Jasper County Libertarian Party gains official recognition – Newsbug.info

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The Libertarian Party of Jasper County recently celebrated its official recognition by the Libertarian Party of Indiana. Though the local party's precise number is small, members are planning events to spread the message of libertarianism, and several initiatives for county politics may be arriving in the near future.

Loren Berenda, a Shelter Insurance Agent and former law enforcement officer, is the local party chairman. He believes that the party first began to find momentum in Jasper County during the 2016 presidential election, if only due to the unpopularity of the major party candidates. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson collected 620 votes from the county, according to courthouse records.

"I know there's a lot of locals who weren't happy with Gary Johnson," Berenda said. "But it was an alternative to Hillary Clinton. And then, obviously President Trump had a lot of negative publicity that was coming out...A lot of people just pushed Gary Johnson's box as a protest to the other two."

The number of voters doesn't have to reflect the exact number of registered party members, and it did show potential interest in Libertarianism from locals. So, local party members decided to try for official recognition from the state-level party. Read the full story in the print edition or by subscribing to the e-edition.

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Jasper County Libertarian Party gains official recognition - Newsbug.info

When the Libertarian Mask Slips and the Eugenicist is Revealed – Patheos (blog)

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Had a typical conversation with a Libertarian about the question of health care as a right. He was a typical Catholic dissenter from the Churchs teaching on this point, offering the typical Libertarian falsehoods like:

The reason this is a lie is that health care is not charity. It is, as the Church teaches, a right.

The Libertarian lie in reply to this is twofold.

The reply to these lies is twofold as well:

The reason health care is a right is that life is a right and health is simply a corollary of that. And because health care is a right, guaranteeing access to it, like guaranteeing the right to be born, is a matter of justice, not charity, too. And since it is precisely the business of the state to secure justice, it is the rightful business of the state to secure access to health care for all.

My Libertarian correspondent would have none of this, of course, and emitted the customary lie of Libertarians that state involvement in health care robbed him of the power to glow with the burning personal charity that would consume his heart for the poor and sick, did not the state remove a buck and half from his paycheck in brutal act of violent theft. The poor and sick would see the dawn of a new Millennium of care for all their needs at the hands of a Marching Army of Living Libertarians Saints more generous than St. Francis of Assisi if the state and its monstrous confiscatory powers were not aided by the liberal cabal Catholic bishops in calling for universal health care (as they have, in fact, done for a century).

But then the mask suddenly slipped and he wrote:

Youre an economic buffoon who also happens to be guilty of the sins of sloth and gluttony. You and your following should be ashamed of yourselves for demanding the robbery of the material wealth of the productive.How much of your health care is a right? Youre obese. Should we be forced to pay extra for your sins of gluttony and sloth?

And there it was. All the burning charity suddenly evaporated and made clear that the use of medicine as a weapon to punish the lebensunwertes leben is one of the many charming features of Libertarianism. You know, like this:

I remember when Catholics were all up in arms about death panels. Turns out the only real problem was that guys like my deeply, truly Catholic Libertarian reader wanted to make sure that *he* got to chair them.

And thats the thing. With very few exceptions, Libertarianism is a philosophy which, in contests between the wealthy and powerful vs. the poor, virtually *always* sides with the powerful and declares any state action on behalf of justice for the defenseless to be violence while all violence against the weak is the invisible hand of the market.

Mixed with a smug real Catholic pride, it assumes all illness is Gods punishment for sin and wants to see the wrath of God run its course on those guilty of (in this case) gluttony and sloth (like he knows one damn thing about me and is competent to render such a verdict on the life of a total stranger). This Libertarian Judge of Souls wants diabetics (or anybody else they deem guilty of health-related sins, whether sinfully pregnant women, sinfully sick smokers, sinfully obese cubicle workers or sinfully sick AIDS patients) to die as punishment rather than he pay one damn penny to help their treatment. And he wants everybody to believe that this is all because he is more personally generous than St. Francis of Assisi, but the state gets in the way of his holy charity. These guys are so full of crap and such massive and vindictive narcissists, it takes your breath away.

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When the Libertarian Mask Slips and the Eugenicist is Revealed - Patheos (blog)

Britain in danger of losing vote in UN over fate of Chagos Islands – The Guardian

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Chagossians protest in London. Most of inhabitants of the Chagos Islands were deported and the largest island, Diego Garcia, leased to the US as a strategic airbase in 1971. Photograph: Pacific Pres/REX/Shutterstock

The UK is in danger of losing a vote at the UN on the fate of the Chagos Islands, an Indian Ocean archipelago that has been at the centre of a long-running dispute between Britain and Mauritius.

The UN is voting on Thursday on a Mauritian resolution to refer the matter of the islands to the international court of justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

The vote will be seen as a test of the diplomatic influence wielded at the UN by the British foreign secretary, Boris Johnson. If the UK fails to get backing from EU countries and loses the vote it may be portrayed as a blow to the UKs prestige.

In 1965, three years before Mauritius was granted independence, the UK decided to separate the Chagos Islands from the rest of its then Indian Ocean colony. The Mauritian government claims this was in breach of UN resolution 1514, passed in 1960, which specifically banned the breakup of colonies before independence.

Most of the 1,500 islanders were deported so that the largest island, Diego Garcia, could be leased to the US for a strategic airbase in 1971. Only the US has publicly backed the UK over the islands fate. The islanders have never been allowed to return home.

A letter sent on 8 June by Matthew Rycroft, the UK permanent representative at the UN, and circulated around diplomats in New York, warns that a vote to send the matter to the ICJ would set a dangerous precedent for international justice which would affect us all.

His letter suggests that the row is over sovereignty and that the dispute should be dealt with as a bilateral issue between the UK and Mauritius.

The UK has promised to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius when they are no longer needed for defence purposes, but has refused to give a date.

Two years ago Mauritius won a ruling at the permanent court of arbitration at The Hague that Britain had acted illegally in the way it has exercised territorial control over the Chagos Islands. The court criticised the UK for failing to consult over establishing a marine protection zone around what is now the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Since then Mauritius has been been more forthright in pursuing its demands on behalf of the native Chagossians who were expelled. It is also pressing for a firm date for an eventual handover of sovereignty.

Mauritius claims it has the support of all the African group of nations at the UN, as well as many states in the non-aligned movement, for its UN motion. Its UN representative also believes that some EU countries, on whom the UK can normally rely, are planning to abstain in the vote.

A document circulated by Mauritius at the UN accuses the UK of adopting a a regrettably disingenuous position, blames Britain for dismembering Mauritius in 1965 contrary to international law and says that it has refused to discuss decolonisation.

If EU countries do not back the UK and Mauritius wins the vote, it may suggest that Brexit has undermined Britains international status, moving it towards a position of relative diplomatic isolation.

Spain, which resents the UKs occupation of Gibraltar, is thought unlikely to vote against the Mauritian motion. Germany, it has been suggested, could also abstain.

Some observers pointed out that the UK often loses votes at the UN general assembly and that defeat would not represent a significant change in Britains international standing.

Johnsons appointment as foreign secretary last year was not welcomed by many countries, suggesting he may have few favours he can call in. His journalism, which has included references to flag-waving piccaninnies, has not endeared him towards diplomats around the world.

Diego Garcia was used by the CIA after 9/11 in rendition and interrogation operations, which is expected to further alienate many states from the UKs cause.

Jagdish Koonjul, the Mauritian representative at the UN, said: Its going well We hope we should be able to carry the vote. For the EU its a very difficult choice they have to make A number of EU countries are torn between supporting issues of principle and their alliance with the UK. Im expecting there would be abstentions.

Advisory opinions at the ICJ are normally triggered by a formal request from the UN secretary general. The court can request submissions from member states and those involved in a dispute.

Although its findings are normally non-binding, the ICJs advisory opinions carry some legal influence and moral authority.

Prof Philippe Sands QC, who is acting as a legal counsel to Mauritius and will be in New York for the vote, said: The only international judges who have addressed the matter have concluded without ambiguity that Britains actions are not consistent with international law, including the obligation to complete the process of decolonisation and Mauritius right to self-determination.

Britains continuing occupation of Chagos, and its unwillingness to allow the matter to proceed to the ICJ, are hardly compatible with the countrys avowed commitment to the rule of law.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: We are disappointed that a resolution challenging the sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory is being put to a vote in the UN general assembly. This is an inappropriate use of the international court of justice mechanism.

While we do not recognise the Republic of Mauritius claim to sovereignty over the islands, we have a longstanding position that we will cede it to Mauritius when no longer required for defence purposes, and we maintain that commitment.

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Britain in danger of losing vote in UN over fate of Chagos Islands - The Guardian

Traveling Taylor back in Virgin Islands – Greenville Daily Reflector

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ITiana Taylors transition from NCAA to professional volleyball was far from seamless at first, but she relied on her excellent leaping ability, and the tenacity and intensity she mainly honed while playing basketball at East Carolina to guide her through her first pro volleyball season in Dubai.

It was in Dubai where Taylor, who played two seasons of hoops for the Pirates and one year of volleyball, progressed on the court with the Sharjah Ladies Club and that helped her recently land a spot on the U.S. Virgin Islands national team. She is in the Virgin Islands to practice with the squad, which will travel to Jamaica in July for international competition, as Taylor and her agent also look at options for a second pro season somewhere.

You learn (how to be a pro) day by day and practice by practice, Taylor said during a phone interview a few days before Mondays trip from Texas to the Virgin Islands. Thats what Ive been doing, and I still have my mental toughness from basketball and thats never going to go away.

I think that helps me out a little bit with the volleyball IQ, because if you are aggressive then its all right.

Taylor played in Dubai for two months this spring, ending in May, and it was during her trek back home to Pflugerville, Texas, when she got an invite to play for the Virgin Islands team. That invitation means Taylor will soon get to explore another part of the world while representing the Virgin Islands in Jamaica.

Her dad and two grandparents were born in the Virgin Islands, and Taylor said she has been there a handful of times.

In Dubai, her team first asked her to play in the middle before eventually switching her back to her more natural position as an outside hitter. Taylor said going through that brought about some of her learning curve.

It was very different than the U.S. and I was kind of shocked a little bit, but I had a great time and it made me realize that you have to do whatever it takes, she said. I still communicate with the girls and made so many friends out there. It also helped me make a lot of connections with other countries and everything, so it was kind of like a blessing.

It has been an eventful few years for Taylor, who said she hopes to play pro volleyball as long as possible and enjoy the experience.

She was the Pirates best post player in basketball from 2014-16, including averaging a double-double of 14.1 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in her final season. She then joined the volleyball team in the offseason and led the Pirates with 292 kills last year as ECU finished 15-15 for its first non-losing season since 2006.

With her pro career now beginning to hit full stride, Taylor said she is thankful for all of the coaches who helped her at ECU and set her up for success.

I wouldnt be able to travel the world like I just did in two months, so I am very grateful for it and thankful and happy, Taylor said. Especially at a young age. Its been like a dream come true.

Contact Ronnie Woodward at rwoodward@reflector.com, 252-329-9592 and follow @RonnieW11 on Twitter.

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Traveling Taylor back in Virgin Islands - Greenville Daily Reflector

Cayman Islands Tests US Meal-Kit Service to Boost Its Food Tourism Marketing – Skift

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When many U.S. travelers think of the Cayman Islands, they likely think of wealthy offshore bank accounts, beaches, and luxurious resorts.

But the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism says the destination also has some of the Caribbeans best restaurants and most delicious recipes something its capitalizing on in a new marketing campaign thats sending meal kits to U.S. travelers.

Last week, the destination launched a partnership with Los Angeles-based meal kit delivery company Chefdthat lets U.S. travelers order meal kits containing ingredients of Cayman Island recipes.

This is one of the first examples of a tourism board working with a meal delivery service as part of a marketing campaign. Unless you try something, you dont know how successful itll be, said Rosa Harris, director of tourism for the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism. We were more specifically concentrated on a luxury, millennial, young professional clientele who is cooking at home and open to different kinds of cuisines.

Chefd said its customer base skews slightly female but ranges from ages 18 to 65 and older. Consumers dont need a subscription or membership to order from Chefd and can place a one-time order for a meal kit, for example.

The meal kits are available through September 15. The Cayman Islands is trying to leverage Chefdswest coast footholds to help it reach more travelers from large markets such as California.

Texas and northeast U.S. markets such as New York, which are already large source markets for the Cayman Islands, are also targets for the campaign.

The tourism board worked with four Cayman Islands-based chefs to develop the five meal-kit recipes for selections such as pina colada chicken or chocolate bread pudding. Chefd sources all ingredients in the promotion in the United States and will ship the kits from either its headquarters in Los Angeles or from a shipping facility in Brooklyn, New York, depending on a consumers location.

The Cayman Islands food scene also attracts plenty of star power that many travelers probably werent aware of. World-renowned chefs and food personalities such as Eric Ripert, Daniel Humm, Anthony Bourdain and Emeril Lagrasse descend on the Cayman Islands regularly for the Cayman Cookout.

For a small island country in the western Caribbean, Cayman Islands boasts more than 230 restaurants such as Riperts Blue, the Caribbeans only AAA Five Diamond restaurant.

Weve been promoting ourselves as a culinary capital of the Caribbean for quite some time, said Harris. Outside of other Caribbean destinations where you have a property thats all-inclusive, our country offers the option of dining out and having a different kind of experience.

But while the islands have earned awards and distinctions for its dining scene, its a challenge to translate that to meal kits thousands of miles away through packaging and shipping facilities before they reach consumers kitchens.There are concerns therefore about quality and freshness with the meal kits.

The meal kits range from $13 to $16 each and take between 40 to 90 minutes to prepare and cook.

Since the Cayman Islands hopes to reach many consumers who have never visited the destination, first impressions will come through the meal kits and destination-infused recipes.

Chefd will handle the logistics while the Cayman Islands provides the inspiration for the recipes, said Harris. We liked Chefds approach to screening our recipes and they tested well in their kitchens, she said. We felt the authenticity of our recipes would be upheld through ingredientsourcing, delivery method and portioning.

Harris said the tourism board doesnt have any preconceived expectations for how the campaign will perform. The recipes were testing well in the kitchen but how they perform for the consumer is yet to be determined, she said. Only then will we learn, should we have added more dessert options, for example?

With Chefd leading the end-user experience, well be able to get the feedback, she said.

The Cayman Islands is trying to break away from traditional kinds of marketing campaigns that do more telling than showing. With the meal kits, consumers can directly engage with island recipes albeit, possibly from thousands of miles away and out of the context of island life.

Many destinations are marketing their food and beverage offerings but are also struggling with how best to do it. A recent United Nations World Tourism Organization survey found that more than 65 percent of tourism boards feel their food tourism marketing efforts have been insufficient, for example.

Wed definitely like to have another food type festival or event, said Harris. We also know that our product has to grow and we just welcomed the Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa and Margaritaville Resort this past year. As we get more rooms online, well strategically choose how much additional food marketing well have.

The question remains whether consumers will be inspired to actually book travel after enjoying a meal kit recipe. Still, tapping into food delivery gives the Cayman Islands a leg up in its U.S. marketing efforts in a region as intensely competitive as the Caribbean.

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Photo Credit: The Cayman Islands has partnered with meal delivery service Chef'd to promote its food and beverage offerings to U.S. travelers. Pictured is the curried chicken recipe from a prepared meal kit. Chef'd

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Cayman Islands Tests US Meal-Kit Service to Boost Its Food Tourism Marketing - Skift

Plague, leprosy and ‘toxic’ rabbits: the unforgettable stories of the world’s abandoned islands – Wired.co.uk

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Some stories can be buried for centuries; history we would rather forget, but the marks of human progress are hard to wear away.

The Abandoned Islands project aims to throw some light on these forgotten histories through an interactive map which shows 12 land masses that have been depopulated - whether by environmental disaster, violence, or scientific breakthrough. Economies crumble, technology comes into being and while people move, they leave behind unmistakable traces of life. From animal reclamation to islands ravaged by illness, the Abandoned Islands map allows you to travel across the world in search of these forgotten stories, complete with lesser-known facts and satellite images. Explore the map by clicking the image at the top of this article. Below, we have selected six of the fascinating stories from this project. Each location has a brief description of its history alongside satellite images of how they look today.

Abandoned Islands

Poveglia lies off the coast of the idyll of Venetian waterways, a divided island haunted by a long legacy of death and suffering. A canal runs through its heart, splitting the land into two parts, each used throughout the Middle Ages as lazaretto, quarantine stations for carriers of the black plague. The sick were taken by gondola across the water to Poveglia's shores, not to be treated, but to be contained. Nearing the end of the plague years, their numbers swelled to 160,000.

In the 1800s the island took on another grisly purpose; with the epidemic of the plague gone, those who were declared mentally ill would be sent to the island. By the 1970's, Poveglia had been abandoned and remains one of the most mysterious and disturbing sites in Italy.

Abandoned Islands

Today, plague pits litter the island; mass graves where bodies were discarded. Dig your hands into the topsoil, and you are likely to come away with remnants of human ash. While most avoid the island, some travellers who have visited the island in recent years have claimed Poveglia is home to sinister spirits and paranormal events.

Another site of illness is the island of Spinalonga in Greece. From 1903 to 1957, it served as one of the last leper colonies in Europe. Having been separated from their families and the outside world, its inhabitants would commit suicide by leaping from the forts high walls onto the rocks below. However, unlike Poveglia, this illness was soon eradicated with the discovery of a cure for leprosy in the mid-20th Century. While the island is deserted, it is due to the fact the residents were no longer forced to shut themselves away - the last resident left the island in 1962.

Abandoned Islands

On the other side of the world, Bikini Atoll should stand as a contrast to Poveglia's dark history. With a name so cheerful, how could it possibly be anything less? But this South Pacific Island was home to some of the first nuclear tests carried out by the US government from 1946 to 1958. These nuclear tests were so toxic that the island's original inhabitants were forced to permanently relocate to the island of Kili. When they tried to return in the 1970's, many residents quickly became sick, forcing them to flee the island for the foreseeable future. Now uninhabited, it remains a stark reminder of the devastation caused by nuclear weapons.

Abandoned Islands

Another abandoned island left desolate not by the destruction of nature, but by its resurgence, is Ilha da Queimada Grande in Brasil. More than 90 miles from Sao Paolo, Ilha da Queimada Grande is a literal den of snakes.

Thousands of years ago, when the island became separated from the mainland by rising sea levels, it left animals trapped. Now, it is home to between 2,000 to 4,000 golden lancehead pit vipers all poisonous. While they typically feast on birds and lizards, they have reportedly developed cannibalistic tendencies. People have tried to live here amongst the vipers, but they didn't succeed. The last known inhabitants of the island operated its lone lighthouse until the 1920s when their bodies were discovered riddled with snakebites. Since then, nobody has dared venture back.

With no natural predators left to compete with, this island of snakes looks set to continue to grow as the years pass.

Abandoned Islands

While snakes flourish in Brasil, Okunoshima, Japan is home to an unlikely swarm of rabbits. During the Second World War, Okunoshima was transformed into a secret research facility for the development of toxic gas since this was forbidden by international law, the Imperial Japanese Army attempted to hide its existence by omitting it from any maps.

After the war, when Allied forces arrived at Okunoshima, they discovered hundreds of unsupervised rabbits, all of which had been used for testing. These rabbits were released to run free on the island, and their population rapidly grew. Today, they are so revered that it is illegal for tourists to hunt them, or even for them to bring animals to the island that could risk their safety.

Abandoned Islands

Clipperton Island, under French dominion, is an island without a dominant animal but acts as a horrific reminder of the brutality of humans. In 1897, Mexico deployed a warship to annexe the island and establish a colony, and by 1914, at least 100 inhabitants lived on the island. But this habitation was soon thrown into discord when the Mexican Revolution erupted a few years later with regular food shipments halted, leading to starvation and scurvy to run rampant. It also led to the tyrannical rule of Victoriano Alvarez, the island's reclusive lighthouse keeper.

Alvarez soon revealed his violence reportedly crowning himself king of the island and enslaving, abusing, and executing the remaining colonists over a period of two years. The survivors whittled down to less than ten eventually overpowering and killing Alvarez. After they were rescued, none attempted to return.

With such lurid and unnerving histories, after travelling across the world's abandoned islands you may be left with a choice. Continue further into their mysteries, or allow them to be forgotten?

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Plague, leprosy and 'toxic' rabbits: the unforgettable stories of the world's abandoned islands - Wired.co.uk

‘Women’s Uber’ CEO Arrested As Fugitive From Virgin Islands – Patch.com

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Patch.com
'Women's Uber' CEO Arrested As Fugitive From Virgin Islands
Patch.com
BOSTON, MA The Women only ride hailing service (think Uber or Lift for just the ladies) hit a roadblock today when news broke that its CEO was arrested last week for defrauding the Virgin Islands government out of more than $2 million. The Boston ...
Ride-Hailing Service CEO Faces Virgin Islands Fraud Charges ...U.S. News & World Report
Ride-hailing service CEO faces Virgin Islands fraud chargesWashington Post

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'Women's Uber' CEO Arrested As Fugitive From Virgin Islands - Patch.com

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA names winner of Switzer Prize for research excellence – UCLA Newsroom

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Dr. Huda Zoghbi, a neurologist whose work has revealed the molecular basis of neurological disorders, is the recipient of the 2017 Switzer Prize awarded by the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA for excellence in biological and biomedical sciences research.

Zoghbis lab at the Baylor College of Medicine identified a gene mutation that causes Rett syndrome, a severe genetic disorder that mostly affects girls. After a short period of apparently normal development, the disorder causes them to lose language and motor skills, typically by 18 months of age. The discovery paved the way for a genetic test to diagnose the disorder. The same gene mutation can also cause autism, juvenile-onset schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders.

Zoghbi also discovered the molecular mechanism of spinocerebellar ataxia 1, a neurodegenerative disorder in which peoples balance and coordination progressively worsens. Zoghbi and collaborator Harry Orr identified the gene mutation responsible for the disorder.

These and other discoveries by Zoghbi have opened up new areas of inquiry with the potential to advance diagnoses and treatments for Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease and other neurological diseases.

Dr. Zoghbis extraordinary work represents a powerful example of the direct impact that biological and biomedical research have on the lives of patients, said Dr. Kelsey Martin, dean of the Geffen School of Medicine.

Zoghbi is scheduled to deliver the Switzer Prize lecture at UCLA on Feb. 16, 2018. She will receive a $25,000 honorarium and a medallion.

Im honored to accept UCLAs Switzer Prize on behalf of the patients and the families to whom I am committed, and also on behalf of my many research collaborators and trainees, she said.

Zoghbi is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, a professor at the Baylor College of Medicine and the founding director of the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Childrens Hospital in Houston. She has faculty appointments in the departments of pediatrics, molecular and human genetics, neurology and neuroscience.

A native of Beirut, Lebanon, Zoghbi fled the civil war in her home country in the mid-1970s while a medical student at the American University of Beirut. She earned a medical degree at Meharry Medical College in Nashville and went on to become chief resident in pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Childrens.

After years of treating patients, Zoghbi became fascinated with the origins of disease and committed to a three-year fellowship in molecular genetics to acquire research training.

She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Zoghbi is the recipient of a number of other prestigious awards, including the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, the Shaw Prize in Life Science and Medicine and the Canada Gairdner International Award.

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David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA names winner of Switzer Prize for research excellence - UCLA Newsroom

GOP Rift Over Medicaid and Opioids Imperils Senate Health Bill – New York Times

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The emerging Senate bill, like the one approved narrowly by the House in early May, would end Medicaid as an open-ended entitlement program and replace it with capped payments to states, Republicans said. But starting in 2025, payments to the states would grow more slowly than those envisioned in the House bill.

Republican senators from states that have been hit hard by the opioid drug crisis have tried to cushion the Medicaid blow with a separate funding stream of $45 billion over 10 years for substance abuse treatment and prevention costs, now covered by the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

But that, too, is running into opposition from conservatives. They have been tussling over the issue with moderate Republican senators like Rob Portman of Ohio, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Susan Collins of Maine.

Without some opioid funding, Mr. Portman cannot vote for the bill, he said, adding, Any replacement is going to have to do something to address this opioid crisis that is gripping our country.

How senators have different priorities on health care.

Republicans hold 52 seats in the Senate and can afford to lose only two of their members if they hope to pass the bill, which is opposed by all Democrats and the two independents.

Two Democratic senators from states plagued by opioid addiction, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, said the Republican proposal for federal grants would not come close to mitigating the harm caused by the bills Medicaid cuts, pushed just as overdose deaths are soaring. From 2005 to 2014, according to the latest data available, opioid-related hospital visits increased nearly 65 percent, to 1.27 million emergency room visits or inpatient stays a year.

While the proposed money for drug abuse treatment is relatively modest compared with spending for other items like Medicaid and premium tax credits, without it, hundreds of thousands of addicts would go without treatment, advocates say. The issue holds outsize political importance for senators like Mr. Portman, who has made advocacy for treatment legislation a calling card with voters at home.

The opioid issue has been a particular concern of mine and has been for years, said Mr. Portman, who has been leading the efforts with Senator Capito. The reality is we have the worst drug crisis that our countrys ever faced, and its being driven by opioids.

Senator John Barrasso, Republican of Wyoming, who serves on a group shaping the final bill, said: We need to address the opioid crisis in America. I want us to find a bipartisan solution with adequate funding.

But Republican leaders would not commit to Mr. Portmans proposal.

The Medicaid and opioid issues are far from the only ones dividing Republican senators, who have been kept largely in the dark about a bill they are supposed to finally see on Thursday. Republican leaders are determined to keep their seven-year promise to unravel President Barack Obamas signature health care law, but the near unanimity they need on a replacement is proving elusive.

The House bill would allow per-capita Medicaid payments to states to grow along with the prices of medical goods and services, starting in 2020, with an extra allowance for older Americans and people with disabilities. Senator Toomey and several other conservatives have been pushing for a slower growth rate, to reflect increases in the overall Consumer Price Index, starting in 2025. Medical prices have historically grown faster than the overall index.

I think thats a problem, Senator Capito of West Virginia told the website Axios, reflecting the misgivings of a state that relies heavily on the program. I think that sort of defeats the purpose of keeping people on, and at a level at which the program can be sustained.

Several Republican senators, including Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, the chairman of the Finance Committee, have indicated they would like to exempt disabled children from the caps.

Senator Collinss concerns cover almost the entire landscape of Republican problems: the loss of care for Medicaid recipients, the worries of states with especially high health care costs, and money for opioid treatment (8 percent of all births in her state, Maine, were to addicted mothers last year, she said). Then there are her complaints about the process.

First, we havent seen the bill, Ms. Collins said. Second, it has yet to receive a score from the Congressional Budget Office. And third is the process we are using.

That process an arcane budget procedure that Republicans denounced when Democrats used it to pass just a small part of the Affordable Care Act could make some provisions vulnerable to Democratic challenges to the bill. Not knowing which provisions will stay and which could be removed on the Senate floor makes evaluating the substance of the bill that much harder.

Republican aides speculated that the restrictions on the growth of Medicaid, among other issues, could be altered later by Senate Republican leaders, in a bid to pick up support from the moderates.

A bill this large with so much in flux days before it is to receive a vote on the floor is largely without precedent in the Senate.

Senior Republican senators said six weeks ago that they would start afresh in writing a bill to undo Mr. Obamas health care law, but the legislation they are developing is similar in many respects to the bill passed by the House.

The Senate bill would eliminate penalties for people who do not have insurance and larger employers who do not offer it to employees eviscerating the individual and employer mandates that were hallmarks of the Affordable Care Act. The Senate bill, like the House measure, would provide billions of dollars to states to help stabilize insurance markets, which Republicans say are tottering in many states.

The Senate bill would also allow states to opt out of many federal insurance standards. Republican leaders said they wanted to protect people with pre-existing conditions, but it was not immediately clear how they would do so.

Democrats stepped up their protests over the secrecy of the bill-writing process on Tuesday, and some Republicans chimed in. Senator Mike Lee, Republican of Utah, was a member of a health care working group formed by Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, but even he was vexed by the process.

It has become increasingly apparent in the last few days that even though we thought we were going to be in charge of writing a bill within this working group, its not being written by us, Mr. Lee said in a video on Facebook. Its apparently being written by a small handful of staffers for members of the Republican leadership in the Senate. So if youre frustrated by the lack of transparency in this process, I share your frustration.

Thomas Kaplan contributed reporting.

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A version of this article appears in print on June 21, 2017, on Page A1 of the New York edition with the headline: Opioid Worries Divide G.O.P. On Health Bill.

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GOP Rift Over Medicaid and Opioids Imperils Senate Health Bill - New York Times

Charleena Lyles Needed Health Care. Instead, She Was Killed. – New York Times

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Photo Photos of Charleena Lyles, who was killed by the police in Seattle on Sunday. Credit Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times, via Associated Press

On Sunday morning, two Seattle police officers shot and killed Charleena Lyles in her apartment. She was pregnant, and three of her four children were home. She had called the police to report a burglary. According to the officers account, shortly after they arrived, Ms. Lyles, who the police knew was mentally ill, pulled a knife. Both officers shot her. Societal failure to care for mental health, which leaves the police as mental illness first responders, may well have been one deadly ingredient in this tragic encounter.

According to her family and police records, Ms. Lyles wrestled with significant mental health issues. An audiotape reveals officers discussing her police and mental health history immediately before the shooting. Seattle Police Department officers had been called to her residence more than 20 times before this Sunday, with mental illness often figuring in those encounters. The department had placed an officer caution on her address for this reason, meaning officers should be on alert for dangerous behavior from her. Despite repeated previous mental health referrals and the involvement of Child Protective Services, she was alone with her children on Sunday, in distress and with nowhere to turn but 911.

Ms. Lyless situation is not unique. People with untreated mental illnesses are disproportionately likely to attract police attention. The combination of mental illness, racial segregation and poverty is particularly likely to result in police contact, often leading to arrest. In fact, a 2006 Bureau of Justice Statistics study revealed that 24 percent of state prisoners report a history of mental illness, with other sources reporting rates in some larger facilities as high as 70 percent. But it was not always the case that mental illness would result in the cycle of catch and release that evidently plagued Ms. Lyles.

What changed over the past half-century is that the United States has seen a stunning decline in resources devoted to public mental health during the same time the nation adopted mass incarceration. A 2009 International Association of Chiefs of Police review reported that the available hospital beds for persons suffering from mental illness dropped by 95 percent from 1955 to 2005, to 17 beds per 100,000 persons from 340. From 1985 to 2005, the nations incarceration rate tripled.

The shift away from hospital treatment of mental illness was not matched by an offsetting commitment to fund the health care people needed to live on the outside. Medicaid reimbursement rates are so low that it is difficult to find providers who will accept it. As a result, many people with mental illness are functionally uninsured for their most urgent health care needs. That is, state support for mental health retreated at the same time state investment in incarceration exploded and both with disastrous results for vulnerable communities.

The consequence of the disinvestment in public mental health has also not affected all vulnerable communities equally. African-American people are at least as likely as white people to experience mental health distress but are half as likely to receive mental health treatment. This helps to explain why its easy to recall other high-profile cases of police use of deadly force involving black victims with documented histories of mental illness.

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Charleena Lyles Needed Health Care. Instead, She Was Killed. - New York Times

Reynolds want to talk tax reform, health care with Trump during Cedar Rapids visit – DesMoinesRegister.com

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Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds met with supporters and introduced North Iowans to acting Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg, at right, at an airplane hangar at the North Iowa Airport in Mason City on Friday, May 26, 2017.(Photo: Bryon Houlgrave/The Register)Buy Photo

Gov. Kim Reynolds said she plans to discuss federal tax reform and Iowa's ailing health insurance exchange with President Donald Trump when he visits Cedar Rapids Wednesday.

Trump is scheduled to speak at a campaign-style rally at the U.S. Cellular Center and visitKirkwood Community Collegewith Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

Reynolds said she will be participating in the visit to Kirkwood Community College. She said she also expects former Gov. Terry Branstad, who was recently confirmed as U.S. ambassador to China, to attend.

MORE:Iowa college leaders tell Trump not to cut back on federal financial aid

"I look forward to seeing the ambassador before he heads to China," she said.

But Reynolds said the visit is more than just a social call. She intends to discuss health care and tax policy with the president.

"Of course Im going to continue to talk about encouraging the White House to work with us on our stopgap measurefor insurance coverage so that we have an option for 72,000 Iowans to ensure that they have some type of coverage beginning on July 1 of 2018," she told reporters at her weekly press conference.

Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen has proposed tweaking Obamacare rules to encourage more young and healthy people to buy coverage on the Affordable Care Act's individual health insurance markets. The proposal is an effort to prop up the exchange,which has seen all three of the state's major carriers threaten to exit the marketplace amid growing costs and uncertainty at the federal level.

Monday was the deadline for insurance carriers to file proposed rates for individual health insurance policies in Iowa for 2018. Medica, a relatively small,Minnesota-based carrier, was the only carrier to file, though they told regulators they would need to increase premiums by an average of 43.5 percent.

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shieldsaid last week it would re-enter the market if the federal government approved Ommen's proposal.

Reynolds said she also plansto "do my best to encourage (Trump) to push forward and get tax reform done in this year."

Reynolds last week citedanticipated changes at the federal levelas a possible reason that tax revenue came in lower than expected this year. She said Iowans may be making financial decisions based on their belief that federal tax reform will be implemented yet this year, creating some weakness in state revenue generated from income taxes.

MORE:Reynolds defends Iowa's financial position following delayed tax refunds

Iowa revenue continues to come in lower than projected. During the last legislative session lawmakerscut $118 million from programs and services while dipping into the cash reserves for another $131 million. Even after those cuts and reserve fund transfers, the state's latest projections indicate revenue for 2017 may still come in short by up to $100 million.

Reynolds has the authority to cover that shortfall with up to $50 million from the state's reserve funds. But if the shortfall were to exceed $50 million it would force a special session of the Legislature, which convened for the year in April.

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Poll finds growing opposition to GOP healthcare bill – The Hill

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An increasing number of people are opposed to the Republican healthcare bill, according to a new poll.

A Politico/Morning Consult poll finds just 35 percent of voters approve of the healthcare bill the House passed earlier this year, compared to 49 percent of voters who disapprove of the legislation.

In the new poll, 30 percent of Republicans disapprove of the GOP healthcare bill.

A majority, 65 percent, also says Republicans should "compromise with Democrats to reach bipartisan reforms" regarding the healthcare bill. Just 18 percent think the GOP should "work only with other Republicans in Congress to achieve reforms."

The poll was conducted from June 15 to 19 among 2,051 registered voters. The margin of error is 2 percent.

Senate Majority LeaderMitch McConnell(R-Ky.) on Tuesday said Republicans would see a "discussion draft" of healthcare reform legislation on Thursday.

McConnell said reporters will get a chance to see the bill as well, addressing complaints from Democrats that GOP leaders have kept the bill secret.

Republicans may vote on the measure as soon as next week.

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Poll finds growing opposition to GOP healthcare bill - The Hill

Live from TechCrunch How genetic testing will help people pay for their healthcare – TechNode (blog)

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Reducing the price of genetic medicine and DNA testing could dramatically reduce the subsequent cost burden of treatment for patients and their families, making healthcare more affordable for individuals and the government alike, especially as China has particularly serious health risks and an aging population, said CEO of BGI Miracle Light, Liu Liang, at a panel at TechCrunch Shenzhen.

Healthcare provision in China poses many problems to its users. It is often prohibitively expensive, varies hugely in terms of quality between institutions and regions, and trust of the medical profession is at rock bottom. Health insurance is complicated and even those with coverage generally have to pay hospital bills upfront then wait for reimbursement. It is not uncommon for an illness to push an entire extended family into dire financial straits.

Liu Liang, CEO of Miracle Light, the incubator at BGI

The year 2014 was a landmark year for Chinese peoples awareness of their own health. The most encouraging situation for the application of genetic medicine is happening here in China. Coming back to cancer, its our concerted effort and will to beat it, but its not easy. In the last year, 6 million more people developed cancer in China and 2.5 million died of the disease. Its genetic medicine thats going to rid us of this disease, said Liu Liang who was participating in the Biotech, Medtech and Genomics Opportunities panel.

Danny Yeung, CEO of consumer genetics testing company Prenetics, pointed out the benefits of taking a preventative approach to healthcare saying were trying to cover 90% of diseases as 90% of diseases are preventable.

Prenetics CEO Danny Yeung

While genetic testing products have fallen in price as technology has improved and competition intensified, Liu Liang got into how technological advances can bring down the cost of treatment when patients actually become ill, and the costs for the country.

Traditional imaging techniques for tumors do not necessarily find them and tumors can remain latent for 10 to 15 years and by the time any symptoms are detected, the disease is quite far advanced. Once it has been confirmed as cancer, full genome test to identify the markers will cost hundreds of thousands of yuan [tens of thousands of dollars], and if you are fortunate to find a targeted medicine, the cheapest treatment will cost thousands of RMB [hundreds of dollars] a week up to $10,000 in treatments to combat the disease, Liu said.

Thats way beyond an average households ability and we hope that within five years, we can get the cost of whole genome sequencing below $100 [the current rate is now below the $1,000 mark], an amount that many will be able to manage, he said. At the moment we have no effective way to eradicate cancer, but we hope that we can start to bring early stage detection into reach for more people.

Liu also spoke about how the aging of the population, combined with other problems China has such as soil and air pollution and a massive healthcare funding gap, will mean governments local and national will not be able to afford the healthcare costs generated by the populations.

Whole genome sequencing can help as people will know from birth what conditions they are predisposed to and can try to avoid illnesses such as cancer from being triggered. We need to bring forward methods for disease prevention, said Liu. Whether its companies like Lilly [Lilly Ventures, a Chinese healthcare VC] or startups, we need to provide a basis for the sector and cooperate with the rest of the world.

Judith Li, partner at Lilly Asia Venturesmira

This basis for growth in the industry is already taking shape. Outsiders from other industries such real estate and tourism entering this industry and we want to welcome them, announced Liu.

Frank Hersey is a Beijing-based tech reporter who's been coming to China since 2001. He tries to go beyond the headlines to explain the context and impact of developments in China's tech sector. Get in touch with him on frankhersey@technode.com

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Live from TechCrunch How genetic testing will help people pay for their healthcare - TechNode (blog)

New Blood Test Opens Door to Precision Medicine for Prostate Cancer – Pharmaceutical Processing

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New three-in-one blood test opens door to precision medicine for prostate cancer.

Scientists have developed a three-in-one blood test that could transform treatment of advanced prostate cancer through use of precision drugs designed to target mutations in the BRCA genes.

By testing cancer DNA in the bloodstream, researchers found they could pick out which men with advanced prostate cancer were likely to benefit from treatment with new drugs called PARP inhibitors.

They also used the test to analyze DNA in the blood after treatment had started, so people who were not responding could be identified and switched to alternative therapy in as little as four to eight weeks.

And finally, they used the test to monitor a patient's blood throughout treatment, quickly picking up signs that the cancer was evolving genetically and might be becoming resistant to the drugs.

The researchers, at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, say their test is the first developed for a precision prostate cancer therapy targeted at specific genetic faults within tumors.

It could in future allow the PARP inhibitor olaparib to become a standard treatment for advanced prostate cancer, by targeting the drug at the men most likely to benefit, picking up early signs that it might not be working, and monitoring for the later development of resistance.

The study is publishedin the journalCancer Discovery. It was funded by the Prostate Cancer Foundation, Prostate Cancer UK, Movember, Cancer Research UK and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) via the Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre network, and the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at The Royal Marsden and The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR).

The test could help to extend or save lives, by targeting treatment more effectively, while also reducing the side-effects of treatment and ensuring patients don't receive drugs that are unlikely to do them any good.

The new study is also the first to identify which genetic mutations prostate cancers use to resist treatment with olaparib. The test could potentially be adapted to monitor treatment with PARP inhibitors for other cancers.

Researchers at the ICR and The Royal Marsden collected blood samples from 49 men at The Royal Marsden with advanced prostate cancer enrolled in the TOPARP-A phase II clinical trial of olaparib.

Olaparib is good at killing cancer cells that have errors in genes that have a role in repairing damaged DNA such as BRCA1 or BRCA2. Some patients respond to the drug for years, but in other patients, the treatment either fails early, or the cancer evolves resistance.

Looking at the levels of cancer DNA circulating in the blood, the researchers found that patients who responded to the drug had a median drop in the levels of circulating DNA of 49.6 per cent after only eight weeks of treatment, whereas cancer DNA levels rose by a median of 2.1 per cent in patients who did not respond.

Men whose blood levels of DNA had decreased at eight weeks after treatment survived an average of 17 months, compared with only 10.1 months for men whose cancer DNA levels remained high.

The researchers also performed a detailed examination of the genetic changes that occurred in cancer DNA from patients who had stopped responding to olaparib. They found that cancer cells had acquired new genetic changes that canceled out the original errors in DNA repairparticularly in the genes BRCA2 and PALB2that had made the cancer susceptible to olaparib in the first place.

The research puts into action the central aim of the ICR's and The Royal Marsden's research strategy, which is to overcome cancer's adaptability, evolution and drug resistance.

Professor Johann de Bono, Regius Professor of Cancer Research at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and Consultant Medical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said:"Our study identifies, for the first time, genetic changes that allow prostate cancer cells to become resistant to the precision medicine olaparib.From these findings, we were able to develop a powerful, three-in-one test that could in future be used to help doctors select treatment, check whether it is working and monitor the cancer in the longer term.

"We think it could be used to make clinical decisions about whether a PARP inhibitor is working within as little as four to eight weeks of starting therapy.Not only could the test have a major impact on treatment of prostate cancer, but it could also be adapted to open up the possibility of precision medicine to patients with other types of cancer as well."

(Source: EurekAlert!)

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Gene therapy: What you need to know – BioPharma Dive

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British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline made headlines last year when it won approval for its gene therapy Strimvelis in Europe. But, due to a small patient population and high price tag, the drug has only been used once. So far, despite higher levels of safety and efficacy than previous iterations, the new wave of gene therapies still face commercial hurdles.

Spark Therapeutics looks set to be the next company to take on this challenge in the U.S. The biotech is currently awaiting approval of its treatment for a rare genetic form of blindness a potential one-time cure. Yet pricing will be the most closely watched aspect of this therapy, likely serving as an early barometer of what might be sustainable for a pipeline of treatments still in development.

While gene therapy offers the promise of cures and new ways of revolutionizing treatment of genetic diseases, society remains a long way from fully realizing those advances.

After decades of setbacks, a slew of next-gen gene therapies are ready to hit the U.S. market, prompting questions about manufacturing and pricing. Read More >>

A pricing conundrum and ethical decisions are clouding an already hazy path to market for many gene therapy drugs and providers. Read More >>

With an approval of Spark Therapeutics' gene therapy for a rare eye disease rapidly approaching, new questions about pricing are being raised. Read More >>

In a field shaped by small patient populations and eye-popping cost considerations, understanding gene therapy's promise and challenges comes down, in part, to the numbers. Read More >>

While many are optimistic about gene editing's ability to cure disease, it seems not enough realize the more dangerous aspects of treatment. Read More >>

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Gene therapy: What you need to know - BioPharma Dive

We Are Social Founder Julian Ward & Futurist Ross Dawson Launch … – B&T

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A new marketing, innovation and ventures group has formally launched today, withan impressive list of foundation clients.

Rh7thm has been created by Julian Ward, founder and former managing director of creative digital agency We Are Social Australia, and futurist and author Ross Dawson, who is also the founding chairman of Advanced Human Technologies.

Rh7thm integrates a forward-facing marketing, technology and innovation company with a ventures group, including advisory and investment in start-ups and its own ventures.

The group includes VR/AR/MR specialist MultiDimensionCorp, which provides strategic advice and development services, and runs a corporate research consortium in the space as well as a number of other start-ups.

Rh7thm launches with a highly experienced executive team, including COO and chief of brand Rosanna Iacono, who formerly held c-suite and brand lead roles at home and globally for companies such as Nike, Jurlique, Freedom Furniture, and Sass & Bide.

Phil Brown, who comes from a leadership role heading up content strategy at King Content, will be head of content, while industry stalwart Rob Shwetz has joined Rh7thm as head of client strategy.

The company has been operating below the radar for some time, and has already worked with a range of prominent organisations in Australia, Europe and the US.

Rh7thms foundation clients include Commonwealth Bank, Transport NSW and Epson.

Ward said Rh7thm has been completely engineered for new times.

We are putting the right things at our core to deliver more effective, agile and evidence-based marketing, technology and innovation services, with a greater range of ways to look at this both pre and post spending client dollars, he said.

We are bringing experienced and adaptable people who understand client business and will be supercharged by the Rh7thm 7 Drivers Knowledge System, which puts our team members in the actual terrain with game-changing companies, as well as participating in our own ventures as part of their role.

This is built into the culture from day one. It is fundamental to the ability to effectively advise clients as we go forward.

Dawson said Rh7thm actively explores the future to better create success for its clients today.

Organisations need to understand how their business, customer and industry environment will evolve to market effectively and develop the right capabilities, he said.

Our ventures activities are strategically focused on where we see the biggest impacts converging, building our insights and ability to help our clients understand in their current context what they need to do drive growth and opportunity.

Picture (L-R):Julian Ward, Rosanna Iacono, Rob Shwetz, Ross Dawson, Phil Brown

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We Are Social Founder Julian Ward & Futurist Ross Dawson Launch ... - B&T

By 2100, Climate Change-Driven Heatwaves Could Threaten 74% of the Population – Futurism

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In BriefA new study found that climate change-driven heatwavescurrently threaten the lives of 30% of the world's population. Ifno action is taken against climate change, they predict the numberwill climb to 74% by 2100. The Heat Is On

For many,warm weather has traditionally meant beaches and BBQs, but according toa new studypublishedin Nature,climate change is pushingthe human capacity to survive heatwaves to and in some cases, beyond its limit.

Right now, for 20 days or more each year, roughly30 percent of Earths population is exposed to climatic conditions that exceed the researchers estimated global threshold for mortality risk. In other words, almost a third of us are living in places where the humidity and surface air temperatures exceed the point at which conditions are likely to be deadly 20 days every year.

By 2100, the number of people living under these conditions will be higher, but how much higher depends almost entirely on how aggressively we combat climate change.

If greenhouse gas emissions are reduced dramatically between now and then, about 48 percent of us will be living under this deadly heatwave threat. If we do nothing, 74 percent of people will. Some of those people will unquestionably die, and theyll probably bethe most vulnerable among us, such as the elderly and children who are not receiving adequate care.

Thankfully, efforts are already underway to combat climate change and keep the mercury from rising.

The largest states in the U.S., mayors of more than 85 American cities, and private organizations such as Bloomberg, Apple, Microsoft, Exxon-Mobil, Google, Morgan Stanley, and Tesla have taken leadership roles inAmerican climate change effortsby reaffirming their commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement.

Their actions reveal that the country is not unilaterally in support of the Trump Administrations climate change denial and withdrawal of the U.S. from the international agreement, a move that also prompted waves of protests from individual citizens.

Other countries, including China and India, have confirmed their commitment to the deal, and France has even extended an invitation to climate change scientists from the U.S. to continue their work as part of the French community.

Will these efforts be enough? No one can say for sure, but given that this new report concludes that even very aggressive action will still result in nearly half of the world living in danger from heatwaves, it seems obvious that there is no such thing as too much effort in the battle against climate change.

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By 2100, Climate Change-Driven Heatwaves Could Threaten 74% of the Population - Futurism

SpaceX Announces Plans For a Weekend Doubleheader With Two Falcon 9 Launches – Futurism

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In Brief SpaceX plans to launch two Falcon 9 rockets within 48 hours this weekend, marking a first-ever weekend doubleheader for Elon Musk's private space company. The rockets will take off from SpaceX's Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg launch sites on Friday and Sunday.

Those who follow Elon Musk on Twitter have gotten used to the flurry of announcements and musings that oftenarrive inthe wee hours of the night. The SpaceX founder and CEO once again rocked the Twittersphere Sunday when he revealed what could be a first for his space company: a launch doubleheader.

If everything works out, it seems SpaceX plans to launch two Falcon 9 rockets from itsCape Canaveral and Vandenberg launch sites this weekend. Musk included a link to a tweet from SpaceXs Twitter, which indicated June 25 as the target date for the weekend doubleheader.

The payload for Sundays launch will be from telecommunications company Iridium, for which SpaceX previously launched 10 low-Earth orbit satellites in January. Friday will be the rescheduled launch of a Bulgarian satellite that was originally supposed to launch today (Monday), but that was delayed so that SpaceX could replace a valve on the rocket booster.

If the weekend doubleheader goes as planned, SpaceX will have more proofthat its capable of handling a significant volume of launches. 2017 isnt even half over, and its already proving to be a great year for SpaceX.

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SpaceX Announces Plans For a Weekend Doubleheader With Two Falcon 9 Launches - Futurism

Religious freedom advocates to receive papal honor – Catholic News Agency

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Phoenix, Ariz., Jun 21, 2017 / 12:08 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In recognition of their promotion of religious freedom, the founder of Alliance Defending Freedom and his wife will be inducted next week into the Order of St. Gregory the Great.

Alan and Paula Sears will receive the honor, granted to individuals for extraordinary service to the Church, at a June 29 service led by Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix at St. Bernadette parish in Scottsdale, Ariz., a suburb of Phoenix.

Bestowing the honor on the Sears is a well-deserved recognition of their many years of defending religious freedom, standing up for the true meaning of marriage and family life, defending the dignity and right to life of every human person, and faithfully living their lay vocation in their home, their parish, and the public square, Bishop Olmsted has said.

The Order of St. Gregory the Great is granted to individuals for extraordinary service to the Catholic Church. It is one of several orders of pontifical knighthood, which the Church bestows to continue chivalric traditions and recognize merit and service. It can be given to both Catholics and non-Catholics, and was established in 1831 by Gregory XVI.

Previous recipients include Leo Nester, professor emeritus of choral and sacred music at the Catholic University of America; Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics; Chen Chien-jen, vice president of Taiwan; Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus; and Polish composer Henryk Gorcki.

Alan Sears founded Alliance Defending Freedom in 1994. The non-profit legal organization advocates for religious liberty, and has defended the sanctity of life, marriage, and the family, and has upheld the rights to free speech and conscientious objection.

Paula and I are more than humbled by this honor. Christians and people of goodwill everywhere should have the freedom to live what they believe and to follow their conscience, what James Madison called the most sacred of all property, Sears said in a June 15 statement.

We have counted it a privilege, with Gods grace, to do our part to protect these freedoms. Pope Francis repeatedly has spoken strongly about religious liberty, marriage and family, and the sanctity of life, so it is a distinct honor to be recognized by him for our work in those areas.

Paula added that the world benefits when the Gospel is freely preached and lived We are blessed to have had the opportunity to support and encourage those who have sacrificially shared that message and their lives with others. We are very humbled and grateful to Pope Francis for this honor and additionally thank him for his leadership in these areas.

Since founding Alliance Defending Freedom alongside several other Christian leaders, Alan Sears served as the organization's president, CEO, and general counsel until the beginning of 2017. He has since transitioned into a founder's role at the non-profit.

He was succeeded as president, CEO, and general counsel in January by Michael Farris.

Farris commented that I am personally grateful for Alan and Paulas 23 years of sacrificial service to ADF and, therefore, also grateful to Pope Francis for bestowing them with this incredible honor. Its amazing to be part of an organization that would not be where it is today without their tireless efforts and service to the body of Christ and beyond.

Alan Sears served in several positions under the Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations in the Departments of Justice and the Interior. He earned his doctorate in law from the University of Louisville School of Law, and had previously graduated from the University of Kentucky.

He is a member in good standing with the American, Arizona, California, District of Columbia (inactive), and Kentucky bar associations.

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Religious freedom advocates to receive papal honor - Catholic News Agency

Enjoy your freedom to die – Colorado Springs Independent

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I think of freedom in positive, aspirational terms such as found in President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms," or in the uplifting songs of freedom sung by oppressed people everywhere.

But right-wing ideologues have fabricated a negative notion of "freedoms" derived from their twisted concept of individual choice. You're "free" to be poor, to be politically powerless or to be ill and uncared for, they say it's all a matter of decisions you freely make and our government has no business interfering with your free will.

This is what passes for a philosophical framework guiding today's Republican congressional leaders. For example, they say their plan to eliminate health coverage for millions of Americans and cut such essential benefits as maternity care for millions more is just a matter of good 'ol free-market consumerism. As explained by Jason Chaffetz, a Utah tea party Republican: "Americans have choices. And so maybe, rather than getting that new iPhone that they just love and they want to go spend hundreds of dollars on that, maybe they should invest in their own health care."

Lest you think that Jason must simply be an oddball jerk, here's a similar deep insight from the top House Republican, Speaker Paul Ryan: "Freedom is the ability to buy what you want to fit what you need." Yes, apparently, you are as free as you can afford to be. As Vice President Mike Pence recently barked at us, Trumpcare's you're-on-your-own philosophy is all about "bringing freedom and individual responsibility back to American health care."

The GOP's austere view is that getting treatment for your spouse's cancer should be like buying a new pair of shoes a free-market decision by customers who choose their own price point, from Neiman Marcus to Goodwill. And some go barefoot ... but then, that's their choice.

Meanwhile, congressional Democrats have finally gotten a clue. A majority of Dems in the U.S. House are responding to the rising public demand that decent health care be treated as a right for everyone, rather than being rationed by profiteering insurance conglomerates. Nearly six of 10 Dems in the House have now signed on to Rep. John Conyers' "Medicare for All" bill, which is being carried in the Senate by Bernie Sanders. (Minus Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who says "the American people" aren't ready for it, meaning the narrow slice of the public that inhabits her world health industry executives, lobbyists and campaign donors aren't ready.)

To help push both the party and the issue forward, go tonationalnursesunited.org.

You can contact Hightower at jimhightower.com.

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Enjoy your freedom to die - Colorado Springs Independent