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AABL News Digest
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Understanding "Herd Immunity"
Oregon Public Broadcasting has produced an easily understood explanation of the concept and how it could help return us all to a normal routine. Follow the link to view the video.
Amanda Gorman Steals Inaugural Show
[VIDEO] Amanda Gorman became the youngest poet to recite at a US presidential inauguration and brought much of America to its feet and to tears with her poem during the Inauguration January 20 of Joseph R. Biden, Jr., as the nation's 46th president.
Don't Let Anyone Stop an American Citizen from Voting
![]() Todos ciudadanos tienen derecho a voto. Si cree que se le impide injustamente votar, o peor aún, se siente intimidado, llame al número adyacente correspondiente para obtener ayuda.
Proctor & Gamble Sponsors "The Look"
In an effort to foster empathy for a variety of individual experiences and create forums where multiple perspectives can be shared, Proctor and Gamble has produced "The Look” A conversation guide is one resource available to help raise awareness, spark conversation and enable changes in hearts and minds. P&G states "We recognize and respect the many different views on the topic and welcome constructive and respectful dialogue."
Kenyan factory transforms into a surgical mask assembly line
Max Bearak - Washington Post - A week ago, Josephine Wambua spent her days stitching gardening clothes. This week, the factory where she works transformed into an all-out effort to make 30,000 surgical masks a day in a country that barely produced any before.
“To sit here and do something that is useful to the world is a dream,” said Wambua, 24, who never went to school. “I never thought I would be part of something that has the potential of saving millions from dying.”
Payroll employment falls, unemployment rises in March
OLYMPIA – Washington’s economy lost 11,100 jobs in March and the state’s preliminary seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment rate for March increased from 3.8 percent to 5.1 percent according to the Employment Security Department (ESD).
“The impacts of COVID-19 may not be fully captured in the March report and are more likely to be evident in the April Report”, said Paul Turek, economist for the department. “Although we have seen widespread closings of schools, restaurants, and theaters, these actions largely took effect starting the week of March 16th, after most workers would have been counted. As a result, even if some firms started laying off workers as early as the second week of March, many still would have worked or received pay for at least part of the payroll period including the 12th, and thus their loss of employment is not yet fully reflected in the March report.” The Employment Security Department released the preliminary job estimates from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics as part of its Monthly Employment Report. The department also announced that February’s previously reported unemployment rate of 3.8 was confirmed. February’s preliminary estimated gain of 3,500 jobs was revised to a gain of 3,900 jobs. The national unemployment rate (preliminary) rose from 3.5 percent in February 2020 to 4.4 percent in March 2020. In March 2019, the national unemployment rate (revised) was 3.8 percent. Employment Security paid unemployment insurance benefits to 185,458 people in March. Labor force decline is by far the largest month to month decline since 1990 The state’s labor force in March was 3,889,700 – a decrease of 72,800 people from the previous month. In the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett region, the labor force decreased by 31,900 over the same period. From March 2019 through March 2020, the state’s labor force grew by 27,700 and the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett region decreased by 200. The labor force is the total number of people, both employed and unemployed, over the age of 16. From February 2020 to March 2020, the number of people who were unemployed statewide increased from 151,500 to 197,600. In the Seattle/Bellevue/Everett region, the number of people who were unemployed increased from 44,700 to 93,400 over the same period. Five industry sectors expanded and eight contracted Private sector employment decreased by 11,700 while the public sector increased by 600 jobs in March. This month’s report shows the largest private job growth occurred in construction up 2,500 jobs and professional & business services up 1,500 jobs. Also posting increases were information and retail trade, both up 600 jobs. The industries that posted the highest losses were leisure and hospitality down 12,300 jobs, financial activities down 1,500 jobs and, manufacturing down 1,400 jobs. Also posting losses were other services down 700 jobs, wholesale trade down 500 jobs, transportation, warehousing & utilities down 300 jobs and mining & logging and education & health services both down 100 jobs. Year-over-year growth in payroll employment still up for now Washington gained an estimated 64,400 jobs from March 2019 through March 2020, not seasonally adjusted. The private sector grew by 2.0 percent, up an estimated 56,400 jobs, while public sector employment rose 1.4 percent with a net gain of 8,000 jobs. From March 2019 through March 2020, eight out of the thirteen major industries added jobs while five sectors contracted. The three industry sectors with the largest employment gains year-over-year, not seasonally adjusted, were: Professional & business services with 18,000 new jobs Construction with 12,900 new jobs Retail trade with 12,600 new jobs The three industry sectors with the largest employment losses year-over-year, not seasonally adjusted, were: Manufacturing down 1,600 jobs Leisure & hospitality down 1,200 jobs Other services down with 1,100 jobs COVID-19 impacts Coronavirus (COVID-19) has had impact on the March 2020 survey data. The household survey measures labor force status, including unemployment. The establishment survey measures nonfarm employment by industry. The changes in these measures reflect the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and efforts to contain it. However, it should be noted that the March survey reference periods for both surveys predated many coronavirus-related business and school closures that occurred in the second half of the month. March data from the establishment and household surveys broadly reflect some of the early effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the labor market. We cannot precisely quantify the effects of the pandemic on the job market in March at this time. However, it is clear the decrease in employment and the increase in unemployment can be ascribed to effects of the illness and efforts to contain the virus.
What It’s Like to Have COVID-19
These observations by University of Washington Physicians are a good summary of how to respond to possible infection.
(Adapted from University of Washington Medicine.)
Seeking Arts Editor and Contributors
Feeling the urge to review and describe the art scene in your community? This would be a good time to become a contributor to AABL Digest. Right now the rewards are limited to the satisfaction of seeing your by-line on articles, but we're working to improve on that.
We also need an Arts Editor. If you have the desire and the experience, please consider stepping up. As we grow and add languages we'll need to expand that editorial function, so stay tuned.
Is your device safe from ad-hackers?
Cybersecurity researchers discovered malware earlier this year that was draining people’s Android smartphones and ballooning their data bills by secretly racking up video play requests. The dicovery cast a spotlight on a big and growing problem for the mobile ad industry: sophisticated invalid traffic, or SIVT.
Digital ad fraud costs consumers, advertisers, and publishers billions of dollars per year. One estimate suggests that digital ad fraud will cost advertisers $44 billion globally in 2022, more than double the $19 billion estimated for 2018. The problem is described more fully in the article linked below.
USNIH reports progress in sickle cell disease treatment
NPR Reported 19 December: Scientists report progress using gene therapy to treat sickle cell disease, a common and devastating genetic blood disorder. New genetic technologies offer promise to treat it. Scientists are also renewed interest in older DNA techniques to help people with this common, devastating blood disorder.
One approach involves giving sickle cell patients' cells a new gene to compensate for the defective one, to make their bodies produce a healthy version of a protein called hemoglobin, and that's what red blood cells need to carry oxygen in the body. Another strategy is sort of similar to the CRISPR gene-editing approach that (a US patient) got; it involves using gene therapy to make cells produce a different kind of hemoglobin called fetal hemoglobin to make up for that defective hemoglobin.
Experts Provide Solutions to End Discriminatory Real Estate Practices
WASHINGTON—December 19, 2019—Following a Newsday investigation revealing widespread discrimination by Long Island real estate agents against people of color, the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) released a report this week offering a broad set of solutions to address discriminatory real estate and housing practices throughout the country.
The recommendations enumerated by the National Fair Housing Alliance receive strong support from the nation’s premiere civil rights leaders, real estate industry groups and Walter Mondale, co-author of the Fair Housing Act “The problem of discrimination in real estate sales is not going away on its own and it is not exclusive to Long Island. It’s time for real estate associations and state and federal regulators to step up and implement actions that will fix what is clearly a broken industry,” said Lisa Rice, President and CEO of NFHA. “The number of housing discrimination complaints is at its highest in years. The good news is that we have the tools to make changes, but we need industry officials, real estate agents, and enforcers to be willing to use them.” In the report, Fair Housing Solutions: Overcoming Real Estate Sales Discrimination, NFHA proposes a wide range of solutions for both the industry and governmental agencies, including:
The following civil rights and industry leaders have given their support for the recommendations included in NFHA’s report.
Security guard assault on teen characteristic of Brazilian racial history
Social media recently carried video footage of a black teenager being whipped by security guards at a supermarket in Brazil. Commentators asserted that the event was no surprise in a large country still tormented by legacy of slavery.
White Supremacist Sentenced for Killing of Black Teen
In one of those times when justice prevails, it has been reported that a white supremacist who killed an Oregon teen in a hit-and-run attack has been found guilty of intentional murder and sentenced to life with a minimum term of almost 30 years.
ABC News Chicago reported that "Russell Courtier's sentencing came after jurors in March found Courtier, 40, guilty of murder, hit-and-run driving and the hate crime of second-degree intimidation in the death of 19-year-old Larnell Bruce, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. "Courtier and Colleen Hunt were in a Jeep driven by Courtier in August 2016 when he was encouraged by Hunt to drive into Bruce after the two fought outside a convenience store in the Portland suburb of Gresham, authorities have said. "
Useful Review of Uganda Politics and Economy
This is not news but does cover in useful detail the situation in Uganda in 2017.
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