule | Opinion | wvnews.com - WV News

At least as important is the reform of the procedure for preventing and correcting macroeconomic imbalances.

The Covid-19 pandemic has eclipsed the general overhaul of the economic-policy framework of the European Union and the eurozone initiated in February by the European Commission. Comprehensive reform of economic governance remains nevertheless urgent and indispensable.

Reform of the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) and the Regulation on the Prevention and Correction of Macroeconomic Imbalances (MIP), within the framework of the six-pack and two-pack of the European Semester and other regulations, should again be at the centre of discussions, as soon asat the latestthe consequences of the pandemic have been dealt with.

The focus of debate seemingly will be on fiscal rules, as in the past. Currently, the post-Maastricht deficit and debt rules are suspended, a return to business as usual seems impossible, and alternatives are being intensively discussed.

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The concern is that at bestnot least because of the differing positions of the member statesthere will only be a revision of the fiscal rules. If this were to happen, however, the reform of economic governance would remain piecemeal and far behind the requirements of sustainable, stability- and employment-oriented macroeconomic development, in the member states and in the eurozone as a whole.

Fiscal rules only cover part of economic performance and are in themselves complex and problematic. They rely on estimation of a structural deficit, which is fraught with the well-known problems of cyclical adjustment and, in particular, of gauging potential output. An inherent flaw is the exclusion of the golden rule in the financing of public investment.

Last but not least, the cyclical component of the deficit is in any event directly linked to the macroeconomic context. The cyclical surplus or deficit stems from overall macroeconomic development and the operation of the automatic stabilisers. Discretionary fiscal measures can from the other side stabilise the cycle. In times of massive economic fluctuations and shocks, such as in the financial and eurozone crises and currently as a result of the coronavirus, these mutual effects around the cyclical component of fiscal outcomes are of major importance.

In the wake of the pandemic, reform considerations have been replaced in the short term by two massive discretionary measures, the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-27 and in particular the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), within the Next Generation EU programme. But these must be co-ordinated and aligned with the macroeconomic challenges to have strong and focused effects.

The volume of the RRF is considerable, as is the additional debt incurred. Since neither of these can probably be repeated, success must be assured.

First and foremost, the facility must be designed to reduceand certainly not exacerbatemacroeconomic divergences and imbalances among member states. A recent policy brief provides a positive forecast. Overall, it must foster sustainable and stable recovery.

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The RRF cannot however accomplish these tasks alone. As unprecedented as it may be in absolute amount, its scope remains relatively limited, set against the volume of eurozone macroeconomic aggregates. It must be consistently embedded in a sustainable policy mix of all macroeconomic instruments by all decision-makers, in each member state and at the eurozone and EU levels.

The MIP is aimed at all macroeconomic aggregates. This distinguishes it from the Stability Pact, which only targets fiscal aggregates and these depend on macroeconomic development and policy at least as much as they influence them.

In the commissions programmatic paper on the Economic Governance Review, as well as in the scientific and political discussion, the MIP occupies only a small space compared with the Stability and Growth Pact. This weighting must be reversed.

That is the lesson to be learnt from the crisis in the eurozone around ten years ago, as high-ranking actors now acknowledge. It was a mistake to focus primarily on public finances. We should have monitored a broader spectrum of macroeconomic parameters the development of unit labour costs, current account deficits, real estate bubbles. The commission would have needed a mandate to tackle these imbalances in the same way as it tackled excessive public debt, said Klaus Regling, current head of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), as early as 2010.

With the MIP, there is now such a broad-based set of rules to prevent the central mistake identified by Regling, with its dramatic consequences, from happening again. But this requires reform of the procedure, especially the symmetrical alignment of upper and lower limits for the indicators and their concentration on exogenous variables economic policy can affect.

Macroeconomic wage and price trends play a central role here. Via a chain of effects, including on the real interest rate, wage and price developments have decisive influences on domestic demand, employment and the budget balance. And, taking into account additional imports induced by domestic demand, there is also an impact via price competitiveness on the balance of payments.

Moreover, the MIP regulations must be implemented in a targeted manner. Because of the procedures comprehensive approach, all macroeconomically responsible actors must participate.

At euro-area level, these include the European Central Bank, the commission, the finance ministers of all member states and representatives of the social partners. An analogous body should be set up in each member state. Both formations must exchange information, internally and with each otherabout the prevention and if necessary correction of macroeconomic imbalances and divergences, the regaining of a stable growth and employment path and the use of RRF resources towards these objectives.

A suitable format could be a Macroeconomic Dialogue at the level of the member states and one for the euro area. Both could be modelled on the existing EU Macro Dialogue, whether by creating a new forum or building on existing ones.

The discretionary measures introduced in the wake of the pandemic and comprehensive reform of the economic policy framework of the eurozone and the EU must be co-ordinated, simultaneously and consistently. At least as important as reform of the fiscal rules is reform of the procedure for preventing and correcting macroeconomic imbalancesand then their mutual co-ordination.

A German version of this article, Reform der Eurozonenicht nur die Fiskalregeln reformieren, was published in Makronom

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Eurozone reformits not just the fiscal rules - Social Europe

By Andrea Shorter

A few days from today, my maternal grandmother would have been 95 years old. She was not one for celebrating birthdays, but every year, her mindset about living in the present and aging was summed up in her often imparted cheery, wise quip: Age is nothing but a number.

I am now 55, and I believe the first time she told me this was around my 25th birthday, when I was probably having some cringe-worthy, mild anxiety attack, aka whining about getting older. Looking back, I dont remember anything so bad about my life and times at the ripe old age of 25. In fact, other than my grandmother setting my mind right about aging, I dont remember much about it all. Apparently, whatever my worries were at the time, my grandmother was as always right, that once I let go of my self-indulgence concerning aging, and just get on with it and have faith, everything was going to be alright.

A few weeks ago, unexpectedly, my grandmother fell ill with what would turn out to be coronavirus. She was hospitalized on a Monday. On the following Saturday evening, December 5, she would become one of the reported 2,190 lives in the U.S. taken away that day by coronavirus.

My grandmother was born in 1925, and lived her entire life in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was the daughter of a domestic worker and a janitor at Eli Lily, both up from the South. As a child, she described herself as a little red-headed one, a bit of a daddys girl as the youngest daughter of 5 children. She would graduate from the best known segregated high school in the city, and hold, from all accounts, one job in her life, as an elevator operator.

She married my grandfather shortly after his discharge from the Navy after World War II, including service on Treasure Island, way, way out in California somewhere. From my grandfathers GI benefits, they were eligible to build their own house in a project that built a middle-class neighborhood of other post-WWII African American veterans and their families. Many of the neighborhood dads worked as civil servants, in the auto industry, for the universities, or for big pharmaceutical companies. My grandfather became a firefighter for 30 years, and they raised their eight children together.

Obviously at aged 94, my grandmother was of the Greatest Generation, living through the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and all wars and conflicts since. She lived through being formally referred to as Negro, Colored, Black, and eventually as African American throughout all manifests of anti-black racial segregation and strife, including the recently declared reckonings with race in America of 2020.

My grandmother had style, grace, and a great sense of humor. She was quite the homemaker, a conservative and frugal child of the depression, but not cheap. She was always the first to get the new appliances and gadgets, and upgrade to the next when needed. She taught me how to use a good old fashioned pressure cookerstill my favorite cookware item!and would gladly help me by phone when I wasnt sure how to cook up the perfect corned beef and cabbage, or stew. She became unusually adept at computers in her 60s. If my technology professional brother was not available to rescue me from a computer meltdown of some sort, Id call her. Shed know what to do.

Above all, my grandmother was a woman grounded by and in her faith. She believed in a God greater than and beyond our mortal comprehension. She believed in kindness, fairness, and the golden rule. All of her life, she played by the rules. I sincerely doubt my grandmother even so much as got a parking ticket. If she ever did, I can only imagine it was just once.

Now, instead of living out her last days, moments, and breaths in the comfort of the home she built with my grandfather and raised her family, as any good woman nearing 95 years old should have, she was taken away by a pandemic that was avoidable but for arrogance, dereliction, and hubris.

Now, as of this writing, I am awaiting arrangements for a eulogy and celebration of my grandmother from afar, by remote video. This is not at all how anyone would have imagined we would come to gather at the end of my grandmothers well-lived life.

As much as I work to accept her passing with the peace, understanding, and grace that she would have expected of me, my anger and outrage are undeniable, ever-present. It didnt have to be this way, but it is. It is the reality of nearly 300,000 American families, and friends who have lost and continue to lose loved ones to what was clearly avoidable, unnecessary.

Age might very well be just a number, but like the many other family members and friends, I know that my loved ones life counted for far more than being just another number of the daily death tolls at the top of the hourly newscast. And, just like the many other family members and friends, I am glad and relieved at the news that a viable vaccine will soon be available to hopefully prevent more deaths. It goes without saying that I desperately wish a vaccine could have been available sooner, in time to protect my aged grandmother.

My grandmothers memory and legacy will live on with me, my family, and the legions of her friends and fans. It will. I am working to let her light shine through my heart, and not be clouded by the hurt and anger and pain roiling in me about how or why she left this Earth. I will do my best to honor her life lived in and by faith.

My faith is shaken, but not broken. Should I live to be 94, I will keep faith (and works) with our generation to do all in our power to never allow such horrific, preventable misery from happening again. Keeping the White House Trump-free is an encouraging start. Eighty million votes is a number we can build on.

Andrea Shorter is a Commissioner and the former President of the historic San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women. She is a longtime advocate for criminal and juvenile justice reform, voter rights and marriage equality. A Co-Founder of the Bayard Rustin LGBT Coalition, she was a 2009 David Bohnett LGBT Leadership Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Published on December 17, 2020

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More Than a Number: Losing Our Greatest Generation During COVID-19 - San Francisco Bay Times - San Francisco Bay Times

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. Consider it the golden rule of recruiting in the SEC.

Its not over until they sign, Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt said Wednesday after introducing the newest members of his roster.

Of course, that works both ways. The first day of the early signing period came and went without any big surprises, and considering the general momentum of the Vols 2021 class, that can be categorized as a success.

The Vols class rocketed to No. 2 nationally in the offseason, a ranking artificially boosted by pure volume, though it still looked like a strong group likely to finish inside the top 10. But its been shedding those numbers since then and now sits at No. 15 in the 247Sports Composite, good for No. 6 in the SEC.

So Tennessees signing day? Consider the theme to be to be continued.

Five-star linebacker Terrence Lewis decommitted last month but placed the Vols in his two...

Read the rest here:

Tennessee 2021 recruiting: Where Vols stand on signing day - The Athletic

Without major reform of the EU fiscal framework, Peter Bofinger argues, public investment will be insufficient in the wake of the pandemic.

The strong fiscal-policy response from the European Union needed to deal with the severe economic shock represented by the Covid-19 pandemic was only made possible by finance ministers agreeing on March 23rd, for the first time, to activate the general escape clause of the EU fiscal framework. It is very likely, however, that that clause will be reinvoked in 2021 and 2022. But what happens if the conventional rules are reinstated?

During the pandemic the state of public finances in all countries has deteriorated significantly. According to forecasts by the International Monetary Fund, in several euro-area member states in 2021 the ratio of debt to gross domestic product will be around double (Belgium, France, Spain and Portugal) or even triple (Italy, Greece) the 60 per cent ceiling set by the Maastricht treaty (Figure 1).

These high debts raise huge challenges for fiscal policy in the member states. The so-called six pack, which came into force in December 2011, obliges them to reduce the difference between their current debt and the 60 per cent benchmark by one 20th per annum. As calculations by the European Fiscal Board show, the requirement to bring debt below that limit within two decades implies running high budget primary surpluses.

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Even under benign conditions (nominal growth exceeding the nominal interest rate by half a percentage point), countries with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 120 per cent must achieve a primary surplus of 1.9 per cent, countries with a debt-to-GDP ratio of 150 per cent a surplus of 2.9 per cent. Comparing these figures with the average primary surpluses the highly indebted euro-area member states were able to achieve between 2014 and 2019, it obvious that the required debt reduction could only be realised with brutal austerity (Table 1).

The experience of the last decade shows that fiscal consolidation has a negative impact on public investment, as such expenditure is easier to cut than social spending or salaries for the public sector (Figure 2).

This outcome is hardly surprising, as public investment does not play a relevant role in the framework of the Stability and Growth Pact. The anchor of its rule book is the ratio of gross public debt to GDPtaking in the liabilities of the public balance sheet without any reference to public capital stock on the asset side. Nor does the 3 per cent budget-deficit constraint discount public investment. As the EFB points out, the so-called investment clause, which provides some leeway for debt-financed public investment, has rarely been invoked, primarily because it requires a negative growth forecast or an output gap below 1.5 per cent of potential GDP.

As a result, since 2012 net public investment in the euro area has been close to or even below zero (Figure 3). It has been much lower than in the EU member states outside of the eurozone and in the United States.

Restoring this fiscal framework after the exceptional regime of the Covid-19 crisis would thus make it impossible to finance the huge public investments required to deal with the simultaneous challenges of climate change, the consequences of the pandemic and the digital transformation.

An obvious starting point for reform of the Stability and Growth Pact is the 60 per cent anchor for public debt. It was derived as the average debt-to-GDP ratio of the EU member states in 1990. With the same procedure, a reference value of 70 per cent could be calculated for 2000, of 86 per cent for 2010 and 101 per cent for 2020.

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Academic economists have been unable to derive scientifically a benchmark with which evidence-based economic policy should comply. A prominent instance was the 2010 paper by Reinhart and Rogoff which tried to establish a reference value of 90 per cent but was found to suffer from serious miscalculations. A 2014 IMF working paper concluded:

Our results do not identify any clear debt threshold above which medium-term growth prospects are dramatically compromised. On the contrary, the association between debt and medium-term growth becomes rather weak at high levels of debt, especially when controlling for the average growth performance of country peers.

As a consequence of this ambiguity, a former IMF chief economist and colleagues have recently proposed to replace fiscal rules by fiscal standards:

Whether debt is at risk of becoming unsustainable does not just depend on debt and deficit levels but on a host of uncertain economic and political factors. Fiscal rules, even complex ones, cannot account for this uncertainty, because it is impossible to predict and specify the relevant contingencies ex ante. Rules are bound to lead to mistakes, constraining fiscal policy either too much or too little.

The key decision for eurozone members is whether they are willing to abandon, or significantly weaken, the debt-reduction rule of the six pack. A new rule might taper the period for adjustment to 50 years or the same goal could be achieved on a discretionary basis, with country-specific medium-term debt targets decided by the European Commission and the Council of the EU.

Depending on interest rates and on projected nominal growth rates, such debt targets could leave room for primary deficits. To guarantee that this fiscal space was used for investments, the approach should be supplemented by a golden rule. Such a rulethe notion that public borrowing should finance investment but not mere day-to-day spendinghas the advantage over debt rules that it is widely accepted among economists. Even the conservative German Council of Economic Experts, when developing the countrys debt brake (Schuldenbremse) in 2007, explicitly included the golden rule.

The advantages and problems associated with the golden rule have been intensively discussed. The main problem is an adequate definition of investment. Should it be defined as gross or net? And should it be limited to bricks and mortar or defined in a more encompassing way as future-oriented investmentsincluding public expenditures on education and families, on better health systems and the fight against climate change?

Pragmatically, public investment could be defined as net investment plus all expenditures related to education, climate change, digitalisation and research and development exceeding the average of 2014 to 2019. Categorisation of expenditures as coming under the golden rule should require the approval of independent national fiscal watchdogs.

Within such a framework an expenditure rule could play an important rolein fact, many fiscal-policy reform proposals favour it. But to derive the concrete expenditure path a proper target for debt levels must first be established. Then a golden rule can ensure that a possible space for deficits is used for broadly defined public investment.

This article is a joint publication bySocial EuropeandIPS-Journal

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Easing the EU fiscal straitjacket - Social Europe

Hello from The Goods twice-weekly newsletter! On Tuesdays, internet culture reporter Rebecca Jennings uses this space to update you all on whats been going on in the world of TikTok. Is there something you want to see more of? Less of? Different of? Email rebecca.jennings@vox.com, and subscribe to The Goods newsletter here.

Theres a TikTok thats stuck with me ever since I saw it earlier this fall. Its of a Walmart employee named Shana announcing all the racist and sexist behavior she witnessed during her time on the job over the store microphone, calling out her coworkers by name. She ended with, I fucking quit.

Shana later updated the nearly 35 million people who watched her video, saying that, yes, her speech was actually broadcast throughout the store in Lubbock, Texas (theres video proof) and that as she walked out of the store she was met with tons of applause. A few people told her theyd never shop at Walmart again.

Its the only thing I could think about when reporter Michael Waters broke the news this week that the company is now trying to turn 500 of its employees into social media influencers who proselytize about Walmarts unique greatness. The program is called Spotlight and is only open to salaried, not hourly, employees, meaning that the vast majority of its 2.2 million workers are ineligible. Popular posts are rewarded with cash bonuses.

Retail employees from megachains like Sephora, Chipotle, and Starbucks have been going viral on TikTok since the app has existed, and for the most part, companies have tried to shut it down. A Panera employee was fired for her video exposing how its mac and cheese was prepared; a Chik-fil-A worker was let go for her viral video on menu hacks. Even when the content is inarguably innocuous or positive! big brands have bristled at the idea of their image being out of their control; just ask the Sherwin-Williams retail worker who was reportedly fired for simply sharing videos of how he mixed paint.

The only saving grace to Walmarts rather ethically dubious influencer program is that it doesnt appear to actually work: The two Walmart influencers Waters interviewed in his story have about 1,500 and 300 Instagram followers, respectively. Other brands that have attempted to turn their workers into stars have only succeeded when they chose TikTokers who had already built up massive followings, as was the case with Dunkin Donuts Crew Ambassadors program. (Consider Amazons laughable Twitter army of warehouse workers who flooded the site with pro-Amazon sentiments in 2019.)

But as the golden rule of social media authenticity suggests, the videos that travel the furthest are the ones that portray employees actual experiences. One of the first videos I saw when I opened the app this week was of a woman working silently and quickly in what appeared to be an Amazon fulfillment center.

Her captions begged viewers to shop local instead, arguing that the companys coronavirus safety measures are a joke, that its productivity tracking is inhumane, and that it spies on and retaliates against workers attempting to unionize. In other videos, she said that shed gotten two yeast infections in two months because she was so afraid of using the bathroom and lowering her productivity rates, and that the company has minimized the rising injuries among warehouse workers, especially during the peak holiday season. Please support businesses who care about their employees health and well-being, she wrote.

Its clear why brands like Walmart are trying to take more ownership of employees social media content: They want to cancel out the effects of videos like this, ones that centralize the lived experiences of the lowest-ranking workers rather than burnishing a companys image.

The problem, of course, is that this amounts to sponsored content, and nobody wants to watch that. Hearing Target employees tell you about the brands alleged practice of letting people steal from them until the total amount of stolen goods is equal to grand larceny is a lot more interesting than watching a Walmart worker show you his favorite Funko Pop dolls. And as long as TikTok is a platform driven by algorithmic popularity, the messy videos the ones where employees leak secrets, quit on camera, or expose union suppression will be the ones were most likely to see.

Of course, if Walmart manages to obtain a large enough stake in TikTok, all of this may be moot, and the platform could be reduced to an infinite scroll of creepily jubilant store greeters being forced to read from a corporate PR-approved script. Until then, retail workers of the world: Keep your cameras on.

Barely anyone in college turns their cameras on during Zoom lectures, but these students surprised their professor by showing their faces all at once. Spoiler: The professor cried, and so did I.

Read this article:

When Walmart and Amazon employees go viral - Vox.com

Rep. Daniel Meuser,

I appreciate a lot of the good work you have done through the years for your constituents and Pennsylvanians. However, I believe your endorsement of the amicus brief to the U. S. Supreme Court was an unequivocal mistake. You owe your constituency as well as all Pennsylvanians an apology.

I have been a Republican since registering to vote at in 1980 age 18. Then, Republicans were identifiable by core policy principles states rights, support for family values including the rights of the unborn, fiscally responsible economic policy and a strong military supporting the expansion of liberty across the globe.

My father-in-law was a senior aide to Sen. Arlen Spector, managing both the Intelligence Committee and Veterans affairs for more than 20 years. I understand the complexities of big decisions. I also understand the difficulty communicating in a world with social media and contrarian experts who can pick apart the best intentions of good people.

What I cannot understand is your support for the disenfranchisement of Pennsylvania voters. Your explanation that the amicus brief merely states our belief that the broad scope of the various allegations and irregularities . . . merits careful, timely review by the Supreme Court is misleading and disingenuous.

The election was held weeks ago, and there hasnt been a single case filed that has been judged to present evidence of fraud or misconduct that could even remotely portend to overturn the results in any state - despite millions of dollars and thousands of man-hours invested by President Trumps advocates and attorneys. The relief sought by the case is to move the choice of electors from the voters to the state legislature. We can post, tweet and parse words all we want, this effort represents a giant leap from democracy to authoritarianism, and history will judge it as nothing less.

Our party is no longer the party of Lincoln or Reagan. Politics are now rife with mean-spirited partisan bickering, which has accelerated since the scandal of President Clinton and simultaneous explosion of electronic media. Two significant and demoralizing aspects of the Trump administration have elevated this trend to a level that undermines the future of our country.

The first started with President Clinton and Newt Gingrich and has been brought to its natural conclusion with Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham. Our elected representatives have thrown out the rule book. There is an acceptance that the ends justify the means.

I am delighted with the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. However, I couldnt convince a child of any consistent logic behind the refusal to consider Justice Merrick Garland for the Supreme Court when contrasted with the rush to confirm Justice Barrett.

It is the epitome of hypocrisy. When things get complicated, the Golden Rule is a pretty good measuring stick for how to proceed. Would you be OK with Democrats applying the same logic? Could you fault President-elect Biden for stacking the court? Mercifully, he seems disinclined to do so at the moment.

The second and more egregious threat has been President Trumps efforts to undermine democracy. In How Democracies Die, Levitsky wrote of key principles that undermine Democracies including,

Is any of this familiar? While there may be traces of such things in earlier elections, President Trump has amplified all of the above. He did so after winning the election in 2016. In 2020, he unapologetically campaigned on a theme that the only legitimate outcome of the presidential election was a Donald Trump victory. He insisted any other outcome was fraudulent. He used every governmental lever available to try manufacture that result.

What is truly amazing is not that a few areas of isolated election irregularities have been identified, but that there has been so little evidence of fraud. This should give Americans hope.

I recommend reading Man of the House: The Life and Political Memoirs of Tip ONeill. It is an account of how effectively a Hamiltonian government can work. Political disagreements did not create mortal enemies. Politicians with different views were capable of sitting behind closed doors and doing what is best for the country, not necessarily themselves, and sometimes not even for their own constituents. They recognized compromise was often best for their constituents in the long run.

There is no argument that the Texas attorney general has a legitimate interest in overturning the Pennsylvania election results or that of any other state. That any Pennsylvanian, much less an official re-elected by the exact process, would endorse such a suit is indefensible.

One can twist logic, but one cannot evade the fact that you supported a legal challenge to free and fair elections in Pennsylvania. This is my opinion, but it is also the determination of the U.S. Supreme Court. Even Justices Alito and Thomas stated they would not have granted relief. History will similarly judge those who joined you in support of the amicus brief.

I do respect the very good work you have done through the years, but I encourage you to publicly acknowledge and apologize for your support of the amicus brief to overturn the election results in our state.

Dr. Anthony T. Petrick is a professor of surgery and lives in Danville, Pa.

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Rep. Meuser and legislators who tried to overturn free and fair elections should apologize to Pennsylvanians - pennlive.com