Cadet Nurses' Bid

From Military.com:

"Lawmakers Renew Bid to Honor US Cadet Nurses"

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has reintroduced the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act, a bill aimed at honoring the women who served in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps during World War II with honorary veteran status. The bill would recognize former cadet nurses' service to the country and provide them with honorable discharges, ribbon and medal privileges, as well as certain burial privileges. U.S. senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Angus King (I-Maine), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) joined together in renewing their efforts to honor the former nurses, many of whom are now in their 90s. That includes Elizabeth "Betty" Beecher of Weymouth, who turns 95 on April 15 and lives at Fairing Way in Union Point. "When our Nation faced a shortage of nurses during World War II, women from across the country took action by joining the Cadet Nurses Corps, where they trained and worked hard to provide Americans with necessary care," Sen. Warren said in a statement. "That's why I'm proud to re-introduce legislation that recognizes and honors the valuable contributions Cadet Nurses made during a crucial time in American history." Other lawmakers joining the bipartisan group are senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) The bill will be re-introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.), Cindy Axne (D-Iowa) and Greg Balderson (R-Ohio). Beecher said Wednesday she is hopeful that more Republicans will join the effort to get the bill through. In the midst of WWII, a severe shortage of trained nurses threatened the nation's ability to meet domestic and military medical needs. In response, Congress established the Cadet Nurse Corps, an integrated, uniformed service of the Public Health Administration, in 1943. The Cadet Nurse Corps provided young women with expedited nursing education in exchange for "service in essential nursing for the duration of the war." In 1944, the Federal Security Agency identified "national recognition for rendering a vital war service" as a privilege of service in the Corps. Nearly 120,000 women completed the Corps' rigorous training. Cadet nurses served in military hospitals, Veterans Affairs hospitals, Marine hospitals, private hospitals, public health agencies, and public hospitals. The program ended in 1948. Warren, who recently met Beecher when the senator spoke in Plymouth, noted her role in a press release issued Wednesday "Cadet Nurse Elizabeth "Betty" Beecher was one of those 120,000 women," Warren said. "She trained to become a Cadet Nurse in Boston, and then served as a nurse at a Staten Island, N.Y., Marine hospital near the end of WWII." Beecher has said that she is proud of her role in preventing "a total collapse of the health care system. Had we not stepped up and volunteered and enlisted in the Corps, I'm afraid the country would have been demoralized and our boys would have come home to a sick country." The U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps Service Recognition Act would provide cadet nurses with an honorable discharge and limited burial benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. It would also permit the secretary of defense to provide honorably discharged cadet nurses with a service medal. The legislation would not provide living cadet nurses with Veterans Affairs pensions, healthcare benefits, or other privileges afforded to former active-duty service members. The bill has been endorsed by the American Nurses Association, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the American Organization of Nurse Executives and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Senator Warren first introduced the bill in December 2018 with senators Collins, King, and Daines. "The Cadet Nurses answered the call of duty to fill a critical need during World War II," said American Nurses Association President Ernest J. Grant. "We are proud to support this bill to acknowledge and recognize these women for their selfless service to their country."

^ I have to admit that I had never heard of the Cadet Nurses Corps. before, but after reading this article I did some research and learned a lot more. I do believe the 120,000 women in the Cadet Nurses Corps. deserve to be officially recognized by the US Government and the US Military. ^

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/04/04/lawmakers-renew-bid-honor-us-cadet-nurses.html

N.S Forced Donation

From the CBC:

"Nova Scotia to become 1st in North America with presumed consent for organ donation"

Province will take 12 to 18 months after bill passes to prepare for changes.  Cindy Ryan knows to the day how long it's been since her life changed thanks to an organ donation, and what that change has allowed her to experience. "My 50th birthday celebrated in hospital and a few more since," said the Westville, N.S., resident. "My daughter becoming vice-principal. My son graduating from St. F.X. My step-daughter becoming a nurse. My grandson starting high school. "My first date with the man who is now my husband, and our wedding, which gave me another son and granddaughter. The list goes on and on. In fact, it is 1,979 days long and counting." Ryan was on hand Tuesday as Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil tabled legislation that will make the province the first jurisdiction in North America to have presumed consent for organ and tissue donation. People will be able to opt out of donating their organs, but the onus will be on them to do so once the bill is proclaimed. The bill would not apply to people younger than 19 or those who do not have the ability to consent for themselves.  Ryan was hospitalized in 2013 with a virus that attacked her liver. She fell into a coma, and her family was told she had four weeks to live, but then she "hit the lottery" and received a liver transplant. Complications meant she needed another transplant in 2015. "Although many things have changed in the last four years, I am enjoying life again," she said. Dr. Stephen Beed, medical director of the province's Legacy of Life and critical care organ donation program, called Tuesday "a very good day" for the province and the program he helps run. The idea for presumed consent started gaining traction almost 15 years ago, he said. Several other countries, including Belgium and Spain, already use the system. The importance of organ donation is driven home when one spends time at the bedside with patients and their families, said Beed. "It's the only good we can offer to a family that's going through the worst days you can imagine in certain clinical circumstances, and we all understand the benefits for the recipients," he said. But while the idea has been pursued for some time — and the former NDP government even passed, but did not proclaim, a similar bill in 2010 — Beed said it wasn't until very recently that the organ donation program was in a position to be able to support such a change. Even now, he said, there is more work to be done before donation opportunities are available in equal measure across the province. "I want to be able to say to every Nova Scotian wherever you live that the donation opportunity is going to be the same irrespective of your postal code," Beed said. "I'm not sure we can say that credibly today, but I want to be able to say that in 12 months or in 18 months. We have a chance to take what I think is a very good program and make it what I hope will be the best program in the country." Beed said enhancements to the system include more training for front-line health-care workers so they can recognize potential organ donors who can be referred to teams that can support them.  "We know that the health-care communities across this province are populated by clinicians who didn't get training and education during their nursing school, their medical school, their residency on donation," he said. "So, we don't have a community that's as informed around the donation topic, if you will, as we'd like." Better recognition is part of improving the system, said Beed. The plan is to have experts in a central location who can support colleagues in more remote places, as well as to place local experts within the province's regional hospitals so there is support for staff on site. "That will require significant education and training, and it's going to be a long-term, continuous type of a process."  Premier Stephen McNeil said the bill fills a need within the province, noting Nova Scotia has some of the highest per capita rates of willing donors in the country. "That doesn't always translate into the actual act of giving," he said. "We know that there are many ways that we can continue to improve the system that we have." McNeil pledged to put the necessary services in place to allow the province's donor program to live up to the promise of the legislation. "We know that in many parts of our province — including the one I live in, which is a rural part of Nova Scotia — we have work to do," he said. "I will make sure that the work that is required to build the system and supports around this will happen." The bill will not be proclaimed right away. Health Minister Randy Delorey said government officials would spend 12-18 months educating the public about the change and working on getting health-care workers the support they need to enhance the program. Even with the change, Delorey said, people should continue making their wishes known to loved ones, so there can be no question about intentions. Beed said that while they don't know for sure what the change will mean for donations, areas in Europe that have made the change have seen donations go up by as much as 35 per cent. He cautioned, however, that such progress doesn't simply come because of a law. There must be the necessary support for the system in place, too. As for Ryan, she said she's spent her second chance at life trying to pay it forward. That means acting as a public advocate for organ donation, along with her sister, "practically pulling people off the street to become blood donors" and starting a Nova Scotia branch of the Canadian Transplant Association. She's even permanently tattooed her message on her arm. "So many changes in my life, so many things to be grateful for everyday, and all because someone I'll never have the honour to meet gave me the most generous gift of all - the gift of organ donation, the gift of life."

^ I have said this before (recently in a post about Germany proposing a similar law) and my thoughts have not changed. I find it a complete over-step for a Government (Federal or State/Provincial) to create these kinds of laws where everyone is included and you have to opt yourself out. Donating an organ is a personal choice that depends on religious, moral and other issues a person has and not something a Government Official or Politician should be allowed to dictate. I am not saying I am against organ donation - I think it is a good program - but I am saying I am against any Government forcing people to donate their organs.  Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Austria, Belgium and Spain all have forced organ donation for all citizens  - unless you opt yourself out. Germany is currently debating making forced organ donation legal unless you opt-out. So much for "your body - your choice." ^

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/presumed-automatic-consent-organ-donation-1.5081272

Home-Schooled Registry

From the BBC:

"Plans for new register for home-educated children"

The government is consulting on plans to launch a new register of children in England who are being educated at home. Under the plan, it would be parents' responsibility to register their child if they were not attending a state school or registered private school. Ministers say a register would help councils intervene when standards were poor or if children were at risk. The education department estimates the number of children being home educated in England has risen to 60,000. The government is also consulting on proposals that would require local authorities to provide support for home-educating families, such as teaching resources or financial contributions towards exam fees. At present, there is no mandatory registration system for families who choose to educate their children at home, although some local authorities run voluntary registration schemes. This means that the number of home-schooled children remains uncertain. This latest call for a register is likely to anger some home-educating parents - but Education Secretary Damian Hinds said the government had a duty to make sure children were safe and receiving a good education. 

He said it would also help the authorities spot young people who may be:

- receiving a solely religious education

- attending an unregistered school

- not receiving an education at all

Mr Hinds said the term "home education" had acquired a much broader meaning than it used to have and was now a catch-all phrase to refer to all children not in a registered school.  "So whilst this does include those actually getting a really good education at home, it also includes children who are not getting an education at all or being educated in illegal schools where they are vulnerable to dangerous influences," he said. "The truth is, we just don't know.  "As a government, we have a duty to protect our young people and do our utmost to make sure they are prepared for life in modern Britain.  "That's why this register of children not in school is so important - not to crack down on those dedicated parents doing an admirable job of educating their children in their own homes but to prevent vulnerable young people from vanishing under the radar." Rhian Joy, from Suffolk, who home educates two of her three children as they have special educational needs, told BBC News she was angered by the idea of having to sign a register. She said her eldest child had had bad experiences in school and being home educated was helping him "blossom". "Why should I have to sign a register and have someone come into my home and question the education that I am providing for my child when it's the first type of education that's actually succeeded for him, that has not caused severe detrimental effects to his mental health?" she asked. "The people that will come, will they have any knowledge on special needs?  "Will they have any knowledge of his background, of what he's gone through, the fact that he has no trust for people at all any more? "If someone is coming to my home and questioning me about the education I'm providing, who's to say that if I don't agree with what they're suggesting or saying... who then governs that?  "There is no-one to govern that. "This isn't how it should be - we should be allowed to educate our children, because actually home education is not the easy option, home education is actually a hard option and we have done this, and lots of other parents have done this, and are succeeding and are seeing their children blossom into fantastic human beings and succeeding in life." But the head of the schools watchdog, Ofsted, Amanda Spielman, said: "These proposals offer an important opportunity to make sure that all children not attending school are safe and receiving an education that prepares them for adult life.  "Ofsted has long had concerns about the increasing numbers of school-age children not attending a registered school, many of whom may not be receiving a high quality education or being kept safe.  "We are especially concerned about children 'off-rolled' from schools and those in illegal schools.  "The new register will make it easier to detect and tackle these serious problems." Children's Commissioner Anne Longfield said: "The number of children who are not being educated in school has rocketed over recent years.  "For some families, educating at home will be a positive choice but many more children are falling out of school and their parents are struggling on their own." But Cheryl Moy, founder of home educators' support group Educational Freedom, said the vast majority of home educating families were highly responsible. "The majority of families we've spoken to in the past do not welcome any further intrusion into their lives, they are legally responsible for their children and they take that responsibility seriously," she said. Ms Moy said that, far from being hidden away, home educated children were very visible. "They are highly visible as everyone seems to think they have the right to quiz the parent and the child about their education, from the supermarket checkout person, to the dentist, to the neighbour, to the friend's schooled children," she said. And in cases where a child had been harmed, she said home education was not the root cause.  "In cases involving home-educated children, it has transpired that the child was known to doctors and social workers as being at risk and wasn't in fact home educated - they were children missing education." The consultation - which follows a call for evidence last year to gather views from across the sector - will be open for 12 weeks until Monday 24 June.

^ It makes sense to have a registry for the children being home-schooled. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/education-47772863

NATO's 70th

From US News

"After 70 Years, NATO Is Still an Important Alliance"

As NATO marks its 70th anniversary this week, we have a good opportunity to take stock of past accomplishments, and at the same time, to look toward the future prospects for this remarkable alliance.

Strong Civilian Leadership

First, it is worth noting on this 70th anniversary that the progress made by NATO is a product of its standing as both a political and military alliance.  On the civilian side, the diplomatic work of the NATO secretary general and the senior representatives from the member nations that comprise the North Atlantic Council is every bit as important as the military dimensions of the alliance.  The civilian leadership of NATO and their policy accomplishments have been a lynchpin of global diplomatic progress, before and after resolution of the Cold War. As examples, the solid, steady diplomatic efforts of the current secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, the remarkable record of his predecessor, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, and the recent passing of the sixth secretary general, Lord Peter Carrington, are reminders of the exceptional, long-term civilian leadership and political impact of the Alliance.

Political and Military Impact

Second, constructive political and military impact beyond the borders of member states has been a hallmark of NATO since its inception in 1949, and a key factor in its success.  The alliance has continued to reach out and provide a basis for interaction with nations around the world in ways that have consistently advanced dialogue and reduced tensions, through exercises, diplomacy and constructive talks, particularly since the end of the Cold War. One only has to look at the NATO structure of Partnership for Peace, Istanbul Cooperation, and Mediterranean Dialogue countries, as well as other key global partners such as Australia and Japan, to fully understand the NATO's irreplaceable diplomatic and military impact in advancing security.  For those of us with military careers spanning much of NATO's history, the alliance has provided the basis for coalition tactics and procedures around the globe, and has been part and parcel of our contributions to peace and security for decades.

Growing and Evolving

Another noteworthy characteristic of NATO has been an ability to grow and evolve in response to developing challenges.  From the initial resolve displayed by former U.S. President Harry Truman in leading formation of the alliance with Canada and key European partners in 1949, NATO has demonstrated its flexibility in both overall strategy and political/military impact through seven decades of change. It has increased its membership from the 12 founding members to 29 nations (and a pending 30th, North Macedonia, currently in ratification), through a rigorous Membership Action Plan process for aspiring members. This expansion and transformation has been deliberate, reflecting a broad consensus of member states.  While concerns over NATO expansion by Russia and others is noted, it is difficult to justify disregarding public sentiment in aspiring democracies, reflecting their genuine and well-vetted choice to find common purpose with NATO member nations. 

Challenges Still Remain

An assessment of NATO at 70 years would not be complete without at least some mention of strains between the current administration in Washington and NATO. The recent departure of James Mattis as Secretary of Defense underscored tensions related to our work with other nations on security issues. In his letter of resignation, he found it necessary to highlight the importance of "providing effective leadership to …NATO's 29 democracies," and stated that "our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our unique and comprehensive system of alliances and partnerships." At the same time that Mattis made such a persuasive argument for alliance support, it became clear that there remains a strong consensus across government for our role in NATO. An example of this was the 357-22 vote of the House of Representatives on Jan. 22 for the NATO Support Act, which among other measures, affirmed backing for NATO and its mutual defense clause, and prohibited use of federal funds to withdraw from the alliance.  At the same time that this bipartisan congressional vote confirmed U.S. political support, our military deployments related to NATO operations in Europe have continued at a high level. Operation Atlantic Resolve, and its funding through the Defense Department's European Defense Initiative, has resulted in continued, vigorous air, ground and naval deployments to Eastern Europe, in response to ongoing tensions. In conclusion, it is difficult to overstate the impact that NATO has had in advancing security and peace during the past 70 years. From its initial role in stabilizing Europe in the wake of World War II, to the peaceful resolution of the Cold War with the Soviet Union, to operations in the Balkans and Afghanistan, maritime commitments in the Mediterranean and off the Horn of Africa, and other diplomatic and military engagement, the alliance has had overwhelming positive influence and maintained its relevance. There has hardly been any other alliance of nations with such duration, scope and sheer impact in human history. The NATO pillars of collective defense, crisis management and cooperative security will be fundamental to reducing tensions and limiting armed conflict for as far into the future as we can see. While challenges will continue to abound, as they always have for the global community of nations, we should be hopeful and look forward to the next 70 years of the NATO alliance.

^ NATO is the reason I lived in West Germany and then Germany. It's also the reason for many good things since it was created 70 years ago. While the US has long dominated NATO it is time (since the Cold War is over) for every NATO member country to pick up the slack and do a lot more to ensure a peaceful world. The countries in blue above are NATO member states. ^

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2019-04-03/commentary-70-years-of-nato?yptr=yahoo

70: NATO

NATO has a total of 29 member countries. 14 of those member countries were once behind the Iron Curtain. 11 of those member countries were once part of the Warsaw Pact (the Communist version of NATO.) 3 of those member countries were once part of the Soviet Union (the reason NATO was created.)

NATO (with the United States taking the lead) won the Cold War and saw the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe, the collapse of the Warsaw Pact and the collapse of the Soviet Union. 

Since the Cold War ended in 1991: NATO was/is in Bosnia (1992-2004), Serbia (1999), Kosovo (1999-Present), Afghanistan (2001-Present), Pakistan (2005-2006), Somalia (1999-2016), Yemen (1999-2016), Libya (2011) Iraq (2004-2011) and Turkey (2012-Present.)

Member Countries and date admitted:

April 4, 1949: the US, the UK, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France (withdrew from 1966-2009), Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Portugal.  

1952: Greece and Turkey      

1955: West Germany    

1982: Spain     

1990: East Germany (when it reunited with West Germany)

1999: the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland   

2004: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia   

2009: Albania and Croatia    

 2017: Montenegro 

Harder To Help

From CBC:

"New federal questionnaire making it harder for PTSD veterans to get help, critics warn"

Veterans Affairs says the shorter form will be more efficient. One doctor says it could lead to more suicides. A key psychological questionnaire for veterans about post-traumatic stress disorder was quietly rewritten late last year by Veterans Affairs Canada, CBC News has learned — a move experts say will make it harder for suffering veterans to qualify for disability benefits. The form, which is filled out by doctors treating veterans with PTSD, was revised in December by Veterans Affairs Canada. The changes came as a shock to many psychologists and advocates who help former soldiers, sailors and aircrew with mental illnesses navigate the complex benefits system. The Liberal government's new pension-for-life option for veterans came into effect on Monday — but the net effect of the changes to the questionnaire could be that fewer people qualify for PTSD benefits, and for the lifetime pension offered to veterans suffering from PTSD. Joel Fillion, director of mental health at Veterans Affairs Canada, said the questionnaire was stripped down to improve the efficiency of forms processing "while ensuring that our veterans are better cared for and that veterans in need get access to their treatments faster." But Dr. Kris Rose, a clinical psychologist in Calgary, said the shorter form will end up thwarting efforts to get ex-soldiers the treatment they need. He said he has been "vibrating" with frustration since discovering the new form while treating a patient recently. He told CBC News the rewritten psychological/psychiatric form essentially has been stripped of almost all specific questions related to PTSD symptoms. The effect on veterans, Rose said, could be devastating. It could lead to longer waits for treatment as the department demands more information from people who are already fragile, he said. It could even lead to more soldiers killing themselves, he warned. "In essence, Veterans Affairs Canada is no longer doing evaluations for post-traumatic stress disorder," he said. "They've taken the substantive part for the psychological injuries from the form." Rose said the questions on the new form are so vague and generic, many doctors won't be able to answer all of them — meaning they'll be forced to leave a number of pages blank. "There's hardly anything on here that's actually going to fit the presentation for what we see in terms of psychological injuries from military and RCMP personnel," said Rose, who has treated soldiers and RCMP members with mental health issues for a dozen years. Officials at Veterans Affairs have revised the questionnaire on three other occasions — most recently in 2016 — since PTSD was recognized as a disability by the department in the 1990s. The goal of those revisions in the past has been to make the questionnaire more accurate and better able to distinguish between PTSD and other psychiatric ailments. Those revisions also made the job of processing claims swifter and less complicated. That changed in December, when the questionnaire — which used to be 16 pages in length — was cut back to eight pages. Specific questions about PTSD and references to its symptoms — such as nightmares, flashbacks and emotional 'numbing' — have been dropped. What remain are more general questions about what the form refers to as "delusions, hallucinations, depersonalization, homicidal thoughts" and even "homicidal attempts." Rose said he's never checked off any of those symptoms for his military patients — particularly the one about homicide attempts, as he said that's not a common symptom of PTSD. Retired soldier Barry Westholm, who has helped injured members find the necessary forms and get them to doctors, said the vague, irrelevant questions on the revised form will give Veterans Affairs more latitude to question and deny claims. Veterans will have to fight harder to prove psychological injuries, he said. "It's an evil thing to do," said Westholm, a former master warrant officer and sergeant-major for the Joint Personnel Support Unit (JPSU) in Eastern Ontario. He resigned from the military to protest what he saw as the deterioration of the unit that was supposed to help guide injured soldiers back to their jobs or out of the military. He said the new form risks "piling on ... pressures on somebody that's fragile to begin with. "This particular document seems to me a sinister thing to do. It'll bring a person down and bring them down deeper to the point where they might just give up and commit suicide." The net effect will be to delay approval of benefits applications because the department won't have enough information, he added. "They deny, deny, deny, and then review and review. Months turn into years, and years, for some people, turn into a decade. And then they say, 'OK, we have enough information.'" According to 2017-18 federal Public Accounts records, PTSD is ranked as the third most commonly cited cause of disability award payments issued by Veterans Affairs (tinnitus and hearing loss are No. 1 and No. 2, respectively). The federal government spends hundreds of millions of dollars on veterans' PTSD claims, and 96 per cent of those claims are accepted on first application. As of the end of November, there were roughly 40,000 disability applications waiting to be processed by Veterans Affairs, according to a recent report by The Canadian Press. A spokesman for Veterans Minister Lawrence MacAulay insisted the changes made to the form were intended for the health and well-being of former soldiers and police officers. "The changes included modifying and streamlining the questionnaire to help reduce the size and to ease the paperwork burden on physicians and to improve turnaround times for completion," said Alex Wellstead in an emailed response.   "The key objective in these changes is to ensure veterans get the services and benefits they need." He said the revised questionnaire was developed to complement that department's disability table, which sets out criteria for assessing injuries. "The provided medical information represents only a part of the disability assessment and is utilized along with other pertinent submitted medical information," said Wellstead.

^  It seems like the Canadian Government is more interested in saving money rather than saving the lives of Canadian soldiers and veterans. ^

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/post-traumatic-stress-veterans-canada-1.5079910

Unvaccinated Loses

From the BBC:

"Unvaccinated Kentucky teen loses lawsuit over school ban"

An unvaccinated Kentucky teenager has lost his legal effort to force health officials to allow him to play basketball amid a disease outbreak. Jerome Kunkel sued after students without chickenpox immunity were banned from playing sports or attending school, where dozens were sickened. A Kentucky judge sided with the health department, saying the 18-year-old does not have a right to play sports. In a statement health officials said the decision is best for the community. The Northern Kentucky Health Department said in a statement the ruling "underscores the critical need for Public Health Departments to preserve the safety of the entire community, and in particular the safety of those members of our community who are most susceptible to the dire consequences when a serious, infectious disease such as varicella [chickenpox], is left unabated and uncontrolled". Through a lawyer, Mr Kunkel said he was "devastated" by the ruling. Mr Kunkel sued after health officials banned unvaccinated students from attending Our Lady of the Sacred Heart/Assumption Academy in Walton, Kentucky after at least 32 pupils were sickened there. The teen argued that this particular vaccination goes against his religious beliefs, because aborted cells were used to derive the vaccine. Some viruses used to make vaccines are grown with cells descended from matter that was sourced from two human foetuses electively aborted in the 1960s. But no new human cells have been used since then to produce vaccines, according to health authorities and drug manufacturers. The Catholic Church has told its members it is morally justifiable to use these vaccines, though it wants alternative treatments developed without "using cell lines of illicit origin". At the conclusion of the five-hour trial, the judge cited a document signed by the plaintiff's family when they initially invoked their religious exemption. The form contained a warning: "This person may be subject to exclusion from school, group facilities or other programmes if the local and/or state public health authority advises exclusion as a disease control measure." During the case, it was revealed that only about 18% of the student body at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart/Assumption Academy had been vaccinated against childhood illnesses such as chickenpox. The statewide vaccination rate for chickenpox is 90%, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. The ban, which was initiated on 14 March, came just as the school's basketball team was about to play in a statewide basketball playoff tournament.

^ This is a good win for everyone who is vaccinated and wants to stay healthy. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47805751

Taking One

Brunei's Stoning

From the BBC:

"Brunei implements stoning to death under anti-LGBT laws"

Brunei is introducing strict new Islamic laws that make anal sex and adultery offences punishable by stoning to death.  The new measures, that come into force on Wednesday, also cover a range of other crimes including punishment for theft by amputation. The move has sparked international condemnation. Brunei's gay community has expressed shock and fear at the "medieval punishments". "You wake up and realise that your neighbours, your family or even that nice old lady that sells prawn fritters by the side of the road doesn't think you're human, or is okay with stoning," one Bruneian gay man, who did not want to be identified, told the BBC.  The sultan of the small South-East Asian nation on Wednesday called for "stronger" Islamic teachings. "I want to see Islamic teachings in this country grow stronger," Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah said in a public address, according to AFP news agency, without mentioning the strict new interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law.  Homosexuality was already illegal in Brunei and punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Muslims make up about two-thirds of the country's population of 420,000. Brunei has retained the death penalty but has not carried out an execution since 1957. The law mostly applies to Muslims, including children who have reached puberty, though some aspects will apply to non-Muslims.

Under the new laws, individuals accused of certain acts will be convicted if they confess or if there were witnesses present.

- Offences such as rape, adultery, sodomy, robbery and insult or defamation of the Prophet Muhammad will carry the maximum penalty of death. 

- Lesbian sex carries a different penalty of 40 strokes of the cane and/or a maximum of 10 years in jail

- The punishment for theft is amputation 

- Those who "persuade, tell or encourage" Muslim children under the age of 18 "to accept the teachings of religions other than Islam" are liable to a fine or jail

Individuals who have not reached puberty but are convicted of certain offences may be instead subjected to whipping.  Sultan Hassanal heads the Brunei Investment Agency which owns the Dorchester Collection, an operator of some of the world's top hotels including the Dorchester in London and the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. Brunei's ruling royals possess a huge private fortune and its largely ethnic Malay residents enjoy generous state handouts and pay no taxes. But Hollywood actor George Clooney and other celebrities have now called for a boycott of the luxury hotels. TV host Ellen DeGeneres also called for people to "rise up", saying "we need to do something now". The hotel operator said it did "not tolerate any form of discrimination".  "Dorchester Collection's code emphasises equality, respect and integrity in all areas of our operation, and strongly values people and cultural diversity amongst our guests and employees," it said. "Inclusion and diversity remain core beliefs."  In another development, a honorary degree awarded by the UK's University of Aberdeen to Sultan Hassanal is under review.  The country first introduced Sharia law in 2014 despite widespread condemnation, giving it a dual legal system with both Sharia and Common Law. The sultan had said then that the new penal code would come into full force over several years. The first phase, which covered crimes punishable by prison sentences and fines, was implemented in 2014. Brunei had delayed introducing the final two phases, which cover crimes punishable by amputation and stoning. But on Saturday, the government released a statement on its website saying the Sharia penal code would be fully implemented on Wednesday. In the days since, there has been international outrage and calls for the country to reverse course. "These abusive provisions received widespread condemnation when plans were first discussed five years ago," said Rachel Chhoa-Howard, a Brunei researcher at Amnesty International. "Brunei's penal code is a deeply flawed piece of legislation containing a range of provisions that violate human rights." The United Nations echoed the statement, calling the legislation "cruel, inhuman and degrading", and saying it marked a "serious setback" for human rights protection.  According to rights group Human Rights Without Frontiers, stoning is still a punishment in countries such as Iran, Somalia and Sudan among others. There are several theories, but Matthew Woolfe, founder of human rights group The Brunei Project, said it could be linked to Brunei's weakening economy. "One theory is that it is a way for the government to strengthen its hold on power in the face of a declining economy that could potentially lead to some unrest in future," Mr Woolfe told the BBC.  "Connected to this is [Brunei's] interest in attracting more investment from the Muslim world, along with more Islamic tourists… this could be seen as one way of appealing to this market." Mr Woolfe also added that the government might have hoped to get away with the latest roll-out without anyone realising.  "I think that the government did want to ensure that the international uproar that followed implementation of the first phase in 2014 had well and truly died down before further [implementation], in the hope it would just quietly [do so] without anyone realising," he said.  "It wasn't until increasing international attention that it finally came out and confirmed [this]." The penal code changes were posted on the attorney general's website in December but only came to public attention in late March. There was no public announcement.  One 40-year-old gay Bruneian currently seeking asylum in Canada said the impact of the new penal code was already being felt in Brunei.  The ex-government employee, who left Brunei last year after being charged with sedition for a Facebook post that was critical of the government, said people were "afraid". "The gay community in Brunei has never been open but when Grindr [a gay dating app] came that helped people meet in secret. But now, what I've heard is that hardly anyone is using Grindr anymore," Shahiran S Shahrani Md told the BBC. "They're afraid that they might talk to a police officer pretending to be gay. It hasn't happened yet but because of the new laws, people are afraid," he said. Another male Bruneian, who is not gay but has renounced Islam, said he felt "fearful and numb" in the face of the laws being implemented.  "We ordinary citizens are powerless to stop Sharia law from being implemented," said the 23-year-old, who did not want to be identified.  "Under Sharia, I would face the death penalty for apostasy." One gay man was hopeful that the laws might not be enforced widely. "Honestly, I'm not too scared as the government here often bluffs with the harsh punishments. But it can and will still happen even with it being rare." It is very unlikely to happen at all, people inside Brunei have told Bill Hayton, associate fellow with the Asia Pacific programme at Chatham House. "What I'm hearing from people in Brunei is that this is very, very unlikely to ever happen," he told BBC Radio Four. For instance, the laws stipulate that there must be four Muslim witnesses to the act of anal sex or adultery for it to be prosecuted, he said. "The way it is being explained to me is that this is a way for the sultan to look religious but make sure that none of these punishments will actually be carried out," Mr Hayton said. 

^ Some countries work to move themselves and their citizens forward (into the 21st Century and beyond) and other countries work to move themselves and their citizens backwards (in the Dark Ages.) Brunei seems to be moving themselves into the Dark Ages. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-47769964

Pledging Support

From the DW:

"German companies pledge support for Yad Vashem Holocaust Center"

Daimler, Deutsche Bahn, Deutsche Bank, Volkswagen and Borussia Dortmund have each pledged large financial donations for the center. The money will be invested in a new space to house the museum's growing archive. The German companies Daimler, Deutsche Bahn, Deutsche Bank, Volkswagen and soccer club Borussia Dortmund announced on Tuesday that they would donate €5 million ($5.6 million) to the Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem on Tuesday. The companies view their effort as "a clear sign of our solidarity with the victims of the Holocaust, and as our responsibility, past and future, in the fight against racism and anti-Semitism." Yad Vashem houses the world's largest collection of artefacts from the time of the Holocaust, and in light of the significant increase in objects donated to the institution new space will now be created for the archiving, research and restoration of those objects. The aim of the expansion is to secure and protect the museum's collection so that it can be handed down to future generations. Construction of the new 4,200 square meter (45,000 square foot) Shoa Heritage Collections Center is scheduled to begin on August 1, 2019. Since its founding in 1953, Yad Vashem has endeavored to collect the names of every victim of the Holocaust, as well as all information and objects that it can in an effort to explain the fate of six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust to the world. "Commemorate, document, research and teach — these are the foundational pillars upon which Yad Vashem rests. It is our honor and obligation to strengthen them. Coming generations must be taught of the suffering that one group of people can inflict upon another. We are thus committing ourselves to understanding between nations, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence," the companies announced in Berlin. The chairman of the German Friends of Yad Vashem, former Bild newspaper editor-in-chief Kai Diekmann, said that he was "wholeheartedly" overjoyed over the five companies' commitment "to preserving the memory of the Holocaust and the commemoration of its victims for future generations. "The Nazis not only tried to exterminate Jews, they also sought to erase their identity, their memory, their culture and their legacy," said Avner Shalev, chairman of Yad Vashem's board of directors. Shalev said: "For many, the only things that remained were artworks, personal belongings, photographs and documents kept safe under the most difficult of circumstances and then given to Yad Vashem to immortalize the stories of their creators and owners. The conservation and exhibition of this intellectual and spiritual inheritance will allow the Shoa Heritage Collections Center to give victims back their voices and identities, ensuring that they are never forgotten." The German Friends of Yad Vashem was founded in Frankfurt in 1997 and is now based in Berlin. As part of an international network, the association seeks to support Yad Vashem's work to commemorate the Holocaust, learn from the lessons of that period, and keep those memories alive in order to keep them from being forgotten, passing them along to future generations. Yad Vashem's massive archive is comprised of some 500,000 photographs, more than 11,500 artworks, more than 32,000 artefacts, over 130,000 documented eyewitness accounts, and some 210 million pages of written documents from the time of the Nazi persecution of the Jews. More than one million people visit Yad Vashem each year.

^ I think it's a great and positive sign that these companies are donating money to expand and protect Yad Vashem. I went there in 2017 and it was really impressive. ^

https://www.dw.com/en/german-companies-pledge-support-for-yad-vashem-holocaust-center/a-48170155

Registration Failure

From USA Today:

"For a million U.S. men, failing to register for the draft has serious, long-term consequences"

For 39 years, it's been a rite of passage for American men. Within 30 days of his 18th birthday, every male citizen and legal resident is required to register for Selective Service, either by filling out a postcard-size form or going online. What's less well known is what happens on a man's 26th birthday. Men who fail to register for the draft by then can no longer do so – forever closing the door to government benefits like student aid, a government job or even U.S. citizenship. Men under 26 can get those benefits by taking advantage of what has effectively become an eight-year grace period, signing up for Selective Service on the spot. After that, an appeal can be costly and time-consuming. Selective Service statistics suggest that more than 1 million men have been denied some government benefit because they weren't registered for the draft.  With the current male-only draft requirement declared unconstitutional, Congress will have to decide whether to eliminate Selective Service registration or expand it to women. Unable to decide that question for decades, Congress created the National Commission on Military, National and Public Service in 2016. It's studying the future of the draft with a report due next year. Among the issues it's examining: Should draft registration be mandatory? If so, what's fairest way to enforce it? Should the same consequences that have followed men for nearly four decades also apply to women?  "We're taking a look at all of these questions," says Vice Chairwoman Debra Wada, a former assistant secretary of the Army. "And that means looking at whether the current system is both fair and equitable – but also transparent." Men who have been caught in the over-26 trap say the system is anything but.  Since 1993, more than 1 million American men have requested a formal copy of their draft status from the Selective Service System, according to data obtained by USA TODAY under the Freedom of Information Act. Those status-information letters are the first step in trying to appeal the denial of benefits, and are the best indication of how many men have been impacted by legal consequences of failing to register.  On paper, it's a crime to "knowingly fail or neglect or refuse" to register for the draft. The penalty is up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  Last year, Selective Service referred 112,051 names and addresses of suspected violators to the Justice Department for possible prosecution.  Still, only 20 men have been criminally charged with refusing to register for the draft since President Jimmy Carter reinstated it in 1980 in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Only 14 were convicted. The last indictment, in 1986, was dismissed before it went to trial. So now the system relies largely on voluntary compliance, a patchwork of state laws, and the risk of losing federal benefits.  Congress passed two provisions to tighten enforcement in the 1980s. The Solomon amendment in 1982 made Selective Service registration a requirement for federal student aid. The Thurmond Amendment in 1985 did the same for federal employment. Federal student aid is the most common problem for men who haven't registered for the draft, according Selective Service data obtained by USA TODAY.   When a man is refused a job or benefit because he failed to register for Selective Service, the appeal process involves requesting a status information letter from the Selective Service System.   Forty states and the District of Columbia link Selective Service to a driver's license. But some of those allow men to opt out of registration, and about a quarter of Americans in their early 20s don't have a driver's license. Thirty-one states have legislation mirroring federal laws on student aid and employment, applying those bans to state-funded student aid programs and state employment.

Some states go even further: 

► In eight states, men are not allowed men to register at a state college or university – even without financial aid – if they aren't registered for Selective Service. Those states are Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, New Hampshire, South Dakota and Tennessee.

 ► In Ohio, men who live in the state but don't register for Selective Service must pay out-of-state tuition rates.

► In Alaska, men who fail to register for the draft can't receive an annual dividend from the Alaska Permanent Fund, which gave Alaska residents $1,600 from state oil revenue in 2018.

As a result, registration rates vary from 100 percent in New Hampshire to 63 percent in North Dakota – and just 51 percent in the District of Columbia, according to Selective Service data. "It's very uneven across the country," said Shawn Skelly, a former Navy commander and member of the 11-member commission studying the draft.  "How people register is predominately passively. Most men who register, register though secondary means when they apply for student aid or get a driver's license. There isn't a real deliberate education of people about the law." Like the Vietnam War draft that helped fuel the social upheaval of the 1960s and '70s, today's draft registration requirement puts a disproportionate burden on lower-class Americans. They're more likely to put off college until later in life – and to need student aid when they do go to school.  In comments to the national service commission, critics of the policy called that policy "exceptionally cruel."   Depending on how you look at it, Brandon Prudhomme either had a very good or very bad reason for failing to register for the draft: He was in prison for most of the time between the ages of 18 and 25. His arrest record includes assault, drug possession and resisting arrest.  "It was an honest mistake," he said. "I was on my own since I was 14 years old. I got involved in gang-type stuff."  But now he's 39 and trying to turn his life around. While living in a homeless shelter, he started his own landscaping company "with two rakes and four lawn bags," he said. He'd like to go back to school for business. But since Prudhomme didn't register for Selective Service, he can't get student loans. "The financial aid people called me and said, 'Sir, do yo know anything about Selective Service?' I said no. They said my application had been red-flagged," he said. "If it was mandatory, how was there not the opportunity for me to sign those papers?" Prudhomme asked. "He said that was my responsibility." The law has also snagged federal information technology workers, Forest Service firefighters, Veterans Administration doctors and even federal contractors.  Richard Henry, a contractor for the Internal Revenue Service, lost his access to IRS facilities because he failed to register for Selective Service. They found out because Henry told them, repeatedly, beginning in 2001. But in 2011, the IRS changed the rules to make Selective Service a requirement. He was over 26, so he couldn't register.  So he sued, and lost in 2017. "If they're going to enforce this law, you should know about the law and you should know about the consequences," said Henry's lawyer, Rachel L.T. Rodriguez. "The problem here is, you don't know the consequences that follow you forever like this." But officials say that for draft registration to work, the law has to have teeth.  "If there were no penalties for failing to register, the rates would plummet, and fairness and equity would go out the window," said Matthew Tittman, a spokesman for the Selective Service System, a civilian agency that administers draft registration.  When men are denied benefits because they failed to register for Selective Service, the first step in the appeal process is to request a Status Information Letter.  Men who are over 26 and denied benefits can appeal the decision if they can prove that their failure to register was not "knowing and willful."  It's unclear how many men succeed. The Office of Personnel Management says it got 160 requests for waivers in the last fiscal year. The Department of Education would not release data or discuss its process on the record. And proving that someone didn't intentionally evade the draft can be costly and time consuming, taking as long as 18 months to decide. Marc J. Smith, a Rockville, Maryland, federal employment lawyer who handles such cases, says the process can cost $3,500 to $4,000 in legal fees.  An appeal can involve researching when and where the Selective Service sent reminder letters, and gathering sworn statements from parents, childhood friends and school officials.  The cases rarely make it to court. The Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that the courts didn't have jurisdiction over federal employment cases because there was an administrative process to handle those claims. Even if Congress eliminates the draft, Smith said, it's unclear whether those old penalties will go away.  "People will still have this issue," he said. "And I guess that means a much larger pool of potential clients for me."

^ Considering the US hasn't had the Draft since 1973 and so no Draftee is sent to a warzone there is no excuse (except stupidity and/or laziness) not to register for the Selective Service. Those who can't find the time to register (especially when it is so easy to do online nowadays) when they are in the 18-26 age group deserves to not get any State or Federal benefits. The hardest part is remembering it's also the law to update your address after you register with the Selective Service until you are 26. I believe soon women will have to start registering for the Selective Service too - so hopefully they register on-time. ^

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/04/02/failing-register-draft-women-court-consequences-men/3205425002/

History On Channel

The History Channel used to show only movies about World War 2 (and got the nickname "The Hitler Channel.") Now 99% of what they show are reality-style shows that have little to nothing to do with history. When History Channel actually shows something about history it is not only historical, but also good.

50% Oppose

From the MT:

"Half of Russians Oppose Full-Fledged Union With Belarus, Poll Says"

Almost half of Russians oppose uniting with neighboring Belarus into a single country, according to a state-funded survey published on the 20th anniversary of the countries’ integration project. The potential merger between Minsk and Moscow became a widely discussed possibility in 2019 as a potential loophole for Russian President Vladimir Putin to stay in power after his term ends in 2024. April 2 marks 20 years since the two countries signed a treaty establishing the Union State of Russia and Belarus. According to poll results published by the state-funded VTsIOM pollster on Tuesday, 48 percent of Russian respondents said “unification is not necessary” between Russia and Belarus. Instead, they favored “good neighborly relations.” VTsIOM sociologist Mikhail Mamonov said the results indicate a “hidden fear that [Russia’s union with Belarus] could produce a mixed bag for the Russian economy.” The share of those who support an all-out merger between Russia and Belarus and those who think Belarus should join Russia as a regional subject was split into 18 percent and 17 percent, respectively. The VTsIOM survey also revealed that only 10 percent of Russians have heard of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, an integration project between the neighbors. Over half of the respondents said they were hearing about the Union State for the first time, while 39 percent said they were vaguely aware of it. Russia announced a $600 million loan to Belarus on the eve of the anniversary. Putin also sent a message of greetings to Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko to mark the bilateral Union State’s anniversary.  The Russian president has voiced support for Russia to unite with Belarus as early as 2011 VTsIOM conducted the survey among 1,600 Russians on Jan. 15.

^ It doesn't surprise me that most Russians have never heard of the Union State of Russia and Belarus. What does surprise me is that so many oppose taking over Belarus - the majority were so excited when Russia invaded, occupied and annexed Crimea, Ukraine. I guess they have seen the error in their ways after 5 years. ^

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/04/02/half-of-russians-oppose-full-fledged-union-with-belarus-poll-says-a65051

Forced Donations

From the DW:

"Germany presents law to make everyone an organ donor"

The draft law would automatically make everyone a registered organ donor but give them the option to opt out. Supporters say the reform will help boost donations, but critics argue the system should remain voluntary. German Health Minister Jens Spahn presented a draft law on Monday that seeks to boost much-needed organ transplants by overhauling Germany's current organ donor system. The reform has sparked a heated debate in Germany, where people currently opt in to the registry voluntarily and where organ donation rates are low. 

What the draft law says: 

- The "dual opt-out" donation system would automatically make everyone in Germany a registered organ donor.

 - People could still opt out at any time by putting themselves on a register that says they object to being a donor.

- Family members could also revoke consent after a person dies.

- Doctors would be required to consult with the family before removing any organs in the event a person is declared brain-dead.

 - People will be informed multiple times about the new system and the options to opt out. 

Spahn, a member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), defended his controversial draft law on Monday during a press conference with cross-party lawmakers who support the bill. "This isn't compulsory organ donation," Spahn said. He added that 20 out of 28 European Union member states have similar systems and "everything we have tried so far hasn't led to a rise in donor figures." Karl Lauterbach, the Social Democrat's (SPD) health policy expert, also defended the proposal, noting that thousands of people die every year while on the waiting list. "We still have about 10 times more people on the waiting list for an organ than the number that are transplanted," Lauterbach said. A group of lawmakers from the Greens, the Left party and the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU) have drawn up an alternative draft law that they say will combat Germany's low organ donation rates while keeping the current voluntary system. The proposal calls for people to be asked more regularly about if they want to be organ donors — in the doctor's office or when going to renew their ID, for example. The draft also calls for an online register of donors to replace the current card system. The lawmakers said they want to make sure that organ donation continues to be "a conscious and voluntary decision that cannot be forced by the state." Germany's transplant rates: Some 9,400 people were on the organ transplant waiting list in Germany last year, Lauterbach said at the press conference. Less than 1,000 organ transplantations were carried out last year while 2,000 on the waiting list died. What is the current system? Doctors in Germany can currently only transplant organs from people who have declared their willingness to be donors — like carrying around a donor card or making a provision in their will. What happens next: The two draft laws are due to be debated in the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, although no date has been set yet. Parliament is due to hold a free vote on the new rules, meaning that lawmakers can vote on the drafts without following party lines. 

^ If this is passed then Germany is literally forcing organ donations. That is beyond sick. ^

https://www.dw.com/en/germany-presents-law-to-make-everyone-an-organ-donor/a-48146709

Stealing Tracks

From the DW:

"Auschwitz: American charged for trying to steal part of train tracks"

A 37-year-old man from the US faces up to 10 years in prison for allegedly trying to steal an item of cultural importance. Millions of victims arrived at the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp by train during World War II.  Polish police have charged a US citizen with attempted theft of an item of cultural importance after he allegedly tried to steal a metal part of the train tracks at the site of the former Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. The 37-year-old has admitted the action and has been released pending proceedings, a police spokeswoman said. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The site's security team alerted police after visitors saw the man trying to remove the part from the tracks, an Auschwitz Museum spokesman said. Auschwitz-Birkenau was the largest Nazi death camp in World War II. Some 1.1 million people, including around a million Jewish prisoners, were killed there. The museum has registered several attempts to steal or vandalize parts of the site in recent years. In 2009, a sign with the slogan "Arbeit Macht Frei" (Work Will Set You Free) was found cut to pieces after it was stolen from the site's front gate.

^ Stealing from Auschwitz and other concentration and death camps has become an epidemic lately. The authorities need to take drastic measures and severely punish them to deter others from doing the same thing. ^

https://www.dw.com/en/auschwitz-american-charged-for-trying-to-steal-part-of-train-tracks/a-48138564

What Is Autism?

From Autism Speaks:

"What Is Autism"

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. According to the Centers for Disease Control, autism affects an estimated 1 in 59 children in the United States today. We know that there is not one autism but many subtypes, most influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Because autism is a spectrum disorder, each person with autism has a distinct set of strengths and challenges. The ways in which people with autism learn, think and problem-solve can range from highly skilled to severely challenged. Some people with ASD may require significant support in their daily lives, while others may need less support and, in some cases, live entirely independently. Several factors may influence the development of autism, and it is often accompanied by sensory sensitivities and medical issues such as gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, seizures or sleep disorders, as well as mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression and attention issues. Indicators of autism usually appear by age 2 or 3. Some associated development delays can appear even earlier, and often, it can be diagnosed as early as 18 months. Research shows that early intervention leads to positive outcomes later in life for people with autism. * In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association merged four distinct autism diagnoses into one umbrella diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). They included autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and Asperger syndrome. 

https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism

Autism Awareness Day

Fool's History

April Fools’ Day

Although April Fools’ Day, also called All Fools’ Day, has been celebrated for several centuries by different cultures, its exact origins remain a mystery. Some historians speculate that April Fools’ Day dates back to 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, as called for by the Council of Trent in 1563. People who were slow to get the news or failed to recognize that the start of the new year had moved to January 1 and continued to celebrate it during the last week of March through April 1 became the butt of jokes and hoaxes. These pranks included having paper fish placed on their backs and being referred to as “poisson d’avril” (April fish), said to symbolize a young, easily caught fish and a gullible person. Historians have also linked April Fools’ Day to festivals such as Hilaria, which was celebrated in ancient Rome at the end of March and involved people dressing up in disguises. There’s also speculation that April Fools’ Day was tied to the vernal equinox, or first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, when Mother Nature fooled people with changing, unpredictable weather. April Fools’ Day spread throughout Britain during the 18th century. In Scotland, the tradition became a two-day event, starting with “hunting the gowk,” in which people were sent on phony errands (gowk is a word for cuckoo bird, a symbol for fool) and followed by Tailie Day, which involved pranks played on people’s derrieres, such as pinning fake tails or “kick me” signs on them.

 In modern times, people have gone to great lengths to create elaborate April Fools’ Day hoaxes. Newspapers, radio and TV stations and Web sites have participated in the April 1 tradition of reporting outrageous fictional claims that have fooled their audiences. In 1957, the BBC reported that Swiss farmers were experiencing a record spaghetti crop and showed footage of people harvesting noodles from trees; numerous viewers were fooled. In 1985, Sports Illustrated tricked many of its readers when it ran a made-up article about a rookie pitcher named Sidd Finch who could throw a fastball over 168 miles per hour. In 1996, Taco Bell, the fast-food restaurant chain, duped people when it announced it had agreed to purchase Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell and intended to rename it the Taco Liberty Bell. In 1998, after Burger King advertised a “Left-Handed Whopper,” scores of clueless customers requested the fake sandwich.

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/april-fools-day

April Fools!

April Days

From Holiday Insights.com:
"April"

Month:

- National Humor Month
- International Guitar Month
- Keep America Beautiful Month
- Lawn and Garden Month
- National Kite Month
- National Poetry Month
- National Pecan Month
- National Welding Month
- Records and Information Management Month
- Stress Awareness Month
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Weekly Celebrations:

- Week 1 Library Week
- Week 1 Read a Road Map Week.
- Week 2 Garden Week
- Week 3 Organize Your Files Week
- Week 3 Medical Labs Week
- Week 4 Administrative Assistants Week
- Week 4 National Karaoke Week

April, 2019 Daily Holidays, Special and Wacky Days:
1 April Fool's Day
1 International Fun at Work Day
1 International Tatting Day
2 Children's Book Day
2 National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day
2 Reconciliation Day
3 Don't Go to Work Unless it's Fun Day - we know your decision
3 Tweed Day
3 World Party Day
4 Hug a Newsman Day
4 Walk Around Things Day
4 School Librarian Day
4 Tell a Lie Day
4 World Rat Day
5 Go for Broke Day
5 National Dandelion Day
5 .National Walk to Work Day - first Friday of month
6 California Poppy Day 
6 National Tartan Day
6 New Beer's Eve
6 Plan Your Epitaph Day - a little morbid if you ask me
6 Sorry Charlie Day
7 Caramel Popcorn Day - Most likely created by a popcorn maker, or an Ecard company.
7 National Beer Day
7 No Housework Day
7 World Health Day
8 All is Ours Day
8 Draw a Picture of a Bird Day
8 Zoo Lover's Day
9 Name Yourself Day
9 Winston Churchill Day
10 Golfer's Day 
10 National Siblings Day
11 Eight Track Tape Day - do you remember those?
11 Barbershop Quartet Day
11 National Submarine Day
12 Big Wind Day - this day blows me away!
12 Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day
12 National Licorice Day
12 Russian Cosmonaut Day
12 Walk on Yor Wild Side Day
13 International Plant Appreciation Day
13 Narional Peach Cobbler Day
13 Scrabble Day
14 Ex Spouse Day
14 International Moment of Laughter Day
14 Look up at the Sky Day - don't you have anything better to do?
14 National Dolphin Day
14 National Pecan Day
14 Palm Sunday - date varies
14 Reach as High as You Can Day
15 Income Taxes Due (most years, it's on the 15th)
15 Patriot's Day - third Monday of the month 
15 Rubber Eraser Day
15 That Sucks Day
15 Titanic Remembrance Day
15 World Art Day
16 Mushroom Day
16 National Eggs Benedict Day
16 National Librarian Day
16 National Stress Awareness Day
16 Save the Elephant Day
17 Bat Appreciation Day
17 Blah, Blah, Blah Day
17 National Cheeseball Day   
17 Pet Owners Independence Day
18 International Juggler's Day - also applies to multi tasking office workers
18 National High Five Day third Thursday
18 Newspaper Columnists Day
19 Good Friday - date varies
19 National Garlic Day
19 Passover begins at sundown - date varies
20 Husband Appreciation Day - third Saturday in April
20 Look Alike Day
20 Volunteer Recognition Day
21 Easter Sunday - date varies
21 Kindergarten Day
22 Dyngus Day always the Monday after Easter
22 Earth Day (U.S.)
22 Girl Scout Leader Day
22 National Jelly Bean Day
23 Lover's Day
23 National Zucchini Bread Day - they hold this at a time when you are not sick of all that zucchini.
23 Take a Chance Day
23 World Laboratory Day
24 Administrative Professionals Day (Executive Admin's Day, Secretary's Day) -  date varies
24 Pig in a Blanket Day
25 East Meets West Day
25 Take Your Daughter to Work 4th Thursday
25 World Penguin Day  
26 Arbor Day  -last Friday of month
26 Hug an Australian Day
26 National Pretzel Day
26 Richter Scale Day
27 Babe Ruth Day
27 National Prime Rib Day
27 Tell a Story Day
28 International Astronomy Day
28 Great Poetry Reading Day
28 Kiss Your Mate Day - guys, do not forget this one. Kiss her, then read her some poetry.
29 Greenery Day
29 National Shrimp Scampi Day
30 Hairstyle Appreciation Day
30 National Honesty Day

http://holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/april.htm

April