by Christopher Tomlinson, The National Pulse: A report produced by the European Union (EU) has called on the bloc to create a new Europe-wide spy agency to fight against sabotage and other foreign threats. Former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö submitted the report to the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Niinistö calls on the EU to create a “fully-fledged intelligence cooperation service at the […]

This is part three of No Matter Who Wins, a three-part series about positive changes that will likely continue regardless of the outcome of the 2024 US election. Read part one here, and read part two here. On a college campus in Mississippi this fall, Charlotte Bryant, outreach coordinator for Stand Up Mississippi, taught a group of students how to administer naloxone on someone who may have overdosed on opioids: Check for symptoms of an overdose. Insert the dispenser into a nostril and spray. Hold the device in place for a count of five. Call 911, and keep monitoring the person in case they need CPR.  Bryant had been invited after a member of the student government association had accidentally overdosed. She took what she believed to be Adderall but was actually fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that fueled a rise in overdose fatalities in the US to almost 110,000 in 2022. This student survived, Bryant says, and made it a priority to raise awareness of this life-saving tool among her fellow students. “It’s basically like CPR for an opioid overdose,” says Bryant. Credit: engagejoe / Flickr Bryant and her colleagues at Stand Up Mississippi, part of the state Department of Mental Health, have given similar presentations to law enforcement officers, teachers, in prisons and at churches across Mississippi. Understanding the signs of an overdose, and feeling comfortable in how to use this simple medication, saves lives, she says: “It’s basically like CPR for an opioid overdose.” Programs like this have ramped up across the country in recent years, and are likely one of the factors that contributed to some rare good news in the opioid epidemic: After rising for nearly half a decade, the number of fatal overdoses appears to be down 10 percent across the country. Throughout the contentious 2024 US presidential campaign, health issues like reproductive rights and the future of the Affordable Care Act have been lightning rods. But beyond the heated debates, there have been many positive developments with health and medical services in recent years, with support from across the political spectrum. Many of these are equipped to continue, regardless of who moves into the White House in January. A free naloxone event in West Virginia. Credit: engagejoe / Flickr One of the biggest shifts came out of the pandemic. Telehealth was a little-used option before Covid-19’s extended shutdowns forced so much of life online. But even after in-person treatment resumed, telehealth endured, offering new opportunities for medical access. “There’s really broad consensus among patients, providers, policymakers that it’s generally a good thing and has increased access to services,” says Julia Harris, director of health policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center.  Telehealth is filling in gaps in the health system, including in rural areas, where there are an estimated 30 specialists per 100,000 people, compared with 263 in urban areas. Remote appointments are saving patients long trips and helping people access services that are scarce, like gender-affirming care.  Crushed by negative news? Sign up for the Reasons to be Cheerful newsletter. [contact-form-7] One major hurdle is broadband access — as of 2021, more than a quarter of rural areas in the US lacked high-speed internet. And policies on some aspects, like prescribing and licensing, are yet to be finalized.  But support for virtual options is strong, and these expanded health services are having real impacts. In the past, sexual assault survivors in rural areas had to take long trips to get medical evaluations because small regional health centers didn’t always have a trained sexual assault nurse examiner, or SANE. Now, through a service called teleSANE, local medical personnel can complete exams under the guidance of a trained examiner, who oversees the process remotely. Perhaps the biggest development in telehealth is the expansion of mental health treatment. For young people, especially, virtual treatment is proving to be a good fit. Meeting with a therapist remotely offers practical benefits, like fitting in around school schedules or health needs. But for some teens, it’s a matter of preference. They just feel more comfortable. In 2022, when 75 percent of in-person services had resumed post-pandemic, young people were using virtual mental health services at a rate 23 times higher than before Covid. With telehealth, older adults can avoid lengthy, uncomfortable trips to appointments. Credit: fizkes / Shutterstock There are benefits on the other end of the age spectrum, too. Older adults who live in remote areas have limited options for mental health treatment. With telehealth, they can avoid lengthy, uncomfortable trips to appointments. These virtual services are also reducing the use of antipsychotic medications, which are often prescribed to minimize aggressive behavior among people with dementia. Beyond telehealth, bolstering mental health services has become a bipartisan issue. According to Harris, finding ways to support youth mental health is of particular concern. Two out of five high school students report feelings of sadness or hopelessness.  In some areas, schools are playing an important role. One Long Island school district, faced with a high number of students coping with grief related to the deaths of loved ones, launched a free wellness center. Mental health professionals offer group and individual therapy services that help children process grief and life transitions. Since the program started, the district has boosted graduation rates to 12 percent above the national average. Farmers’ livelihoods are shaped by many factors beyond their control, which can lead to mental health challenges. Credit: Budimir Jevtic / Shutterstock Supports are also improving in rural communities. High numbers of suicides among farmers sparked a broad range of responses, from federal funding to expand services in regions that lack mental health professionals, to community-rooted efforts that build relationships and reduce stigma. Meanwhile, on the opioid crisis, the decline in deaths is a positive step — even if the total number of fatalities remains in the six-digits. “There’s been a lot of good progress in helping get us past those huge spikes that we were seeing, but a lot of way to go,” says Harris. Become a sustaining member today! Join the Reasons to be Cheerful community by supporting our nonprofit publication and giving what you can. Join People across the political spectrum see the crisis as a priority, and there’s bipartisan support for measures to expand treatment. There are divisions: While left-leaning cities and states have adopted an approach known as “harm reduction,” which aims to help people who use drugs do so more safely, conservatives are skeptical. But some measures, like the expansion of access to naloxone, have reached across the country. Initiatives like Stand Up Mississippi are not only getting tools like naloxone, fentanyl testing strips and drug disposal kits out into the community; they’re also raising awareness of the realities of opioid addiction and the hope for recovery. The post No Matter Who Wins, Health Will Keep Improving on Common Ground appeared first on Reasons to be Cheerful.

November 04, 2024

But did find a guy named Tyson in Norway who deals with "queer issues". The post Dems Can’t Find Orthodox Rabbis to Support Kamala appeared first on Frontpage Mag.

"Privately, Biden has itched to do more on Harris’ behalf" The post Kamala Puts Biden Away appeared first on Frontpage Mag.

With tomorrow being the day of decision, it’s worthwhile to take a second and applaud an American business ensuring that citizens can exercise their right to vote. The ride-hailing firm Lyft is operating its ‘Lyft Up Voting Access’ program for the tenth year in a row, offering discounted or free rides to polling stations. One […] The post Lyft Ride-Hailing Service to ‘Lyft Up’ Voters, Offering Discounted or Free Rides to the Polls appeared first on Good News Network.

Movies and TV shows exist to entertain, but they’re also a means for creators to express their artistic vision. That sounds pretentious, but these people put real passion into their projects. When the above objectives are at odds, though, it’s easy for things to get heated. Directors and writers occasionally lash out at audiences. They […] The post 10 Filmmakers Who Attacked Their Audience appeared first on Listverse.

Let’s just cut to the chase: people are weird, and they do weird stuff. They design oddly shaped vehicles, they do bizarre things in their vehicles, and it makes life a lot more interesting for the rest of us. Imagine how boring the world would be if everyone were “normal” all the time. The funny […] The post 10 Outrageous Vehicles and Eccentric Drivers appeared first on Listverse.

Growing up on a homestead offers not only the chance for a picture-perfect childhood, but also gives parents the opportunity to begin teaching the kiddos how to be self-reliant as soon as they learn how to walk! Children homesteading can be synonymous with children playing with these helpful tips. Children Homesteading – Good for the Whole Family Homesteading children are exposed to a myriad of learning opportunity on a daily basis. Each chance to help their parents and learn why they are doing what they are doing should be capitalized. Even a toddler has the capability to absorb information about their surroundings and be enthralled by all the sights, sounds, smells, and textures they can touch while helping do necessary chores around the farm. The work will seem like play to the little ones! While older children and teenagers will likely come to view their given tasks as chores, hard work breeds not only good character. Besides, they'll also get a sense of accomplishment when a task or project has been completed. The homesteading education does not need to be all work and no “play.” Family fun days designed with a purpose can be both a learning experience and a memory-making occasion. If the homesteading family is also homeschooling the children, there's ample opportunity to incorporate many homesteading topics. Animal care, gardening, weather awareness, energy production, and water-related studies can easily fit into the weekly curriculum. They'll be more on homeschooling for homesteading families in a future article – so stay tuned! However, even without a formalized homeschool environment, kids learn a lot. Children homesteading become keenly aware of the fact food does not just materialize at a grocery store. When and how to involve children in the butchering process varies by both age and maturity of the child, but you should begin introducing the concept that animals are raised for meat on the homestead at a very early age. Even though children could be in their teen years before actively engaging in the killing and butchering of livestock, early general knowledge will avoid a sense of shock when their favorite bunny or duck comes up missing from the pen. Teach the children to respect the animal and the sacrifice it is making, while simultaneously instilling in them the responsibility of raising livestock. An animal should have an acceptable quality of life until it comes to an end as part of their “job” on the farm. Ten Tips for Teaching Children Homesteading Start Them Young Start taking babies into the poultry coops as soon as you feel it is safe for them. By the time the child is a toddler, they will already be comfortable around the flock and take pride in their daily egg gathering contribution to the family table.   Tip #1. Make egg collection and the feeding of small livestock part of the daily routine for homesteading children once they become a toddler. This way, they can learn to become comfortable around the animals at even a young age. The earlier the children are introduced to the livestock, the less likely they will be frightened of them. Then the essential safe handling (for both the child and the creature) can be taught. Tip #2. Learning their way around the homestead, especially if it is comprised of a large amount of acreage, is necessary for a child's safety. It will also enable them to work the land and find necessary tools, which are crucial skills for children homesteading. Teach map-reading skills and terrain recognition (and ultimately tracking skills) beginning at age three or four. The first map could be a simple drawing or can be comprised of photos showing the child how to get from the house to a nearby spot, like the chicken coop to help with egg collection. When the child is older and orienteering skills have advanced, give the child a series of spots to find on the homestead using GPS coordinates or photos of the terrain to help them identify where it is located. Survival Skills Play a nature scavenger hunt with children of all age to help them learn about the environment of their homestead. This will also teach them how to identify wild edibles – and why doing so could one day be essential to their survival, if crops fail to produce come harvest time.   Tip #3. Learn new survival skills and enhance existing ones by hosting a family fun day competition. Include other homesteading children and families to increase the enjoyment and to add a bit of friendly competition to the mix. Possible homesteading Olympics activities include: chicken wrangling, swimming contest, fire-starting contest, wild edibles scavenger hunt, or simple tool creation out of found or natural objects. The possibilities are endless and can be adapted to suit the age and ability levels of the children involved. Tip #4. Rainy days should not deter the homesteading skills learning. Being stuck inside offers parents the chance to teach children some important food preparation and preservation skills, as well as first aid training. You can also play homemade homesteading board games, trivia games, or run through a set of agriculture flash cards created for just this type of indoor togetherness moment. Play a series of “Minute to Win it” type games using actual items or photos of items commonly used around the homestead to identify parts found on the farm. Place the items in a sack or on a table and see who can identify the item or its use on the homestead. Then see who can accurately name/identify the largest number of items in one minute. Tip #5. Teach the children – both boys and girls – how to sew and do leather-craft. These common homesteading skills can be taught early by creating simple potholder or pillow-sewing projects and making leather keychains or belts. Tip #6. Give the children their own container garden or a row in the field to tend to their own crops. The children will not only get their hands dirty in the soil, getting used to the feeling, but they'll also learn how to cultivate crops, how weather and water conditions impact the harvest and how much food makes it to the family table. Help the child make a meal or side dishes out of what they grew themselves. Tool Skills Until a child is old enough to safely take part in wood chopping chores, have them help in both important and age appropriate ways. Learning how to identify trees found on the property and the best uses of the wood is a skill set, which will aid them throughout their life on the homestead.   Tip #7. Wood chopping can be extremely dangerous and should be completed only by older and trained children or teens. However, there is no need to wait to simply introduce the concept of using wood as fuel on the homestead. Younger children can help gather kindling and feel a sense of accomplishment when they tote their haul back to the house in their own wagon. Preschool-age to older children homesteading can haul the chopped wood by hand or in a wagon back to the wood pile and stack it – building muscle tone and knowledge as they go. You can also teach how to identify different types of wood found on the homestead and how specific types of wood are best used. Tip #8. Basic animal husbandry skills can be taught in a variety of ways as children age and mature. Have the children help build or repair animal enclosures. Use this time spent together to teach them about the animal who will live inside. You can be specific! Teach them common ailments and how to identify and rectify them, what the animals eats, how much, and where the feed comes from, etc. Tip #9. Build simple machines with the children to teach them how tools aid in the work around the homestead. For example, using leverage to move a heavy object, how a hoist is used to lift a heavy object or animal, etc. Watch this video by BackyardHomesteading as he shows backyard homestead kids skills on making fire: Tip #10. Dive into science with hands-on energy creation machines and water purification projects. Teach the children how to make a simple solar and/or hydro-powered engine, show them how to purify water from a pond or creek, and explain why good water quality is essential to humans, livestock, and crops. Allow children to help with machinery repairs, even if their role is solely as glorified gopher. This gives parents the opportunity to explain how the machinery works and why it is important to the homesteading way of life. It also teaches repair skills age-appropriate for children homesteading. Which homesteading skills would you want to teach your children? Let us know below in the comments!  Read this homesteading guide for beginners ! Follow us on Instagram, twitter, pinterest, and facebook!  

HANOI, Vietnam —  U.S. tech companies have warned Vietnam's government that a draft law to tighten rules on data protection and limit data transfers abroad would hamper social media platforms and…