Liberty Trailer Project succeeds in its mission – Sentinel-Standard

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The Liberty Trailer Project is at the Ionia Free Fair all week and is meant to honor, educate and inspire in its tribute to the soldiers who made sacrifices to protect Americans' freedoms.

IONIA It stands proudly, as it should, in front of the Floral Building on the grounds of the Ionia Free Fair. The Liberty Trailer Project pays tribute to those who dedicated and risked and many who lost - their lives for America's freedom. The 30-foot trailer is wrapped in photos from history. The back corner photo on the driver's side honors the United States Constitution and as the photos progress up and then around the trailer, they follow the history of the United States and the struggle for liberty for all, on home soil and abroad. The final photo in this incredible march through history is of the Twin Towers in flames after the attack on September 11, 2001. On one side the words are emblazoned In Honor of Our Fallen Heroes, and on the other is a stark reminder that, Freedom Is Not Free.

The project is the brainchild of Ron Miller, of Ionia. He points to the photos and describes the scenes, he cites statistics and shares facts about the events. He has an obvious passion for honoring America's veterans. His vision for the outside mural on the trailer was exact. He drew up his vision and then contacted a graphic designer for help.

I think I drove him nuts, said Miller with a wry smile. I knew how I wanted it so we went back and forth with changes to the original designs, and we went back and forth a lot. But, when it was finally done, I was thrilled with it.

Just like his design, Miller's goals are precise. He wants to honor, educate and inspire.

HONOR

The inside is a continuation of the honor shown on the outside. There are photos and stories paying tribute to local veterans. The project came to fruition in May of 2016. At that time, Miller's idea was to work with veterans and area VFW Posts. On Monday, May 17 of that year, the trailer made its maiden voyage to a McDonalds in Ionia. It was where several veterans often meet over coffee. Several walked away with tears in their eyes...what an honor to thank them and let them know how much we appreciate their sacrifice, marked the event on the project's Facebook page. Since that first day the trailer has stopped at many events, parades and VFW Posts, from Ionia all the way north to Mackinaw City. This fulfills his mission of Honor our Veterans.

EDUCATE

On his travels, Miller noted a desperate need for education especially for Michigan's youth. What I learned while engaging many teens at various events was shocking, Miller said. Many of our youth have no clue what the freedom we enjoy, and often take for granted, costs. That is where the mission of the Liberty Trailer changed. Miller approached the Ionia Public School system and offered to educate the students. He has now shared his knowledge with approximately 1,700 Ionia students in second through eighth grades. He has approached the Lowell School System for the 2017-18 school year. Check off Educate our Youth.

INSPIRE

Miller's goal is to inspire as many Americans as he possibly can with his Liberty Trailer Project. He points to the very few patriots in the 1770s who wanted to split from the tyranny of England's George III. They were just three percent of the population, but just look at what they accomplished. They built the greatest country in the world. Now, if that doesn't Inspire Patriotism nothing will.

According to Miller, The Liberty Trailer Project is funded through the donations of fellow patriots who believe in preserving the liberties and freedom we, as Americans, have enjoyed for 240 years. He is grateful for all who have supported his mission and vision. For more information, or for directions on how to donate, contact Miller at libertytrailer1@gmail.com.

The Liberty Trailer will be in front of the Floral Building in Antique Village this week during the Ionia Free Fair.

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Liberty Trailer Project succeeds in its mission - Sentinel-Standard

Letter: Give Libertarian candidates more coverage – NorthJersey.com

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NorthJersey Published 4:42 p.m. ET July 18, 2017 | Updated 4:42 p.m. ET July 18, 2017

Peter Rohrman(Photo: Mitsu Yasukawa/ Staff Photographer)

Regarding Residents invite gubernatorial hopefuls (Page A4, July 14):

Is there any reason why this story did not mention the Libertarian Party candidate Peter Rohrman for governor, who is on the ballot, in your voting block article today? Is there a reason why the media continually give plenty of free press to the Democrat and Republican candidates and yet rarely mentions any other choices on the ballot? The Record should be informing readers about all the choices on the ballot for governor, not just those from the two parties that have created all of the problems our state currently faces?

Please provide information on the real choices for governor in New Jersey, not just the two disaster parties.

Mike Mazzeo

Waldwick, July 14

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Letter: Give Libertarian candidates more coverage - NorthJersey.com

Meet Your Libertarian Candidate for Governor, Cliff Hyra – WVTF

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The race for governor has more than two candidates, although the third man in the race is getting far less attention. Michael Pope spent some time with him on the campaign trail.

Michael Pope has this profile on Cliff Hyra, the Libertarian candidate for governor.

Outside the Clarendon Metro station in Arlington on a sweltering afternoon, a candidate for governor is struggling against the summertime heat to get the attention of voters.

Hi Im Cliff Hyra. Im the Libertarian candidate for governor of Virginia.

Oh yeah?

Yes sir. Im running for a more inclusive and innovative Virginia. I want to reform the tax and regulatory system. I want to reform the criminal justice system, and make things more fair for everybody here in Virginia."

"Thats cool, man.

Cliff Hyra will be on the ballot statewide as a candidate for governor. But you may not have heard of him. The patent attorney from Northern Virginia is running as a Libertarian, a party he describes as conservative on fiscal issues and liberal on social issues. If elected governor he says he would use the power of the office to ramp down the War on Drugs.

Thats something I could do immediately as soon as I came into office I could order law enforcement to deprioritize marijuana use. I dont want to see anybody whos arrested only for marijuna use. Its certainly a very poor use of scare resources.

He would also take aim at the criminal justice system.

The sentences that are handed down are very often disproportionate. If you look at surveys showing the levels of use between African American and other communities and then the levels of arrests are very disproportionate.

The last Libertarian candidate to run for governor was Robert Sarvis, who ran against Terry McAuliffe and Ken Cuccinelli. He did better than any other third party candidate in the last 40 years. But that still wasnt enough to crack 10%.

Sarvis was out campaigning with Hyra. The problem is that we dont actually have a level playing field. We have to spend a lot of effort just to get on the ballot. Once were on the ballot, theres an effort to keep us out of the debates.

Sarvissays he should have been included in the debates. I was polling at 10%. I got 145,000 votes and I still wasnt allowed in the debates, and I think thats a tragedy.

"If this race is as close as I think it could be, then the Libertarian candidate could play the spoiler and in that case he would hurt Ed Gillespie."

So far, Hyra has yet to receive an invitation to any of the debates this year. The Virginia Bar Association will be conducting the first debate this weekend, and they wont be including Hyra because he doesnt have the necessary polling numbers and he hasnt raised enough money.

But Christopher Newport Universitys Quentin Kidd says that doesnt mean he wont have an influence over the outcome of the election.

"Remember the last time Ed Gillespie came within 17,000 votes of beating Mark Warner. If this is a 17,000 vote race then you could be in a situation where the Libertarian candidate does in fact play the spoiler.

If this race is as close as I think it could be, then the Libertarian candidate could play the spoiler and in that case he would hurt Ed Gillespie.

On some issues, Hyra and Gillespie arent all that far apart. Take the issue of expanding Medicaid.

Expansion is forever. Its almost a poison pill because once you get that expansion its really hard to roll it back."

And then there's abortion.

In general, on abortion issues I would defer to the legislature. So the exception to that would be if theres something that I feel is unconstitutional.

But then theres the controversial issues of the pipelines.

Well Im opposed to the pipelines, and Im opposed to them mainly for property rights reasons. You have the federal government, and theyre taking private property and its for the benefit of a private company, Dominion Power.

Back on the campaign trail in Clarendon, Hyra is making an elevator pitch at the top of an escalator.

I think its very unfortunate some of the rhetoric that weve seen recently thats been very discouraging to people who want to visit here from overseas. But I think they are a wonderful asset, and I hope that we can reverse the trend in that respect."

Thats cool, man.

OK, very nice meeting you.

I really hope you make it.

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Meet Your Libertarian Candidate for Governor, Cliff Hyra - WVTF

Controversial Western Civilization Crusader Augustus Sol Invictus Bolts Libertarian Party for the GOP – Reason (blog)

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Augustus Sol Invictus, the lawyer, "revolutionary conservative," and crusader "to guard western civilization against foreign aggression and internal corruption," has for the past few years been the single most controversial member of Florida's Libertarian Party, for reasons Brian Doherty reported on at length (including an interview with the man himself) in October 2015. (Among the colorful details you will find there: disputed allegations of neo-Nazism, accurate reports of ritual goat sacrifice, and an O. Henry-style appearance from dirty trickster Roger Stone.)

Well, as of July 13, after years of recriminations, resignations, and mutual accusations of bad faith, the L.P. won't have Invictus to kick around anymore. The onetime trouncee in an unusual L.P. primary fight over Florida's U.S. Senate election in 2016 posted a video on his Facebook page, declaring that he was "Moving from the collegiate levels to the big leagues, and playing to win," seeking along the way to "unite the right wing of American politics at long last in order to save our country and our civilization." You can watch the full video here, and also see recent footage of Invictus speaking at an L.P. gathering in Queens, and also an alt-right rally in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

In May, Invictus and I both gave lunchtime talks at the Florida L.P. 2017 state convention (snippet from him here; my full thing here), after which I had two main takeaways: 1) The Party was clearly rattled by his ongoing presence (and sponsorship), and 2) his apocalyptic, nationalist-populist vision of libertarianism stuck out like a throbbingly sore thumb compared to what I usually encounter at Libertarian gatherings. I do not often hear discussion, however guarded, about "the genocide of the white race," from either capital- or small-l libertarians these days.

Invictus portrays this as the result of "leftists who have infiltrated and corrupted the Libertarian Party," leading to an insufficient defense of his chin-leading on the front lines of the Free Speech/AntiFa wars. Most L.P. activists I surveyed counter along the lines of Andy Craig: "We can only hope his gang of enablers and skinhead fans now follow him back whence they came." (Libertarian National Committee Chair Nicholas Sarwark simply tweeted, "May he go in peace.")

Is it symbolic that a man who seeks to unite white nationalists with western-chauvinist Proud Boys (of which he's a member), a fierce anti-Fed activist who says stuff like "the international finance system must be destroyed, the New World Order must be destroyed, the Left must be destroyed," would find Donald Trump's GOP more copacetic than the contemporary L.P.? Maybe, though I wouldn't read too much into a single case that has all the trappings of an outlier. The man, after all, did lose a party primary election by 48 percentage points. People (including top-ranking candidates) flow in and out of the Libertarian Party like water; it's the fate of third parties in a stubbornly two-party system, even at a time when all the L.P. measurables are at an all-time high.

"We find ourselves afflicted by the deadliest cancer in human history," Augustus Invictus declares in his mission statement at The Revolutionary Conservative, "manifest in the twin symptoms of leftism and international finance: in a word, globalism." It's a diagnosis that has even less resonance within the Libertarian Party in month six of Donald Trump's presidency.

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Controversial Western Civilization Crusader Augustus Sol Invictus Bolts Libertarian Party for the GOP - Reason (blog)

Editorial: Libertarian Cliff Hyra has earned a spot in gubernatorial debates – Richmond.com

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On Saturday, gubernatorial candidates Ralph Northam and Ed Gillespie will debate at the Homestead in Hot Springs as guests of the Virginia Bar Association.

Libertarian candidate Cliff Hyra wont be on the stage.

The Bar Association says Hyra failed to meet its criteria, which are spelled out in its debate policy. But Hyra does meet those criteria, except one. He is legally qualified to hold the office, and he will be on the ballot. The only criterion he does not meet is subjective: The candidates candidacy must, in the sole and exclusive judgment of the VBA, be significant; he or she must have a reasonable chance of being elected. To be a significant candidate, a candidate must, at least 30 days before a scheduled debate, have demonstrated substantial voter interest and support.

The Bar Association is a private organization, and has every right to make whatever rules it cares to. Whats more, its significant candidate requirement mirrors the rules of many other organizations that sponsor debates which is why debates for high office such as governor and president almost never include third-party candidates.

But the requirement also creates a Catch-22 for Libertarians and other third parties: To get the exposure provided through debates and in media coverage, they first need to be significant but in order to be significant, they first need the exposure provided through debates and media coverage.

Whats more, the VBAs policies undermine one of its stated principles: The VBA debates are not intended to in any way promote or advance one candidate over another. Shutting out one qualified candidate does precisely that.

Were not trying to pick on the VBA here. As noted above, just about every sponsoring organization has similar rules. But those organizations profess to hold debates for the purpose of educating and informing the public. Shutting out a qualified candidate who will be on the ballot achieves the opposite. Most people know generally where Democrats and Republicans stand. They know less about where third parties stand. If sponsoring organizations are truly interested in educating the public rather than enhancing their own perceived prestige then they will invite every candidate on the ballot, not just the big two.

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Editorial: Libertarian Cliff Hyra has earned a spot in gubernatorial debates - Richmond.com

Tropical Storm Don weakening on approach to Windward Islands, forecast to ‘degenerate’ – Washington Post

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(This story, originally posted at 11 p.m. Monday, was updated at 11 a.m. Tuesday.)

Tropical Storm Don, which formed late Monday, weakened Tuesday morning and is barely hanging on as a tropical storm. It is forecast to blow through the Windward Islands late Tuesday, unleashing a blitz of gusty winds and heavy rain. By Wednesday or Thursday, forecasters call for its swift demise.

Positioned about 150 miles southeast of Barbados, Don is a minimal tropical storm, with peak wind speeds of 40 mph. Little change in strength is predicted Tuesday as it approaches Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where tropical storm warnings are in place.

Dons health is not particularly good. The National Hurricane Center said in its 11 a.m. discussion that it had become less defined and that it may lack the requisite qualification to be considered a tropical storm: a closed center of circulation.

The storm is moving fast, toward the west at 20 mph. Arrival in the Windward Islands the chain of islands at the intersection of the tropical Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean (along the southern end of the island group known as the Lesser Antilles) is expected tonight.

Don could unleash a brief period of tropical-storm-force winds and put down three to six inches of rain on these islands Tuesday and Tuesday night. Flash floods and mudslides are possible, especially in mountainous areas.

Tropical storm watches are in effect for Barbados and Bonaire. In addition, interests in Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, and Curacao should monitor the progress of Don, the Hurricane Center said.

Once Don crosses these islands and enters the Caribbean, it is not expected to survive for long. Hostile wind shear is expected to shred apart its vulnerable core.

Increasing westerly shear and dry mid-level air are likely to continue to weaken the tropical cyclone, the Hurricane Center said in its 11 a.m. discussion Tuesday. The forecast calls for Don to weaken to a tropical depression in about 24 hours and degenerate into a an open wave within 36 hours.

Don, the fourth named storm of the 2017 hurricane season, arrived more than a month ahead of average.

Meanwhile, in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, a new tropical depression formed which is likely to be named Tropical Storm Hilary some time Tuesday.

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Tropical Storm Don weakening on approach to Windward Islands, forecast to 'degenerate' - Washington Post

Ex-staffer pleads not guilty to cyberstalking Virgin Islands US House delegate – Washington Post

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A former staff member to the Virgin Islands elected representative to Congress pleaded not guilty Tuesday in the circulation of nude images and video of the representative and her husband.

Juan R. McCullum, 35, of Washington, was indicted by a federal grand jury in the capital on two counts of cyberstalking Virgin Islands Del. Stacey Plaskett (D), for whom he worked as a legislative counsel from April 2015 until June 2016. The July 11 indictment was unsealed Thursday.

McCullum entered a plea but not did not speak at a brief arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Deborah A. Robinson of Washington, where he was represented by his court-appointed attorney, Stuart Sears.

McCullum was released on personal recognizance but on several conditions, including that he stay away from the delegates family and staff online and in person and not travel internationally. He was also told not to access Facebook or any applications that automatically delete communications, not to use anonymizing software, and to not delete electronic files dated after Jan. 1, 2016.

Federal prosecutors and the U.S. Capitol Police announced charges last week against McCullum and a co-worker, Dorene Browne-Louis, 45, of Upper Marlboro, Md., who was Plasketts scheduler from January 2015 until April 2016 and who has pleaded not guilty to obstructing justice.

Browne-Louis also has been released on her own recognizance. Both defendants are due back in court Wednesday.

[Two former staffers charged in cyberstalking of U.S. House member, husband]

Government charging documents did not name Plaskett, but stated that both defendants worked for the same nonvoting House delegate, identified by the initials S.P.

Plaskett last week confirmed that she is S.P., issuing statements thanking investigators and condemning perpetrators of an organized smear campaign and defamatory press reports concerning both me and my family.

According to the indictment, McCullum offered in March 2016 to help take the delegates malfunctioning, password-protected iPhone to a local Apple store to be repaired.

McCullum was not given permission to take, copy, or distribute any of the contents of the iPhone, which contained the private nude images and videos, authorities alleged.

In July 2016, after McCullum left the delegates staff, he allegedly created a Hotmail account and a Facebook account under a fake name to post the material and encouraged sharing it, the indictment states. The indictment also alleged that McCullum texted Browne-Louis as early as July 2, 2016, and emailed her some of the material.

Some of the personal photographs surfaced on the Internet shortly before a Democratic primary. Plaskett, 51, a lawyer and former New York City prosecutor and Justice Department official, went on to win with 85 percent of the vote, the won reelection in November to her second House term.

Plaskett last summer criticized the public unauthorized distribution of private photographs she had shared with her husband, Jonathan Buckney-Small, and the posting of a playful video of our family, that included one of their children.

To say my family and I are greatly upset would be a tremendous understatement, she said at that time, adding that the dissemination of the images was a shockingly disgusting invasion of my familys and my privacy not to mention criminal acts

Federal investigators launched an investigation within days, and alleged that Browne-Louis deleted McCullums texts from her phone and gave false and misleading statements to them and the grand jury.

McCullum faces charges that carry a maximum of five years in prison. Browne-Louis faces charges that carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and has been released on personal recognizance

McCullum is a former reality TV star who was known as Pretty and appeared on VH1s I Love New York, according to a 2015 profile in The Hill newspaper.

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Ex-staffer pleads not guilty to cyberstalking Virgin Islands US House delegate - Washington Post

‘Islands in the Stream’ reunion: Kenny Rogers to reteam with Dolly Parton for final show – USA TODAY

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The Gambler is set to deal one last time in Nashville and with the line-up taking shape for All In For The Gambler: Kenny Rogers Farewell Concert Celebration, a full house seems like a given. Kyleah Dunn, USA Today Network - Tennessee

Its kind of fun for me to think about the chance to get together with everybody one last time, Rogers says of the lineup for his farewell show.(Photo: Shelley Mays, The Tennessean-USA TODAY Sports)

The Gambler is set to deal one last time in Nashville and with the line-up taking shape for All In For The Gambler: Kenny Rogers Farewell Concert Celebration, a full house seems like a given.

Set for 7 p.m. Oct. 25 at Bridgestone Arena, the all-star concert event and taping will include performances from Rogers, Dolly Parton, Little Big Town, Alison Krauss, The Flaming Lips, Idina Menzel, Jamey Johnson, Elle King and more. The concert will be the final time Rogers and Parton perform together at a public event.

Its going to be a great night, and Im going to be proud of it and its more for me to say thank you and say bye to those people than it is for them to say thank you to me, Rogers said. Its kind of fun for me to think about the chance to get together with everybody one last time.

Over the course of the evening, Rogers fellow singers and friends will take turns covering the singers hits, which include Lady,The Gambler,Lucilleand She Believes in Me.Rogers final performance with Parton is a ready-made highlight.

July: Garth Brooks tops 'Forbes' highest paid country music stars list May: Dolly Parton pledges additional $3 million to Tennessee fire victims

The friends famously dueted on the song Islands in the Stream in the 80s, which went on to win multiple awards and a place in country music history.

Kenny is like a family member to me, Parton said in a statement. We have been friends for over 30 years and made musical magic together. Since 1983, when we released Islands In The Stream, everyone has had an expectation to see Kenny everywhere I go and me with him wherever he goes. Well, I guess for many of those fans that wanted to see us together, this will be that night. Performing with Kenny for the last time ever on October 25th is going to be emotional for both of us, but its also going to be very special. Even though Kenny may be retiring, as he fades from the stage, our love for each other will never fade away.

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In addition to Parton, Rogers is also looking forward to seeing Little Big Town. He said the group has always been incredibly nice to him and when he saw them perform one of his songs on television, he was blown away.

They sounded great, Rogers recalled. It reminded me of when I used to be in a group. I miss that group sound.

Rogers career has spanned more than half of a century. He has 24 No. 1 hits, six CMA Awards, three Grammys and is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. In 2013, he was given the Country Music Associations Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award.

February: New rides, restaurants under construction at Dollywood December: Dolly Parton's Smoky Mountains telethon raises nearly $9M

Rogers announced plans to retire in 2016. His current tour is his last and he said that at the moment, he has no concerts scheduled after Oct. 25. He stops short of saying the Nashville concert will be his last show.

Its really designed to be a night of fun and great talent and hopefully something new will come from it, Rogers said of the concert.

Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. CT July 21 through Ticketmaster, atticketmaster.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000 and at Bridgestone Arena's box office. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the T.J.Martell Foundation and the Kenny Rogers Childrens Center.

Follow Cindy Watts on Twitter:@CindyNWatts

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'Islands in the Stream' reunion: Kenny Rogers to reteam with Dolly Parton for final show - USA TODAY

Islands of cooperating atoms jam like ice floes as a liquid becomes like glass – Phys.Org

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July 18, 2017 by Diana Lutz Glasses form when a liquid is cooled so rapidly its atoms or molecules don't have time to find their places in the regular pattern that characterizes crystalline solids. Credit: Washington University in St. Louis

We learn in school that matter comes in three states: solid, liquid and gas. A bored and clever student (we've all met one) then sometimes asks whether glass is a solid or a liquid.

The student has a point. Glasses are weird "solid liquids" that are cooled so fast their atoms or molecules jammed before organizing themselves in the regular patterns of a crystalline solid. So a glass has the mechanical properties of a solid but its atoms or molecules are disorganized, like those in a liquid.

One sign of the weirdness of glass is that the transition from liquid to a glass is much fuzzier than the transition from liquid to crystalline solid. In fact, the glass transition is arbitrarily defined as the point where the glass-forming material has a viscosity of 1013 poise. (The viscosity of water at room temperature is about 0.01 poise. A thick oil might have a viscosity of about 1.0 poise.) At this point, it is too thick to flow and so meets the practical definition of a solid.

Scientists hate definitions this vague, but they've been stuck with this one because nobody really understood the glass transition, which frequently makes it onto lists of the top-10 unsolved problems in physics.

For the most part, scientists have been able to measure only bulk properties of glass-forming liquids, such as viscosity and specific heat, and the interpretations they came up with depended in part on the measurements they took. The glass literature is notoriously full of contradictory findings and workshops about glass are the venue for lively debate.

But in the past fifteen years, new experimental setups that scatter X-rays or neutrons off the atoms in a droplet of liquid that is held without a container (which would provoke it to crystallize) have allowed scientists at long last to measure the atomic properties of the liquid. And that is the level at which they suspect the secrets of the glass transition are hidden.

In one such study, Ken Kelton, the Arthur Holly Compton Professor in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, and his research team (Chris Pueblo, Washington University and Minhua Sun, Harbin Normal University, China) compared a measure of the interaction of atoms for different glass-forming liquids. Their results, published online in Nature Materials, reconcile several measures of glass formation, a sign that they are on the right track.

"We have shown that the concept of fragile and strong liquids, which was invented to explain why viscosity changes in markedly different ways as a liquid cools, actually goes much deeper than just the viscosity," Kelton said. "It is ultimately related to the repulsion between atoms, which limits their ability to move cooperatively. This is why the distinction between fragile and strong liquids also appears in structural properties, elastic properties and dynamics. They're all just different manifestations of that atomic interaction."

This is the first time the connection between viscosity and atomic interactions has been demonstrated experimentally, he said. Intriguingly, his studies and work by others suggest that the glass transition begins not at the conventional glass transition temperature but rather at a temperature approximately two times higher in metallic glasses (more than two times higher in the silicate glasses, such as window glass). It is at that point, Kelton said, the atoms first begin to move cooperatively.

Drilling down to the atomic level

Kelton's latest discoveries follow earlier investigations of a characteristic of glass-forming liquids called fragility. To most people, all glasses are fragile, but to physicists some are "strong" and others are "fragile."

The distinction was first introduced in 1995 by Austen Angell, a professor of chemistry at Arizona State University, who felt that a new term was needed to capture dramatic differences in the way a liquid's viscosity increases as it approaches the glass transition.

The viscosities of some liquids change gradually and smoothly as they approach this transition. But as other liquids are cooled, their viscosity changes very little at first, but then take off like a rocket as the transition temperature approaches.

At the time, Angell could only measure viscosity, but he called the first type of liquid "strong" and the second type "fragile" because he suspected a structural difference underlay the differences that he saw,

"It's easier to explain what he meant if you think of a glass becoming a liquid rather than the other way around," Kelton said. "Suppose a glass is heated through the glass transition temperature. If it's a 'strong' system, it 'remembers' the structure it had as a glasswhich is more ordered than in a liquidand that tells you that the structure does not change much through the transition. In contrast, a 'fragile' system quickly 'forgets' its glass structure, which tells you that its structure changes a lot through the transition.

"People argued that the change in viscosity had to be related to the structurethrough several intermediate concepts, some of which are not well defined," Kelton added. "What we did was hop over these intermediate steps to show directly that fragility was related to structure."

In 2014, he with members of his group published in Nature Communications the results of experiments that showed that the fragility of a glass-forming liquid is reflected in something called the structure factor, a quantity measured by scattering X-rays off a droplet of liquid that contains information about the position of the atoms in the droplet.

"It was just as Angell had suspected," Kelton said. "The rate of atomic ordering in the liquid near the transition temperature determines whether a liquid is 'fragile' or 'strong.'"

Sharp little atomic elbows

But Kelton wasn't satisfied. Other scientists were finding correlations between the fragility of a liquid and its elastic properties and dynamics, as well as its structure. "There has to be something in common," he thought. "What's the one thing that could underlie all of these things?" The answer, he believed, had to be the changing attraction and repulsion between atoms as they moved closer together, which is called the atomic interaction potential.

If two atoms are well separated, Kelton explained, there is little interaction between them and the interatomic potential is nearly zero. When they get closer together, they are attracted to one another for a variety of reasons. The potential energy goes down, becoming negative (or attractive). But then as they move closer still, the cores of the atoms start to interact, repelling one another. The energy shoots way up.

"It's that repulsive part of the potential we were seeing in our experiments," Kelton said.

What they found when they measured the repulsive potential of 10 different metallic alloys at the Advanced Photon Source, a beamline at Argonne National Laboratory, is that "strong" liquids have steeper repulsive potentials and the slope of their repulsive potential changes more rapidly that of "fragile" ones. "What this means," Kelton said, "is that 'strong' liquids order more rapidly at high temperatures than 'fragile' ones. That is the microscopic underpinning of Angell's fragility.

"What's interesting," Kelton continued, "is that we see atoms beginning to respond cooperativelyshowing awareness of one anotherat temperatures approximately double the glass transition temperature and close to the melting temperature.

"That's where the glass transition really starts," he said. "As the liquid cools more and more, atoms move cooperatively until rafts of cooperation extend from one side of the liquid to the other and the atoms jam. But that point, the conventional glass transition, is only the end point of a continuous process that begins at a much higher temperature."

Kelton will soon attend a workshop in Poland where he expects lively discussion of his findings, which contradict those of some of his colleagues. But he is convinced that he has hold of the thread that will lead out of the labyrinth because different levels of understanding are beginning to line up. "It's exciting that things are coming together so well," he said.

Glasses, glasses, everywhere

Ken Kelton has pursued the glass transition for many years both because the physics are interesting and, he confesses, because he just plain likes liquids and glasses. But when he googles people who have cited his papers he often finds they work in industry. This is because glasses are everywhere. Most of us think of glass as window glass or drinking glasses, but many foodstuffs, drugs and plastics are also glasses.

Dry spaghetti is hard and brittle because it is a glass. When it is heated in boiling water it undergoes a transition to a "rubbery" state that goes well with red sauce. Cotton candy is a glass made by melting sugar crystals and then spinning out the melt so that strands of molten sugar "freeze" in the form of a glass. Cheetos, prawn crackers and dry milk powder are all glasses, as are many other foods.

Pharmaceutical companies often use spray-drying or freeze-drying to make sure a drug is glassy rather than crystalline. Many hard plastics, such as polysytrene (packing peanuts, disposable razors) and polyvinyl chloride (vinyl siding, plumbing) are also glasses.

Industrial scientists are scanning Kelton's papers because they need to control the glass transition and the transformation of the glass to a crystalline solid in order to give their products desirable properties. Drugs in a glassy state generally dissolve better in the body, so that lower doses are effective, and some drugs must be produced as glasses because they are insoluble in their crystalline form. Control of the glass transition is also important in the production of plastics. Because they are glasses, hard plastics have a "memory" of their thermal history that affects how they perform and age.

Explore further: Experiments explain why some liquids are 'fragile' and others are 'strong'

More information: Christopher E. Pueblo et al. Strength of the repulsive part of the interatomic potential determines fragility in metallic liquids, Nature Materials (2017). DOI: 10.1038/nmat4935

(Phys.org) Only recently has it become possible to accurately "see" the structure of a liquid. Using X-rays and a high-tech apparatus that holds liquids without a container, Kenneth Kelton, PhD, the Arthur Holly Compton ...

Polymers are used for myriad applications today, and perhaps the most important property that dictates which polymer is chosen for a given application is its "glass transition temperature." Many industrial polymers possess ...

A University of Tokyo research group has demonstrated through computer simulations that the enhancement of fluctuations in a liquid's structure plays an important role as a liquid becomes a solid near the glass-transition ...

Glass doesn't have to be brittle. Scientists propose a way of predicting whether a given glass will be brittle or ductilea property typically associated with metals like steel or aluminumand assert that any glass could ...

While glass might be thought of in terms of holding wine or as a window, the stability of glass affects areas as diverse as nuclear waste storage, pharmaceuticals, and ice cream. Recently, chemical physicists at Pacific Northwest ...

(Phys.org) For the first time, scientists have mapped the structure of a metallic glass on the atomic scale, bringing them closer to understanding where the liquid ends and the solid begins in glassy materials.

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Islands of cooperating atoms jam like ice floes as a liquid becomes like glass - Phys.Org

The sun-kissed British Virgin Islands are the very picture of paradise on earth – Manchester Evening News

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On the edge of the Caribbean Sea nestled between Puerto Rico and Antigua, the British Virgin Islands are every bit the paradise isles conjured up in Caribbean dreams - sun kissed pristine beaches fringed by palm trees, crystal clear warm seas, exotic experiences and friendly locals.

The temperature doesnt stray far from 27C (80F) all year round and the islands have luckily avoided hurricanes in recent years. Off the radar compared to more famous destinations such as Barbados, St Lucia and Jamaica, the small airport means no big planes and therefore no direct flights from European destinations, including the UK. But the extra effort needed to reach the British Virgin Islands (BVI for short) makes them feel more exclusive and special.

The islands are a British Overseas Territory and have a governor appointed by the Queen. So you dont need a visa if youre a British passport holder.

There are two main ways to get there. British Airways fly from Gatwick to Antigua, from where there are connecting flights, or you can fly to the USA from Manchester and other local airports then connect to the US Virgin Islands, from which you can take a short ferry ride to the BVI.

Theres also a new route from Miami direct to Tortola starting this year, although it looks like being a bit pricier than the other options.

My advice is to treat getting there as part of the trip. I went the Gatwick-Antigua route, staying overnight at the Hilton Hotel at Gatwicks south terminal. Spacious and restful, my executive suite contained a full-size deep bath as well as a shower but seemed a trek from the lobby after a tiring day. With a gym for the more energetic and breakfast options from 5.30am, my stay there was otherwise quiet and relaxed - just right to prepare for the rest of the journey.

The BVI is made up of 60 islands, islets and cays (low banks or reefs of coral, rock or sand), but there are four main islands - Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada. Its quite easy to island hop as ferries run between the main ones - in fact I would say its a definite must-do, as each have their own highlights.

Warning - this is not a destination to try to do cheaply. But if your goal is a once-in-a-lifetime luxury holiday or honeymoon then you cant go far wrong.

Frenchmans Cay is on Tortolas West End, connected to the rest of Tortola via a small bridge. Intimate, with a private island feel, it is also a good base from which to hire a car to see the whole of Tortola and also get a ferry to the other islands.

Accommodation at Frenchmans is in eight one or two bed villas, in an elevated position with a veranda overlooking the ocean. Surrounded by lush gardens, they are intimate and secluded, with names like Star Fruit, Lime and Mango.

I was in Passion Fruit, with comfy wicker cocoon seats hanging from the roof of the veranda - perfect for lazing in - and patio doors with a fly screen, so at night you can sit in the living room and enjoy the coolness and sound of the ocean without letting the mozzies in.

Theres good snorkelling direct from the shore and the bar/restaurant area is a stones throw from the beach. Just be aware that the restaurant is not open on Sunday evenings, so enjoy one of the eateries at nearby Sopers Hole instead or buy in some food and make dinner at your villa.

Peter Island is a true private island resort, with a private boat transporting guests from Road Town. Theres a number of beaches, some with great snorkelling, and a five-mile loop by road offering spectacular views. Enjoy the sunset at a hilltop viewpoint complete with champagne, cheese and fruit, or spend time at the spa.

I booked in for a Signature Massage, with essential oils and a medium to light touch to enhance relaxation, improve circulation and relieve muscle tension. Finished off with warm stone foot therapy and a scalp massage, it left me feeling deliciously sleepy.

If money is no object then you can hire a private hilltop villa for up to $18,000 a night. Otherwise choose from Beach Front Junior Suites, with direct beach access and a two-person jacuzzi, or Ocean View Rooms overlooking the marina and pool. Evening meals are provided in the onsite restaurant, headed by executive chef Todd Howard, who has worked with Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal.

If you want to feel like an A-lister and not lift a finger, then this is the place for you but I would recommend also visiting some of the other islands to get a true taste of the BVI before flying home.

The BVI is considered to be the sailing capital of the world thanks to calm waters, clear lines of sight and almost ever-present Trade Winds - making island hopping a doddle. So sailing is THE big thing to do here, with a number of events through the year.

King of those is the international Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival, which is a big deal for the sailors and the islands.

It is hosted by Nanny Cay on Tortola, which boasts accommodation, bars, restaurants, a beach and after expansion this year will have mooring for 300 boats.

Scuba diving is another popular activity, with a number of world class reef, cavern and wreck sites including the wreck of the RMS Rhone, a Royal Mail steamer sunk in a hurricane in 1867. Or choose from a host of other watersports such as snorkelling, surfing, paddleboarding and kayaking.

Theres plenty of historical and natural attractions on the BVI. One of the most amazing natural wonders is The Baths on Virgin Gorda, a combination of massive granite boulders and tidal rock pools which is among the islands 21 national parks.

In the BVI capital, Road Town, a number of buildings hark back to the islands past - including the Folk Museum which takes visitors on a journey from first settlers to present days and Her Majestys Prison Museum, which is a chilling look at jail life on Tortola going back 230 years.

The Old Government House Museum, once the governors residence, has a colonial feel, while Callwood rum distillery at Tortolas Cane Garden Bay produces rum as the Caribbean has done for centuries.

If you are lucky enough to be in the BVI for full moon, dont miss one of the famous full moon parties. Bomba Shack on Tortola hosts the wildest, while the one at Trellis Bay, Beef Island, has a more family feel.

Annette was a guest of the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board during Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival 2017. Rates at Frenchmans Cay (www.frenchmansbvi.com) start from 388 per night on a room only basis. Rates at Peter Island Resort (www.peterisland.com) start from 360 on a room only basis. Return flights from 473pp with British Airways or Virgin Atlantic to Antigua. Interconnecting flights from Antigua to Beef Island, Tortola, start from 195pp with InterCaribbean (www.intercaribbean.com) . For more information visit http://www.bvitourism.co.uk

Prices at Hilton London Gatwick airport start from 90 per night when booking direct at http://www.hilton.com . Or phone 01293 579072.

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The sun-kissed British Virgin Islands are the very picture of paradise on earth - Manchester Evening News

Tonight’s Love Island’s lie detector challenge is pretty brutal – Metro

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Olivia is seriously grilled by Chris (Picture: ITV)

Love Island is about to get as dramatic as an episode of Jeremy Kyle.

The much-hated lie detector test is being dusted off and is set to cause major fallout in tonights episode.

After last nights bust-up between Chris and Liv over her crush on Mike and a tweet from Stormzy (god bless Love Island), they dont really need to add more fuel to the fire.

Unfortunately, that wouldnt boost ratings, so the warring partners are set to engage in a brutal questions and answers round despite the fact theyre not talking.

Chris decides to ask his girlfriend whether she trusts him, if she sees a future with him, wants to be his girlfriend and whether she actually loves him.

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Viewers will not be surprised to learn that Liv is bricking it before her test, admitting: Watch my lie detector test go down in flames.

But Chris and Liv arent the only pair set to be put to the test.

Amber will be forced to confess if Kem really is the best shes ever had in bed, as well as whether she genuinely loves her man from Romford and whether she will be loyal in the future.

Camilla has to fess up on whether she and Jamie are compatible and if she thinks he is a good kisser although after her perfect penis remark, we cant imagine that will go too wrong.

Montana is asked by Alex if shell be tempted by other lads on the outside, while Gabby is questioned as to whether she only hooked up with Marcel because he was in Blazin Squad.

And Georgia will be tested by new squeeze Sam on whether she actually sees a future with him.

Love Islanders get put to the test - but are lie detectors ACTUALLY accurate?

All episodes of Top Of The Lake: China Girl are being released at the same time

Max discovers Steven's sick lie in EastEnders and prepares to destroy the Beales

We reckon the villa might need their own version of Jezza Kyles Graham for this one.

Love Island is on ITV2 at 9pm.

MORE: Love Islands Kem once appeared in a Shell advert and beatboxing was involved

MORE: Muggy Mike warns Chris off Olivia as his last act of revenge before leaving Love Island

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Tonight's Love Island's lie detector challenge is pretty brutal - Metro

Love Island’s Camilla Thurlow flashes her boobs as she shows off her wild side in sexy video before finding fame – The Sun

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She has painted a picture of herself as the sweet and innocent girl of the Love Island villa.

But newly emerged footage of Camilla Thurlow appears to show a rather different side to the Islander.

MirrorPix

MirroPix

In the clip, which was taken just one year ago, Camilla who famously once dated Prince Harry can be seen dancing wildly with her shirt undone to reveal her bra.

The 28-year-old seems completely unconcerned about her boobs being on show as she mouths along to Mike Posners song I Took A Pill In Ibiza.

Rather surprisingly Camilla, who has opted for a more demure wardrobe in the villa, is wearing a backwards cap as she raves at the outdoor festival.

The image is in stark contrast to the Camilla presented on the ITV2 show and is likely to get fans speculating even further about how genuine she really is.

Earlier this week viewers were left gobsmacked after Camilla had sex with her love interest Jamie Jewitt despite previously being reluctant to even kiss.

And even more surprising, she rushed to tell Montanathat he had put it in her which some people at home thought was rather convenient just one week before the final.

MirrorPix

MirrorPix

MirrorPix

One person remarked: Funny how Camillas put out a week before the final? And people say shes not playing a game hmm. major player #loveisland

While another tweeted: Camilla is playing a good game Ill give her that #loveisland.

And someone else added: Not so sweet & innocent now is she. Camilla playing the biggest game in the whole villa. Well done her. She had us all fooled! #loveisland.

All Camila says about Jamie is Not everyday you get with a Calvin Klein model not convinced by her, sure its a game #LoveIsland, tweeted someone else.

On Monday evening's episode Camilla, who says she has not had sex since January, confided in pal Montana Brown in the dressing area, telling her that Jamie: Put it in. It means the couple became the fifth pairing to have sex in the house.

Montana asked about the size of his manhood, to which Camilla said: No, I can confirm he doesnt have a small penis.

She then added: I can confirm hes perfect, and he also has a perfect penis.

Meanwhile Jamie's best mate Georgina Leigh Cantwell, who met Jamie on E4s Taking New York, has also questioned whether posh lass Camillais genuine.

ITV

Graphic designer Georginatold OK! magazine: Shes not my favourite out of the bunch and I think theres something off about her.

She might not be as genuine as viewers think.

She continued:Id have thought hed go for Montana Brown or Tyla Carr. But sometimes its not about looks and more about your connection.

ITV/ Love Island

And on Tuesday night's episode Camilla is caught out after a lie detector test proved she is not telling the truth about her feelings for Jamie.

During her time on the show Camilla has been linked to three different men, Sam, Jonny Mitchell and now Jamie.

Got a story? email digishowbiz@the-sun.co.uk or call us direct on 02077824220

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Love Island's Camilla Thurlow flashes her boobs as she shows off her wild side in sexy video before finding fame - The Sun

Doggie DNA testing startup gets fresh funds – CNNMoney

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Startup Embark Veterinary allows pet owners, vets and breeders to learn about the ancestry and disease risk of dogs. Similar to human genetics tests, it's conducted through a cheek swab of saliva.

The company announced on Tuesday it raised another $4.5 million from investors, which include Anne Wojcicki, founder of a genetics testing startup for humans called 23andMe. It previously raised $2 million.

The goal is to give pet owners a better understanding of their dog's health for preventive care, and provide insights to breeders. For example, tests can detect which dogs might be carriers for specific diseases, so breeders can avoid mating them with another carrier. It can also provide details about a dog's family tree, which may be especially revealing for rescue dogs.

Embark Veterinary said it's able to track over 200,000 genetic markers and recognize 175 breeds with its test. It also deliver a breakdown of chromosomes to see which traits come from certain breed types. Results take three to four weeks before they are delivered online.

Each test costs $199. In comparison, a human genome test from 23andMe runs $149.

While the price may seem high for a pet test, owners spent $66.75 billion on their pets in 2016, according to American Pet Products. Venture capitalists are increasingly financing startups looking to capture a portion of the market. Investors have poured $486 million into pet tech startups between 2012 and 2016.

Related: New genetic test wants to help women get pregnant

While there are some existing pet genetic tests -- like Wisdom Panel, which determines a dog's ancestry -- Embark Veterinary cofounder Adam Boyko said his company delivers a more comprehensive picture of a dog's overall health. (Wisdom Panel's genetic test tracks 321 markers across 250 breeds.)

"We want doggie DNA testing to be not something you just do for fun, but we want to use it to push the whole field forward," said Adam Boyko, adding the firm also delivers raw data so it can be shared with vets or researchers. "There's a research utility for discovering new genetic associations and advancing the field of canine genetics."

Adam -- an assistant professor at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, the startup's partner -- started the company with his brother, Ryan, in 2015. Since then, it's conducted "thousands" of dog tests.

The startup says it will not share customer or dog information without permission, but unless users opt out, it will share anonymous findings with scientists for research.

"This new funding lets us expand our research to end preventable disease in dogs -- and expand partnership talks with companies that can help us translate that research into advances for human health," said Ryan Boyko.

CNNMoney (New York) First published July 18, 2017: 3:20 PM ET

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Doggie DNA testing startup gets fresh funds - CNNMoney

Rare genetic diseases can arise from unsuspecting carriers – Genetic Literacy Project

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When two peoplewith a rare form of deafnessmate, the genetic combination can yieldan unusual syndrome in which the child hasfragile bones, deafness, blindness and albinism. Therecently-discovered syndrome is known as COMMAD, for coloboma (ocular holes), osteopetrosis (note the suffix dense bones), microphtalmia (small eyes), macrocephaly (large head), albinism, and deafness.

This new discovery was made by Aman George and colleagues at the Ophthalmic Genetics and Visual Function Branch of theNational Eye Institute. Theydemonstrated that with a combinatorial effect of certain genotypes from both parents, this exceedingly rare set of occurrences in the child is one possible outcome. Of course, as with any mating event, there are many possible outcomes.

The disorder is an example of a raredisease passedon by parents who do notexhibit the condition. It occursthrough genetic combination and mathematical permutation (as autosomal recessive inheritance). Two children were identified with the COMMAD syndrome, and each has two different recessive mutations of the gene that codes for microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). The research report was published inthe American Journal of Human Genetics.

What had been previously known about MITF was limited, but that mice with two recessive mutations in the MITF gene had impairments in their osteoclasts (bone degradation cells), mast cells (a type of immune cell), retinal pigment, and melanocytes (pigment-producing cells of the skin). Beyond the mice research, human cases were unknown prior to this work and these two cases. In vitro cell experiments (within flasks) using zebrafish embryos showed that the abnormal MITF protein could not enter cell nuclei or bind DNA, and it impaired melanocyte migration, differentiation, and survivability which is a strong supportive causal factorfor the albinism seen in the two human cases. Similarly, the eye abnormalities also could occur because of the MITF mutations on the retinal pigment epithelium, causing ophthalmic disorder. This is due in large part because of the powerful role the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) plays in eyehealth and maintenance.

The retinal pigment epithelium is a single layer of cells overlying the retina, just underneath the photoreceptive layer of cells. The RPE expresses certain proteins that regulate the transport of nutrients (to) and waste (away from) the retina. It also helps to continuously renew ocular precision by ingesting and degrading the worn out terminal ends of the photoreceptor outer pieces, keeping vision sharp.It also acts as a physical barrier to the retina against high-energy light as well as oxygen reactive species created from photodegradation of molecules. MITF mutations leading to RPE abnormalities can significantly compromise these structures required for proper function and homeostasis within the eye.

In order to mitigate future occurrences of this particular spectrum of rare diseases, the researchers advise genetic testing in particular cases with couples where Waardenburg syndrome type 2A (WS2A) or Tietz syndrome may be present (and/or if both parents have partial albinism and hearing loss, which could be an indicator), as well as genetic counseling about the risks to offspring if it is indeed a potential factor.Waardenburg syndrome type 2 is usually inherited in an autosomal dominant manner.This means that having a mutation in only one copy of the responsible gene in each cell is enough to cause features of the condition.

When a person with a mutation that causes an autosomal dominant condition has children, each child has a 50% (1 in 2) chance to inherit that mutation. In other cases, the mutation occurs for the first time in a person with no family history of the condition. This is called a de novomutation.Whats interesting about COMMAD is that it is a disease associated with one gene, and it has a different mode of inheritance from both WS2A and Tietz syndrome, which are both autosomal dominant.Identifying the gene responsible for WS2 is necessary to determine the subtype that is present in a person or family.

The children in the particular cases inherited different recessive mutations from each parent, yet the parents have the same autosomal dominant condition, but didnt know it. The parents and children in the two cases each have Waardenburg syndrome type 2A, with very white complexions, blue eyes, premature graying, and profound sensorineural hearing loss. Some of the siblings of the two cases are fair and deaf like the parents.In some instances, an affected person inherits the mutated gene from an affected parent.

People with questions about genetic risks or genetic testing for themselves or family members should speak with a genetics counselor about their options. Typical steps in the process are:

Ben Locwin is a behavioral neuroscientist and astrophysicist with a masters in business, and a researcher on the genetics of human disease. Follow him on Twitter @BenLocwin.

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Rare genetic diseases can arise from unsuspecting carriers - Genetic Literacy Project

Biotechnology timeline: Humans have manipulated genes since the ‘dawn of civilization’ – Genetic Literacy Project

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Historically, biotech has been primarily associated with food, addressing such issues as malnutrition and famine.

Today, biotechnology is most often associated with the development of drugs. But drugs are hardly the future of biotech. Weve entered the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and genetics are on a new level. Biotech is paving a way for a future open to imagination, and thats kind of scary.

The next ten years will surely prove exciting as artificial intelligence and biotechnology merge man and machine

Most of the biotech developments before the year 1800 can be termed as discoveries or developments. If we study all these developments, we can conclude that these inventions were based on common observations about nature.

The Second World War became a major impediment in scientific discoveries. After the end of the second world war some, very crucial discoveries were reported, which paved the path for modern biotechnology.

The origins of biotechnology culminate with the birth of genetic engineering.There were two key events that have come to be seen as scientific breakthroughs beginning the era that would unite genetics with biotechnology:One was the 1953 discovery of the structure of DNA, by Watson and Crick, and the other was the 1973 discovery by Cohen and Boyer of a recombinant DNA technique by which a section of DNA was cut from the plasmid of an E. coli bacterium and transferred into the DNA of another. Popularly referred to as genetic engineering, it came to be defined as the basis of new biotechnology.

A version of this article was originally published on Brian Colwells website as A Giant-Sized History of Biotechnology and has been republished here with permission from theauthor.

Brian Colwell is a technology futuristwith an investment thesis focused on disruptions in this next Industrial revolution. His research areas includeagricultural,biotechnology and artificial intelligence. Follow @BrianDColwellon Twitterand at his website.

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Biotechnology timeline: Humans have manipulated genes since the 'dawn of civilization' - Genetic Literacy Project

Trump, Tweeting About Health Care, Says, ‘We Will Return’ – New York Times

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Video Trump on G.O.P.s Failed Health Care Bill

The president spoke today about the collapse of the Republicans plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

WASHINGTON President Trump said early Tuesday that Democrats and a few Republicans were at fault for the collapse of health care legislation in the Senate, and he restated his strategy to let the Affordable Care Act fail.

In a pair of morning tweets, Mr. Trump said, We will return, but he provided no specifics.

Senate Republicans hopes for a health care bill died Monday night when two Republican senators said they would oppose their partys bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, leaving the Senate at least two votes short of what would be needed to start the debate on the proposed law.

On Monday night, Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, said that the effort to repeal and immediately replace the failure of Obamacare will not be successful.

He described a plan to vote now on a measure to repeal President Barack Obamas signature law. But that is unlikely to pass, because it could leave millions without insurance and is likely push insurance markets into turmoil.

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Trump, Tweeting About Health Care, Says, 'We Will Return' - New York Times

Health Care Overhaul Collapses as Two Republican Senators Defect – New York Times

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In announcing his opposition to the bill, Mr. Moran said it fails to repeal the Affordable Care Act or address health cares rising costs.

Vice President Mike Pence, Speaker Paul D. Ryan and Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, discuss the next steps.

There are serious problems with Obamacare, and my goal remains what it has been for a long time: to repeal and replace it, he said in a statement.

In his own statement, Mr. Lee said of the bill, In addition to not repealing all of the Obamacare taxes, it doesnt go far enough in lowering premiums for middle-class families; nor does it create enough free space from the most costly Obamacare regulations.

By defecting together, Mr. Moran and Mr. Lee ensured that no one senator would be the definitive no vote.

House Republicans, after their own fits and starts, passed a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act in May, a difficult vote that was supposed to set the stage for Senate action. But with conservative and moderate Republicans so far apart in the Senate, the gulf proved impossible to bridge. Conservatives wanted the Affordable Care Act eradicated, but moderates worried intensely about the effects that would have on their most vulnerable citizens.

The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, responded to the announcement on Monday by urging his Republican colleagues to begin anew and, this time, undertake a bipartisan effort.

This second failure of Trumpcare is proof positive that the core of this bill is unworkable, Mr. Schumer said. Rather than repeating the same failed, partisan process yet again, Republicans should start from scratch and work with Democrats on a bill that lowers premiums, provides long-term stability to the markets and improves our health care system.

A comparison of public meetings on Obamacare and the Republican bills to repeal it.

Roughly 20 million people have gained coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Repealing the law was a top priority for Mr. Trump and Republicans in Congress, who say it has driven up premiums and forced consumers to buy insurance they do not want and cannot afford.

The opposition from Mr. Paul and Ms. Collins to the latest version of the Senate bill was expected, so Mr. McConnell had no margin for error as he unveiled it. But he managed to survive through the weekend and until Monday night without losing another of his members though some expressed misgivings or, at the very least, uncertainty.

Mr. McConnell had wanted to hold a vote this week, but he was forced to abandon that plan after Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, had surgery last week to remove a blood clot from above his left eye. That unexpected setback gave the forces that opposed the bill more time to pressure undecided senators.

Already, Mr. McConnell was trying to sell legislation that was being assailed from many directions. On Friday, the health insurance lobby, which had been largely silent during the fight, came off the sidelines to blast as unworkable a key provision allowing the sale of low-cost, stripped-down health plans, saying it would increase premiums and undermine protections for people with pre-existing medical conditions.

Mr. McConnell has now failed twice in recent weeks to roll out a repeal bill and keep his conference together for it. He first wanted to hold a vote in late June, only to reverse course after running into opposition.

House Republicans in competitive districts who supported their version of the bill will now have to explain themselves and Democrats are eager to pounce.

Make no mistake, Paul Ryan cant turn back time and undo the damaging vote he imposed on his conference, said Meredith Kelly, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. House Republicans all own a bill that would strip health care from 23 million Americans and raise costs for millions more, and it will haunt them in 2018.

Mr. Lee, one of the most conservative members of the Senate, was part of a group of four conservative senators who came out against the initial version of Mr. McConnells bill after it was unveiled last month. He then championed the proposal to allow insurers to offer cheap, bare-bones plans, which was pushed by another of those opponents, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas. But the language ultimately added was not quite what Mr. Lee had been advocating, a spokesman said last week.

Mr. Moran, a reliable Republican vote and a past chairman of the Senate Republicans campaign arm, had announced his opposition to the bill as drafted after Mr. McConnell scrapped plans to hold a vote in late June. He expressed concerns about how it would affect Kansas, including whether it would limit access to health care in rural communities and effectively penalize states, like his, that did not expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

The pressure on Mr. Moran at home showed no sign of relenting. The Kansas Hospital Association said last week that the revised Senate bill comes up short, particularly for our most vulnerable patients.

Robert Pear contributed reporting.

Get politics and Washington news updates via Facebook, Twitter and in the Morning Briefing newsletter.

A version of this article appears in print on July 18, 2017, on Page A1 of the New York edition with the headline: 2 More Defections Lead To Collapse of Health Effort.

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Health Care Overhaul Collapses as Two Republican Senators Defect - New York Times

A nice dinner at the White House, then suddenly Republican healthcare bill was dead – Los Angeles Times

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Senators were just wrapping up dinner at the White House an upbeat chat with President Trump about next steps for healthcareonce they passed the long-promised Republican Obamacare overhaul.

And then the news broke with barely a heads-up to GOP leadership -- that two more Republicans had announced their opposition to the Senate legislation, effectively killing the bill.

Republican senators struggled Tuesday to make sense of what happened and what comes next now that their long promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act appears to have hit the end of the road.

Its unfortunate, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) told reporters. I still think it will happen --just not this week or this month.

Republicans did not necessarily blame Trump, who failed to roll up his sleeves to become involved in the process until just this week. Nor did they openly criticize Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for pushing a hodgepodge bill that had scant support.

Ultimately, senators said, they have come to realize that their campaign promise may be easier said than done, and impossible to accomplish with their 52-seat majority.

At the end of the day, just being so close in number and having a few people having different views thats just part of being a senator, said veteran Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah.

The bottom line was there were plenty of members here who understood the presidents preference and were willing to vote against it anyway, Rubio said. This is the Senate. In the Senate leadership sets agendas, but senators by and large vote for the interests of their states.

Stillsome Republicans were unable to admit defeat.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a key architect of the failed strategy, vowed to press on, even though there appears to be no viable path to repealing the Affordable Care Act or replacing it any time soon with an agreed-upon alternative.

I continue to believe we can get this done, Cruz told reporters. We can honor our promise and repeal Obamcare.

Senators were blindsided late Monday when two colleagues, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), a longtime ally of Cruz, and Sen. Jerry Moran, a more low-key colleague from Kansas, jointly announced they would oppose the bill.

With two other Republicans, Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), already withholding support, leaders had lost the votes needed to advance the bill.

McConnell quickly produced a back-up plan a vote in coming days on simply repealing ACA now, and replacing it later. That had been McConnells original ideamonths ago, but he abandoned it when Trump and others sought repeal and replace at the same time.

But by early Tuesday McConnells new plan soon fizzled amid opposition.

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) called the episode a very painful process, Scott said. We are watching the thing unfold on the screens of our TV and the papers you guys write for.

He added, The fact of the matter is we need to find a way to get traction among enough senators to get something accomplished. We dont seem to be there yet.

Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), who attended the dinner with a handful of other Republican senators, said the evening had been very positive as they discussed healthcare and other topics with the president.

Thats what was interesting. It was the assumption: Were going to finish this bill. We were talking about the next step.'

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A nice dinner at the White House, then suddenly Republican healthcare bill was dead - Los Angeles Times

Pence on health care: ‘Inaction is not an option’ – CNN

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"The Senate should vote to repeal now and replace later or return to the legislation carefully created in the House and the Senate. But either way, inaction is not an option," Pence said. "Congress needs to step up, Congress needs to do their job and Congress needs to do their job now."

Pence used his speech at the National Retail Federation meeting in Washington to deliver a direct message to the Republican senators who bucked their party and came out against the repeal and replace effort on Monday night, all but sinking the Republican's preferred plan.

Most Republicans "were loyal, terrific and worked really hard," Pence said, but some rebelled against the White House and their leadership and signaled that "the Senate still doesn't have consensus to repeal and replace Obamacare at the same time."

After the defeat, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that the Senate would take up the House bill to repeal and replace Obamacare, and then vote on a bill to repeal former President Barack Obama's signature legislative accomplishment.

"President Trump and I fully support the majority leaders' position to move forward with a bill that just repeals Obamacare and gives Congress time, as the President said, to work on a new health care plan that will start with a clean slate," Pence said.

Multiple Republican senators have already signaled that they are either against or skeptical of the McConnell plan, meaning the prospect of that plan working is already fraught.

Pence said that Trump's "inexhaustible optimism and determination" means the fight to repeal Obamacare is not over.

"Stay tuned, we will return," he said, echoing the President. "We will rescue the American people from the disastrous consequences of Obamacare."

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Pence on health care: 'Inaction is not an option' - CNN

John Kasich: The Way Forward on Health Care – New York Times

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In the uncertainty created by the Senate plans collapse, Congress should guard against a hasty next step. Just taking up the fatally flawed House plan is not an answer, and this idea should be immediately rejected for the same reasons senators rejected the Senates own proposal. Also, simply repealing Obamacare without having a workable replacement is just as bad. Both would simply yank health coverage out from under millions of Americans who have no other alternative.

After two failed attempts at reform, the next step is clear: Congress should first focus on fixing the Obamacare exchanges before it takes on Medicaid. If we want to move Americans off Medicaid, there must be somewhere stable for them to go. For all its faults, at least Medicaid is currently a stable system for those who need it. The exchanges are anything but, and need immediate improvements.

One vital improvement would be to provide adequate tax credits, which would help keep health plans in the individual market and encourage not undermine robust competition. Companies should also be required to continue following reasonable guardrails like ensuring minimum coverage that is genuinely useful and covers pre-existing conditions. Once we see these repairs taking hold, Congress should then take up needed improvements to Medicaid as part of comprehensive entitlement reform.

States are willing to assume greater financial risk by transitioning to a block grant or per-capita cap, but will also need new flexibilities, such as tools to manage the rising cost of pharmaceuticals the fastest growing component of Medicaid. And states cannot expect the federal government to continue paying 90 percent of Medicaid expansion costs given our nations historic debt; they must accept a gradual return to traditional cost-sharing levels.

Finally, we can never truly fix the rising cost of health care unless we start paying for value rather than volume. We are making this transition in Ohio by paying physicians for providing better care, not simply more care, in order to pursue better health outcomes.

In resetting health care reform in these ways and I dont rule out that other, balanced approaches bear consideration also Congress can surmount the fatal flaws of both Obamacare and the current approaches: the reflection of a single partisan point of view. Health care policy is only partisan in the abstract. When you or your loved one is sick and needs care, ideology is irrelevant; getting well is all that matters. That same common sense must be reflected in the way we fix Obamacare. Another one-sided plan, driven hard by one party against the wishes of another, can never succeed because it will essentially maintain the status quo: partisan opposition and no real solutions.

The best next step is for members of both parties to ignore the fear of criticism that can come from reaching across the aisle and put pencil to pad on these and other ideas that repair health care in real, sustainable ways. America needs it, and I know that a bipartisan group of governors, including myself, stands ready to help in any way we can to provide an affordable, sustainable and responsible system of health care for the American people.

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John Kasich: The Way Forward on Health Care - New York Times