How coronavirus is fuelling censorship
Sarah McLaughlin explains how governments use bans on fake news to silence their critics.
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, governments across the world have threatened to crack down on fake news and misinformation about the virus in the name of protecting public health. There is growing evidence, however, that these fake-news crackdowns are merely a fig leaf for the censorship of dissent.
In Egypt and Singapore, accusations of ‘spreading fake news’ have led to the prosecution of activists and opposition politicians. In Cambodia, 17 people have been arrested on charges of fake-news commentary about the virus – four of them members of a recently dissolved opposition party. In Hungary, Victor Orban’s recently passed emergency law allows for five-year prison sentences for those who ‘publicise false information that alarms the public or impedes government efforts to protect people’. In South Africa, the government’s website warns: ‘Anyone who creates or spreads fake news about Covid-19 is liable for prosecution.’ To make matters worse, social-media platforms are using algorithms to identify and remove articles judged to be dangerous. Even content by the New York Times has been taken down by these measures.
A pandemic of censorship appears to be growing alongside the contagion. Sarah McLaughlin, senior programme officer at FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights in Education), has been monitoring these developments. spiked caught up with her to find out more.
spiked: What kinds of restrictions on speech are governments introducing during the coronavirus pandemic?
Sarah McLaughlin: A lot of the censorship we are seeing around coronavirus is under the umbrella of so-called fake news. We have seen fake-news restrictions popping up for a while before the virus arrived. Governments have been taking coronavirus as an opportunity to say, ‘We are really concerned bad medical information could lead to panic and to people getting hurt, so we think it’s really important that we censor incorrect information’.
To some people that might sound like a good idea. But the problem is, this is coming from governments who are looking for excuses to censor their critics, especially critics who are saying their governments haven’t done a good job in responding to coronavirus. Governments are saying that is ‘fake news’.
spiked: Is this a problem mainly for authoritarian regimes or should we be concerned about similar restrictions in the West?
McLaughlin: Generally, yes, it is more concentrated in countries that already have very serious speech restrictions. But that doesn’t mean it is necessarily going to stay in those countries.
Even in the United States, we have had a couple of incidents popping up in which city authorities or the police have been saying they will go after people posting fake news. And Puerto Rico, which is a US territory, recently passed a ban on fake news relating to government orders about coronavirus and other disasters. So the problem is obviously much more centred in authoritarian regimes, but it is not something that liberal democracies should just ignore.
spiked: When this is happening in the West, is this a new development?
McLaughlin: I can speak more to the US on this. There have been a lot of discussions about so-called fake news. It has been a focus of Trump’s campaign to call certain reports fake. But it hasn’t been applied to a crisis like this before. I think at this point we are not yet seeing widespread demands for fake-news bans in the United States. But we are seeing certain kinds of bans on speech in the private sector. For instance, medical workers in the United States have had their jobs threatened if they speak out about a lack of PPE or the conditions in hospitals.
spiked: Is it just governments or is there a problem with social-media censorship, too?
McLaughlin: When it comes to social-media companies censoring coronavirus-related information, some of this censorship is going to be state-inspired. There are going to be take-down requests from governments. And I think we are going to see that leads back to the initial problem we were talking about with governments using the accusation of fake news to go after their critics.
spiked: Should it also concern us that a lot of this censorship is being done by algorithms?
McLaughlin: This is definitely concerning. There have already been well-researched articles that have been removed by these algorithms. Another concern is the fact that what we thought we knew about coronavirus has changed multiple times. At least in the United States, we were first told we didn’t need masks, then that we only need a certain kind of mask, and now we should wear masks. So it’s possible that content which is automatically removed could actually turn out to be correct.
spiked: Do you think these restrictions on speech will be temporary or could they become more entrenched?
McLaughlin: I think so much of the scary part about coronavirus is the fact that the future is very much unknown. In the US, I think we are going to have a lot of questions about the right to protest. There are small protests popping up against the lockdowns in some parts of the country, and there will be questions about how the First Amendment applies during a time like coronavirus. Coronavirus is new, but questions around the First Amendment and free speech in times of crisis are not. To a certain extent, we are re-treading some old ground with a new threat.
spiked: What can we do to push back against these trends?
McLaughlin: I think there is a two-fold answer to that question. The first part is that people should just know their rights generally. It’s a good idea to know whether you are allowed to say a certain thing, such as whether the US actually has a fake-news ban or not (it doesn’t).
The second part of it is that people should have a moral inclination to push back on information that they know to be false. I think that is a good, free-speech-friendly way to counter bad information. If you see bad information going around, it is a good idea to respond to it instead of demanding some kind of government ban. If we take things like this into our own hands, without expecting some kind of top-down restriction, we will be able to handle it in a way that better protects ourselves and our rights.
Sarah McLaughlin was talking to Paddy Hannam.
To enquire about republishing spiked’s content, a right to reply or to request a correction, please contact the managing editor, Viv Regan.


text:
With fitness and health, accountability is a humongous factor and motivator. I recognize that this is not a new or shocking statement. What I think is valuable to examine, however, is how this looks for each of us. We are constantly bombarded with other people’s successes and many people are looking for that perfect, easy routine that magically causes them to lose 20 pounds, have muscle, and able to maintain it. Reality check. If something sounds too good to be true, it is. Period. For most of us, we need to remain consistent, keep good habits, and work to maintain our health and fitness. I consider myself a runner, but really I’m a walk/jogger and mostly it’s because I don’t actually run that often. When consistently running, I run a lot and it’s easier. When I’m out of practice, running is hard (duh). This is true for all things.
Why am I telling you what you already know? Because it is valuable to step back and look at goals and habits if you want to achieve and maintain success. For me, I also need some accountability and I think it can make a big difference for most of us. What I’m referring to is that external or internal motivator that drives you and keeps you from making excuses. I’m an ardent follower of all things Gretchen Rubin, and her Four Tendencies book and advice really stuck with me. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, take the quiz here. By digging into it, I realized that I am someone who needs accountability that makes sense to me and that can be internal and/or external depending on what it is. For work tasks, I am motivated by my clients and keeping my promises to them. With fitness, I have found that external accountability helps me, but the person I’m making promises to is myself. Jeremy has discussed this on The Fit Mess also, but sometimes even having my Instagram account tied to my fitness is enough. If I am posting about fitness, I better actually be doing the work!
Another awesome strategy can be committing to exercise someone else. I have friends that have standing walking dates with friends. If they’re counting on you, will you skip it? My current biggest accountability partner has been my dog. He’s almost one and annoys our other, older dogs. He also gets into trouble if he gets bored. Over the summer, midday was too hot for long afternoon walks, so I sucked it up and started setting an early alarm to take him before the kids get up. Now, when I come downstairs in the morning, he is excited and expects to go for a walk. He is counting on me. This has been the best decision I’ve made in a while. Not only am I getting more exercise, but I’m awake and ready earlier and in a better frame of mind when I’m getting my kids up and out the door. I occasionally let him down, but for the most part, we’ve been consistent and the most amazing thing has happened- I’m running again! When you start doing the same route consistently, you find it getting easier and faster. I realize I can go a bit further if a jog some of it, then the next day I run a bit longer, and so on. Today was a solid two miles of running (plus some walking), which is the most I’ve done outside in some time.
I have a little homework for you all to try- pick one thing that you want to do. It can be adding exercise, changing eating habits, getting up earlier, or anything else that you think you need to do to improve your health and happiness. Write it down, then think about how it can happen. Do you need to get up earlier? Do you need to make a calendar appointment with yourself? Do you need to find a group or challenge to keep you motivated and accountable? Once you decide how to do it, share it with the people closest to you. Ask them to bug you about it and tell them when you’re succeeding. Miss a day or two? Try try again. Share about it socially so that you can see if social accountability helps for you (I’ve shared pictures of my alarm so that I feel like I HAVE to get up in the morning). I want some honest feedback about if this worked and what you did! Tag me in an Instagram post or DM me! Let’s do this together.
The post Accountability appeared first on The Fit Mess.

domain: psychology


NEW YORK — Several weeks after the Beijing Olympics, American sprinter Lauryn Williams was sitting in a hotel room in Shanghai reading through her mail. Every other letter, it seemed, was filled with anger and resentment.
It already had been a difficult 2008 for her, capped by a disastrous week in the Bird’s Nest. Williams finished out of the medals in her signature 100 meters, and a mix-up with teammate Torri Edwards in the 400-meter relay caused the baton to drop and knocked the American team from the event even before the finals.
Her forgettable week became memorable, though, when Williams answered a question about the U.S. struggles by saying someone must have a “voodoo doll” — a comment some took as a backhanded swipe at the culture of Jamaica, which had dominated the sprints in Beijing.
“I was really hurt, I was really broken up, because I didn’t realize I made so many people angry about the statement that I made,” Williams said Thursday, two days before she’ll line up against Jamaican star Veronica Campbell-Brown at the Reebok Grand Prix at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island.
“They asked me about why the American team was doing not so good, and I just answered the question,” Williams said. “I felt like the whole world hated me. The first time I saw Veronica after the race was Shanghai and I said, ‘Are you angry, what’s going on? Are the rest of them angry?’ She said, ‘Yeah, Lauryn, some of them took it the wrong way.’”
Williams said the comment was meant in jest and apologized, but it has stoked a burgeoning rivalry between the Americans and Jamaicans.
Few will forget Usain Bolt effortlessly cruising to world records in the 100 and 200 and, along with wins by Shelly-Ann Fraser and Campbell-Brown, Jamaica’s sprint sweep in Beijing. That dominant showing led USA Track & Field boss Doug Logan to challenge the Jamaican team to a home-and-home series of races that will begin next year.
Williams and several others have embraced the match races, designed to build interest in the sport during non-Olympic years, while some have been critical of the idea.
“What happened at the Olympics and over the years wasn’t a mistake,” said Jamaica’s Asafa Powell, the former 100-meter record holder. “Nothing was a mistake.”
Tyson Gay, considered America’s top sprinter, believes the series isn’t necessary because most of the top stars already meet in the many competitions that mark the outdoor season.
“Asafa Powell, he’s been around,” Gay said. “Veronica Campbell, Lauryn Williams, they’ve had their battles, you know? So I think the success of Jamaica at the Olympics shouldn’t become a Jamaica-U.S. rivalry, because they had a great week — they deserve all the success.”
Gay and Powell both plan to run at the Reebok Grand Prix on Saturday, the first major step for many athletes toward the world championships in Berlin in August.
They just won’t be running against each other.
Powell will headline the 100 meters while Gay makes his season debut in the 200. He’ll face a field that includes former college teammate Wallace Spearmon and Olympic 400-meter silver medalist Jeremy Wariner.
Among the other stars competing are Ethiopian distance runner Tirunesh Dibaba, a double Olympic gold medalist, American distance star Bernard Lagat, and pole vaulter Jenn Stuczynski, who captured silver for the United States in Beijing.
The women’s 100 meters figures to be the most competitive event on the schedule, even after Fraser withdrew. Campbell-Brown, who won the race last year in a meet-record 10.91 seconds, will line up against a field that includes American stars Edwards, Carmelita Jeter and Muna Lee.
Then there’s Williams, who hopes to recapture the form that won her a world title four years ago — and finally put to rest that disastrous showing in Beijing.
“It’s kind of been downhill and I’ve been having a hard time trying to find my footing,” she said, sitting a couple feet from Campbell-Brown. “If you want to make a Lauryn-Veronica rivalry, I need to step my game up a notch.”


text: In response to an increasing incidence in HIV prevalence among South Africa's youth, a group of interdisciplinary professionals have developed a series of photocomics to address issues around HIV/AIDS communication and sexually transmitted diseases. This article examines the theory behind the use of photocomics in health, and the way the stories work to influence behavior. Results from evaluation of the comics support their use as tools with which to increase information and knowledge while role modeling desirable behavior. Lastly, the article describes the participatory process by which youth were involved in the process of developing and producing the comics. This method of developing culturally relevant and appealing health media is recommended for use in future health promotion strategies that seek to transcend a narrower approach of provision of health information and work to address the social factors that influence youth's decision making.

domain: literature


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Cell #: 208.890.5626
Mikel is a Boise valley native with extensive knowledge of the Boise area and the ability to successfully market homes in all price ranges. Her clients include professionals relocating to the area, growing families looking for larger homes, and retirees moving to the area or looking to downsize. Listening closely to their wants and needs, she is able to provide the information for her clients to make informed decisions to accomplish their real estate goals.
Active in the Boise non-profit community, Mikel currently serves on the boards of the Boise Art Museum, The Cabin, and Idaho Women’s Charitable Foundation. She has served as President of the boards of the City Club of Boise, Boise City Arts Commission, and Junior League of Boise.
She received a BS from the U of I, an MBA from BSU, holds her Real Estate Broker License, Graduate Realtor (GRI) and Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) designations, and is a Lifetime Circle of Excellence Member.
Her experience, professionalism, and attention to detail give her clients the peace of mind and satisfaction that she is looking out for their best interests.

domain: geography


text:
Books On Happiness That Will Give You The Tools And Resources You Need
Authored by William G. DeFoore, Ph.D.
New books on happiness get published every day, and here's where you'll get only the best recommendations, including books (not authored by Dr. DeFoore) for purchase through Amazon.com, where we get a commission.
Discover the keys to deep and lasting happiness, as well as tools and techniques for creating daily, moment-by-moment joy and well being.
Just browse through the titles you find below. When you select a title or image, you will see product details, with the option to buy the product.
Let's start with Dr. DeFoore's latest book, which provides an overview of Goodfinding and how you can put it to work in your life.
Goodfinding A User's Guide to EQ and Your Brilliant Mind By William DeFoore
You’re born with a brilliant mind, but it doesn’t come with a user’s
guide or an on-off switch. Left to its own devices, it can feel like
your worst enemy when its survival-based default program keeps you
focused on what is wrong with you and your world.
This book is the
user’s guide that puts you in charge of how your mind works. With
positive psychology and emotional intelligence working for you, you will
become the conscious creator you were born to be.
Video Overview of the Goodfinding book
Goodfinding activates your brilliant mind with gratitude, appreciation, and optimism for your past, present, and future, deriving value and opportunity from all of your life experiences.
William G. DeFoore, Ph.D., a mental health counselor for more than fifty years, shares this roadmap to help you achieve your desired outcomes. The premise of the book is that you have a good heart, and when you use your brilliant mind effectively, it will be in direct service to that inner goodness.
Goodfinding will become your manual, guide, and companion as you expand into the best version of the person you choose to be. What you pay attention to grows, and finding the good helps the good find you.
What Others Are Saying About Goodfinding
Goodfinding offers several lifetimes of wisdom on each and every
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Carolyn Craft, PsyD. Unity Minister, Pastoral Counselor, Coach, and
Dr. William DeFoore’s book, Goodfinding, is inspirational. It
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The basic principles outlined in Goodfinding are laid out in very practical
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in practice. Most impressive is Dr. DeFoore’s ability to put into practice,
through his easy manner of relating to the reader, the very principles he
describes in the text designed to promote self-confidence, self-acceptance,
compassion, and optimism.
Larry J. Benoit, Ph.D. Clinical Psychologist
In Goodfinding, Dr. William DeFoore has made available to all of
us a path, a way of using our mind and heart to make a positive contribution to
life, starting with our own. It’s so clear: If we are likely to find what we
are looking for, why not look for what is ‘good’? And when we truly appreciate
people and things, we live up to the original meaning of that word: we see the positive
value and quality of what is there.
Dr John. J. Scherer, author,
leadership development facilitator and online resource
The Goodfinding practice of gratitude,
appreciation, and optimism changed my everyday life immediately. The
whole book is a resource of practical self-care I’ll come back to regularly.
As a professional in the
financial planning industry, I find that people seem to worry about their money
more than they give, invest, or spend it. Dr. DeFoore’s chapter on
finance empowers readers to take control of their financial story and begin
to shape their dreams.
Jonathan Newman, CFP
In this timely and pragmatic book,
Goodfinding: A User's Guide to EQ and Your Brilliant Mind, William DeFoore
provides an in-depth, essential and effective roadmap that leads us to
discover, appreciate and fully realize our innate magnificence as conscious
beings of love. This book excels in its deep wisdom shared in a practical and
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Harold W. Becker, Author and Founder of The Love Foundation,
William DeFoore’s Goodfinding presents a recipe for
discovering joy and happiness in your life. And it does so by inviting the
reader to directly participate in highly effective, efficacy-based strategies
for positive change, presented in a beautifully flowing, profoundly engaging,
grounded but succinct, and to-the-point tour of how to find the good in living.
How can anyone join Dr. DeFoore on this virtual romp through the land of positivity,
of possibilities, of Goodfinding without becoming overcome with the pure
exhilaration of being alive? You will enjoy this ride.
Larry C. Stevens, Ph.D., Professor of Psychological Sciences,
Northern Arizona University
As a mother and a
Nurse Practitioner, it’s my joy and my job to help develop wellness in those around
me. Incorporating the practical wisdom within these pages to find what is good,
right and working will help readers develop happy healthy relationships with
themselves and the world around them. Dr. DeFoore covers the gambit on how to
physically, emotionally, and spiritually tap in to ‘The power of the positive’
fostering emotional maturity, confidence, and physical wellness. As we ask
ourselves the introspective questions in these pages, we can avoid or overcome suffering,
creating overall wellness and improved resilience for a fulfilling life.
Andrea Newman, APRN,
Do you have an abiding sense
there should be more to your experience of life? In your ‘heart of hearts’ do you know
something is missing? This
book provides numerous tools to help you unleash the life potential you know is
possible. It is the
operating manual you should have received long ago. Thanks to Dr DeFoore, it is in your
Mark Sanders, D.C.
Goodfinding! What a refreshing
idea, especially in the midst of our planet’s turmoil and the constant barrage
of negativity coming at us from all sides. Goodfinding invites you to stop
creating what you don’t want and choose possibility and positivity instead.
Anchored in deep spirituality and practical tactics, Dr. DeFoore offers a clear
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the kind, generous, and expansive being that is Dr. Bill DeFoore.
Serai: Bringing The Children Home By William DeFoore
This book will take you on a journey into the vast and mysterious world of your own inner self, where you will love what you find!
Based on years of research and experience, this story guides you through the archetypes of your subconscious mind, helping you to integrate the various aspects of your magnificent mind and emotions into a radiant, joyful whole.
Available in hardcover, softcover or ebook format, you have a full refund guarantee with this book as with all of our products. Of all the books on happiness you find, this one will take you deeper into the joy and depth of your soul and psyche than any other.
Comments From Readers Of Serai
"I've read Serai through twice now and started on a third time. Each time becomes more personally revealing and inspiring. The childlikeness of Serai is trustworthy and vibrant with colorful detail. It touches a lot of soul, real quick!"
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"Serai appeared at a point in my life where fear threatened to immobilize me. The courage of the main characters on their journeys to the underworld helped me to navigate my own inner journey, and to welcome back and heal parts of myself I had never known existed."
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“The book Serai is written in such a beautiful, magical way, with warriors and wizards and many wonderful characters. I related to all of them. Best of all it teaches you, without teaching you, how to rescue the child that you were."
One of the greatest tools for your inner journey of self healing and self help motivation is imagery. The Nurturing Your Inner Child ebook guides you on this journey, using imagery and positive self talk to give you the positive relationship with yourself you have always wanted. While you will find many books on happiness available to you, this one will take you further into emotional healing than any other.
Ocean Child A Magical Tale of Gale and the Dolphins
Ocean Child is a magical tale of one girl's adventure at sea. She runs away from a troubled home, dresses as a boy and stows away on a ship, She is finally fulfilling her dream of sailing the ocean, but she has no idea what lies in store for her!
She is discovered by the ship's captain and crew, who are actually good, decent men, and the ship sets sail. Finding that she has stowed away on a "Questing Ship," she then has an encounter with dolphins that changes her life.
While swimming with the dolphins, she finds that she can not only understand them, but that they have a beautiful message for her to take home and share with the entire world.
Available in eBook format only, from your favorite online book source. Recommended for children of all ages!
All of the books below are purchased through Amazon.com, where we get a commission.
Learn to savor and relish each of your moments of joy and happiness, thereby enhancing their value in creating lasting well being. Dr. Hanson lays out your step by step guide to lasting happiness. Buy now!
The power of gratitude is greater than you have ever imagined. Sleep better, create better relationships, and bounce back faster from those annoying emotional setbacks. Buy now!
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Books On Happiness Health & Healing
Is it possible to heal by thought alone—without drugs or surgery? The truth is that it happens more often than you might expect. Read about documented cases of healing and recovery. Buy now!
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In this great book, you’ll discover how to put off 70 percent of the normal problems of aging—weakness, sore joints, bad balance—and eliminate 50 percent of serious illness and injury.Buy now!
Spiritually Oriented Books On Happiness & Well-being
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Learn how we are quite literally supernatural by nature, with the right knowledge and instruction. With the tools in this book, you too can develop the skill of creating a more efficient, balanced, healthy body, a more unlimited mind.Buy now!
Tolle describes how attachment to the ego creates dysfunction that leads to anger, jealousy, and unhappiness, and shows readers how to awaken to a new state of consciousness and follow the path to a truly fulfilling existence.Buy now!
Positive emotions and creative expression may help to prevent Alzheimer's Disease, according to this ground-breaking research by Dr. David Snowden. Make up your mind to join with the millions who are aging with grace, love and joy. Buy now!
Promising to deepen and broaden the reader's perspective on his or her own life experiences, Moore creates this inspirational guide that examines the connections between spirituality and the problems of individuals and society. Buy now!
As prayer moves into the center stage of Western medicine Prayer Is Good Medicine acts as a modern-day prayer book as well as an ethical touchstone for healers and seekers. Dossey examines research on prayer, and what makes it really work. Buy now!
Continue your search for books on happiness, and remember that this is an ongoing process that will last the rest of your life. And, the more you use the skills you learn, the better they will work for you.


text:
Geography A to Z: The Letter S
The letter S is the clue learners need to answer each of the seven geography questions on the worksheet. They answer questions about African, Canadian, Middle Eastern, and US geography using locations that begin with the letter S.
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text:
Perfect Egg Omelette Recipe: How to Make || KIN EATS
Join Beth for more fun menus! http://bit.ly/BethsEntertaining Hungry for more? Savor tasty KIN EATS videos & recipes here: http://bit.ly/KinEats. Find the full Perfect Omelette recipe by clicking on "Show more" below. Most of us have a few eggs in our fridge, but did you know that means you also have the ingredients for a delicious lazy night meal? Eggs are a great protein -- filling, versatile, and, most importantly, easy to cook. Beth Le Manach shares her tips on making a perfect omelette. Of course, you can enjoy the omelette for breakfast or brunch, but don't count it out when it comes to lunch or dinner, especially if you're looking to whip something up quickly. Enjoy! ------ The Perfect Omelet served with Arugula Salad Serves 1 3 Eggs Sea Salt Pepper 2 tbsp (10 g) Gruyere Cheese Chopped Chives 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter Handful of Arugula 1 tsp (5 mL) lemon juice 2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil Whisk eggs together, add salt and pepper. Melt butter in a small, non-stick pan. Pour in egg mixture and let eggs set a bit until the edges start to turn white. Then, pull the egg mixture towards you, allowing the uncooked egg to fill in the areas of the exposed pan. Swirl the uncooked egg around the pan, it will cook as it swirls. Repeat this process until the eggs are cooked to your desired taste. Add cheese and chives. Slide omelet onto pan, and flip over as the omelet slides onto the plate. Whisk lemon juice and olive oil in bowl. Add salt, pepper, toss with arugula. Serve with omelet. ------ SUBSCRIBE on YouTube (Never miss a video!) http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=KinCommunity ------ Product Shopping Guide: Emile Henry Dinner Plate http://www.emilehenryusa.com/Dinner-Plate-Sand-plu968878.html
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domain: food


text:
Where Are The Metro Buses We Paid For? (Part 2)
My last post about the Metro bus system in Saint Louis detailed how Metro’s focus on maintaining low-passenger bus routes reduces resources for popular routes. This post focuses on the actual purchase of buses. News stories about the overcrowding of the popular 70-Grand Ave. route wondered why Metro’s tax increases have not paid for new buses. As a Fox News affiliate put it, “after all, you paid for them.”
It turns out that Saint Louis residents do not, in fact, pay for new buses through local tax increases. When it comes to funding capital expenditures for transit, like new buses, the federal government provides most of the money. In a three-year period around the time of the most recent tax increase, the federal government paid approximately 77 percent of Metro’s capital expenditures, and even 10 percent of operating costs. After the last tax increase allowed Metro to continue service on some routes, Metro did buy 10 new buses. However, a federal grant paid for most of the buses.
If Metro wants new, larger buses for the 70-Grand route without making major changes to the system, the most obvious options are to receive a federal grant or raise taxes further.
This underlines the point that more than 90 percent of local taxes for Metro busses go to the operation of the system and not new vehicles. And unfortunately for Saint Louis area taxpayers, the cost of operating the Metro bus system continues to rise. Over the last 20 years, Metro’s bus fleet has been cut in half, ridership has fallen, and total passenger miles have decreased. However, the cost of operating the bus system has increased at an average of 4 percent per year. In fact, the annual operating cost per available Metro bus seat has risen from $2,869 per seat in 1991 to $9,360 per seat in 2012. This represents a 6 percent increase per year, much higher than inflation and even increases in fuel prices.
In the last decade, Metro has failed to control costs, despite significant federal aid in capital expenditures. Metro therefore required tax increases to maintain the underutilized routes that go to low-population density areas. These factors mean Metro requires higher taxes and more federal dollars to buy larger buses to increase service on the city’s busiest routes.
What Metro needs most of all is greater flexibility to address cost issues and still provide a base level of service to outer areas.

domain: finance


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Hip dysplasia is a common skeletal condition among dogs that can cause significant pain and discomfort. It occurs when a dog’s hip joint doesn’t develop properly, leading to misalignment, inflammation, and abnormal wear and tear.
As a dog owner, you may be wondering if there are any preventative measures you can take to reduce the risk of hip dysplasia in your furry friend. In this article, we’ll explore some potential strategies for preventing hip dysplasia in dogs and improving their overall joint health.
Understanding Hip Dysplasia
Before diving into preventative measures, it’s important to understand what hip dysplasia is and how it develops. Hip dysplasia is a genetic condition that affects the hip joint, which is composed of a ball-and-socket joint that connects the thighbone to the pelvis. In a healthy hip joint, the ball of the thighbone fits snugly into the socket of the pelvis, allowing for smooth and pain-free movement.
However, in dogs with hip dysplasia, the ball and socket don’t fit together properly, leading to increased friction and wearing down of the joint. This can cause inflammation, pain, and decreased mobility. The condition can range from mild to severe, and certain breeds are more prone to developing hip dysplasia than others.
Choosing the Right Breeds
One potential way to prevent hip dysplasia in dogs is to choose breeds that are less prone to the condition. While no breed is completely immune to hip dysplasia, some breeds have a lower incidence of the condition than others. For example, breeds like Poodles, Border Collies, and Australian Shepherds tend to have lower rates of hip dysplasia than breeds like German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, and Rottweilers.
If you’re considering getting a dog, do some research and choose a breed that has a lower incidence of hip dysplasia. Additionally, make sure you get your dog from a reputable breeder who screens their dogs for hip dysplasia and other genetic conditions.
Nutrition and Exercise
Proper nutrition and exercise can also play a role in preventing hip dysplasia in dogs. Good nutrition is essential for a dog’s overall health and well-being, including their joint health. Make sure your dog is getting a balanced and high-quality diet that includes adequate amounts of protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Exercise is also important for maintaining joint health and preventing hip dysplasia. Regular exercise can help keep your dog’s muscles strong and their joints flexible. However, it’s important to be mindful of the type and intensity of exercise you’re providing your dog. Activities that put excessive strain on the hip joint, such as jumping and rough play, should be avoided or kept to a minimum.
Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Keeping your dog at a healthy weight is another important factor in preventing hip dysplasia. Excess weight can put added strain on the hip joint, leading to increased wear and tear and a higher risk of developing hip dysplasia. Make sure you’re feeding your dog an appropriate amount of food and providing plenty of opportunities for exercise and activity.
In addition to proper nutrition and exercise, certain joint supplements may help prevent hip dysplasia or manage the symptoms of the condition. Glucosamine and chondroitin are two commonly used supplements that can help support joint health and reduce inflammation.
However, it’s important to talk to your veterinarian before starting your dog on any supplements to ensure that they’re safe and appropriate for your dog’s individual needs.
Regular Vet Check-Ups
Regular check-ups with your veterinarian are essential for maintaining your dog’s overall health and catching any potential issues early on. During these check-ups, your veterinarian can assess your dog’s joint health and recommend any preventative measures or treatments as necessary.
While there’s no guaranteed way to prevent hip dysplasia in dogs, there are several strategies that may help reduce the risk or manage the symptoms of the condition. Choosing the right breed, providing proper nutrition and exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and using joint supplements are all potential ways to support your dog’s joint health and prevent hip dysplasia.
Remember to always consult with your veterinarian before making any significant changes to your dog’s diet or exercise routine, and to keep up with regular check-ups to catch any issues early on. With proper care and attention, you can help keep your furry friend happy, healthy, and pain-free for years to come.

domain: medical