#11 VA Viral News

[covid-safer-hotties]

Molnupiravir May Offer Modest 6-Month Benefits for High-Risk COVID Patients - Published Sept 11, 2024

by Katherine Kahn

People with acute COVID-19 who took the antiviral drug molnupiravir (Lagevrio) reported modest improvements in symptoms, less time off from work or study, and less healthcare utilization at 6 months post-infection, a follow-up analysis of the prospective, open-label PANORAMIC trial suggested.

Among patients who received molnupiravir 800 mg twice per day plus usual care for 5 days after diagnosis with COVID-19, 8.5% reported persistent symptoms at 6 months compared with 11% who received usual care only (adjusted risk difference -2.5%), reported Christopher Butler, MBChB, MD, of the University of Oxford in England, and colleagues in Lancet Infectious Diseasesopens in a new tab or window.

At 3 months after treatment, use of healthcare or social services was also lower in the molnupiravir group at 14.1% versus 15.5% in the usual care group (adjusted risk difference -1.4%). There was a trend in the same direction at 6 months, but the adjusted risk difference was only -0.5%.

There were no differences in hospitalizations or deaths between the two groups at 3 and 6 months follow-up.

"This study was a secondary long-term analysis, and although we did not correct for multiplicity, the number of statistically superior outcomes make chance a very unlikely explanation of the results," the researchers wrote. "The trial design was pragmatic and open-label; therefore, participants were not masked and recovery and well-being outcomes were ascertained by self-reporting."

The study showed that the numbers needed to treat were high, noted co-author Victoria Harris, PhD, also of University of Oxford, in a press releaseopens in a new tab or window. "For instance, only one person would have less severe symptoms from a total of 53 people who took molnupiravir, and only one person would have used fewer NHS [National Health Service] services from a total of 71 people who took molnupiravir," she said.

Among participants who received molnupiravir, 17.9% reported having any time off from work or study at 3 months versus 22.4% in the usual care group, for an adjusted risk difference of -5.3%. At 6 months, 4.4% in the molnupiravir group reported having time off from work or study versus 5.4% in the usual treatment group (adjusted risk difference -1.1%), and about 91 patients would need to be treated to benefit one patient.

Molnupiravir is an expensive drug, Harris pointed out. In the U.S., a 5-day course costs about $1,000 opens in a new tab or windowwithout insurance coverage.

"Given the small additional number of participants who benefited from taking molnupiravir, compared to those who did not take the drug, long-term health benefits will need to be weighed up against costs and any unwanted effects," she emphasized.

The trial did not address the efficacy of molnupiravir in preventing long COVID, but Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, of the VA St. Louis Health Care System in Missouri, said in an accompanying editorialopens in a new tab or window that antivirals may one day play a role in long COVID treatment and prevention.

"The use of antivirals to reduce the risk of long COVID is grounded in the hypothesis that viral persistence and possible ongoing replication of SARS-CoV-2 are major mechanistic pathways responsible for long COVID," he commented. "Evidence for this hypothesis is growing." Studies have identified persistence of viral RNA or protein fragmentsopens in a new tab or window and the presence of T-cell activationopens in a new tab or window and double-stranded viral RNA months to years after infection with SARS-CoV-2, Al-Aly noted.

"The promising results from the PANORAMIC trial are consistent with results from well conducted observational analyses as they both converge on finding a modest effect of molnupiravir in reducing the risk of long COVID in high-risk individuals," Al-Aly wrote.

"Concerns, however, have been raised about the mutagenicity of molnupiravir," he pointed out. "Furthermore, effectiveness of molnupiravir or [other SARS-CoV-2 antivirals] in reducing risk of long COVID in low-risk populations, including younger individuals with no comorbid medical conditions, has not been evaluated," he cautioned.

The CDC recommendsopens in a new tab or window molnupiravir as an alternative to nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) for the treatment of acute mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in non-pregnant adults at risk for severe disease, to be started within 5 days of symptom onset.

The PANORAMIC trial took place from December 2021 to April 2022 and included 25,783 participants who were randomly assigned to molnupiravir twice a day for 5 days plus usual care (n=12,821) or usual care alone (n=12,962) generally within 5 days of a COVID-19 infection.

To enroll, patients had to be either 50 years and older or 18 and older with at least one comorbidity. Mean age of participants was 56.6 years, 58.6% were female, and 93% had received at least three vaccine doses. Comorbidities included lung disease in 24%, hypertension in 22%, obesity in 15%, diabetes in 12%, a weakened immune system in 9%, and heart disease in 8%.

In the initial analysisopens in a new tab or window of the trial, molnupiravir failed to reduce the risk for hospitalization or death at 28 days from COVID-19 in high-risk, vaccinated outpatients, but did shorten recovery times from a median of 15 days to 9 days (HR 1.36).

Long-term follow-up data for the current analysis were available for about 89% of all participants -- about 92% in the treatment group and 87% in the usual care group.

Researchers contacted participants at 3 and 6 months and asked them to complete online or telephone questionnaires. Patients were asked to rate how well they felt, whether they had taken time off from work or study, or if they had been hospitalized. Patients also rated symptoms on a 4-point scale. Symptoms included fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell, headache, dizziness, abdominal pain, or feeling unwell.

The authors acknowledged that the open-label study design may have influenced patient self-reports of recovery and well-being. They also emphasized that the study was not an efficacy trial.

Study Link: www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(24)00431-6/fulltext (PAYWALLED)

[thelensofyashunews]

BLP KOSHER SHARES NEW VIDEO SINGLE "VIRGIN EARS"

BLP KOSHER has just shared his new single "Virgin Ears", along with an accompanying music video. Arriving on the heels of BLP KOSHER's breakthrough year in 2023, "Virgin Ears" is already his third release of 2024. After dropping his second full-length project Bars Mitzvah, which was backed by the hit single "Special K" (55M+ Streams) and features from DJ Premier, Luh Tyler and Trapland Pat,BLP KOSHER performed at Lyrical Lemonade's Summer Smash Festival and headed out on his first headlining tour, “The Dreidel That Never Stopped Spinning”, performing sold-out shows in major cities like L.A., Chicago, Atlanta and Toronto. After kicking off the year with the release of "Dreidel Bop" (3.8M+ Streams) and "Violent Lullaby" featuring Yung Lean (5M+ Streams), "Virgin Ears" continues BLP KOSHER's hot streak that's extended into 2024. Over the eerie piano loop and knocking drumline, BLP KOSHER flaunts his endless supply of clever punchlines – "I've been late to the party / 130 on the dash, with a glock like I'm Carti / Filled the gaps, then I'ma bridge it, wish 'em good luck Charlie", he raps in the track's memorable hook. After performing at Rolling Loud LA in March, BLP KOSHER will be hitting the road for another headlining tour – The Dreidelman Saga Tour, kicking off in Santa Ana, CA on 4/3.

Taking the internet by storm beginning in 2022 through his acrobatic wordplay, BLP KOSHER has quickly surpassed 100 Million Streams while receiving critical acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone and XXL and being co-signed from DJ Premier, BabyTron and Camila Cabello. Having now created a name for himself within the broader pop culture lexicon with a slew of hit tracks like the Cole Bennett-directed, BabyTron-featuring, “Mazel Tron” (35M+ Streams) and “Special K” (55M+ Streams), BLP KOSHER was quick to capitalize on his success, proving that his star power expands far beyond the virality with the release of Bars Mitzvah last year. The album features head-turning collaborations, such as with the legendary DJ Premier on “Endless”—a figure who KOSHER has always looked up to, and who has now blessed him with one of his signature scratched-up beats. BLP KOSHER has quickly cemented himself as a serious player in the contemporary Hip-Hop landscape, and is looking forward to keeping his momentum going with each subsequent release.

Tour Dates 04/03 – Santa Ana, CA – Observatory 04/05 – San Diego, CA – Observatory 04/06 – Phoenix, AZ – Nile Theater 04/08 – Austin, TX – Emo's 04/11 – Orlando, FL – The Vanguard 04/13 – Miami, FL – Fillmore 04/14 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground 04/16 – Norfolk, VA – The Norva 04/17 – Washington, DC – Fillmore Silver Spring 04/18 – Philadelphia, PA – TLA 04/21 – Montreal, QC – Beanfield Theatre 04/23 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall 04/25 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrew's Hall 04/26 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave 04/27 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity

[rabeemichaelspanishblog]

Blog Post 3

La Evolución del Reggaeton:

Reggaeton es un género de música española que tiene influencias de toda América Latina. Es una forma moderna de música popular y electrónica que se originó en Puerto Rico y Panamá en las décadas de 1980 y 1990. En la década de 1990, Reggaeton no era escuchado por mucha gente. La población latina y la población blanca no escuchaban esta música y los solos personas que se identificar con Reggaeton era la población negra. Además, Reggaeton tenía una reputación negativa y estaba asociado con el crimen y la violencia. Pero al fin de los 1990s y el empezar de los 2000s, Reggaeton empezó a ser aceptado por todas las personas.

Mientras Reggaeton había tenido más aceptada, no era muy popular y no era considerado un género popular en todo el mundo. Esto estaba pasando hasta que Daddy Yankee publicó la enorme canción "Gasolina" en 2004. Esta fue la primera canción de Reggaeton nominada a la Canción del Año del Grammy Latino, y es una símbolo de la música española en películas, televisión y otros aspectos de nuestro vida. En 2004, el dinero total que hacer de la música aumentó sólo por 5.3% en los Estados Unidos, un numero mucho menor de que predictó. Sin embargo, durante el mismo año, el dinero total que hacer de la música latina aumentó por 23,6%; este número es comó importante que Gasolina fue para la música latina. Después de Daddy Yankee publicó Gasolina, Reggaeton era un género mundial y dominaba todo de América Latina. Pero, este hecho no se confirmó hasta 2017, cuando la canción "Despacito" de Luis Fonsi y, claro, Daddy Yankee se hizo viral. 

Despacito no era la canción popular normal. Fue una canción que estaba jugando en todos los hogares en el mundo, no sólo en América Latina, en todos los lugares. Con 8,3 mil millones de visitas en Youtube y una participación de Justin Bieber en el remix, Reggaetón rompió su propio techo de cristal. Ahora, hasta en Estados Unidos donde vivo, Reggaeton está en todas partes. Artistas populares como Bad Bunny, Karol G, Pitbull, J Balvin y más cantan Reggaeton. La evolución de este género es loco! Empezando como un tipo de música que tenía críticas negativas y no fue considerada afuera de Latinoamérica. Ahora es uno de los géneros más populares del mundo. 

Esperamos que hayas aprendido muchas cosas sobre la música hispana y su cultura después de leer nuestro blog. Si vas y lees el blog llamado "Preservación Ambiental en Latinoamérica" ​​de Jared Margulis y Ryan Rowe, puedes notar algunas conexiones. Su blog es sobre el medio ambiente y las formas en que se puede protectar. Si tienes buena memoria, recordarás que mi primer blog fue sobre cómo los artistas hispanos influyen cambio social. Un ejemplo específico que usé fue cuando Bad Bunny usó su canción "Estamos Bien" para promotar la ayuda por el huracán en Puerto Rico. Influyó en millones de personas para que ayudaran al medio ambiente destruido por el huracán. Espero que todos ves esta conexión y ¡gracias para leerme el blog de Michael y yo!

-Rabee Singh

“El Chombo Presenta: De Dónde Salío El Reggaeton.” YouTube, May 29, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2xKbG2L0nA&t=25s.

Flynn, Grace. “Reggaetón: Origin and Evolution of a Genre.” Marquette Wire. Accessed November 30, 2023. https://marquettewire.org/4065685/radio/reggaeton-origin-and-evolution-of-a-genre/.

“The Unstoppable Rise of Reggaeton.” Crack Magazine. Accessed November 30, 2023. https://crackmagazine.net/article/what-just-happened/unstoppable-rise-of-reggaeton/.

Simpkins, Kirsty. “Reggaetón: How Latin Music Took over the World.” Mayorga Coffee, July 11, 2023. https://mayorgacoffee.com/blogs/news/how-reggaeton-took-over-the-world.

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La Problema Con Los Grammys Latinas

Primero, es importante saber que España no es parte de América Latina, y es por eso que esta acción generó controversia. El problema es que esto puede doler la identidad de latinos y españoles. Los latinos no son de España. Durante los Grammy, la artista Rosalía cantó algunas canciones. Se encontró con una reacción violenta cuando la gente se preguntaba si un española debería poder ganar y performar en los "Latin Grammy". Algunas personas creen firmemente que esa entrega de premios se llama Grammy "latinos" y que, por lo tanto, los ganadores y los artistas deberían ser de América Latina. 

Creo que la música que utiliza el idioma español se ha generalizado en su conjunto para que sea más fácil de entender para el público de todo el mundo. Lo desafortunado es que esto hace que algunos se sientan no representada ​​en los medios. Como estadounidense, es importante aprender sobre las diferencias en el mundo de habla hispana. Creo que tener premios Grammy totalmente separados para la música hispana limita el potencial del mundo de habla hispana. Creo que llamar a los Grammy "ingleses" Grammy y a los Grammy hispanas "Grammy latinos" muestra que la industria musical piensa en la música hispana como algo completamente diferente. 

Creo que debería haber una entrega de premios principal con algunos premios para canciones que usan el idioma español. Creo que es importante que los artistas de habla hispana estén en la misma entrega de premios que los artistas de habla inglesa para demostrar que no son diferentes y que no necesitan mantenerse separados. Creo que esto permitiría el reconocimiento y una mayor apreciación de todo la música en nuestro mundo.

Muchas gracias por leer las publicaciones de mi blog. Espero que hayas aprendido mucho sobre la importancia del buen intercambio cultural en la música española. Espero que este blog te inspire a escuchar más música hispana porque es un regalo que miembros de la comunidad hispana quieran compartir su cultura con nosotros.

-Michael Rosenberg

[notatrasnota]

Gobierno del Estado se suma al Buen Fin en apoyo a la economía de las familias yucatecas

#viral #NoticiaEnDesarrollo #Tendencias #Noticias #News #Internacional #ULTIMAHORA #viral #Hoy #Actualidad

Sábado, 11 de noviembre de 2023 – Dependencias estatales ponen a disposición promociones, descuentos de hasta el 100% y varias modalidades de pago del 17 al 20 de noviembre. Mérida, Yucatán, 11 de noviembre de 2023.- Con promociones, descuentos de hasta el 100% y varias opciones de pago, dependencias del Gobierno del Estado se suman al Buen Fin, que va del 17 al 20 de este mes, con el objetivo…

[narcisbolgor-blog]

Sprouted Mung Bhel – Healthy Chaat Recipe in just 2 minutes Indian Recipe – Lazeez Pakwaans –

In today's video, i have prepared sprouted bhelpuri in very easy and simple t way.in just 2 minutes . INGREDIENTS :- SEV ONION CUCUMBER SPROUTS CABBAGE LEMON TOMATOES GREEN FRESH CORIANDER CHAT MASALA/AMCHOOR POWDER GREEEN CHILLES Take a bowl of sprouts add all the chopped and slices vegetables add `spices and mix well .

.Sprouted Mung Bhel - Healthy Chaat Recipe Indian Recipe Sprouted moong Bhelpuri tossed with chopeed onion, tomatoes , and cucumber and cabbage to make this delicious healthy chaat .Lazeez Pakwaans | Delicious Foods Recipes | Fast Foods Recipes | Healthy Food Recipes| Professional Cooking By Binte Zainab |

Hello Dear and lovely viewers, sweet and Yummy Subscribers and Delicious and Spicy viewers from around the globe once again i welcome you all to my most amazing food channel where i bring such recipes for you Guys that can be prepared in less time and less ingredients with absolutely huge amount of taste and deliciousness.

Hopefully you will find it quite delicious, healthy, yummy and tasty.

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Healthy Oats Carrot Thalipeeth | Healthy Breakfast Recipe – By Sritha’s Kitchen

Nutritious Oats Carrot Thalipeeth

When we use oats in proper way, it tastes It is very healthy and tasty I added roasted peanuts, carrot and different dry

Personally I would like to have it with pickle, curd and onion, this combination gives awesome

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEJIiw5CSPg

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Healthy Oats Carrot Thalipeeth | Healthy Breakfast Recipe – By Sritha’s Kitchen was originally posted by 11 VA Viral News

[narcisbolgor-blog]

Latinos thrive in radio and TV despite Trump

(CNN)While President Donald Trump was focusing on building a wall along our southern border, a sound barrier across the Western Hemisphere was being shattered by the Latin beat wafting across the airwaves.

Reigning on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart at No. 1 is the Spanish-language song "Despacito (Remix)," featuring Justin Bieber and Puerto Rican- American singers Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee. Not since "Macarena" dominated the coveted slot in 1996 has a Spanish language song soared and reached such crossover acceptance. "Despacito" was already a Spanish-language hit, but it was the remix with Bieber that hurled the song smack into the mainstream.

At a time when many US Latinos are feeling marginalized and under attack from political rhetoric on the right and ineffective representation on the left, Spanish pop songs that galvanize an American audience are a recognition that Latinos are part of the American landscape. In addition, a wellspring of Latino TV roles has begun to counter inflammatory images with contemporary Latino profiles.

After four seasons, Hulu's "East Los High" is ending its run. The teen drama, set in a predominantly Latino high school, became a hit in Atlanta with African-American millennials before it became must-watch TV in Los Angeles. Youth, regardless of race and ethnicity, responded to the series because of its authentic characters and relatable narratives.

Cuba's "Poor Film" festival goes Hollywood

When Carlos Portugal and Kathleen Bedoya created the show, they gave actors Danielle Vega and Vanessa Vasquez a platform from which to both receive a 2015 Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Performer in a New Approaches Drama Series, while breakout performances led Gabriel Chavarria to key roles in "Lowriders" and "War of the Planet of the Apes."

Another actor from "East Los High," J.D. Pardo, was cast in the principal role in FX's "Sons of Anarchy" spinoff "Mayans MC." The writers' room for "East Los High" included predominantly Latino and female writers, such as Evelina Fernandez, Charo Toledo, Luisa Leschin and Nancy De Los Santos.

Just as Showtime's "Resurrection Blvd." did 17 years earlier, a multiyear, Latino-themed show and cast yields experienced creators, writers, actors, producers and skilled tradecraft professionals.

Shows like ABC's "Cristela" and CW's "Jane the Virgin" laid the foundation for a predominantly Latina cast to reboot Norman Lear's "One Day at a Time" on Netflix. America Ferrera's no-nonsense comedic role in NBC's "Superstore" expanded the comedic range for Latinas by providing the yang to Sofia Vergara's over-the-top ying in ABC's "Modern Family."

Latino acting leads have grown substantively in the area of scripted dramas. Wilmer Valderrama's standout performance as the self-assured and cocky Nick Torres on the 14th season of CBS's "NCIS" the second-longest-running US prime-time television scripted series -- reflects the cumulative advancement that Latinx actors have made on many top-billed television shows across networks, cable and streaming services.

Last week, actress Elena Verdugo passed away at age 92 Many remember Verdugo for her role, from 1969 to 1976, as Consuelo Lopez on ABC's "Marcus Welby, M.D." It's hard to believe that, at the time, Elena's supporting role was the most visible and recognizable Latina character ever on seen American TV.

It would take 28 more years before another actress, Eva Longoria, would have that distinction, as Gabrielle Solis on ABC's "Desperate Housewives" -- although actresses Sonia Manzano, Rita Moreno, Lynda Carter, Constance Marie and Jessica Alba also had prominent TV roles during that time.

U.S. will be a lot more Latino by 2060

Although the struggle to include more Latinx characters and story lines to television content has long been documented, the solution has always been to create programming that affords emerging talent an opportunity to build their craft, either behind or in front of the camera.

At times, that opportunity has been the strongest when members of two different marginalized groups work together. Under John Ridley's -- a black screenwriter and film director -- leadership and direction, ABC's "American Crime" crafted complicated and multidimensionally inclusive characters.

Benito Martinez's Emmy-worthy performances in all three seasons -- but, in particular, the most recent one -- portrayed a Mexican middle-class bilingual dad who crosses the border without authorization to retrace his missing son's path to the US Ridley tackled immigration by juxtaposing hate and humanity. "American Crime's" final season accomplished what armies of political talk show pundits could not: It imagined immigration in an understandable and contextual media narrative.

Like Alejandro Gonzlez Irritu's film "Amores Perros," "American Crime" developed overlapping and intersecting hot button and taboo topics that contrasted American lives trying to survive an unforeseen event.

Ridley showcased Latino actors by gifting their characters with integrity, compassion, courage, complexity, grit, determination, flaws and frailty. The show showcased Martinez's acting chops, as well as those of actors Richard Cabral, Elvis Nolasco and Johnny Ortiz, all of whom emerged as polished, experienced and in-demand actors. Ridley, like Norman Lear almost a half century before, mashed up contemporary content with diverse characters.

As English-language shows continue to be crafted to include Latinx, Spanish-language content on Univision ("La Candidata") and Telemundo ("El Seor de los Cielos") have upped the quality and made their telenovela content more appealing and relevant to US audiences. This comes on the heels of Netflix's sweeping and successful original Spanish programming and independent distribution that includes "Narcos," "Club de Cuervos," "Juana Ines," "Ingobernable," "Velvet," and "Gran Hotel."

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Cristela Alonzo (ABC's "The Gospel of Kevin"), John Leguizamo (ABC's "Salamander"), Ian Gomez (CBS' "Living Biblically") and Rosie Perez (NBC's "Rise") return to television's 2017 fall schedule. Critics are already calling ABC's "The Good Doctor," with Nicholas Gonzalez, a bona fide hit. And yet, new shows like" S.W.A.T.," set in Los Angeles, have no Latinx series regulars; similarly, Latinos, who represent 11% of the military, are not cast in CBS' show on US Navy SEALs.

As Justin Bieber sings "[p]asito a pasito," which means one step at a time, the TV doors have begun to swing open in the same manner. Now, if only film studios could follow the lead of music and networks.

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The Kent States you don’t know about

(CNN)On May 4, 1970, 13 seconds of gunfire seemed to bring America to a halt.

On the Midwestern campus of Kent State University, four students had been killed and nine others were injured when Ohio National Guard members opened fire on demonstrators protesting the Guard's presence and the expansion of the Vietnam War.

The event so shocked the nation that more than 500 colleges were shut down as students responded to the killings with outraged protest. Life magazine and Newsweek dedicated cover stories to the incident, with Newsweek and The New York Times famously showcasing the now-iconic photograph of a young woman screaming as she knelt over the body of a Kent State student.

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For those who lived through the time, the reason for the lack of coverage on the other campus shootings is pretty simple: "Kent State was four white students in Ohio," said Gene Young, a former Jackson State professor, when asked by NPR why the tragedies at Jackson State and South Carolina State aren't as prominent in the nation's memory.

"Jackson State and Orangeburg were black colleges in the South," Young continued. "Two black students on a black college campus in Mississippi that had the history of Emmett Till, Medgar Evers, Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner. It was just another day of business as usual, racist law enforcement officials victimizing black people in Mississippi."

In recent years, documentarians, historians and others have worked to rectify the larger public's obliviousness to what happened at Jackson State and South Carolina State, ensuring that the students who lost their lives in protest, like those at Kent State, wouldn't be forgotten.

'Orangeburg Massacre' at South Carolina State

It started with a bowling alley.

In February 1968, students from historically black South Carolina State were protesting segregation at All Star Bowling lanes, the only bowling alley in Orangeburg.

On February 6, the first night of protest, students entered the bowling alley and were denied service, as one student participant recalled to USA Today. They went back a second night, and the tension began to reach a boiling point.

By the third night, on February 8, the student protest against segregation had moved back to campus, where it was later met with violence, as Jack Bass and Jack Nelson chronicle in their book on the incident, "The Orangeburg Massacre."

According to Bass's account, firemen arrived on campus to put out a bonfire erected by students, and state troopers were present to protect the firefighters.

After a tossed banister rail struck one state trooper in the face, 66 armed members of law enforcement lined up around the edge of campus and opened fire.

"Students fled in panic or dived for cover," Bass writes, "many getting shot in their backs and sides and even the soles of their feet."

Eight of the nearly 70 state troopers present that night later told the FBI that they fired their weapons after hearing shots.

By the end, after roughly 10 seconds of gunfire, nearly 30 students were injured and three were dead: Henry Smith, a South Carolina State sophomore; Samuel Hammond, a freshman; and Delano Middleton, a high school student whose mother worked at the school.

"South Carolina State was the first time ever in the history of America that a college student had been killed on their campus for doing absolutely nothing," remarked Cleveland Sellers, a civil rights activist who attended South Carolina State and was involved in the February protests, at a conference on the incident in 2012.

But "unlike Kent State," notes journalist Bass, "the students killed at Orangeburg were black, and the shooting occurred at night, leaving no compelling TV images.

"What happened barely penetrated the nation's consciousness."

30 seconds of gunfire at Jackson State

For its part, Kent State University has made an effort to remember the student lives lost at Jackson State in the wake of its own tragedy.

Nevertheless, another campus shooting in May 1970 has still gone largely unnoticed.

Even before the shootings, Jackson State students had been targeted with harassment and other acts of violence by whites who lived in the area. According to former JSU professor Young, "motorists would drive through the campus making racist (epithets), making (sexual) innuendos against some of the black female students on that campus."

On the night of May 14, The New York Times reported, bottles and rocks were thrown at white drivers passing through -- actions Jackson State students attributed to non-students on campus. A rumor that Charles Evers, mayor of a nearby town and the brother of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers, had been killed only added to the unrest. By midnight, armed local and state police had arrived at Jackson State.

"Things just came to a head when law enforcement officials marched onto the campus in front of Alexander Hall women's dormitory," Young recalled. "Shortly after midnight, a bottle broke on the pavement and law enforcement officials fired over 200 rounds of bullets into a women's dormitory from the bottom floor to the top floor."

The shots lasted 30 seconds, and a 1970 report from the President's Commission on Campus Unrest found that about 400 bullets or pieces of buckshot had been fired into the women's dorm, where witnesses said roughly 100 students were gathered.

According to The New York Times, police said they were responding to sniper fire; the federal investigation didn't find evidence of anyone shooting from the locations police targeted with their weapons.

There were reports of students shouting angrily at the officers and throwing rocks, as Evers acknowledged in a telegram to President Nixon. "I am not saying they were right for throwing rocks," Evers said in his telegram, according to the Times. "But rocks didn't warrant coming in and shooting. They (the police) came out to kill."

Two students died that night: 17-year-old James Earl Green, who was in high school, and 21-year-old Phillip L. Gibbs, a junior at Jackson State and the father of an 18-month-old.

Today, Jackson State, now a university, has the Gibbs-Green Monument, which the school describes as "a permanent memorial to the slain students and a tangible reminder to all students that the Jackson State Tragedy must never be forgotten."

More From this publisher : HERE

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Seth Meyers Defends Michelle Wolf: Sarah Huckabee Sanders Got Off Easy

Seth Meyers has no time for the pearl-clutching over his friend and former writer Michelle Wolfs White House Correspondents Dinner speech.

The Late Night host was the featured comedian at the event seven years ago, a fact that President Donald Trump brought up in his tweet criticizing Wolf Sunday night. Oh good, he said on Monday. Its always good when the eye of Sauron is upon you.

Meyers went on to thank Trump for remembering one of the best nights of his life and informed the president that the filthy comedian in question was Michelle Wolf, who started her professional comedy career on his show.

Now, Michelle Wolf doesnt need anyone to defend her, he said. But she is our friend. So just know, when you call her filthy, you are right. She is filthy. And she is mean, which is what we love about her. Because those are wonderful qualities for comedians and terrible qualities for world leaders.

After playing one of Wolfs infamously filthy appearances on his show, Meyers added, If you ask me, Sarah Huckabee Sanders got off easy.

The host also went after Margaret Talev, president of the White House Correspondents Association, for distancing herself from Wolf after the event. While Talev previously praised Wolfs truth-to-power style, she then put out a statement saying her jokes did not embody the spirit of the night.

Look, the whole point of your dinner is to supposedly celebrate the First Amendment, Meyers said. And Michelle Wolf uses every part of the First Amendment.

He predicted that Wolfs new Netflix show The Break will be a success because shes not going to waste any time trying to decide when it is or isnt proper to make fun of people in power who lie to us on a daily basis.

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Instagram code reveals upcoming music feature

Instagram is preparing to let you add music to your Stories, judging by code found inside its Android app. “music stickers” could let you search for and add a song to your posts, thanks to licensing deals with the major record labels recently struck by Facebook. Instagram is also testing a way to automatically detect a song you’re listening to and display the artist and song title as just a visual label.

Listenable music stickers would make Instagram Stories much more interesting to watch. Amateur video footage suddenly looks like DIY MTV when you add the right score. The feature could also steal thunder from teen lip syncing app sensation Musically, and stumbling rival Snapchat that planned but scrapped a big foray into music. And alongside Instagram Stories’ new platform for sharing posts directly from third-party apps, including Spotify and SoundCloud, these stickers could make Instagram a powerful driver of music discovery.

TechCrunch was first tipped off to the hidden music icons and code from reader Ishan Agarwal. Instagram declined to comment. But Instagram later confirmed three other big features first reported by TechCrunch and spotted by Agarwal that it initially refused to discuss: Focus mode for shooting portraits, QR-scannable Nametags for following people and video calling, which got an official debut at F8.

[Update: Jane Manchun Wong tells TechCrunch she was briefly able to test the feature, as seen in the screenshot above. The prototype design looks a bit janky, and Instagram crashed when she tried to post anything using the music stickers. Beyond the music sticker search interface seen on the right, Wong tells us Instagram automatically detected a song she was currently playing on her phone and created a sticker for it (not using audio recognition like Shazam).]

Facebook and Instagram’s video editing features have been in a sad state for a long time. I wrote about the big opportunity back in 2013, and in 2016 called on both Facebook and Instagram to add more editing features, including soundtracks. Finally in late 2017, Facebook started testing Sound Collection, which lets you add to your videos sound effects and a very limited range of not-popular artists’ songs. But since then, Facebook has secured licensing deals with Sony, Warner, Universal and European labels.

For years, people thought Facebook’s ongoing negotiations with record labels would power some Spotify competitor. But streaming is a crowded market with strong solutions already. The bigger problem for Facebook was that if users added soundtracks themselves using editing software, or a song playing in the background got caught in the recording, those videos could be removed due to copyright complaints from the labels. Facebook’s intention was the opposite — to make it easier to add popular music to your posts so they’d be more fun to consume.

Instagram’s music stickers could be the culmination of all those deals.

How Instagram music stickers work

The code shows that Instagram’s app has an unreleased “Search Music” feature built-in beside its location and friend-mention sticker search options inside Instagram Stories. These “music overlay stickers” can be searched using tabs for “Genres,” “Moods,” and “Trending.” Instagram could certainly change the feature before it’s launched, or scrap it all together. But the clear value of music stickers and the fact that Instagram owned up to the Focus, Nametags and Video Calling features all within three months of us reporting their appearance in the code lends weight to an upcoming launch.

It’s not entirely clear, but it seems that once you’ve picked a song and added it as a music sticker to your Story, a clip of that song will play while people watch. It’s possible that the initial version of the stickers will only display the artist and title of the song similar to Facebook’s activity status updates, rather than actually adding it as a listenable soundtrack.

These stickers will almost surely be addable to videos, but maybe Instagram will let you include them on photos too. It would be great if viewers could tap through the sticker to hear the song or check it out on their preferred streaming service. That could make Instagram the new Myspace, where you fall in love with new music through you friends; there are no indicators in the code about that.

Perhaps Instagram will be working with a particular partner on the feature, like it did with Giphy for its GIF stickers. Spotify, with its free tier and long-running integrations with Facebook dating back to the 2011 Open Graph ticker, would make an obvious choice. But Facebook might play it more neutral, powering the feature another way, or working with a range of providers, potentially including Apple, YouTube, SoundCloud and Amazon.

Several apps like Sounds and Soundtracking have tried to be the “Instagram for music.” But none have gained mass traction because it’s hard to tell if you like a song quickly enough to pause your scrolling, staring at album art isn’t fun, users don’t want a whole separate app for this and Facebook and Instagram’s algorithms can bury cross-posts of this content. But Stories — with original visuals that are easily skippable, natively created and consumed in your default social app — could succeed.

Getting more users wearing headphones or turning the sound on while using Instagram could be a boon to the app’s business, as advertisers all want to be heard, as well as seen. The stickers could also get young Instagrammers singing along to their favorite songs the way 60 million Musically users do. In that sense, music could spice up the lives of people who otherwise might not appear glamorous through Stories.

Music stickers could let Instagram beat Snapchat to the punch. Leaked emails from the 2014 Sony hack showed Snap CEO Evan Spiegel was intent on launching a music video streaming feature or even creating Snapchat’s own record label. But complications around revenue-sharing negotiations and the potential to distract the team and product from Snapchat’s core use case derailed the project. Instead, Snap has worked with record labels on Discover channels and augmented reality lenses to promote new songs. But Snapchat still has no sound board or soundtrack features, leaving some content silent or drowned in random noise.

With the right soaring strings, the everyday becomes epic. With the perfect hip-hop beat, a standard scene gains swagger. And with the hottest new dance hook, anywhere can be a party. Instagram has spent the past few years building all conceivable forms of visual flair to embellish your photos and videos. But it’s audio that could be the next dimension of Stories.

For more on the future of Stories, read our feature pieces:

Stories are about to surpass feed sharing. Now what?

Facebook and Instagram Stories open to sharing from other apps

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Ryan Reynolds Reveals His Lifelong Battle With Anxiety, Shares Intimate Details No One Expects From Man Like Him

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Ryan Reynolds has started a conversation around anxiety, after opening up about his personal battle with the condition in an interview with the New York Times.

“I have anxiety, I’ve always had anxiety,” Reynolds told journalist Cara Buckley. “Both in the lighthearted ‘I’m anxious about this’ kind of thing, and I’ve been to the depths of the darker end of the spectrum, which is not fun.”

It was certainly an unexpected statement from a guy who seemingly has it all: a kickass acting career, a beautiful family, a wicked sense of humor and who is generally described as the coolest and most handsome man in Hollywood.

But anxiety does not care for status, and can affect anyone. Reynolds has struggled with it since childhood, partly as a result of his former police officer father, whom he referred to as “the stress dispensary in our house.” While Reynolds doesn’t look back on his childhood with any regrets, he loved his father dearly and named his daughter James in honor of him, being overly cautious not to cause a confrontation clearly took its toll. “I became this young skin-covered micromanager,” he said. “When you stress out kids, there’s a weird paradox that happens because they’re suddenly taking on things that aren’t theirs to take on.”

The interview revealed that Reynolds gets overcome with “dread and nausea before every talk-show appearance and becomes quite convinced he might die.” Even before the New York Times interview he had barely eaten all day, because “interviews for profiles make him crazy jittery too.” So how does he deal with being constantly in the media spotlight, with such a debilitating condition? Doing interviews in character seems to help him, as he finds refuge in being someone else. “When the curtain opens, I turn on this knucklehead, and he kind of takes over and goes away again once I walk off set,” he said. “That’s that great self-defense mechanism, I figure if you’re going to jump off a cliff, you might as well fly.”

He also revealed that he uses a meditation app to help calm the nerves, while stability, resisting the urge to self-medicate and generally looking after himself contribute greatly too. And he is certainly not alone in his struggles. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety is the most common mental disorder in the country with over 40 million adults affected each year. Reynolds has done something important by opening up the discussion around the condition, which responds well to treatment yet only 36% of those affected actively seek assistance.

Scroll down below to see how people reacted and related to Reynolds’ interview, and let us know what you think in the comments!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Ryan Reynolds has started a conversation around anxiety

Image credits: Magdalena Wosinska

After opening up about his personal battle with the condition in a candid interview for the New York Times

Image credits: vancityreynolds

“I have anxiety, I’ve always had anxiety”

Image credits: Magdalena Wosinska

“Both in the lighthearted ‘I’m anxious about this’ kind of thing, and I’ve been to the depths of the darker end of the spectrum, which is not fun”

Image credits: vancityreynolds

Despite being a well-known actor, he still has stage fright to the point where he “gets wracked by dread and nausea before every talk-show appearance and becomes quite convinced he might die”

Image credits: Cris Pizzello

In fact, he had barely eaten the day of this interview because “interviews for profiles make him crazy jittery too”

Image credits: vancityreynolds

“During his ABC sitcom days, he chose to warm up the audience, mostly to redirect his panic or, as he describes it, “the energy of just wanting to throw up””

Image credits: VancityReynolds

He also opened up about the difficult relationship with his police officer father, calling him the “stress dispensary in our house”

Image credits: Getty

To keep his father from lashing out, he always kept the house immaculate: “I became this young skin-covered micro manager”

Image credits: VancityReynolds

“When you stress out kids, there’s a weird paradox that happens because they’re suddenly taking on things that aren’t theirs to take on

Image credits: Getty

He is known for his sarcastic humor which in some cases can be used to mask the anxiety

Image credits: VancityReynolds

Image credits: VancityReynolds

Image credits: VancityReynolds

Doing interviews in character seems to help him, as he finds refuge in being someone else

Image credits: vancityreynolds

 “When the curtain opens, I turn on this knucklehead, and he kind of takes over and goes away again once I walk off set”

Image credits: vancityreynolds

He uses a meditation app to help calm the nerves, while resisting the urge to self-medicate and generally looking after himself help a lot too

Image credits: vancityreynolds

Other people could relate to his struggles

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The cellist heard around the word at the Royal Wedding is just 19-years-old

Image:  Lars Borges/Kensington Palace via Getty Images

It seemed like the entire world tuned in on Saturday to watch Prince Harry and Meghan Markle get married at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

While all eyes were on the happy couple, ears were dazzled when 19-year-old cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason took the stage to perform for the wedding's guests. 

SEE ALSO: We defy you not to sob uncontrollably at these photos of Harry and Meghan getting married

During the Signing of the Register @ShekuKM and the Orchestra perform #RoyalWedding pic.twitter.com/AVpGngrfBv

— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) May 19, 2018

Those watching the grand celebration from home jumped to social media to express their newfound love for Kanneh-Mason's playing.

The one and only best thing about that wedding was this kid’s performance. I’ve not seen a cellist with such grace and beauty and feeling! Sheku Kanneh-Mason stole the show...stole my heart. #yeaimcheesylikethat #sheku @ShekuKM pic.twitter.com/LPDy6KmcwT

— mct (@maricari) May 19, 2018

And just when you thought the stars had left the building, Sheku Kanneh-Mason comes in and shuts it down. #royalwedding

— Ally Condie (@allycondie) May 19, 2018

Who fell in love with Sheku Kanneh-Mason today? @ShekuKM #RoyalWedding pic.twitter.com/NS2u6EJCAU

— Decca Records (@DeccaRecords) May 19, 2018

“Alexa, please play Sheku Kanneh-Mason” https://t.co/DsrCYJLQ5N

— Karen Travers (@karentravers) May 19, 2018

While Kanneh-Mason's delicate skill speaks volumes, his endearing journey has been well documented on his Twitter account. 

"I’m so excited and honoured to perform at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding. I was bowled over when Ms Markle called me to ask if I would play during the ceremony," he tweeted in April.

He also shared photos of himself on his way to the wedding.

On my way to perform at the #RoyalWedding pic.twitter.com/kZLtXzRGnZ

— Sheku Kanneh-Mason (@ShekuKM) May 19, 2018

As well as a snap with Bishop Michael Curry. 

With @PB_Curry ahead of the service #royalwedding pic.twitter.com/xYaq0pU0GU

— Sheku Kanneh-Mason (@ShekuKM) May 19, 2018

If the wedding didn't fill the void in your cello-less heart, here's a live performance from Kanneh-Mason covering Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry."

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WATCH: To protect your loose change from sneaky thieves, use this maze puzzle box

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Snapchat launches Spectacles V2, camera glasses youll actually wear

Photos, not just video. No yellow ring alerting people to the camera. Underwater-capable. Classier colors with lighter lenses. Prescription options. Faster syncing. And a much slimmer frame and charging case. Snapchat fixed the biggest pain points of its Spectacles camera sunglasses with V2, which launch today for $150

You can check out our snazzy hands-on demo video below:

The new Spectacles go on sale today in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and France, then in 13 more European countries on May 3. The $150 V2s are $20 more than the old version and only available on Snap’s app and site — no Amazon, pop-up stores or vending SnapBots. And V1 owners will get a firmware update that lets them take photos.

After two days of use, I think Spectacles V2 cross the threshold from clumsy novelty to creative tool accessible to the mainstream. And amidst user growth struggles, that’s what Snap needs right now.  

V1 was to get people comfortable

What Snap doesn’t need is a privacy scandal, and that risk is the trade-off it’s making with its more discreet Spectacles design. They still display a little circle of white lights while recording, but with the permanent yellow ring on the corner removed, you might not notice there’s a camera lens there. That could make people a little nervous and creeped out.

But the company’s VP of hardware Mark Randall tells me he thinks the true purpose of V1 was to get people comfortable wearing and being recorded by a face computer. It certainly wasn’t a consumer success, with less than half of owners using them after the first month. He said he feels pretty good about shipping 220,000 pairs. Yet Snapchat was roundly mocked for taking a $40 million write-off after making hundreds of thousands too many. Randall attributes that to having fragmented sales channels, which Snap is fixing by only selling V2 itself so it can better predict demand.

Snap did learn that users wanted to take photos, get them in less flashy coral colors, bring Spectacles to the beach, pair them quicker with better resolution exports and hear less wind noise when moving. And most importantly, they wanted something they didn’t feel weird wearing. So Randall’s team essentially scrapped the yellow warning ring, style, architecture, chipset and electronics to build a better V2 from the ground up. The result rises high above its predecessor.

[gallery columns="4" type="slideshow" ids="1628988,1628989,1628987,1628990"]

The specs of Spectacles V2

Snapchat isn’t making a spectacle out of the Spectacles V2 launch. There’s no hidden vending machines with cryptic clues leading to long lines. They’re openly for sale today in Snap’s four top markets, with IE, BE, NL, SE, NO, DK, FI, DE, AT, CH, PL, ES and IT coming next week. This might make sure everyone who wants them can have them before they inevitably stop being trendy and will have to rely on their true value.

As soon as you slide them out of their tennis ball tube package, you’ll notice a higher build quality in Spectacles V2. The yellow case is about 1/3 smaller, so you could squeeze it in some pants pockets or easily throw it in a jacket or purse. The old version basically required a backpack. The charging port has also been moved to the side so it doesn’t fall out so easily. Even with the better hardware, Spectacles are supposed to have enough battery and memory to record and transfer 70 videos over a week on a normal charge, plus carry four extra charges in the case.

The Spectacles themselves feel sleeker and less like chunky plastic. They come in onyx black, ruby red and sapphire blue and you can choose between a more mirrored or natural lens color too. Users in the U.S. can order them with prescription lenses through Lensabl. Those colors are a lot more mature than the childish coral pink and teal of V1. More transparent lenses make them easier to use in lower light, so you won’t be restricted to just the sunniest days, though they’re still UVA and UVB rated. I could even get by inside to some degree, whereas I was bumping into things indoors with V1.

The box holding the hardware on the hinges is now much smaller, making them lighter and shallower overall. An extra microphone helps Spectacles reduce wind noise and balance out conversations so the wearer doesn’t sound way louder.

It’s easy to long-press for a photo or tap for 10-second video, with extra taps extending the clip up to 30 seconds. Either fires up the light ring to let people know you’re recording, but this is much more subtle than the permanent yellow ring that was there on V1. You can only add stickers and drawings after you shoot and export your Spectacles Snaps, so that means there’s no adding augmented reality face filters or dancing hot dogs to what you see first-person.

Syncing goes much faster with Spectacles V2

Snap Inc. actually reduced the field of vision for Spectacles from 115 to 105 degrees to cut off some of the fish-eye warping that happened to the edges of clips shot on V1. Videos now record in 1216 x 1216 pixels, while photos are 1642 x 1642. What’s fun is that Spectacles can record under water. Randall doesn’t recommend diving to 200 feet with them, but jumping in the pool or getting caught in the rain will be no problem. In fact, it can make for some pretty trippy visuals. Cheddar’s Alex Heath nailed most of these features in a scoop about V2 last month.

Syncing to your phone now just requires Bluetooth and a seven-second press of the shutter button, rather than a shoddy QR code scan. Exports always happens in HD over Specs’ internal Wi-Fi now, and transfers go four times quicker than the old process that required you to sync standard definition (low-quality) versions of videos first, then pick your favorites, then download them in HD. Randall says that led lots of people to accidentally or impatiently settle for SD content, which made Spectacles’ capture resolution seem much lower than its potential.

Unfortunately, Snapchat is what’s holding Spectacles back. You can only sync your Spectacles to Snapchat Memories first before exporting videos individually or as one big Story to your camera roll. That makes it a pain to share them elsewhere. If Snap wants to be a hardware giant, it can’t just build accompaniments to its own app. It needs to catch the attention of all kinds of photographers, not just those who already love Snapchat. I do wish they could share directly to Instagram, and barring that is a weighty strategy choice.

What really matters, though, is the how the incremental improvements all add up to something much more livable.

Keeping Snapchat spectacular

Snapchat may have finally found a way to make Spectacles carryable and wearable enough that people use them as their default sunglasses. That could lead to way more content being produced from Spectacles, which in turn could make Snapchat more interesting at a time when it’s desperate to differentiate from Instagram with something tough to copy.

Randall says Snap is just starting to reach out to professional creators, who could prove to people how fun Spectacles could be. Snap neglected them last time around and ended up with few pieces of flagship Spectacles content. This time, though, Snap will focus on showing off what Spectacles can shoot rather than just how they look on your face. It’s even going to run its own in-app ads promoting Spectacles that will let you swipe up to buy them instantly.

Snap Inc. calls itself a camera company, but beyond software, that wasn’t really true until now. It could be a half-decade before we have AR goggles for the masses, and Snap can’t wait around for that. V2 is a solid step forward, and Randall says Snap is committed to a long road of hardware releases.

Getting tons of its cash-strapped teens to buy the gadget may prove difficult again, but I at least expect V2s won’t end up dying alone in a drawer as often. These glasses aren’t going to turn around Snapchat’s business, which lost $443 million last quarter. And they probably won’t win over any Instagram loyalists. But Spectacles V2 could rekindle the interest of lapsed users while producing unique points of view to entertain those who never left. And if they don’t sell well, Snap at least is working the kinks out of its hardware iteration process that could pave the way for a killer product in the future.

The startup was always about communicating visually, and what better way than to lend someone your perspective of the world. Snap may have broken the Google Glass curse.

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You Could Ride Elon Musks Prototype Hyperloop Tunnel For Free In A Few Months

Looks like Elon Musk was pretty serious about building that tunnel. The SpaceX and Tesla CEO has shared a video of a small segment that’s been built in Los Angeles, and he says the public will be able to ride it for free in a few months.

Back in December 2016, Musk tweeted that traffic in LA was driving him nuts. “Am going to build a tunnel boring machine and just start digging,” he said.

-

It all seemed like a bit of a joke at the time. But then he set up a company called The Boring Company, showing off pictures of an actual boring machine, and things got a bit more serious.

In April 2017 he showed off a video of how this tunnel might work. Cars would be transported underground in a lift, and then travel along at high speeds on little sledges, beating the traffic up above.

Musk has been having a bit of fun with the company, using it to sell hats and flamethrowers. He also, however, kept saying they were seriously looking at building tunnels underground to transport people and cars.

In a video posted on Instagram, Musk said their first tunnel under LA was almost done. “Pending final regulatory approvals, we will be offering free rides to the public in a few months,” he said. The tunnel at the moment is pretty short, with some suggestions it won’t be big enough to fit a Tesla as originally planned. Still, it’s pretty cool.

 “As mentioned in prior posts, once fully operational (demo system rides will be free), the system will always give priority to pods for pedestrians & cyclists for less than the cost of a bus ticket,” he added.

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It looks like the tunnel has evolved a bit from Musk’s original design, and it’s now going to be used for Hyperloop. That, of course, was Musk’s idea in 2013 to build vacuum-sucked tunnels to transport people at extremely high speeds.

On Twitter Musk said they were already starting a route from Washington DC to New York, and one from Los Angeles to San Francisco would begin next year. “That will be true Hyperloop with pressurized pods in near vacuum tunnels and faster than a jetliner,” he said.

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Musk originally said he was “too busy” to develop Hyperloop himself, but was simply putting the idea in the public domain. Now it looks like he’s in the game, which might not be music to the ears of other Hyperloop companies that sprung up to work on it.

Still, it looks like things are progressing faster than expected. Is Musk actually going to make Hyperloop a reality? Don’t put it past him.

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Can You Spot All Five Ticks On This Muffin? CDC Creeps Out Internet With Horrific Viral Post

If you love muffins and hate ticks, you might want to look away because things are about to get pretty grim. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have tweeted a photo of a muffin that has ruined muffins for everybody.

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They tweeted the photo on Friday, under the caption:

"Ticks can be the size of a poppy seed. Can you spot all 5 ticks in this photo? Learn how to prevent tick bites."

People are especially grossed out because they're really, really difficult to spot.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Did you spot them? Here, take a closer look.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

We assume you've seen them now, but if not go back and take a closer look just above the crack in the muffin. There you'll see several of the critters hanging out on the icing.

The post, as well as being a fun way to really gross out the Internet, is part of a campaign by the CDC to raise awareness of tick, mosquito, and flea-borne diseases. Disease cases from these three insects tripled in the US between 2004 and 2016, according to the CDC, with nine new germs spread by mosquitos and ticks being discovered (or introduced) since 2004.

More than 640,000 cases have been reported between 2004 and 2016.

The CDC advise taking preventative steps to avoid direct contact with ticks, including staying away from wooded areas or areas with high grass. However, if you do go into areas infested with ticks, they recommend you shower as soon as possible (preferably within 2 hours) to wash off any ticks that might be crawling on you.

Then do a full check of your body with a mirror to look for ticks in hard-to-see areas. You can also tumble dry your clothes on a high heat for 10 minutes (wet clothes may take longer) in order to kill the ticks after you've returned home. 

You can read the CDC's full advice on their website if you're already feeling mysteriously itchy.

Hate ticks? Did you know they can also cause "reverse zombie-ism"?

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You're welcome.

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A woman of color joining the royal family is a big moment for Britain

(CNN)Prince Harry is very much his mother's son. As he grew from boy to man, the nation fell in love with his cheeky, fun-loving personality and his natural warmth and kindness.

The burning question on every royal watcher's lips was: "Who would snare Britain's most eligible bachelor?" The answer took everyone by surprise.

Harry didn't end up with the sort of person everyone thought he would -- a wife born and bred in the upper echelons of British society. Instead, he fell head over heels with someone who has already done more to shake up the royal family since his mother, Princess Diana, did in the 1980s.

The first thing to put unequivocally on the record is that this, clearly, is a union based on love. It's not a statement about race relations or an attempt to recreate a Benetton ad. Here are two people who are crazy about each other.

However, Meghan Markle marrying into the royal family is a seminal moment in the evolution of British society precisely because she is not from the traditional background that one expects a British royal to mix with.

Meghan is from a modest background compared to Harry's previous partners: she was married before and is a divorcee; her parents split when she was young; she was effectively raised by a single parent; and most interesting of all, as well as being a celebrity, she is a woman of color.

On the road with Harry and Meghan

This is a big deal. Britain likes to pride itself on being a tolerant, inclusive and multicultural society. Yet it still clings to rigid class structure and at the very top is the royal family -- the pinnacle and global symbol of elitism.

Power and privilege in Britain are still very white and exclusive. Barely 3% of Britain's most powerful and influential people are from black and minority ethnic groups according to a study by the Guardian and Operation Black Vote from last September.

Of course, people of color would be invited to big royal events, but often in an official capacity rather than as a personal friend of the family. High society is still very closed on class and race.

While many historians argue that Britain had its first black queen in 1761 when Princess Sophia Charlotte married King George III at the age of 17, her place, status and contribution to the royal family are not well known because she was near enough airbrushed from public record.

Meghan Markle is, of course, having a very different experience. While Markle is unlikely to be our Queen, she is the first person of color in modern history to enter the hallowed, magic circle that is the royal family. And this means something particularly in terms of where politics, culture and social issues are right now.

Cupid's bow has gifted the royal family a unique opportunity to open itself up and show the country and the world that it can more than just tolerate diversity and modernity -- it can live it.

It is telling that the Queen herself has welcomed Meghan so warmly: that very much set the tone. However, it hasn't all been plain sailing. The British media was warned about its coverage of Meghan, which the palace rightly complained had a nasty tone. And of course, there has been blatant racism.

But it's this that makes Meghan so interesting. We will have in our royal family, for the first time, someone who has experienced racism and prejudice. She will have an empathy that will mean a lot to people of color -- not just in Britain, but around the world. That ability to be a role model who can connect and walk in someone else's shoes will be a rare and vital quality. And Harry knows that better than anyone.

Original Article : HERE ; This post was curated & posted using : RealSpecific

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A woman of color joining the royal family is a big moment for Britain was originally posted by 11 VA Viral News