Is precision medicine a matter of national security? | Healthcare IT … – Healthcare IT News

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BOSTON -- Heres a new twist in the precision medicine plot: the U.S. needs it to adequately staff the military.

This isnt just about solvency, its about workforce productivity and national security, Lynda Chin, chief innovation officer for health affairs at The University of Texas Health System said Tuesday morning at the HIMSS Precision Medicine Summit.

Chin said that 8 out of 10 Americans who are ineligible for the military do not quality because of a chronic condition.

[Also:Eric Dishman wants precision medicine to move from personal to universal]

That might not be as big a problem when the government is not drafting people but should that change and we have to put, say, diabetics that need insulin every day on the battlefield, it could become problematic quickly.

The same goes for corporate workforce productivity, particular to employees with chronic conditions, Chin said, adding that preventing diseases and chronic conditions are critical to a healthier economy.

[Also:Genome editing tools set to bring monumental change to healthcare]

Of the nearly $3 trillion the U.S. spends on healthcare annually, comprising 17 percent of the gross domestic product and rising, 86 percent of those costs go toward managing chronic conditions and that will continue rising as the population ages, she said. When it comes to hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, 60 percent of the factors that contribute to a patients outcome emerge from outside the healthcare system, Chin said.

Another big opportunity to lower spending is cancerbecause at least half of cancers can be prevented by behavior.

We have to start thinking about how to keep people healthy, Chin said. Our global security will be impacted by 20 percent or higher GDP.

Twitter:SullyHIT Email the writer: tom.sullivan@himssmedia.com

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Medical School Affiliates Protest Republican Healthcare Bill – Harvard Crimson

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Harvard Medical School, pictured here in October, launched its capital campaign, "The World Is Waiting: The Campaign for Harvard Medicine" in the fall of 2013. The medical school has raised $467 million as of October.

This was part of a nationwide movement protesting the AHCA, which is estimated to cut $834 billion in funding for Medicaid and leave an additional 23 million Americans uninsured by 2026, according to Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan government agency.

Last May, the House of Representatives narrowly voted to approve the AHCA. Many Republicans including President Donald Trump, support the effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.

The event included Medical School students, faculty, physicians, and patients. Speakers shared brief remarks before the die-in demonstration.

Medical School instructor Michelle E. Morse described the current lack of moral and civic responsibility physician education as off track.

We as health professionals have to take responsibility for our political education, she said. Because if we dont, we will never achieve our goal of health for all. Health care is a human right, and why dont we learn that in medical school?

The participants held up cardboard signs resembling gravestone markers, some of which read Trumpcare is a Lethal Disease and Silence=Death.

Yuvaram N. V. Reddy, an internal medicine resident at Boston Medical Center, said his patients sometimes ignore his medical advice because it is too expensive.

The AHCA isnt just a step backwards, but its a harrowing step backwards into an elevator shaft 20 feet down, he said.

Event organizer and incoming Medical School student Tiantian White said that student activists are considering contacting senators from other states and reaching out to local communities about the potential harmful effects of the proposed bill.

It would be hard later to sleep at night as we think about the patients who were never going to see, wholl never make it to our clinic because they dont have the health insurance, she said. It would just be unconscionable.

Staff writer William L. Wang can be reached at william.wang@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter @wlwang20.

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Medical Tourism Raises Ethical Concerns

While millions of tourists swarm to Brazil each year to experience the lush rainforests and bustling cities, an increasing number are visiting with a different agendato receive cosmetic surgery. Although traveling abroad to receive medical treatment dates back to ancient Greece, the recent influx of medical tourism has garnered public attention. In his latest book, Patients with Passports: Medical Tourism, Law, and Ethics, Harvard Law School Professor I. Glenn Cohen explores various forms of medical tourism and their associated legal and ethical issues.

Not Just a Number: Mental Health at Harvard Medical School

Medical School Takes Steps to Clarify Mental Health Policies

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Medical School Affiliates Protest Republican Healthcare Bill - Harvard Crimson

UA medical school in Phoenix granted full accreditation – Phoenix Business Journal

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Phoenix Business Journal
UA medical school in Phoenix granted full accreditation
Phoenix Business Journal
Earning full accreditation is an important milestone in the evolutionary history of the University of Arizona's College of Medicine Phoenix, said UA President Robert C. Robbins, who is also a cardiothoracic surgeon. Full accreditation assures ...

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Health – Bangor Daily News

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Fort Kent ~ Partnerships are not new to Northern Maine Medical Center (NMMC) however the most recent one is the first of its kind for the hospital. Peter Sirois, NMMC Chief Executive Officer and Sandra San Antonio, Director of Medical Practices have been communicating with Quinnipiac Universitys Frank H. Netter School of Medicine for the past several months. The dialogue began in the Fall of 2016 when administrative personnel from Quinnipiac contacted NMMC to entertain the idea of bringing on medical students for clinical experience in a rural hospital and outpatient setting.

Traci Marquis-Eydman, MD, Associate Professor of Medical Services and Director of the Medical Student Home at the Netter Medical School said the issue of the lack of rural primary care in the country became highly evident to her when she attended the 2016 national conference for medical educators. Marquis-Eydman said, The message I heard loud and clear was how critically important primary care is and how it has elevated the health of patients everywhere, except in rural America. I was disheartened to learn about the inequity of primary care resources in rural communities across the country. At that point, Marquis-Eydman saw an opportunity to begin exploring options with her peers at the Medical School. Born and raised in Fort Kent, she made contact with the administrative team at NMMC and began a dialogue about how patients could gain value from such a collaboration agreement the Netter Medical School could develop a rural track opportunity for students and NMMC could benefit from having students onsite as a recruiting tool. In addition, the NMMC Medical staff would have the opportunity to serve as faculty which supports job satisfaction and retention of physicians in the rural St. John Valley.

The result of the negotiations has resulted in a partnership with the School of Medicine which is being led by Dr. Kristin Hartt. Dr. Hartt, NMMC Medical Staff President and now Director of Medical Student Education said, It is a win-win situation. Having students onsite brings an infusion of new life and vigor to the staff and the organization which can only benefit our patients. It keeps what we do every day fun and fresh. As many as fourteen of NMMCs Medical Staff are participating, with more coming on board in the coming months, to serve as mentors, educators and coaches for students.

At the start of April, the first fourth year students from the Frank H. Netter School of Medicine arrived at NMMC to complete a one month rotation. Fourth year medical students have already completed in-depth clinical education experiences through required clerkships in third year in family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and surgery, in both ambulatory and inpatient settings. While at NMMC, fourth year students will have the opportunity to experience all of these clinical rotations, in a longitudinal setting and in one location. They will be assigned to experienced physicians and exposed to outpatient practices in both Fort Kent and Madawaska. Their experiences will include patient rounding with hospitalists in the acute care hospital setting; opportunities in obstetrics for labor, delivery and post partum care; pediatrics; endoscopy; surgery and exposure in the Emergency Department. Every other month, two or three new students will come to NMMC for similar experiences which include daily patient rounding and didactic learning opportunities such as teaching grand rounds.

Over the next one to two years, NMMC and Quinnipiac are planning discussions about the probability of adding another component to the partnership, that of the third year medical student rotation. NMMC physicians, Dr. Kristin Hartt and Dr. Michael Sullivan, have agreed to work closely with the faculty at the Netter School of Medicine to develop a longitudinal curriculum which will provide third year students with an innovative, alternative rural track to supplement their educational goals in clinical medicine. The longitudinal curriculum seeks to more accurately mimic the actual practice of physicians, particularly primary care physicians in a rural setting. Previous studies at other institutions have demonstrated that students who participate in this type of rural track curriculum are more likely to choose a career in primary care and establish a practice in a rural setting. Peter Sirois, NMMC CEO, said, Over the years, we have lost physicians because they wanted to pursue teaching opportunities. Our goal with the Quinnipiac partnership supports physician retention as well as a component of recruitment for new physicians. In the longitudinal curriculum, third year students would be with the organization for a period of eight months and during that time would be required to complete clinical experiences which consist of an longitudinal exposure to primary care, surgical, emergency medicine, and inpatient specialties. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, a reliance on preventative and primary care improves the health outcomes of patients and lowers healthcare costs.

Established in 2010 following the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Quinnipiac was designed with an eye toward the future. Anticipating the nations aging population, an increasing demand for medical professionals and a commitment to primary care, the University was determined to provide students with inter-professional opportunities. The four year medicine program provides a solid foundation in the fundamentals of the basic sciences and clinical medicine with an emphasis on evidence-based care. The Frank H. Netter Medical Program graduated its first class of four year medical students this spring.

To learn more about NMMCs many services, to make a donation or to learn about volunteer opportunities, visit http://www.nmmc.org and Like us on Facebook!

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Health - Bangor Daily News

Med school dreamer honored for advocacy, volunteer work – American Medical Association (blog)

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Many people in Jirayut Latthivongskorns position would not welcome the public recognition that he is receiving, including an award from the U.S. Public Health Service and a mention in Forbes magazines 2017 30 Under 30 list.

That is because Latthivongskorn lives in the United States illegally, having overstayed his visa soon after moving with his parents at the age of 9. Many with Latthivongskorns legal status fear that any news about them, even good news, might be all that is needed to deport them or their loved ones.

Latthivongskorn, who goes by the name New, has an entirely different take on news. A rising fourth-year student at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, the Thai immigrant embraces publicitynot for himself, but to raise awareness about the plight he shares with other so-called dreamers who entered the U.S. illegally as children and want to contribute to American society in meaningful ways.

To that end, Latthivongskorn several years ago co-founded an advocacy group, Pre-Health Dreamers (PHD), to provide support, information and resources to peers with tenuous immigration status who are interested in pursuing careers in the health care field. Now more than 750 strong, PHD members throughout the country are raising awareness about their individual and collective challenges, talking with state legislators and higher-education leaders.

Latthivongskorn said there is a need for more informed admissions processes, more robust student services, and equitable financial support such as federal loans, loan repayment options and even many private scholarship and fellowship opportunities that people living in the U.S. illegally are barred from receiving. He said PHD has worked closely with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), resulting in changes to the medical school and residency application systems, and an expansion of the Fee Assistance Program to low-income students living in the U.S. illegaly.

It keeps me grounded, Latthivongskorn said of his work with PHD. Many of the members are in the same place I was many years ago. I see how hard theyre working. It takes a huge amount of resilience for them to pursue their educational and career goals. They are the ones who inspire and rejuvenate me.

The U.S. Public Health Service recognized Latthivongskorns medical student activities as being in line with the agencys mission to protect, promote, and advance the health and safety of our nation. In addition to co-founding Pre-Health Dreamers, Latthivongskorn also advises University of California system President Janet Napolitano on the Presidents Advisory Council on Undocumented Students. He also serves on the board of directors at Asian Health Services, working to expand health care options for Asians and Pacific Islanders in the Bay Area.

Struggling to make ends meet after arriving from Thailand, Latthivongskorns parents worked in restaurants in Northern California to support Latthivongskorn and his two older siblings. Health care was never an option for them, he said. That was not because the family lacked access or insurance, but because we were never fully educated about what benefits, albeit limited, were available to them as people who live in the country illegally.

I went to the doctor four times growing up, said Latthivongskorn, who suffered from significant eczema as a youth. There were no annual or preventative health visits. We didnt know we had any coverage.

It was after his mother sustained a medical emergency and hemorrhaged significantly that Latthivongskorn decided that he wanted to become a physician and address, as both a clinician and an advocate, health care disparities.

As an undergraduate at the University of California, Berkeleywhich he was able to attend mostly by working part-time and earning private scholarshipsLatthivongskorn balanced his studies with student-led activism on behalf of immigrants rights and participation in community activities to help the less fortunate. For example, he ran a foot-washing clinic at Suitcase Clinic, the student-run campus organization serving homeless people. He also got involved in community, organizing with Educators for Fair Consideration and Aspire, which advocates on behalf of Asian Pacific Islanders living in the U.S. illegally

Latthivongskorn learned early on, he said, that sharing personal narratives is the most effective approach to opening peoples hearts and minds to policy changes. He and other PHD members often talk about their immigration storiesthe reasons they uprooted themselves from impoverished, often war-torn countries and put themselves and their loved ones on the line to come to the United States.

In the case of Latthivongskorns family, he and his parents and siblings left Bangkok after the collapse of Thailands economy in the 1990s. In an interview published on the website of the Evelyn & Walter Haas Jr. Fund, he recounted his familys early days in the United States:

It was difficult to make a new start. My parents had been successful business people in Thailand, running their own business, and suddenly they were cleaning toilets, mopping floors. Managers would yell at them. And all of it was for my brother, my sister and myself. Coming here meant we could be part of Americas public education system. I still cant believe how much my parents sacrificed to make sure we got a good education.

As the first dreamer to matriculate at UCSF, Latthivongskorn attends medical school as part of the institutions Program in Medical Education for the Urban Underserved, which provides additional training and support for those who plan to work in underserved communities. This fall, he will take a year off from medical school to pursue a masters degree in public health at Harvard University.

Latthivongskorn said he aspires to combine a primary care practice in an urban setting, where he can treat patients from underserved communities, with continued efforts as an advocate and public-policy specialist who can work toward reducing health care disparities.

Of the doors that continue to open for himthanks to his perseverance and academic successesLatthivongskorn said, Im happy, but I dont think I will feel fully liberated until many others in similar circumstances have the opportunity to pursue their dreams.

The AMA has expressed support for people who have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, colloquially known as dreamers after the Congressional legislation that failed to secure passage. In February, AMA Executive Vice President and CEO James L. Madara, MD, wrote to Congress, urging that DACA and DACA-eligible individuals be granted a three-year legal status until a permanent solution on lawful immigration for DACA recipients can be implemented.

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Med school dreamer honored for advocacy, volunteer work - American Medical Association (blog)

Verdict in NYC Medical School Controversy That Turned Violent … – Patch.com

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Verdict in NYC Medical School Controversy That Turned Violent ...
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Chappaqua-Mount Kisco, NY - The disgraced assistant professor's shotgun attack in Chappaqua was in revenge for being fired from a medical school in ...
Man Convicted in Shooting of Ex-Boss Outside NY Deli | New York ...U.S. News & World Report
Hengjun Chao guilty of attempted murder in Chappaqua deli shootingThe Journal News | LoHud.com

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Liberty event brings beautiful music to spots like porches, businesses, street corners and parks – Kansas City Star

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Kansas City Star
Liberty event brings beautiful music to spots like porches, businesses, street corners and parks
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Summer will start on a high note in Liberty June 21st, and music makers still have time to join in. Organizers of the Make Music Liberty event are encouraging anyone to grab their ukulele, drum, harmonica or simply interest in live music and head to ...

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Liberty event brings beautiful music to spots like porches, businesses, street corners and parks - Kansas City Star

State of emergency lifted in Liberty Borough | WPXI – WPXI Pittsburgh

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Updated: Jun 14, 2017 - 8:14 AM

A substation fire knocked out power in Liberty Borough, leading to a state of emergency being declared just after 5 p.m. Tuesday.

The weather, combined with a substation catching on fire, downed wires, widespread power outages and some roads washing away, all prompted the declaration.

TRENDING NOW:

Chief Cory Derr is not sure when all power will be back on. The state of emergency was lifted after 6 a.m. Wednesday.

There is a shelter available at South Allegheny Early Childhood Center on Glendale Drive.

"It's been pretty crazy, a lot of traffic through here," said Alyssa Wiegel, of McKeesport.

Severe storms ripped through parts of the Channel 11 viewing area causing damage, flooding and widespread power outages. Wiegel is one of the many working to clean up after rushing water streamed through her backyard, onto her porch, through her basement and eventually into the street.

"I came out here because I heard like rocks falling, it was pretty bad," Wiegel said.

Flood waters quickly rose at the corner of Palm Street and Eden Park Boulevard making driving nearly impossible.

The road was temporarily shut down in an effort to keep all drivers out of harms way; West Fifth Avenue and Mansfield Bridge in McKeesportwere also impassable.

Storm drains bubbled over as crews worked to clean up the debris and wait for the water to recede.

The emergency shelter will close at 1 a.m. Wednesday.

Derr said power has been restored to some parts of town, but not all.

Stay with WPXI.com and Channel 11 News for more on this developing story.

2017 Cox Media Group.

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State of emergency lifted in Liberty Borough | WPXI - WPXI Pittsburgh

Dozens pray for Nederland teen accidentally shot by twin brother in Liberty County – 12newsnow.com

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Several Nederland residents gathered to pray for the teen who was accidentally shot by his twin in Liberty County on Monday

Troy Kless, KBMT 11:12 PM. CDT June 13, 2017

NEDERLAND - Dozens of people converged on Bulldog Stadium in Nederland on Tuesday night for a prayer vigil to support Kollsen Carter, the 14-year-old who was accidentally shot in the head by his twin brother.

The shooting happened just before 4 p.m. Monday on County Road 2342 in Liberty County. Liberty County Sheriffs Deputies say the boys saw the snake in a drainage ditch and went inside their home to get two .22-caliber rifles.

Investigators say Kollsen knelt down between the snake and his brother when he was shot.

At the vigil, Amazing Grace was one of many songs that rang out in Bulldog Stadium. Brittnee Garner and Jessi Farmer were two of Kollsen Carters many teachers in attendance at Tuesday nights vigil.

The two say they taught Kollsen and his twin brother Kolby at Central Middle School.

"They are, they are the biggest rays of sunshine, both of them," Farmer said.

Carter is said to be in critical condition, but the vigils focus was praying for the fourteen-year-old to heal.

Students like Joshua Mazyck are looking forward to seeing the twins next year as they are set to begin freshman year at Nederland High School.

"We want him to fight through this and come back, play football with us, play basketball with us and run track with us," Mazyck said.

Garner and Farmer feel that sending prayers, offerings and a balloon release into the sky is the best way to support the Carter family from back home.

"There is not a community in the world like ours I believe that without a doubt, Garner said.

We are able to come together at any given time and at any given place and we're able to be there for anybody," Farmer said.

The Liberty County Sheriffs Office tells us they do not anticipate charges being filed in the accidental shooting.

The sheriffs office is still investigating the shooting.

2017 KBMT-TV

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North Liberty follows Johnson County’s footsteps, passes fireworks sales moratorium – The Gazette: Eastern Iowa Breaking News and Headlines

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Jun 14, 2017 at 9:29 am | Print View

NORTH LIBERTY Officials in North Liberty on Tuesday passed a moratorium on the sale of fireworks, joining Johnson County, which passed its own moratorium last month, despite questions as to legality of the countys decision.

The North Liberty City Council voted 5-0 to put in place the moratorium, arguing the typical procedure for amending the city code to be in accordance with a new state fireworks law cant be completed until after the first fireworks sales period, which runs through July 8.

The new state law allows municipalities to set their own rules regarding use of fireworks, but not the sale.

Still, Johnson County passed a 90-day moratorium on sales, prompting state Sen. Jake Chapman, R-Adel, who was the floor manager for the new fireworks bill, to say the move goes against Iowa Code. He said the state Legislature discussed allowing cities to regulate sales, but the concept failed.

... That can be their interpretation as far as sales. But our interpretation is to protect public safety and thats where were coming from plain and simple, said North Liberty Mayor Terry Donahue during Tuesdays City Council meeting.

Chapman previously told The Gazette that another piece of legislation passed this year, House File 295, applies to fireworks as well. That law prohibits local governments from setting standards or requirements regarding the sale or marketing of consumer merchandise that are different from, or in addition to, any requirement established by state law.

But North Liberty City Attorney Scott Peterson said Tuesday hes comfortable defending the City Councils moratorium.

There are legitimate safety concerns from the police department, from the fire department and from the building department. And the time frame left by the Legislatures action and the governors signage was not sufficient to sort through that, he said.

The North Liberty City Councils moratorium on fireworks sales runs through Aug. 15.

North Liberty officials also have decided to continue prohibiting the use of consumer-grade fireworks, as is directed by an existing ordinance.

In Coralville on Tuesday, the City Council voted 4-0, with council member Mitch Gross absent, to pass an amendment to its fireworks code, Coralville Mayor John Lundell said via text message. While the city continues to ban the use of fireworks, the council changed its sale regulation to be in accordance with state law.

And in Iowa City, the council voted 7-0 on the first reading of an update to its fireworks ordinance to bring it in compliance with Iowa Code, according to a media release. The new state law requires violators who use fireworks in cities where they are prohibited to face a fine of not less than $250, according to a council memo.

The amendment would continue the citys ban on fireworks but increase the fine for violators from the range of $65 to $625 to $250 to $650.

l Comments: (319) 339-3172; maddy.arnold@thegazette.com

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North Liberty follows Johnson County's footsteps, passes fireworks sales moratorium - The Gazette: Eastern Iowa Breaking News and Headlines

Profit drops by $6.4 million at Liberty Tax for year – Virginian-Pilot

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Liberty Tax says it hopes to recover from a disappointing tax season with a new executive, a new brand and advertising aimed at NASCAR fans and NFL alums after its profit dropped 33 percent to $13 million for the year.

The Virginia Beach-based seller of tax preparation franchises reported its annual earnings per share dropped to 94 cents from $1.41 a year ago, missing analyst expectations of $1.33 per share, according to research firm FactSet.The company said it would issue a 16-cent dividend to shareholders.

Liberty Tax filed 1.66 million U.S. returns last year, down from 1.8 million, a decrease the company blamed on the proliferation of "shadow" tax preparers, not do-it-yourself filers. Fees from customers paying for its financial products, including refund advances and transfers, grew 14 percent to $51.8 million.

Fees it collected from franchisees dropped by nearly half to $2.7 million. The company has said it struggled to sell new locations amid press coverage of IRS and state regulators shutting down several large franchise owners during the 2016 tax season.

Liberty Tax says the stores it took over from franchisees ensnared by the IRS and state regulators performed more poorly than expected, leading it to close about 50 locations and claim an impairment charge of $4.9 million.

These results are totally unacceptable," CEO John Hewitt told analysts Wednesday morning. This is something we need to change."

The company spent $1.2 million on its compliance task force efforts during the year and invited the director of the IRS return preparer office to speak at its recent annual convention.

The company had also hired Edward Brunot, a former executive with military commissary supplier SpartanNash MDV, to fill a years-long vacant chief operating officer position. Brunot will focus on turning around Liberty Tax' company-owned stores.

Hewitt said the company will be sponsoring four NASCAR events and free tax preparation to the NFL Alumni Association, made up of former players, coaches and their families.

The company's stock price was trading below $12 on Wednesday, its lowest level since October 2016, after trading above $13 a week ago.

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Profit drops by $6.4 million at Liberty Tax for year - Virginian-Pilot

Liberty Borough declares state of emergency due to storms; 2500 utility customers remain without power – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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Liberty Borough declares state of emergency due to storms; 2500 utility customers remain without power
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Power has been restored to most of the households and businesses that experienced outages during Tuesday thunderstorms that rolled through the Pittsburgh region. Liberty Borough issued a state of emergency after a number of roads flooded, power lines ...

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Liberty Borough declares state of emergency due to storms; 2500 utility customers remain without power - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Freedom Philosophy: The Death of The Left/Right Divide – Being Libertarian

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Freedom Philosophy: The Death of The Left/Right Divide
Being Libertarian
Libertarianism isn't a reaction to the left/right divide but rather it's merely the recognition that it no longer exists. It's a rejection of militarism at a time when militarism threatens our national security and it's a rejection of overspending at a ...

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Freedom Philosophy: The Death of The Left/Right Divide - Being Libertarian

Jack Ma’s Libertarian Talk Approaches Red Line – Bloomberg – Bloomberg

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Jack Ma, billionaire and chairman of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., gestures as he speaks during a panel session at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017.

Corporate executives sometime like to talk about how their companies are overtaking nation states. In China, they tend to be careful not to outshine the government and avoid such analogies.Yet that's just what Jack Ma did last week.

At Alibaba's annual investor day, China's richest man outlined a vision where the company he founded could become the world's fifth-biggest economy by 2036, trailing only the U.S., China, Europe and Japan. Let's just say most entrepreneurs in Chinawouldn't make that comparison.

"Well, people say, this is too big," Ma said of the scale of Alibaba's ambition. "It costs nothing to imagine, right?"

Many shrugged the comments off as bluster from a man prone to making grand pronouncements. Mabased his prediction on the number of goods transacted on his platforms and the potential number of customers. AndAlibaba's $23.5 billion in revenue last year was still dwarfed by Alphabet's $90billion and Amazons $136 billion. In Ma's own words, the Chinese e-commerce giant is still just "a baby."

Yet in Hangzhou, in front of thousands of global investors, Ma planted the flag and claimed that his company would one day become one of the world's most powerful economies by serving2 billion people and helping 10 million small businesses trade freely on the web. On the face of it, the declarationencapsulates the libertarian dream of empowering individuals and transcending borders. Ma has spent years cultivating an image of a rebel fighting the system,knocking down walls protecting state-owned enterprises and becominga billionaire in the process.

Yet on closer examination, it's clearthat none of Ma's rhetoric ignoredthe groundwork that has already been laid out by Beijing, whether it's Chinaexpanding its footprint in Africa, exploring the ocean frontier in Southeast Asia, or revitalizing the once-famous Silk Road. When Xi Jinping was in Davos talking up global trade, Ma was quick to call (again) for his web-based version of the World Trade Organization. When China touted its One Belt, One Road project, Ma was quick to tout Alibaba's expansion in those regions.If anything, he's China's shadow diplomat, flying more than 870 hours and visiting 40 countries last year to meet with prime ministers and other leaders.

Ma's dabbling in international affairs is rooted in the goal of amassing billions of customers by 2036. By his own calculation, China will only be able to provide 40 percent of that market, the rest will have to be found overseas. Following China's Belt-Road project, setting up global trade platforms, even his promise to President Donald Trump to create a million jobs in the U.S. is all part of that plan.Indeed, Ma headsto Detroit next week to bring that message.

If anything, Jack Ma is a master in the dark arts of influence and international affairs. That probably makes him more of a savvy politicianthan a libertarian icon.

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Uberstumbled again as while seekingto fix its scandals.TPG Capital co-founder David Bonderman resigned from the ride-hailing company's board after making a sexist comment during a meeting intended to address rampant internal gender bias. The billionaire couldn't have picked a worse setting to interrupt a woman with a comment about how women talk.

Nintendo added more reasons to buy the Switch.The Japanese gaming company unveiled a slate of new titles for the hybrid console, seeking to boost sales during this year's critical year-end shopping season. Most anticipated is a brand-new Pokemon role-playing game, as well as Switch versions of Metroid4 and Rocket League.

The laptop ban on flights may be expanded, but the U.S. is looking for ways to avoid this (unpopular) step.Enhancements in the way airports outside the U.S. conduct screening may be enough to head off a ban on large electronic devices slated to cover broad areas of Europe and other regions, aDepartment of Homeland Securityofficial said.

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Jack Ma's Libertarian Talk Approaches Red Line - Bloomberg - Bloomberg

The Problem Of Libertarian Infighting – Being Libertarian

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Its easy to see people as enemies, even when they are on your team. Libertarianism is no different. The movement is torn apart by in-house fighting and bullying, more so than any other movement or party. Some have said the conservatives and liberals are the same way, but those groups are large enough to survive infighting. More importantly, they are united in effort, despite their fighting. They may conflict over certain policies and ideas, but they unite against the common enemy in the end.

Republicans may fight a lot among each other, but they unite against the Democrats at the end of the day. The Democrats fight over themselves as well, but they unite against the Republicans all the same (cue the parties are the same jokes, and moving on). Libertarians? They wont unite for any reason at all. A brick wall stands between each sector of our movement, dividing us.

Its one thing to not give up your own personal beliefs and capitulating to the movement, its another to not unite against the enemy we all agree on. To allow tyranny to rule over us because we dont want to stand beside someone who disagrees with us on a few interpretations of our philosophy is not the same as standing your ground honorably and refusing to give up your beliefs.

The Cause of the Problem

Libertarianism isnt a set of policies or ideals. Its a philosophical stance, built on key principles like the non-aggression principle, or the idea of states rights, a term meaning the states and their citizens have a right to self-governance and autonomy. Not that the state government have rights over its citizens.

Because its a philosophical stance and isnt mutually exclusive, meaning other consistent philosophies can be attached to it it can be interpreted differently. This reality seems to anger many, but refusing to accept this fact can only hurt us. Lets consider the following:

John Doe and Joe Dohn are both Libertarians. They believe that something should be illegal if it aggresses against another. The topic of abortion comes up and John Doe believes the fetus is not a living person. Therefore, abortion aggresses against no one, and so he is pro-choice. Joe Dohn believes that the fetus is a living person with rights, meaning abortion aggresses against the fetus, and therefore he is pro-life. Is one of them not libertarian simply because we disagree with that person? No.

Libertarianism can be interpreted differently, depending on how we view the world. Which studies you read, what theories you trust most, these define how you see the libertarian philosophy. Conservatism is defined as being pro-life, anti-welfare, pro-military, anti-corporate tax, and such. Its defined by a set of policies its members agree on. Libertarianism is purely philosophical, and so has no set opinion or belief.

Why the Problem Matters

Some have said the infighting keeps us safe from internal corruption. I dont buy this. If anything, it stops the movement from facing corruption. Corruption can still show its face in the party and in each individual sector of the movement, regardless of how united the movement is or isnt. Corruption cant be stopped by dividing ourselves. Others have said its important because we should embrace our differences, that our differences benefit our movement. The problem is that fighting, calling each statists, and accusing other libertarians of being fake, is not the same as embracing our different beliefs. A look at any comment section will show it filled with everyone calling out statist and pretender whenever a disagreement occurs.

Tyranny can exist because we arent fighting it. Were in comment sections fighting each other. But consider, somewhere between 19% of the country to 22% of the country identifies as libertarian. With such a large portion of the population being libertarian, why do we see no movement in our movement? Its because we wont work together.

Instead, we push each other out of the movement. We put an end to our ability to bring in new members. Imagine a new member who was of a different party prior. He finds that he agrees with a lot of our philosophy, but hes new, so he isnt 100% for privatizing roads, eliminating publics schools, and ending most welfare yet. To be fair, many long-time libertarians have varying opinions on these. Now, this new member spends the first month being called a statist, a fake, a commie, and so on, just for asking about it or stating his opinion. He leaves and doesnt look back.

Infighting pushes out new and old members, disenfranchises most libertarians (thats why so many libertarians vote Republican), and cause each variant of libertarianism to hate each other when they should see each other as allies.

How to Fix the Problem

The first step to fixing the problem is for us to start remembering these three simple things:

The problem must be fixed. We can stand united while still holding onto and debating our disagreements. There is no libertarian movement if we stand divided. We share a common goal, and we should aim for that goal together.

The beauty of libertarianism is that it encompasses so many different spectrums. We can have so many diverse types of politicians, each with different views and ideas, while still having a completely libertarian Congress. We despise the two-party system, but libertarianisms vast spectrum allows for the equivalent of many, many parties, each being libertarian in nature. Conservatarians, an-caps, left-leaning libertarians, paleolibertarians, each a libertarian equivalent of a separate party.

We should embrace our differences while standing together as 20% of the population, to end tyranny and socialism, and embracing our differences starts by no longer fighting over our differences.

* Donald Keller is the Admin and Head Editor for the Libertarian Coalition. He is a cook, artist, and writer in De Soto, Mo.

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Decentralizing The Hollywood Machine With Blockchain Tech And ‘Libertarian’ Filmmaking – Forbes

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As with many industries that have emerged from a post industrial centralized system where power is held by the few and organizational structures were designed to control the people dividing the work into tasks that needed to be done, the film and ...

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Decentralizing The Hollywood Machine With Blockchain Tech And 'Libertarian' Filmmaking - Forbes

Ballot Law Commission Grants Libertarian Candidate a Spot in Grafton House Special Election – New Hampshire Public Radio

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Last fall, the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire reached an important milestone: They managed to get 4 percent of the vote in the governors race, giving them official party status and a place on New Hampshire ballots. But a snag for one candidate seeking to run in the House special election highlights the fact that many of the state election laws were still built for a two-party system.

When a House seat opened up in Grafton, John Babiarz wanted to run as a Libertarian in the upcoming special election.The problem? When he went to register, he says the town clerk blocked him from changing his party registration from undeclared and filing necessary paperwork to be on the ballot.

In a normal election cycle, the law gives voters a chance to change their party affiliation before the filing period for a primary election.

Typically before an election season starts, there is an opportunity for voters to meet with the Supervisors of the Checklist and change their party affiliation before the filing period opens, Deputy Secretary of State Dave Scanlan explained. That gives the voter an opportunity to become a candidate in the party they want, but also any voters party affiliation is locked in from the filing period until after the primary election.

But Babiarzs case highlighted a gap in the state law for special elections: The window of time between when an elections called and when the filing period starts is much narrower and doesnt allow for the same flexibility for candidates like him to change party status.

In this case of the special election, the governor and council set the date of the special election, and its done on a Wednesday. The filing period starts the following Monday. So theres very little opportunity for the Supervisors of the Checklist to call a meeting together and properly advertise it.

And whats new about this process, both Scanlan and Babiarz noted, is the inclusion of another political party that wasnt previously recognized.

I think for too long, the two major parties had everything set. They were comfortable with it. But when you have a new party with special elections They didnt take that into consideration that a new party would just start ramping up new membership, people may have not changed over to have the valid thing to run like everybody else.

On Tuesday, the state ballot law commission sided with Babiarz, ordering election officials to allow him to add his name to the ballot for the July 18 primary.

The commission said the law needs to be updated to fix the gap this case illustrates something Babiarz hopes to have the chance to do, should he win his bid for the seat, as a Libertarian.

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Arkansas Libertarians Submit Signatures To Be "New" Political Party – WKNO FM

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The Libertarian Party of Arkansas submitted over 15,000 signatures on Monday to the Secretary of States office to try and qualify to be a new political party -- for the fourth election cycle in a row. The state has 30 days to certify at least 10,000 of the signatures are from registered Arkansas voters.

This initial hurdle, and the financial cost of signature drives, is often critiqued by Arkansas third parties. In order for a political party to retain Arkansas ballot access through the next election cycle a candidate for either governor or president has to garner at least three percent of the vote. Last year Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson fell just shy with 2.63 percent of the vote.

Despite falling short of that threshold in 2016, state Party Chair Michael Pakko said the Libertarian Party deserves to be thought of as competitive.

Last year the Libertarian Party was the only party to field candidates against incumbents in all four U.S. Congressional states. In state legislative races Libertarians provided the only opposition in nearly a third of all contested races, Pakko said at the Capitol, Moreover people are choosing to vote Libertarian. Across the four Congressional districts last year our candidates earned over 196,000 votes about 18.5 percent of the total.

The once all-powerful Democratic Party of Arkansas only fielded one Congressional candidate in the last election. But this year, bolstered by an impassioned base in the era of Trump, a growing number of Democrats are expressing interest in 2018 races.

Pakko said he expects Libertarians to be in more three-way races next election.

Its always nice to be the only opposition party. When the Democrats werent running in races last year that gave us a little bit bigger piece of the spotlight but we dont expect that to be the case, Pakko said, so well just take it as it comes.

No Arkansas Libertarians hold legislative, statewide, or federal offices. But that lack of experience isnt necessarily a negative to Pakko.

One of the things voters communicated in their election of Donald Trump was their willingness to pick someone for public office that didnt have previous experience, he said.

While certainly having experienced candidates would be helpful I dont think thats necessarily a handicap to have non-professional politicians, regular citizens running for office and I think voters will be receptive, said Pakko.

What matters most to voters, according to the Libertarian chair, is making government work.

The biggest issue that voters think about is the dysfunctional nature of government both at the state and national level, he said. Its a matter of the two political parties at loggerheads, constant gridlock, and wed like the voters in Arkansas to know there is another choice, another option.

For Pakko and most Libertarians making government work often means passing laws that peel back the role of government, If you believe that governments should protect the rights of the individual, that people should be able to live their lives however they see fit with minimal interference from the government, if you believe that freedom and prosperity flourish where markets are allowed to work and the U.S. is at peace with its neighbors in the world, then please consider joining the Libertarian Party.

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Islamic Libertarian Harassed by Leftists After Starting a Fundraiser … – The Liberty Conservative

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When oathkeeping patriot Frank Morganthaler suffered a heart attack while protesting Sharia Law this past weekend, leftists laughed at him as his life slipped away. This inspired an Islamic libertarian to start a fundraiser for the deceased man despite their political disagreements. This show of unity was soundly rejected by the intolerant left, who have started a campaign of harassment against the compassionate Muslim.

Will Coleys idea was to raise funds to show mercy toward their enemies during the Islamic holy season of Ramadan. At a time when political tensions are reaching frightening highs, Coley hoped that this gesture would re-introduce a little bit of human dignity into the political sphere. After encountering vicious hate-filled leftists on social media, Coleys hopes were dashed.

We will not be deterred in our drive to do good for others, even those who see themselves as my enemy, Coley wrote on Facebook in defense of his cause. Despite the heavy flak he is taking, he is hoping to raise $10,000 to pay for the Oathkeepers funeral costs.

A hate campaign was started on social media to derail Coleys gesture, and it has been successful. Terror apologist Linda Sarsour led the way, and the mob mentality took over from there. Coley was derided for the color of his skin, and it was determined by leftists that his skin was just too white for him to deserve a say in Muslim affairs.

Coley was shaken by this news but is not particularly surprised. He and his group, Muslims for Liberty, have been shunned by mainstream Muslim organizations for many years. Because his ideas are libertarian, that has put him on the outside looking in. Now it is Coleys skin color that is causing him problems in the Muslim community.

However, his idea has not been a complete failure. He has raised more than 25 percent of his stated goal at this point, and will be able to offset some of Morganthalers funeral costs at the very least. He also received a favorable television profile on a local news program in his native Tennessee to explain his plans to bridge the massive gap between Muslims and their opposition.

I have my faith, and you have yours, but theres no reason we have to hate each other because we believe differently, Will Coley said in an interview with WVLT news.

Coley has his work cut out for him in this polarizing political climate, but he is intent upon building bridges even in the case of immense pushback. His fundraiser link can be accessed at this link.

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Urban Heat Islands Can Be Deadly, and They’re Only Getting Hotter – WIRED

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This storyoriginally appeared on High Country News and is part of the Climate Desk collaboration.

If heat is the enemy, Marcela Herrera thought she was ready for battle last summer at her familys north Los Angeles apartment.

Old air conditioner units chugged away on windows in three rooms. Extension cords snaked into box fans on the floor, positioned along a hallway to push cooler air towards warmer spots. Bamboo shades, bent blinds and curtains beat back the sun.

But none of that prevented her eldest son, Edwin Daz, from getting a nosebleed each time a heat wave crested over the familys dense working-class neighborhood. And as outdoor temperatures climbed into the 90s, the 17-year-old suffered painful, debilitating migraines. The family doctor recommended that he try to stay cooler for the sake of his health.

Western communities, including Los Angeles, are aware that urban heat is a serious and growing threat to public health, and the warming climate only increases the problem. Its not as visible as other catastrophes, but the implications can be far reaching, says Elizabeth Rhoades, who works on climate issues in Los Angeles Countys Department of Public Health.

Predictions are for longer, more frequent, and more severe heat events throughout the Southwest, especially in Los Angeles and Phoenix. Studies in the last decade suggest that heat especially impacts very old and very young city dwellers, poor neighborhoods, and those without central air conditioning: people like Edwin Daz and Marcela Herrera. But researchers are still learning about how people are affected by excessive heat in the places where they spend most of their timeinside their homes. Few policies exist to protect the most vulnerable, and doctors say the conditions are poorly tracked.

Heat is sneaky. It worsens pre-existing conditions, such as heart and lung disease, kidney problems, diabetes and asthma, more often than it kills directly. People end up going to the hospital because heat affects their health, makes their asthma worse or something worse, says David Eisenman, a professor of medicine and public health at UCLA. But its not technically coded as that in the records. Its coded as worsening asthma. So we really undercount the number of cases where heat is a factor.

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And urban heat is layered. Los Angeles is as much as 6 degrees hotter than surrounding areas because of whats called the heat island effect. Sprawl defines not just heat islands but what some call an archipelago of high temperatures across modern urban areas. Geography, wind patterns, tree cover and concrete all work to create hotspots where temperatures are higher and air pollution is worse. In fact, climate models suggest that Herreras San Fernando Valley neighborhood, far from ocean breezes, will warm 10 to 20 percent faster than the rest of Los Angeles.

Theres been this assumption that we can all cool off somehow. And in some ways that might have been true 100 years ago, Eisenman says. We dont have access to the natural cooling environment like we did before.

The landscapes cooling elements disappeared long before Edwin Daz and his mother arrived in the valley. Their Pacoima neighborhood derives its name from the Native Tongva word for a place of running water. (These days, the now concrete-locked Pacoima Wash, a flood-control channel, is often dry.) After World War II, the neighborhood boomed when developers marketed boxy homes to African-Americans shut out of other parts of the valley by racial covenants.

Today, Pacoima is overwhelmingly Latino. And its single-family homes have produced a complex urban density, says Max Podemski, planning director for the community advocacy group Pacoima Beautiful. Lawns have given way to paved-over yards. Second-dwelling units, divisions within ranch homes, and modified garages can house several families together.

Thats just totally ubiquitous here, Podemski says. And these converted dwellings, uncounted and unpermitted, may or may not have insulation or air conditioners or windows to catch a breeze: The city just doesnt have data about it.

To understand more about how heat moves through Pacoima housing, last summer I built small electronic sensors to record dozens of heat and humidity measurements an hour, during parts of August, September and October: the hottest months in Los Angeles. One sensor went in Edwins bedroom.

In early afternoon, that sensor recorded temperatures equal to those recorded outside, at the weather station at Van Nuys Airport. Evening temperatures in Edwins room were up to 9 degrees higher than outside.

Those results tell a similar story to what a group of researchers, community activists and scientists found in about 30 homes equipped with similar sensors in New Yorks Harlem last year. Buildings have a memory for heat, says Adam Glenn, the founder of AdaptNY and a member of the community climate change observation project, ISeeChange. In New York, old stone buildings hold onto thermal radiation, especially on higher floors, late into the night. So the danger to people continues even when the heat wave is over.

But the ways buildings respond to climate vary. In Herreras apartment, a lack of insulation, common in older California houses, may be the key factor. In the evening, she says, We can feel the warmth in the walls.

The blanket of heat smothering LA hasnt escaped City Halls notice. Mayor Eric Garcetti has set an ambitious goal to lower the citys overall temperature 3 degrees in 20 years. LAs Office of Sustainability is studying where and how to deploy landscape-level cooling strategies, such as planting trees and developing cooler pavements. But it will take years to even know whether the goal is achievable.

In the meantime, renters like Herreras family battle excessive heat mostly alone. According to the Census Bureaus National Housing Survey, half as many rental properties in Los Angeles have central air as do owner-occupied units. Coping costs money. In summer, Herreras power bill can be as high as $200 a month.

As temperatures rise in the Southwest, so do the stakes for city dwellers. In Phoenix, the Maricopa County Health Department has closely tracked heat-related death for more than a decade, producing an exhaustive report each year breaking down cases by age, ethnicity, economic background and other risk factors.

Arizona State University researchers are working with Maricopa and Los Angeles counties to better understand how heat causes sickness and death, and how to counteract it.

Many of us believe that no one should die prematurely because of heat, and there are significant public costs associated with heat just in the health-care sector alone, says David Hondula, an ASU climatologist who studies heat impacts. Heat-associated deaths are climbing in Phoenix, but the reasons remain unclear. If we cant even answer that question, figuring out the best strategy to keep Phoenicians safe, or residents of Los Angeles safe, in a future that is expected to be warmer than it is today, would seem almost impossible, Hondula says.

With summer coming, the Daz-Herrera family has made some changes, insulating the ceiling of Edwins room and adding more air conditioners.

Paying for this has meant skimping elsewhere: fewer outings, no new clothes. Herrera worries that tight finances will force them to turn the air conditioners off. Still, all the changes weve made are helping us, she says. Its better to invest a bit more because health comes first.

Molly Peterson has been covering the environment with a focus on water and climate change since 2002. Formerly with NPR and Southern California Public Radio, she now writes for all kinds of public media outlets, and contributes to Laws and Nature, which tracks environmental policy. Shes based in Los Angeles.

This story was made possible with support from the Center for Health Journalism at The University of Southern California, while iSeeChange contributed heat sensor data.

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Urban Heat Islands Can Be Deadly, and They're Only Getting Hotter - WIRED