#Industry regulations

[accountingsource]

Outsourcing Accounting: 5 Tips to Generate Buy-In

Bookkeeping. Financial reporting. Financial analysis and planning. Tax compliance. Industry regulations. Audit support. These are just a few of the responsibilities your business’s finance and accounting function face. Especially for small or growing businesses without a fully staffed finance department, there can be gaps in capabilities and expertise or simply not enough time for all the complex tasks that need to get done.

Sometimes, the answer is to hire internally. Other times, growing your internal team might be cost prohibitive, or won’t necessarily address your specific challenges. As a solution, more and more businesses are outsourcing some or all of their accounting services to fill internal skills gaps, deliver supplementary support during a busy season, or provide assistance as the business scales. Some of the reasons your business may outsource finance and accounting services include:

·       Cost effectiveness: Rather than hiring internally for all of the finance and accounting skills a growing business needs, it can be more cost effective to outsource some or all of these services as you grow your team over time.

·       Access to tools and expertise: Outside accounting firms are in the business of finance and accounting. They have a range of expertise and tools at their disposal to support you as needed—expertise and tools that may be too expensive for you to hire for or maintain internally.

·       Flexibility: Using a third-party accounting firm gives you flexibility to get the services and consultation you need, when you need it, as well as to increase or decrease their level of support as your business ebbs and flows.

·       More focus on your mission: Outsourcing your accounting services to accounting experts frees up more time and resources to focus on your own expertise—your business’s work and mission—without getting bogged down by the complexities of bookkeeping and accounting.

Despite the many benefits of outsourcing, it can be challenging to convince your stakeholders it’s the right move. Here are 5 straightforward tips to help you discuss outsourcing accounting services to get the buy-in you need:

1. Clearly articulate the challenge outsourcing your accounting services will solve.

First, pinpoint what you need help with. Is there a skills gap on your current team? Do you need to augment internal resources during a busy season? Do you need guidance with tax compliance or an upcoming audit? Clearly articulate the challenge outsourcing will solve.

Also read: 4 Reasons the Outsourced Finance Function Is Trending

2. Provide evidence of how outsourcing accounting services will solve your challenge.

In building your case that outsourcing accounting services is right for your business, be prepared to present your stakeholders with evidence that outsourcing will solve your challenge. This evidence can take the form of case studies or testimonials demonstrating how other businesses solved similar challenges through outsourcing. You may also provide statistics showing the prevalence of outsourcing in your industry.

3. Consider your stakeholders’ concerns and be sure to address them.

Before talking to your stakeholders about outsourcing, think about the concerns they may have that could be a barrier to their buy-in. Are they concerned about cost? Do they have a negative perception of outsourcing? Are they worried about the time it may take to onboard and interface with a third-party provider? Anticipate these potential barriers and be prepared to address them head-on.

4. Be clear about what your accounting services provider will and won’t do.

Outsourcing your accounting services isn’t all or nothing. If you engage outsourced services, what tasks will they be responsible for, and what tasks will they not do? Prepare a list of “will do” and “won’t do” items so that your stakeholders have clear expectations from the start.

5. Back up your request with the expected ROI of hiring an outside accounting firm.

Prior to your conversation with your stakeholders, perform a cost-benefit analysis of outsourcing accounting services. Gather a few quotes from third-party accounting firms, and compare the numbers against the cost of using existing personnel or hiring internally to cover those services. Estimate the return on investment of outsourcing, and present this to your stakeholders as proof that outsourcing makes sense for your business.

There are many ways a third-party finance and accounting services firm can support your business. While talking to your stakeholders about outsourcing such an important function and convincing them it’s the right choice may seem intimidating, going into the conversation prepared will help generate buy-in.

Outsourcing finance and accounting services is cost-effective, reduces risk, and gives your business experts to tap into when needed. Far from detracting from your core business, outsourcing is a great resource to help your business achieve its goals.

Are you ready to have an experienced accounting team on your side? Learn how outsourcing with Scrubbed can benefit your business by solving capacity issues, improving efficiency, scaling effectively, providing support with tax planning, navigating risks, and more. Scrubbed provides full-service accounting, corporate finance, tax planning and compliance, and other financial services to support growing businesses across the globe, with solutions that are scalable, practical, cost-effective, and technology-driven. Contact us to get started.

[oceantruckingllc]

In logistics transportation services in Washington, efficiency and reliability are paramount. Private chassis, owned and maintained by companies like Ocean Trucking LLC, offer a myriad of advantages that enhance operational effectiveness and streamline processes. Utilizing private chassis can significantly improve the management of freight transportation, providing solutions that meet specific business needs.

[hotcupoteckla]

The above link is from IBM.

The article is about the different types of AI that exist and that IBM aspires to create.

They say there we are currently in the "Narrow AI" or "Weak AI" phase of AI development.

That a computer is capable of narrow tasks, and needs to be trained by humans and cannot reason as well has human beings do is what makes it considered as "Narrow" or "Weak"

In order to achieve the Strong AI goal, which is called Strong because it is comparable to Human levels of cognition and computation and creativity, the inventors and programmers are developing Emotion AI - an artificial intelligence capable of interpreting human emotions and responding to them.

The current ChatGPT that has everyone losing their shit about job replacements, etc?

It's not good at reading faces or emotional states of faces. Its only good at text based tasks.

Dalle 2 is good at recombining art inputs and recombining them to match a text prompt.

There are other facial recognition ai softwares out there, but that's just recognizing proportions and shapes on a face to confirm whether a person matches a dataset already contained in their database.

It’s not perfect yet, but it's scary close in regards to privacy and being able to keep any. And that's not even recognizing facial shifts from emotions.

And all of these are run by computers, which are run by programmers, so all it takes is a programmer who isn't being paid enough, or is trapped in a boring or criminal situation to exploit it, and nobody is really keeping any of their fancy machines secure because they're not willing to pay the money to actually keep their things secure, because sometimes it costs less to pay off the hackers.

Oh, and everyone is both encouraged to be a programmer and learn computer languages for the financial gains they could get, and discouraged from learning programming because "its so hard and finicky details and poor working environments with assholes" and is listed as optional courses in our education system instead of as its own branch of Science education to qualify for HS graduation.

So where does that leave us?

It leaves us with teaching our kids how to code.

It leaves us with making sure we elect people who know a thing or two about how computers work in order to better regulate the industries that are forcing compliance lest they be left behind economically.

But most of all, it's on us to not spread bad information(even satirically like adastra attempted) and to regulate industry so that nobody else has to die at the gears of robots because they're too busy executing their programming to notice us there.

The Robot Uprising Began in 1979

source: X

On January 25, 1979, Robert Williams became the first person (on record at least) to be killed by a robot, but it was far from the last fatality at the hands of a robotic system.

Williams was a 25-year-old employee at the Ford Motor Company casting plant in Flat Rock, Michigan. On that infamous day, he was working with a parts-retrieval system that moved castings and other materials from one part of the factory to another. 

The robot identified the employee as in its way and, thus, a threat to its mission, and calculated that the most efficient way to eliminate the threat was to remove the worker with extreme prejudice.

"Using its very powerful hydraulic arm, the robot smashed the surprised worker into the operating machine, killing him instantly, after which it resumed its duties without further interference."

A news report about the legal battle suggests the killer robot continued working while Williams lay dead for 30 minutes until fellow workers realized what had happened. 

Many more deaths of this ilk have continued to pile up. A 2023 study identified that robots have killed at least 41 people in the USA between 1992 and 2017, with almost half of the fatalities in the Midwest, a region bursting with heavy industry and manufacturing.

For now, the companies that own these murderbots are held responsible for their actions. However, as AI grows increasingly ubiquitous and potentially uncontrollable, how might robot murders become ever-more complicated, and whom will we hold responsible as their decision-making becomes more self-driven and opaque?

[aheliotech]

Why Archive Your Information?

New Post has been published on https://www.aheliotech.com/blog/why-archive-your-information/

Why Archive Your Information?

Archiving is a critical component of any organization’s records management strategy. It involves the secure storage of inactive information for extended periods, preserving data that may be needed in the future according to retention schedules. Archiving allows your organization to tackle compliance issues and leverage opportunities that come with having a centralized system of record and the ability to store communications quickly and efficiently. This process is sometimes overlooked by organizations, but it is critical to business operations.  

  Why Does Your Company Need an Archiving Method?

Preventing Data Loss: One of the top benefits of archiving is preventing data loss within organizations. Effective archiving systems protect against data loss and ensure that valuable information is preserved. 

Decreasing Operating Expenses: Archiving allows you to store data on affordable devices, saving energy and data center costs.  

Improving Document Security: Archiving improves document security by ensuring that sensitive or valuable information is stored securely. This is especially important for compliance with various laws and regulations. 

Compliance and Legal Requirements: Organizations must comply with governmental regulations, legal obligations, and intellectual property requirements. Proper archiving provides audit and legal proof in case of related incidents. 

Enhancing Productivity: Access to archived data is easier and faster, allowing employees to focus on other important tasks instead of spending time managing archive data. 

Data Lifecycle Management: Managing data becomes easier when unused data is archived, leaving the organization with fewer records to process. 

  Why Archive Now?

 The need for compliance and industry regulations continues to increase. Businesses are discovering challenges regarding discovery, implementation, audits, litigation and sometimes personal liability for employees. While archiving does not prevent these scenarios, it helps a business stay ahead of changing regulations while maintaining an elevated level of compliance with a simple interface that is easy to access. Archiving also increases efficiency by removing unnecessary documents from everyday access.  

Contact AhelioTech today to learn more about our Archiving Solutions. We are here to help you implement and select the plan that meets the specific needs of your organization.   

[constructionsafetynetwork]

Certifications and Courses for Construction Safety Professionals: Your Guide to Excellence

The construction industry is inherently dynamic, with projects ranging from towering skyscrapers to sprawling highways. Each project brings its own set of challenges and potential hazards. Given the intricate machinery, tight deadlines, and diverse workforce, the emphasis on safety cannot be overstated. For professionals aiming to lead the charge in ensuring secure work environments, diving deep…

[gammax-inspections]

The Silent Menace: How Welding Defects Can Compromise Structural Integrity

Welding is a critical process widely used in various industries, including construction, manufacturing, and automotive. While it is an essential technique for joining metal components, welding defects can pose a silent menace to structural integrity. In this article, we will explore the different types of welding defects, their impact on structural integrity, common causes, preventive measures, industry standards, the role of non-destructive testing (NDT), and real-life case studies to shed light on this critical issue.

Understanding Welding Defects

Welding defects refer to imperfections or irregularities that occur during the welding process, resulting in compromised joint strength and quality. These defects can manifest in various forms and have the potential to weaken the structural integrity of welded components.

Types of Welding Defects

There are several types of welding defects that can occur, including:

Porosity: Porosity refers to the presence of gas pockets within the weld metal, reducing its strength and load-bearing capacity.

Incomplete Fusion: This defect occurs when the weld metal does not fuse completely with the base metal, leading to weak joints.

Cracks: Cracks can develop in the weld due to excessive stress, inadequate cooling, or improper welding techniques.

Undercutting: Undercutting is the formation of grooves or depressions along the weld edges, resulting in reduced strength.

Distortion: Distortion refers to the deformation or warping of the welded component caused by uneven heating or cooling.

Impact of Welding Defects on Structural Integrity

Welding defects can have severe consequences on the structural integrity of welded joints and components. Understanding these impacts is crucial to prevent catastrophic failures and ensure the safety of structures and equipment.

Reduced Load-Bearing Capacity

Defective welds have lower strength compared to properly welded joints. This reduction in load-bearing capacity can compromise the overall structural integrity of welded components, leading to potential failures under stress or excessive loads.

Increased Vulnerability to Fatigue

Welding defects can create stress concentration points, making the welded joints more susceptible to fatigue failure. Fatigue failure occurs over time when repeated stress cycles weaken the weld, eventually resulting in cracks and fractures.

Potential for Cracks and Fractures

Welding defects, such as incomplete fusion or cracks, can initiate cracks within the weld or adjacent base metal. These cracks can propagate under load or cyclic stress, eventually leading to catastrophic fractures, compromising the structural integrity of the entire component.

Common Causes of Welding Defects

To address welding defects effectively, it is essential to identify their underlying causes. Several factors contribute to the occurrence of welding defects:

Inadequate Welding Techniques

Improper welding techniques, such as incorrect heat settings, incorrect electrode angle, or inadequate weld pool control, can result in welding defects. Lack of proper training and experience can lead to suboptimal welding practices.

Poor Welder Training and Skills

Insufficient knowledge, lack of training, or inadequate skills in welding can contribute to the occurrence of defects. Welders should receive comprehensive training and stay updated with the latest welding techniques and best practices.

Insufficient Quality Control Measures

Inadequate quality control measures, such as limited inspection and monitoring during the welding process, can allow defects to go unnoticed. Lack of quality assurance protocols and insufficient adherence to welding standards can contribute to the prevalence of defects.

Preventive Measures for Welding Defects

Addressing welding defects requires a proactive approach that encompasses various preventive measures:

Proper Welding Procedures

Following established welding procedures and techniques is crucial for minimizing defects. Welding procedures should be developed and documented, specifying parameters, materials, and techniques required for each welding application.

Skilled and Certified Welders

Employing skilled and certified welders ensures that welding tasks are performed by individuals with the necessary expertise. Certification programs and regular training help enhance welders' skills, ensuring high-quality workmanship.

Thorough Quality Assurance and Inspection

Implementing comprehensive quality assurance measures, including inspection plans, non-destructive testing (NDT), and weld monitoring, can significantly reduce the occurrence of defects. Regular inspections help identify potential issues early on, allowing for timely corrections.

Industry Standards and Regulations

To maintain welding quality and structural integrity, industries rely on established codes, standards, and regulations:

Welding Codes and Standards

International and national welding codes and standards provide guidelines for welding practices, inspection, and quality control. These codes ensure uniformity, safety, and quality in welding processes across industries.

Certification and Compliance Requirements

Industries often require welders, welding procedures, and welding equipment to meet specific certification and compliance requirements. Adhering to these requirements ensures that welding processes are conducted to established standards, reducing the risk of defects.

The Role of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT)

Non-destructive testing (NDT) plays a vital role in assessing weld quality without causing damage to the tested components. NDT techniques allow for the detection of defects and discontinuities that may compromise structural integrity.

Importance of NDT in Weld Inspection

NDT techniques, such as radiography, ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle testing, and visual inspection, can identify welding defects and evaluate their severity. By detecting defects early, appropriate corrective actions can be taken to ensure weld integrity.

Different NDT Techniques

Each NDT technique offers unique capabilities for inspecting welds. Radiography uses X-rays or gamma rays to examine internal defects, while ultrasonic testing employs sound waves to assess weld soundness. Magnetic particle testing detects surface cracks, and visual inspection provides a visual assessment of the weld quality.

Case Studies: Real-Life Examples of Welding Defects

To illustrate the significance of welding defect prevention, let's explore a few real-life case studies where welding defects compromised structural integrity:

The collapse of a steel bridge due to inadequate welds, resulting in tragic consequences.

A pressure vessel failure caused by welding cracks, leading to a hazardous release of a flammable substance.

Fatigue failure of a welded component in an offshore oil rig, causing substantial environmental damage and financial losses.

These examples highlight the critical importance of mitigating welding defects through proper welding techniques, quality control, and adherence to standards and regulations.

Conclusion

Welding defects pose a significant threat to structural integrity, with the potential for catastrophic consequences. By understanding the types of defects, their impact, common causes, and preventive measures, industries can take proactive steps to minimize defects and ensure the safety and reliability of welded structures and equipment.

Incorporating robust quality control measures, adhering to industry standards, and employing skilled welders can significantly reduce the occurrence of welding defects. Additionally, non-destructive testing plays a crucial role in identifying defects and evaluating weld integrity.

By prioritizing welding quality and defect prevention, industries can uphold structural integrity, mitigate risks, and safeguard human lives and valuable assets.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: Can welding defects be repaired? A: In some cases, welding defects can be repaired by removing the defective section and re-welding it using proper techniques and procedures. However, the extent of repair depends on the type and severity of the defect.

Q: How often should welding inspections be conducted? A: Welding inspections should be conducted regularly throughout the welding process, from pre-weld inspections to in-process and post-weld inspections. The frequency of inspections depends on the project requirements and industry standards.

Q: What is the role of a welding inspector? A: A welding inspector ensures compliance with welding procedures, standards, and quality control measures. They conduct inspections, perform tests, and verify that welds meet specified requirements.

Q: Are welding defects always visible to the naked eye? A: No, not all welding defects are visible to the naked eye. Some defects, such as internal cracks or porosity, may require non-destructive testing techniques to be detected.

Q: Can welding defects be prevented entirely? A: While it is challenging to prevent welding defects entirely, implementing proper welding procedures, quality control measures, and skilled welders can significantly minimize their occurrence and impact.

[imrovementcompany]

The Power of Routine Quality Audits in Manufacturing: 6 Game-Changing Benefits

In today’s rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape, ensuring consistent product quality is more critical than ever. One effective way to maintain high standards is through routine quality audits. But what are the benefits of these regular checks? In this blog post, we explore the six game-changing advantages of routine quality audits in manufacturing, as outlined by IsoTracker, a leading…

[halogalopaghost]

Really extra tired of black and white thinking around COVID like can you guys activate your brain and understand that lockdown was NECESSARY to prevent massive economic and social breakdown that would have been induced by our entire population getting infected at once before we figured out how to treat it

Not to mention the whole "young people didn't need to worry about dying they shouldn't have been locked down what about their social lives!!11!!!"

Hi. Hello. I am a youth that was disabled by COVID how are you doing today. Oh, you're not disabled by COVID? Cool shut the fuck up forever.

[ponku-po]

This graphic shows the years 1982-2022 in shades of blue and 2024 in red. 2023 has been omitted to help give context for how fast things have changed. Unedited graphic below vvv

[sepiamestus]

Not to be dramatic but I think the fact that I have to be prepared to ration the meds i need to not kill myself because the pharmacy might just decide to stop giving them to me is kind of insane. Like thats insane right. Can anyone hear me

[empirearchives]

Napoleon’s decree in 1810: First regulation limiting pollution in French history

Source: Décret impérial du 15/10/1810

This comes after the creation of the Public Hygiene and Health Council of the City of Paris on 6 July 1802, and each department getting its own Health Council.

In addition, the ordinance of the Prefect of Police on 12 February 1806 concerning preliminary investigations then authorization necessary for factories, workshops and laboratories producing polluting or dangerous products.

According to Éloi Laurent (Towards Social-Ecological Well-Being):

“The first laws regulating French industrial establishments and in particular the imperial decree of October 15, 1810 was the first legislation in the world regulating pollution (it was extended by the law of December 19, 1917).”

Below is an English translation of the 1810 decree.

————-

Imperial decree of 10/15/1810 relating to factories and workshops that emit an unhealthy or inconvenient odor.

NAPOLEON, Emperor of the French, King of Italy, Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine, Mediator of the Swiss Confederation;

On the report of our Minister of the Interior;

Considering the complaints brought by various individuals against factories and workshops whose operation gives rise to unhealthy or inconvenient exhalations;

The report made on these establishments by the chemistry section of the physical and mathematical sciences class of the Institute;

Our Council of State heard;

We HAVE DECREED and DECREE the following:

Article 1 of the decree of 15 October 1810

As of the publication of this decree, factories and workshops which emit an unhealthy or inconvenient odor may not be formed without permission from the administrative authority: these establishments will be divided into three classes.

The first will include those who must be located away from private homes.

The second will include factories and workshops whose distance from homes is not strictly necessary, but which should only be set up once it is certain that the operations carried out there will not inconvenience or cause damage to neighboring homeowners.

In the third class will be establishments which can remain near homes without inconvenience, but must remain subject to surveillance by the police.

Article 2 of the decree of 15 October 1810

The necessary permission for the formation of factories and workshops included in the first class will be granted, with the following formalities, by a decree issued by our Council of State.

Permission for the operation of establishments in the second class will be granted by the prefects, on the advice of the sub-prefects.

Permissions for the operation of establishments in the last class will be issued by sub-prefects, who will first obtain the opinion of the mayors.

Article 3 of the decree of 15 October 1810

Permission for first class plants and factories will only be granted subject to the following formalities:

The request for authorization will be presented to the prefect, and posted, by his order, in all communes within a five kilometer radius.

Within this period, any individual will be allowed to present grounds of opposition.

The mayors of the communes will have the same right.

Article 4 of the decree of 15 October 1810

If there is opposition, the Prefecture Council will weigh in, with the exception of a decision by the Council of State.

Article 5 of the decree of 15 October 1810

If there is no opposition, permission will be granted, if necessary, on the advice of the prefect and the report of our Minister of the Interior.

Article 6 of the decree of 15 October 1810

If it concerns a soude[*] factory, or if the factory is to be established within the customs area, our Director of Customs will be consulted.

Article 7 of the decree of 15 October 1810

Authorization to form factories and workshops in the second class will only be granted after the following formalities have been completed.

The entrepreneur will first send his request to the sub-prefect of his arrondissement, who will forward it to the mayor of the commune in which the establishment is to be formed; by instructing him to carry out a de commodo et incommodo[**] enquiry. Once this is completed, the sub-prefect will issue a decree which he will forward to the prefect. The prefect will make the decision, unless any interested parties appeal to our Council of State.

If there is opposition, it will be decided by the Prefecture Council, except for an appeal to the Council of State.

Article 8 of the decree of 15 October 1810

Factories or establishments in the third class can only be formed with the permission of the Prefect of Police, in Paris, and the mayor in other towns.

If complaints arise against the decision taken by the Prefect of Police or the mayors, on a request to form a factory or workshop included in the third class, they will be judged by the Prefecture Council.

Article 9 of the decree of 15 October 1810

The local authority will indicate the place where the factories or workshops included in the first class may be established, and will specify its distance from private dwellings. Any individual who carries out construction in the vicinity of these factories and workshops after their establishment has been authorized will no longer be allowed to request their removal.

Article 10 of the decree of 15 October 1810

Establishments that emit an unhealthy or inconvenient odor will be divided into three classes in accordance with the table appended to this imperial decree. It will serve as a rule whenever it comes to deciding on requests for the formation of these establishments.

Article 11 of the decree of 15 October 1810

The provisions of this decree will not have retroactive effect: consequently, all establishments currently in operation will continue to operate freely, with the exception of any damages to which contractors may be liable in the event of damage to the property of their neighbors; such damages will be settled by the courts.

Article 12 of the decree of 15 October 1810

However, in the event of serious inconvenience for public health, culture, or the general interest, first-class factories and workshops causing such inconvenience may be suppressed by virtue of a decree issued by our Council of State, after having heard the local police, taken the opinion of the prefects and received the defense of the manufacturers.

Article 13 of the decree of 15 October 1810

Establishments maintained under article 11 will cease to enjoy this benefit as soon as they are transferred to another location, or if there is a six-month interruption in their work. In either case, they will fall into the category of establishments to be formed, and they will not be able to resume activity until they have obtained a new permit, if necessary.

Article 14 of the decree of 15 October 1810

Our Ministers of the Interior and the General Police are each responsible for the execution of the present decree, which will be published in the Bulletin of Laws.

NAPOLEON

By the Emperor:

Minister Secretary of State,

H. B. DUKE OF BASSANO

——————

My notes:

Attached to this decree is an appendix with

“nomenclature of factories, establishments and workshops emitting an unhealthy or inconvenient odor, which may not be set up without permission from the Administrative Authority.”

Some of the substances listed can be translated and some cannot. I recommend going to the link at the top of this post to check it out if interested.

[*] Soude definition

[**] De commodo et incommodo definition

Public Hygiene and Health Council of the City of Paris is a translation of Conseil d'hygiène publique et de salubrité de la Ville de Paris

An additional source on this legislation: Fondation Napoléon

[ar3s-r4t-qu33n]

How did my ass rawdog getting a tramp stamp as my first ever tattoo, two hours of face down, ass up, didn't drink anything, didn't eat anything and then stumbled my way to Tesco's to get me some sour Jolly Ranchers to get my blood sugar back up once I was done, and it barely even HURT, but I'm genuinely scared about getting my ears repierced for the third time 🧍

[deadrabbitjimmy]

A story in three parts:

[coochiequeens]

I've posted many times before about how surrogacy exploits vulnerable women and turns their babies into commodities. This article is about the impact of the fertility industry on the children themselves.

‘I slept with my half-sibling’: Woman’s horror story reflects loosely regulated nature of US fertility industry

By Rob Kuznia, Allison Gordon, Nelli Black and Kyung Lah, CNN | Photographs by Laura Oliverio, CNN

Published 10:00 AM EST, Wed February 14, 2024CNN — 

Victoria Hill never quite understood how she could be so different from her father – in looks and in temperament. The 39-year-old licensed clinical social worker from suburban Connecticut used to joke that perhaps she was the mailman’s child.

Her joke eventually became no laughing matter. Worried about a health issue, and puzzled because neither of her parents had suffered any of the symptoms, Hill purchased a DNA testing kit from 23andMe a few years ago and sent her DNA to the genomics company.

What should have been a routine quest to learn more about herself turned into a shocking revelation that she had many more siblings than just the brother she grew up with – the count now stands at 22. Some of them reached out to her and dropped more bombshells: Hill’s biological father was not the man she grew up with but a fertility doctor who had been helping her mother conceive using donated sperm. That doctor, Burton Caldwell, a sibling told her, had used his own sperm to inseminate her mother, allegedly without her consent.

But the most devastating revelation came this summer, when Hill found out that one of her newly discovered siblings had been her high school boyfriend – one she says she easily could have married.

“I was traumatized by this,” Hill told CNN in an exclusive interview. “Now I’m looking at pictures of people thinking, well, if he could be my sibling, anybody could be my sibling.”

Hill’s story appears to represent one of the most extreme cases to date of fertility fraud in which fertility doctors have misled their female patients and their families by secretly using their own sperm instead of that of a donor. It also illustrates how the huge groups of siblings made possible in part by a lack of regulation can lead to a worst-case scenario coming to pass: accidental incest.

In this sense, say advocates of new laws criminalizing fertility fraud, Hill’s story is historic.

“This was the first time where we’ve had a confirmed case of someone actually dating, someone being intimate with someone who was their half-sibling,” said Jody Madeira, a law professor at Indiana University and an expert on fertility fraud.

A CNN investigation into fertility fraud nationwide found that most states, including Connecticut, have no laws against it. Victims of this form of deception face long odds in getting any kind of recourse, and doctors who are accused of it have an enormous advantage in court, meaning they rarely face consequences and, in some cases, have continued practicing, according to documents and interviews with fertility experts, lawmakers and several people fathered by sperm donors.

CNN also found that Hill’s romantic relationship with her half-brother wasn’t the only case in which she or other people in her newly discovered sibling group interacted with someone in their community who turned out to be a sibling.

At a time when do-it-yourself DNA kits are turning donor-conceived children into online sleuths about their own origins – and when this subset of the American population has reached an estimated one million people – Hill’s situation is a sign of the times. She is part of a larger groundswell of donor-conceived people who in recent years have sought to expose practices in the fertility industry they say have caused them distress: huge sibling pods, unethical doctors, unreachable biological fathers, a lack of information about their biological family’s medical history.

The movement has been the main driver in getting about a dozen new state laws passed over the past four years. Still, the legal landscape is patchy, and the US fertility industry is often referred to by critics as the “Wild West” for its dearth of regulation relative to other western countries.

“Nail salons are more regulated than the fertility industry,” said Eve Wiley, who traced her origins to fertility fraud and is a prominent advocate for new laws.

Accountability in short supply

More than 30 doctors around the country have been caught or accused of covertly using their own sperm to impregnate their patients, CNN has confirmed; advocates say they know of at least 80.

Accountability for the deception has been in short supply. The near-absence of laws criminalizing the practice of fertility fraud until recently means no doctors have yet been criminally charged for the behavior. In 2019, Indiana became the second state, more than 20 years after California, to pass a statute making fertility fraud a felony.

Even in civil cases that have been settled out of court, the affected families have typically signed non-disclosure agreements, effectively shielding the doctors from public scrutiny.

Meanwhile, some doctors who have been found out were allowed to keep their medical licenses.

In Kentucky, retired fertility doctor Marvin YussmanMarvin Yussman admitted using his own sperm to inseminate about half a dozen patients who at the time were unaware that he was the donor. One of them filed a complaint to the state’s board of medical licensure when her daughter – who was born in 1976 – learned Yussman was the likely father after submitting her DNA to Ancestry.com.

“I feel betrayed that Dr. Yussman knowingly deceived me and my husband about the origin of the sperm he injected into my body,” the woman wrote in a letter to the board in 2019. “Although I realize Dr. Yussman did not break any laws as such, I certainly feel his actions were unconscionable and depraved.”

In his response to the medical board, Yussman said that during that era, fresh sperm was prioritized over frozen sperm, meaning donors had to arrive on a schedule.

“On very rare occasions when the donor did not show and no frozen specimen was available, I used my own sperm if I otherwise would have been an appropriate donor: appropriate blood type, race, physical characteristics,” Yussman wrote.

He added some of his biological children have “expressed gratitude for their existence” to him and even sent him photos of their own children. Yussman, who noted in his defense that he didn’t remember the woman who made the complaint, said his policy decades ago was to inform patients that physicians could be among the possible donors, though neither he nor the complainant could provide records that clarified the protocol.

The board declined to discipline him, citing insufficient evidence, according to case documents. Reached on the phone by CNN, Yussman declined to comment.

The story that really put fertility fraud on the national radar was that of Dr. Donald Cline, who fathered at least 90 children in Indiana. Cline’s case spurred lawmakers to pass legislation that outlawed fertility fraud but wasn’t retroactive, meaning he was never prosecuted for it. But he was convicted of obstruction of justice after lying to investigators in the state attorney general’s office who briefly looked into the case. Following that conviction in 2018, Cline surrendered his license. Cline’s lawyer did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Netflix followed up with a documentary about Cline in 2022 that inspired two members of Congress – Reps. Stephanie Bice, an Oklahoma Republican, and Mikie Sherrill, a New Jersey Democrat – to coauthor the first federal bill outlawing fertility fraud. If passed, the Protecting Families from Fertility Fraud Act would establish a new federal sexual-assault crime for knowingly misrepresenting the nature or source of DNA used in assisted reproductive procedures and other fertility treatments. The bill has found dozens of backers – 28 Republicans and 20 Democrats – amid a renewed effort to push it on Capitol Hill.

In this March 29, 2007 file photo, Dr. Donald Cline, a reproductive endocrinologist and fertility specialist, speaks at a news conference in Indianapolis.Kelly Wilkinson/The Indianapolis Star/AP/File

A group of advocates including Hill plans to go to DC to champion the bill on Wednesday.

To be sure, passage wouldn’t mean that any of the dozens of doctors who have already been accused of fertility fraud would go to prison, as the crime would have occurred before the law existed. But the measure would provide more pathways for civil litigation in such cases.

The push to better regulate the fertility industry isn’t without critics. It inspires unease – if not outright opposition – from some who fear any industry crackdown could have the unintended effect of making the formation of families less accessible to the LGBTQ community, which comprises an outsized share of the donor-recipient clientele.

“I think we should pause before creating additional criminal liability for people practicing reproductive medicine,” said Katherine L. Kraschel, assistant professor of law and health sciences at Northeastern University. “It gives me great pause … to say we want the government to try to step in and regulate what amounts to a reproductive choice.”

Some experts also point out that the advent of take-at-home DNA tests by companies such as 23andMe and Ancestry has pretty much stamped out fertility fraud in the modern era.

“To my knowledge, the majority of fertility fraud cases took place before 2000,” said Julia T. Woodward, a licensed clinical psychologist and associate professor in psychiatry and OBGYN in the Duke University Health System, in an email to CNN. “I think it is highly unlikely any person would engage in such practices today (it would be too easy to be exposed). So this part of the landscape has improved significantly.”

But activists in the donor-conceived community still want laws, in part to provide pathways for civil litigation, and also to send a message to any medical professional who might feel emboldened by the lack of accountability.

“Let’s say arguably that it doesn’t happen anymore,” said Laura High, a donor-conceived person and comedian who, with more than 600,000 followers on TikTok, has carved out something of a niche as a fertility-industry watchdog on social media. “Pass the f**king legislation just in case.

“Why not just out of the optics – just out of a, ‘Hey we’re going to stand by the victims.’ Let’s just do this. We know it’s never going to happen anymore, but let’s just make this illegal.”

Victoria Hill and her two children play with toys in the living room of her mother's house in Wethersfield. Laura Oliverio/CNN

‘You are my sister’

The lack of a law in Connecticut appears to have been a stumbling block for a pair of siblings seeking recourse for what they allege is a case of fertility fraud.

The half-siblings – a sister and brother – sued OBGYN Narendra Tohan of New Britain in 2021, saying he deceived their mothers when using his own sperm in the fertility treatments.

He has derailed the suit with a novel defense, arguing successfully that it amounts to a “wrongful life” case, which typically pertains to people born with severe life-limiting conditions and isn’t recognized in Connecticut. Tohan, who is still practicing, did not return an email or call to his office seeking comment. The siblings are appealing the ruling.

Madeira, the expert in fertility fraud from Indiana University, called the “wrongful life” decision absurd.

“In fertility fraud, no parent is saying that – no parent is saying I would have gotten an abortion,” she said. “Every parent is saying, ‘I love my child. I just wish that my wishes would have been respected and my doctor wouldn’t have used his sperm.’”

And then there is Dr. Burton Caldwell, who declined CNN’s request for an interview. One of his apparent biological children decided to sue him last year, even though she knows it will be an uphill battle without a fertility fraud law on the books. Janine Pierson and her mother, Doreen Pierson, accuse Caldwell – who stopped practicing in the early 2000s – of impregnating Doreen with his own sperm after having falsely told her that the donor would be a Yale medical student.

Half-sisters Alyssa Denniston, Victoria Hill and Janine Pierson pose for a portrait in Hartford, Connecticut. The three of them say they — and at least 20 others — all share a biological father, Dr. Burton Caldwell. Laura Oliverio/CNN

Janine Pierson, a social worker, thought she was an only child until she took a 23andMe test in the summer of 2022 and was floored to learn she had 19 siblings. (That number has since grown to 22.)

“It was like my entire life just came to this screeching halt,” she told CNN.

When she learned through one of her siblings that Caldwell was the likely father, Pierson said she immediately phoned her mom, who was stunned.

“We both just cried for a few minutes because it just felt like such a violation,” Pierson said.

Pierson said she decided to pursue the lawsuit even though she knows the lack of a fertility-fraud law in Connecticut could pose a challenge.

“It shouldn’t just be, you know, the Wild West where these doctors can just do whatever it is that they want,” she said.

Hill is watching her newly discovered half-sister’s case closely.

For her, the first surprise was learning the dad she grew up with wasn’t her biological father.  Although her mom had told her when Hill was younger that she’d sought help conceiving at a fertility clinic, she also said – falsely – that the doctor had used her dad’s sperm.

When Hill learned that the biological father appeared to be Caldwell a few years ago, she contacted lawyers to inquire about filing a suit, but was told she doesn’t have much of a case, so she didn’t pursue it. Now, she said, her statute of limitations is about to expire.

Last year, Hill was hit with another shattering revelation.

In May, she and her three closest friends were celebrating their 20-year high school reunion over dinner.

She was sharing the tale with them of how she learned about her biological father. Everyone was captivated, except one person – her former boyfriend. He looked like he was turning something over in his head. Then he noted that his parents, too, had sought help conceiving from a fertility clinic.

A couple months later, in July, as Hill was leaving for a summer vacation with her husband and two young children, the ex-boyfriend texted her a screenshot showing their 23andMe connection.

“You are my sister,” he said.

Fertility industry regulations in US lax relative to other countries

Hill’s high school boyfriend isn’t the only person she knew in the community who turned out to be a sibling.

“I have slept with my half-sibling,” Hill said. “I went to elementary school with another.”

What’s more, Hill said, back in the early 2000s, she lived across the street from a deli in Norwalk she often went to that was owned by twins who she later learned are her siblings.

Pierson, too, discovered recently that she’d crossed paths with a sibling long ago. She said she has a group photo from when she was a kid at summer camp that shows her on a stage and a boy in the audience. In 2022, she learned that he is her older half-brother.

“Within 20 feet of one another, and we have no idea,” she said.

In general, the bigger the sibling pool, the greater the risk of accidental incest – regardless of whether fertility fraud came into play.

“I don’t date people my age. I can’t do it,” said Jamie LeRose, a 23-year-old singer from New Jersey who has at least 150 siblings from a regular sperm donor, not a doctor. “I look at people my age and I’m automatically unattracted to them because I just, I go, that could be my sibling.”

With this in mind, activists also often advocate for laws that cap the number of siblings per donor – and that do away with donor anonymity. (Neither of these restrictions are included in the proposed federal bill.)

Other countries have instituted such regulations. Norway for instance limits the number of children to eight; Germany, to 15. Germany and the UK have banished anonymity at sperm banks.

The United States government has no such requirements – and the professional association that represents the fertility industry wants to keep it that way.

“What we have not done very much in this country is pass regulations about who gets to have children,” said Sean Tipton, the chief advocacy and policy officer for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. “If you’re going to say you should only be able to have 50 children, that’s fine. But that should apply to everybody. It shouldn’t apply just to sperm donors.”

Regarding the concern among donor-conceived people about accidental incest, Tipton added, “if you want to be sure that before you have children with somebody, you can run DNA tests to make sure you’re not related.”

The ASRM, which often clashes with donor-conceived activists, has not taken a stance on the federal bill, Tipton told CNN.

The organization does offer nonbinding guidelines that address concerns about incest, recommending for instance no more than 25 births per donor in a population of 800,000.

Although most of the donor-conceived people who spoke with CNN for this story said they wanted to see legislative change, they also described an emotional aspect of the topic that no new law or regulation could begin to quell: a yearning to better understand one’s origins and identity. For Pierson, it was this desire, coupled with a mix of anger and curiosity, that compelled her to pay Caldwell an unannounced visit one day in 2022 – weeks after she’d learned he was most likely her biological father.

Confronting Caldwell

“I woke up that day and I had decided I didn’t want to call him,” Pierson said. “I didn’t want to give him the opportunity to say no. So I just drove directly to his house from work.”

Pierson, who lived in Cheshire at the time, describes an experience that was equal parts surreal and awkward.

After an hourlong trip, she pulled up to a large, stately house with a long driveway not far from the Connecticut coast. When she knocked on the door, nobody answered. But when a neighbor stopped by to drop something off, Caldwell opened the door. Seizing the moment, Pierson introduced herself. He let her in.

Laying eyes for the first time on her biological father, Pierson, 36, saw a man in his 80s with a slight tremor due to Parkinson’s, sporting a blue golf shirt.

He invited her inside and they sat at his dining room table.

Caldwell, she said, didn’t seem surprised – likely because Hill had made a similar visit a couple of years earlier.

“He was not in any way apologetic,” Pierson said, but she added that he did not deny using his own sperm when working in the 1980s at a New Haven clinic. She said Caldwell confessed that he “never gave it the thought that he should have … that there would be so many (children), and that it would have any kind of an impact on us.”

Pierson said Caldwell asked her questions that gave her pause.

“One thing that really has always bothered me is that he asked me how many grandchildren he had,” she said. “And he was very curious about my scholastic achievements and what I made of myself. … Like how intelligent I was, basically.”

She said their conversation ended abruptly when, looking uncomfortable, Caldwell stood up, which she took as a signal that the visit was over. Before parting ways, she asked if he would pose for a photo with her. He consented.

“I knew it would be the only time that I actually ever had that opportunity to take a picture,” she said. “Not that I wanted like a relationship with him in any way because – it was just like mixed of emotions of, you know, like, I despise you, but at the same time, I’m grateful to be here.”

Janine Pierson displays a selfie she took with Caldwell on her phone in Hartford, Connecticut. Pierson took the photo during a visit with Caldwell in 2022 and it is the only photograph she has with him. Laura Oliverio/CNN

[distractionactivated]

There's something very strange about how people online, usually Americans it feels like but I've seen Brits do it too, talk about natural fibres that makes me feel like we're living in alternative dimensions. In my world and the life I live, cotton is literally everywhere clothes are sold. I can walk into a nearby supermarket and get cotton clothes. Even the fast fashion retailers near me sell cotton. Most of what I can buy locally is either 100% cotton, or a blend that's largely cotton, with increasing amounts of viscose. Even linen, come summer I can easily find linen or linen blend shirts - a bit more expensive, sure, but in the same spaces.

My washing machine has three settings for cottons and one for wools. (And yes, I entrust my handknit items to whatever washing machine is available, and have always been fine.) If I go second hand shopping, it is easy to find cotton, though I will often also encounter viscose and not-infrequently other natural fibres. My iron has settings for cotton/linen, wool/silk, and synthetic. I grew up wearing cotton! It's familiar to me!

Like, it's really weird to me to treat all four 'standard' natural fibres (and their semi-natural cousin viscose/lyocell/tencel/rayon etc) in the same breath, as the same level of difficulty to find and live with and use and care for. I'm always kind of shocked that people seem to be living in the Plastic Dimension and I think yall in there should be mad about it, but it is also a really recent phenomenon and I think it's worth remembering that 'natural fibres' aren't a monolith and they may be more available and easier to handle than you think.

[thoughtportal]

poverty and capitalism