The Republican governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, promised on Wednesday to punish residents who leave their dogs chained up and abandoned during hurricanes, especially with Hurricane Milton hovering over the state's western shore.

Before his speech to the prominent Detroit Economic Club, the Detroit Free Press published a photo of a massive naked sculpture of President Trump. The Detroit  Press claimed it was “sparking laughter.” The Detroit Press delegitimizes itself with this yellow journalism. The statue first appeared outside Kamala Harris’s Las Vegas rally. A spokesperson for the […] The post Democrats’ Disgrace: From Stalking Ducks to Trump Baby to Naked Statue appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) on Thursday bungled his attempt to clean up the fallout from his extreme call this week to end the Electoral College. During an interview with Michael Strahan on ABC News, Walz was asked about the far-Left position, noting that it was not the position of Vice President Kamala Harris. “The point I’m trying to make is, is that there’s folks that feel every vote must count in every state,” he said. “And I think the sense some folks feel that’s not the case. Our campaign does that. And the point I’m saying is, I’m in five states in two days. We’re out there making the case that the campaign’s position is clear, that that’s not their position.” When asked by Strahan if this was an issue that he and Harris disagreed on, Walz responded in-part: “The campaign and my position is the campaign’s position.” ABC: You said you think the Electoral College should be abolished. WALZ: “Well it’s not the campaign’s position.” ABC: So… that’s something you and Kamala disagree on? WALZ: “Umm… the campaign and my position is the campaign position.” ? pic.twitter.com/AaEEsDc5se — Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 11, 2024 The controversy started when Walz said at two campaign fundraisers on Tuesday that the “Electoral College needs to go,” which forced the Harris campaign to release a statement claiming that it does not support abolishing the Constitutional mechanism for presidential elections. “I think all of us know, the Electoral College needs to go. We need a national popular vote,” Walz told donors at California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s home in Sacramento. “So we need to win Beaver County, Pennsylvania. We need to be able to go into York, Pennsylvania, and win. We need to be in western Wisconsin and win. We need to be in Reno, Nevada, and win.” Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here! At an event earlier on Tuesday, Walz told supporters that he is “a national popular vote guy, but that’s not the world we live in.” Following the Minnesota governor’s call for the Electoral College to be abolished, the Harris campaign claimed in a statement, “Governor Walz believes that every vote matters in the Electoral College and he is honored to be traveling the country and battleground states working to earn support for the Harris-Walz ticket.” “He was commenting to a crowd of strong supporters about how the campaign is built to win 270 electoral votes. And, he was thanking them for their support that is helping fund those efforts,” the statement added. The Electoral College was established in Article II and the 12th Amendment of the Constitution, which calls for “Electors” to “meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President.” The system requires presidential candidates to gain support from voters across the U.S. instead of focusing on states and cities with the largest populations. As governor, Walz has pushed for presidents to be elected by popular vote instead of through the Electoral College. In May of 2023, Walz signed the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact into law, making Minnesota the 17th state to agree to award its electoral votes to the candidate who wins the national popular vote. Walz is not the only Democrat pushing for the end of the Electoral College. After losing the 2016 election to former President Donald Trump, Democrat Hillary Clinton argued for electing presidents through a national popular vote. While Clinton won the popular vote against Trump, she lost to the Republican nominee in the Electoral College 227 to 304. During the 2020 Democratic presidential campaign, candidates Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) all called for abolishing the Electoral College while on the campaign trail. Harris said in 2019 that she was “open to the discussion” of abolishing the Electoral College. “I mean, there’s no question that the popular vote has been diminished in terms of making the final decision about who’s the president of the United States and we need to deal with that,” Harris said. Zach Jewell contributed to this report.

Did you know that Goldie Hawn is the founder of the MindUp Program? While it may surprise some people to know that the actress is behind the curriculum, it is true. She and her non-profit, The Goldie Hawn Foundation, created it to help kids with mental health. Now, she is speaking out about it in support of World Mental Health Day. What Is Goldie Hawn’s MindUp Program? HundrED does a great job of describing Goldie Hawn’s MindUP Program. They explain that the program is a 15-lesson series published by Scholastic. It is “Based on the four pillars: neuroscience, social-emotional learning, positive psychology, and mindful awareness.” Established in 2003, this program “allows students to build a scaffolding of awareness and self-regulation that will increase self-control, empathy, optimism, and academic goals.” Goldie Hawn and her organization teamed up to create the MindUp program “in response to the global epidemic of childhood aggression, anxiety, depression, and suicide.” This classroom-based curriculum targets age 3-14 and has been instituted in 13 countries, reaching 7 million children. Gold Hawn Speaks About MindUp On World Mental Health Day There is no better time to talk about MindUp than on World Mental Health Day, and that is exactly what Goldie Hawn did. She sat down and chatted with Good Morning America about the program. Goldie started the interview by saying, “Our educators are everything.” From there, she dove into how her MindUp program isn’t just for kids, it is for educators as well. Goldie said the program could, “reduce stress” and “give them the ability to understand how to manage their classroom.” Goldie Hawn then shared how UFT called her and asked her to teach her MindUp program to their educators. They explained that teachers needed help “understanding the brain” of the little minds that they were teaching. The interviewer shared her admiration for Goldie’s “passion project” and talked about how it brings her life full circle because, as a teenager, Goldie was teaching dance to kids. Now, she is helping educators teach kids across the world. Way to go, Goldie Hawn, we can’t wait to see what you and MindUp have up your sleeves next. The source of the featured image is here. The post Goldie Hawn Gushes Over MindUp Program For World Mental Health Day appeared first on InspireMore.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we learned about essential employees unable to stay locked in their homes because they had to go to work. The same is true during significant weather events that would otherwise keep people home. People who work in hospitals have to be there to care for patients. Sometimes, going back and forth between home and work is not possible, so they must shelter at the medical facility. @beachgem10 Hurricane Milton is coming and my hospital activated the disaster team, which means that I’ll be locked in with my kids for the duration of the storm, until the recovery team can get in #hurricane #hospital #Milton #florida #momlife ♬ original sound – Beachgem10 A Pediatric Emergency Doctor Took Her Kids To Work With Her Before Hurricane Milton Megan Martin is a pediatric emergency physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. She is also part of the hospital’s disaster team, which means she is on duty during significant weather events like Hurricane Milton. With the threat of severe weather looming, Megan and her husband decided to divide and conquer. He took the family’s four cats to a safe place for shelter while Megan and the kids checked into the hospital to weather the storm. @beachgem10 When the weather looks bad, we make sure the kids can still get the medical care they need. We “lockdown” with all the essential staff and there are a lot of people that keep a hospital functioning! #hospital #hurricane #milton #florida ♬ original sound – Beachgem10 The mom explained that her kids would be safe with her and they would stay at the hospital as long as they needed. While she worked, the hospital arranged for childcare for its employees so that everyone could be where they needed to be without concern. Megan said that during a lockdown, employees work their shifts and are free to do what they want as long as they do not leave the hospital grounds during their off time. That means a lot of time hanging out and playing games. Because there are so many people involved with running a hospital besides doctors and nurses, such as food service, pharmacy, and registration, there are many friends to keep everyone company during Hurricane Milton. “While it’s not ideal, we will be totally fine for the next couple of days until we get tagged out by the recovery team,” she explained on TikTok. “But until then, we’re just hoping everyone stays safe out there.” You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Pediatric Emergency Medicine Doctor Goes Into Lockdown As She Prepares For Hurricane Milton Victims appeared first on InspireMore.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A global trial discovered a potential new medicine combination that prevents lung cancer progression for much longer than existing standard therapies. The combination of amivantamab and lazertinib increased progression-free survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by 40 percent, increasing it to 23.7 months from 16.6 months with the usual treatment, osimertinib. Lung cancer is the world’s greatest cause of cancer death, accounting for 1.8 million fatalities per year. Survival rates for patients with advanced stages of the disease, particularly non-small cell lung cancer, remain low. However, the findings of this research, which enrolled 1,074 patients from throughout the world, provide a new sense of hope. Precision medicine brings new hope The key to this breakthrough is precision medicine. Amivantamab and lazertinib are both meant to selectively target and inhibit cancer cell proliferation. Amivantamab is a monoclonal antibody, and lazertinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor; together, they work on separate routes to prevent cancer progression.  Professor Martin Forster, the primary researcher for the UK component of the experiment, described the findings as “amazing.” He stated that a better understanding of the biology underlying lung cancer has cleared the road for tailored medicines such as this. “It’s amazing to see this new combination shows longer cancer control than osimertinib, which was itself a breakthrough treatment only a few years ago,” he remarked. Expanding treatment options While the US Food and Medicine Administration (FDA) has authorized this medicine combination, experts expect it will soon be available in the UK through the National Health Service (NHS). The trial’s chief investigator, Professor Raffaele Califano, noted, “The more treatment options we have, the more hope we bring to patients and families.” Patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, which account for as much as 25 percent of all lung cancer cases worldwide, are particularly likely to benefit. EGFR mutations are more common in women and persons who have never or only lightly smoked. Targeted therapy for these patients offers a big step toward better lung cancer outcomes. The golden age of cancer research These findings come at a time when cancer research is making incredible progress. According to Anna Kinsella of Cancer Research UK, the trial’s findings mirror a broader trend in cancer research: “We are in a golden age of cancer research, where a greater understanding of what drives specific cancers is informing new and better ways to beat the disease.”  Patients are living longer, healthier lives despite having lung cancer, thanks to more effective, customized treatments. Paula Chadwick, CEO of the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, stressed the importance of these advancements: “Each new breakthrough keeps that hope burning, even if it doesn’t directly benefit an individual.” Although side effects such as rash, infection, and blood clots were reported during the experiment, researchers are encouraged by the dramatic increase in patient outcomes. They expect that the combination of amivantamab and lazertinib will soon be available to more patients, adding another therapy option for people with advanced lung cancer. This new treatment is part of a larger push for precision medicine, in which medicines are tailored to the genetic profile of both the patient and the cancer. According to Forster: “This precision approach is improving outcomes for many more of our patients, as new drugs are being developed to exploit vulnerabilities being identified in increasing numbers of lung cancers.” The fight against lung cancer is still ongoing but advances like these give patients and their families new hope.The post Lung cancer patients have new hope thanks to this groundbreaking drug combo first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Every day on the Optimist Daily, we report on solutions from around the world. Though we love solutions big and small, it is often the ones right in our communities that make the largest impact. A few weeks ago, The Optimist Daily asked you, our readers, to nominate the problem solvers and/or organizations making a difference in your community so we can recognize them and share their stories with the rest of the world. Thank you to all who participated—we couldn’t reply to each submission but we want you to know that we appreciate every one of you! Today marks the first edition of The Optimist Daily’s Local Changemakers series which will run until Thanksgiving. This is our way of expressing gratitude to our Optimist Daily community. We hope you enjoy learning about these solutions-oriented individuals and organizations as much as we did.  Bringing nature indoors: how tree ceiling murals are transforming classrooms for the better Imagine stepping into a classroom where you’re greeted by the sight of towering tree branches, sunlight filtering through leaves, and the feeling of being outside. This is what Nature in the Classroom, a nonprofit founded by Ernesto Rodriguez, is accomplishing by installing ceiling murals of trees in schools across the U.S. These murals offer students in windowless and portable classrooms a calming connection to nature, supported by over 40 years of scientific research. Avalon Schools K2 class with their finished ceiling mural; courtesy of Nature In The Classroom Rodriguez, a retired school psychologist turned naturalist, emphasizes the proven benefits of nature on mental health. “Forty-plus years of empirical science teaches us that viewing trees or images of trees calms us and helps us focus,” he explains. Through Nature in the Classroom, tree ceiling murals are now installed in 14 school districts across California, Colorado, Kentucky, Utah, New York, and Pennsylvania, reaching over 7,000 students. The murals have been received with enthusiasm. As one sixth grader at Nellie N. Coffman Middle School in California expressed, “I like the branches. It’s like roads to a great journey”. Creating calm and focus in the classroom Classrooms can often be stressful environments, especially for young students. By incorporating nature imagery, teachers and students alike are noticing significant improvements. “Teachers express that students are more focused, happier, and the trees create a greater sense of community in the classroom,” Rodriguez shares. In a world where approximately 10 million students attend classes in portable or windowless rooms, these murals provide a solution. The sense of being outdoors offers an immediate relaxing effect, helping students manage anxiety, especially in the wake of the pandemic. Rodriguez recalls a kindergartener who perfectly summarized the benefits of the murals: “She was sitting on her calves, straightened up, flicked her hair back and said, ‘It calms me up.’” Addressing mental health through greenery Recent studies have supported the mental health benefits of access to greenery. A study from Spain introduced the ‘3-30-300 rule,’ recommending that to enhance mental health, individuals should be able to see three trees from a window, have 30 percent greenery in their neighborhood, and live within 300 meters of a park. Unfortunately, many inner-city schools, particularly Title 1 schools, lack access to these benefits. Rodriguez highlights how his tree ceilings can provide an alternative: “The tree ceilings provide a bridge to greenery and the mental health benefits.” Helping students post-pandemic The calming impact of these tree ceilings has been particularly helpful in managing the anxiety left in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. One principal from Gage Middle School in Los Angeles shared that they couldn’t have gotten through the pandemic without the tree ceilings, which “instantly calm kids who are having anxiety.” With each mural, Nature in the Classroom is giving students a peaceful, green escape that fosters creativity, reduces stress, and cultivates a sense of calm—all while helping them stay focused and engaged in their learning environments. As more schools adopt this unique approach, the positive effects of nature-inspired spaces are becoming increasingly clear, paving the way for healthier and more nurturing classrooms. For more information, visit Nature in the Classroom.   The Man That Rescues Dogs: transforming the lives of stray dogs in Thailand In the heart of Chonburi, Thailand, The Man That Rescues Dogs (TMTRD) has become a sanctuary for more than 1,000 stray, sick, and disabled dogs. Founded by Swedish entrepreneur Michael J. Baines, TMTRD is committed to giving these animals a second chance at life. Initially, Baines fed local dogs near his restaurant but eventually made the life-changing decision to open the sanctuary full-time in 2017. Since then, TMTRD has grown into a remarkable space that not only rescues dogs but also educates the local community on animal welfare. Baines’ inspiring journey began with simply feeding stray dogs. “He started spending his free time helping as many of Thailand’s stray population as he could,” says Caroline, a supporter and the one who nominated TMTRD as a local changemaker for this series. Michael with two rescue dogs; courtesy of TMTRD A sanctuary with heart and purpose As Baines’ passion grew, he transitioned from running a restaurant to building a sanctuary that now spans 8,000 square meters. This space includes a full-service clinic, a care unit for dogs with special needs, a sterile quarantine section, a specialized distemper unit, and even swimming pools for water therapy. Every day, twice a day, the dogs at TMTRD receive a nutritious meal of meat, rice, and dry food, and the onsite vets ensure the health and well-being of each dog. “Michael’s work is truly incredible and inspirational,” Caroline adds. With 32 staff members, including veterinarians, construction workers, and administrative personnel, TMTRD not only supports the dogs but also provides competitive salaries and accommodation for its staff. The Wheelchair Mafia: a story of resilience TMTRD is also well-known for its “Wheelchair Mafia,” a group of disabled dogs who use custom-made wheelchairs to move around. The organization’s work is a heartwarming example of compassion, resilience, and dedication. TMTRD doesn’t just focus on rescuing dogs; it also emphasizes community outreach and education to foster a harmonious relationship between people and animals. Supporting the mission through storytelling To support the sanctuary’s mission, Baines has written a memoir called Home. Made., with 70 percent of the book’s royalties going directly to fund the foundation, thanks to a unique partnership with the social impact publisher, Witchcraft. “In traditional models, an author only receives 5-10 percent of royalties,” Caroline explains, “but Witchcraft flips the model in favor of nonprofits, helping to fund their crucial missions.” Through education, community involvement, and a tireless commitment to the welfare of stray dogs, TMTRD is making a life-changing difference for animals in Thailand. Baines’ dedication and vision are an inspiring example of how one person can make an enormous impact on the lives of countless animals—and create lasting change within a community. For more information and to support this incredible mission, visit TMTRD.The post Changemakers of the week: Nature in the Classroom and The Man That Rescues Dogs first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

'The problem is two-fold'

Anybody got a spare $1.46 billion