Officials in North Carolina and Florida are racing against the clock to put in new voting procedures aimed at making it easier to cast ballots after the devastating storms that tore through the states. Why it matters: The changes — which include modifying early voting days and increased flexibility with some voting locations — reflect the growing concerns about the storms' impacts on the Nov. 5 election.

As the US election approaches, few would disagree that political and social issues are becoming increasingly polarised. Finding common ground on issues such as the environment, foreign policy and gun control appears to be difficult, according to some research. But what is this doing to people's friendships? According to the prevailing narrative, the severe differences in worldview are causing our social networks to fracture, resulting in many broken friendships. But is this...

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) made clear Wednesday who was “the sheriff in charge” of hurricane disaster relief in his state, and it’s not FEMA. In an interview on Fox News’s Special Report, host Bret Baier asked the Florida governor about President Joe Biden and federal officials’ comments regarding hurricane recovery resources and his thoughts on the allegations of “misinformation” being spread about FEMA.

Hurricane Helene hit Florida’s gulf coast on Thursday, September 26th, barreling up the eastern part of the country into Kentucky. A second major hurricane, Milton, made landfall in Florida late Wednesday night, only two weeks after Helene.  The aftermath of Helene and FEMA’s response brought a plethora of misleading narratives, spanning from the financial limits of emergency aid to weather control. In response, FEMA implemented a “rumor response”...

A group linked to a pro-Palestinian hacktivist movement has launched a catastrophic cyberattack revealing the details of 31 million people, compromising their email addresses and screen names. An account on X under the name SN_BlackMeta claimed responsibility for the attack on The Internet Archive, a nonprofit organization, and implied that further attacks were planned. The Internet Archive is known for its digital library and the Wayback Machine. SN_BlackMeta has previously been linked to an...

Doctors downplaying, or flat out dismissing a patient’s concerns, otherwise known as medical gaslighting, can happen to anyone. But multiple studies have proven that women (along with people of color) are particularly susceptible. Real issues are often misattributed to stress or hormones…essentially the modern day equivalent of “being hysterical.” Because this is, unfortunately, a challenge so many women have to deal with, it’s no wonder why one woman’s brilliant solution is making the rounds online. Behold…the “medical binder.” Disability advocate Jessica Wetz explained in a clip posted to TikTok how “Medical binders make things faster for doctors,” and can subsequently be used as evidence anytime a doctor questions what you’re saying as a patient. For example, Wetz shared, “I had a doctor say to me, ‘There’s no way you had straightening of the lumbar curvature at 14. You don’t have to believe me. I have the report right here. Let’s read it together.” Using another example, Wetz continued, “I had a doctor say to me, ‘OK Jessica, I’m going to order you some labs, and then in six weeks, we’ll go over them.'” @jessicawetz6 Replying to @iLike314159 Medical Binders PREVENT doctors from wasting limited time and resources. Its not a story book, its references when relevant. Female patients arnt believed so we must provide proof. Complex cases with huge files from different facilites result in serious things getting missed when you dont keep track yourself. Complaining that doctors dont have time for patients to make their job faster is irrational. #chronicillness #medicaladvocate #misdiagnosed #rareillness ♬ original sound - Jessica Wetz ?#6 During this appointment, Wetz was able to refer to her binder to show that only two days before, she had already done the blood work for what the doctor needed, and therefore didn’t have to wait an additional six weeks for answers. Hallelujah. Not only that, a medical binder can also really come in handy if doctors try to patronize you as a patient. “I had a doctor say to me, ‘OK Jessica, I went over your results. Everything is normal. Have a good day. Bye,'” she says, to which she responds, “Hold up, Doc! My CT showed liver disease.’ He goes, ‘No, Jessica, you never had a CT—you had an MRI. I said, ‘No Doc, pull it up. You have the report. I had both.'” This doctor apparently tried to explain the difference between a CT and an MRI, but luckily Wetz was able to IMMEDIATELY shut that down with her binder. While Wetz’s medical binder is clearly carrying a ton of info, she does keep a summary page to keep all pertinent information at the forefront. But more often than not, she finds herself using the detailed reports in order to prove certain things, not least of which being her Ehlers Danlos syndrome diagnosis, a genetic disorder that affects joints and connective tissues and can cause them to slip and dislocate. Since it’s such a rare disease, many assume that she self diagnosed. That is, of course, where the binder comes in. “The purpose of the binder is to prove to them what other doctors have said, because they’re not going to take my word for it.” In a follow up video, Wetz offered suggestion about how to make your own medical binder, including how to get prior medical history: @jessicawetz6 Replying to @cplain Doctors take @Jessica Wetz #4?? seriously when I bring a binder of records. I explain this at 04:30. Google/call any medical facility youve been to and ask how it works in your area! Many places the records are already available online for free and you dont have to do what I did. #medicalmystery #chronicillness #medicaladvocate #medicalrecords ♬ original sound - Jessica Wetz ?#6 As far as organizing all that info, the website Watch Her Work has a very thorough breakdown below: Basic Info This includes:Full NameBirthdayAddressPhone NumberEmergency Contacts. Preferred, In-Network Providers and their addresses- that includes current doctors, hospitals and diagnostic labs.Advanced Directives, like a Living Will, Medical Power of Attorney., etc. (this could also be a good spot to have your medical summary)A Chronological Record of all Appointments This can be where you write down whatever notes were given to you by your doctor, if they don't provide a summary. Test ResultsThat includes X-rays ,MRIs and CAT Scans (if these come on a CD, place them in plastic folder sleeves or sheet protectors after labeling them with a date, location of imaging, the reason for imaging, the doctor that requested the testing ) as well as recent test results diagnostic procedure reports. InsuranceWhile a medical provider will usually have this information on file, it doesn’t hurt to have copies (or the actual cards) in your medical binder.Articles & ResearchHaving this organized and ready to go, maybe even with the date, time, and correlated symptoms can prove very useful when trying to advocate for yourself. List of MedicationsInclude whether the prescription is generic and brand name, the dosage, how often do you take it, the name of the doctor that prescribed it, and any experienced side effects. Medical HistoryAllergies would be a big one to include here, as well as past and current diagnoses, hospitalizations, procedures, and surgeries.If this sounds like a lot of work… that’s because it is! But it’s work that could pay dividends when it really matters.

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