In this episode, Andrew suggests that the mask is our attempt to save and build our own lives, and yet when we put it on, our life is lost. In the same way, the mockery of intimacy in pornography shrinks and deforms us. Read the transcript HERE.

Dr. Albert Rossi challenges us to consider how we are relating to one another over the issue of wearing facial masks.

"Milkar" volunteers are distributing masks in this undated image. — MilKar.com/website

LAHORE: Milkar Pakistan has launched the "Pakistan Wear Mask" campaign to deal with the increasing air pollution and smog across the country.

The aim of this campaign is to highlight the...

The 3-Layer Performance Face Mask and 2-Layer Face Mask are constructed with soft, breathable layers.

Tumwater, WA — Ethylene oxide should not be used to sterilize filtering facepiece respirators for reuse because “this extremely hazardous toxic chemical poses a severe risk to human health,” the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries warns in a new alert.

West Lafayette, IN — Researchers from Purdue University have developed new designs for N95 facemasks they say will extend the shelf life of the respiratory protection commonly used by health care workers.

Alexandria, VA — About 6 out of 10 U.S. adults believe masks should be a requirement for workers at onsite locations, even if those workers are fully vaccinated, according to the results of a recent Harris Poll survey commissioned by the American Staffing Association.

We talk about what you need to know about the importance and safety of the COVID-10 vaccine in children, and the status and process of vaccination approval for children under twelve. Also, how to navigate summer activities, travel, and masks with unvaccinated children, and the impacts of the virus on kids.

The bulk solvent is a major component of biomacromolecular crystals that contributes significantly to the observed diffraction intensities. Accurate modelling of the bulk solvent has been recognized as important for many crystallographic calculations. Owing to its simplicity and modelling power, the flat (mask-based) bulk-solvent model is used by most modern crystallographic software packages to account for disordered solvent. In this model, the bulk-solvent contribution is defined by a binary mask and a scale (scattering) function. The mask is calculated on a regular grid using the atomic model coordinates and their chemical types. The grid step and two radii, solvent and shrinkage, are the three parameters that govern the mask calculation. They are highly correlated and their choice is a compromise between the computer time needed to calculate the mask and the accuracy of the mask. It is demonstrated here that this choice can be optimized using a unique value of 0.6 Å for the grid step irrespective of the data resolution, and the radii values adjusted correspondingly. The improved values were tested on a large sample of Protein Data Bank entries derived from X-ray diffraction data and are now used in the computational crystallography toolbox (CCTBX) and in Phenix as the default choice.

Use of protective face coverings will be one of many strategies used to slow or prevent transmission of the flu virus in the event of a pandemic, even though scientific evidence about the effectiveness of inexpensive, disposable medical masks and respirators against influenza is limited.

A new rapid expert consultation from a standing committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine responds to questions from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) regarding the effectiveness of homemade fabric masks to protect others from the viral spread of COVID-19 from potentially contagious asymptomatic or presymptomatic individuals.

By now, we’ve all heard the official COVID-19 prevention guidance - wear a mask, wash your hands, and stay 6 feet away from other people. But hearing information, and turning it into an everyday habit, are two very different things.

Give a Second Chance to Animals in Need

About thirty years ago, Yagya Kumar Pradhan woke up to the news that the temple he and his clan used had been broken into. The temple had been ransacked. And someone had stolen two holy Bhairav masks. Yagya says they had been in his family for more than five hundred years – since the 16th century.

Yagya is a kind of Hindu priest for his clan. And he says, these Bhairav masks were very holy. People made offerings to them during Dashaun, a festival held in the fall.

Yagya thought the masks were gone for good. He didn't realize... they were hiding in plain sight.

On today's show: The story of a group of amateur art detectives who use modern tools, subterfuge, and the power of the law to return stolen artifacts to their rightful owners. And we dive into the world of high-end auctions and art museums to ask: Can the art world survive the legacy of cultural theft?

Clarification: This episode has been updated to clarify that the reason the Rubin Museum is shuttering its building is not directly linked to repatriation.

This episode was hosted by Erika Beras and Nick Fountain. It was produced by James Sneed, edited by Jess Jiang, fact-checked by Sierra Juarez, and engineered by Cena Loffredo. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.

Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

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Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit SARAH MCCAMMON, HOST: California's two largest school districts, Los Angeles and San Diego, both said yesterday that students will not be headed back to school campuses this fall. Instead, classes will be online. But school board leaders in Orange County, which sits between LA and San Diego, have decided the opposite. Last night, the Orange County Board of Education voted to approve recommendations that school campuses reopen in the fall without masks or social distancing. Lisa Sparks is one of the board members who voted in favor of those guidelines, and she joins me now. Welcome, Lisa. LISA SPARKS: Thank you. MCCAMMON: And we should note that your recommendations are not binding recommendations, but they are what your board is advising. They say that masks may be harmful to students and that social distancing causes, quote, "child harm." How so? SPARKS: I think that the data is not completely conclusive. And that is the main point of all of this

A few years ago, I bought two orange traffic cones at a hardware store for twenty bucks. It was one of the best, most stress-relieving purchases I made. Parking space is scarce in big cities. In our car-centered culture, the rare days you absolutely need a large truck in a precise place can be a […]

UKHSA's Prof Susan Hopkins said respirator masks may have worked no better than thin surgical masks.

Harris and Trump's shared goal masks a fundamental AI policy divide Expert comment rgold.drupal 3 November 2024

Both presidential candidates will pursue US tech dominance but differ on the means to achieve it.

There remain some differences between the US presidential candidates’ positions on the governance of artificial intelligence and other emerging technology, notably around competition. 

But under either future administration, US decision-making looks set to be heavily influenced by growing securitization, the aims of the US technology industry and broader competition with China. 

‘Safe’ AI development 

Vice President Kamala Harris attended the inaugural Global AI Safety summit in the UK in 2023, where she announced President Joe Biden’s Executive Order on AI. This significant move by the federal government sought to define national and cyber security guidelines for AI developers and outline privacy and transparency guarantees. It also committed the federal government to a review of the National Security implications of this emerging technology, which was published last week.

In her remarks at the summit, Harris was clear that her definitions of safety extended beyond catastrophic risk mitigation to societal and personal harm. She noted the corrosive effects of some algorithmic decision-making and disinformation on democracy, appealing for AI that is developed ‘in the service of the public interest’.

A number of initiatives developed during the Biden administration have attempted to steer emerging technology as it takes root in society. This includes the establishment of the US AI Safety Institute, various schemes on global AI governance and investment in Public AI projects like the National AI Research Resource (NAIRR).

The US public is largely supportive: polling by the AI Policy Institute (AIPI) points to a majority preference for safety standards governing the US effort to lead in AI, rather than pedal-to-the-metal development. Investment in public options on AI and the infrastructure required to develop and sustain it is a bold direction that the incoming administration should consider expanding.

Biden’s Executive Order on AI has come under fire by the Trump campaign. At a rally in Iowa, Trump explained that he would cancel the order ‘on day one’, echoing a Republican platform that described it as imposing ‘Radical Leftwing ideas’ . 

Trump does, however, have his own track record in technology policy. During his first presidency, his administration passed an Executive Order on AI, stressing that ‘continued American leadership in Artificial Intelligence is of paramount importance to maintaining the economic and national security of the United States’. The tools and institutions announced as part of the order – including AI research investment, national AI research institutes and AI regulatory guidance including on federal use of AI – echo those of the current administration. 

Four years is a long time in AI, however. As the power of this technology is revealed, talk of safety may give way to talk of security. While the candidates may disagree on the role of the federal government in setting standards, there will be close alignment on the central need for US supremacy in national security. Neither administration seems likely to erect barriers to securitization of AI should it emerge as a critical strategic asset.

AI regulation at home 

American industry will remain the pivotal force shaping the US AI ecosystem, particularly as America jostles for position as the maker of the global rules governing AI. A notable aspect of Biden’s AI Executive Order was where it staked responsibility. Reports by AI and Cloud companies on the safety of their tools and infrastructure are sent to the Department of Commerce.

Under Secretary Gina Raimondo, whose star continues to rise, the department has become significantly more engaged with technology companies. In the absence of any other legal authority, AI governance has therefore sat under the purview of a secretary who herself has noted that they are ‘not a regulator’. 

The trend of industry leaders driving the government agenda on AI is replicated in other departments. There was an outcry over the composition of the new Department of Homeland Security advisory panel, the Artificial Intelligence and Security Board, with civil society groups concerned about the preponderance of industry voices: the 22-member panel includes the CEOs of OpenAI, Anthropic, NVIDIA, IBM, AWS, Adobe, Microsoft and Alphabet.

Under a Harris presidency, these trends seem likely to continue. Plus with deadlock in Congress probable, establishing new legal authorities for emerging technology will be difficult. That will likely mean emerging tech governance remains heavily influenced by the Department for Commerce. 

Like Harris, Trump has his allies in industry. While the Biden administration has courted the CEOs of AI companies who have historically spoken out in favour of regulation, Trump’s allies tend towards a more deregulatory agenda. 

Silicon Valley billionaires Elon Musk and Marc Andreessen have backed Trump’s plans to minimize AI regulation, lauding his support for ‘little tech’. They have also backed reported plans for so-called ‘Manhattan Projects’ to develop military technology, stewarded by ‘industry-led’ agencies. Trump’s aversion to strong regulatory institutions may mean an end to Biden’s anti-trust efforts, benefitting the biggest voices in the room, though his VP pick may disagree. JD Vance has somewhat surprisingly come out strongly in defence of the current chair of the Federal Trade Commission, Lina Khan, and her anti-trust efforts targeting US big tech.

Regardless, business interests will likely shape either a Harris or Trump administration’s approach as the US grapples with balancing the ambitions of its industry with an increasingly protectionist stance towards its biggest import market, China.

Competition abroad

China looms large in the imaginations of both campaigns. 

The US has signalled to its allies that American AI standards should replace Chinese standards. Export controls on semiconductors were expanded in September this year, with key voices in the industry – notably the Netherlands, Japan and South Korea – describing the restrictions as ‘economically motivated’ despite nominally being tied to national security by the US. 

DOVER, DE (March 4, 2022) – With new positive cases and hospitalizations continuing to decline in Delaware, mask mandates for schools and state buildings were lifted earlier this week across the state, consistent with updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC guidance is based on county or community levels of spread and the level […]

Title: Cheap Face Masks Little Help Against Air Pollutants
Category: Health News
Created: 8/24/2016 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/25/2016 12:00:00 AM

Title: More Evidence That Masks Help Shield You From Coronavirus
Category: Health News
Created: 8/26/2020 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/26/2020 12:00:00 AM

Title: Teachers' Unions, Doctors Agree: Vaccines, Masks Crucial for Return-to-School
Category: Health News
Created: 8/23/2021 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/23/2021 12:00:00 AM

Face masks are now a common skincare solution owing to their rapid nutrition supplements and ability to target particular skin issues. However, selecting the ideal mask for your skin type and requirements might be difficult with so many options available. We

Your mane matters! Healthy, happy hair denotes your priorities towards self-care. Bollywood beauties including Ananya Panday, Janhvi Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and others understand this must-do beauty ritual and ensure to keep their locks in the finest condition. Now, these celebs may

'We have fewer actors in every scene.''We don't have family scenes or scenes that involve a lot of people.''We are not doing scenes which are intimate or require closeness.'

Deepfakes may seem like an internet scourge, but so-called "hyperreal" masks have fooled people in real-life and have even been used in crimes. To learn more about these masks and our ability to spot them, WIRED's Matt Simon talked with researcher Rob Jenkins.

There's a lot of conflicting information when it comes to wearing masks in public during the coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Seema Yasmin explains everything we need to know about wearing masks. Should we be wearing masks? What kinds of masks should we wear? Can we make our own?

Jordu Schell is a master of monster masks. He designs creatures for movies, television and video games, and has worked on countless projects that you've most certainly heard of. Jordu takes us around his studio as he explains his entire, legendary, mask making process. Director: Charlie Jordan Director of Photography: Ricardo Pomares Editor: Parker Dixon Talent: Jordu Schell Producer: Wendi Jonassen Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi Associate Producer: Melissa Cho Production Managers: Peter Brunette, Andressa Pelachi Production Coordinator: Carol Wachockier Audio: Mike Faner Cam Op/Gaffer: Shay Eberle-Gunst Production Assistant: Phillip Arliss Post Production Supervisor(s): Nicholas Ascanio, Alexa Deutsch Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen Junior Editor: Brittany Taylor Lewis Assistant Editor: Diego Rentsch

Lucknow Municipal Corporation will impose a monetary penalty of Rs 5,000 or might even lodge an FIR against any individual found throwing used face masks or hand gloves in the open.

With regulations urging residents statewide to wear masks when in public, here is how Southern Utahsn have fared following the recommended guidelines

Despite the warning by the Kwara Police Command to market leaders in the state to comply strictly with the guidelines on the relaxed COVID-19 lockdown order, traders and buyers have refused to observe the safety protocols to curb the spread of the virus. DAILY POST visit to Ipata market among others in Ilorin, the state […]

COVID-19: Traders, buyers shun face masks, social distancing orders in Ilorin

When Zima did her weekly grocery shopping in March, she was shocked by the prices.“A package of chicken that used to cost HK$39 (US$5) was HK$50,” she recalled. A litre of milk went up from HK$35 to HK$49, and the tomatoes she used to pay HK$8 for were now HK$12.She worried her family of three might not have enough to eat for the month, because they would run out of money.The 32-year-old fled Pakistan in 2015 together with her husband and son, claiming religious persecution as members of the…

Corona has brought with it a different lifestyle, new challenges and opportunities. Unfortunately, urban centres like Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar etc. had turbulence in landing into this new scenario as we witnessed scenes of public humiliation of lockdown violators and disorder in...

One couple took bizarre and incredibly offensive steps to protest California's stay-at-home orders -- deciding to rock Nazi flag face masks while shopping ... only to be met by cops. The encounter was captured this week by one of the shoppers…

Here's proof we're living in the 'Twilight Zone' now -- a construction joint in SoCal won't let people inside while wearing face masks, but on physical contact ... all good by them! Check out this photo that was taken recently of a store in Simi…

All L.A. County Superior Court bench officers will be required to wear face coverings while on the bench or in courthouse public areas, the court said.

"I totally support your mask policy," a comment on Costco's Facebook said. "It is small minded individuals who don't understand the reason for it."

Laura Fuchs is capturing New Yorkers who are trying to stay positive in the midst of the pandemic.

SafeWork New South Wales has slapped Qantas with an improvement notice after observing cleaners handle used face masks, vomit, soiled nappies and dirty tissues without gloves or masks.

They have been self-isolating together amid the coronavirus pandemic. And Dakota, 26, and Elle Fanning, 22, were glimpsed stepping out together in Los Angeles this Saturday.

As of today, there are 2,000,951 COVID-19 cases with 126,782 deaths. On a hopeful note, 484,979 have recovered. The virus outbreak that began in 2019 continues to cause casualties, while health experts around the globe are extensively working on developing a

The coronavirus cases around the globe are at 2,484,301, with 170,501 deaths reported and 652,761 recoveries. The virus outbreak that began in 2019 continues to cause casualties, while health experts around the globe are extensively working on developing a vaccine and

Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the usage of face masks has become ubiquitous in countries affected with COVID-19. The health officials have been urging people to wear face masks as an essential protective measure against the coronavirus. The most popular face

Youth sanitizes village, distributes masks

Scientists test various kinds of cloth for their ability to filter aerosols