Genmab Announces European Myeloma Network and Janssen Achieve Positive Topline Results from Phase 3 APOLLO Study of Daratumumab in Combination with…

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DetailsCategory: AntibodiesPublished on Sunday, 02 August 2020 16:34Hits: 922

COPENHAGEN, Denmark I July 31, 2020 I Genmab A/S (Nasdaq: GMAB) announced today that the European Myeloma Network (EMN) in collaboration with Janssen Research & Development, LLC (Janssen) reported positive results from the Phase 3 APOLLO (MMY3013) study of the subcutaneous (SC) formulation of daratumumab in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone (Pd) versus Pd alone as treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have previously been treated with lenalidomide (an immunomodulatory drug) and a proteasome inhibitor (PI). The study met the primary endpoint of improving progression-free survival (PFS). Overall, the safety profile of daratumumab SC in combination with Pd was consistent with the safety profile for each therapy separately.

We are pleased with these positive results for daratumumab, administered as a subcutaneous formulation, in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone. The corresponding intravenous regimen was previously approved by the U.S. FDA based on the Phase1 single-arm EQUULEUS study, said Jan van de Winkel, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Genmab.

Janssen Biotech, Inc., which obtained an exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize daratumumab from Genmab in 2012, intends to discuss the data with health authorities in preparation for regulatory submissions and plans to submit the data for presentation at an upcoming medical conference.

The APOLLO study was designed to confirm the results from the Phase 1 EQUULEUS (MMY1001) study, which investigated intravenous (IV) daratumumab plus Pd in the same indication. In June 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) approved the use of DARZALEX in combination with Pd for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies including lenalidomide and aPI based on the results of the EQUULEUS study.

About the APOLLO (MMY3013) studyThis Phase 3 (NCT03180736), randomized, open-label, multicenter study included 304 patients with multiple myeloma who have previously been treated with lenalidomide and a PI. Patients were randomized 1:1 to either receive daratumumab in combination with Pd or Pd alone. In the original design of the study, patients in the daratumumab plus Pd arm were treated with the IV formulation of daratumumab. As of Amendment 1, all new subjects in the experimental arm were dosed with the SC formulation of daratumumab and patients who had already begun treatment with IV daratumumab had the option to switch to the SC formulation. The primary endpoint of the study was PFS. The study was conducted in Europe under an agreement between Janssen, EMN and Stichting Hemato-Oncologie voor Volwassenen Nederland (HOVON).

About multiple myelomaMultiple myeloma is an incurable blood cancer that starts in the bone marrow and is characterized by an excess proliferation of plasma cells.1 Multiple myeloma is the third most common blood cancer in the U.S., after leukemia and lymphoma.2 Approximately 26,000 new patients were estimated diagnosed with multiple myeloma and approximately 13,650 people were expected to have died from the disease in the U.S. in 2018.3 Globally, it was estimated that 160,000 people were diagnosed and 106,000 died from the disease in 2018.4 While some patients with multiple myeloma have no symptoms at all, most patients are diagnosed due to symptoms which can include bone problems, low blood counts, calcium elevation, kidney problems or infections.5

About DARZALEX (daratumumab)DARZALEX (daratumumab) intravenous infusion is indicated for the treatment of adult patients in the United States: in combination with bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone as treatment for patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma who are eligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with bortezomib, melphalan and prednisone for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, or bortezomib and dexamethasone, for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy; in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies, including lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor (PI); and as a monotherapy for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least three prior lines of therapy, including a PI and an immunomodulatory agent, or who are double-refractory to a PI and an immunomodulatory agent.6 DARZALEX is the first monoclonal antibody (mAb) to receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) approval to treat multiple myeloma.

DARZALEX is indicated for the treatment of adult patients in Europe via intravenous infusion or subcutaneous administration: in combination with bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone as treatment for patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma who are eligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with bortezomib, melphalan and prednisone for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant; for use in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, or bortezomib and dexamethasone, for the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy; and as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma, whose prior therapy included a PI and an immunomodulatory agent and who have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy7. Daratumumab is the first subcutaneous CD38-directed antibody approved in Europe for the treatment of multiple myeloma. The option to split the first infusion of DARZALEX over two consecutive days has been approved in both Europe and the U.S.

In Japan, DARZALEX intravenous infusion is approved for the treatment of adult patients: in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with bortezomib, melphalan and prednisone for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, or bortezomib and dexamethasone for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. DARZALEX is the first human CD38 monoclonal antibody to reach the market in the United States, Europe and Japan. For more information, visit http://www.DARZALEX.com.

DARZALEX FASPRO (daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj), a subcutaneous formulation of daratumumab, is approved in the United States for the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma: in combination with bortezomib, melphalan and prednisone in newly diagnosed patients who are ineligible for ASCT; in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone in newly diagnosed patients who are ineligible for ASCT and in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy; in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone in patients who have received at least one prior therapy; and as monotherapy, in patients who have received at least three prior lines of therapy including a PI and an immunomodulatory agent or who are double-refractory to a PI and an immunomodulatory agent.8 DARZALEX FASPRO is the first subcutaneous CD38-directed antibody approved in the U.S. for the treatment of multiple myeloma.

Daratumumab is a human IgG1k monoclonal antibody (mAb) that binds with high affinity to the CD38 molecule, which is highly expressed on the surface of multiple myeloma cells. Daratumumab triggers a persons own immune system to attack the cancer cells, resulting in rapid tumor cell death through multiple immune-mediated mechanisms of action and through immunomodulatory effects, in addition to direct tumor cell death, via apoptosis (programmed cell death).6,9,10,11,12

Daratumumab is being developed by Janssen Biotech, Inc. under an exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize daratumumab from Genmab. A comprehensive clinical development program for daratumumab is ongoing, including multiple Phase III studies in smoldering, relapsed and refractory and frontline multiple myeloma settings. Additional studies are ongoing or planned to assess the potential of daratumumab in other malignant and pre-malignant diseases in which CD38 is expressed, such as amyloidosis and T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Daratumumab has received two Breakthrough Therapy Designations from the U.S. FDA for certain indications of multiple myeloma, including as a monotherapy for heavily pretreated multiple myeloma and in combination with certain other therapies for second-line treatment of multiple myeloma.

About Genmab Genmab is a publicly traded, international biotechnology company specializing in the creation and development of differentiated antibody therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. Founded in 1999, the company is the creator of three approved antibodies: DARZALEX (daratumumab, under agreement with Janssen Biotech, Inc.) for the treatment of certain multiple myeloma indications in territories including the U.S., Europe and Japan, Arzerra (ofatumumab, under agreement with Novartis AG), for the treatment of certain chronic lymphocytic leukemia indications in the U.S., Japan and certain other territories and TEPEZZA (teprotumumab, under agreement with Roche granting sublicense to Horizon Therapeutics plc) for the treatment of thyroid eye disease in the U.S. A subcutaneous formulation of daratumumab, known as DARZALEX FASPRO (daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj) in the U.S., has been approved in the U.S. and Europe for the treatment of adult patients with certain multiple myeloma indications. Daratumumab is in clinical development by Janssen for the treatment of additional multiple myeloma indications, other blood cancers and amyloidosis. A subcutaneous formulation of ofatumumab is in development by Novartis for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis. Genmab also has a broad clinical and pre-clinical product pipeline. Genmab's technology base consists of validated and proprietary next generation antibody technologies - the DuoBody platform for generation of bispecific antibodies, the HexaBody platform, which creates effector function enhanced antibodies, the HexElect platform, which combines two co-dependently acting HexaBody molecules to introduce selectivity while maximizing therapeutic potency and the DuoHexaBody platform, which enhances the potential potency of bispecific antibodies through hexamerization. The company intends to leverage these technologies to create opportunities for full or co-ownership of future products. Genmab has alliances with top tier pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Genmab is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark with sites in Utrecht, the Netherlands, Princeton, New Jersey, U.S. and Tokyo, Japan.

1 American Cancer Society. "Multiple Myeloma Overview." Available at http://www.cancer.org/cancer/multiplemyeloma/detailedguide/multiple-myeloma-what-is-multiple-myeloma.Accessed June 2016.2 National Cancer Institute. "A Snapshot of Myeloma." Available at http://www.cancer.gov/research/progress/snapshots/myeloma. Accessed June 2016. 3 Globocan 2018. United States of America Fact Sheet. Available at http://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/840-united-states-of-america-fact-sheets.pdf.4 Globocan 2018. World Fact Sheet. Available at http://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/populations/900-world-fact-sheets.pdf. Accessed December 2018.5 American Cancer Society. "How is Multiple Myeloma Diagnosed?" http://www.cancer.org/cancer/multiplemyeloma/detailedguide/multiple-myeloma-diagnosis. Accessed June 20166 DARZALEX Prescribing information, September 2019. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2019/761036s024lbl.pdf Last accessed September 20197 DARZALEX Summary of Product Characteristics, available at https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/darzalex Last accessed June 20208 DARZALEX FASPRO Prescribing information, May 2020. Available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2020/761145s000lbl.pdf Last accessed May 20209 De Weers, M et al. Daratumumab, a Novel Therapeutic Human CD38 Monoclonal Antibody, Induces Killing of Multiple Myeloma and Other Hematological Tumors. The Journal of Immunology. 2011; 186: 1840-1848.10 Overdijk, MB, et al. Antibody-mediated phagocytosis contributes to the anti-tumor activity of the therapeutic antibody daratumumab in lymphoma and multiple myeloma. MAbs. 2015; 7: 311-21.11 Krejcik, MD et al. Daratumumab Depletes CD38+ Immune-regulatory Cells, Promotes T-cell Expansion, and Skews T-cell Repertoire in Multiple Myeloma. Blood. 2016; 128: 384-94.12 Jansen, JH et al. Daratumumab, a human CD38 antibody induces apoptosis of myeloma tumor cells via Fc receptor-mediated crosslinking.Blood. 2012; 120(21): abstract 2974.

SOURCE: Genmab

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Genmab Announces European Myeloma Network and Janssen Achieve Positive Topline Results from Phase 3 APOLLO Study of Daratumumab in Combination with...

The Sims 4 PC tips and tricks to improve your builds without mods – VG247

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The Sims 4 has a really good set of tools to help you build tiny homes, cafs, museums, trailers, nightclubs, mansions, and loads of other types of buildings.

But, not many people are aware of some small little hacks you can do using in-game cheats and tools. Were going to talk you through some of these tricks so you can build the nightclub-mansion-museum of your dreams. On PC only sorry, console players.

So here are our top six ways to improve your Sims 4 builds without Sims 4 mods. If you have any additional tips and tricks, please post them in the comments and let everyone know your favourite ways to build.

If you dont want to read, we even have the same guide in video form below:

Lets kick things off with some console commands you should probably almost definitely use every time you build. To open the console, hit control, shift, and C. Itll bring up a box you can type in in the top left corner. Youll want to type in testingcheats true, which will allow a lot of cheats to activate, and also help you out with some cheats in live mode. The most important one, in my opinion, is bb.moveobjects. If you press alt with this enabled, this allows you to move objects off grid, move them through walls, move them super close to each other, and just make your builds look more realistic rather than Sim-y.

Another pair of console commands you should bear in mind are the two that unlock all debug items in the game this means you can access items that are otherwise not in the catalogue. One includes all of the things that your sims can essentially pull out of their arses I mean, pockets? like toothbrushes, or food items. Note that when uploading this to the gallery to share with other simmers, some of these will not transfer. To access this use bb.showhiddenobjects and then search debug and click any of the debugs you see as a result.

The next will allow you to use all of the props you see in the different worlds in your actual builds. From fencing to water towers, or even train tracks, you can really level up your build with some of these items. Youll want to use bb.showliveeditobjects for this, but make sure youve inputted the first two cheats for this one to work. The debug menu is mostly unsearchable, and un-cloneable. So grab what you need when you see it.

And finally, have you ever been scrolling through the catalogue only to see an item you really want, but its a new save, or you dont play in live mode anymore, and its an item locked behind a specific career? Im looking at you Deep Thoughts Bookcase. Luckily for you, theres a cheat for that. What isnt there a cheat for? Youll want to use bb.ignoregameplayunlocksentitlement. Its a long one, I misspell it so often too, but its so, so worth it for the Deep Thoughts Bookcase.

This leads us on nicely to some keyboard shortcuts. A lot of you will probably know this, but you can make items bigger or smaller using the square bracket keys on your keyboard. It helps a lot with builds in general, and Ill be telling you how to use this effectively a little bit later on. Do note that whilst it works on most objects, it doesnt always work on things that have lights on them like certain TVs and doesnt work at all on mirrors or windows. Some things just need to stay the size they were made apparently. But at least you can make a massive toilet.

Another one youll most likely already know about is the keys 9 and 0 move objects up and down well, most of them. Mirrors and pictures cant really go down, but they can go up. Pictures can be placed anywhere on a wall though, and go up from there, just not down. And if theres an item like a chair that youre trying to move up and down, itll click into place if it goes near a table or desk, so do be aware of that. Also, 9 can be a saved camera angle, if youve saved a camera angle in the past maybe even by accident everytime you click 9 itll shift round to where you do not want it to be, so hold down control as you press 9 to stop this from happening.

These keyboard shortcuts will help you massively with the rest of the tricks that youll learn about in this video, so its good to familiarise yourself with them.

A small aside here, but The Sims 4 is very well optimised for laptop users. So much so that The Sims 4 default camera is all about laptop users. However, The Sims 3 camera is best for placing specifically, rotating objects. And its also just better in general. It may take some getting used to if youve been playing with the default camera, but Id recommend turning on The Sims 3 camera in your game settings.

Clutter can really add to a build. Dont come for me if you like a tidy build thats fine too. But I like my Sims homes to look lived in, and realistic. I mean, I know some people are actually very tidy, but thats not me. Clutter up my life, thanks.

There are a couple of ways to clutter spaces. Both ways need you to use moveobjects. The first way is to fill up all clutter slots on your item with random clutter items for example, a desk might have a few snapping slots that will only let you place clutter in specific places. Place something in each of them, so theres nowhere else you clutter can click to. Once thats done, you can then get a second desk, place the actual clutter items you want on it, and then grab them, hold alt, and move them over to the desk thats in the right place. Youll notice the clutter item will stay at the same height, but can now be freely moved. So put it where you want on your original desk, and then once youve satisfied your cluttered needs, delete the placeholders.

The other way to do it is to place your desk, and then put all of the clutter items you want on it. Doesnt matter where they go. Now, move your desk out of the way, but remember where it was, and then bring the objects from that desk into the space that was left by it. Remember to hold alt while doing this so the objects stay at the same height. This one takes a little more guesswork as to where things will look good, or if theyre even in the same place. But its the trick I use. Of course, you can keep moving your desk back to where itll end up to make sure its all going in the right place. Once youre done, put your desk back where you want it, and voila! This doesnt work for electronics on the desk, keep reading to find out how to do that.

Do bear in mind that with both of these options, if you end up changing your mind as to where you want your desk, table, side table, counter, etcetera, then the clutter will not move with the item.

This is a trick that blew my mind. Maybe youve always known how to do this in The Sims 4, but for me? Amazing. Brilliant. Unique. Never been done before. Its all about making an object like a table or a counter super tiny, to be able to utilise space a little better.

The first example is in kitchens, or bathrooms, or anywhere you may want to use a counter. You know in some houses theres counters then a gap in the middle and maybe a laundry basket or storage? Not possible in the Sims. UNLESS you use this trick. Make sure you have moveobjects enabled for this though. Grab a dishwasher, and shrink it down super small using the left square bracket key. Once its tiny, place it in the counter, chopping a square out of it, and it then becomes a blank space for you to place something else there. Like a laundry basket, or a box of towels, or cleaning products. Do try to use something here that youre not going to want your sims to use, as they wont really be able to comprehend whats going on here and will probably get confused. It adds such a nice touch to an otherwise boring object.

The second example is desks. Say you want your laptop or computer to be on the slant on a desk rather than bang in the middle. What you need to do here is grab a small, one by one desk or table, and size it all the way down. Once sized down grab the piece of electronic equipment you want to place on a desk and put it on top of the mini desk. The laptop will stay the same size, but now wherever you move the mini-desk the laptop will follow. Hide it away in a normal sized desk, and there you have it! A laptop on the side of the desk, rather than smack bang in the middle.

For me, roofing is the easiest way to make a building either look well thought out or not. So learning about being able to sort one side of the eaves without affecting the other was game changing. The same with putting in skylights. I still hate placing roofs, but theyre super effective when done right.

When you place a roof, youll see a bunch of different draggable options. From the little spheres that can make your roofs round to the rounded arrows that change the height and length, and then the little mini triangles that change your eaves length. The eaves are the things I want to tell you about. If you press and hold shift, you can change the length of a singular eave. Without shift, they will mirror one another. This is super helpful with a lot of different roofing styles, especially skylights.

Skylights are loads of different roof pieces joined together to make your roof look a little more interesting. Its easiest to use half gabled roofs, and use a whole load of different segments. If you place your roof how you want it first, and then drag some of it to the side to give yourself a gap where you want your skylight to go, and then copy and paste that same roof, place it on the other side of the gap, then copy and paste it again, and make a tiny piece for the bottom of where you want the skylight to be. Roofs look weird if the glass goes over the edge of the wall. Then copy and paste your first big bit, and place it where you want the skylight to be, and re-colour it to be glass. Youll probably have some eaves clipping in to where your skylight is, so press shift and move the sides that are clipping.

And there you have it, 6 ways to transform your Sims 4 builds on PC. Using all of these things can help you make some incredible builds, like using debug and 9 and 0 to make magnificent sweeping staircases, or moveobjects and mini counters to create built-in microwave units in your kitchens. There are so many ways to use these tricks in different situations, so experiment away and let us know in the comments below your favourite build tricks.

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The Sims 4 PC tips and tricks to improve your builds without mods - VG247

Playing press and paying respect – The Selma TimesJournal – Selma Times-Journal

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There are moments in a persons life which stand out, in radiant technicolor, against the gray and drab backdrop that sets the scene for most of lifes days such was the case as I set about in the usual way of covering the activities that unfolded on Selmas streets Sunday, activities which would follow me home and continue to haunt and inspire me over the next few days.

The media circus surrounding the Selma leg of the tribute to civil rights powerhouse and longtime Georgia Congressman John Lewis began Friday afternoon as broadcast news outlets began constructing their makeshift newsrooms and satellites and print journalists milled about asking questions of mask-clad wanderers on the street, but this time it didnt take away from the matter at hand so often when the national media descends on Selma, they do so in an arrogant fashion that detracts from the stated reason for being here, but they rolled into the Queen City over the weekend somberly, obviously taken aback by the gravity of the situation theyd been called to document.

And why shouldnt they? The loss of John Lewis, a living reminder of the myriad struggles that had to take place and are indeed still taking place in order to provide all Americans with the same rights, liberties and opportunities, is a blow to the nations collective midsection, particularly at a time when emotions are running high over the same conflicts that have raged for generations.

All of this was on my mind, and so much more, as I climbed the stairs in the Times-Journal building Sunday morning to take my perch atop the fire escape which overlooks the bridge over an hour early, the waiting game played havoc on my plans and those of the other press writers below.

I climbed onto the roof of the building, following a dream the night before in which I fell from my perch trying to lean into a shot of Lewiss final freedom voyage over the Alabama River, and took in the whole city you could hear voices belting out This Little Light of Mine and the flutter of birds wings as they scattered from the rooftop to a nearby powerline and on into the heavens; you could see the people, no larger than a fingernail, idling up and down the streets, talking, mourning and remembering.

To be sure, the monotony of responsibility found its way to me I had to assist the drone operators in getting the shot we wanted for todays front page; I talked regularly with Times-Journal News Editor James Jones, who was stationed outside of Brown Chapel during the mornings events, to keep tabs on when the procession would bend the curve onto Broad Street; I worked with visiting journalists, allowing them editing space inside the newsroom, and in general worked, as work is nothing if not work but, as a journalist, one finds that work, emotion and history often unfold simultaneously, at least if one pays attention to the event and not just the covering of the event.

I drank five cups of coffee before the horse-drawn carriage and the flag-draped casket began its slow climb toward the Edmund Pettus Bridge weeping could be heard, shouts of Thank you, John and Good trouble could be heard; outstretched hands extended beyond the barriers lining each side of the street, as if to touch the hem of his garment one time more before he was gone forever and I shot dozens of photos, any one of which would be enough to show what happened.

Work resumed thereafter uploading photos, shutting down the office and I wound my way home where my wife and children had seen me on an NPR livestream of the event, my black-shirted frame leaning precariously over the edge of the metal staircase.

Daddy, my little girl asked. Was Mr. John Lewis in the box?

He was, sweetheart.

Did he get out and talk?

No, baby. Mr. John Lewis cant talk anymore.

Saying that to my daughter, who was born on the 45th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who since learning about King in school has developed a keen interest in all facets of the Civil Rights Movement, particularly King and Rosa Parks, was difficult, because it was the first time my throat had let loose what my mind already knew John Lewis cant talk anymore; John Lewis cant champion the fight for jobs and freedom anymore; John Lewis cant loudly call us to never give up or give in.

But somehow, he speaks to us now just as clearly as ever John Lewis cant call for equal rights anymore, but we can; John Lewis cant fight and march anymore, but we can.

Not only can we, but we must.

Unlike so many of my journalistic counterparts, I never had the opportunity to look in John Lewiss eyes or hear him speak directly to me and yet I hear his voice as if, in fact, it is speaking directly to me.

I appeal to all of you to get into this great revolution that is sweeping this nation. Get in and stay in the streets of every city, every village and hamlet of this nation until true freedom comes, until the revolution of 1776 is complete.

Im listening and you should be too.

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Playing press and paying respect - The Selma TimesJournal - Selma Times-Journal

Fighting COVID-19 with surveillance: Perspectives from across the globe – Atlantic Council

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Wed, Jul 29, 2020

New AtlanticistbySimon Handler and Lily Liu

Related Experts: Aleksandra Gadzala,Laura Galante,Simon Handler,Kenneth Propp,

This article is part of the monthly CSI5x5 series by the Cyber Statecraft Initiative, in which five featured experts answer five questions on a common theme, trend, or current event in the world of cyber. Interested in the CSI5x5 and want to see a particular topic, event, or question covered? Contact Simon Handler with the Cyber Statecraft Initiative at[emailprotected].

Policymakers have rushed to adopt surveillance measures to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, but not without controversy. On March 16, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized the Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) to track the mobile phone location data of its citizens and notify those who may have come in close proximity to COVID-19 carriers to self-isolate. While Shin Bets system has successfully warned almost 4,000 individuals who have later tested positive, many privacy advocates fear that such enhanced surveillance may provide opportunities for abuse. The Supreme Court of Israel even ruled against this decision on April 26, condemning the prime minister for violating the non-delegation doctrine by authorizing the policy without explicit statutory authority.

Israel is not alone in turning to digital surveillance; Singapore has implemented wearable contact-tracing tokens and with the help of machine learning tools, France is monitoring whether individuals are wearing masks through video surveillance cameras. Even some of the most privacy-protective European countries, Italy and Germany, have launched contact-tracing applications to track the spread of coronavirus. Some countries are utilizing apps built by private sector technology giants like Apple and Google, using open-source code in order to prioritize transparency.

As more countries rely on digital tools to contain the spread of COVID-19, how will enhanced surveillance challenge privacy norms in the future? According to the World Health Organization, public health surveillance is critical to containing the pandemic. However, can enhanced surveillance during a public health crisis set precedents for digital surveillance in the future?

Cyber Statecraft Initiative experts go CSI5x5 to assess the implication of COVID on the future of mass surveillance:

Benjamin Ang, senior fellow, head of cyber homeland defence, Centre of Excellence for National Security, RSIS:

Government surveillance has different meanings in different parts of the world. Most Singaporeans have demanded more surveillance in neighborhoods and public spaces, for crime prevention, resulting in more than 70,000 police cameras deployed in our tiny island-state. But they have also criticized a proposal to issue contact tracing wearables to every resident. It looks like surveillance is good when everyone else is being watched, but not when Im the one being watched.

Governments who build better trust (e.g. by making contact tracing apps open source), whose populations are more communitarian than individualistic (e.g. many Asian countries), may find them more tolerant of surveillance during a crisis like this pandemic. When the crisis is over, the population may be less tolerantbut with the infrastructure in place, it may be too late to turn back.

Aleksandra Gadzala, senior fellow, Africa Center; head of research, The Singularity Group:

False. COVID-19 is arguably making individuals even more aware of the risk of government surveillance and more guarded of their privacy than before.The steady slide into mass collection of citizens private details was accelerating across much of Africa since especially the 2011 Arab Spring, with governments in Tanzania and Ethiopia, among others, imposing social media taxes, cybersecurity, and terrorism laws aimed at monitoring online communications. These measures were already being met with resistance. But contact tracing and other forms of COVID-19-related surveillance involve a different, deeper, level of intimacyindividual social and health historiesthat extend beyond the kind of information most are willing to forego. More and more Africans are taking the position that their social activities and health records are not essential to stemming the pandemic, but rather risk giving their respective governments more control than they in many cases already have. This heightened degree of caution will likely persist, if not accelerate, in the months and years following the pandemic.

Laura Galante, senior fellow, Eurasia Center; founder, Galante Strategies LLC:

Depends on the country: I think populations that were growing comfortable with outright surveillanceparticularly Chinawill look back at COVID as a proof point for mass surveillances positive effect in fighting the pandemic.

Harel Menashri, head of cyber, Holon Institute of Technology:

The world is divided into countries that are totalitarian and dictatorial in nature and culture, such as China, as opposed to countries with a democratic history and culture. In democratic countries, the public will still prefer to block government surveillance capabilities as much as possible.

Kenneth Propp, senior fellow, Future Europe Initiative; director for global trade policy, BSA:

The answer depends very much on your nationality. Asian populations seem broadly tolerant of pandemic-related surveillance; Americans seem quite distrustful; Europeans are somewhere in the middle. Those general attitudes will carry on.

Ang: Lateral surveillanceindividuals policing one another for not complying with safe distancing or wearing masksis one privacy risk that is grossly overlooked. This risk comes from vigilantes with mobile phone cameras hunting and shaming covidiots (a derogatory term for people who appear to be ignoring COVID-19), to the extent of uploading videos and doxing them. The vigilantes have no training or interest in privacy, no due process, and no accountability.

Gadzala: The by-now-apparent elephant in the room when it comes to surveillance risks and privacy in Africa is China, and I worry that we continue to underestimate the extent of Beijings data collection and influence operations in the regionand the enormous opportunity that COVID-19 has created in this regard. Technology linked to Chinese companiesparticularly Huawei, Hikvision, Dahua, and ZTEsupply artificial intelligence solutions ranging from facial recognition systems to smart policing in nearly twenty African countries. Huawei dominates the African telecommunications market (it is building 70 percent of Africas 4G infrastructure and is proceeding with plans to deploy 5G networks on the continent). With African governments now turning to (Chinese-based) mobile tracing solutions to stem the spread of the virus, Beijing is likely to gain significant data and intelligence. This carries a variety of strategic implications for the United States and significant risks for Africa: if the Chinese government and Chinese companies have valuable information on African populations, it could be used in bilateral commercial negotiations, potentially crowding out local industries, or as leverage in political disputes. African leaders are likely aware of at least some of these vulnerabilities, though are largely unwilling or unable to address the challenge.

Galante: By using rolling proximity identifiers, as many of the contact tracing efforts do, an app would be creating an incredibly valuable and exploitable set of data on both peoples locations and habits and who has been infected. There are myriad scenarios that Id rather not outline, on how an adversary could expose that data and wreak havoc on populations for years to come.

Menashri: The risk to privacy stems from the fact that in the absence of voluntary options, and due to a lack of good enough civilian applications to monitor contacts between blue suspects and others, we are inevitably forced to operate systems designed to monitor suspicious activity in front of civilians.

Propp: I think the privacy risks from the pandemic have been well-flagged in the debate so far. I dont see any that have been grossly overlooked.

Ang: Singapores government developed the TraceTogether contact tracing app and made the code open source, which enables the public to verify its privacy statements and assess its level of surveillance. In many Southeast Asian countries, governments are more accountable for their actions than large private sector corporations like Google, Facebook, or Apple. Governments can be voted out of office, whereas relatively small markets have little if any influence over large private sector technology corporations, which engage in surveillance for profit. One caveat: unlawful surveillance may not exist if a countrys laws and constitution allow mass surveillance.

Gadzala: In the West we are also struggling to decipher whether technology companies like Google or Apple, or government agencies, are best suited to this task. So far both answers are unsatisfactory, and the same is true in Africa. The trouble is that any kind of centralized database risks mission creep and can dramatically hamper trust in, and acceptance of, the responsible organizations. A viable solution could be a decentralized blockchain-based system, similar to existing smart contract frameworks. Such a solution could potentially allow for real-time monitoring of a populations immunity while offering greater protections of personal data. And this opens the door for the private sector beyond big tech in a rather significant way.In Africa, blockchain-based companies like Kenyas Nurse-in-Hand, Paxful, and AZA Group have started assuming various roles in the regional response to COVID-19. With greater support, they and their peers could be essential in the prevention of both the virus and unlawful surveillance.

Galante: Google, Apple, device manufacturers, and the telecomshave arguably the best datato work with for contact tracing. They shouldnt be left to devise privacy controls on their own. The federal government needstoprovide theframework for user consent, metadata collection parameters, and sunsetting and deletionpolicies.

Menashri: There is no doubt that the government has more existing tools to carry out monitoring and surveillance. The problem with the private sector stems from the fact that not all hardware and programming production is always done in the same country. You are sometimes forced to rely on a programmer who comes from another culture, and therefore, his ethical culture is also differentand this may be reflected in the software product he provides to you, without you being aware of it. If you make hardware in China, you are following other laws that allow the Chinese government to plant a backdoor on you. Thus, when it comes to privacy, the government has higher capabilities and if I want the private sector, I owe close regulatory oversight of the privacy authorities, to the manufacturers.

Propp: Most Americans seem comfortable with browser providers taking the lead in building contact tracing apps that protect privacy best against unlawful surveillance. European and Asian governments enjoy broader trust from their populations, so they are better trusted with developing privacy protections for such apps. Its also noteworthy that a number of European governments publicly have expressed great frustration about their desire to centralize tracing data being supervened by browser decisions.

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Ang: In Singapore, support for surveillance for crime prevention has come from both conservative and liberal blocsthe former want law and order, the latter want protection of vulnerable persons. During this pandemic, Ive seen both blocs engage in lateral surveillance (i.e.vigilante shaming of people who do not comply with COVID-19 health regulations).

Galante: In the United States, you would be hard pressedto finda pro-surveillance faction. Thatsaid, most Americans are comfortable, or at least complacent, about theprofilethat theirspendingand online behavior creates forexploitationby advertisers. In the context of contact tracing, the benefit for the user is not the free use of an online social media or email account but rather the ability to protect themselvesand othersfrom infection.

Menashri: As I see it, the epidemic has caused extremism in public attitudes. It did not change their mind. There are certainly many who think that government officials should not carry out surveillance, for fear of invading privacy. By the way, I argue that it is not the role of internal intelligence organizations such as the Israeli ISA to deal with this issue.

Propp: I suspect that the pandemic has simply deepened existing ideological positions on surveillance rather than shifting them significantly.The views of those who fear intrusive government surveillance generally have been reinforced by the introduction of tracing apps, while those with greater tolerance of surveillance for the public good tend to accept tracing apps.

Ang: Democratic governments are sensitive to public opinion, so public awareness, scrutiny, and critique of public surveillance programs will help to curb mission creep.

Gadzala: There is a good deal that can be done in this regard, though none of it is easy, as it concerns matters of institutional accountability. One aspect on which I remain laser-focused is journalistic freedom, which has unfortunately declined across much of Africa in recent years and also now since the start of the pandemic. In Madagascar, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and among other countries, journalists are being threatened and media outlets shut down. This has implications both for how the health crisis is handled in these countries as well as the future state of their democracy. An encouraging trend that warrants greater support, however, is the emergence of new and decentralized media in the form of mobile apps, newsletters, and other platforms where the emphasis is on local reporting and local narratives. WanaData, for example, is a Nigerian-based, pan-African network of female journalists and data scientists focused on producing data-driven news in collaboration with community media and freelancers. The ability of such initiatives to report on instances of unlawful surveillance and hold violators to account is immensely important. Paradoxically, technology is here at once the culprit and the solution.

Galante: We need sunset and deletion policies whenever a surveillance measure is put in place locally, statewide or federally. The Electronic Frontier Foundation and the ACLU are doing good work to elevate privacy concerns amidst the many efforts to fight the pandemic.

Menashri: What is needed is a democratic culture, law enforcement, parliamentary authorities with supervisory powers and, most importantly, transparency of moves.

Propp: The limited acceptance of tracing apps in Western democracies suggests that their publics will remain wary of overt government surveillance in the future in other contexts.That wariness presumably will have an effect on government surveillance ambitions, at least on overt ones.

Simon Handler is a program assistant with the Atlantic Councils Cyber Statecraft Initiative under the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, focused on the nexus of geopolitics and international security with cyberspace. He is a former special assistant in the United States Senate. Follow him on Twitter @SimonPHandler.

Lily Liu is an intern with the Atlantic Councils Cyber Statecraft Initiative.

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Fighting COVID-19 with surveillance: Perspectives from across the globe - Atlantic Council

How to change your name on PayPal, add a nickname, or correct typos in your current name – Business Insider – Business Insider

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Changing your name comes with a lot of little headaches new email addresses, new identification, new paperwork. There's a little headache every time you catch something you missed in the transition.

I changed my surname about five years ago, and it took a recent email receipt to make me realize I hadn't changed my PayPal information. One of those little headaches that's slipped my mind until now.

Unfortunately, the most convenient way to change your name on PayPalis to make a new account. But if you don't want to do that, know that PayPal does offer ways to change your account name however, most of them require you to prove that you really need the name change.

Here's how to change your PayPalname. These steps can be performed using any internet browser on your Mac or PC.

All three name change options are accessible from the same menu.

1. Using an internet browser, log into your account on PayPal's website. Click the gear at the top-right of the screen to access your settings.

Open your PayPal settings. William Antonelli/Business Insider

2. The settings page will show the name that's currently tied to your PayPal account. To change it, click "Update."

Click the "Update" option next to your name. William Antonelli/Business Insider

3. The update page gives you three options to change your name, each with its own requirements. You can ask PayPal to change your legal name, add a "nickname" to your account, or merely correct a typo.

Pick one of the three options. William Antonelli/Business Insider

Any paperwork you submit needs to be uploaded as a PDF, JPG, or PNG, and needs to be under 5 MB in size. If you're uncomfortable uploading paperwork to the internet, you can also send copies by mail.

To change your legal name, you'll need to submit a scan of a government issued photo ID, like a driver's license.

Along with this, you'll need to give legal proof that your name has been changed. This might mean a marriage certificate, or a name change court order.

Once you send this in, you'll need to wait for PayPal to approve the change. PayPal claims that it should only take a week, but some users have reported longer wait times.

You can upload your files on this page. William Antonelli/Business Insider

The second option allows you to "update" your name. This is great if you want to use a nickname, for instance.

To do this, you'll need a scan of a government issued photo ID, and an official document that shows your current name. A utility bill would be perfect for this.

This will also take PayPal some time to process and approve.

PayPal will accept a variety of documents with your name on it. William Antonelli/Business Insider

To make a minor correction to your existing name, you don't need any paperwork. However, you can only change a few letters, and you can only make this change once.

This change will be processed instantly. William Antonelli/Business Insider

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How to change your name on PayPal, add a nickname, or correct typos in your current name - Business Insider - Business Insider

How L.A.’s Mariachis Are Keeping the Music Alive and How You Can Help – KCET

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See how mariachi music is giving people a sense of community and connectionin these times on "Southland Sessions" S1 E3: Mariachi - from Romance to Resistance.

Before April of this year, Los Angeles many mariachi groups were thriving. Spring is a good time for gigs and the preamble to the wedding and graduation-filled summer.

Before this, people were super happy and excited, said Joel Jacques, director ofMariachi Los Criollos de Guadalajara, but then COVID started.

Boyle Heights momentarily silent Mariachi Plaza may be the epicenter of Los Angeles' mariachi scene, but mariachi, of course, goes way back. In what is almost a study in creativity and adaptation, mariachi music was a result of the fortuitous mixing of indigenous and Spanish music starting in the 1700s, when Mexico was still under Spanish rule, primarily in Jalisco, Colima, Michoacn, Zacatecas, Guanajuato and Nayarit.

The invention and adoption of theguitarrn(meaning large guitar) the equivalent of the bass in mariachi in the 17thcentury was key in the development of mariachi musics first iteration.

Mariachi music remained in relative obscurity from the rest of the country, only finding an audience in rural and Indigenous populations. Inexplicably, aristocrats snubbed their noses at the art for almost 200 years until mariachi groups from Cocula and Tecatitln (another historic cradle of mariachi in Jalisco) made their way to Mexico City at the end of the 19thcentury and found widespread success. Mexican elites relegated it as inferior until then-president Porfirio Daz deemed a mariachi group worthy of playing at his birthday party in 1905. One can only imagine how those snotty folks felt when they realized what they had been missing.

Marachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles members Natalia Melendez, Mayra Martinez, Rodolfo Vasquez, Allen Magaa, Pablo Juarez, Leandro Orozco, Brian Espinoza, Julio Martinez and Carlos Samaniego, pose together. | Berna Choi

Since then, mariachi music has only grown in popularity. UNESCO even named it a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2011.

As Joel Jacques, director of Mariachi Los Criollos de Guadalajara, put it, "Mexican music is culture, art and feeling. There's no better way to tell a woman you love her than by serenading her, and even more with mariachi, singing some beautiful songs for her like Pedro Infante's 'Amorcito Corazn. These are very happy songs, and beautiful too!

Much was written about theplight of mariachisat the start of the stay-at-home order. One would be forgiven for thinking that in the face of such terrible odds, the mariachis at plazas, banquet halls and restaurants simply sighed, packed up their instruments and let the county go silent. But they didnt. Like their musical ancestors, the Coca people of Cocula, Jalisco, they got creative.

If we dont adapt how we do things, they disappear, Jacques said.

Like many other entertainers, some mariachi groups have gone virtual, making customized videos for clients near and far.

Carlos Samaniego, Director ofMariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles(the World's First LGBTQ Mariachi), said that although most of the events he played at normally, like weddings and quinceaeras, got canceled, many of thePrideevents he was supposed to play at have gone virtual. For example,Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles recorded a Lucha Villa potpourri for a virtual queerceaera recently.

It really has hit the mariachi industry very, very hard . [but] thats one way we have stayed employed, he said.

For Jacques, who clearly revels inplaying for people, doing virtual performances has let him bring the love and joy of mariachi music to people who are far away from their loved ones. Ive had to doserenatasfor people who ended up being long distance because of COVID, Jacques said. Even a woman from Chicago around a month ago hired me to sing to her mother virtually.

Marachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles members Natalia Melendez, Mayra Martinez, Rodolfo Vasquez, Allan Lopez-Vasquez, Valentin Tril Jr., Pablo Juarez, Brian Espinoza and Carlos Samaniego, pose together. | Courtesy of Carlos Samaniego

It's also been an important business decision. He said mariachis who don't know how to work online end up being limited in the work they can do, and unfortunately, there are a lot of people in that position, he said. "This stuff changes every day, so if you don't try to update what you do, as we Mexicans say,te comen el mandado(they eat your groceries), he said. You need to stay updated, especially regarding platforms where you can promote yourself by uploading videos.

Even though videos have been an unexpected and welcome source of income, Samaniego said they simply dont come close to how the music sounds live. Erwin Vasquez, director ofMariachi Teocuitatlan, agreed and said many audiences are simply not interested in online performances. Its just the culture. People are used to coming up to ask for a song, getting close to us, singing, Vasquez said. Thats just how it is.

Audiences looking to listen to live mariachi during this time have plenty of creative options, from curbside concerts, caravans, and even drive-in mariachi concerts.

Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles Members pose outside of a home wearingface masks at a recent graduation gig. | Courtesy of Carlos Samaniego

Of course, there are still things that continue to happen like birthdays and all these things that people have continued to celebrate have continued, but differently, Samaniego said. Now you have these [drive-by] caravans, and everything has to be done with social distancing, which is great.I believe theres some way to continue to celebrate and accomplish things like that, but its all done very differently.

Now, when there are birthdays, people are brought out to driveways and mariachis play from the sidewalk. I was lucky enough to be at a 100thbirthday near Palos Verdes, Jacques recalled. Even the fire department and police departments drove by. It was like a parade for the man. And the man was sitting in his little garden, and we were playing on the sidewalk. You see some really beautiful things."

Mariachi Los Criollos de Guadalajara play outside at a socially distanced gathering. "When we have to go to a house, we stand, and the clients sit far away. We wear the mask and only remove it to sing to you," Jacques said.

Samaniego is taking a break from playing in person for at least the next month to reduce the risk of infection and keep his clients safe. Before cases started to skyrocket again in July, he would only accept gigs that were held outside with enough room for appropriate social distancing, but he said many mariachi groups cant afford to be picky.

Vasquez said he also recently decided to stop playing in person for the remainder of the month. "As we show up, our bills are paid. If we don't show up, they're not," he said. "It's tough. We are putting ourselves in the line of danger showing up to unknown homes where there's people that we just don't know where they've been," Vasquez said. "It's been a challenge, but it's not something I can control because people are paying for the luxury of us showing up. It comes down to us risking it for the happiness of someone else. Now it's time to take ourselves into consideration before our clients to try to stay safe."

Many mariachis are still out working gigs normally, so Samaniego said keeping tabs on the mariachi community on social media is a great way for mariachis to stay informed.

Natalia Melendez and Carlos Samaniego wear face masks. | Courtesy of Carlos Samaniego

Its really helped because there are musicians who have been affected and are saying please be cautious and wear your face mask while youre at the gig. Please keep your distance, he said. Just because the clients are having fun, and theyre drinking and not wearing face masks, dont fall into that and dont go inside the apartment or house, thats not really a good idea.

Samaniego said he was extra lucky; he was able to switch to online performances thanks to money he got from a grant that was only available to American citizens, which many mariachis are not. "I got that because fortunately I am a citizen and I can apply for these grants, but there are other people in the mariachi community who aren't legal residents or who may be undocumented who can't apply for these types of things, and so they're the ones that are suffering," he said. "A lot of them have lost their cars, or they're elderly and more susceptible to the coronavirus, so they're also not the most informed on how best to avoid it."

After about three months after the stay-at-homeorder was instated and after attempts to rehearse virtually, Samaniego set up a socially distanced rehearsal with plenty of precautionary measures, like temperature checks and hand sanitizer upon entry. "I wanted to make sure that everyone was safe, and I created this environment in order for us to be safe and rehearse. It was so satisfying musically and to our souls. Just to collaborate musically again was just so nice, and it was a treat to be able to do this."

Vasquez also pointed out that most, if not all, musicians live paycheck to paycheck or per gig. "There's times that musicians are waiting for a gig just so they can eat," he said.

To aid mariachis in these situations, Jacques said fellow mariachis established theOrganizacin de Mariachis Independientes de Los Angeles California(OMILCAL)in mid-June. That organization was created to help musicians who are older and unfortunately cant go out to work because they are at a higher risk if they get infected [but] dont you think its just for mariachis. For example, here in Mariachi Plaza in L.A., there have been trucks full to distribute milk and pantry items for musicians who cant go out to work, Jacques said. A lot of families have been affected.

Joel Jacques of Mariachi Los Criollos de Guadalajara gets ready to play at Los Angeles gigs during the pandemic. | Courtesy of Joel Jacques

Jacques continued, Thank God, because of tech I have work, but people who dont have that knowledge, one way or another we need to help them because like we say in Mexico,como te ves, me v, jven una vez(as you see yourself, I saw myself, young)y como me ves, te vers(as you see me, youll see yourself). We need to be conscious of the fact that were all going to get to that age and be proactive, smart and empathetic of others.

There are many ways to help the mariachi community. Samaniego suggested donating to your favorite mariachi or to arts organizations as well as buying theirmerchandise. On our website, we sell our CDs, our posters, our t-shirts, our baseball caps, even ourmoo. People love our rainbowmoo, and now I put them up for sale on our website," he said. "We have face masks too."

Besides donating to local charities and being cautious to slow the spread of the virus, Vasquez, Jacques and Samaniego agreed that a great way to help the mariachi community is by hiring a mariachi group for a virtual or in-person performance. I want them to know that we are active and available for their events, keeping safety top of mind, Jacques said.

Samaniego said mariachi groups are also especially flexible right now. If you want to celebrate something, hire a mariachi. If you cant afford much, ask for a small group, and people are really willing to accommodate.

Vasquez said he hopes when things clear up a bit more, people will think of musicians, mariachis and entertainers and hire them more often. "We're a small business, and we're in a time that small businesses need to be supported, but it's tough to ask for help because there's really no other way people can really help us than to hire us," he said. "We hope that when things get normal, we're busy with work and can continue to make people happy."

Joel Jacques of Mariachi Los Criollos de Guadalajara gets ready to play at Los Angeles gigs during the pandemic. | Courtesy of Joel Jacques

Jacques summed it up. "It's so hard to make a living, and more so now with COVID, but we've never let ourselves fall down, and we need to lend a hand now more than ever to face the changes and adapt together. Let's stay positive that this will be solved, thank god we have life and let's enjoy it with some good mariachi music.Que viva la msica Mexicana y que viva el mariachi!

So, if youre thinking of just calling youramorcito coraznjust to say, I love you, maybe consider sending them some curbside mariachi instead.

Top Image:Joel Jacques of Mariachi Los Criollos de Guadalajara holds his guitarrn before a Los Angeles gig. | Courtesy of Joel Jacques

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How L.A.'s Mariachis Are Keeping the Music Alive and How You Can Help - KCET

10 Gaming Stocks That Will Power Through the New Normal – InvestorPlace

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During the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the case for video gaming stocks to buy was very straightforward. With millions of people in both the U.S. and abroad forced to quarantine at one point or another, entertainment options during this unprecedented time were limited. Not surprisingly, several countries reported a spike in gaming.

But from around early May to mid-June, the narrative in the U.S. changed significantly. As the acceleration in daily new infections slowed, individual states gradually started reopening their economies. Additionally, surprisingly positive jobs reports and consumer data bolstered reopening initiatives. While this dynamic didnt kill video gaming stocks to buy, competing platforms appeared poised to blunt their momentum.

However, if your target industry is on the right side of the coronavirus, the Covid-19 pandemic is a gift that keeps on giving. Because now, rising infection rates and hospitalizations have caused even the skeptical President Donald Trump to change his tune. Masks are important to wear, even for young people, if you cant maintain social distancing. Thus, the specter of prolonged shutdowns again bodes well for video gaming stocks to buy.

Not only that, the culture that underlines gaming stocks has found tremendous mainstream acceptance. As a result, sales have been booming for years and not just in the U.S. Indeed, video games are now an international phenomenon. And thats why gaming companies have become incredibly diverse, as you can see from the list of names which well discuss below:

Finally, keep in mind that were heading toward the final weeks of summer. With colder weather approaching, its possible that the pandemic could worsen. Also, people could panic, even if they catch the common cold. This could create chaos, further supporting these video gaming stocks to buy.

Source: ricochet64./Shutterstock.com

Consistently, Electronics Arts professional athletic brand EA Sports has anchored the company as one of the top video gaming stocks to buy. But even with the return of sports, my enthusiasm for EA stock hasnt changed. Thats due to a little something called an exclusive licensing agreement with the NFL.

Of course, EA Sports has other professional sports licenses, most notably its FIFA franchise. However, the NFL is really the engine behind the game developers success. And thats always been the case. But with the coronavirus pandemic, EA stock has a great chance of skyrocketing later this year.

For one thing, sports fans have been incredibly deprived of their passion. So much so that in April, the NFL draft resulted in record-breaking viewership stats. Even more intriguing, the draft was broadcast via a teleconferencing format. In other words, hardly riveting stuff in any other context.

But this just proves how much demand exists for anything NFL-related. With Electronic Arts holding the exclusive gaming simulation license of the NFL, we should see EA stock fly.

Bear in mind too that a cancellation of the NFL season isnt out of the question because of its high-contact nature. If so, thats bad news for the league. However, it might give a boost to Electronic Arts by facilitating an alternative.

Source: Eric Broder Van Dyke/Shutterstock.com

Like rival Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzard has established a powerful brand name thanks to its compelling franchises. However, its best known for its Call of Duty series, which has popularized the first-person shooter (FPS) style of games. The FPS format gave users an immersive experience. Not surprisingly ATVI stock has enjoyed long-term success.

Unfortunately, it has encountered some bumpy roads in recent years. Most notably, competition from free-to-play games like Fortnite which also offered the now ubiquitous battle royale mode has taken the thunder out of Activision. Activision also didnt do itself any favors by making the Call of Duty series more fantastical than realistic.

But management decided to listen to their consumers, with excellent results. Specifically, the latest Call of Duty title is gritty, violent and relevant, with plot lines taken right out of the news. Its this pivot to making products that gamers care about that should help lift ATVI stock.

Additionally, the company has strong potential with its burgeoning esports business. Therefore, make sure to consider Activision among your gaming stocks to buy.

Source: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com

If theres one company that could use a blast from the past, its Sony. A remarkable consumer technology that epitomized Japan Inc., Sony made many blunders over the past two decades. Not surprisingly, SNE stock didnt really inspire most investors until a few years ago.

But the one business line that kept the lights on at this company is PlayStation. Every new-generation console release has been met with rabid enthusiasm. Despite some worrying economic metrics, I expect the same fanfare when Sony debuts its much-anticipated PlayStation 5 later this year.

Although my opinion doesnt matter much, I think I speak for most gamers in that the PS5 is gorgeous. Architecturally, its a dramatic shift from the familiar console framework that weve been accustomed to. In addition, many popular franchises, including the flagship racing game Gran Turismo 7, will be available at or near the time of the consoles release.

Plus, SNE stock isnt just levered to the gaming industry. For instance, its a leading camera optics developer for smartphones. So, even if the gaming stocks angle doesnt quite pan out, Sony is still surprisingly relevant.

As well, keep in mind that the average Japanese consumer saves like crazy. The American counterpart, though, spends like crazy. This could turn out be a significant differentiator in terms of sustainability down the line.

Source: NYCStock / Shutterstock.com

If you hang around console gaming forums, invariably, youll run into the PlayStation versus Microsoft Xbox debate. Frankly, I dont understand what all the fuss is about. Clearly, the PlayStation is better in almost every category.

However, I do know quite a few folks that are ardent Xbox fanatics. And lets give credit where its due: The upcoming Xbox Series X should give the PS5 a run for its money. Both are scheduled for release for the holiday season of this year. In addition, Microsoft claims that its upcoming console is the fastest, most powerful games console ever.

We shall see. But its amazing hype for MSFT stock, Ill give it that.

Another factor bolstering Microsoft is that its not just competing with other gaming stocks to buy. As you know, the software giant has successfully plied its trade in several pertinent sectors, most significantly cloud computing.

Further, Microsoft is an irreplaceable software-as-a-service platform. In fact, without Microsofts suite of business applications, I wouldnt be able to make a living. So, thats another good reason to buy MSFT stock.

Source: achinthamb / Shutterstock.com

If Im being perfectly honest, Im not sure how Alphabet will stack up against other gaming stocks to buy. On one hand, Alphabets video game streaming platform, Stadia, represents the next logical evolution in the industry. With everyone streaming especially with the coronavirus-fueled lockdowns Stadia, and thereby GOOGL stock makes sense.

However, theres another component to consider and that is the viability of this technology. Streaming pre-recorded content is one thing. But what happens when youre playing processor-intensive titles over the cloud? Will there be hiccups associated with possible server overload? To be fair, Alphabet states that its data centers are designed to handle peak traffic proficiently. If so, thats a plus for GOOGL stock. But its also a big if.

As a sole competitor against other gaming stocks, GOOGL would be a tough sell. However, what I love about Alphabet is that it essentially owns the internet. Youre not going anywhere if you dont have a strong Google ranking. In addition, its advertising reach is unparalleled.

Finally, lets mention Alphabets YouTube business. The first round of quarantines made this video uploading service attractive. A possibly sustained second round will make it indispensable given that it might be associated with a weakened consumer economy.

Thus, as a combined entity, I believe GOOGL stock is very attractive.

Source: Mike Mareen / Shutterstock.com

True to form, e-commerce and tech giant Amazon has been making noise in the video game arena. Since it loves disrupting anything that carries any weight with the public, it was only a matter of time before we consider AMZN among the potential gaming stocks to buy.

First, Amazon.com is a great place to buy games and accessories, especially with the coronavirus shuttering everything. Personally, Ive tried to limit my physical shopping as much as possible. This included signing up for Amazon Prime because at this rate, it would save me money. Yes, this is just my own anecdote but Im sure it has been repeated multiple times across the country.

Second, AMZN stock is increasingly becoming a direct play toward the gaming industry. Obviously, you have Amazons Twitch streaming service. Frankly, Im not entirely sure how the economics of Twitch work. But if youre really entertaining at playing video games, you can make a great living.

And dont laugh this off because for whatever reason, people love watching other people play video games. With the coronavirus bringing real athletes and esports together in an unprecedented manner, I believe Twitch can cement itself in the gaming narrative.

Additionally, Amazon has invested millions of dollars into creating its own games, including a science-fiction shooter called Crucible. I would be a little bit skeptical about Amazon if it were a standalone competitor to other gaming stocks. But as the all-encompassing disruptive giant that it is, theres no stopping AMZN stock.

Source: ESOlex / Shutterstock.com

Often overlooked among gaming stocks to buy, Nintendo is nevertheless a significant player. Its classic Nintendo Entertainment System truly pioneered the explosive gaming scene that we see today. Such is the draw of this classic console that millennials are willing to pay big bucks to rekindle some of that childhood magic.

Of course, Nintendo is all too happy to oblige. While the serious console manufacturers are all about pushing the technological envelope, Nintendo has found tremendous success looking backwards. Taking an unusual step, the company re-released its NES console to much fanfare. However, it can get away with it as NTDOY stock is not just an investment in gaming, but also in popular culture.

Thats not to say that Nintendo is a regressive company. Actually, it could turn out be surprisingly relevant. Right now, millennials represent the largest generation in the U.S. labor force, according to the Pew Research Center. Naturally, this means many older millennials are starting families, translating to shifted priorities.

These parents probably arent looking to get their kids started on consoles that could potentially play realistically violent games. Instead, Nintendo still specializes in wholesome family fun, which could see NTDOY stock receive a demographic boost.

Source: OpturaDesign / Shutterstock.com

One of the most powerful developments in the gaming industry is the expansion in platforms. When the first cell phones came out, users were very limited in their entertainment options. But as smartphones became the golden standard in mobile communications, gamers could find that they could take their craft anywhere. As such, Glu Mobile came to prominence with their smartphone and tablet-friendly titles.

The lockdowns also gave the company free organic marketing, which eventually served to lift GLUU stock. With millions essentially under quarantine, they had nothing but time on their hands. Moreover, not everyone wants to spend hundreds of dollars on a dedicated console. Mobile games provided quick entertainment for those who were looking to kill the time.

Interestingly, several western European countries saw a dramatic lift in gaming app downloads after coronavirus cases first started spreading in the region. Given the rise in GLUU stock in April and May, we likely experienced a similar dynamic at home.

To provide fair warning, GLUU is more volatile than other gaming stocks. However, we may not just suffer a second wave of the coronavirus.

Instead, it seems like were headed toward a third wave as colder weather, social unrest and a potential economic crisis converge. Put another way, its best to stay home and that may inspire higher rates of mobile gaming.

Source: Hand Robot/Shutterstock.com

When I last wrote about gaming stocks to buy in the second half of June, I openly worried about U.S.-China relations. Because Trump had few angles to play, I felt that he would pound China relentlessly. As the consulate wars demonstrate, I was right to be concerned.

On the surface, this doesnt help the case for AMD stock. As a Forbes article pointed out late last year, China is the largest market for AMD products. Therefore, its possible that Advanced Micro could suffer poor sales in the country. And thats not a dig against the company. As I said, the entire semiconductor market faces risk.

However, rival Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) made moves when the company admitted that its 7-nanometer chips had defects, necessitating a contingency plan. That involves moving to third-party foundries. Obviously, the news cratered INTC but dramatically lifted AMD stock.

Additionally, as a play on gaming stocks to buy, AMD is quite compelling. First, the upcoming PS5 utilizes AMD processors. Should demand beat expectations and I think it will that should also boost AMD stock. Second, the companys graphics processors have tremendous appeal among hardcore gamers.

Finally, the cryptocurrency market may make a comeback, this time as a digital safe haven for millennial investors. Based on how AMDs crypto-mining business took off in 2017 when blockchain assets launched into orbit, we could see a repeat performance.

Source: Northfoto / Shutterstock.com

Easily the most speculative idea among gaming stocks to buy, GameStop at first glance seems a ridiculous bet. For one thing, game downloads have become incredibly popular, especially in the era of quarantines. Another point is that Amazon can provide the used-game experience with the convenience of ultra-quick delivery.

Finally, video game streaming can take off. So, why would anyone consider GME stock?

In a strange way, the coronavirus that makes GameStops competitors attractive also makes GameStop an interesting idea. Although social distancing is a concern among many Americans, so is making every dollar stretch. With a plethora of used games, GameStop can offer cheap entertainment.

Better yet, buying physical discs is a one-and-done affair. While video game streaming is an innovative concept, I doubt many consumers are willing to fork over monthly subscription fees. With GameStop, you only buy what you want, typically at a discount.

However, the case for GME stock isnt without risks. Mainly, shares are all over the map. Also, rising infection rates means that non-essential businesses dependent on a physical footprint may incur waves of disruptions. But if you have the stomach for choppiness, this could turn out to be a surprising pick.

A former senior business analyst for Sony Electronics, Josh Enomoto has helped broker major contracts with Fortune Global 500 companies. Over the past several years, he has delivered unique, critical insights for the investment markets, as well as various other industries including legal, construction management, and healthcare. As of this writing, he is long SNE and GME.

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10 Gaming Stocks That Will Power Through the New Normal - InvestorPlace

Delhi HC hears plea by DU students on open book examinations for final-year students in the PwD category [LIVE UPDATES] – Bar & Bench – Indian…

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Delhi University Open Book Exams Hearing

A Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad is hearing the matter now.

Delhi High Court begins hearing petitions concerning online open book examination for final year DU students in PWD category. Court to examine the data on mock tests, status of CSCs, scribes etc.

Matter listed before Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad.

Court asks DU: Why was the affidavit filed at quarter to 10? We didn't get the time to read it. The other side is equally handicapped.

Counsel was constantly following up : Senior Advocate Sachin Dutta

Court notes that the number of students who logged in for the mock was less than 50% of the ones who registered.

In phase I, 74,180 students participated out of approximately 1.82k students : Prof Vinay Gupta

Some students had appeared for the mocks earlier as well : Prof Gupta

What is the sanctity of the test when the remaining have not appeared for the mock? : Court

How many years complained of technical problems? There is no info on this? How many were able to upload the answer? : Court

There were 35 complaints till July 28: Senior Adv Dutta

This test was only to familiarise students with the platform: Senior Adv Dutta as Court observes that the data on students who uploaded the answer sheet was low.

As of today, the student may download and upload, for which mocks are being conducted. If student doesn't not wish to do it, he can download the question paper from email: Senior Adv Dutta

How many email address do you have: Court

We have address of a student: Prof Gupta

How many students have said that they want to opt for email?: Court

They need not opt. Both options are there: Senior Adv Dutta

Court notes that only around 39k attempted the paper, out of which around 22k uploaded.

Because in this phase, we had to only give access to students to familiarise them: Senior Adv Dutta

Out of 647 PWD students, 486 logged in. Out of 182 visually impaired students, only 50% logged in and even lesser uploaded the answer: Court

Court questions DU on the set up for visually impaired students who do not have access to internet and reside in non metro cities.

CSC have been asked to arrange for scribe. Any candidate is free to arrange for a scribe: Senior Adv Dutta

Where has CSC said that they will arrange for a scribe?: Court

CSC doesn't know how many students will avail their facility. DU doesn't know either : Court

They need not inform beforehand: Senior Adv Dutta

It is your responsibility to have the data of how many students would avail CSC : Court

UGC has mandated us to conduct the exam: Dutta

We are not going into UGC Guidelines. We are now seeing that students are not left high and dry: Court

The physical option is there (in second phase). We are hoping that there will be very less students for the second phase: Senior Adv Dutta

You are very hopeful: Court

Mode of examination for the physical exam will also be the same : Senior Adv Dutta

What is the figure on students who wrote the mock exam? : Court

Actual figure on how many students would sit for physical examination would be clear on August 10. : Prof Gupta

Senior Adv Kapil Sibal for the Petitioner: Actual number of students who uploaded the mock answer is 22k. Because one student may be uploading several answer sheets. It is less an 8% of the total.

There is no special arrangement for PWD students at CSC: Senior Adv Sibal

There is no data either : Court

Let the CSC representative clarify, he is here: Senior Adv Dutta

What is left to clarify: Court

They are playing with the lives of the students.. How do they know it (CSC) is working, is there electricity: Senior Adv Sibal

It is true that there are no special arrangement for PWD students, scribes : Dinesh Tyagi from CSC

We have a contract with CSC that they would provide assistance: Senior Adv Dutta

There is some anxiety in our mind: Court

Why does your guideline say that the visually impaired student would have the opportunity to meet the scribes two days before: Court

An overwhelming majority will sit for the OBE, others will sit for physical examination: Senior Adv Dutta

Why force PWD students to come to CSC then? : Court

This is optional. They can sit for physical examination: Senior Adv Dutta

60 visually impaired students asked for a scribe. 58 wanted scribes at home, 2 wanted at CSC. CSC agreed to arrange the scribe: Prof Gupta

We said we will facilitate, not arrange. We are saying we will help: Dinesh Tyagi

You are banking on CSC but see what they are saying : Court

We don't have scribes at the CSC : Tyagi

There is a complete mismatch in statements: Court

Who is arranging scribes at home?: Court

That is not possible. Scribes can be arranged at college or CSC: Senior Adv Dutta

Have you informed the 58 students?: Court

Prof Gupta will answer: Dutta

Prof Aneja, who is the Nodal officer, will answer: Prof Gupta

Please take instructions Mr Gupta, we are not going to ask the whole world: Court

Why are you giving hope to the students at go to CSC, everything is ready : Court

If they take the examination and they are not able to perform, they cannot take the exam later: Court

PWD students can sit for the exams once again in physical mode : Senior Adv Dutta

We are here to take a decision for you. We are only here testing the decision: Court

Your endeavours are not enough to say that the last point as been covered: Court

At the end of the day, there will be physical exam: Senior Adv Dutta

Then scrap this, why are you going the mock way and this and that. Let everyone sit for physical : Court

Issue of scribe is with the Dean (Prof Gupta), I am not part of the process : Prof Anil Aneja

On June 27, before the exams were postponed, nobody asked for the scribes: Aneja

These 58 students have come through some examination: Aneja

Are you discarding them on this ground?: Court

Out of 400, only 58 are in question and this number does not call for change in policy. They are sit for physical examination: Aneja

It was my organization that sent the emails from the email address of VI students. We asked for scribes from home because they live in remote areas. The number is large. They are saying 58 but we sent 107 emails: Senior Adv SK Rungta

We do not know where the CSC is. We said we need scribes where we are, not at home: Rungta

Total students are 189. We needed writers, reading material, assistive device. We gave a list. But we got no response: Rungta

We have dealt with the issue on the previous day: Senior Adv Dutta

These are final year students. They appeared in exams all throughout: Senior Adv Dutta

Students may have left Delhi in the middle of the pandemic and left everything behind: Court

Assistive device are with students themselves. Students were given access to collect everything from hostels. At that time there were no restrictions on travelling to Delhi. Even today there are no restrictions: Senior Adv Dutta

Let these 107 students give their details: Senior Adv Dutta

We are not going to duplicate it. They have already sent it: Court

This word file that he talking about was sent on June 16. It had a Google form containing info of all 189 students: Senior Adv Rungta

Their own July 3 circular talks about reimbursement of costs of procurement of study material etc. The college was supposed to give info. Post this, nothing happened: Rungta

Info sought from students included info on the location of students so that arrangements could be made : Rungta

Let info come from the students themselves: Senior Adv Dutta

Why should be say that? : Court

When you know the location of students, why are you not dealing with issues of scribes: Court

Colleges sent info on 229 students out of 400. For remaining, there was no information from students: Aneja

It will be an achievement if 50% students sit for this exam. Others can always sit for physical: Aneja

If students are filing the Google form, this means they have the devices: Aneja

All those who make a request for scribes, we will do our best to arrange one: Aneja

Once request is received, we will do out best, once they intimate that they have not been able to arrange a scribe, we will take care. I will take instructions: Senior Adv Dutta

We don't know if we should let you go ahead with OBE for visually impaired students: Court

It is going well for a large number of students: Senior Adv Dutta

DU has not acted on its own notifications on visually-impaired students: Prateek Sharma, Petitioner

We are prepared for students who are in Delhi: Senior Adv Dutta

Say that you are not prepared for outside Delhi : Court

No obligation on colleges to arrange so much. We have gone out of our way: Dutta

These students are not even here: Senior Adv Dutta

You want us to harrass them more by asking them to come for the hearing? : Court

How is anybody prejudiced. This exam is in the interest of students: Senior Adv Dutta

75% visually impaired students would still be able to sit for the online exam: Aneja

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Delhi HC hears plea by DU students on open book examinations for final-year students in the PwD category [LIVE UPDATES] - Bar & Bench - Indian...

The best beaches in America are in Florida, according to Trip Advisor – I Love the Burg

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The list of Americas Best Beaches has just been released, and Florida takes top billing once again. But which Beach in the Sunshine State took number one?

Coming in first is Siesta Key Beach.

READ: Sunrunner will connect downtown St. Pete to the Beaches

The pristine beach is a photographers dream come true. Stunning white quartz sand, turquoise waters, beautiful areas to enjoy a picnic, and tons of food and fun to be had in the immediate area make Siesta Key Beach such a sought after, and revered escape.

This quaint yet quirky 8-mile-long island offers shopping, resorts, dining and nightlife.

READ: Hidden Gems: Shaners Land & Sea Market

Ranking in at number two of course is St. Pete Beach, a place near and dear to our hearts. This iconic Don CeSar Hotel, Spinners Rooftop restaurant and bar, the sprawling Tradewinds Resort and Guy Harvey Outpost, in addition to spots for paddle boarding, kayaking and ferry escapes, whats not to love?

St. Pete Beach is just a quick drive from downtown St. Petersburg and so worth the trip.

Not far behind at number 6 is Clearwater Beach.

READ: Areas first eco-hotel opens on Clearwater Beach, and proceeds benefit the aquarium

The sugar fine white sand is a trademark of this fabulous area. Its perfect for a family vacation, or a romantic visit to The Pearl Hotel.

Pensacola Beach, Hollywood Beach, and Panama City Beach in Florida all also made it in the top 10.

Wheres your next staycation going to be? We recently paid a visit to the Anna Maria Island Beach Resort and enjoyed one of the best staycations wee ever had.

READ: Snoballs on St. Pete Beach: Eat at Fresh Factory

The resort features a gorgeous pool and hot tub, recently renovated rooms with beachfront views, and easy access to one of the coolest cocktail bars in the state, The Doctors Office.

Want to move to the beach? Smith & Associates has several spotslisted on St. Pete Beachthat will put you right on the water in one of the regions dreamiest cities.

How about Treasure Island?

Smith & Associates also has a strong presence in TI that will put you right in the heart of one of the top vacation destinations in the state.

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The best beaches in America are in Florida, according to Trip Advisor - I Love the Burg

Water restrictions removed at all state beaches other than Reid – NewsCenterMaine.com WCSH-WLBZ

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Due to a lifeguard shortage, the waist-deep swimming order remains in effect at Reid State Park.

MAINE, USA The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands announced Monday that, until further notice, swimming restrictions at Popham, Ferry, and Crescent Beach State Parks are removed.

However, due to a lifeguard shortage, the waist-deep swimming order remains in effect at Reid State Park.

The swimming restrictions were put in place last week, following Maine's first fatal shark attack off of Harpswell's Bailey Island on Monday, July 27.

Julie Dimperio Holowach, 63, of New York City was swimming with her daughter off the Bailey Island shore near White Sails Lane when she was attacked just before 3:30 p.m.

Marine Patrol said she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Holowach's daughter was not injured.

Maine Marine Resources Patrick Keliher said Tuesday that they were swimming about 20 yards offshore when the attack occurred. Nearby kayakers who witnessed the incident helped bring Holowach to shore where she was pronounced dead by EMS personnel called to the scene by another witness on shore.

Based on a fragment of a tooth that was recovered, officials announced Tuesday that they have confirmed the shark was a great white shark.

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Water restrictions removed at all state beaches other than Reid - NewsCenterMaine.com WCSH-WLBZ

These 2 New England beaches just ranked among the best in the U.S. – Boston.com

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Its prime beach season, and two sandy spots in New England ranked among the best in America, according to Tripadvisor readers.

The travel website released its list of 25 best beaches in the U.S., and Ogunquit Beach in Ogunquit, Maine, ranked No. 15, and Race Point Beach in Provincetown ranked No. 21.

The No. 1 beach in the country is Siesta Beach in Siesta Key, Fla., according to readers. The list is part of the travel websites 2020 Travelers Choice Awards.

Ogunquit Beach, at No. 15, was the top-ranked New England beach on the list.

Great beach, a Tripadvisor user wrote about the Maine spot.

The winning beaches were determined based on traveler reviews and ratings posted to TripAdvisor by users over a 12-month period. You can view the entire list of25 best beaches in America here.

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These 2 New England beaches just ranked among the best in the U.S. - Boston.com

This Cape Cod beach was the only one in Massachusetts to land within Trip Advisors top 25 in US – MassLive.com

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Beaches within Massachusetts reopened on Memorial Day amid the coronavirus pandemic, but only one ranks within the top 25 in the United States.

Trip Advisor released its 25 best beaches on Wednesday. Race Point Beach in Provincetown was one of only two New England beaches to land on the top 25 list. It ranked No. 21, an improvement of four spots from its 2019 ranking. It was also the only beach in Massachusetts to make the list last year.

Maines Ogunquit Beach in Oguinquit was the only other beach in the northeast to make the list at No. 15. Last year it ranked No. 18.

Florida and Hawaii cluttered the top 25 including eight of the top 10 beaches, according to Trip Advisor. Four Florida beaches fell within the top five. Floridas Siesta Beach in Siesta Key ranked No. 1.

Lahaina, Hawaii was the only location to have two beaches ranked in the top 25 and they fell within the top 10.

The top 10 included:

1. Siesta Beach, Siesta Key, Florida

2. Saint Pete Beach, Saint Pete, Florida

3. Kaanapali Beach, Lahaina, Hawaii

4. Pensacola Beach, Pensacola Beach, Florida

5. Clearwater Beach, Clearwater, Florida

6. Cannon Beach, Cannon Beach, Oregon

7. Hollywood Beach, Hollywood, Florida

8. Panama City Beach, Panama City Beach, Florida

9. Litchfield Beach, Pawleys Island, South Carolina

10. Napili Beach, Lahaina, Hawaii

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This Cape Cod beach was the only one in Massachusetts to land within Trip Advisors top 25 in US - MassLive.com

Beach battle: Reduced access increases tension between tourists and Seacoast communities – Seacoastonline.com

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RYE New Hampshires Atlantic coastline, the smallest in New England, is just 13 miles long, or 18.5 miles if you include inlets. And much of that very limited space is rocky, rather than sandy beach. So even in the best of times competition for parking and beach space is fierce.

This year, to assist social distancing efforts needed to keep the coronavirus pandemic in check, towns like Rye, Hampton and Seabrook, as well as the state of New Hampshire, have reduced parking by 50% or more to limit the number of people on the beaches. That is causing frustration both for town officials trying to enforce public health measures and those who want access to the beaches.

Beachgoers simply want to enjoy the sun, surf and salt air after months of being in semi-lockdown, while town officials are trying to enforce rules designed to protect the public health. Because the pandemic remains a threat the tension is likely to continue at least through the end of the summer.

Police and emergency responders are bearing the brunt of the complaints as they enforce the new beach rules.

Rye Police Chief Kevin Walsh said the town wrote guidelines based on those set by the governors reopening task force.

Rye has the longest coastline in the state, said Walsh. Most of our beaches are state beaches. We have limited the number of cars that come here, understanding the cars may have four or more people in each one. People need to but are not always self-regulating. At high tide, the beach area gets limited and social distancing goes down.

Drinking on the beaches is a problem. Walsh said Rye, Hampton and North Hampton are getting calls as early as 8 a.m. about people drinking on the beach.

The state park employees are taking a lot of grief, said Walsh. I think 90% of the people are being good and polite, but the other 10% are verbally abusing the employees. Its not their fault or their decision.

Many locals have questioned the reasoning behind Ryes parking restrictions.

Why is parking on 1A in Rye, NH still blocked? asked Portsmouth resident Robert Swan. If they open up parking and aggressively ticket, you are not going to add many more people to the beach but there will be a lot of happier residents. My wife and I have been parking on 1A and walking on the beach for 20 years, 30-minute walks that we cant do now because there is no place to park.

Adds John OReilly of Portsmouth: Even on perfect July beach days, parking near the beach access points north and south of Jenness is the problem, not finding room to enjoy the beach. Without Route 1A parking, the beach will look deserted.

People are divided on the beach issue, said Phil Winslow, chair of the Rye Board of Selectmen. A portion of the people want things to be like they were before. Others want beach access to be for town residents only. Then there are people like me who believe the beach should be a privilege for everyone. We live here because we love the beach. We are getting a lot of calls from people who want the turnarounds on 1A open.

Winslow said it is a matter of trying to keep the numbers down, because of COVID-19. Side roads are now resident only parking and near the beach, its difficult even for residents to find a parking spot.

We issued 2,850 resident beach stickers, said Winslow. Thats for 132 available spaces.

We do a call every Thursday with state Sen. Tom Sherman, D-Rye, to discuss issues on the seacoast and the beach is always a topic, Winslow said. People need to understand we are not near normal capacity. We are at COVID capacity. People want more parking but if we open up more, we are likely to see more cases. New Hampshire has done well, and I think that is due to good planning and good management. We do not want to see happen here what happened in places like Florida, Georgia and California.

Both Rye and New Castle have an aging population and Bill Stewart, New Castles selectman chair, said they took that into consideration when deciding what to do. Currently the entrances to the Town Common and to Fort Stark are blocked to vehicular traffic. People can walk or bike in.

We are not allowing parking in the common, said Stewart. There is some parking outside the park, very limited. We are concerned that opening it might result in a member of our police, fire or emergency services getting sick. It would not take much to hobble our town. We understand everyone wants access. Our beaches are small, and we are trying to accommodate people as best we can.

Fort Stark is a state park. Phil Bryce, Director of NH Parks and Recreation, said the situation as it is now at state beaches is unlikely to change for the rest of the summer.

We are taking a conservative and careful approach to provide the best opportunity for social distancing, said Bryce. Even though the state parks are self-funded, are a business, we are not looking to add more people to make more money. We will not let the beaches be overcrowded. For folks expecting things to be the same they are not. Look at other parts of the country. I do not want the parks to be the source of a resurgence of cases.

Hampton Town Manager Jamie Sullivan said their beaches are state beaches, so they follow the guidelines of the state.

Our process is to see thats done in a safe, responsible manner, said Sullivan. Its a balancing act and not everyone is going to be happy. The traffic pattern is causing the most issues. The main area is closed to traffic and while some people love it, many residents do not because side streets are bearing the brunt of the traffic changes.

Sullivan said Hampton Beach has a daytime crowd and a nighttime crowd, each with their own set of problems.

At night, at the bars and restaurants, people are not always social distancing, said Sullivan. Day and night, some people do not want masks. I think our police and our business owners are doing a really good job managing the flow.

Sullivans view is not shared by many, frustrated but what they see as unnecessary regulation of parking and beach access.

It is wonderful that the Seacoast is so safe that there are going to be a lot of law enforcement officers out to make sure I do not sit on the beach wall simply to enjoy the waves rolling in, said John OReilly of Portsmouth. I can keep proper social distance by myself, I do not need my freedom to enjoy public spaces impeded.

Sen. Sherman said his main concern is the public health of the communities.

Our ability to enjoy our beaches is based on how we each enjoy that privilege, said Sherman. We want to continue to keep the COVID numbers down to prevent a surge, to prevent people from getting sick or dying. This is what New Hampshire does best, doing things responsibly, and we watch out for each other.

Sherman said if we continue to do what is needed to be safe, we can find a reasonable way to continue to enjoy our natural resources.

We need to listen to our public health experts, said Sherman. We need to be polite, courteous and patient.

The beach access in Seabrook is a bit less, and Town Manager Bill Manzi said they have tailored their approach a little differently.

In working with the state, we have decided to do primarily resident access only, said Manzi. There is limited parking, so along the beach parking is now resident only. There is a municipal lot on 1A, and that is at 50% capacity use.

There are two other big changes people considering a visit to Seabrook. One is that the parking fines have increased from $50 to $200.

We were hearing that people didnt consider it a big deal to pay a $50 ticket to park all day at the beach, said Manzi. Well, they think harder about a $200 ticket.

The other big change involves people who own property in Seabrook but are not residents.

Every year we would give parking placards to the owners, two each, said Manzi. They could use it for their own parking, or for their renters. This year we did not issue those.

Manzi said if the property owners dont have driveway access, they are having difficulty.

The people who own or rent are not happy, said Manzi.

Rye Police Chief Walsh said the bridge at Rye Harbor has become a problem.

People are dropping off kids as young as 10 at the bridge, said Walsh. There are cars, motorcycles and bicycles coming over the bridge. We already had a minor chain reaction accident. I am afraid someone there is going to get hit by a car. The rules say no dropping off, all along the route, but its happening.

Rye has not raised their parking ticket price, which ranges from $50 to $100, but they are actively ticketing cars, and in some cases towing cars.

Hampton Chief Rich Sawyer said the parking lot by the bridge between Hampton and Seabrook is by reservation only. The rest of the parking spaces are first come, first served, but at 50% of the regular capacity.

We have not adjusted fines, said Sawyer. We have adjusted restrictions on town roads. In the beach precinct and the north shore, parking is for residents only. The town operates three pay parking lots. The Church Street one is for residents only currently and we have a program where business owners can buy a placard for their employees to park in the lot.

The private beach lots have no restrictions. They are charging $20-50 to park for the day.

Hampton center has been closed to vehicular traffic and open only to pedestrians. Sawyer said the businesses seem to be doing well and the visitors seem to like the pattern.

Trash removal is a constant battle at the Hampton beach.

There used to be contracts with the visa kids, said Sawyer. They would come from places in Europe. Obviously, that is not happening now. Its a struggle but we cant let trash pile up for health reasons.

Bryce said one chokepoint for him at the state beaches is that people are not wearing a mask in the public restrooms.

Please wear a mask, he said.

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Beach battle: Reduced access increases tension between tourists and Seacoast communities - Seacoastonline.com

Pensacola Beach-goers kept their eyes on the sky – WKRG News 5

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PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) You could feel the excitement on Pensacola Beach Sunday as the Splashdown approached. All eyes were on the sky on the beach this morning. We had some puffy cumulus clouds around, but the rain and lightning stayed away and the green flags flew with mostly calm surf. All of the weather criteria were met and all systems were a-go!

We heard a 4-year-old exclaim, I love rocketships! and Get out of the water everyone, a rocketship is coming! His mom explained that she told him about the SpaceX Splashdown last night and he didnt sleep he was so excited. Another beach-goer said that she was so excited that they picked Pensacola because she believes they are the best beaches in the world.

Even though the weather was perfect, we could not spot the Splashdown from the beach. Some were disappointed, but were also very excited to just be near the site when it happened.

One person said, Yeah its like the first time in 45 years? It would have been nice to see. Another exclaimed, I mean I was here in the same water on the historic day that it happened, so yeahI would say it was worth coming out.

Everyone we spoke with was just so excited that our area was chosen to witness this amazing event that will go down in history.

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Pensacola Beach-goers kept their eyes on the sky - WKRG News 5

Travel/Beach Restrictions: Heres what you need to know in RI, Mass. – WPRI.com

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In a typical summer, Rhode Island and Massachusetts are popular tourist destinations, and a big reason for that is their miles of beautiful coastline and beaches.

But this year, due to the ongoing pandemic, both states have a number of restrictions in place in order to reduce the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Heres a breakdown of the rules and regulations currently in place in both states:

Rhode Island

When Phase 3 began at the end of June, Gov. Gina Raimondo put new travel restrictions in place, which included a mandatory 14-day quarantine for anyone coming into Rhode Island from a state with a positivity rate of 5% or higher. A running list of those states can be found here, which is updated weekly and currently consists of 32 states and Puerto Rico.

Anyone who can show theyve tested negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours is exempt. Travelers, even if asymptomatic, can sign up for a free test here.

If you get tested after entering Rhode Island, the state asks that you quarantine until you receive your results.

The following people are also exempt from the restrictions, according to Raimondos office:

Massachusetts

Beginning August 1, anyone entering Massachusetts (visitors and returning residents alike) from a state considered high-risk for COVID-19 has to fill out a travel form and self-quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative test result.

Those found to be in violation of the order could be fined $500 per day.

There are exemptions, which include people traveling from one of eight lower-risk states all of New England, New York, New Jersey and Hawaii along with people commuting to work or school, people receiving specialized medical treatment, and military personnel.

To be considered lower-risk, a states average daily cases must be below six per 100,000 people and the positive test rate has to be below 5%. The Mass. Department of Public Health will continue to update the list based on public health data.

VisitMass.govor text MATraveler to 888-777 for more information.

Rhode Island

The parking lots at state beaches are currently limited to 75% capacity with the exception of Misquamicut and Scarborough, which are capped at 25% due to recurring reports of overcrowding.

Real-time parking information is posted on RIParks.com.

Related: Ocean, Bay & Beach Forecast and other Resources

Beachgoers must maintain at least six feet of distance from other household groups, which should be limited to 15 people.

Visitors should also have a face covering handy and wear it when in the vicinity of others, such as in the restrooms or at the snack bar.

And if you feel sick stay home.

Massachusetts

All state beaches are open to the public but may have reduced parking areas to limit crowds.

Beach blanket groups should be no larger than 10 people and spaced at least 12 feet apart, while visitors are required to maintain at least 6 feet of distance between other beachgoers.

Picnic areas should be closed if adequate social distancing cannot be maintained, and shuttle services to the beach may operate at 50% capacity.

Face coverings are required but should not be worn while swimming.

Stay Informed | Coronavirus Updates

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Travel/Beach Restrictions: Heres what you need to know in RI, Mass. - WPRI.com

Social butterfly Vera Pavelec, one of four pals testing positive after Huntington Beach party, dies of COVID – OCRegister

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Vera Pavelec was the kind of mom whose energy and effervescence could embarrass her kids. Case in point: She insisted on creating fantastical Halloween ensembles every year, ignoring their pleas for the mass-produced super hero costumes worn by friends.

And her two children could not possibly exit a get-together without good-byes dragging on for an hour.

She was a social butterfly, said daughter Lisa Pavelec-Martinez, 45. She had to hug this person and chat with that person. My brother and I were like, Mom, lets go.

Pavelec died at age 71 on July 27 from complications of COVID-19. The Huntington Beach native came down with symptoms a few days after attending a mid-June birthday celebration at a hometown bar. Four of the six friends would become sick, as well some of their family members.

Among the buddies who ended up fighting coronavirus was Dominic Menaldi, a colorful Surf City character. Over the years, Menaldi has transformed his head-turning castle house into a haunted mansion on Halloween. The bodyguard also grabbed attention two decades ago in a Man Vs. Bear wrestling match.

Her close friend Maria Lupita noted that Pavelec did not fit the stereotype of an elderly person succumbing to the disease.

She was very healthy, Lupita said. Im 48, and she could outdo me any day of the week. Vera lit up a room.

A graduate of Marina High, Pavelec raised her family in Garden Grove and later lived in Santa Ana. Her social reach extended throughout Orange County, including at Legacy Faith Fellowship in Buena Park and the Mission Viejo Elks Club.

The woman was always doing something, dressed to the nines painted nails, false eyelashes, rings on every finger, her daughter said.

Pavelec worked as a clerk for 17 years in the Santa Ana Unified School District. More recently, she sold skincare products for Nerium.

The ultimate PTA mom, Pavelec pushed her son and daughter to participate in clubs and sports.

She was my Girl Scout leader, she got me into cheerleading, you name it, Pavelec-Martinez said.

Pavelec, who was divorced, then busied herself with the next generation.

She went to all of my games and everything else I did, said Lauren Pavelec, 21, one of three grandchildren. She paid for my senior trip to Italy. She wanted me to have it all.

Dominic Menaldi stands in front of his castle house in Huntington Beach in 2016. He is known for transforming the house into a haunted castle on Halloween night. Menaldi was one of four friends who became ill with COVID-19 after attending a birthday party in a bar mid-June. Menaldi recovered by his friend Vera Pavelec died on July 27. (Photo by Ed Crisostomo, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Vera Pavelec, 71, died of complications of COVID-19 on July 27, 2020. The Huntington Beach resident became ill after attending a birthday party at a bar with five friends. Four of the six friends tested positive for coronavirus. In this 2019 photo, Pavelec, left, hugs her friend Maria Lupita. (Photo courtesy of Maria Lupita)

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Vera Pavelec, 71, died Monday, July 27, from complications of COVID-19. The Huntington Beach native apparently contacted the illness when she went to a birthday party with five friends at a bar. Four of the six friends tested positive for coronavirus. In this photo, Pavelec is seen with her granddaughter, Lauren Pavelec. (Photo courtesy of Lisa Pavelec-Martinez)

Vera Pavelec, 71, died Monday, July 27, from complications of COVID-19. The Huntington Beach native apparently contacted the illness when she went to a birthday party with five friends at a bar. Four of the six friends tested positive for coronavirus.

Vera Pavelec, 71, died Monday, July 27, from complications of COVID-19. The Huntington Beach native apparently contacted the illness when she went to a birthday party with five friends at a bar. Four of the six friends tested positive for coronavirus.

Vera Pavelec, 71, died Monday, July 27, from complications of COVID-19. The Huntington Beach native apparently contacted the illness when she went to a birthday party with five friends at a bar. Four of the six friends tested positive for coronavirus. In the photo taken Christmas of 2019, Pavelec is flanked by grandsons Dean and Dylan Pavelec. (Photo courtesy of Lisa Pavelec-Martinez)

For months, Pavelec took the risks of contracting coronavirus seriously staying at home, for the most part, and wearing a mask when she ran errands.

But then she started letting her guard down a bit, her daughter said.

Pavelec posted a video and photos on Facebook of the June 12 birthday gathering at Tumbleweeds in Huntington Beach. This was an interlude when Gov. Gavin Newsom briefly allowed restaurants to reopen for indoor dining at reduced capacity.

In the images, Pavelec and her friends enjoy the night dancing, arms draped over one anothers shoulders, no face masks.

Tumbleweeds owner Frank Tahvildari said he learned about the groups fate weeks later on Facebook. None of his employees have tested positive for COVID-19, he said.

We have a policy: Our employees must wear masks at all times, Tahvildari said. People make comments to them like, You dont have to wear that thing. Yes, they do.

Tahvildari was not at the restaurant on the night in question, but said signs were posted asking customers to wear masks and stay off the dance floor.

People dont want to listen, he said.

Meanwhile, Tumbleweeds, a popular spot that has been around for 30 years, is now unfairly connected with the posses exposure to coronavirus, he said.

Menaldi announced his illness on Facebook June 25. The previous weekend, on June 20, he took part in a counterprotest at a Black Lives Matter rally in Huntington Beach. Claiming that protesters deliberately spread the virus, he wrote, If I die, its murder.

On July 30, Menaldi postedthat he had recovered describing in detail his horrific experience with coronavirus as well as his grief over the loss of Pavelec.

He did not return requests for comment.

A group of Huntington Beach residents have taken to Facebook to criticize Menaldi for partying during a pandemic and then attending a protest maskless.

They also question why the Orange County Health Care Agency doesnt do more to inform people who have been in contact with potential carriers especially given the degree of information readily available about COVID cases on social media.

Filmmaker and Facebook activist Vince Crandon has taken it upon himself to research the steps of where infected people have been, and with whom, using an app that identifies faces. He makes spreadsheets of coronavirus cases family trees, of sorts, linking locals who reveal on Facebook they suffer COVID.

Pavelec and Menaldi have landed in some of Crandons videos making him a controversial figure in some circles.

Why cant the government follow these breadcrumbs? asked Crandon. Coronavirus is incredibly contagious. Contact tracing is the best tool we have right now for controlling its spread.

Marc Meulman, acting director of Orange County Public Health Services, said in an email that coronavirus is too omnipresent for continual monitoring of interactions.

We are well beyond containment at this point, Meulman said.

The agency does not routinely keep track of restaurants visited by someone who later tests positive for coronavirusm, he said: Wed have to list countless public places every day and that just doesnt make sense.

Because so many carriers dont show symptoms, Meulman said, For every confirmed case, there are likely 10 cases not confirmed. COVID transmission should be assumed to be everywhere.

When Pavelec became sick, she had not seen her loved ones beyond Facetime conversations since the stay-at-home orders last March.

We didnt want to risk giving her the virus, Pavelic-Martinez said, her voice cracking.

The last time her family visited her in person was through a window at Sea Cliff Healthcare Center two days before her death. Apparently on the mend, she had been transferred from a hospital to the nursing home before taking a turn for the worse.

I am so thankful for that moment, Pavelec-Martinez said. She was so happy to see us. She seemed to be doing well.

But Pavelec-Martinez would never return, as expected, to bring her mother home.

Theres a false sense of security in going out with friends and having fun, Pavelec-Martinez said. She had been careful. All it takes is one mistake.

Vera Pavelecs family created a gofundme page to help cover medical and other expenses.

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Social butterfly Vera Pavelec, one of four pals testing positive after Huntington Beach party, dies of COVID - OCRegister

Beach Boys holding on to Connecticut concert date – MassLive.com

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When the Beach Boys announced touring plans for 2020, six New England stops, from Rutland, VT to Worcester dotted the calendar.

Only one of those stops remains.

The legendary band rescheduled its March 29 date at the Toyota Oakdale to Sept. 10 and the date remains on the bands calendar despite the long list of postponements and cancellations due to COVID-19.

Tickets for the original date will be honored and ticket information, including refund information is available through Live Nation at livenation.com.

Other dates at the Oakdale, including the Australian Pink Floyd show scheduled for Sept. 27, have already been scrubbed from the calendar.

The Beach Boys have sold over 100 million records worldwide and have received more than 33 RIAA Platinum and Gold record awards.

The Rock And Roll Hall of Famers where also honored at the 2001 Grammy Awards with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Shop for concert tickets here: StubHub, SeatGeek, Ticketmaster

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Beach Boys holding on to Connecticut concert date - MassLive.com

Maine beach named one of the best in the country – WMTW Portland

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REPRESENT ONLY TWO PERCENT OF ITS U-S SALES LAST YEAR. OGUNQUIT BEACH IS GETTING SOME NATIONAL ATTENTION.... THE TOWN'S THREE AND HALF MILES OF SHELTERED WHITE SAND.....IS ONE OF THE BEST BEACHES IN THE COUNTRY. THAT'S ACCORDING TO TRIP ADVISORS 20- 20 TRAVELERS AWARDS... OGUNQUIT BEACH IS RIGHT UP THERE IN THE TOP 25...SHARING SPACE W

Maine beach named one of the best in the country

Updated: 12:11 PM EDT Jul 30, 2020

A Maine beach has been ranked one of the best in the country by Tripadvisor.The travel website released its top 25 beaches in the United States for 2020.Ogunquit Beach ranked the 15th best in the nation, according to the website.The only other New England beach in the top 25 was Race Point Beach in Provincetown, Massachusetts.The top beach in the country, according to Tripadvisor is Siesta Beach in Siesta Beach, Florida.Florida and Hawaii dominated the rankings with eight and six beaches from each state, respectively, making the list.

A Maine beach has been ranked one of the best in the country by Tripadvisor.

The travel website released its top 25 beaches in the United States for 2020.

Ogunquit Beach ranked the 15th best in the nation, according to the website.

The only other New England beach in the top 25 was Race Point Beach in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

The top beach in the country, according to Tripadvisor is Siesta Beach in Siesta Beach, Florida.

Florida and Hawaii dominated the rankings with eight and six beaches from each state, respectively, making the list.

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Maine beach named one of the best in the country - WMTW Portland

Shaker Heights actors to star in Zoom play: Press Run – cleveland.com

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SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio -- These days, many of us are experiencing online meetings via Zoom. Weve had concerts brought to us online in recent months, too. So, why not a play?

Thats what the Shaker Arts Council is figuring as it gets ready to bring to us the play Love Letters via Zoom.

The two-person play stars Shaker residents and married couple Anaya Farrell and Donald Carrier. The play involves letters exchanged between two people over a lifetime. It takes place beginning at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8 and is a part of Stay-in-Place Productions, the arts councils response to COVID-19.

The performance is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required. For more information and to register, visit shakerartscouncil.org.

Carrier is an actor, teacher and director who has worked extensively in theater and film across North America. He is the director of the Case Western Reserve University/Cleveland Play House MFA Acting Program.

His career includes leading performances at the Stratford Festival, the Old Globe, the Shaw Festival and at Cleveland Play House. Carrier has appeared in Lincolnesque, Noises Off!, Ten Chimneys, In The Next Room, Yentl, The Little Foxes, The Crucible, Luna Gale, All The Way and Shakespeare in Love.

His many film and TV credits include Twice in a Lifetime, The Passion Of Ayn Rand, Hollywood Off-Ramp, The Wives of Windsor, Ready or Not, Dead By Monday and Earth: Final Conflict.

His directorial resume includes work at numerous theaters nationally and local work at CWRU, Dobama Theatre, The Cleveland Orchestra and the Beck Center.

Farrell is a professional actor and teacher with extensive film and theater experience. Her credits include leading roles at the Grand Theatre, the Neptune Theatre, The National Arts Center and The Ford Center for the Performing Arts, among many others.

As a writer and composer, Farrell has had a number of her works performed, including the musical Evangeline, for which she wrote the music and co-wrote the book and lyrics. Evangeline was developed and presented in concert form by the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.

Her Jessie-nominated play The Love Stories has been performed in Canada and the USA. Farrell has performed in over 70 film, television, radio and commercial projects and has worked opposite such actors as Brian Dennehy, Treat Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Christopher Plummer and Sam Waterston.

Farrell is a lecturer in the Case Western Reserve University Department of Theater.

Drive-in ballet: Above, we talked about Zoom theater, so lets take it another coronavirus-inspired step further and discuss drive-in ballet.

Arts in August has re-conceived its annual festival into a drive-in performance featuring Shaker Heights Verb Ballets. It will take place at 7 p.m. Aug. 8 at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, 2187 W. 14th St. in Clevelands Tremont neighborhood.

Being that the Zoom theater production of Love Letters is taking place at virtually the same time as drive-in ballet, you may have a choice to make.

The free community ballet performance will feature audience favorite Bolero, delivered with the energy, propulsion and intensity of Ravels famous crescendo.

In addition, Verb will remount Tommie-Waheed Evans Surge.Capacity.Force., a moving work with a fierce, physical language that communicates relevant statements about social justice. Plus, there will be a new work by company dancer Kate Webb that was created as a response to the isolation of COVID-19 and showcases the power of art to get us through this time.

Arts in August performances are free and open to the public. A free ticket is required per car through Eventbrite.

Vehicles will be directed to parking to allow for social distancing. If guests sit outside of a car, they are required to wear a mask and maintain at least 6 feet social distance from other audiences members.

If guests are sick with COVID-19, have symptoms or have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19, it is important to stay home for the safety of all.

Arts in August is presented in partnership by Tremont West Development Corporation, LAND Studio, Cleveland Public Theatre and Cleveland Ward 3 Councilman Kerry McCormack.

Get your lectures here: CWRU Lifelong Learning has announced some of its upcoming lectures for August and September. The lectures are being held these days remotely but, as always, they cover varied topics. Here they are:

-- From 7 to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 18, Lifelong Learning will present From the 19th Amendment to the Occupy Movement and Black Lives Matter: 100 Years of Womens Social Movement Activism.

-- Light for the Dead in Ancient Egypt will be presented from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 19.

-- From noon to 1 p.m. Aug. 22, the presentation will be Is That Photo for Real?

-- At 7 p.m. Sept. 2, the topic will be Fall Kick-Off: Isaac, Ishmael, and Jesus: Jews, Christians and Muslims on the Binding of Isaac.

-- The Nineteenth Amendment: 100 Years of Women in Politics will be presented at 7 p.m. Sept. 9.

For more information and to learn about additional courses, visit case.edu/lifelonglearning, or call 216-368-2091.

College news: In news from colleges about our local students, we note that three Sun Press coverage area students made the deans list for the 2019-20 academic year at Colorado College in Colorado Springs. They are Beachwoods Olivia Hahnemann-Gilber, Shaker Heights Lily Roth and from Cleveland Heights, Lucy Feldman.

Also, over at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, Shaker Heights residents Sam Poulos and Elliott Vahey earned deans list recognition for the fall semester.

Masks on campaign in University Heights: In his daily COVID-19 update of July 30, Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan wrote that University Heights residents are encouraged to show that they care about their neighbors and that they want to end this pandemic by wearing masks.

Pictures of residents wearing masks are being featured in our #MasksOnUniversityHeights campaign. Photos are being shared on social media and in a future issue of the Heights Observer and (the citys) Mosaic magazine, Brennan said.

If you live in UH and would like to be featured in the campaign, send a photo of yourself wearing a mask to info@universityheights.com. If youd like the city to take the photo for you, theyll do it. Just let them know via the same email address.

Playtime for adults: The City of Shaker Heights offers a #ShakerPlays program, but it isnt only for the kids. Thats right, the city offers free adult fitness classes twice a week.

Join Dawn Rivers from 6 to 7 p.m. every Thursday for Yoga in the Park. Classes rotate between Gridley Triangle Park and Horseshoe Lake Park.

Or, if yoga isnt your thing, you can join Agata Wojno from 7 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday at Sussex Park for Boot Camp Conditioning.

COVID-19 protocols require registration and participation be limited to nine people. You can reserve your spot for this free program by going to bit.ly/shakerplaysfitness, clicking on catalog, then on #ShakerPlays.

You can also follow Shaker Rec on Facebook and Instagram to see the schedule of #ShakerPlays youth programs, including DIY sidewalk chalk and upcycled T-shirt bracelets. Weekly schedules are posted every Monday afternoon.

Noble Gardeners Market: Noble Gardeners Market will again host its hyper-local market this year from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays beginning Aug. 1 and continuing through Sept. 19 at the Roanoke Mini Park, located at the corner of Noble and Roanoke roads in Cleveland Heights.

The market will be following all safe practice guidelines, and requests that all who attend wear a mask and bring change and small bills.

Only fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers will be sold. For details about being a seller, visit nobleneighbors.com/noble-gardeners-market.html.

School substitutes wanted: The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Schools are hiring substitutes for the 2020-21 school year.

Available positions include custodians, cleaners, lunchroom monitors, security monitors, educational aides, teachers and administrative assistants. Registration is preferred, but not required. Call 216-767-5611 to register.

If you would like to see an item appear in Press Run, send me an email, at least 12 days prior to an event, at jeff.piorkowski@att.net.

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Shaker Heights actors to star in Zoom play: Press Run - cleveland.com

Masking Authoritarianism In The Name Of Public Health – CodeBlue

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When a friend first told me that he wanted the government to compel wearing face masks in public areas even before the prime minister announced it he joked that I would find it fascist.

As a libertarian, I find State intervention in the economy and in most social issues distasteful, as personal freedom is the most sacred facet of human life that is equally bestowed upon every person, regardless of their socioeconomic status.

The smallest minority on earth is the individual, to quote objectivism philosopher Ayn Rand.

Unfortunately, government intervention, bordering on authoritarianism, has reached dizzying new heights during the Covid-19 pandemic that shows no signs of slowing down globally, as multiple countries report new waves of infections.

I have always advocated education over enforcement in issues related to health because I believe that the will of the State is secondary to ones personal bodily autonomy. This applies to a contagion like Covid-19 that the World Health Organization (WHO) chief says will have effects lasting for decades. The key to long-lasting behavioural change in health is consistent education because state-sanctioned punishment is not sustainable.

For example, we do not mandate the use of condoms on punishment of fines or incarceration to prevent HIV infection we educate people about how the virus that causes AIDS is transmitted and why safe sex is important. We wear seatbelts when driving not so much because of the law, but because we know well likely die in a car crash if we dont.

Although my friend correctly pointed out that many other countries have made face masks mandatory in public places, my fear back then which proved correct the first day the mask regulation came into effect in Malaysia was that, unlike other nations, Malaysian authorities would be overzealous in imposing the law and interpret vague rules as they saw fit.

True enough, 127 people were arrested and fined for not wearing face masks in public on August 1. The police even fined 26 people the maximum compound of RM1,000 for failing to wear face coverings on a beach in Kota Tinggi, Johor, with a news report depicting a police officer standing in front of five people sitting on a mat with food and drink.

Social media has also surfaced disturbing anecdotal reports of police harassment, like a woman who was fined RM1,000 for not wearing a face mask even though she was walking back towards her car in an open-air car park, near a market, after realising she had forgotten to retrieve it (she refused to pay the summons and filed a police report instead).

Health Minister Dr Adham Babas statement on July 30 simply listed the use of face masks in public transport, workplaces, grocery stores, and crowded environments, without defining the size of a crowd. Beaches were not mentioned as a place that required face masks.

The National Security Council (NSC) said in a message on August 1 at 10.38am on its Telegram account that wearing face masks is mandatory in public transport (including e-hailing services) and crowded public areas like wet markets, supermarkets, recreational parks, and tourist spots.

Is it fair to slap the maximum fine on people hanging out in an open environment like the beach, who are most likely sitting down at least 1 metre away from other groups, when the announcement on the mandatory use of face masks in tourist spots just came out on the first day the mask rule came into effect? Even then, it was only posted on NSCs Telegram account that only has about 1.1 million subscribers in Malaysias 32-million population.

Both the NSC and Ministry of Health (MOH) websites contain no details on where exactly the mask rule applies or exceptions to the regulation. The only people exempted from the rule are children aged below two years, and people with disabilities or who cannot remove their face mask without assistance.

This is in stark contrast to the state of Victoria in Australia which requires residents to wear a face covering when leaving home that lists on the state governments website various lawful exceptions to the rule, such as infants and children below 12 years; people with medical conditions, including breathing problems like asthma (no medical cert required); people with past traumatic experiences; people who are deaf and need to see ones mouth for communicating; when jogging or running (face coverings must be worn when one finishes exercising); when consuming food, drink or medication; during emergencies like domestic violence; or a person travelling in a vehicle by themselves or with other members of their household.

People who do not wear face coverings and do not have a lawful excuse can be fined A$200 (RM605), a considerably low sum in Australia with a national minimum wage of about A$3,000 (RM9,087) a month (A$753.80 per 38-hour week), compared to the RM1,000 fine in Malaysia with a monthly minimum wage of RM1,200. The Melbourne authorities website even lists face mask businesses and invites such businesses to email them to get featured.

It is also unclear if Malaysian police have the power to issue fines against people who do not wear face masks in public, as a regulation specific to face coverings has yet to be gazetted and published on the Attorney-General Chambers federal gazette portal. The latest regulation on the Recovery Movement Control Order the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within Infected Local Areas) (No 7) Regulations 2020 from June 10 to August 31 simply states under Clause 10 that the Health director-general may issue any direction to people carrying out any activity. Clause 11 states that anyone who contravenes any provision of the regulation or any direction of the Director General commits an offence punishable by a maximum fine of RM1,000, up to six months jail, or both.

If the authorities have been issuing compounds under Clause 10 of the regulation, it is extremely unjust to do so when the rules are vague. Most Malaysians are law-abiding citizens, but how can they obey the law when the rules are unclear, haphazard, and subject to arbitrary interpretation by officials on the ground?

The government also doesnt empower Malaysians to follow the mandatory mask rule, simply saying that the general public should wear a 3-ply fabric mask according to WHO specifications or that we should make our own. The state of Victoria in Australia, on the other hand, has published simple written instructions and even a video on how to make a face mask.

The Malaysian government should make it easy for people to follow the law by making the mask rule as clear as possible, listing specific venues that require the use of face coverings and exemptions of certain situations or people. Children below the age of 12, not just toddlers below two, should also be exempted; otherwise, we might see enforcement against teachers or parents across primary schools, kindergartens, or day care centres, as most young children might find it difficult to wear face masks for long hours.

Instead of angrily issuing compounds over the slightest perceived infraction, the police should act with professionalism and courtesy and politely remind people to wear face masks and how to don them properly. Treat ordinary Malaysians like how you would treat a YB, many of whom wear face masks incorrectly too, if at all.

As the coronavirus rages on with the end not yet in sight as long as we dont have a vaccine, which could be years away the Malaysian government must change its narrative so that the new norms will continue to be practiced even in the absence of enforcement. We cannot remain in a state of perpetual MCO for years.

Our aim is not zero Covid-19 cases. That is a misleading and unrealistic goal. We should simply aim for continuously low and stable local transmission rates whatever that figure is, depending on our health care systems capacity that should be revealed by the government. Instead of just harping on our personal responsibility in curbing the virus, the government must play its part in ensuring sufficient testing, tracing, and quarantine, and being transparent about such efforts.

Boo Su-Lyn is CodeBlue editor-in-chief. She is a libertarian, or classical liberal, who believes in minimal state intervention in the economy and socio-political issues.

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Masking Authoritarianism In The Name Of Public Health - CodeBlue