Saturday, December 24, 2022
The F.D.A. Now Says It Plainly: Morning-After Pills Are Not Abortion Pills - The New York Times
Up to now, packages of the brand-name pill, Plan B One-Step, as well as generic versions of it have said that the pill might work by preventing a fertilized egg from implanting in the womb — language that scientific evidence did not support. That wording led some abortion opponents and politicians who equate a fertilized egg with a person to say that taking the morning-after pill could be the equivalent of having an abortion or even committing murder...
Librarian Shames Conservatives Who 'Threatened' Her Over LGBTQ Books
A Michigan librarian ripped into conservatives who have "threatened" and "cursed at" her...
Congress approves new election certification rules in response to Jan. 6 | PBS NewsHour
The provisions amending the 1887 law — which has long been criticized as poorly and confusingly written — won bipartisan support and would make it harder for future presidential losers to prevent the ascension of their foes, as Trump tried to do on Jan. 6, 2021.
"It's a monumental accomplishment, particularly in this partisan atmosphere, for such a major rewrite of a law that's so crucial to our democracy," said Rick Hasen, a law professor at the University of California Los Angeles. "This law goes a long way toward shutting down the avenues Trump and his allies tried to use in 2020, and could have been exploited in future elections."…
‘Morning after’ pill label changed to clarify it does not cause abortion - The Washington Post
But the FDA's new guidance on its website makes it even clearer that the medication is not an abortion pill.
"Plan B One-Step will not work if a person is already pregnant, meaning it will not affect an existing pregnancy …," it wrote. "Evidence does not support that the drug affects implantation or maintenance of a pregnancy after implantation, therefore it does not terminate a pregnancy."…
The full January 6 report is out. Here are the key details and recommendations : NPR
In addition to the criminal referrals to the DOJ, the committee laid out 11 recommendations aimed at better protecting the American democratic system from future attacks. Those recommendations include clarifying that the role of the vice president in the transition of power is purely ceremonial and a new federal law enforcement emphasis on anti-government extremist groups...
Committee report focus is not on demonstrators – 5 essential reads on the symbols they carried on Jan. 6
As the final report emerges from the congressional committee investigating the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, the focus is on the role of then-President Donald Trump and those close to him. That's crucial information, but it leaves out another important chapter of the story.
There were thousands of people demonstrating on the streets of Washington, D.C., that day, whose actions are not recounted in detail in the congressional report. They carried a variety of political and ideological flags and signs. The Conversation asked scholars to explain what they saw – including ancient Norse images and more recent flags from U.S. history.
Here are five articles from The Conversation's coverage, explaining what many of the symbols mean…
Already struggling, McCarthy fails to make case against omnibus
At a difficult time for Kevin McCarthy, the House GOP leader didn't need yet another defeat. On the omnibus, Senate Republicans handed him one anyway...
28 Republicans Vote Against Bill To Protect Child Sex Abuse Survivors | HuffPost Latest News
Many are calling out the hypocrisy of the 28 Republicans who wouldn't support the legislation.
Can a Common Artificial Sweetener Fuel Anxiety?
"The anxiety, its response to diazepam, and the changes in amygdala gene expression are not limited to the aspartame-exposed individuals but also appear in up to two generations descending from the aspartame-exposed males," the researchers report…
Understanding the mental health crisis afflicting American teens (Dave Davies; Fresh Air podcast)
Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide have risen in recent years. NY Times reporter Matt Richtel says we lack the therapists and treatment centers to care for teens who are suffering.
Interview:
Friday, December 23, 2022
What Underlies the Opposition to Trans-Inclusive Policies? The Role of Concerns About Male Violence Versus Attitudes Toward Trans People - Thekla Morgenroth, Jordan R. Axt, Erin C. Westgate, 2022
Specifically, while opponents claim that concerns about male violence are the primary reason driving their opposition, attitudes toward transgender people more strongly predicted policy views. These results highlight the limitations of focusing on overt discourse and emphasize the importance of investigating psychological mechanisms underlying policy support...
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/01461672221137201
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/01461672221137201
Amid a ‘Tripledemic,’ It’s Time to Mask Up Again, Experts Say - The New York Times
A high-quality, well-fitting mask is your best protection against infection from the coronavirus, influenza and R.S.V.…
NHTSA initiates two more Tesla crash investigations
Shares of Tesla sank on Thursday after news of the crash investigations. Investors also fear weakening demand for the company's electric cars across the globe...
Anti-social personality traits are stronger predictors of QAnon conspiracy beliefs than left-right orientations
When it comes to predicting conspiracy beliefs, much of the literature focuses on political partisanship. But new research published in American Politics Research, suggests that there are other more important factors. The national study revealed that anti-social personality traits, anti-establishment orientations, and support for Trump were stronger predictors of conspiracy beliefs than left-right orientations…
Fox News' Sean Hannity admits he knew Trump lost 2020 election : NPR
Fox News star Sean Hannity – one of former President Donald Trump's strongest allies on the air and one of his closest advisers off it – admitted under oath that he never believed the lie that Trump was cheated of victory in the 2020 presidential election by a voting tech company.
That stands in contrast to what played out on some of Fox's biggest shows – including Hannity's. On television, Fox News hosts, stars and guests amplified and embraced such wild and false claims, made by Trump, his campaign lawyers and surrogates, presenting them to millions of viewers…
LIVE: Ukrainian President Zelensky ADDRESSES U.S. Congress in HISTORIC Speech (MeidasTouch podcast)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a historic speech before a joint session of Congress after making a surprise visit to Washington D.C. on Wednesday.
Interview:
Audio Only:
Right-Wingers Attack Mike Lindell After Ron DeSantis Victory Conspiracy Theory
Despite the conservative blowback, the pillow tycoon insisted Wednesday that his audit of Ron DeSantis' victory would push forward…
Five red flags in Trump's taxes - POLITICO
The Joint Committee on Taxation says in a report released this week by Democrats that there are multiple issues that the IRS should be examining...
Opinion: Two surprising takes from Trump's tax returns | CNN
Surprise number two is that the IRS did nothing. At all. And this notwithstanding the fact that the Internal Revenue Manual, or IRM, contains a policy, in place since 1977, that the "[i]ndividual income tax returns for the President and Vice President are subject to mandatory examinations." But the IRS did not do any examination of Trump's tax returns until after the Democrats took control of the House, and Ways and Means Committee Chair Richard Neal sent a request on April 3, 2019…
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Click Older Posts above to see more.