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Listen "Daily News Brief for Friday, December 1st, 2023"
Episode Synopsis
This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Friday, December 1st, 2023.
Pub Membership Plug:
Public Houses, or Pubs, are not just places to drink beer, wine, cider or even something a little stronger. It is also a unique social centre, very often the focus of community life in villages, towns and cities throughout the length and breadth of the world. We here at CrossPolitic hope to emulate that for you and yours. That’s why you should grab yourself a pub membership at fightlaughfeast.com… we need you on this ride with us. So pull up a chair, grab a pint, and join us on this ride at fightlaughfeast.com - that’s fightlaughfeast.com.
https://www.theblaze.com/news/damning-study-suggests-pandemic-lockdowns-accelerated-significant-memory-and-cognitive-decline-in-seniors
Damning study suggests pandemic lockdowns accelerated 'significant' memory and cognitive decline in seniors
The lockdowns and societal restrictions championed by teachers' unions and other leftists during the pandemic were not just ruinous for the mental health of children and teens. A new study out of the U.K. indicates pandemic restrictions also had a deleterious impact on the minds of the elderly.
Dr. Anne Corbett of the University of Exeter Medical School and her team examined neuropsychology data from 3,142 individuals, all 50 years of age or over, who had been participating in a multi-decade dementia study in Britain. The researchers compared data on this cohort collected before the pandemic, early in the pandemic, then once more toward the tail end of the pandemic.
The researchers observed "[s]ignificant worsening of executive function and working memory" in the first year of the pandemic across the whole cohort, the average age of which was 67.5. Working memory continued to worsen across the whole cohort in the second year of the pandemic. By the time restrictions had ultimately been eased, the damage had been done.
According to the study, cognitive decline was significantly associated with reduced exercise and increased drinking across the whole cohort. Depression, another driving factor of cognitive decline, was notable amongst those who contracted COVID-19. Loneliness proved especially detrimental to those with mild cognitive impairment.
"People aged 50 years and older in the UK had accelerated decline in executive function and working memory during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the UK was subjected to three societal lockdowns for a total period of 6 months," said the study, published in the Lancet journal Healthy Longevity.
The British government, which funded this study via the National Institute for Health and Care Research, not only limited the number of times citizens could exercise outside during the pandemic, but shuttered gyms, golf courses, sports courts, swimming pools, and indoor sports facilities.
"The scale of change is also of note, with all groups—the whole cohort and the individual subgroups—showing more than a 50% greater decline in working memory and executive function and many effect sizes reaching a clinically significant threshold of greater than 0·3," said the researchers.
The researchers further stressed that "[t]hese factors map closely to the population-wide changes in health and lifestyle seen during and after the lockdowns, raising the important question of the effect of the pandemic on cognitive health and risk across populations."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/appeals-court-reinstates-gag-order-trump-fraud-case
Appeals court reinstates gag order in Trump fraud case
A New York appeals court reinstated a gag order preventing former President Donald Trump from maligning court staffers on Thursday.
New York Judge Arthur Engoron had initially issued the gag order in early October after Trump lashed out at one of his law clerks on social media. Trump is currently fighting accusations of business fraud leveled by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Appeals court Judge David Friedman had issued a stay on Engoron's gag order on Nov. 16, saying it potentially infringed on Trump's First Amendment rights.
By that time, Engoron had already fined Trump $5,000 for violating the order on social media on Oct. 20, and did so again on Oct. 25 for another $10,000 before threatening imprisonment if further violations were committed.
Trump took the stand to testify personally in early November. He repeatedly cast James’ yearslong investigation and lawsuit as a "disgrace" and an attack on his business and his family.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing and insists his assets were actually undervalued. Trump has repeatedly said his financial statements had disclaimers requesting that the numbers be evaluated by the banks.
Engoron ruled in September that both Trump and his company had committed fraud by deceiving banks, insurers and others by overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing financing.
Trump has attacked Engoron and James — both Democrats — as politically biased "operatives."
"They are defending the Worst and Least Respected Attorney General in the United States, Letitia James, who is a Worldwide disgrace, as is her illegal Witch Hunt against me. The Radical and Unprecedented actions of Judge Engoron will keep BUSINESSES and JOBS forever out of New York State," Trump wrote in a recent social media post.
https://www.justfactsdaily.com/1-in-every-39-americans-will-die-of-a-drug-overdose-at-current-rate
1 in Every 39 Americans Will Die of a Drug Overdose at Current Rate
Despite the passage of state and federal laws that were supposed to reduce fatal drug overdoses, the annual U.S. drug overdose death rate has quintupled over recent decades:
Over the most current year of available data, more than 110,000 people in the U.S. died of drug overdoses, a rate of 33 per 100,000 population.
In order to measure these deaths in clear, relevant terms, Just Facts enlisted the expertise of a licensed actuary and a Ph.D. mathematician to calculate, double-check, and triple-check the average lifetime odds of dying of a drug overdose.
The shocking result of these calculations is that 1 in 39 people will have their lives cut short by drug overdoses if the rate of such deaths stays at the current level. Those odds will become far worse if the rising trend continues.
The lifetime risks of tragic events are much more revealing than the raw numbers or annual rates commonly reported by government agencies and the media. This is partly because the U.S. is the third-most populous nation in the world, so tens, hundreds, or even thousands of events may amount to a very low risk.
The other reason, which is less obvious, is explained by a 1987 Department of Justice report on the likelihood of being a crime victim:
Annual victimization rates alone do not convey the full impact of crime as it affects people. No one would express his or her concern by saying, “I am terribly afraid of being mugged between January and December of this year.” People are worried about the possibility that at some time in their lives they will be robbed or raped or assaulted, or their houses will be burglarized.
Each month, the CDC estimates drug overdose deaths based on data reported by the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The latest estimates, which include deaths up through June 2023, show that 111,877 people died of a drug overdose in the prior 12 months.
To place such figures into the broader context of the U.S. population and people’s lifespans, Just Facts asked a licensed actuary to develop a method for calculating the average lifetime risk of death from various causes. The actuary used two separate methods, both of which yielded the same results. To further ensure accuracy, Just Facts had a Ph.D. mathematician check the formulas.
Applying this methodology to the CDC’s latest estimates of overdose deaths, roughly 1 in every 39 people will die of drug overdose if the rate of such deaths stays at its current level.
Beyond lifetime risk, another important measure of a mortal danger is the years of life that it robs from its victims. Because humans cannot prevent death but only delay it, there is a material difference between the tragic premature deaths of a 20-year-old in the prime of her life and a 90-year-old in poor health.
Although some leading medical scholars ignored that vital fact during the Covid-19 pandemic, a 1983 CDC report about fatal accidents explains that the “the allocation of health resources must consider not only the number of deaths by cause but also by age.”
The average age of people who die of drug overdoses is about 43 years, while the average U.S. lifespan is about 77 years. In contrast, the average age of people whose deaths involved Covid-19 is about 75 years. Yet, government officials locked down entire states for extended periods to prevent the spread of Covid, causing multitudes of collateral deaths. This likely included overdoses, which soared in the wake of these measures.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/jets-aaron-rodgers-takes-big-step-hopeful-return-achilles-injury
Jets' Aaron Rodgers takes big step in hopeful return from Achilles injury
The New York Jets opened the 21-day practice window for Aaron Rodgers on Wednesday, sparking hope the quarterback could return this season just mere months after tearing his Achilles.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters that it doesn’t necessarily mean Rodgers is going to come back and play, but is rather a "progression in his rehab."
"For Aaron, what he would be doing in practice is no different than what he’d be doing on the field with regard to certain drills in the individual – instead of throwing with staff members, he’s throwing with teammates," Saleh told reporters. "There’s no added risk to it. There’s certain things he’s been cleared for that we’re going to allow him to do."
Saleh lauded Rodgers’ drive and motivation for pushing himself to get back to where he is and the want and need for him to be with his teammates.
"He’s sacrificed so much already for the organization and himself and his teammates and he’s doing it again. I think it’s a testament to who he is as a human," Saleh added.
Rodgers’ timeline is still really unclear.
He tried to lay it out the best he could in his appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" this week.
"Once I'm healthy, then it's where we're at, are we alive, are we in it… It's health first, and are we alive for the playoffs second.".
New York is 4-7 entering Week 13 and their playoff hopes are dwindling.
Pub Membership Plug:
Public Houses, or Pubs, are not just places to drink beer, wine, cider or even something a little stronger. It is also a unique social centre, very often the focus of community life in villages, towns and cities throughout the length and breadth of the world. We here at CrossPolitic hope to emulate that for you and yours. That’s why you should grab yourself a pub membership at fightlaughfeast.com… we need you on this ride with us. So pull up a chair, grab a pint, and join us on this ride at fightlaughfeast.com - that’s fightlaughfeast.com.
https://www.theblaze.com/news/damning-study-suggests-pandemic-lockdowns-accelerated-significant-memory-and-cognitive-decline-in-seniors
Damning study suggests pandemic lockdowns accelerated 'significant' memory and cognitive decline in seniors
The lockdowns and societal restrictions championed by teachers' unions and other leftists during the pandemic were not just ruinous for the mental health of children and teens. A new study out of the U.K. indicates pandemic restrictions also had a deleterious impact on the minds of the elderly.
Dr. Anne Corbett of the University of Exeter Medical School and her team examined neuropsychology data from 3,142 individuals, all 50 years of age or over, who had been participating in a multi-decade dementia study in Britain. The researchers compared data on this cohort collected before the pandemic, early in the pandemic, then once more toward the tail end of the pandemic.
The researchers observed "[s]ignificant worsening of executive function and working memory" in the first year of the pandemic across the whole cohort, the average age of which was 67.5. Working memory continued to worsen across the whole cohort in the second year of the pandemic. By the time restrictions had ultimately been eased, the damage had been done.
According to the study, cognitive decline was significantly associated with reduced exercise and increased drinking across the whole cohort. Depression, another driving factor of cognitive decline, was notable amongst those who contracted COVID-19. Loneliness proved especially detrimental to those with mild cognitive impairment.
"People aged 50 years and older in the UK had accelerated decline in executive function and working memory during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the UK was subjected to three societal lockdowns for a total period of 6 months," said the study, published in the Lancet journal Healthy Longevity.
The British government, which funded this study via the National Institute for Health and Care Research, not only limited the number of times citizens could exercise outside during the pandemic, but shuttered gyms, golf courses, sports courts, swimming pools, and indoor sports facilities.
"The scale of change is also of note, with all groups—the whole cohort and the individual subgroups—showing more than a 50% greater decline in working memory and executive function and many effect sizes reaching a clinically significant threshold of greater than 0·3," said the researchers.
The researchers further stressed that "[t]hese factors map closely to the population-wide changes in health and lifestyle seen during and after the lockdowns, raising the important question of the effect of the pandemic on cognitive health and risk across populations."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/appeals-court-reinstates-gag-order-trump-fraud-case
Appeals court reinstates gag order in Trump fraud case
A New York appeals court reinstated a gag order preventing former President Donald Trump from maligning court staffers on Thursday.
New York Judge Arthur Engoron had initially issued the gag order in early October after Trump lashed out at one of his law clerks on social media. Trump is currently fighting accusations of business fraud leveled by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Appeals court Judge David Friedman had issued a stay on Engoron's gag order on Nov. 16, saying it potentially infringed on Trump's First Amendment rights.
By that time, Engoron had already fined Trump $5,000 for violating the order on social media on Oct. 20, and did so again on Oct. 25 for another $10,000 before threatening imprisonment if further violations were committed.
Trump took the stand to testify personally in early November. He repeatedly cast James’ yearslong investigation and lawsuit as a "disgrace" and an attack on his business and his family.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing and insists his assets were actually undervalued. Trump has repeatedly said his financial statements had disclaimers requesting that the numbers be evaluated by the banks.
Engoron ruled in September that both Trump and his company had committed fraud by deceiving banks, insurers and others by overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing financing.
Trump has attacked Engoron and James — both Democrats — as politically biased "operatives."
"They are defending the Worst and Least Respected Attorney General in the United States, Letitia James, who is a Worldwide disgrace, as is her illegal Witch Hunt against me. The Radical and Unprecedented actions of Judge Engoron will keep BUSINESSES and JOBS forever out of New York State," Trump wrote in a recent social media post.
https://www.justfactsdaily.com/1-in-every-39-americans-will-die-of-a-drug-overdose-at-current-rate
1 in Every 39 Americans Will Die of a Drug Overdose at Current Rate
Despite the passage of state and federal laws that were supposed to reduce fatal drug overdoses, the annual U.S. drug overdose death rate has quintupled over recent decades:
Over the most current year of available data, more than 110,000 people in the U.S. died of drug overdoses, a rate of 33 per 100,000 population.
In order to measure these deaths in clear, relevant terms, Just Facts enlisted the expertise of a licensed actuary and a Ph.D. mathematician to calculate, double-check, and triple-check the average lifetime odds of dying of a drug overdose.
The shocking result of these calculations is that 1 in 39 people will have their lives cut short by drug overdoses if the rate of such deaths stays at the current level. Those odds will become far worse if the rising trend continues.
The lifetime risks of tragic events are much more revealing than the raw numbers or annual rates commonly reported by government agencies and the media. This is partly because the U.S. is the third-most populous nation in the world, so tens, hundreds, or even thousands of events may amount to a very low risk.
The other reason, which is less obvious, is explained by a 1987 Department of Justice report on the likelihood of being a crime victim:
Annual victimization rates alone do not convey the full impact of crime as it affects people. No one would express his or her concern by saying, “I am terribly afraid of being mugged between January and December of this year.” People are worried about the possibility that at some time in their lives they will be robbed or raped or assaulted, or their houses will be burglarized.
Each month, the CDC estimates drug overdose deaths based on data reported by the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The latest estimates, which include deaths up through June 2023, show that 111,877 people died of a drug overdose in the prior 12 months.
To place such figures into the broader context of the U.S. population and people’s lifespans, Just Facts asked a licensed actuary to develop a method for calculating the average lifetime risk of death from various causes. The actuary used two separate methods, both of which yielded the same results. To further ensure accuracy, Just Facts had a Ph.D. mathematician check the formulas.
Applying this methodology to the CDC’s latest estimates of overdose deaths, roughly 1 in every 39 people will die of drug overdose if the rate of such deaths stays at its current level.
Beyond lifetime risk, another important measure of a mortal danger is the years of life that it robs from its victims. Because humans cannot prevent death but only delay it, there is a material difference between the tragic premature deaths of a 20-year-old in the prime of her life and a 90-year-old in poor health.
Although some leading medical scholars ignored that vital fact during the Covid-19 pandemic, a 1983 CDC report about fatal accidents explains that the “the allocation of health resources must consider not only the number of deaths by cause but also by age.”
The average age of people who die of drug overdoses is about 43 years, while the average U.S. lifespan is about 77 years. In contrast, the average age of people whose deaths involved Covid-19 is about 75 years. Yet, government officials locked down entire states for extended periods to prevent the spread of Covid, causing multitudes of collateral deaths. This likely included overdoses, which soared in the wake of these measures.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/jets-aaron-rodgers-takes-big-step-hopeful-return-achilles-injury
Jets' Aaron Rodgers takes big step in hopeful return from Achilles injury
The New York Jets opened the 21-day practice window for Aaron Rodgers on Wednesday, sparking hope the quarterback could return this season just mere months after tearing his Achilles.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters that it doesn’t necessarily mean Rodgers is going to come back and play, but is rather a "progression in his rehab."
"For Aaron, what he would be doing in practice is no different than what he’d be doing on the field with regard to certain drills in the individual – instead of throwing with staff members, he’s throwing with teammates," Saleh told reporters. "There’s no added risk to it. There’s certain things he’s been cleared for that we’re going to allow him to do."
Saleh lauded Rodgers’ drive and motivation for pushing himself to get back to where he is and the want and need for him to be with his teammates.
"He’s sacrificed so much already for the organization and himself and his teammates and he’s doing it again. I think it’s a testament to who he is as a human," Saleh added.
Rodgers’ timeline is still really unclear.
He tried to lay it out the best he could in his appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" this week.
"Once I'm healthy, then it's where we're at, are we alive, are we in it… It's health first, and are we alive for the playoffs second.".
New York is 4-7 entering Week 13 and their playoff hopes are dwindling.
In God we trust