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Green Squall
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Monsanto must pay couple $2bn in largest verdict yet over cancer claims
Monsanto must pay couple $2bn in largest verdict yet over cancer claims
A California jury has ordered Monsanto to pay more than $2bn to a couple that got cancer after using its weedkiller, marking the third and largest verdict against the company over Roundup.
A jury in Oakland ruled on Monday that Monsanto, now owned by the German pharmaceutical corporation Bayer, was liable for the non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) cancer of Alva and Alberta Pilliod. The jury ordered the company to pay $1bn in damages to each of them, and more than $55m total in compensatory damages.
The victory for the Pilliods follows two consecutive trial wins for families taking on Monsanto over Roundup, the world’s most widely used weedkiller, which research has linked to NHL, a cancer that affects the immune system. Dewayne Johnson, a former school groundskeeper with terminal cancer, won a $289m victory in state court last year, and Edwin Hardeman, who sprayed Roundup on his properties, was awarded $80m in the first federal trial this year.
The latest verdict is the largest by far and will increase pressure on Bayer, which has suffered share price drops in the wake of the verdicts and is now facing similar lawsuits from thousands of cancer patients, survivors and families who lost loved ones to NHL.
The juries have repeatedly ruled that Roundup was defectively designed, that the company failed to warn consumers about the cancer risks, and that Monsanto has acted negligently. The cases have uncovered internal Monsanto documents that plaintiffs’ lawyers say reveal the ways in which the company has “bullied” scientists over the years and helped “ghostwrite” research defending the safety of glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup.
Bayer and Monsanto have continued to argue that Roundup is safe to use and does not cause cancer. They are appealing against the verdicts.
“Monsanto has never had any interest in finding out whether Roundup is safe,” R Brent Wisner, one of the Pilliods’ attorneys, said in a statement after the verdict. “Instead of investing in sound science, they invested millions in attacking science that threatened their business agenda.”
The Pilliods, who are in their 70s and live in Livermore, 40 miles east of San Francisco, used Roundup for more than 30 years to landscape their home and other properties. In 2011, Alva was diagnosed with systemic NHL in his bones, which spread to his pelvis and spine, and Alberta was diagnosed with NHL brain cancer in 2015. Both are in remission but testified about lasting damage from the cancer.
Michael Miller, another attorney for the couple, noted that the judge in this case permitted the legal team to present significant evidence about Monsanto’s conduct, in contrast to previous trials, where evidence was severely limited.
“We were finally allowed to show a jury the mountain of evidence showing Monsanto’s manipulation of science, the media and regulatory agencies to forward their own agenda despite Roundup’s severe harm to the animal kingdom and humankind,” he said in a statement.
Bayer said it was “disappointed” in the decision and would appeal. The company cited the continuing approval of glyphosate by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and “the consensus among leading health regulators worldwide that glyphosate-based products can be used safely and that glyphosate is not carcinogenic, and the 40 years of extensive scientific research on which their favorable conclusions are based”.
Internal documents uncovered in the trials have repeatedly shone a harsh light on Monsanto’s close relationship with US regulators. The lawsuits began piling up after a key 2015 ruling by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, which said glyphosate was “probably carcinogenic to humans”.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys estimate that there are now 13,400 similar Roundup cancer cases pending in state and federal courts in the US.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/may/13/monsanto-cancer-trial-bayer-roundup-couple
Some further background to this story, if you care to know:
https://journal-neo.org/2019/05/09/us-epa-says-glyphosate-ok-despite-contrary-evidence/
I sincerely hope that Bayer & Monsanto are brought to their knees and suffer the consequences. Pay back is a bitch, best served on a cold platter. I know, Bayer has an army of lawyers who will appeal, dragging this on forever, but at least it's the beginning of the end for these slime bags.
RMS
Monsanto must pay couple $2bn in largest verdict yet over cancer claims
A California jury has ordered Monsanto to pay more than $2bn to a couple that got cancer after using its weedkiller, marking the third and largest verdict against the company over Roundup.
A jury in Oakland ruled on Monday that Monsanto, now owned by the German pharmaceutical corporation Bayer, was liable for the non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) cancer of Alva and Alberta Pilliod. The jury ordered the company to pay $1bn in damages to each of them, and more than $55m total in compensatory damages.
The victory for the Pilliods follows two consecutive trial wins for families taking on Monsanto over Roundup, the world’s most widely used weedkiller, which research has linked to NHL, a cancer that affects the immune system. Dewayne Johnson, a former school groundskeeper with terminal cancer, won a $289m victory in state court last year, and Edwin Hardeman, who sprayed Roundup on his properties, was awarded $80m in the first federal trial this year.
The latest verdict is the largest by far and will increase pressure on Bayer, which has suffered share price drops in the wake of the verdicts and is now facing similar lawsuits from thousands of cancer patients, survivors and families who lost loved ones to NHL.
The juries have repeatedly ruled that Roundup was defectively designed, that the company failed to warn consumers about the cancer risks, and that Monsanto has acted negligently. The cases have uncovered internal Monsanto documents that plaintiffs’ lawyers say reveal the ways in which the company has “bullied” scientists over the years and helped “ghostwrite” research defending the safety of glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup.
Bayer and Monsanto have continued to argue that Roundup is safe to use and does not cause cancer. They are appealing against the verdicts.
“Monsanto has never had any interest in finding out whether Roundup is safe,” R Brent Wisner, one of the Pilliods’ attorneys, said in a statement after the verdict. “Instead of investing in sound science, they invested millions in attacking science that threatened their business agenda.”
The Pilliods, who are in their 70s and live in Livermore, 40 miles east of San Francisco, used Roundup for more than 30 years to landscape their home and other properties. In 2011, Alva was diagnosed with systemic NHL in his bones, which spread to his pelvis and spine, and Alberta was diagnosed with NHL brain cancer in 2015. Both are in remission but testified about lasting damage from the cancer.
Michael Miller, another attorney for the couple, noted that the judge in this case permitted the legal team to present significant evidence about Monsanto’s conduct, in contrast to previous trials, where evidence was severely limited.
“We were finally allowed to show a jury the mountain of evidence showing Monsanto’s manipulation of science, the media and regulatory agencies to forward their own agenda despite Roundup’s severe harm to the animal kingdom and humankind,” he said in a statement.
Bayer said it was “disappointed” in the decision and would appeal. The company cited the continuing approval of glyphosate by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and “the consensus among leading health regulators worldwide that glyphosate-based products can be used safely and that glyphosate is not carcinogenic, and the 40 years of extensive scientific research on which their favorable conclusions are based”.
Internal documents uncovered in the trials have repeatedly shone a harsh light on Monsanto’s close relationship with US regulators. The lawsuits began piling up after a key 2015 ruling by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, which said glyphosate was “probably carcinogenic to humans”.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys estimate that there are now 13,400 similar Roundup cancer cases pending in state and federal courts in the US.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/may/13/monsanto-cancer-trial-bayer-roundup-couple
Some further background to this story, if you care to know:
https://journal-neo.org/2019/05/09/us-epa-says-glyphosate-ok-despite-contrary-evidence/
I sincerely hope that Bayer & Monsanto are brought to their knees and suffer the consequences. Pay back is a bitch, best served on a cold platter. I know, Bayer has an army of lawyers who will appeal, dragging this on forever, but at least it's the beginning of the end for these slime bags.
RMS
What’s really in your seafood? Researchers find problems with mislabeling, fraud
What’s really in your seafood? Researchers find problems with mislabeling, fraud
One out of every three seafood products purchased from Canadian retailers is likely mislabeled. These are the results of a new study from the University of Guelph. The research reveals fraud throughout the seafood supply chain in Ontario. Fraudulent labeling practices were revealed at the import stage, at the processing plants, and all the way to the retailers.
In all, the researchers investigated twelve different species of fish. They collected fifty-one samples of fish from importers, eleven samples from Ontario processing plants, and one hundred forty-one samples from retailers. After tracing the packages to their origin, the researchers found that 32 percent of the samples were mislabeled. Broken down, the mislabeling was most prevalent at retailers (38.1 percent), but the fraud was also prevalent at the processing plants (27.3 percent) and at the import stage (17.6 percent).
If the products are frequently mislabeled, who really knows what’s in the seafood product itself? Who knows whether the fish is real or not, whether it’s laced with fillers, chemicals, and/or heavy metals? The fraud is so pervasive, Canadian retailers can’t even get the name of the fish right. Some of the fraud begins before the fish enter the cLabeling fraud allows distributors and retailers to boost revenues selling cheap fish
The origin of the fish samples in the study was confirmed using DNA barcoding. This process, invented by the University of Guelph, attributes a short, standardized region of genetic material to each species so that the sample can be properly identified.
Hanner believes there are two motivations behind the mislabeling which often occurs during seafood repackaging. He says that the mislabeling could be “economically motivated” as distributors purposely mislabel cheap fish as expensive fish to boost revenues. He also pointed to “inconsistent labeling regulations between countries” which allows for broad common names to be used, instead of specific species names. Labeling requirements in the United States and Canada only include the common name, not the scientific name. Different species of fish of the same common name can vary in value, so a cheap form of tuna can be sold for a more premium price.
“It creates ambiguity and opens the door for fraud or honest mistakes,” he said. “It also makes it more difficult to track species at risk or indicate if a fish is a species that has higher mercury content. At the end of the day, Canadian consumers don’t really know what type of fish they are eating.”
Plumping chemicals used in shrimp to defraud consumers
Hanner believes that verification testing is needed at multiple points along the supply chain and that countries should use scientific names instead of common names to mitigate the fraud. Despite these efforts, how will countries be able to tell whether the seafood was chemically adulterated before import? Stunning new video shows Vietnamese workers plumping up tiger shrimp with a chemical called carboxymethyl cellulose. The thickening agent is injected into the head, tail, and midsection of the shrimp to make them appear larger, fresher, and to increase their weight. The chemically-adulterated seafood was imported to Australia from 2014 to 2015 and was worth an estimated $220 million.
Not only is labeling fraud pervasive throughout the seafood supply, but there is also several unknowns, including mercury and nitrate content and the presence of plumping chemicals in the seafood.ountry, which compounds mislabeling issues further down the line.
“We’ve been doing seafood fraud studies for a decade,” said lead author Professor Robert Hanner. “We know there are problems. But this is the first study to move beyond that and look at where the problems are happening throughout the food supply chain.” The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is looking for ways to counter the problems with seafood mislabeling.
Source: https://www.naturalnews.com/2019-05-13-whats-really-in-your-seafood-mislabeling-fraud-in-the-supply-chain.html
RMS
What’s really in your seafood? Researchers find problems with mislabeling, fraud
One out of every three seafood products purchased from Canadian retailers is likely mislabeled. These are the results of a new study from the University of Guelph. The research reveals fraud throughout the seafood supply chain in Ontario. Fraudulent labeling practices were revealed at the import stage, at the processing plants, and all the way to the retailers.
In all, the researchers investigated twelve different species of fish. They collected fifty-one samples of fish from importers, eleven samples from Ontario processing plants, and one hundred forty-one samples from retailers. After tracing the packages to their origin, the researchers found that 32 percent of the samples were mislabeled. Broken down, the mislabeling was most prevalent at retailers (38.1 percent), but the fraud was also prevalent at the processing plants (27.3 percent) and at the import stage (17.6 percent).
If the products are frequently mislabeled, who really knows what’s in the seafood product itself? Who knows whether the fish is real or not, whether it’s laced with fillers, chemicals, and/or heavy metals? The fraud is so pervasive, Canadian retailers can’t even get the name of the fish right. Some of the fraud begins before the fish enter the cLabeling fraud allows distributors and retailers to boost revenues selling cheap fish
The origin of the fish samples in the study was confirmed using DNA barcoding. This process, invented by the University of Guelph, attributes a short, standardized region of genetic material to each species so that the sample can be properly identified.
Hanner believes there are two motivations behind the mislabeling which often occurs during seafood repackaging. He says that the mislabeling could be “economically motivated” as distributors purposely mislabel cheap fish as expensive fish to boost revenues. He also pointed to “inconsistent labeling regulations between countries” which allows for broad common names to be used, instead of specific species names. Labeling requirements in the United States and Canada only include the common name, not the scientific name. Different species of fish of the same common name can vary in value, so a cheap form of tuna can be sold for a more premium price.
“It creates ambiguity and opens the door for fraud or honest mistakes,” he said. “It also makes it more difficult to track species at risk or indicate if a fish is a species that has higher mercury content. At the end of the day, Canadian consumers don’t really know what type of fish they are eating.”
Plumping chemicals used in shrimp to defraud consumers
Hanner believes that verification testing is needed at multiple points along the supply chain and that countries should use scientific names instead of common names to mitigate the fraud. Despite these efforts, how will countries be able to tell whether the seafood was chemically adulterated before import? Stunning new video shows Vietnamese workers plumping up tiger shrimp with a chemical called carboxymethyl cellulose. The thickening agent is injected into the head, tail, and midsection of the shrimp to make them appear larger, fresher, and to increase their weight. The chemically-adulterated seafood was imported to Australia from 2014 to 2015 and was worth an estimated $220 million.
Not only is labeling fraud pervasive throughout the seafood supply, but there is also several unknowns, including mercury and nitrate content and the presence of plumping chemicals in the seafood.ountry, which compounds mislabeling issues further down the line.
“We’ve been doing seafood fraud studies for a decade,” said lead author Professor Robert Hanner. “We know there are problems. But this is the first study to move beyond that and look at where the problems are happening throughout the food supply chain.” The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is looking for ways to counter the problems with seafood mislabeling.
Source: https://www.naturalnews.com/2019-05-13-whats-really-in-your-seafood-mislabeling-fraud-in-the-supply-chain.html
RMS
Feral Parrots Are Taking Over America
Feral Parrots Are Taking Over America
Visitors to Chicago’s Hyde Park or New York’s Green-Wood Cemetery may be surprised to hear the raucous squawks of lime-green monk parakeets. These birds, descendants of escaped pets, have managed to create thriving colonies in these cities despite the annual cold weather. It turns out they’re far from unusual—escaped pet parrots have established breeding populations in nearly half of U.S. states, according to a new analysis.
The United States was home to just two native parrot species, the Carolina parakeet (now extinct) and the thick-billed parrot (now only found in Mexico). But that doesn’t mean Americans don’t have plenty of opportunities to see free-flying parrots. As new research describes, there are 56 parrot species living in the wild across 23 U.S. states. Of those, 25 species have formed breeding colonies.
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act makes it illegal to own any bird (or any part of a bird) from a list of hundreds of native species. Instead, the pet trade, both legally and illegally, imports exotic bird species like parrots—and inevitably, some of these birds escape and occasionally breed. All of the parrots documented in this research, with two possible exceptions, descended from escaped pets.
A team of scientists, led by Cornell graduate student Jennifer Uehling, reviewed parrot observations from 15 years of community science observations—specifically, the annual Christmas Bird Count and Cornell University’s ubiquitous eBird database. Birders log their sightings along with comments, and reviewers confirm any rarities with more details, further observations, and photos. The researchers determined that a bird population was “established” if birdwatchers had observed the species 25 or more times (a purposely high but relatively arbitrary number) and if records included observations of breeding.
The data review showed that 56 species had been observed 118,744 times at 19,812 unique locations, according to the paper published in the Journal of Ornithology. The monk parakeet accounted for more than a third of the observations, while red-crowned Amazons and Nanday parakeets accounted for 13.3 percent and 11.9 percent of the sightings, respectively. California, Florida, and Texas accounted for most of the records.
This is community science data, so it’s worth looking skeptically at some of the observations. But still, that’s a lot of parrots.
How do parrots survive in a foreign habitat? The researchers explain that monk parakeets can build their nests in natural or human-made structures, adjust their diets to survive in the cold, and can establish new populations far away from where they were born. They’re particularly good at surviving in human-altered habitats. The researchers note that density of humans and the minimum January temperature have the biggest impact on the diversity of naturalized parrots—which is why it shouldn’t be surprising that southern Texas, southern Florida, and southern California have the most parrots.
But should these colorful colonies be celebrated or removed, given that the birds are invasive? Eradication efforts are occasionally met with resistance from bird lovers, and proposed laws in some states, including New York and New Jersey, would further protect monk parakeets, according to the new paper. The red-crowned Amazon is red-listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in its native range, and might receive similar protections in the United States.
For now, the answer is that scientists need to do more science, and establish what effects, if any, parrots have on native species (for now, there’s no evidence either way, according to the paper). But it’s clear that humans alter their environments in ways you might not expect, such that animals from around the world have now established populations far from their home ranges.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/feral-parrots-are-taking-over-america-1834763132
RMS
Feral Parrots Are Taking Over America
Visitors to Chicago’s Hyde Park or New York’s Green-Wood Cemetery may be surprised to hear the raucous squawks of lime-green monk parakeets. These birds, descendants of escaped pets, have managed to create thriving colonies in these cities despite the annual cold weather. It turns out they’re far from unusual—escaped pet parrots have established breeding populations in nearly half of U.S. states, according to a new analysis.
The United States was home to just two native parrot species, the Carolina parakeet (now extinct) and the thick-billed parrot (now only found in Mexico). But that doesn’t mean Americans don’t have plenty of opportunities to see free-flying parrots. As new research describes, there are 56 parrot species living in the wild across 23 U.S. states. Of those, 25 species have formed breeding colonies.
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act makes it illegal to own any bird (or any part of a bird) from a list of hundreds of native species. Instead, the pet trade, both legally and illegally, imports exotic bird species like parrots—and inevitably, some of these birds escape and occasionally breed. All of the parrots documented in this research, with two possible exceptions, descended from escaped pets.
A team of scientists, led by Cornell graduate student Jennifer Uehling, reviewed parrot observations from 15 years of community science observations—specifically, the annual Christmas Bird Count and Cornell University’s ubiquitous eBird database. Birders log their sightings along with comments, and reviewers confirm any rarities with more details, further observations, and photos. The researchers determined that a bird population was “established” if birdwatchers had observed the species 25 or more times (a purposely high but relatively arbitrary number) and if records included observations of breeding.
The data review showed that 56 species had been observed 118,744 times at 19,812 unique locations, according to the paper published in the Journal of Ornithology. The monk parakeet accounted for more than a third of the observations, while red-crowned Amazons and Nanday parakeets accounted for 13.3 percent and 11.9 percent of the sightings, respectively. California, Florida, and Texas accounted for most of the records.
This is community science data, so it’s worth looking skeptically at some of the observations. But still, that’s a lot of parrots.
How do parrots survive in a foreign habitat? The researchers explain that monk parakeets can build their nests in natural or human-made structures, adjust their diets to survive in the cold, and can establish new populations far away from where they were born. They’re particularly good at surviving in human-altered habitats. The researchers note that density of humans and the minimum January temperature have the biggest impact on the diversity of naturalized parrots—which is why it shouldn’t be surprising that southern Texas, southern Florida, and southern California have the most parrots.
But should these colorful colonies be celebrated or removed, given that the birds are invasive? Eradication efforts are occasionally met with resistance from bird lovers, and proposed laws in some states, including New York and New Jersey, would further protect monk parakeets, according to the new paper. The red-crowned Amazon is red-listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in its native range, and might receive similar protections in the United States.
For now, the answer is that scientists need to do more science, and establish what effects, if any, parrots have on native species (for now, there’s no evidence either way, according to the paper). But it’s clear that humans alter their environments in ways you might not expect, such that animals from around the world have now established populations far from their home ranges.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/feral-parrots-are-taking-over-america-1834763132
RMS
Dogs quarantined after officials detect a vicious disease. Humans could be at risk
Dogs quarantined after officials detect a vicious disease. Humans could be at risk
A small-dog commercial breeding facility in Marion County, Iowa, is the source of “multiple cases” of a canine disease that can be transmitted to humans, the state’s agriculture department said.
Canine brucellosis is highly contagious among dogs and may cause catastrophic reproductive issues in the animals, including infertility, stillbirths and spontaneous abortions, according to the Iowa Department of Health. Health officials in Iowa have issued quarantines for facilities containing the exposed dogs as they undergo clinical testing.
State Veterinarian Jeff Kaisand on Friday issued a statement confirming multiple cases of the disease in dogs in central Iowa.
While it is rarely reported in humans, canine brucellosis is zoonotic — meaning it can infect people through contaminated blood, urine, milk or other reproductive fluids.
A human infected with the disease may experience flu-like symptoms: fever, sweats, joint pain, weakness and headaches, according to the Iowa health department. Young children and people with weakened immune systems are at particular risk for complications, and Iowa State University reports that the disease could cause a woman to miscarry or give birth prematurely.
“That’s why if we do have a positive dog, it has to be put down,” Amy Heinz, founder and executive director of Iowa-based AHeinz57 Pet Rescue and Transport, said in an interview. A woman “could find comfort in her little furry friend, and it could be her little furry friend that caused her miscarriage.”
Heinz said her organization, which is based in De Soto, Iowa, is in the midst of a 30-day quarantine after purchasing 32 dogs from the cited breeding facility at an auction this month. The quarantine will have a dire effect on strays in the area, she said, as no dogs will be allowed in or out of the shelter for its duration.
“The strays in rural Iowa are up a creek right now,” Heinz said.
Health officials say the disease is most commonly reported in breeding facilities, where staffers are trained to recognize and test for it. That means veterinarians, dog breeders and kennel workers are the most likely people to be exposed to canine brucellosis, but Heinz said her staff is aware of the associated risks.
Canine brucellosis is chronic and has no apparent cure, Edward Dubovi, a professor of virology at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, told The Washington Post. Infected dogs may appear to be healthy — especially if they’ve been treated recently with antibiotics — which can skew results and cause sick canines to test negative for the disease.
“Part of the problem is it’s difficult to treat,” Dubovi said Monday. “Some of the tests go negative once treated, so you look like you’re getting a good dog, but it’s chronically infected.”
While the 32 dogs in Heinz’s care initially tested negative and haven’t shown symptoms, she suspects that the breeder may have given them antibiotics before the auction. She said another buyer reported that several of their dogs purchased from the breeding facility tested positive for canine brucellosis.
She added that the dogs will remain under quarantine until they can be tested again, ensuring they aren’t affected. The website for the breeder, which was based in Marion County and identified by Heinz, appears to have been taken down. Its Facebook page Monday said it was “closed for business.”
Dubovi said the disease is “of high concern” and can cause commercial breeders to lose multiple litters of puppies if undetected. The Iowa Department of Health also warns against breeding dogs before testing for the disease.
It wasn’t immediately clear how many dogs were infected in Iowa. Heinz has posted updates from the quarantine on the shelter’s Facebook page. On Monday, she went cage to cage describing the dogs it had recently acquired, many of which were in “really bad shape.”
“We still have a lot of work ahead of us,” Heinz said in the video. “But they are going to know a good life because I’m just sure that our next tests are going to wind up negative as well.”
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/05/14/dogs-quarantined-after-officials-detect-vicious-disease-humans-could-be-risk-too/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.1ef69645c7f8
RMS
Dogs quarantined after officials detect a vicious disease. Humans could be at risk
A small-dog commercial breeding facility in Marion County, Iowa, is the source of “multiple cases” of a canine disease that can be transmitted to humans, the state’s agriculture department said.
Canine brucellosis is highly contagious among dogs and may cause catastrophic reproductive issues in the animals, including infertility, stillbirths and spontaneous abortions, according to the Iowa Department of Health. Health officials in Iowa have issued quarantines for facilities containing the exposed dogs as they undergo clinical testing.
State Veterinarian Jeff Kaisand on Friday issued a statement confirming multiple cases of the disease in dogs in central Iowa.
While it is rarely reported in humans, canine brucellosis is zoonotic — meaning it can infect people through contaminated blood, urine, milk or other reproductive fluids.
A human infected with the disease may experience flu-like symptoms: fever, sweats, joint pain, weakness and headaches, according to the Iowa health department. Young children and people with weakened immune systems are at particular risk for complications, and Iowa State University reports that the disease could cause a woman to miscarry or give birth prematurely.
“That’s why if we do have a positive dog, it has to be put down,” Amy Heinz, founder and executive director of Iowa-based AHeinz57 Pet Rescue and Transport, said in an interview. A woman “could find comfort in her little furry friend, and it could be her little furry friend that caused her miscarriage.”
Heinz said her organization, which is based in De Soto, Iowa, is in the midst of a 30-day quarantine after purchasing 32 dogs from the cited breeding facility at an auction this month. The quarantine will have a dire effect on strays in the area, she said, as no dogs will be allowed in or out of the shelter for its duration.
“The strays in rural Iowa are up a creek right now,” Heinz said.
Health officials say the disease is most commonly reported in breeding facilities, where staffers are trained to recognize and test for it. That means veterinarians, dog breeders and kennel workers are the most likely people to be exposed to canine brucellosis, but Heinz said her staff is aware of the associated risks.
Canine brucellosis is chronic and has no apparent cure, Edward Dubovi, a professor of virology at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, told The Washington Post. Infected dogs may appear to be healthy — especially if they’ve been treated recently with antibiotics — which can skew results and cause sick canines to test negative for the disease.
“Part of the problem is it’s difficult to treat,” Dubovi said Monday. “Some of the tests go negative once treated, so you look like you’re getting a good dog, but it’s chronically infected.”
While the 32 dogs in Heinz’s care initially tested negative and haven’t shown symptoms, she suspects that the breeder may have given them antibiotics before the auction. She said another buyer reported that several of their dogs purchased from the breeding facility tested positive for canine brucellosis.
She added that the dogs will remain under quarantine until they can be tested again, ensuring they aren’t affected. The website for the breeder, which was based in Marion County and identified by Heinz, appears to have been taken down. Its Facebook page Monday said it was “closed for business.”
Dubovi said the disease is “of high concern” and can cause commercial breeders to lose multiple litters of puppies if undetected. The Iowa Department of Health also warns against breeding dogs before testing for the disease.
It wasn’t immediately clear how many dogs were infected in Iowa. Heinz has posted updates from the quarantine on the shelter’s Facebook page. On Monday, she went cage to cage describing the dogs it had recently acquired, many of which were in “really bad shape.”
“We still have a lot of work ahead of us,” Heinz said in the video. “But they are going to know a good life because I’m just sure that our next tests are going to wind up negative as well.”
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/05/14/dogs-quarantined-after-officials-detect-vicious-disease-humans-could-be-risk-too/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.1ef69645c7f8
RMS
Weird or wacky???
idk.......But fuck this broad hard n' dry for her misdeeds.
May 10th 2018 she was drunk driving and caused an accident w/a fatality. She cried openly in court as an 11 year prison sentence was imposed by the judge, a $5000 fine and then 15 years of probation.
Her first mugshot (day of accident) went viral, it's obviously the pic on the left.
Angenette Marie Welk, 44, didn't smile on Saturday when her new mugshot was taken at the Marion County Jail in Ocala.
Who is behind Melbourne's mysterious penis symbols?
Who is behind Melbourne's mysterious penis symbols?
Mysterious penis-shaped symbols have appeared on sports parks in Melbourne's north-east, primitive in design but following a technique similar to their more lauded predecessor, the crop circle.
Google Earth currently displays the penis designs on three parks in Preston and Thornbury, near Northland Shopping Centre, each with more than one attempt, of diverse sizes.
The area's mayor says the designs will require a "complex, costly and time-consuming" repair process.
TW Blake Park in Preston features the largest glyph – more than 100 metres in length – along with two adjacent smaller efforts.
An equally conspicuous design adorns a grass pitch at Thornbury's John Cain Memorial Park complex, again partnered by a much smaller shape.
Melbourne's glyphs are believed to have appeared late last year, which has raised suspicion in online circles that it was part of a post-school "muck-up" prank.
While the penises appear drawn in one continuous line, a Darebin council spokesman did not wish to reveal the vandals' methods, so as not to encourage copycat designs.
Source: https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/who-is-behind-melbourne-s-mysterious-penis-symbols-20190515-p51nhy.html
RMS
Who is behind Melbourne's mysterious penis symbols?
Mysterious penis-shaped symbols have appeared on sports parks in Melbourne's north-east, primitive in design but following a technique similar to their more lauded predecessor, the crop circle.
Google Earth currently displays the penis designs on three parks in Preston and Thornbury, near Northland Shopping Centre, each with more than one attempt, of diverse sizes.
The area's mayor says the designs will require a "complex, costly and time-consuming" repair process.
TW Blake Park in Preston features the largest glyph – more than 100 metres in length – along with two adjacent smaller efforts.
An equally conspicuous design adorns a grass pitch at Thornbury's John Cain Memorial Park complex, again partnered by a much smaller shape.
Melbourne's glyphs are believed to have appeared late last year, which has raised suspicion in online circles that it was part of a post-school "muck-up" prank.
While the penises appear drawn in one continuous line, a Darebin council spokesman did not wish to reveal the vandals' methods, so as not to encourage copycat designs.
Source: https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/who-is-behind-melbourne-s-mysterious-penis-symbols-20190515-p51nhy.html
RMS
BrewsnWeed666
Member
RMS You crack me up Thanks
.... ICMag's Nordie did that, I recognize his handwriting! 
St. Phatty
Active member
"Can PG&E protect California from Another Deadly Wildfire ?"
If you're been reading the headlines, you know that PG&E has admitted causing more than one recent wildfire death.
Actually this is a Google editor's title.
It's like asking if Trump can save bald men from bad comb-overs.
Or if Jack the Ripper should be on Neighborhood Watch.
The actual article was much more factual.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/t...astructure-may-leave-parts-of-california-dark
"Well, what we know is this is a transmission line that was built in 1921."
PG&E ... they could bury their rural power lines. They could also give them better insulation. They could also install switches that sense a downed line & cut power in that area only. But no ...
Total Face Palm, watching one of the supposedly most tech. advanced societies anywhere, figure out basic electricity problems.
Maybe they should have a Seance with Thomas Edison.
If you're been reading the headlines, you know that PG&E has admitted causing more than one recent wildfire death.
Actually this is a Google editor's title.
It's like asking if Trump can save bald men from bad comb-overs.
Or if Jack the Ripper should be on Neighborhood Watch.
The actual article was much more factual.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/t...astructure-may-leave-parts-of-california-dark
"Well, what we know is this is a transmission line that was built in 1921."
PG&E ... they could bury their rural power lines. They could also give them better insulation. They could also install switches that sense a downed line & cut power in that area only. But no ...
Total Face Palm, watching one of the supposedly most tech. advanced societies anywhere, figure out basic electricity problems.
Maybe they should have a Seance with Thomas Edison.
Man Dies Trying To Descend Everest Because The Mountain Was Too Crowded
Man Dies Trying To Descend Everest Because The Mountain Was Too Crowded
A climber has died trying to get down from the the summit of Mount Everest - because the queue was so big, rescuers couldn't find a path to more help.
Donald Lynn Cash was 'blessed' to have reached the peak before he tragically passed away, hours after taking photographs at the summit - before being caught in congestion to pass the Hillary Step.
A friend of Mr Cash claimed he had been told by a lead guide that 'Donald Lynn Cash was involved in the huge traffic jam approximately 2.30 hrs. Due to huge traffic jam he had to wait some more hours and at the same time he again fainted'.
According to Pioneer Adventure, the company leading the expedition, Cash, 55, passed away on 22 May after initially collapsing at the top of Mount Everest.
This was his last attempt on the Seven Summit climbing mission, where mountaineers take on the highest peaks of the seven continents.
Source: http://www.ladbible.com/news/news-american-climber-collapsed-at-the-summit-of-everest-and-later-died-20190524
RMS
Man Dies Trying To Descend Everest Because The Mountain Was Too Crowded
A climber has died trying to get down from the the summit of Mount Everest - because the queue was so big, rescuers couldn't find a path to more help.
Donald Lynn Cash was 'blessed' to have reached the peak before he tragically passed away, hours after taking photographs at the summit - before being caught in congestion to pass the Hillary Step.
A friend of Mr Cash claimed he had been told by a lead guide that 'Donald Lynn Cash was involved in the huge traffic jam approximately 2.30 hrs. Due to huge traffic jam he had to wait some more hours and at the same time he again fainted'.
According to Pioneer Adventure, the company leading the expedition, Cash, 55, passed away on 22 May after initially collapsing at the top of Mount Everest.
This was his last attempt on the Seven Summit climbing mission, where mountaineers take on the highest peaks of the seven continents.
Source: http://www.ladbible.com/news/news-american-climber-collapsed-at-the-summit-of-everest-and-later-died-20190524
RMS
Border Patrol seizes aircraft loaded with meth, fentanyl after it flies into US
Border Patrol seizes aircraft loaded with meth, fentanyl after it flies into US
TUCSON, AZ — An ultralight aircraft carrying half a million dollars worth of methamphetamine and fentanyl across the southern border was nabbed by Border Patrol agents late Thursday, according to the agency, but the pilot managed to make an escape.
The single-person aircraft was tracked flying across the U.S.-Mexico border by agents in the Nogales and Tucson, Arizona, stations at about 11 p.m. The ultralight craft was tracked to a landing site on a dirt road south of Tucson, Customs and Border Protection said in a press release.
The drugs were found, but the pilot was not.
"An [Air and Marine Operations] helicopter crew and Border Patrol agents conducted an exhaustive search of the area, but did not find the presumed pilot," CBP said in a statement.
Authorities seized 143 pounds of meth and 220 grams of fentanyl worth about $500,000 -- packed into two plastic containers riding shotgun on the aircraft.
Despite the relatively small quantity, fentanyl is so strong -- about 50 times stronger than heroin -- that it is measured in micrograms, or 1 milllionth of a gram, according to the Harm Reduction Coalition.
(MORE: 30,000 fentanyl pills seized in Arizona drug bust)
Flying drugs across the border is not as common as other methods, but the Border Patrol said, "Transnational criminal organizations use a wide range of techniques to smuggle both humans and narcotics into the United States."
Even drones are being used to smuggle drugs over the border. A man in San Diego was sentenced to 12 years in prison in January 2018 for remotely piloting a drone to bring meth into the U.S., according to San Diego ABC affiliate KGTV.
Source: https://www.abc15.com/news/region-central-southern-az/tucson/border-patrol-seizes-aircraft-loaded-with-meth-fentanyl-after-it-flies-into-us
RMS
Border Patrol seizes aircraft loaded with meth, fentanyl after it flies into US
TUCSON, AZ — An ultralight aircraft carrying half a million dollars worth of methamphetamine and fentanyl across the southern border was nabbed by Border Patrol agents late Thursday, according to the agency, but the pilot managed to make an escape.
The single-person aircraft was tracked flying across the U.S.-Mexico border by agents in the Nogales and Tucson, Arizona, stations at about 11 p.m. The ultralight craft was tracked to a landing site on a dirt road south of Tucson, Customs and Border Protection said in a press release.
The drugs were found, but the pilot was not.
"An [Air and Marine Operations] helicopter crew and Border Patrol agents conducted an exhaustive search of the area, but did not find the presumed pilot," CBP said in a statement.
Authorities seized 143 pounds of meth and 220 grams of fentanyl worth about $500,000 -- packed into two plastic containers riding shotgun on the aircraft.
Despite the relatively small quantity, fentanyl is so strong -- about 50 times stronger than heroin -- that it is measured in micrograms, or 1 milllionth of a gram, according to the Harm Reduction Coalition.
(MORE: 30,000 fentanyl pills seized in Arizona drug bust)
Flying drugs across the border is not as common as other methods, but the Border Patrol said, "Transnational criminal organizations use a wide range of techniques to smuggle both humans and narcotics into the United States."
Even drones are being used to smuggle drugs over the border. A man in San Diego was sentenced to 12 years in prison in January 2018 for remotely piloting a drone to bring meth into the U.S., according to San Diego ABC affiliate KGTV.
Source: https://www.abc15.com/news/region-central-southern-az/tucson/border-patrol-seizes-aircraft-loaded-with-meth-fentanyl-after-it-flies-into-us
RMS
if the crowd is so big trying to summit that people die waiting in line, why do these people think it makes them "special" to "accomplish" this incredible feat? "hey, i was number 167 out of 469 that summitted on blahblahblah day..."
??? give me a damn break. sure, i bet the view is great from up there. i'd love to stand on top & burn a joint...IF there were no other visible human beings etc. (well, maybe ONE other person so i wasn't bogarting the doobie) THAT would be "special".
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.se...rst-state-to-legalize-human-composting/?amp=1
S
Sertaiz
wow
No thanks,, just feed me to the fish.. They've earned me...
we could arrange a trip off shore with a wood chipper and chum up some sharks...i can think of worse good-byes.
