It seems almost trite to describe my experience at Yale as a world-class education. The teachers are phenomenal, the resources unparalleled, and my fellow students brilliant. However, there is a reason that Yales sticker price is around $73,000, despite many of the classes being available online: you learn a lot outside of the classroom. Being from Indiana, I had never really been exposed to truly radical politics. Of course, I had experienced plenty of liberals, both in my home and community, but I had never really encountered a burn-it-down mentality before showing up on Old Campus. Such a mentality abounds. I encountered more anti-capitalists in my first week at Yale than probably exist in the state of Indiana. The Yale extracurricular bazaar is a sea of opportunities to help those in need. Siren songs of radical leftism periodically blow up my Facebook. And yet, Ive come to realize something which has puzzled me: progressivism is, in many manifestations, a particularly elitist ideology.

I imagine this statement is a tad bracing. After all, progressive politics seem to be organized around helping the least and last among us; in that sense, it is anti-elitist. In the material realm, this seems to be true. Critiques of capitalism by the left involve blistering attacks on the most privileged among us (who, ironically, make up most of Yales student population). Movements to defund the police do not come out of any deep-seated desire to preserve systems of power. If we were merely discussing the material preconditions, I would concede that progressives are, in no sense of the word, elitist. However, progressivism does not merely concern itself with the material; Man shall not live by bread alone (Matthew 4:4 KJV). It concerns itself with the entirety of human affairs. Here is where the elitism comes into play.

Firstly, it is useful to clarify the core of progressivism, as I see it. This core is a concern regarding power structures. The goal of progressive politics is to tear down unequal power structures wherever they are, at least as much as feasibly possible. In many ways, this is a laudable goal. As one example, the edifice of white supremacy, the American power structure par excellence, ought to be dismantled. To wipe white supremacy off the face of the earth is to do the work of the Lord. However, the way progressives undertake this task is to detonate the entire system.

Race is not the only structure they seek to upend. Progressives, at least in their more radical moments, want to destroy the gender binary, open up traditional nuclear family units, and paint national identity as crypto-racism. They are leery of organized religion, to say the least. The unifying feature of the conservative social orders targeted by progressives is that they are non-voluntary. In the eyes of the conservative, one does not get to choose ones gender or ones nation. These are social roles that we play out on a stage made by others. Progressives see imposed identities as yet another insidious avenue through which power can corrupt. They would like to see a world in which everything is up to the individual; a world in which the things we cannot control do not constrain us.

This is elitist because it assumes the experience of a Yale student can be universalized. As a Yale student, I will never want for meaning in my life. I am lauded for my intelligence and hard work (regardless of how accurate the praise is); I am likely to work in a field or for an employer that society values. If the American meritocracy is in any way real, Yale students are the winners. This is not even getting into the fact that I am wealthy and white. The American meritocracy works great for me. The obvious question is, what about the losers? In the progressivism Ive described above, all forms of meaning which are non-voluntary ought to be expunged from our consciousness. Where does this leave those who are left behind by our meritocracy? By its very nature, meritocracies provide meaning to the successful. If we are interested in providing meaning to everyone, we should seek to preserve non-voluntary forms of meaning.

This is the great insight of conservatism: we love things not because they are great, but because they are ours. I am a proud Hoosier not because of any intrinsic characteristic of Indiana (though there are many), but because it is mine. I would be disappointed if someone didnt feel the same way about Washington or Kansas. Similarly, many people derive great meaning from their imposed gender identity. Fathers feel that their sacrifices are worth it not because they are parents, but because they are fathers. Last month, I started volunteering at a local homeless shelter. One of the volunteers was a drug addict who has been clean for over a decade. His secret? The love of Christ. One of the beautiful things about Christianity is that we do not earn Gods love. Faith is the gift of Godnot by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV). In our society, there will always be those at the lower rungs. For them, non-voluntary forms of meaning is all they have. We should not strip that which gives their lives dignity.

It is not as if involuntary meaning is without its shortcomings. Race comes to mind as an involuntary identity. White people historically have derived much meaning from their racial identity. They also fought fiercely to preserve the prerogatives that they thought whites deserved. Here, it is important to distinguish between identity as privilege, and identity as meaning. Group supremacy, like white supremacy, falls into the first category. As a function of whiteness, certain things are deserved, ranging from segregated facilities to indigenous land to slave ownership. Another example is the patriarchy, in which men are entitled to exclusive control over the public sphere. It is exclusive, exclusionary, and distinct from identity as meaning. The function of identity as meaning is not to provide you with material things. Being a Connecticuter does not make you better than your neighbor. Being a father doesnt prevent anyone else from being one as well. This form of identity doesnt benefit you; in fact, it can require things of you. If we care about meaning, this is the identity that needs to be preserved.

One key question is whether malignant identity can be rehabilitated. Can we turn group supremacy into harmless meaning? After all, there is a reason that pride in white identity is only the domain of Neo-Nazis and Neo-Confederates: it is intrinsically bound up in the economic and political superiority of whites. We dont see how you can be proud to be white without being a racist and a white supremacist. However, this doesnt seem to be true for every example of group supremacy. Albeit imperfectly, male identity can be expressed without implicit superiority over women. Similarly, British national pride in the nineteenth century was extremely warlike and militaristic; it also trafficked in the supposed supremacy of the Anglo-Saxon race. Nowadays, British national pride seems relatively benign (depending on ones view of Brexit). In at least some cases, harmful identities can be moderated into beneficial ones.

The second issue is that meaning might lead us away from whats important; itll cause us to take our eye off the ball. Much of the argument so far is that there are those in our society who are poor, maligned, and forgotten. They have no economic opportunity, and their chance at dignity is being dismantled piece by piece. An obvious question might arise: Why not just give them economic opportunity? It is not obvious why we cannot just provide enough economic opportunity to obviate the need for involuntary meaning. This is compelling, but there will always be some people who fall off the wagon. Even if we have a perfectly meritocratic education, there will be those who dont get into college.Even if our prison system becomes just, people will still be incarcerated. No matter how well we handle the opioid epidemic, there will be those whose substance addiction makes it difficult to take advantage of opportunity, no matter how plentiful. In short, there will always be those at the margins, for whom all the economic opportunity in the world will be insufficient; this doesnt mean they dont deserve dignity as well.

The problem with progressivism is two-fold. The first is that the destruction of tradition doesnt leave meaning for the unsuccessful in our society. The second is that it is cavalier about stripping that meaning. It may be true that people can find other forms of meaning in life. Perhaps being a good father can be replaced by being a good parent. A proud American can instead be a proud citizen of the world. But this strikes me as a bit presumptuous. My love of Indiana is not easily replaceable. One cannot choose to grow up where they do; they also cannot love any other place in the same way. If we decided to redistribute the world at random into new countries, it would be hard to create a new nationalism. Heck, one need only look at modern Africa to see the difficulty of synthetic nationalism.

Meaning is fickle and cannot be easily replicated. It is not pliable or malleable, or even durable. It cannot be created in a lab or a government building, and once destroyed it is difficult to resurrect. Pres. Josiah Bartlett of The West Wing says of heirlooms: Something with a history, so we can say, my father gave this to me, his father gave this to me; now Im giving this to you (The West Wing S2E8). This meaning is valuable almost because it cant be made; the beauty of history is that it is organically meaningful. We understand this intuitively when we talk about things like family history, but its more broadly applicable.

Now, the death of meaning doesnt matter to me personally, because I will be insulated no matter the outcome. Yale students, as bright, upwardly mobile people, need not fear a meaningless life. Despite this, there are millions of people today who find meaning in their lives from the structures that progressives want to destroy. There are drug addicts who are clean by the grace of God; there are mothers who reckon their sacrifices worth it for their children. Many give for their country selflessly. This should not prevent us from making a more equitable society. It does not preclude racial justice, nor a more egalitarian economic policy. All it does is circumscribe the change we should be trying to bring about. It is improving lives without removing what makes them meaningful now. While it is conceptually possible that all of this current meaning can be replaced, it strikes me as arrogant to make such a gamble.

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Progress to What? - The Yale Politic

(The Center Square) It's no secret that workers are facing a tough job market.

Restrictions and uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic have many employers considering laying people off, if they havent already. Employers who have furloughed employees are wondering when they can bring them back.

And as with most downturns, its the people who already were struggling who are in the toughest position, said Will Harrell, a criminal and juvenile justice consultant.

Poor people are going to be hit the hardest, he said. And poor people with criminal convictions, and thats most people with criminal convictions, are going to be hit harder than that.

Louisiana historically imprisons more of its residents per capita than anywhere else in the world. Some 18,000 are released every year, according to the state Department of Public Safety and Corrections, and about 43 percent will return to jail within five years for either violating the terms of their release or committing a new crime.

Advocates say those who are able to find consistent work are less likely to re-offend, which means policies that help former prisoners find work protect public safety while potentially saving taxpayer dollars that might otherwise be spent on reincarceration. A 2016 study estimates that excluding people with criminal backgrounds from the workforce subtracts at least $78 billion annually from the nations gross domestic product.

Harrell says the state is making progress in this area but there is plenty of work to be done. He calls the package of criminal justice changes approved in 2017 a watershed moment, representing a shift of emphasis away from warehousing people and encouraging reentry support.

And while the connection between voting and getting a job might not be obvious, Harrell considers the recent restoration of voting rights for thousands of felons a huge transformative moment.

What we want is for people to integrate, to join the workforce, to pay their taxes, and to be productive members of our community, he said. Acknowledging their humanity and restoring their civil rights is a great step toward that end.

Harrell said legislation approved this year, including renewal of the Clean Slate Task Force, is meant to put the state on a path to expand and simplify opportunities to have crimes expunged from offenders records. The current process is expensive and basically requires a lawyer to navigate, Harrell said.

He said next years agenda should include legislation to ensure defendants understand when a guilty plea might affect their ability to get housing, student loans, or an occupational license, even if they arent sentenced to any prison time.

All of these consequences that people arent aware of should be considered part of the sentence, because it is, Harrell said.

The Louisiana Workforce Commission provides OSHA 10 workforce training to prisoners at seven state institutions so theyll have a credential when they leave, the LWC says in an emailed response to questions. The LWC also assigns personnel to five reporting centers within the Department of Corrections, which begins helping prisoners prepare for the transition process about nine months prior to release.

The commission also oversees the states Fidelity Bonding program, insuring employers against employee dishonesty, including theft, forgery, larceny or embezzlement. The goal is to encourage hiring of people who are qualified for the job but might be perceived as high risk.

This year, the LWC partnered with the corrections department and local nonprofits on a pilot project for formerly incarcerated men with a moderate-to-high risk of recidivism in East Baton Rouge Parish. Participants in the 60-day program went through life skills, employment training, transitional employment, job coaching and case management.

Asked if there are initiatives being tried in other states that might be worth considering in Louisiana, the LWC noted that states such as Texas, Massachusetts and Missouri are providing transitional housing to ex-offenders while they are receiving employment wrap-around services.

Its has always been difficult to get employers to give formerly incarcerated personnel a second chance, but during the pandemic this has proven even more difficult, the LWCs statement says.Given the employment circumstances of COVID-19, employers are now faced with layoffs of current workers and they are still not at a point where they can bring back the initial employees that have been laid off.

House Bill 77 from this years regular session allows probationers and parolees to meet with their probation officers virtually, rather than having to miss work for an in-person visit.

My probationers would tell me I cant afford to miss a day of work, former probation and parole specialist Scott Peyton said. Peyton is Louisiana director for Right on Crime, which says it advocates for policies that help convert former prisoners from tax burdens to tax payers. The measure has the added bonus of reducing the risk of spreading infectious diseases such as COVID-19, he notes.

Asked about things other states are doing that Louisiana lawmakers should consider, Peyton brings up occupational licensing. Current rules set by many licensing boards make it difficult, if not impossible, for ex-offenders to qualify. A proposal last year to loosen some of those restrictions was amended with so many exemptions that the author decided not to move forward, Harrell said.

These boards come forward and say, We agree in principle, but not for us, Harrell said.

Peyton likes to emphasize the upsides of hiring formerly incarcerated people, which include federal Work Opportunity Tax Credits. He also says former prisoners, when given a second chance, often are more loyal employees than the average worker.

People on supervised release are tested for drugs and required to work. If theyve received skills training on the inside, they might even be better prepared than some workers who havent been incarcerated.

Its almost like a whole separate HR department, Peyton said.

Bills and resolutions Louisiana lawmakers approved this year meant to help former prisoners reenter the workforce include:

House Bill 77 (regular session): Allows the use of video technology for probationers and parolees as an alternative to taking time off work for an in-person meeting.

Senate Bill 354 (regular session): Requires the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to provide an identification card to each individual upon their release that includes a list of vocational training accomplishments.

House Bill 529 (regular session): Requires probation and parole officials to issue a letter of incarceration upon request that provides an accounting of a persons time spent in corrections department custody.

House Bill 643 (regular session): Allows reevaluation of supervision requirements for people on parole after they have served five years for non-violent offenses and seven years for violent offenses.

House Resolution 67 (regular session): Recreates the Clean Slate Task Force, which is tasked with recommending ways to help people with criminal histories navigate Louisianas expungement process and clear barriers to employment and housing.

House Concurrent Resolution 17 and Senate Concurrent Resolution 11 (special session): Urges state agencies and businesses to recognize the value that justice-involved persons can bring to the workforce and society and to act with intention to empower, train, and employ such individuals.

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Advocates: Louisiana making progress on prison-to-workforce-reentry, but more work to be done - The Center Square

Six-and-a-half years after Rolls-Royce revealed radical plans to develop a next-generation geared engine called the UltraFan, the company is starting to build up modules for the first demonstrator.

Rated at 84,000-lb. thrust and with a 140-in.-dia. composite fan, the engines new core and geared drive mark a departure from the three-shaft architecture that has formed the basis of the companys big-fan family since the 1970s. The engine is scheduled to begin ground tests in 2021, with follow-on units joining the test effort in 2022 and paving the way for initial production versions later in the decade.

The engine size for those initial applications remains unknown, but lies within the 25,000-100,000-lb.-thrust range covered by the scalable UltraFan architecture. Having seen the first potential application, the New Midmarket Airplane, disappear with Boeings product strategy rethink, Rolls remains agnostic on initial candidate applications.

The collapse in global air transport triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic may give Rolls more time to refine its initial offering as Airbus and Boeing pause their product-development planning. We are keen to get through the technology de-risking stage . . . so having a little more time to reflect on that might be beneficial, says Andy Geer, chief engineer and UltraFan program head.

But the world doesnt stand still. Depending on the rate at which the business recovers and to what extent the fuel price goes back to where it wasor starts to attract carbon taxationall of those factors could affect the dynamics of the market quite quickly. We just have to be in a position to be ready for when that long-term market recovery comes along, Geer says. It is still the purpose of the demonstrator to be ready for whenever the customer airlines and airframers converge their strategic needs.

Rolls believes nothing has changed to fundamentally alter either the goal of the UltraFan demonstrator or the long-term prospects for the engine. Its scalable and then you have choices, says Geer. Once you have demonstrated the capability, you have choice. And beyond that, you have credibility when you offer those choices. The goal is to get these technologies ready to use. The exact way we use themthe mixwe can adapt that once you have credibility of the technology set.

To get to the demonstrator, Rolls has focused on two main tracks: improving thermal efficiency by building the hotter, smaller core of the Advance3 test engine; and enhancing propulsive efficiency by developing new low-pressure (LP) system components to increase bypass ratio with a bigger, slower fan.

While the Advance3 core could form the heart of a future direct-drive turbofan, it also paves the way for the geared UltraFan. The new core reduces the workload on the intermediate-pressure (IP) compressor while increasing the workload on the high-pressure (HP) compressor.

The UltraFans new LP architecture builds on this by introducing a bigger IP turbine that is used to drive the IP compressor and fan via a gearbox. By linking the fan to the high-speed IP turbine instead of driving it directly with the LP turbine, as in Rolls current Trent engines, the UltraFan eliminates this large latter turbine section, making underwing installation easier.

The first large components for the demonstrator engine are coming together. Initial composite fan blades are in assembly following ground and flight tests under the Advanced Low Pressure System program. Developed in partnership with industry, the European Clean Sky and UK government Innovate programs, the blade set and composite fan case will save around 1,500 lb. per shipset on a twin-engine aircraft compared to a metallic design.

Having a low-speed fan is essential when you move to such a high bypass ratio, so for this it involves both low-speed aerodynamics and carbon-titanium construction, says Geer. Building on ground and flight testing at Trent 1000 scale, plus component tests at UltraFan scale, the company has completed the first fan case. Further tests at UltraFan scale are planned in a trailing-blade impact rig in 2021.

Testing of the power gearbox in Dahlewitz, Germany, has been underway since the end of 2019 with the eighth build-standard of engine-representative hardware. The system consists of a ring gear enclosing five planetary gears that rotate around a central sun gear. The fan drives off a centrally mounted planet carrier.

The baseline gearbox design has been tested in a special attitude rig since 2016 and in a power rig since 2017. We have a number of other units in build which will continue testing through 2021 to take it to maturity. Basic characterization is now complete, and we are happy with that, says Geer.

Advance3 demonstrator tests have meanwhile passed the 100-hr. mark, including full-power runs. The advanced core is integrated with a Trent 1000 LP turbine and Trent XWB-84 fan system to demonstrate new features including a low-emissions lean-burn combustor and additively manufactured components.

The rebuilt engine will return to test this year for a second phase that is scheduled to continue through 2021. The first phase characterized the cores basic behavior under relatively controlled operating conditions. Now we get to push it into more extreme circumstances it would see in operation, says Geer.

In parallel with testing under Advance3, the lean-burn design is being evaluated under the Advanced Low Emissions Combustor System program. Reducing emissions by combusting fuel more efficiently through a series of concentric burners, the design has completed ground tests in a modified Trent 1000. A further phase of ground and flight tests is to start shortly, according to Geer.

A better combustion system also is expected to maximize turbine capability and help improve cycle efficiency in the UltraFan. The exit conditions of the combustor play a significant role in the efficiency of the HP turbine. If you can design your combustor to provide the best possible temperature profile entry conditions to the turbine, that helps the engine system, he says.

Another area of testing is focused on the aerodynamics and mechanics of the UltraFans lightweight four-stage IP turbine. Developed with Rolls Spanish subsidiary ITP Aero, the nickel alloy turbine section has completed aerodynamic evaluation on a rig at the CTA Aerospace Test Laboratory near Barcelona. ITP has manufactured the first IP turbine case for the demonstrator.

We are moving quickly through the design release and manufacturing of components across the whole of the UltraFan demonstrator engine, reports Geer. Its a busy time, and its not ideal that we happen to be doing this on the back of the COVID-19 pandemic. Inevitably, its a bit of hard work at the moment with the world supply chain being disrupted.

Despite this, the demonstrator remains on track to start tests in 2021. Weve had hits as a result of COVID and are seeing a range of challenges, he says. If we only need a single part in a module, but it has been impacted by a supply-chain disruption, then it causes us to wait to launch that module. Its been a little bit hand-to-mouth in how that works out in todays world.

Originally posted here:

Test Progress Keeps UltraFan Demo On Track To Run In 2021 - Aviation Week

Trey Songz has accused Kanye West of standing in the way of progress after the rapper kickstarted his presidential campaign with a rally in South Carolina over the weekend.

Wests first major stop on the campaign trail was marred by controversy after he suggested that American abolitionistHarriet Tubman didnt actually free slaves.

He also doubled down on his his anti-abortion statements and detailed how he and wife Kim Kardashian West spoke about not having their first child, North.

Sharing a video of Kanyes rally on Instagram, Songz wrote: They been sayin man Trey need to call these n****s before he just put em online blastin.

Ye you in the way of progress foreal, how you turn this goofy from who you were? Im so confused, whoever got his number need to call him.

West is yet to respond to Trey Songz comments, but his remarks at the rally prompted immediate walk-outs with one woman heard to say we leaving right now after he commented on Tubman.

The rapper also told the rally that he isnt anti-abortion, but that he wants to give maximum support to pregnant women and their partners.

No more Plan B, Plan Aanyone who is pregnant, you have an option of $50,000 of support to take care of your child, he said.

He then upped the option to $1million, saying Everybody that has a baby gets a million dollars, or something like that.

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Trey Songz accuses Kanye West of standing in the way of progress after controversial presidential rally - NME

City leaders make progress on bike lanes and sidewalks in Algiers

Leaders are making changes as a part of the Moving New Orleans Bikes initiative.

Updated: 9:09 AM CDT Jul 20, 2020

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IN OTHER NEWS BACK HERE AT HOME, , THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC ISNT STOPPING STREET IMPROVEMENTS IN ALGIERS. THE NEWTON STREET CORRIDOR WAS RECENTLY REVAMPED WITH NEW BIKE LANES, PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS AND SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS. THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ARE PART OF A BIGGER EFFORT TO MAKE NEW ORLEANS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE. LOCAL LEADERS SAY THE CHANGES COULD ALSO BOOST BUSINESS IN ALGIERS. >> WEVE SEEN STUDY AFTER STUDY AFTER STUDY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES THAT SHOWS WHERE BIKE LANES COME, AND WHERE WE HAVE THIS MORE FRIENDLY PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE, SALES TAXES TEND TO INCREASE. SHERMAN: AND MORE IMPROVEMENTS ARE COMING. FOSTER SAYS CONSTRUCTION JUS

City leaders make progress on bike lanes and sidewalks in Algiers

Leaders are making changes as a part of the Moving New Orleans Bikes initiative.

Updated: 9:09 AM CDT Jul 20, 2020

Leaders are making changes as a part of the Moving New Orleans Bikes initiative.

Leaders are making changes as a part of the Moving New Orleans Bikes initiative.

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City leaders make progress on bike lanes and sidewalks in Algiers - WDSU New Orleans

Far from an offhand or casually constructed story, The Ickabog intentionally continues many of the themes and structures of the Harry Potter books in a fairy tale genre.

In this months episode, Katy and John talk with Harry Potter scholars John Pazdziora (University of Tokyo-Komaba) and Lana Whited (Ferrum College) about our first analyses of The Ickabog, which was released in installments from June to July 2020. The slow release has allowed fans of Harry Potter once again the delights of speculating about what will happen next, and we have captured that spirit in our conversation recorded after Chapter 51 was posted.

Lana Whited points out the connections with The Emperors New Clothes, while John Pazdziora shows how they fit within the French conte tradition that combined fairy tales with social criticism. Following both those traditions, The Ickabog lures the reader into a politically sharp and often violent tale. We discuss what the fairy tale theories of Bruno Bettelheim tell us about how children process gruesome stories. The third-person omniscient, even parental, voice of the narrator serves a purpose in talking readers through the difficult experiences of the Cornucopians.

Other literary allusions abound. The name Beamish references The Jabberwocky; the Ickabog reminds of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The Ickabogs cave recalls Odysseuss encounter with the Cyclops, but also Platos Allegory of the Cave, where the stories that compose reality are revealed to be false. We consider whether The Reluctant Dragon and The BFG might contains clues for us about the Ickabogs true nature. We also use Freudian psychoanalysis to interpret the story in surprising ways. The Ickabogs name allows several possible literary and linguistic interpretations. The Ickabog is a story about stories: why we tell them, how they influence us, and how our interpretations may change with our experience of the world.

There are similarities between this story and both Harry Potter and the Cormoran Strike series. From common thematic elements to alchemical symbolism and once again a chiastic, turtleback structure for the tale, we consider how parallels to these other works reveal the meaning of The Ickabog. We then use that knowledge to make predictions for its end. How well did we predict it? Listen in and see what you think!

Please join the conversation via email (ReadingWritingRowling@gmail.com), Twitter (@ReadWriteRowl), or our Facebook page! Wed love to hear from you.

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"Reading, Writing, Rowling" Episode 44: "The Ickabog: Thoughts in Progress" - MuggleNet

A virtual soil and water conservation field day on urban stream and riparian area management will be at 1 p.m. July 23. Hosted by Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with the Iowa Nutrient Research Center and the Conservation Learning Group, the webinar will be led by Jan Thompson, Iowa State University Morrill professor of natural resource ecology and management, and Aaron Gwinnup, water resources engineer with Emmons & Olivier Resources Inc.

Rivers and streams reflect the activity of the watershed that drains into them. This is especially true in urban areas, where these waterbodies are tasked with not only providing habitat and recreation, but also capturing and transporting stormwater away from homes and businesses in areas dominated by impervious surfaces that continue to increase.

Our research indicates that restoration activities and practices to protect urban streams can significantly improve water quality and ecological integrity of the streams themselves, as well as providing place-based opportunities for urban residents to better connect with these natural features in their neighborhoods and communities, Thompson says.We are excited to offer this opportunity that will include video footage from thefield, as well as the opportunity to ask questions live.

Make plans to join the live field day. Shortly before 1 p.m. July 23, go toISUs Zoom page, or visit iowalearningfarms.org/page/events and click Join Live Virtual Field Day. Orcall312-626-6799 or 646-876-9923. The meeting ID is 914 1198 4892.

The field day will bearchived on the ILF website.A certified crop adviser board-approved continuing education unithas been applied for, for those who are able to participate in the live webinar. Information about how to apply to receive the credit (if approved) will be provided at the end of the live field day.

Source: ILF, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.

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Conservation for urban streams to be focus of webinar - Farm Progress

USC football at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. (Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

Back in 2018, USC football was thrilled to land Solomon Tuliaupupu out of the Mater Dei pipeline.

Two years later, the Trojans are still waiting for the gifted linebacker to see the practice field for an extended period, let alone make an impact in a game.

What has kept Tuliaupupu from launching his college career and what can USC fans hope to see from him going forward?

Tuliaupupu was one of the top linebackers in the class of 2018, ranking No. 86 nationally in the 247Sports composite.

Having delivered 63 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and four sacks for Mater Dei as a senior, he was named USA Todays All-USA Defensive Player of the Year.

Scouts were high on his potential. They ranked him No. 86 nationally in the 247Sports composite. Only two inside linebackers were rated ahead of him and one of those was fellow USC signee Palaie Gaoteote.

With a 6-foot-2, 220-pound frame, the aggressive nature to rush the passer and the athleticism to drop back into coverage, Tuliaupupu was seen as a future high impact player for the Trojans.

Unfortunately, Tuliaupupu missed the final two games of his Mater Dei career because of a foot injury and he hasnt played football since. Thats two-and-a-half years without taking part in a meaningful football game.

MORE:Speedy running back names USC in Top 8

He hasnt been able to practice much either. He arrived at USC with his foot still holding him back and sat out the 2018 season after undergoing surgery.

The 2019 season was supposed to offer Tuliaupupu the chance to return to the field and form. However, after participating in early Spring Camp practices he reaggravated the foot problem. Another surgery kept him out for the entirety of the season once more.

With any luck, Tuliaupupu will be fully recovered from that lingering foot injury and ready to make good on his potential in 2020.

The Trojans are replacing a starter in John Houston at middle linebacker, so there is theoretically a spot for Tuliaupupu to step into. Hell have to see off veteran Jordan Iosefa and other challengers for the job though.

CHECK OUT:Prophet Brown commits to USC

The biggest concern is how long it will take for him to shake off the rust having spent so much time on the sidelines. If thats not a problem for him, its reasonable to expect the linebacker to not only take over a starting job but to rise into a starring role on defense. If it is, Trojan fans may have to wait another season before they see the best of Tuliaupupu.

Tuliaupupus troubling history will no doubt give NFL evaluators pause, but his immense potential could still give him a pathway to the pros. First, he needs to prove he can succeed at the college level.

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USC football progress report: Solomon Tuliapupu finally ready to go - Reign of Troy

NFL. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)

The NFL and the NFLPA are getting closer to figuring out what theyre going to do this fall.

According to Tom Pelissero of The NFL Network, the NFLs latest proposal to players includes just one preseason game, rather than twoPlayers still want no preseason games and a longer acclimation period. But a sign the sides are working and getting closer to a plan for 2020.

Pelissero replied to his own tweet early Monday morning with a bit more clarification to help us better understand whats going on. Under the NFLs proposal, the one preseason game would be played in what normally is the third preseason week, the week of Aug. 27. Thatd provide an extra week of preparation, though not the full 21 days of strength and conditioning players want.

It should come as a surprise to no one that the players dont want to play in any preseason games. Why take a beating on your body for a game that doesnt count and wont have any fans in the stands? With the league conceding to only one preseason game, coming on what would be the typical week for preseason game No. 3, you can see its trying to meet the players halfway.

At their core, the players do want to play. They understand fully America needs football right now and these are full-grown men making absurds amounts of money to play a game they love professionally. However, they should be concerned about the NFL being behind the curve on implementing certain testing protocols. Uniformity will be key to ensuring us having a season.

Ultimately, there is too much money at stake for the NFL not to have a 2020 season. Itll look different than any other season before it, and we know that to be unequivocally true. With other North American sports leagues like the MLB, the MLS, the NBA and the NHL either playing already or are on the precipice of doing so, look for the NFL to learn from what the other leagues have done.

Even though it is a lost opportunity to make revenue should the NFL do away with preseason games altogether this year, it also hurts players desperately trying to make a roster. Star players have no interest in taking a snap in the preseason, but for rookies and fringe roster players, the preseason is their Super Bowl. Maybe expanded rosters are a way to rectify this issue in some way?

Look for the NFL and the NFLPA to reach an agreement here soon for how to tackle the preseason.

Read the rest here:

The NFL and the NFLPA are making progress towards 2020 season - FanSided

In summary

Someday Californias high-speed rail system will be regarded like the Golden Gate Bridge, as an icon, and BART, which has helped reduce Bay Area traffic.

State Sen. Jim Beall, a Democrat from San Jose, represents the 15th Senate District, senator.beall@senate.ca.gov. He is chair of the Transportation Committee.

State Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat from San Francisco, represents the 11th Senate District, senator.wiener@senate.ca.gov. He is chair of the Housing Committee.

Californias High-Speed Rail project is under fire again, but history shows us that major infrastructure projects are almost always controversial.

Keep tabs on the latest California policy and politics news

Before it was built, the Golden Gate Bridge was derided as financially unsound, legally dubious and an aesthetic blight. BART was deemed the ultimate money drain. Today opponents of the high-speed rail shorthand their objections: boondoggle.

Mega-infrastructure projects are hard. The bigger the project, the harder it gets. And California hasnt tackled an infrastructure project as big or as bold as high-speed rail since the building of our state highway system more than 50 years ago.

Yet despite all the handwringing, the political infighting, the calls to cancel the project and redirect funds, progress marches steadily forward. The High-Speed Rail Authority is systematically and transparently working its way through full environmental clearance for the entire statewide system by the end of 2022 so that as continued funding becomes available, the state is ready to build.

Whats not reported often is that this project is undertaking the largest environmental clearance effort in the country. The authority continues to make steady progress on this effort, with a schedule that shows theyll meet the federally mandated 2022 deadline.

Construction of the high-speed rail system is fully underway at 32 job sites across several counties along the first 119 miles of the system. This stretch will be the heart of the system and the testing ground for the nations first electrified high-speed rail trains. As of this month, 4,000 men and women have been put to work on construction jobs in the Central Valley because of the high-speed rail project. Rather than joining the swollen ranks of unemployed Californians, these men and women are providing for themselves and their families and helping build Californias future.

Here in the Bay Area, thanks to $700 million of investment from High-Speed Rail, Caltrain is already working on its part of the project: electrifying the peninsula corridor. Ultimately Caltrain will share tracks with high-speed rail trains for the ride between San Francisco and Gilroy. The High-Speed Rail Authority is also collaborating with local agencies to bring trains to the Salesforce Transit Center in San Francisco and to reimagine the future of Diridon Station in San Jose.

This project is moving along, and contrary to recent reports, legislative oversight of the project has been consistent and ongoing. The California state Senate and Assembly each appoint members to sit on the authority board and receive regular updates on the authoritys plans and progress. The Legislature also holds final authority over release of bond funds, a major source of project funding.

Both sides of the aisle seem to agree that infrastructure projects are essential. Both sides agree that we need jobs. Yet somehow this infrastructure project, which is not only creating jobs but also connecting the major economic regions of our state while tackling climate change, traffic and affordable housing continues to remain controversial. The time is now to move forward on bringing this critical investment into reality.

These days the Golden Gate Bridge is an iconic symbol of San Francisco. And its hard to imagine what Bay Area traffic would look like without BART. Someday high-speed rail will hold a similar place in Californias economy and vitality.

We can build things in California. It takes persistence, patience, political will, long-term vision and thoughtful public discourse. And it would help if we can all agree to drop the term boondoggle and start recognizing the progress thats happening right in our home state.

As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on the generosity of Californians like you to cover the issues that matter. If you value our reporting, support our journalism with a donation.

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Recognize the progress of high speed rail - CALmatters

For Sale For Lease

Property Type Single Family Townhouse/Condo Country Homes/Acreage Mid/Hi Rise Condominium Residential Lots Multi Family

Property Type Single Family Townhouse/Condo Country Homes/Acreage Mid/Hi Rise Condominium Residential Lots Multi Family

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Min. Beds 1 Bed 2 Beds 3 Beds 4 Beds 5 Beds 6 Beds 7 Beds 8 Beds 9 Beds

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Welch: Industry partnership driving environmental progress in the Permian - Midland Reporter-Telegram

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 03: George R. R. Martin attends the "Game Of Thrones" Season 8 Premiere on April 03, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

Okay, lets get the obvious questions out of the way: No, George R.R. Martin hasnt finished writingThe Winds of Winter. In fact, it sounds like he still has a ways to go. But writing the other day on hisNot a Blog, theSong of Ice and Fireauthordoessound optimistic about his progress, which continues a trend I think bodes well.

This writing stuff is hard, Martin begins. Even so, it has been going well of late. Three more chapters completed this past week. And good progress on several more.

Thats good to hear, although of course then he has to throw in this: Still a long long way to go, though. Do not get too excited.

Ill be honest: after waiting forThe Winds of Winterto hit store shelves for nearly a decade, I dont think many people are going to gettooexcited. Weve been here before.

At the same time, Martin seems to be writing much more frequently than usual about the progress hes making on the sixth installment of his series, even giving us specifics.Of late I have been visiting with Cersei, Asha, Tyrion, Ser Barristan, and Areo Hotah. I will be dropping back into Braavos next week, he wrote in June. Now you will have to excuse me. Arya is calling. I think she means to kill someone.

You can tell by the jokey way hes writing that he feels pretty good about it, which is great news. Perhaps the end of Game of Thronesreally has taken some of the pressure offand let Martin relax back into his work.

But of course, considering his normal writing pace, we still probably have a long while to wait. That warning about not getting excited is all too real.

Me and the Frog are headed back to Westeros, Martin finishes, referring to this:

Thatll do, frog.

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassingFacebook pageand sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

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George R.R. Martin making good progress on The Winds of Winter - Winter is Coming

Karyopharm Collaborates with National Cancer Institute for XPOVIO Research

Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. (KPTI) announced that it has inked a new collaboration with National Cancer Institute. The partnership will mainly focus on developing XPOVIO, an oral Selective Inhibitor of Nuclear Export (SINE) compound. Both the parties will work together on studies to assess the efficacy and safety of XPOVIO in various oncology indications.

Karyopharm will be dealing with National Cancer Institutes Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, as stated in Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA). Sharon Shacham of Karyopharm said, The studies conducted under this partnership will be designed with the goal of identifying and optimizing combinations and indications that hold the greatest chance of clinical success. This CRADA is an important collaboration for Karyopharm as we work to realize the full potential of XPOVIO and bring this novel medicine to as many patients as possible. It is also expected that NCI may support non-clinical studies for exploring teaming XPOVIO with different targeted or standard of care cancer agents.

XPOVIO works by blocking XPO1, a cellular protein. This protein plays a prominent role in controlling the actions of various relevant oncoproteins including tumor suppressing proteins. XPO1 is found to be overexpressed in solid tumors as well as in hematologic tumors. There have also been indications that such overexpression is directly correlated with poor overall patient survival and higher tumor grade.

XPOVIO was endorsed by the FDA under its accelerated approval pathway. The drug candidate was approved to be used in conjunction with dexamethasone for treating adult patients with relapsed refractory multiple myeloma who have given at least four prior therapies and whose disease is refractory to at least two proteasome inhibitors, at least two immunomodulatory agents, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody.

Karyopharm has submitted a Marketing Authorization Application with the European Medicines Agency seeking conditional approval for Selinexor for treating relapsed refractory multiple myeloma. Further, its Supplemental New Drug Application is also pending with the FDA. This application pertains to label expansion for including treatment for patients with multiple myeloma after at least one prior line of therapy. The company has used the positive data from its Phase 3 BOSTON study for backing its application.

XPOVIO is also approved by the FDA for treating adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. It may also be used for treating DLBCL arising from follicular lymphoma, after at least two lines of systemic therapy. Selinexor is currently being assessed in various mid stage and later stage clinical trials for different cancer indications. It is under evaluation as a potential backbone therapy in combination with approved myeloma therapies for treating liposarcoma and endometrial cancer among others.

Karyopharm Therapeutics is mainly engaged in developing novel therapies directed against nuclear export and related targets for treating major diseases including cancer. XPOVIO is the lead drug candidate for the company while it also has several other investigational programs in different stages of development including clinical and pre-clinical stage. The company also plans to test the drug candidate for treating severe COVID-19 patients.

ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT) announced initiating the dosing of patients for its pivotal Phase 2 portion of LOTIS3 clinical trial. The study has 161 patients enrolled in it and will assess the efficacy and safety of Loncastuximab Tesirine. This phase of the trial will have three cohorts which are on-germinal center B-cell-like (non-GCB) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, GCB diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma.

Interim data from the Phase 1 portion of the Phase 1/2 clinical trial demonstrated an overall response rate of 75.0% and complete response rate of 58.3% at the Lonca dose of 60 g/kg. Phase 2 of the trial will be conducted using this dosage. Jay Feingold of ADC Therapeutics said, We are pleased to have dosed the first patient in the pivotal Phase 2 portion of this trial as we continue advancing Lonca as both a single agent and in combination with other therapies for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The company plans to use the data for supporting the submission of its supplemental Biologics License Application to the FDA.

The earlier data for the drug candidate showed manageable toxicity profile. The most common grade adverse events in patients were thrombocytopenia and anemia. Lonca is a CD19-targeted ADC while ibrutinib is a small-molecule inhibitor of Brutons tyrosine kinase. Their combination is expected to have high potential to treat the conditions.

Loncastuximab tesirine was formerly known as ADCT-402. It is an antibody drug conjugate and consists of a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against human CD19. In LOTIS 2, the drug candidate is being evaluated for its potential to treat patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. LOTIS2 is a pivotal Phase 2 clinical trial. LOTIS3 is a pivotal Phase 1/2 trial and is designed to evaluate the drug candidate in conjunction with brutinib for treating patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL or mantle cell lymphoma.

Luminex Corporation (LMNX) announced that it has received the FDA approval for emergency use of its xMAP SARS-CoV-2 Multi-Antigen IgG assay. As per the notification by the FDA, the product is intended for use as an aid in identifying individuals with an adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2, indicating recent or prior infection.

The test works by detecting antibodies of the immunoglobulin class G (IgG), which are an important component of an adaptive immune response. The company had filed for the FDA authorization in June this year. At the time, the company CEO Nachum "Homi" Shamir had said, Our xMAP technology is ideally suited for serology testing because of its proven ability to deliver extremely high specificity and sensitivity on a high-throughput, gold-standard multiplex platform."

Luminex already has two SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic tests out in the market. These tests, Magpix and Aries, are designed to be used by high-complexity, high-throughput reference labs as well as by moderate complexity, sample-to-answer testing locations. ARIES can process up to 144 tests per day and does not require any special training for this purpose. xMAP Technology uses a bead-based multiplexing assay approach for rapid detection and quantification of multiple analytes in a single sample.

The xMAP SARS-CoV-2 Multi-Antigen IgG assay uses multiplexing for simultaneous detection of antibodies to three SARS-CoV-2 antigens. It is equipped with multiple internal controls to provide a comprehensive and reliable evaluation of the immune response.

Luminex is mainly engaged in clinical diagnostics development, genomic and biomedical research and pharmaceutical drug discovery. The company also deals with food safety and biodefense research.

Thanks for reading. At the Total Pharma Tracker, we do more than follow biotech news. Using our IOMachine, our team of analysts work to be ahead of the curve.

That means that when the catalyst comes that will make or break a stock, weve positioned ourselves for success. And we share that positioning and all the analysis behind it with our members.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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Karyopharm's XPOVIO Progress And Other News: The Good, Bad And Ugly Of Biopharma - Seeking Alpha

1. United States

Elk have returned to Kentucky, providing an economic boost to 16 counties of coal country. Elk were once common in the western part of the state, but development pushed away many native game species by the 20th century. In eastern Kentucky, minings mountaintop removal process decimated local landscapes and ecosystems, but as theindustry has receded, it has left behind a new landscape of uninhabited, grassy plateauswhere elk can thrive.

Elk roam the Starfire mine site near Hazard, Kentucky, on Jan. 15, 2004. Approximately 250 elk live on the reclaimed strip mine. Throughout eastern Kentucky, the species appears to be thriving.

Through an aggressive reintroduction effort, the reclaimed mines are now home to roughly 13,000 elk, the largest population east of the Mississippi. The state fish and wildlife department reports the emerging elk market including sightseeing tours and hunting guides contributes $5 million to local economies, which have some of the highest poverty rates in the country. (The New York Times)

Feminist organizer Eileen Flynn has become the Republic of Irelands first Traveller senator. There were about 30,000 Travellers, a formally recognized Indigenous ethnic minority, living in Ireland during the 2016 census. Travellers face many forms of discrimination, including barriers to education, derogatory language, and being denied service at shops and hotels. Ms. Flynn made headlines in 2008 when she and her sister became the first Travellers from their neighborhood to pursue higher education.She narrowly missed out on an elected Seanad seat earlier this year, but landed one of 11 appointed seats in the new coalition government. Ms. Flynn, a community development worker with the National Traveller Womens Forum, aims to introduce anti-hate crime legislation and to help break down the barriers for Traveller people and also for those at the end of Irish society. (BBC)

Germany has committed to banning the sale of single-use plastic products, bringing the country in line with a European Union directive to reduce plastic waste. As of July 3, 2021, people will not be able to buy plastic cutlery, straws, cotton swabs, and other single-use products that take decades to degrade.

Plastic trash clutters a Berlin park on Aug. 12, 2019. Single-use food containers account for much of the waste in public spaces.

Environment Minister Svenja Schulze hopes the move will combat Germanys throw-away culture, saying many of the banned products are superfluous and non-sustainable use of resources. Germanys Federal Environmental Agency reports the country collected a record 18.7 million tons of packaging waste in 2017, and up to 20% of trash found in public spaces is single-use plastic.(Deutsche Welle)

Real Madrid has officially launched its first womens soccer team after merging with Madrid-based womens club CD Tacon. The acquisition was approved last year, but Tacon operated under its original name for the last season. Now, it is Real Madrid Femenino.Worth $4.24 billion last year, Real Madrid is the most valuable soccer club in the world. Womens soccer has long been popular in Spain, and fans criticized the 118-year-old organization for being one of the last elite clubs to not offer a womens team.But now, theres hope that Real Madrid Femenino will inspire long-term investment in the sport. Its a huge positive that you have the biggest mens club in the world now investing in the womens side, said Ada Hegerberg, a Norwegian soccer player. It sends out a message to other clubs. ... I hope they go all in. (CNN, Yahoo News)

The city of Lagos is giving 300,000 children cellphones preloaded with data and an educational app called Roducate in an effort to level the playing field for remote students. The city has already distributed 20,000 phones.Nigeria has seen a rise in smartphone and internet use in recent years, but the high cost of data and devices means many families with children in public school dont have as much access to the technology as those whose children attend private school.The coronavirus pandemic has prompted the education department to find ways to help teachers and families become less reliant on classrooms, and officials expect the cellphones to help students stay engaged for at least the next year while schools are still reopening. Its quite clear we are not going to go back to how things were, said the citys education commissioner, Folasade Adefisayo. Weve found e-learning to be efficient and interesting. The children love the app, and so far we see it as being a part of how they can learn going forward. (The Guardian)

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U.S. skincare giant Johnson & Johnson will discontinue product lines that promote skin-lightening amid global demonstrations against racism. The company said it is dropping the Neutrogena Fine Fairness line, which is sold throughout Asia and the Middle East, and the Clean & Clear Fairness line, sold in India. The Fine Fairness product promises to double your skins whitening power for even-toned lasting translucent fairness.

A customer examines one of Hindustan Unilevers Fair & Lovely products in Ahmedabad, India, June 25, 2020. Critics say such products promote colorism, discrimination based on lightness of skin tone.

Although these lines together represented less than 1% of the companys global beauty sales in 2019, the popularity of whitening products has long been a controversial issue in Asia, and particularly in India, where Bollywood stars have endorsed lightening creams. Critics say these products and their advertisements perpetuate colorism, a form of discrimination that favors people with lighter skin over those with dark skin.Other beauty companies are rethinking their branding. LOral is removing references to white, fair, and light from its skincare products, and Hindustan Unilever has vowed to stop playing up the benefits of fairness, whitening, and skin lightening in its marketing materials. (CNN)

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Points of Progress: Elk return to strip mining sites, and more - The Christian Science Monitor

The Soldotna Chamber of Commerce was planning to have a different Progress Days celebration this summer.

Just not this different.

Shanon Davis, executive director of the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce, said that before the new coronavirus pandemic, the chamber had planned to expand Progress Days to a four-day event, with three days of concerts at Soldotna Creek Park followed by a parade on July 25.

Due to the pandemic, the chamber has cut Progress Days down to one day. Wednesday, the chamber will put on a Soldotna Strong Progress Day Celebration from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Soldotna Creek Park.

Davis said losing the four-day event is tough. At the same time, the chamber is happy to salvage something for Progress Days.

It is bittersweet, she said. We are a chamber that is well-known for engaging with our community. Its been a huge adjustment for us to continue to try to find ways to support the business community in any way we can.

Were encouraging people that even though the summer looks different, they can still get out and enjoy Alaska.

Davis said the first big blow to the chambers original Progress Days plan came at the end of June, when the Soldotna City Council said there will be no music concerts at Soldotna Creek Park this summer.

Then, as COVID-19 cases continued to rise, David said chamber board and staff decided a parade wouldnt happen.

We agonized over it and really went back and forth and back and forth, she said.

Chamber staff then brainstormed and worked with Annette Villa of Soldotna Wednesday Market to come up with the new plan.

The plan started with the Soldotna Strong Shop Local Campaign. Shoppers grab a card from any participating location and get a stamp for every $10 spent in participating stores. A card is filled up with 10 stamps.

Participating businesses are available by navigating through the events tab to Progress Day at visitsoldotna.com.

Wednesday, all full cards will be put in a drawing for a $500 Visa card.

Its been going great, Davis said. Several of the businesses that are a part of it reached out for more shopper cards. People have definitely been using them.

The Wednesday event also will included a live radio remote, a 1:30 p.m. performance on the big stage by Forever Dance Alaska and an expanded Soldotna Wednesday Market.

In addition to the normal vendors, Davis said the market will include businesses looking to engage with the community, but not necessarily selling anything.

There hasnt been a lot of opportunity to engage with the community this summer, Davis said.

The finale of the event will be the Amazing Chamber Chase. Up to 20 teams can sign up for the event. Davis said five teams are signed up thus far. The cost is $25 per four-person team, with $5 for each additional member and teams capped at six.

At 5:30 p.m., teams will be emailed 20 clues to find locations within 1.5 miles of Soldotna Creek Park. Teams will find selfie stations at the spots. Teams report back to Soldotna Creek Park at 8 p.m. Prizes will be available for most selfies and best team costume.

Its going to be very fun, Davis said. Weve been having fun going over clues and making sure theyre not too hard and theyre not too easy.

Continued here:

Progress Days to look different this year - Kenai Peninsula Online

Heres what you need to know:American Airlines plans to send out legally required warnings to 25,000 employees, although it said it expected to be overstaffed by about 20,000.Credit...Nick Oxford/Reuters

American Airlines told employees on Wednesday that it could furlough as many as 20,000 people starting Oct. 1, after federal stimulus funds expire.

We know American will be smaller going forward and we must right-size all aspects of our airline to adjust to that new reality, the airlines chief executive, Doug Parker, and president, Robert Isom, said in a letter to employees. Although this is a day none of us wanted to see, we have created new, generous programs intended to help offset as many front line furloughs as possible.

Despite planning to send out legally required warnings to 25,000 employees, American said it expects to be overstaffed by about 20,000 workers this fall. The warnings, which the airline started sending on Wednesday, will go to nearly 10,000 flight attendants, 3,200 maintenance workers, 2,900 passenger service employees and 2,500 pilots, among others. Last week, United Airlines said it could furlough as many as 36,000 workers in the fall.

Both airlines hope to reduce those numbers by encouraging employees to retire early or accept buyout packages. American said it would offer some employees the option to take leave from the company for up to two years while receiving part of their salary and retaining health and travel benefits.

Passenger airlines were able to avoid draconian cuts after Congress passed the CARES Act in March, which set aside $25 billion to help the companies pay workers, provided they refrain from substantial cuts through Sept. 30. American was the largest recipient, receiving $5.8 billion in mostly grants and some loans. Delta Air Lines received $5.4 billion and United received $5 billion.

The unions that represent pilots, flights attendants and other workers at American and other airlines have voiced support for extending that funding through March 31. In the letter on Wednesday, American echoed that support.

Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines have warned that they may also make similar cuts this fall.

Officials from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia said Wednesday that cuts in oil output that had helped shore up the energy market in recent months would be eased modestly in August, as detailed under an agreement reached in April.

Oil ministers from Saudi Arabia, Russia and other producers met Wednesday by video conference to review market conditions. The group said in a statement after the meeting that there were encouraging signs of improvement as economies around the world open up.

The lockdowns, intended to curb the spread of the coronavirus, slammed demand for oil by reducing driving, air travel and other activities that use the fuel. But demand has slowly risen in recent months.

Beginning in August, the cuts in output will be reduced from 9.7 million barrels a day or about 10 percent of global production in normal times to around 8.1 million barrels a day, according to Saudi Arabias oil minister, Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman, who ran the meeting.

The production increases will come at a time when the coronavirus pandemic is surging in some countries, including the United States and Brazil, potentially jeopardizing recovery of demand for oil.

However, the Saudi oil minister said that with countries having gained experience in dealing with the virus in recent months, he thought any outbreaks were likely to be contained.

On Wednesday, the price of Brent crude, the international benchmark, was up about 2 percent to more than $43 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate, the American standard, also rose, to about $41 a barrel.

J.C. Penney, the 118-year-old retailer that filed for bankruptcy in May, said on Wednesday that it would cut 1,000 corporate, field management and international jobs, as the company shrinks and closes 152 stores.

The layoffs are separate from job cuts tied to the retailers first round of store closures, where most liquidation sales have started. A spokeswoman for J.C. Penney has said that the retailer plans to close up to 250 locations over all, which would leave it with roughly 600 stores.

J.C. Penney, which is based in Plano, Texas, said in bankruptcy filings that it had nearly 85,000 associates, but did not specify how many were full or part time.

The cuts at the corporate level add to the broader pain in the retail industry, which has been left reeling from the pandemic. The disruption has forced a spate of bankruptcies since May and spurred layoffs at surviving retailers. Macys said last month that it would cut about 3,900 corporate and management jobs, or 25 percent of that staff.

Walmart will begin requiring that all of its customers wear masks in its stores, starting on Monday.

The new rule from the nations largest retailer, which has more than 5,000 stores nationwide, is a strong statement about wearing masks in public space at a time when the issue has become politicized.

In a statement, Walmart said that 65 percent of its stores, which include Walmarts and Sams Clubs, are in areas where there is already some form of government mandate to wear masks.

At Sams Clubs, the company said that it would provide complimentary masks to customers who did not already have one. (Sams Club customers have to pay a membership fee to shop there.)

But in Walmart stores which are far more numerous the details for this new policy are still being ironed out.

The company said it was creating a new job called a health ambassador. That person will be stationed next to the front door and will remind customers of the new rule.

Ambassadors will receive special training to help make the process as smooth as possible for customers, Walmart said, and will work with those who show up at a store without a face covering to find a solution that works for everyone.

The retailer did not immediately identify what those possible solutions might be or say that it would provide masks to customers who didnt have one.

Walmart joins a growing list of companies that are requiring customers to wear masks, including Starbucks and Best Buy. The retailer Kohls said on Wednesday that its customers would be required to wear masks starting Monday, and the grocery chain Kroger announced on Twitter that its customers would, too, starting July 22.

Black business owners are more likely to be hindered in seeking coronavirus financial aid than their white peers, a new study has found.

The study looked at how more than a dozen Washington-area banks handled requests for loans under the federal governments Paycheck Protection Program. It was conducted by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, a nonprofit organization in Washington, in partnership with researchers from universities in Utah and New Jersey.

From late April to late May, the researchers and the nonprofit group, which advocates better access to capital for low-income and minority communities, sent pairs of would-be loan applicants to branches of 17 banks. In each pair, a Black borrower and a white borrower shared similar credit and asset characteristics. To make the study more conservative, the researchers gave each Black borrower a slightly better financial profile than his or her white counterpart.

The Black borrowers were offered different products and treated significantly worse by employees than white borrowers in 43 percent of the tests, the study found. Of the 17 banks, some of which were tested through multiple branches, 13 had at least one test in which a white borrower was treated better than his or her Black counterpart. In the rest of the tests, the pairs were treated relatively equally or the difference wasnt significant enough to count as a violation of fair lending laws, in the researchers view.

Critics of the $660 billion program which was intended to prop up small businesses through forgivable loans have said that its structure was likely to perpetuate historical inequalities in the financial system, where Black Americans have struggled to obtain credit and capital.

Buoyed by heightened activity in the markets, Goldman Sachs reported its highest bond-trading revenue in nine years, helping it to deliver a solidly profitable quarter despite increased costs and a slowdown in other areas of its business.

Revenue spiked in Goldmans trading area, more than doubling the units performance from a year ago, and rose dramatically in its investment-banking business. Overall, the firms revenue for the second quarter was $13.3 billion, a 41 percent upswing from the same period last year. Its earnings were $2.4 billion, essentially the same as a year ago.

During the quarter, compensation costs rose substantially, as did other expenses that were not specified, perhaps reflecting an increasing set-aside for future legal costs. That theme has been borne out by other large banks this week, whose quarterly profits plunged as they stowed away money to protect them from future losses.

BBC News is cutting 520 jobs as part of a sprawling cost-cutting plan, 70 more jobs than previously announced because the pandemic has put more strain on the British broadcasters budget.

In January, 450 job losses were announced but then postponed in March to meet the demands of covering coronavirus and its impact. The reactivated plan, detailed on Wednesday, will be even more sweeping. The Andrew Neil Show, hosted by the longtime political interviewer, will be cut, business news coverage will be scaled down, and there will be reductions in World Service programming, among other changes.

The increased financial pressure on the BBC as a result of Covid-19 means the number of job losses in BBC News will rise to around 520, the organization, which has been financed by an annual license fee paid by listeners and viewers for nearly 100 years, said on Wednesday. This will include senior management posts.

In 2016, the BBC announced it needed to save 800 million pounds ($1 billion), with about a tenth of that coming from the 6,000-person news department. In addition to the 520 job losses in BBC News, the BBC said in recent weeks it would cut 600 jobs from regional services in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

The BBC has also renewed its plan to end free TV licenses for people over 75, a move that has caused clashes with the government.

Earlier on Wednesday, The Guardian newspaper said it planned to cut 12 percent of its work force, about 180 jobs.

Stocks rose on Wednesday, lifted by a drugmakers report of progress with a promising, but early-stage, candidate for a coronavirus vaccine, and data on industrial production added to evidence of the economys recovery.

The S&P 500 jumped about 1 percent. Markets in Frankfurt, Paris and London also rose sharply.

Oil prices were also higher, on a day when major producers decided to ease restrictions on output. The production curbs were approved in April when the industry was facing a calamitous fall in oil demand, and any relaxing of the rules would signal stronger energy markets.

The gains on Wall Street were largely spurred by news from the biotech company Moderna, based in Cambridge, Mass., which said an experimental drug provoked a positive immune response and appeared safe among the first 45 people who received it. It is the first coronavirus vaccine to be tested in humans, and Modernas shares were sharply higher.

Policymakers and economists have long predicted that a complete recovery in growth depends on the development of a vaccine, and investors have been quick to respond to even the slightest signs of progress toward one.

On Wednesday, the rally was led by companies that have the most to gain from a return to pre-pandemic levels of travel and consumption. American Airlines, Gap, and MGM Resorts which have become a proxy for the markets enthusiasm about a rebound were all among the best-performing stocks in the S&P 500.

Investors also learned that industrial production in the United States jumped by more than expected in June, recovering from earlier declines as factories were reopened. The report is just the latest of several from data on housing sales to hiring that highlight the economys bounce back from the depths of a recession earlier in the year.

That recovery, however, is threatened by a rise in new coronavirus cases around the world. And as governments reimpose restrictions on activity and government assistance programs come to an end, some economists have warned that the recovery is likely to take longer than investors anticipate.

The United States economy is headed for a tumultuous autumn, with the threat of closed schools, renewed government lockdowns, empty stadiums and an uncertain amount of federal support for businesses and unemployed workers all clouding hopes for a rapid rebound from recession.

For months, the prevailing wisdom among investors, Trump administration officials and many economic forecasters was that after plunging into recession this spring, the countrys recovery would accelerate in late summer and take off in the fall as the virus receded, restrictions on commerce loosened, and consumers reverted to more normal spending patterns. Job gains in May and June fueled those rosy predictions.

But failure to suppress a resurgence of confirmed infections is threatening to choke the recovery and push the country back into a recessionary spiral one that could inflict long-term damage on workers and businesses large and small, unless Congress reconsiders the scale of federal aid that may be required in the months to come.

The looming economic pain was evident on Tuesday as big companies forecast gloomy months ahead. Delta Air Lines said it was cutting back plans to add flights in August and beyond, citing flagging consumer demand. The nations biggest banks warned that they were setting aside billions of dollars to cover anticipated losses as customers fail to pay their mortgages and other loans in the months to come.

The earlier-than-anticipated resumption in activity has been accompanied by a sharp increase in the virus spread in many areas, Lael Brainard, a Federal Reserve governor, said on Tuesday. Even if the virus spread flattens, the recovery is likely to face headwinds from diminished activity and costly adjustments in some sectors, along with impaired incomes among many consumers and businesses.

The Paper Store filed for bankruptcy protection Tuesday citing the financial strain caused by closing all of its stores for weeks at a time because of coronavirus lockdowns. The chain, which has sold specialty gifts for 55 years, operates a warehouse and 86 stores throughout the Northeast and employs roughly 2,000 people. The company hopes to sell by late August in order to get the cash needed to buy millions of dollars worth of inventory for Christmas, its busiest season.

The Trump administration, which mistakenly sent $1.4 billion of stimulus money to dead people, has begun canceling checks that were delivered to the deceased. The Internal Revenue Service said in an update on its website that such checks should still be returned to the federal government but that it was taking action to ensure they cannot be cashed. A Government Accountability Office report released last month found that about $1.4 billion of the $270 billion of direct stimulus payments went to the deceased.

Three of the nations biggest banks revealed that they had set aside billions of dollars to cover potential losses on loans, signaling that they do not expect consumers and corporations to be able to pay their debts in the coming months as the pandemic continues to gut employment and commerce. Collectively, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and Wells Fargo have put aside $25 billion during the second quarter, they said. As a result, their quarterly profits plunged. It was Wells Fargos first quarterly loss since 2008.

Lael Brainard, a Federal Reserve governor, warned that a second wave of coronavirus cases could imperil the economy and markets once again, even though financial conditions have calmed since the wild days of March and the labor market has begun to mend. A broad second wave could reignite financial market volatility and market disruptions at a time of greater vulnerability, Ms. Brainard said, speaking to the National Association for Business Economics. And in any case, the strength of the recovery will depend importantly on the timing, magnitude and distribution of additional fiscal support.

Best Buy, the electronics retailer with about 1,000 locations in the United States, said on Tuesday that it planned to require customers to wear face coverings in its stores starting Wednesday. The company said that it would provide masks to customers who did not have one, and would make exceptions for small children and people who could not wear masks for health reasons, according to a blog post.

See the article here:

American Airlines Warns Employees of Up to 20000 Job Cuts - The New York Times

The maritime sector includes activities as varied as cruise-boat tourism, freight shipping and ferry transport. Its also a big contributor of CO2 emissions.

The Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH2 JU) is promoting research to develop and integrate efficient hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuel cells on ships and boats.

The results could help to slash CO2 emissions by a minimum of 50% by 2050 which is the target defined by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

New fuel for an expanding market

Cargo vessels, cruise ships and ferries are all important parts of the global economy. For example, about 90% of all freight goods are transported at sea, but most ships burn fossil fuels for power, emitting CO2 and other pollutants.

Ocean freight shipping alone releases about 3% of global greenhouse gases, a figure which is predicted to grow as the maritime sector continues to expand.

In April 2018, the shipping industry committed to a greenhouse gas (GHG) target of reducing emissions by at least 50% by 2050. Achieving this target will require new ships, new engines and above all a new fuel.

Clean fuel in cool conditions

Two FCH2 JU-funded projects are researching the use of hydrogen fuel cells to replace fossil fuels to power ships.

The MARANDA project, which started in 2017, aims to develop a 165kW fuel cell powertrain able to provide power to a research vessels electrical equipment and its dynamic positioning while in research mode, in the extra cold of the Artic and Baltic seas.

FLAGSHIPS

The FLAGSHIPS project is demonstrating that two commercial vessels, a push boat for river navigation and a passenger and car ferry, could operate on hydrogen fuel cells.

Charting a new industry course

MARANDAs researchers have designed a hydrogen-storage container and a fuel cell system that are currently being tested and improved before their integration onboard the ship.

Meanwhile, partners of the recently launched FLAGSHIPS project have integrated safety aspects of hydrogen applications on push boats for inland waterways, and finalised the design of the push boats before starting its building.

Once completed, both projects will disseminate their results widely to boost the market potential of fuel cells in the maritime sector.

Hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels have great potential to meet the same operational requirements (range, refuelling time) as conventional fuels for ships. This is the task for the FCH2 JU in the future.

Widening the horizons for hydrogen fuel cells

To increase the market potential of hydrogen fuel cells in the maritime sector, FCH2 JU brought together fuel cell manufacturers, shipyards and ship operators.

The goal? To demonstrate that hydrogen fuel cell technology can power ships and boats whilst also withstanding the shocks, vibrations and saline environments of maritime use.

FLAGSHIPS

The Two FCH JU-funded projects, MARANDA and FLAGSHIPS, will demonstrate hydrogen fuel cell power.

Key results? Outcomes will show that hydrogen fuel cells can compete with their fossil fuel equivalents, enabling the broader market adoption of this technology and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

The FCH JU has achieved a lot in the twelve years since its inception, as it strives to make hydrogen and fuel cell products an everyday reality.

Working in partnership with the FCH JU, H2 View is celebrating the organisations success stories in this Pillars of Progress Series and bringing you, our readers, an exclusive article every fortnight.

Creating low-carbon and sustainable solutions, enabling market entry for new products, developing next generation products based on previous research and opening new markets for European expertise in fuel cell and hydrogen technology are just some of the FCH JUs success stories, as you will read about over the coming months.

Continue reading here:

Pillars of Progress: Mobility Maritime hydrogen, the next big wave - H2 View

We do our best to exercise and watch what we eat.

But how about the news we digest?

Regarding investing, if you were asked to describe what could happen in the next five to 10 years, how would you answer?

The answer likely is closely related to the investment stories you watch and read:

Five reasons the market has risen too far.

Coronavirus could wipe out trillions of dollars.

Unemployment rate down.

Sadly, the last of those three imaginary but realistic headlines either gets skipped or can make the reader think, Yeah, but its still horrible.

Progress is gradual, incremental and rarely dramatic.

It just doesnt sell.

Bad news grabs us in an instant and pushes all else aside.

Scary news triggers the fear of the proverbial lion hiding in the grass that our ancestors imprinted on the DNA they passed on down to us.

But instead of lions, we worry about our financial security.

Could I lose my job? Could my savings evaporate? Could the stock market go down and stay down?

Its healthy to keep an eye on downside risks in life, but I think some of us spend far too much time worrying about what could go wrong.

If you spend most of your time thinking about potential bad outcomes, it becomes easier to believe that it not just may happen, but that it will happen.

Some people sold all their stocks after 9/11, or during the recent corona crash. They lost faith and got out; they worried things would never get better.

Its fair to guess they watched a lot of news about things being bad, and how it could get worse still. Better sell stocks.

All this worrying, in my opinion, warps our view of the future.

So what can we do to counter this understandable fear and negativity bias?

I think we need to train ourselves to look for good news. Itll give us a more complete picture of the world.

When you see a positive story, read it or watch it. Let it sink in.

When you see a negative story, consider skipping it.

This sounds simple. Maybe even a little silly. But I think its important. Sadly, you may have to do a little digging to find the good news.

If you did so over the past 10 years, youd see a story about a treatment that allows most people to get rid of hepatitis C.

Or that you now can get a vaccine against shingles.

Or that hundreds of millions of people are no longer dirt poor.

Or that most cellphones come with a GPS and map so you can find your way around anywhere. Order a cab, even.

All right; what does all this have to do with money and investing? A lot.

When you invest for the long term, you invest for what lies years ahead.

Above, I mentioned just a few recent advances.

Do you think these kinds of advances will stop or continue? I believe its much more likely progress will accelerate.

In the end, be careful when you take in news. It can quickly scare you into thinking the future is bleak.

Good luck.

Jorgen Vik is a certified financial planner and partner with SKV Group LLC.

Link:

Jorgen Vik: Progress may not sell, but it pays off in the long run - The Daily Progress

I wanted to point out an interesting interview given by Pfizers CEO Albert Bourla to Time. I have made some pointed remarks about Pfizer over the years, but this is one of the better Q&A pieces like this that I have seen youll see why in some of the answers below.

Bourla is actually quite optimistic about the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine program (four different mRNA attempts, as fans will recall). He says that they should have enough data in the September time frame to submit to the FDA, with approval, he hopes, in October if the data are strong enough. Is that realistic? Well, if the data are strong enough, yes. But as with all these timelines, thats what can happen if everything works right the first time (and with enough vaccines being tried, one or more of them could indeed come through like this). What well have are short-term efficacy and safety data: real-world data on protection against coronavirus infection and on adverse reactions on dosing. What we wont have are the data on duration of that protection, nor a read on long-term safety. But were not going to know those for *any* of the vaccine candidates those are the big corners that the world is going to cut, and I agree that its the right move.

He goes on to say that

. . .it was the moment when I saw the data, plus many other data that we havent published yet, [that] made me say that until now I was thinking if we have a vaccine. Now Im discussing when were going to have a vaccine. . .We have a lot of indications that make me feel that really it should make it.

Remember that earlier this month the company published Phase I data on one of the four vaccine candidates; I very much look forward to more information of this kind. This is where I should mention that (at least as I write this) we still dont have such information about the competing mRNA vaccine from Moderna, and it has now been eight weeks since they press-released their first results. (Update: they just published this afternoon! Blog post on the way). Meanwhile, on Monday morning Pfizer announced that the candidate they published on (BNT162b1) and one of the other three (BNT162b2) have been fast-tracked by the FDA for development. The former is one of the two base-modified RNA candidates, and despite some digging around this evening I have been unable to figure out which is the other one. From the looks of the number code, it might be the other base-modified one? We shall see. At any rate, they apparently have enough convincing data on that one to show the agency as well.

Bourla goes on to say that they will be starting manufacturing soon on a risk basis (something theyve never done with a vaccine candidate), and that the company plans to be ready with up to 100 million doses by the end of the year and over a billion doses next year. When the Time reporter asked what theyll do if the vaccine doesnt turn out to work in Phase II/Phase III, Bourla responded We will just have to write it off and call it a day. We will throw it away. Its only money were going to lose. More in this vein:

. . .if you were calculating return on investment, we would never do these things. We were discussing that back in March, what that means to human lives, to the economy of the world. So it was a must, that we must take those measures. . .The vaccine should be free to all people.We are not giving it away to governments. We are going to charge governments a very, very nominal value. But our intent is to ask governments that they should, for these prices, they should provide it free of charge to all citizens.

He makes the point, as others have, that this is a chance for the drug industry to show what it can deliver for the world. And hes right: no one else can do the things that the biopharma industry of the industrialized countries are doing right now. If theres going to be a cure, its going to come from us. No ones going to combine two things from the grocery store and find the wonder drug thats what you get from lazy screenwriters cranking out a cheap movie. My God, thats it!Nutmeg and anchovies! Under our noses all along! Nope. Its going to be the result of a lot of hard work and a lot of expertise in immunology, molecular biology, formulations, pharmacokinetics, protein science, clinical trial design, statistics, toxicology, manufacturing logistics and a whole lot of other subjects that many people would rather break rocks all day than have to pass an exam on. Oh, and a lot of money, too: Pfizer (just one company in the race) is apparently spending about $2 billion this year on this program, and as many have noted, in their case none of it has come from the US government. The folks who claim that new drugs only cost a few million and that they all come from the NIH anyway are going to have to make an exception this time, looks like.

So good luck to Bourla and to the Pfizer/BioNTech collaboration as they push on in the clinic. Those Phase II/III trials are where all of this is going to be settled, because there is simply no other way to find out what works. Not everything will. Were heading into an immense, unprecedented, and incredibly expensive and nerve-shredding pile-up in the clinic later this summer and fall, and Ive said it before weve never seen anything like this, and I hope we never have to again. Hold on tight.

Excerpt from:

Pfizer's Progress | In the Pipeline - Science Magazine

Woodrow Wilson is best known as the World War I president who earned a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to found the League of Nations. A progressive reformer who fought against monopolies and child labor, he served two terms starting in 1913.

But Wilson was also a segregationist who wrote a history textbook praising the Confederacy and, in particular, theKu Klux Klan. As president, he rolled back hard-fought economic progress for Black Americans, overseeing the segregation of multiple agencies of the federal government.

While Wilson was lauded for his role in World War I, historians and activists have long called attention to his other actions. And institutions have grappled with how to respond to this side of his legacy. In June 2020, Monmouth University announced it would rename its Woodrow Wilson Hall. And after years of protests, Princeton University said it would remove his name from its prestigious public policy school, explaining that his segregationist attitudes and policies made Wilson an especially inappropriate namesake. In places like Washington, D.C., historians and parents have called for removing his name from public high schools.

In reevaluating Wilsons legacy, its important to understand not only his leadership through a world war, or his business and labor reforms. Its also important to know that, on the home front, he perpetuated violence and inequality for Black Americans. Here's how.

President Woodrow Wilson, seated far left, at the Arlington National Cemetery where Robert E Lee III, grandson and namesake of the Confederate general, speaks at the dedication of a Confederate monument in Arlington, Virginia, 1914.While Wilsons speech that day focused on national unity, his historical writings have romanticized the Confederacy.

Harris & Ewing/PhotoQuest/Getty Images

Wilson is often associated with the state ofNew Jersey because thats where he served as governor and as president of Princeton University. But he was born in antebellum Virginia in 1856 and lived in Georgia during the Civil War. His parents supported the Confederacy, and Wilsons five-volume history textbook, A History Of The American People, echoes those attitudes. The book adheres to what historians call the Lost Cause narrative, a non-factual view of history that romanticizes the Confederacy, describes the institution of slavery as a gentle patrician affair, recasts the Civil War as being about states rights instead of slavery and demonizes Reconstruction-era efforts to improve the lives of the formerly enslaved.

READ MORE: How the Cult of Robert E. Lee Was Born

Wilson wrote that Reconstruction placed southern white men under the intolerable burden of governments sustained by the votes of ignorant negroes, and that those white men responded by forming the Ku Klux Klan. He described the Klan as an Invisible Empire of the South, bound together in loose organization to protect the southern country from some of the ugliest hazards of a time of revolution.

In reality, the KKK was a violent terrorist group that targeted Black Americans. Confederate veterans founded the paramilitary group after the Civil War ended in 1865. The first wave of the KKK only disbanded in the early 1870s after President Ulysses S. Grant pushed through laws allowing him to go after it with military force.

White historians like Wilson helped popularize the Confederate Klansmen, who became the heroes of D.W. Griffiths 1915 film The Birth of a Nation. The movies villains were Black Americans portrayed by white actors in blackface. Wilson agreed to screen the filmwhich quoted his own book in its title cardsat the White House.

The blockbusters popularity led white men to re-found the KKK, which flourished across the country in the 1920s. Wilson played an active role in promoting the ideology that led to this revival.

READ MORE: How The Birth of a Nation Revived the Ku Klux Klan

Woodrow Wilson riding in a carriage with First Lady Edith Bolling Galt Wilson, 1921.

Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG/Getty Images

Wilsons views on race also informed his time in the Oval Office. While he campaigned and legislated as a Progressive who fought to break up big businesses and improve the plight of America's workers, his administration squelched opportunity and worsened conditions for some Black Americans in the workforce.

After Reconstruction ended in the 1870s, southern white men began erasing Reconstructions reforms by using laws, violence and intimidation to prevent Black men from voting and pushing them out of local and state governments. Within the federal government, things were different. Black men began working in the federal government during the Civil War, and by the turn of the century, Black men and women made up about 10 percent of that workforce.

READ MORE: How Power Grabs in the South Erased Reforms After Reconstruction

When Wilson entered office in 1913, he was the first southerner to be president since Reconstruction. His cabinet included several white southerners, who really had no idea how integrated the federal service was, how [relatively] unsegregated Washington, D.C. was,"says Eric S. Yellin, a professor of history and American studies at the University of Richmond and author of Racism in the Nation's Service: Government Workers and the Color Line in Woodrow Wilson's America."And when they arrive some of them are really in shock.

Immediately, these cabinet members began to talk about segregating federal government employees by race. Wilson allowed his cabinet to do this despite protests by civil rights activists like W.E.B. Du Bois and William Monroe Trotterwhom Wilson angrily threw out of the Oval Office during a 1914 meeting in which Trotter made the case against segregation.A transcript of that meeting reveals that Wilson had argued, Segregation is not humiliating, but a benefit, and ought to be so regarded by you gentlemen.

During Wilsons presidency, he allowed his cabinet to segregate the Treasury, the Post Office, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the Navy, the Interior, the Marine Hospital, the War Department and the Government Printing Office. This meant creating separate offices, lunchrooms, bathrooms and other facilities for white and Black workers. It also meant dismissing Black supervisors, cutting off Black employees access to promotions and better-paying jobs and reserving those jobs for white people.

The federal government was one of the few employers in the whole country that gave African Americans a shot; in particular a shot at career and social mobility, Yellin says. In Washington D.C., where most of these federal jobs were based, this led to increases in homeownership among Black families. After Wilsons presidency, Black homeownership fell in D.C., Yellin says, in part because Black federal employees no longer had access to those better jobs and salaries.

Even though these practices werent codified by federal law, segregation persisted in the civil service over the next several decades, preventing Black Americans in D.C. and throughout the country from obtaining better jobs and pay to support themselves, their families and their communities.

Link:

How Woodrow Wilson Tried to Reverse Black American Progress - History