Thursday, February 20, 2020

USC makes tuition free to students of families making $80,000 or less

NOW USC JANITOR'S KIDS CAN AFFORD GO TO USC

The University of Southern California expanded its financial aid package Thursday. Photo by aastock/Shutterstock

Feb. 20 (UPI) -- The University of Southern California said Thursday tuition will be free to students whose families make $80,000 or less.

The announcement was part of a financial aid expansion to benefit low- and middle-income families, a university statement said. Along with offering tuition free to students whose families have an annual income of $80,000 or less, owning a home will not be counted in determination of a student's financial need.

The change will be phased in with new entering classes beginning in the fall of 2020 and the spring of 2021.

"We're opening the door wider to make USC education possible for talented students from all walks of life," USC President Carol Folt said in the statement. "This significant step we are taking today is by no means the end of our affordability journey. We are committed to increasing USC's population of innovators, leaders and creators regardless of their financial circumstances. Investing in the talent and diversity of our student body is essential to our educational mission."

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Folt was named USC president last year amid an admissions bribery scandal in which prosecutors said dozens of wealthy parents bribed exam administrators and school officials to get their children into prestigious schools. USC was among those schools, along with some others such as Yale, Georgetown, Stanford, and the University of Texas though none of the schools were accused of complicity in the case.

The financial aid expansion will increase undergraduate aid by more than $30 million annually, allowing the university to provide more financial assistance to over 4,000 students a year once fully implemented, according to the statement. It is estimated that approximately one-third of the fall 2020 and spring 2021 classes will benefit from the financial assistance.

The Los Angeles Times said that the changes will place the private USC on par with the public University of California as far as generous aid. Other elite private universities like Harvard and Stanford provide tuition-free educations to families earning as much as $150,000 annually, but their endowments are much larger. Harvard's endowment is $40.9 billion and Stanford's is $27.7 billion, compared to USC's $5.7 billion.

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The announcement comes amid rising costs of college education. Tuition alone at USC cost $57,256 in 2019-20. With housing, food, books and other costs such as transportation included it was $77,459 the same year.

"USC is committed to educating the strongest minds, independent of background or ability to pay," USC Provost Charles Zukoski said in a statement.

Funeral set for S.D. man killed in year's fifth fatal grain bin accident

FAILURE TO HAVE PROPER FARM SAFETY REGULATIONS
WORKING ALONE, CONFINED SPACE Farms often are not required to adhere to the same Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety regulations that commercial facilities must follow -- like wearing a safety harness, turning off equipment while inside the bin and never working alone.

A South Dakota farmer was killed Monday trying to empty

a grain bin filled with corn. File photo by Brian Kersey/UPI

| License Photo

EVANSVILLE, Ind., Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Funeral services will be held Friday for a South Dakota farmer who was killed earlier this week in a grain bin accident.

Christopher Bauman, 27, was found dead in a bin filled with corn in rural Elkton on Monday afternoon. Bauman had been emptying corn from the bin, according to the Brookings County Sheriff's Office. Officials do not know why he entered the bin.

Local fire crews removed sections of the silo to quickly remove the corn and reach Bauman, o the sheriff's office said.

Bauman leaves behind a wife and three young children, according to his obituary. Instead of flowers, his family has asked for people to donate money to his wife to help care for their children.

RELATED Illinois man who died in grain bin accident suffocated, coroner rules

Friends have established a Go Fund Me page that, as of Thursday afternoon, had surpassed $28,000.

Bauman worked with his father and brother on the farm where he grew up, according to his obituary. In high school, he was an active member of the Future Farmers of America. He later earned his associate's degree in agricultural production.

"He enjoyed farming, snowmobiling, being with family and friends, and talking on the phone with family and friends constantly," according to his obituary. "His favorite summer pastime was baling hay and cornstalks in late fall. He loved his J.I. Case Tractors."

RELATED Minnesota man dies in third fatal grain bin accident this year

His family has invited friends and neighbors to bring their tractors Friday for the procession to the cemetery.

Bauman is at least the fifth farmer to die in a grain bin accident in the United States this year.

Dozens of farmers and farm workers lose their lives in grain bin accidents every year. Such accidents happen most often on farms, rather than commercial grain elevators, said Jeff Adkisson, a board member on the Grain Handling Safety Council.

RELATED Movie 'SILO' scares farmers into following grain bin precautions

Farms often are not required to adhere to the same Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety regulations that commercial facilities must follow -- like wearing a safety harness, turning off equipment while inside the bin and never working alone.

March for Our Lives co-founders endorse Bernie Sanders for president

WHILE BIDEN TRIED TO LAY A CHEAP SHOT ON SANDERS AT THE NEVADA DEBATE RAISING 'GUN MANUFACTURERS' IT FELL FLAT INDEED RAISED SOME BOO'S WELL THIS IS GOING TO MAKE THAT TROPE EVEN LESS PALATABLE

Several co-founders of the March For Our Lives organization recorded

a video supporting Sen. Bernie Sanders. File Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI

| License Photo

Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Several co-founders of the anti-gun violence organization March For Our Lives endorsed Bernie Sanders for president Thursday.

Co-founders Delaney Tarr, Daud Mumin, Robert Schentrup, Nurah Abdulhaqq, Chris Grady, Thandiwe Abdullah, Ryan Deitsch and Maxwell Frost declared their support for the Vermont senator in a video released by the Sanders campaign
"The truth is we need a president who can do it -- who can build a populist movement, who can create structural change and who can speak to the intersection of every American issue," Tarr said. "Bernie has created a movement that I not only believe in, but I fight for. I am so excited to join in creating a campaign to be proud of -- and an America to be proud of."

March For Our Lives was founded in the wake of the mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Feb. 14, 2018, and has hundreds of chapters throughout the country headed by student leaders.

It organizes events related to preventing gun violence, and lobbies for school safety measures as well as state and national legislation.

Maxwell said that he is "beyond excited" to endorse Sanders for president.

"He gets that all of the issues we fight for are connected and gun violence isn't the cause, but a symptom of systemic injustice," he said. "He's inspired an intersectional movement of working class people, which is built upon a love for humanity and justice for all people.

Barbie introduces Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Jean King and Florence Nightingale dolls

Barbie added Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Jean King and Florence Nightingale to its Inspiring Women series on Thursday. Photo courtesy Barbie

Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Toymaker Mattel introduced three new dolls in its Inspiring Women line of Barbie dolls on Thursday, featuring likenesses of accomplished women throughout history.

The new set features dolls based on Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Jean King and Florence Nightingale.

"The Barbie Inspiring Women Series pays tribute to the incredible heroines of their time -- courageous women who took risks, changed rules and paved the way for generations of girls to dream bigger than ever before," the company said. "Today, we're excited to welcome three new role models into this remarkable series!"

Each of the dolls costs $29.99 and can be purchased on Barbie's website or at other retailers such as Amazon, Target and Walmart.

The collection previously included dolls based on the likenesses of Sally Ride, Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart, Katherine Johnson and Frida Kahlo.

OK I ADMIT IT

I BOUGHT THE FRIDA KAHLO, AND THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST

THEY ARE COLLECTIBLES

Vinyl record production hurt by California factory fire

A fire that destroyed the Apollo Masters factory in Banning, Calif., on Feb. 6 caused a break in the supply chain for vinyl records, industry sources said. Photo courtesy of Cal Fire Riverside

Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Vinyl records survived the onslaught from CDs, but a factory fire at a California manufacturer of special parts may have broken a key link in the supply chain.

The Apollo Masters plant in Banning, Calif., which burned down Feb. 6, was the sole U.S. source of the blank lacquer master disks engineers cut on special lathes

The ability to press new vinyl records could be hurt until a new, large-volume manufacturing source can be found, industry observers say.

"Obviously, it's really tough news, and nobody was injured [in the fire], thankfully," said Matthew Fiedler, CEO of Denver-based Vinyl Me, Please, a record-of-the-month club and online record store.

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"One of the things that this made pretty clear is that the manufacturing supply chain in the vinyl industry is pretty fragile, and there's a ripple effect," Fiedler said.

Closing in on CD sales

Vinyl record sales have been growing, hitting some $225 million in 2019 -- almost as much as the $247.9 million in CD sales last year. That is the first time since 1986 that vinyl came even close, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
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Vinyl accounts for 4 percent of total U.S. music sales, which are dominated by streaming services and digital downloads.

The only other producer of lacquer master disks is a small Japanese company, MDC, which produces a small percentage of the world's supply, said Culver City, Calif.-based audio engineer and vinyl historian Len Horowitz, owner of History of Recorded Sound, a high-fidelity record company.

Vinyl records survived threats from the growing popularity of radio in the 1920s and reel-to-reel tape in the 1950s, as well as the rise and fall of the CD, "because they are really part of the art world," Horowitz said.

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"Records' sound quality is excellent and continues to improve in the 21st century. But they're also part of something I call 'havingness.' People like to have things -- something worthwhile to show your friends," he said.

Creating vinyl is a form of artisanship, Horowitz said. "The employees at Apollo have highly specialized skills. Many of the processes were apprenticed and handed down for 30 years."

Apollo used a patented process from the 1930s to apply a thin, flawless layer of lacquer on highly polished aluminum plates, Horowitz said. The deep reddish blue lacquer, derived from tree sap, is kept pliant with castor oil in a proprietary process. Each side is cured for six weeks. The master disks sell for about $40 each.

Volatile lacquers

Because of restrictions on manufacturing with lacquer, there's even a question whether the business can rebuild without special permission from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Horowitz said.

"All lacquers are volatile and require safety precautions. It's amazing they managed to keep that place running without incident for 40 years," he said.

Apollo Masters owner Terry Carlson could not be reached for comment.

"We are uncertain of our future at this point and are evaluating options as we try to work through this difficult time," the company posted on its website.

Adam Gonsalves, vinyl mastering engineer for Willie Nelson, Sun Ra and Elliott Smith at Telegraph Mastering in Portland, Ore., said he thinks a shortage of lacquer disks will hit in a few months, especially at larger companies that pump out numerous releases.

"I had an engineer call me and try to buy $25,000 worth of lacquers from me," he said.

Mastering engineers "cut" the blank disks on a revolving turntable and they then are sent off to be electroplated in a bath of nickel and silver. The metalized master is pressed into a negative metalized stamper mold, which is used to press vinyl plastic into records at one of the few remaining record plants in the United States.

The special sapphire styli used on the revolving mastering lathes were also produced by Apollo.

Another mastering process, called direct metal mastering, was developed in Europe and does not require a lacquer process. But it's expensive, and not many machines are in operation, engineers said. Most companies using this system are at capacity.

New technology

Vinyl records still are produced because a demand exists for them, and the uncertainty around the supply chain might be a time to try new technology, said Drake Coker, founder of Scratch Vinyl, a startup that is patenting new ways to manufacture records.

"CDs are office supplies. Records are art," Coker said. "The biggest outcome from the Apollo incident might be a call for innovation. It might be a plea from the universe that it's time to do something."

But new technologies, if they even work, might be years away.

Still, in the specialized market for long-playing records, demand is strong.

"For lots of people, there was never a vinyl downturn," Gonsalves said. "For various pop music subcultures, dance music, hip hop, underground punk and metal, vinyl remains the release format of choice, in perpetuity."

The drying up of the mastering lacquers supply may spike costs for vinyl recordings, which already can run more than $20.

But vinyl has too strong a pull for that to be a death sentence for the market, Fiedler said. A break in supplies might have made a difference 20 years ago, "when everyone thought records were dead in the water," he said.

"But now, it might actually drive more demand for the format, and the perceived value of records will increase. For vinyl collectors, for better or worse, when there's scarcity, there's more demand for it."

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Raymond signs Space Force vision for satellite communications strategy

Gen. Jay Raymond has signed the USSF Vision for Enterprise Satellite Communications, according to the Space Force

NO SHARPIE FOR THE GENERAL

Gen. Jay Raymond, Chief of Space Operations, U.S. Space Force, and Commander, U.S. Space Command, signs the USSF Vision for Enterprise Satellite Communications. Photo by Patrick Morrow/U.S. Department of Defense

Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Gen. Jay Raymond has signed the USSF Vision for Enterprise Satellite Communications, according to the Space Force, the branch said on Wednesday.

"We must move faster than our adversaries to ensure warfighters receive the operational benefits of an integrated SATCOM enterprise capable of delivering SATCOM effects in CDO environments. We must adopt faster acquisition processes and faster command and control constructs to maintain the advantage in any conflict," the vision paper states.

The vision, which was written with input from experts from USSF, the Space and Missile Systems Center and Space Force Commercial SATCOM Office, also states that the newly-created branch's SATCOM needs to be a single system that can continue to communicate with warfighters in a contested, degraded and operationally limited environment.

Raymond's signing of the vision paper comes a little more than a week after he said Space Force was watching two Russian satellites that appear to be observing a U.S. satellite at close range -- behavior he described as "unusual and disturbing."

RELATED Russian satellites tracking U.S. spy satellite, Space Force chief says

"Despite the global, instantaneous reach of our satellite communications systems, which includes both military and commercial capabilities, the current loose federation of SATCOM systems needs to improve in resiliency, robustness, flexibility, and manageability," Maj. Gen. Bill Liquori, USSF Director of Strategic Requirements, Architectures and Analysis, said in a statement.

The single, integrated SATCOM structure is intended to enhance integration between the military and private sectors, the branch said.

The signing of the vision paper is the culmination of efforts to transfer and streamline satellite communications in the armed forces.

In December 2018, Air Force Space Command assumed sole responsibility for COMSATCOM services on behalf of the Pentagon. In May 2019 the secretaries of the Air Force and Navy agreed to transfer responsibility for the future narrowband capacity from the Navy to the Air Force to consolidate space capabilities.

And, in December 2019, Air Force Space Command was re-designated as the U.S. Space Force, which -- according to the branch's announcement of the vision -- allows the branch new acquisition authorities.

In January, the Pentagon's chief acquisitions officer said the speed of space-related acquisitions was unlikely to slow even as the Pentagon restructures its acquisitions structure.

So far, the new branch has wrapped a flag exercise that began before its official creation and reassigned 6,000 Air Force Space Command troops to its ranks, as well as starting the process of transferring personnel from other branches, with the goal of a 16,000-strong force once all transfers are complete.

Knowledge may increase American interest in plant-based diets
A new survey suggests people in the U.S. would be willing to eat a plant-based diet but don't know enough about the products or what they cost.

By Health Day News

A new poll suggests that education is all that stops most Americans from embracing plant-based diets that are better for the planet.

The poll, of just over 1,000 adults nationwide, found that 51 percent said they would eat more plant-based foods if they knew more about the environmental impacts of their eating habits, but 70 percent said they rarely or never discuss this issue with friends or family.

Nearly two-thirds said they'd never been asked to eat more plant-based foods, and more than half rarely or never hear about the topic in the media.

In addition, more than half said they're willing to eat more vegetables and plant-based alternatives or less red meat.

Even though only 4 percent self-identified as vegan or vegetarian, 20 percent said they chose plant-based dairy alternatives two to five times a week or more often, and about the same percentage said they didn't buy products from food companies that aren't taking measures to reduce their environmental impact.
Along with a lack of information, other barriers to eating more plant-based foods include perceived cost, taste and accessibility, according to the survey findings from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the Earth Day Network.

For example, 49 percent of respondents believed a meal with a plant-based main course is more expensive than a meal with a meat-based main course. Additionally, 63 percent said they would eat more plant-based foods if they cost less than meat products, while 67 percent said they'd eat more of the foods if they tasted better.

RELATED 'Meatless Monday' campaign changed participants' eating habits, survey finds

"Many American consumers are interested in eating a more healthy and climate-friendly diet," Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, said in a Yale news release.

"However, many simply don't know yet which products are better or worse -- a huge communication opportunity for food producers, distributors and sellers," Leiserowitz explained.

According to Jillian Semaan, food and environment director for Earth Day Network, "This data is a wake-up call for the climate movement. Animal agriculture is one of the major drivers of our climate crisis. We need to provide people with the relevant information that connects food choices, animal agriculture and climate change."

RELATED Going vegetarian good for your heart, but may up stroke risk

More information

The U.S. National Institutes of Health has more on plant-based eating.

Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

PFAS FOREVER CHEMICALS

Environmental groups accuse government of burning

'forever chemicals'

By Danielle Haynes

A St. Louis fireman sprays foam on the underside of a fire truck October 10, 2008. The U.S. government developed a plan to incinerate stocks of firefighting foam, which contains cancer-causing chemicals. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Phot

Feb. 20 (UPI) -- A group of environmental and community organizations sued the Trump administration Thursday, accusing the government of improperly burning stockpiles of so-called "forever chemicals," which could cause cancer and other deadly illnesses.

Earthjustice, which filed the lawsuit in federal court in California, said the Department of Defense should have considered the environmental and health impacts of incinerating the substances before doing so. The organization is representing concerned groups in several communities, including East Liverpool, Ohio; Port Arthur, Texas; and St. Louis, as well as the Sierra Club.

The lawsuit concerns the incineration of foam firefighters used to use to battle blazes. The foam contains a class of chemicals known as PFAS, which have been shown to cause cancer, liver disease, infertility and other health problems.

The government stopped using the foam after facing multiple lawsuits over the safety of the substance. The Department of Defense then decided to incinerate the unused foam.

But Earthjustice said defense officials should conduct an environmental review before doing so to ensure that particles released in the incineration process can't harm local communities.

"Incineration does not solve the Defense Department's PFAS problems; it just pawns them off on already overburdened communities," said Earthjustice attorney Jonathan Kalmuss-Katz. "PFAS chemicals are used in firefighting foam precisely because they don't burn. Instead of destroying those chemicals, incinerating the foam releases PFAS and other toxins into the air. DOD's decision to authorize large-scale PFAS incineration without considering the health impacts is shortsighted and illegal."

The organization said it obtained government documents indicating the government has already begun incineration in East Liverpool; Arkadelphia and El Dorado, Ark.; and Cohoes, N.Y.; and plans to begin doing so in Port Arthur and Sauget, Ill.

"It is critical for local communities to be informed of potentially dangerous chemical operations that could impact the health of the residents," said Hilton Kelley, founder and director of Community In-Power and Development Association in Port Arthur.

"It's not just the families living near the incinerator, we don't even understand how many people living in this area could potentially be impacted or how far the emissions from burning PFAS might travel. We have a right to know what's in the air we are breathing, in order to decide what's best for ourselves and our families."

The lawsuit says the Department of Defense's decision to incinerate the firefighting foam violates the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Defense Authorization Act.

The Department of Defense told UPI it can't comment on pending litigation.

RELATED Study: Chemicals in cosmetics may lead to heavier babies

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Trump goes off on the Oscars for giving Best Picture to Parasite

President Trump is now at a rally in Colorado complaining that the Oscar for Best Picture went to Parasite, a film from South Korea, and complaining that the country has trade problems with South Korea.

“Can we get Gone with the Wind back please?” Trump asked.

Updated at 12.49am GMT

SEE North Korea slams Scarlett O'Hara for 'bourgeois' motives

VIDEO
https://www.reuters.com/video/?videoId=OVC1A9ZZF

Trump blasts best-picture Oscar for South Korean film 'Parasite'

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Thursday ridiculed the historic best-picture Oscar win for South Korean film “Parasite,” telling a campaign rally he wished for the return of Hollywood classics like 1939’s “Gone with the Wind.”

“Parasite,” a dark social satire about the gap between rich and poor in modern Seoul, earlier this month became the first non-English-language film to take Hollywood’s top prize. It also won three other Oscars - best director and original screenplay for Bong Joon Ho and best international feature film.

“How bad were the Academy Awards this year?” asked Trump at the rally in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Imitating an Academy Awards presenter, he said: “And the winner is a movie from South Korea.

“What the hell was that all about? We’ve got enough problems with South Korea, with trade. And after all that, they give them best movie of the year?” Trump added.

Can we get ‘Gone With the Wind’ back, please?” he said to thousands of supporters, referring to the film about the Civil War-era South that won the best-picture Oscar 80 years ago.

Trump also dismissed actor Brad Pitt, who won an Oscar for best supporting actor for “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” Pitt said in accepting the award that he got more time to speak, 45 seconds, than former national security adviser John Bolton received at Trump’s Senate impeachment trial.

“I was never a big fan of his. He’s a little wise guy,” Trump said of Pitt.

Trump, who is on a four-day Western U.S. swing, gave a harsh review as well of Wednesday night’s Democratic presidential debate, particularly the performance of former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who the president said had a ragged night.

“I was going to send him a note saying: ‘It’s not easy doing what I do, is it?’ It’s not easy, Mike. It’s not easy for any of them,” he said of the contenders for the Democratic nomination to face him in November’s election.

Trump is set to return to Washington after speaking at a rally in Las Vegas on Friday.

Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Peter Cooney

Himalayan wolf uniquely adapted to life at high altitudes

New research suggests the Himalayan Wolf is uniquely adapted to life at high altitudes. Photo by Geraldine Werhahn

Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Through a combination of genetic analysis and field observations, scientists are gaining new insights into the uniqueness of the mysterious Himalayan wolf.

According to the new study, published this week in the Journal of Biogeography, the Himalayan wolf is genetically adapted to life at high altitudes.

"The outcome of this research is absolutely astonishing," lead researcher Geraldine Werhahn, zoologist at University of Oxford, said in a news release.

Prior to the study, scientists had hints that the Himalayan wolf was genetically unique from the grey wolf, but they weren't sure why. Data was hard to come by.

"Now we know that these wolves are different from genetics to ecology, and we have an indication of what the reason may be: the evolutionary fitness challenge posed by the low oxygen levels in the extreme high altitudes," Werhahn said.

The research showed the range of the Himalayan wolf is more expansive than previously realized, encompassing high altitude regions throughout Asia, including habitats of the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau.

Scientists watched the dens of wolves in Nepal and found Himalayan wolf packs feature five wolves on average, smaller than the packs of grey wolves.

Researchers also used scat samples to study the wolves' DNA, and found a variety of genetic markers indicating the Himalayan wolf's distinct evolutionary history. The scat samples also helped scientists study the diet of the Himalayan wolf.

By studying the movement and diet patterns of the Himalayan wolf, scientists hope to create improved wildlife management and conservation plans. In places where the wolf's preferred prey are declining, the new research suggests wolf-livestock interactions are more likely.

Retaliation killings by livestock owners are one of the wolf's biggest threats, but according to researchers, improved wildlife management strategies could help protect the wolf.

Because the wolf's home consists of some of the largest intact pieces of wilderness left on Earth -- and is home to the sources of freshwater drank by millions -- scientists say it is imperative that the Himalayan wolf is protected.

In addition to developing improved conservation plans, scientists plan to conduct additional field research to gain a better understanding of the wolf's ecology, behavior and population size.

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Thursday, February 20, 2020

Trump goes off on the Oscars for giving Best Picture to Parasite

Himalayan wolf uniquely adapted to life at high altitudes

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