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Opinion: Excess deaths in the U.S. are rising at a shocking rate

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:55:49 GMT

The current COVID-19 situation in the U.S. is both good and bad. The good news is that COVID-19 deaths are at the lowest levels of the three-year pandemic. Given current trends, projections indicate roughly 100,000 COVID-19 deaths for 2023 — less than half of any of the three previous years.The bad news is that the number of overall excess U.S. deaths — the difference between expected numbers of deaths from all causes and the actual number of deaths observed — is rising at a shocking rate. COVID-19 is a factor, but the main causes of excess deaths are more social than medical, and the worst aspect is that they are occurring in the younger demographic in which homicides, suicides, vehicular deaths and drugs are taking a disproportionate toll on what should be the healthiest sector of the population.Since the pandemic began, excess deaths are up by more than 1.25 million in the U.S., about 15% higher than in the pre-pandemic years. This pattern is not limited to the U.S.; excess pande...

West Marin residents create craft distillery that pays homage to their roots

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:55:49 GMT

The Elk Fence Distillery was conceived in West Marin. It’s run by two people who live there and its name is a reference to the Tomales Point “elk fence” bordering a field where they once grew barley. It’s about as West Marin as you can get, except for one thing: It’s in Santa Rosa.When co-founders and co-distillers Gail Coppinger and Scott Woodson originally went to the Marin Civic Center and asked about what it would take to open a distillery in Marin County, they were met with blank stares. Although it wasn’t able to work out in Marin, they were still able to make their dreams come true.The two met working in the trades — Coppinger is a shingler, and Woodson is a painter — and bonded over his love of homebrewing and her love of cooking (she’s a former professional cook). One summer night in 2014, they got together in Woodson’s garage in Inverness.“We made a mash together,” says Coppinger, of Point Reyes Station. “I loved the smell and the chemistry.”“What is going on here?” she as...

Krugman: Speed of America’s recovery from the pandemic is incredible

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:55:49 GMT

Americans, they said, just don’t want to work. Socialism has made them lazy. They’d rather play video games. They don’t have the skills required by a 21st-century economy. High unemployment is “structural” and can’t be solved with monetary and fiscal stimulus.All of these stories received wide circulation during the long employment slump that followed the 2008 financial crisis and again in the aftermath of the pandemic recession. They were pushed by billionaires, captains of industry and prominent economists.And none of them were true.It may be hard for normal human beings — I’m sorry, I mean non-economists — to appreciate the awesomeness, the historic nature of last Friday’s employment report. But the speed and extent of America’s recovery from the pandemic shock have been incredible.After the 2008 financial crisis, it took 12 years for employment rates to get back to precrisis levels. But only three years after COVID struck, employment is fully back for almost every age and demogr...

Connor Bedard sweepstakes: Gaming out the Sharks’ various scenarios with three days left

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:55:49 GMT

The San Jose Sharks will not have the best odds of winning next month’s NHL Draft Lottery and selecting superstar-in-waiting Connor Bedard.The Anaheim Ducks lost to the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in regulation time Tuesday night and with only one game left, will not be able to catch the Sharks in the NHL’s overall standings.Anaheim can now reach a maximum of 60 points and 14 regulation-time wins, the NHL’s first tie-breaker. The Sharks already have 60 points with 16 regulation-time wins.The team that finishes last in the NHL’s overall standings will have a 25.5 percent chance of winning the May 8 draft lottery and picking No. 1 overall on the first day of the NHL Draft on June 28 in Nashville.The Sharks entered Wednesday 29th in the league’s overall standings, but there remains a possibility – however remote – for them to fall to 30th or 31st behind both or one or both of the Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets.The Sharks close the regular season with games in Calgary and ...

Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin launches run for 3rd term

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:55:49 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who spearheaded legislation to protect same-sex and interracial marriages last year, announced on Wednesday that she is seeking a third term in battleground Wisconsin.Baldwin, 60, said in a statement that she intends to continue fighting for the working class and families struggling with inflation, as well as opposing Wisconsin’s abortion ban.No Republicans have announced they are running for Baldwin’s seat, which will be critical for Democrats to hold if they want to maintain control of the Senate.Baldwin won her first local race at age 24 and in 1998 won a seat in the U.S. House to became the first woman whom Wisconsin voters sent to Congress. She was elected to the Senate in 2012, handing former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson his first defeat in a statewide race, in a year when Barack Obama was also on the ballot. Baldwin will be seeking a third term in a presidential election year when turnout on both sides is ...

Russia: Bill to allow electronic conscription notices passes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:55:49 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — The upper house of Russia’s parliament has approved a bill that would allow authorities to issue electronic summons to draftees and reservists amid the fighting in Ukraine.The Federation Council’s vote was the last step needed before the bill goes to President Vladimir Putin, who is now expected to sign it into law. Lawmakers in Russia’s lower house, the State Duma, passed the measure on Tuesday. The legislation was put on fast track as the Russian military is preparing for an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive, which Ukraine and its Western allies say could start within weeks.Russia’s current military service rules require the in-person delivery of notices to conscripts and reservists who are called up for duty. In the past, many Russians avoided the draft in the past by staying away from their address of record and the proposed bill would close that loophole. Under the new bill, the notices issued by local military conscription offices will continu...

A bill to allow Russian authorities to summon draftees and reservists electronically has cleared parliament

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:55:49 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — A bill to allow Russian authorities to summon draftees and reservists electronically has cleared parliament.Source

Instead of a triple, Tuchel’s Bayern facing UCL exit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:55:49 GMT

DUESSELDORF, Germany (AP) — When Bayern Munich hired Thomas Tuchel less than three weeks ago, he said he was focused on the chance to win three trophies — the Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League.Now the cup is gone and Bayern will need an improbable comeback to salvage its Champions League campaign after losing 3-0 to Manchester City on Tuesday.Tuchel was adamant the score wasn’t a true reflection of the game and that Bayern had the momentum just before an error from defender Dayot Upamecano allowed City to score its second goal in the 70th minute.“(The Bayern players) felt that this does not feel like a 3-0, but it is a 3-0 and of course it’s a huge, huge task now to turn this around. We will not give up. We are realistic but we will not give up. Football is football and a home match in Germany is a home match in Germany,” Tuchel said.Speaking in German with broadcaster Amazon Prime, Tuchel lavished praise on his team for their commitment and effort and sa...

EEUU nombra un tranquilizante veterinario como “amenaza emergente” al mezclarse con fentanilo

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:55:49 GMT

WASHINGTON DC – Estados Unidos ha calificado un tranquilizante veterinario como una “amenaza emergente” cuando se mezcla con el potente opioide fentanilo, allanando el camino a más medidas para frenar la propagación de la xilacina.La Oficina de Política Nacional para el Control de Drogas anunció la designación este miércoles, la primera vez que recurre a esta denominación desde que se creó la categoría para drogas de rápido crecimiento en 2019.Según el doctor Rahul Gupta, director de la oficina de la Casa Blanca, la xilacina es cada vez más común en todas las regiones del país. Crisis de opioides en EEUU: el gobierno sancionará a los traficantes de fentanilo La FDA aprueba Narcan de venta libre, para qué sirve este medicamento En 2020 fue detectada en casi 800 decesos causados por drogas en todo el país, la mayoría de ellos en el noreste. Un año más tarde, estuvo presente en más de 3.000 muertes, mayoritariamente en el sur,...

Un condado de Texas al que se le ordenó devolver libros prohibidos a sus estantes considera cerrar su sistema de bibliotecas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:55:49 GMT

(CNN) — Un condado rural de Texas al que un juez federal le ordenó devolver los libros prohibidos a los estantes de sus bibliotecas públicas ahora está considerando cerrar sus bibliotecas por completo.Una reunión del Tribunal de Comisionados del Condado de Llano que se realizará este jueves incluirá una discusión sobre si “continuar o cesar las operaciones del actual sistema de bibliotecas físicas del Condado de Llano en espera de más orientación de los Tribunales Federales”, según la agenda de la reunión.La reunión se produce después de que el juez federal Robert Pitman ordenara el 30 de marzo al Sistema de Bibliotecas del Condado de Llano, que incluye tres sucursales, que devuelva 12 libros para niños que habían sido retirados de sus estantes, muchos de ellos debido a su contenido LGBTQ y racial.Gobernador de Texas califica como “pornografía” libros de temática LGBTQ y pide que sean retirados de bibliotecas escolares¿Por qué Florida retira cientos de libros de su...