Topics

61

General Discussion / Tough spot for Grandma but guess what? They are adults so let them duke it out

« on: April 11, 2024, 11:51:48 PM »

My Daughter Slept With My Granddaughter’s Boyfriend. All Hell Has Broken Loose.

"What am I'm suppose to do here?"

My family blew up recently. My granddaughter “Evelyn” is 20 years old, attending a local college, and was dating this guy. That relationship ended, because she caught her boyfriend in bed with her mother, “Mia.” Evelyn moved out of her mother’s home and in with me, and has gone no contact with her mother. I am extremely disappointed and disturbed by my daughter’s conduct. But as mad and as disappointed as I am, I do want to continue to have a relationship with her, if only to get a clear answer as to why she did something so awful.

This isn’t good enough for Evelyn, though. Over the past few weeks, she’s basically been trying to round up the entire family to go no contact with Mia, and has adopted a very “with me or against me” sort of attitude about all of this. I get it. She’s very young, and she was grievously betrayed. But it rankles to have a guest in my home telling me who I can and cannot associate with. On the other hand, I sort of agree with her. This is the worst thing Mia’s ever done. But it’s not the first time I’ve been taken aback by something my daughter has done. If it was just a choice of who I want to spend time with, Evelyn is the clear choice, but I resent her putting me in this position. What can I do here?

—Just Want a Peaceful Retirement

62

Pro Sports Discussion / RIP American born Japanese Champ

« on: April 11, 2024, 02:17:51 PM »

Hawaii-born sumo champion Akebono Taro dies of heart failure at the age of 54 in Japan

Sumo legend Taro Akebono, who drove a resurgence in the sport's popularity and became its first foreign grand champion, has died of heart failure at the age of 54. The Hawaiian-born wrestler passed away in a Tokyo hospital earlier this month, his family said in a statement.

63

General Relationship / Seems like women are on the losing end when it comes to the gap??

« on: April 11, 2024, 02:14:38 PM »

Too old and society criticizes you for being a sugar mama

Too young and society criticizes you for being a gold digger...

Sam Taylor-Johnson, 57, admits age-gap relationship with husband Aaron, 33, can be ‘uncomfortable’ at times

64

General Discussion / I have the annual pass so doesn't apply to me but April 20, 2024 is the day if

« on: April 11, 2024, 01:57:17 PM »

..you don't want to pay the entrance fee:

National Park Week kicks off on April 20 and runs until April 28. Entry fees to every national park in the country are waived on April 20.

65

General Discussion / Is Asian dude really a colonizer here in America?

« on: April 11, 2024, 12:14:01 AM »

"You Are A Culinary Colonizer": People Are Calling For A Boycott Of David Chang's Momofuku After The Company Sent Cease-And-Desists To Asian-Owned Businesses

If you're a food lover, you're probably familiar with David Chang. As one of the most visible celebrity chefs of our time, Chang is perhaps best known for founding the Momofuku restaurant group in 2004, which sparked nearly two decades of TV shows (like Netflix's Ugly Delicious), media appearances, and books.

In 2018, he launched the brand's consumer packaged goods line, Momofuku Goods, which sells Asian-inspired groceries like "restaurant-grade" soy sauce and air-dried instant noodles. Shortly after launching, the brand added "chili crunch" to its roster to capitalize on Americans' rapidly growing appetite for chili crisp, a sweet and spicy, umami-packed chili oil condiment that's been a household staple in China (and many other Asian countries) for centuries.

Late last week, David Chang, Momofuku, and their chili crunch offering became the main characters in a heated PR crisis. On Thursday, the Guardian reported that Momofuku sent cease-and-desist letters to at least seven companies that branded their condiments as "chili crunch" or "chile crunch" as they attempt to trademark the former with the US Patent and Trademark Office.

It's worth noting that Momofuku has owned the trademark rights to "chile crunch" since last year as part of a legal settlement with Chile Colonial, a Denver-based company that produces a Mexican version of chili crisp (similar to salsa macha) — to which Momofuku now licenses the "chile crunch" trademark.

Homiah, a brand that sells a Malaysian sambal chili crunch product, was seemingly one of the first companies to make news of the cease-and-desist public. Founder Michelle Tew told the Guardian that the letter claimed Homiah's product to be a "trademark infringement" and that the company had 90 days to cease using the "chili crunch" trademark.

In the caption to an Instagram post, Tew expressed how "shocked and disappointed" she was to be legally threatened by "a well-known and respected player in the Asian food industry" — all for "selling a product that is part of [her] family's history and culture."

MìLà, a company specializing in frozen soup dumplings and founded by husband-and-wife team Caleb Wang and Jen Liao, posted a similar statement on Instagram after receiving their own cease-and-desist from Momofuku, stating that there's "plenty of room for others to share their authentic flavors and cultural experiences."

Jing Gao, founder of Fly By Jing (and frequently cited as one of the most central figures in popularizing chili crisps in the States), has also publicly spoken out against Momofuku in recent days through Instagram and her Substack newsletter — though, according to the LA Times, Fly By Jing recently applied to trademark "Sichuan chili crisp" and "Chengdu crunch" before withdrawing the applications shortly after.

In the hundreds of comments across all three posts, the public's inherent frustration with Momofuku is palpable. Many commenters (including the beloved online community Subtle Asian Baking) call for Chang to apologize to the AAPI community for "bullying" smaller Asian-owned businesses.

Instagram comments depicting users asking David Chang to apologize to the AAPI community and for businesses to lift
Others focused on the hypocrisy of Chang, a Korean American chef, seeking to trademark the name of a condiment with Chinese roots, insinuating that Chang "got famous" off of non-Korean foods and is now trying to "monopolize the market." (In case you didn't realize: The entire Momofuku empire is a nod to Momofuku Ando, the Taiwanese Japanese inventor who created instant noodles and founded Nissin Foods.)

Several small Asian markets and grocers (like Rice Market in Washington, DC) also pledged their commitment to no longer sell Momofuku Goods products in their stores as a result of the company's decision.

As the drama made its way to X (aka Twitter) and TikTok over the weekend, even more discourse ensued — particularly among AAPI creators and public figures. In a tweet seen by nearly 150,000 X users, Chef Jon Kung said that community approval doesn't matter "if all you want to do is win," nodding to Chang's money-amassing Momofuku empire; last year, Momofuku Goods alone brought in $50 million.

"He doesn't want to be respected by AAPI," they wrote. "He wants to be the [one] who white suburbanites reach for when they're at Erewhon."

Additionally, nearly half a million X users saw Simu Liu's viral tweet challenging Momofuku to a "blind taste test of both [their] 'chili crunch' sauces." (Simu Liu is, as of last year, the previously-mentioned MìLà's Chief Content Officer.)

In a reply to another X user, he reiterated that there's "room for all in the marketplace," and that Momofuku's attempt to trademark chili crunch "is like trying to claim 'ketchup' or 'mayo.'"

His point is one that's very much worth considering. Sure, chili crisps or crunches (or whatever other descriptor you could toss in) may not carry the same weight as ketchup or mayonnaise here in the States. But judging by the condiment's burst in popularity over the past few years, it might not be far off from reaching the status of another well-known Asian condiment that once took the United States by storm: sriracha.

David Tran, the Vietnam-born founder of Huy Fong Foods (the first company to popularize the Thai-inspired sriracha hot sauce condiment in the US), never attempted to trademark "sriracha." Instead, he trademarked the logo, including the iconic rooster and green cap. He even claimed that his brand had received "free advertising" over the years thanks to unrestricted use of the word sriracha. Throughout the recent Huy Fong sriracha shortage — a dark time in my household! — we saw that free advertising played out in real time. With minimal quantities of Huy Fong sriracha sauces available globally, people still craved the "original" despite having access to some uber-delicious, newer contenders in the sriracha market.

Amidst growing calls for the boycott of Momofuku products and businesses, as illustrated by the slew of negative comments on recent or pinned posts from the brand, it's impossible to know if all the brands who received cease-and-desists will comply or choose to enter costly legal battles instead. According to the Guardian, several smaller businesses they spoke with have already given in to Momofuku's demands and refused to go on the record with the publication about their experience for fear of retaliation.

According to Stephen Coates, the lawyer representing Homiah, Momofuku's decision to target smaller businesses with limited cash lying around to fund a lawsuit is by design. "This is a clear case of them picking on small businesses with a letter campaign, hoping they'll cave because of the financial pressure," he told the Guardian. "The phrase that I would use to refer to Momofuku, in this case, is a trademark bully."

If there's one sneaky silver lining of this dispute for everyone who's not Momofuku, it's the enhanced visibility and reach that comes with such a public battle. As consumer branding and marketing expert @shwinnabego says in a viral TikTok, social media users (and chili crisp fans) everywhere are now making a concerted effort to support the brands affected. "David Chang's bullying of these other chili crunch brands is possibly one of the better things that could happen to them," he says.

Case in point: People are using their platforms to boost AAPI-run chili crisp businesses, and as a result, some are noticing increased visibility and brand awareness.

On Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for Momofuku responded to BuzzFeed's request for comment. Here's what they said:

"At Momofuku we’ve made it our mission to increase the diversity of the American palate — through restaurants and now through our home cooking products. We're proud to stand alongside so many AAPI-founded brands making enormous and long-overdue changes in the space.

Over the past year, we have seen multiple businesses that sold chili crisp products rebrand themselves to use the words Chili Crunch. From day one, we have said we’re proud to join this incredible tradition of crunchy-spicy sauces from around the world. That remains true. When we created our product, we wanted a name we could own and intentionally picked “Chili Crunch” to further differentiate it from the broader chili crisp category, reflecting the uniqueness of Chili Crunch, which blends flavors from multiple culinary traditions. We worked with a family-owned company called Chile Colonial to purchase the trademark from them. They have defended the trademark previously against companies like Trader Joe’s. 

Setting this precedent is important to defend brands making innovative strides in new categories from having their work copied by much larger players. Failure to defend our trademark against any size company would leave us without recourse against these larger players who often try to enter categories on the rise. Our intent has never been to stifle innovation in a category that we care deeply about.

As we've said in our engagement with these companies, our goal is and has been to find an amicable resolution — not to harm the competition that makes this category so vibrant. And that is what we’re trying to do."

66

General Discussion / If this Asian tiger didn't turn into a cheetah, there would be no regret

« on: April 11, 2024, 12:05:50 AM »

Tiger Woods Has ‘Huge Regrets’ About Divorcing Elin Nordegren: ‘He Misses Her’

“Tiger has huge regrets about letting his life with Elin slip through his fingers,” says a source close to the exes, who also share daughter Sam, 16. “His relationships have been disastrous ever since they split, and he misses her.”

67

General Discussion / It's been 15 long years but I like this new Runner

« on: April 10, 2024, 02:19:42 PM »

The Toyota 4Runner is finally entering the future with a hybrid

68

General Discussion / Yes, it's forever so I try to do what I can to protect my family

« on: April 10, 2024, 02:03:11 PM »

Six Things to Know About ‘Forever Chemicals’

Almost half the tap water in the United States contains PFAS, a class of chemicals linked to serious health problems. On Wednesday, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that, for the first time, municipal utilities will have to detect and remove PFAS from drinking water.

Here’s what you need to know.

What are PFAS?

Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times

In 1938 a young chemist working on refrigerants for Dupont accidentally discovered a new compound that was remarkably resistant to water and grease, a finding that would lead to the creation of the Teflon brand of nonstick cookware.

Today there are nearly 15,000 per- and polyfluoroalky l substances, which collectively go by the acronym PFAS, according to a database maintained by the EPA.

The common link is that they have a special bond of carbon and fluoride atoms, making them incredibly strong and resistant to heat, water, oil and dirt. For that reason, PFAS is used for everyday items as varied as microwave popcorn bags, water-repellent clothing and stain-resistant carpets. PFAS are also in firefighting foam, cosmetics, shampoos, toys and even dental floss.

Where are PFAS?

Everywhere, including drinking water. The indestructible nature that makes PFAS useful in some products also makes them harmful. The chemicals are virtually indestructible and do not fully degrade, accumulating in the environment and the human body.

The chemicals are so ubiquitous that they can be found in the blood of almost every person in the country. One recent government study detected PFAS chemicals in nearly half the nation’s tap water. A global study of more than 45,000 water samples around the world found that about 31% of tested groundwater samples that weren’t near any obvious source of contamination had PFAS levels considered harmful to human health.

What does PFAS do to the body?

According to the EPA, exposure to PFAS can cause damage to the liver and immune system and also has been linked to low birth weight, birth defects and developmental delays as well as increased risk of some prostate, kidney and testicular cancers. New research published in the past year found links between PFAS exposure and a delay in the onset of puberty in girls, leading to a higher incidence of breast cancer, renal disease and thyroid disease; a decrease in bone density in teenagers, potentially leading to osteoporosis; and an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes in women.

Why didn’t the EPA regulate PFAS in water sooner?

Many environmental advocates argue that PFAS contamination should have been dealt with long ago.

“For generations, PFAS chemicals slid off every federal environmental law like a fried egg off a Teflon pan,” said Ken Cook, president and co-founder of the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit advocacy group.

Activists blame chemical companies, which for decades hid evidence of the dangers of PFAS, according to lawsuits and a peer-reviewed study, published in the Annals of Global Health, of previously secret industry documents.

The new EPA rule requires utilities to reduce PFAS in drinking water to near-zero levels.

How can I get rid of PFAS?

Not easily. In homes, filters attached to faucets or in pitchers generally do not remove PFAS substances. Under-sink reverse-osmosis systems have been shown to remove most but not all PFAS in studies performed by scientists at Duke University and North Carolina State University.

Municipal water systems can install one of several technologies including carbon filtration or a reverse-osmosis water filters that can reduce levels of the chemicals.

Now that limits have been set, when will PFAS disappear from tap water?

It could take years. Under the rule, a water system has three years to monitor and report its PFAS levels. Then, if the levels exceed the EPA’s new standard, the utility will have another two years to purchase and install filtration technology.

But trade groups and local governments are expected to mount legal challenges against the regulation, potentially delaying it even before a court makes a final ruling. And if former President Donald Trump were to retake the White House in November, his administration could also reverse or weaken the rule.

Here's what I use:

69

Marriage & Family Life / Doing God's work really?? Abortion is a much better option than

« on: April 10, 2024, 01:57:22 PM »

...years of abuse  :

Las Vegas parents accused of abusing young children for years: ‘Doing God’s work,’ dad says

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Two parents are accused of beating their young children for years, covering their injuries with makeup and saying they were “doing God’s work,” before taking one child to the hospital for a broken leg, according to documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained.

Las Vegas Metro police arrested Kyla Love and Adrian Melcher, both 21, on April 1, records said.

On March 31, Love and Melcher brought two children, a 3-year-old and an 18-month-old, to the hospital after the elder child suffered a leg injury, documents said. The 3-year-old child was also “extremely malnourished and had makeup covering bruises,” police said. The younger child was also “extremely malnourished and underweight” and was covered in bruises.

The 8 News Now Investigators are not listing the children’s genders to avoid further identification .

“Once doctors and medical staff observed and treated the children, it was discovered that both children had suffered abusive torment at the hands of their parents for an extensive period of time,” police wrote in court documents. “The injuries to both young children were violent and traumatic and painted a picture of abuse the children had suffered their entire lives.”

70

General Discussion / California wasting more public resources?

« on: April 10, 2024, 01:50:06 PM »

California failed to track the effectiveness of its billion-dollar spending on homelessness programs and "must do more to assess the cost-effectiveness of its homelessness programs," according to a new state audit report.

71

General Discussion / Of course these Republicans won't care that Trump's a LIAR as long as his hate

« on: April 09, 2024, 11:36:26 PM »

...rhetoric continues to be the theme, they will be loyal:

Evangelicals won't be bothered by Trump's abortion gambit - they know he's lying

On Monday, with great fanfare, Donald Trump released his "plan" on abortion in a video posted to Truth Social. As with most things Trump says, the short statement was an avalanche of lies. He claims overturning Roe v. Wade was "about will of the people." In reality, strong majorities of Americans disapprove of the Supreme Court's actions. He claims "all legal scholars" on "both sides" wanted to repeal Roe, another lie. Most legal scholars, except far-right ones, agree the right to privacy is justified by the Constitution but that such a dramatic reversal of precedent is bad law. He claimed, as he does routinely now, that Democrats want abortion "after birth," a vile lie that has become normalized through brute repetition. But the most consequential deceit is from Trump implying — but notably never actually saying — he's on the "leave it to the states" bandwagon.

"My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint" Trump said, which was another lie, most people wanted Roe to stay. "The states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land."

As sharp observers noticed (which most mainstream media missed), Trump's language here is descriptive of the current state of play and avoids committing to any future action or inaction. Trump is usually sloppy with language, but as Jordan Weissman of Semafor points out, whoever wrote this statement carefully did so to leave the impression Trump is saying he will leave it to the states — but in fact, he leaves the door open to signing a national abortion ban.

Matt Gertz of Media Matters correctly criticized the press for leaving "pro-choice swing voters with the false impression that he is more moderate than he actually is." As he points out, Trump sidestepped the question of what he plans to do if he's in the White House. That's because he plans to ban abortion nationwide.

They know Trump will do whatever they ask of him, which is why they aren't sweating this whole thing where he pretends to be moderate to sucker the mainstream press.

Despite all his word games, Trump has never believed there's a legal reason to avoid a national ban. Before they settled on this cleverly dishonest video, his campaign was leaking trial balloons to the press about considering a 15- or 16-week ban. As the Washington Post reported, "as president, he backed a national 20-week ban." So he's lying when he claims to believe this "shouldn’t be a federal issue."

But most telling is the muted response on the Christian right. The anti-abortion group SBA List said they were "disappointed," but promised to "work tirelessly" to elect Trump in 2024 and that "he will get there" on a national ban.  Alliance Defending Freedom, which argued the Dobbs case before the Supreme Court that ended Roe, completely ignored Trump's statement. Americans United For Life, Family Research Council, the Heritage Foundation, Turning Point USA: All loudmouthed fundamentalist groups, all angrily anti-abortion, and all responded with either silence, or in some cases, eager support to Trump's video. Penny Nance of Concerned Women for America, a longstanding anti-feminist group, seemed confident Trump will stick by the forced childbirth cause.

"Stand where he tells you to stand": Why the GOP is doubling down on misogyny in 2024
That's because they all know it's a crock, and Trump will sign any abortion ban a Republican-controlled Congress passes. Moreover, they all know that, if he gets into the White House, Trump will abuse executive powers to create a backdoor ban on most, if not all abortion, by using the defunct-but-never-repealed Comstock Act to legally persecute those who transport drugs or materials that are used in abortions. They know he will do this, because they are all involved in developing the plan to do so, through Project 2025.

For those still unaware, Project 2025 was created by a coalition of MAGA forces, including all these Christian right groups, to draft the blueprint for Trump to use to destroy rule of law and force an authoritarian agenda on the nation if he gets back into power. They are especially keen on abusing presidential powers to impose a Christian nationalist worldview, complete with abortion bans, reversal of LGBTQ rights, and a crackdown on sex education and contraception usage. They know Trump will do whatever they ask of him, which is why they aren't sweating this whole thing where he pretends to be moderate to sucker the mainstream press.

As Melissa Gira Grant wrote at the New Republic, "On January 20, 2025, conservatives plan to resurrect a 150-year-old defunct law to ban abortion across the nation." And as she notes, "This is not a secret plan—far from it." It's published and heavily talked about in right-wing circles. Two Supreme Court justices, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, unsubtly championed this during arguments in the recent case, still pending, involving the abortion pill. While the Trump campaign claims, "Project 2025 does not speak for President Trump," every sign suggests that their 900-page playbook will be adopted by a Trump White House since the leaders of Project 2025 served in his first administration and likely would control a second.

Trump and his allies are clowns, but they are nonetheless deft manipulators of the media. They know how to hide the plans to implement draconian abortion bans in plain sight. The problem with the Comstock Act, an 1873 law that they plan to use to arrest people shipping drugs or materials necessary for safe abortion, is that explaining what it is, why it's still on the books, and how this will work is complicated and confusing. So mostly, the press avoids that. But a Trump video where he implies — but never actually promises — to leave it to the states feels simple. So the latter gets oodles of extremely misleading coverage, while the truth — that Trump's team has a fully fleshed-out plan to ban abortion — is largely ignored.

As journalist Sarah Posner, an expert on the religious right's control of Trump's agenda, explained on Bluesky, "Trump *intends* to muddy the waters, not clarify his position. We already know his position. He wanted Dobbs because the base did. He'll do a national ban because the base wants it."

There are many ways Trump's intention to pass a national ban could manifest. If Republicans control Congress, they'll just pass a national ban and he will sign it. (Which he does not deny in this video, a point worth repeating.) If Republicans can't get the votes for a national ban, the Project 2025 scheme shows how he'll do it through executive action. It will start with directing federal law enforcement to arrest people who mail abortion pills. If that sticks, he'll rapidly expand to prosecuting pharmacies and medical suppliers who ship drugs and devices to doctors to use in abortions. Eventually,  the same legal framework will be used to go after contraception. MAGA leaders are already prepping their base to believe birth control bans are a good thing. 

It sounds dystopian, and one can hear the critics dismissing it as hyperbole. But people said the same thing about those of us who predicted Trump would attempt a coup if he lost in 2020, and that's exactly what he did. A lot of lower information voters don't believe Trump would really ban abortion, because, they believe, he's probably paid for a few in his time. (More likely: He promised to pay, but reneged after the fact.) But that is missing the point. Trump doesn't care about passing laws he himself wouldn't follow, since he already rejects following the law now.

In many ways, Trump's reputation as a cad and an adulterer makes him even more obliged to pay back the Christian right with draconian abortion bans. After all, evangelicals had to swallow a lot of grief from the press and from liberals, who constantly point out how hypocritical it is for their community to back Trump, a man who has clearly never cracked a Bible, even as he sells them. They're going to feel Trump owes them even more if they secure him the White House because their investment came at such a high price. And there is no prize more precious to the religious right than a nationwide ban on abortion.

72

General Discussion / Guess the 3x age difference was just too much for this Asian mom to handle

« on: April 09, 2024, 11:27:41 PM »

Aoki Lee Simmons Reportedly Splits From 65-Year-Old Restauranteur After Mom's Rage

As one source stated, "It's 100% done. They're absolutely not dating." Before their alleged split, the 21-year-old repeatedly referred to the 65-year-old restaurateur as her "boyfriend" in the Instagram Live videos she shared from their romantic getaway in St. Barts.

73

General Discussion / Wow, went from 10 cents to $6 million

« on: April 09, 2024, 11:23:57 PM »

Action Comics No. 1
A 1938 copy of the comic that first “introduced Superman to the world” has sold for a record-setting $6 million, the auctioneer that handled the purchase said last week. According to Heritage Auctions, the rare copy of Action Comics No. 1 was sold to an anonymous buyer on Thursday.

74

Marriage & Family Life / Blood doesn't mean anything to some, not even to pre-med students

« on: April 09, 2024, 02:16:28 PM »

Florida pre-med student stabs mother more than 70 times, killing her during visit, authorities say
“He really loved her, but she irritated him and he made up his mind ... that he would murder her, and that’s exactly what he did,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

A Florida pre-med university student killed his mother by stabbing her over 70 times without saying a word when he visited her from college over the weekend, authorities said.

After Emmanuel Espinoza, 21, brutally killed his mother on Saturday, he perplexedly told detectives that he loved her and that they had a good relationship — but that he had wanted to kill her for years because she irritated him, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.

Espinoza has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of his mother, 46-year-old Elvia Espinoza, the sheriff's office said.

The student at the University of Florida in Gainesville had traveled to Frostproof, Florida, for a family event Saturday and was going to stay with his mother, Grady Judd said.

He arrived at her home around 2 p.m., knocked on the front door, and seemingly without provocation stabbed her "many times" after she opened the door, Judd said.

On Sunday, Judd shared doorbell camera video from Elvia's home that showed Emmanuel approach with a small knife in his right hand, hidden behind his back, and knock on the door. Judd said that Emmanuel had put AirPods in his ears and was playing Kanye West and Jay-Z's song “No Church in the Wild” when he drove up to the house and knocked on the front door.

“His beautiful mother, who was so excited to see her son, opened the door. The second she opened the door, he charged in and started stabbing her,” Judd said.

The mother ran from him, but "he stabbed her until she fell down and died."

Judd said Emmanuel confessed to stabbing his mother repeatedly, even when he noticed her hands were still moving. He told detectives that he knew where to stab her for maximum effect because of his biology classes.

Emmanuel told detectives that he had cut his hand in the stabbing. When he went to the kitchen sink to wash himself and the knife off, "he wanted to ask his mother for the Neosporin for the cut on his hand, but he noticed she was dead," Judd said.

Emmanuel immediately dialed 911 and confessed to operators.

Audio of the dispatch call was played for reporters Sunday.

“I killed someone,” Emmanuel is heard telling dispatch. “I stabbed my mom.”

When Emmanuel spoke with detectives, he told them he loved his mother and had a good relationship with her but that she irritated him.

75

General Discussion / Do you keep your cell phone in your pocket? I'm sure most of us do...

« on: April 09, 2024, 02:13:56 PM »

Is it safe to keep your cellphone in your pocket? Experts explain the risks and what to do if you're worried.

Are there any other health concerns about where you carry your cellphone?
While a few animal studies have suggested that high levels of cellphone radiation could damage the lining of the uterus, eggs, ovarian follicles and embryos and may even harm fetal development, none of these findings have been replicated in humans.

The more pressing concern, according to Davis and other experts, is male fertility. Research shows that high levels of smartphone radiation can “damage the engines of the sperm, called the mitochondria,” explains Davis. “They die three times faster than natural.”

A 13-year study on adult men conducted in Switzerland suggested that cellphone use may be linked to a lower concentration of sperm and lower sperm count. Davis suspects that sperm are particularly vulnerable to the effects of cellphone radiation because “the highest absorption in the body will be into the male reproductive organs” — and the testes in particular — “because there is nothing to protect them.”

Although male infertility is on the rise, there’s simply not enough evidence yet to say whether cellphone radiation is a factor in this trend, much less a cause.

How can you reduce any possible risks?

Some experts say you should keep your smartphone as far away from your body as possible — as often as possible — to reduce potential risks, while others say you don’t need to worry.

Hatch, who studied this exact question — whether keeping a cellphone in a pocket harms male fertility — isn’t terribly concerned. “The important thing is that we really found no association between keeping a phone in one’s front pocket versus elsewhere,” says Hatch. “More research is potentially warranted, but I don’t think there’s a definitive answer.”

If you’re concerned, there are some steps you can take. “Radiation follows the inverse square law: When you double your distance from the radiation, you reduce your exposure by three-quarters,” Dr. Rob Brown, a radiologist and vice president of scientific research and clinical affairs at Environmental Health Trust, tells Yahoo Life. “When your phone is in your pocket, you’re exposed to much more radiation than from the Wi-Fi router across the room or the cellphone tower across the street.”

Brown notes that clothing won’t help, because, unlike ultraviolet radiation from the sun, cellphone radiation can penetrate clothing. Still, finding a way to keep your phone farther away from you will reduce any possible risks.

“The safest way to carry a phone is off,” Brown says. “That may not be functional for many people, but try to keep it off the body, meaning in a fanny pack or murse for men” and in a purse or another bag for women.

Brown and Davis advise keeping phones off when possible, or at least in airplane mode with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi off, which reduces the amount of radiation the device emits, because it’s transmitting fewer electromagneti c signals.