Congress
Gaetz slams McCarthy, nominates Jim Jordan for speaker
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Gaetz slams McCarthy, nominates Jim Jordan for speaker
January 3, 2023
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U.S. News & World Report is changing how it ranks law schools
January 3, 2023
Published by CNN
CNN
—
U.S. News & World Report is changing the formula used to determine its list of best law schools after several prestigious institutions decided to bow out of the famed rankings.
In a letter to law school deans published Monday, the publication announced that it would place less importance on surveys that ask academic administrators, lawyers and judges to rate the quality of institutions and more emphasis on measures such as bar exam pass rates and employment outcomes. The changes stem from conversations with more than 100 law school deans and representatives, according to the letter.
“From completing extensive surveys to providing us feedback, we have worked cooperatively to create fair and objective standards for an important academic discipline while providing students with a broad array of choices among nearly 200 schools. We have helped expand the universe of well-known law schools beyond the club of Ivy League schools of the last century,” wrote Bob Morse, U.S. News’ chief data strategist, and Stephanie Salmon, its senior vice president of data and information strategy.
“But we realize that legal education is neither monolithic nor static and that the rankings, by becoming so widely accepted, may not capture the individual nuances of each school in the larger goal of using a common set of data.”
The changes to the rankings follow a recent exodus by top law schools, as well as years of criticism from some in higher education. Yale and Harvard law schools announced last November that they would no longer participate in the rankings process, arguing that the publication’s methodology discouraged institutions from supporting public interest careers and from providing aid to those who need it most. At least a dozen other law schools followed suit.
U.S. News addressed some of those critiques in its latest announcement, saying it would change how it scored graduates pursuing public interest fellowships or further studies.
Under its previous methodology, graduating students who received fellowships from their schools to support them in public interest careers were effectively counted as unemployed, as were those who were enrolled in PhD or master’s programs, Yale Law School Dean Heather Gerken noted in a statement last year. U.S. News said next year’s rankings would give “full-weight” to such students.
Gerken and Harvard Law School Dean John Manning had also raised concerns around how U.S. News calculates student debt loads. The rankings don’t currently factor in loan forgiveness programs, which graduates in service-oriented jobs often rely on to pay off their debts.
“In short, when law schools devote resources to encouraging students to pursue public interest careers, U.S. News mischaracterizes them as low-employment schools with high debt loads,” Gerken wrote last year. “That backward approach discourages law schools throughout the country from supporting students who dream of a service career.”
U.S. News acknowledged those concerns, as well as others around how the rankings affect distribution of financial aid and the socioeconomic diversity of law school classes, but said changes on those fronts would require more time and deliberation.
Despite the changes, Yale Law School said it stood by its decision to withdraw from the rankings process.
“Having a window into the operations and decision-making process at U.S. News in recent weeks has only cemented our decision to stop participating in the rankings,” Gerken said in a statement to CNN.
Harvard Law School declined to comment.
U.S. News said it will still rank law schools that don’t participate in its surveys by using publicly available data, but will publish more detailed profiles of schools that do respond.
“We maintain that data beyond the rankings – whether collected by U.S. News or the American Bar Association – is an essential resource for students navigating the complex admissions process and seeking to evaluate the important but costly education that you deliver,” Morse and Salmon wrote.
[World] More US children are eating cannabis edibles by mistake
January 3, 2023
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BBC News world-us_and_canada
Image source, Getti Images: Alexi Rosenfeld
Image caption,
Cannabis edibles can appear in packaging that looks like regular candy
The number of US children under the age of six who accidentally ate cannabis edibles has increased in the last five years, as restrictions have loosened across the country, according to a new study.
The study found an increase of 1375% in reported cases between 2017 and 2021.
Of a total 7043 “exposures” in five years, 573 cases resulted in children being admitted to critical care units.
More than 97% of cases occurred at home.
The study, published on Tuesday in the journal Pediatrics, analysed data from the National Poison Data System, which keeps track of poison control centres in the US.
Dr Marit Tweet, a medical toxicologist and one of the study’s co-authors, said the goal was to raise awareness of an increasingly problematic issue.
Cannabis edibles come in the form of candy, chocolates, cookies, and other sweets that often look like normal snacks, Dr Tweet said, and can appeal to children who are unaware of what’s inside.
“If a child opens a pack of (cannabis-infused) gummy bears, they’re not likely to stop at one. Kids enjoy candy,” Dr Tweet said. “They may consume the whole package.”
The most common reported clinical effect was central nervous system (CNS) depression, which includes drowsiness and lethargy. In about 36% of the cases, the children were treated and released. A small percentage of reported cases – less than 2% – developed more severe effects. Over 3,000 cases – 70% – had some degree of CNS depression.
Dr Tweet said her research could not conclude what is causing the increase in children being exposed to edibles – but she noted that the largest increase in reported cases of children unintentionally consuming edibles occurred during the pandemic.
She suggested, cautioning her theory was not backed by data, that more children at home for longer periods during the pandemic meant more opportunities for exposure.
The rise in cases has also occurred as marijuana restrictions have eased across the US.
The number of states with legalised recreational use has more than doubled, from eight to 18, in the last five years. And the number of states allowing medicinal cannabis use has increased from 30 to 39.
A similar shift is occurring in Canada.
After legalising edibles in early 2020, accidental cannabis poisonings among children under 10 years old in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia were more than double the number in Quebec, which only allowed edibles last year in the form of dried fruits and vegetables.
Canada legalised the recreational use of cannabis nationwide in 2018, though provinces are able to set some of their own regulations.
While it doesn’t appear that the legislative trend will change, Dr Tweet said states are trying to find ways to reduce potential harm to children.
In her home state of Illinois, according to state law it is illegal for products containing marijuana to use “any image or design likely to appeal to minors” or for packaging to “bear any resemblance” to any commercially available candy.
Some US states are also increasing the restrictions on the amount of THC – the psychoactive compound in marijuana – that can be included in edibles. This can reduce the risk of serious harm should a child accidentally eat a cannabis-infused product.
On an individual basis, parents can mitigate the risk for their children by storing their products in high, hard-to-reach places, or put them in restrictive packaging, Dr Tweet said.
They can also keep cannabis products away from food or out of the kitchen altogether. She also recommended parents avoid consuming edibles in front of their children.
Steelers’ Mike Tomlin reflects on long relationship with Damar Hamlin: ‘Got a lot of love for that young man’
January 3, 2023
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The condition of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin Tuesday weighed heavily on his teammates, coaches and family – and on Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
Tomlin spoke to reporters and said he’s known Hamlin since the defensive back was coming up in the youth football ranks. Hamlin grew up in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, located just outside Pittsburgh. He attended Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School and went to the University of Pittsburgh.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
“I’ll say this about Damar Hamlin – it’s a really personal thing to me, being a Pittsburgher and that young man being a Pittsburgher, I’ve known that guy probably since he was about 12,” Tomlin said. “I’ve just got a lot of respect and love for him as a human being, his commitment to the pursuit of his goals and dreams of doing what he is right now, which is playing in the NFL. To watch him make personal decisions, and make that a realization, it’s just an honor to get to know young people like that.
“I’ve had an opportunity to express that to him whenever I see him. We’ve played Buffalo each of the last two seasons and he and I had a moment because it’s just cool to not only appreciate these guys in terms of where they are now but to know them since they were younger people and to watch their maturation, their development, to watch them earn what they’ve been chasing, it’s really a cool thing, and he’s an example of that.
DAMAR HAMLIN ‘DIDN’T EXPECT’ TEE HIGGINS TO ‘LAUNCH HIS BODY’ INTO HIM, ESPN’S BART SCOTT SAYS
“I’ve got a lot of love for that young man. I’ve lifted him and that organization up in prayer. I’ve reached out to Sean McDermott to lend whatever assistance I could. But I don’t have a lot to add other than that. I just respect the fact that you guys appreciate how personal it is for me, not only for me, but for all of us.”
The Bills offered an update on Hamlin’s status after he suffered cardiac arrest while trying to tackle Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. He was rushed to the hospital after needing his heartbeat to be restored on the field.
“Damar Hamlin spent last night in the intensive care unit and remains there today in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center,” the organization said.
“We are grateful and thankful for the outpouring of support we have received thus far.”
Chicago mayoral challenger predicts controversial Mayor Lightfoot won’t make runoff election
January 3, 2023
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With the midterm elections rapidly receding into the rearview mirror, the 2023 Chicago mayoral election is looming in the distance, with nine candidates looking to unseat first-term Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Feb. 28.
“I do not believe Mayor Lightfoot is even going to make it in the runoff,” candidate Willie Wilson predicted to Fox 32.
With nine candidates on the ballot next month, it’s unlikely anyone will get the 50% plus one vote needed to win outright, meaning a two-person runoff on April 4 is virtually certain.
If Wilson is correct, this will be the first time in Chicago history that the incumbent did not make it to the runoff election.
A voter opinion poll spelled trouble for the controversial mayor, with Lightfoot coming in third behind Congressman Chu Garcia and former Chicago Public Schools’ CEO Paul Vallas.
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In the opinion poll from Fox 32, Garcia won 28 percent; Vallas was at 19 percent; Lightfoot was at 15 percent and businessman/philanthropist Willie Wilson was at 13 percent. Other contenders were in single digits.
The results indicate Vallas, Lightfoot and Wilson are locked in a three-way battle for second place.
‘PANDEMIC OF VIOLENCE’: LIGHTFOOT’S RECORD ON CRIME AT THE FOREFRONT OF CHICAGO MAYORAL ELECTION
The 2023 race for Chicago mayor has attracted a wide-ranging field of challengers across the political spectrum vying to replace Lightfoot and implement new policies in the ‘Windy City.”
Throughout her term as mayor, Lightfoot has attracted staunch criticism from both sides of the aisle with Republicans and Democrats alike blasting her policies.
Under Mayor Lightfoot’s leadership, crime in Chicago has skyrocketed since the Black Lives Matter riots and her defund the police rhetoric of 2020 began. Lightfoot pledged not to give interviews to White reporters, and has become known for questionable videos that have gone viral.
The first round of the election is slated for Feb. 28. If no candidate receives 50% of the vote in that election, then the top-two candidates would advance to a run-off, scheduled for April 4.
Former NFLPA president calls out media, fans for Damar Hamlin support after previously calling players greedy
January 3, 2023
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From charitable donations to jersey sales to thoughts and prayers, the sports world has come together to support and hope for the best for Damar Hamlin, who is in critical condition after going into cardiac arrest during the Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game Monday night.
A former NFL cornerback is calling out fans and media who he said once thought of players as simply entertainers.
Domonique Foxworth, who spent six seasons in the NFL and was the president of the Players Association, said some fans and members in the media were “calling us greedy” during the lockout negotiations in 2011.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
“I remember going through CBA negotiations, and I remember fighting for health and safety advancements and fighting for a higher salary cap,” Foxworth, now an ESPN analyst, said Tuesday.
“I also remember some of these people in the media — who were outpouring and caring last night — they were calling us greedy. Some of these same fans were like, ‘Get back on the field.’
“Maybe it’s uncomfortable for people to hear me talk about CBA negotiations in times like this, but it really matters because it changes their lives. As we were reminded last night, there is no limit on the risk for the players, but there is a salary cap on what they can make. I understand how it can be unseemly to talk about this right now, but it reminds me so much that everyone who’s benefiting from this game, there seems to be no cap on how much they can enjoy and appreciate.”
The league locked out players from March 12 to July 25 of that year. The league and players ratified a contract in 2020 that runs through 2030.
The players earned a higher minimum salary, improved player safety and increased injury protection, while the teams were given a salary floor in the agreed-upon CBA that ended the lockout.
Hamlin spent the night in intensive care, the Bills said Tuesday.
Hamlin’s family released a statement Tuesday expressing “sincere gratitude” for the outpouring of support they received amid a “challenging time” for the family. They also thanked the more than 150,000 fans who have donated nearly $4 million to his charity toy drive fund.
Fanatics said proceeds from all sales of Hamlin’s jersey on its site, which have skyrocketed since the injury, will also go to the charity.
“On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time. We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words and donations from fans around the country,” the statement said.
The NFL announced the postponed game will not be played this week, and Week 18, as of now, remains as scheduled.
Teenage pilot makes emergency landing near two-lane highway in California
January 3, 2023
Published by CNN
(CNN) — A teenage pilot flying a single-engine plane with several family members on board made an emergency landing near a two-lane highway in the San Bernardino National Forest in California on Monday.
“We’re coming through the pass and I hear a boom and then I lose all my engine power,” pilot Brock Peters, 18, told CNN affiliate KCBS/KCAL in an interview. He landed the plane on a frontage road in the Cajon Pass, KCBS/KCAL reports.
The Federal Aviation Administration told CNN a Piper PA-28 with four people on board landed shortly before 10 a.m. local time Monday on Cajon Boulevard.
Peters was flying his grandmother and two cousins from Apple Valley Airport to Riverside Airport, according to KCBS/KCAL, when his engine failed and, due to the terrain, he was unable to notify a nearby airport tower.
“I can hear my grandma crying in the back,” Peters told KCBS/KCAL. “I’m like, ‘I’ve got to tune her out, focus on what I need to do and get this plane down safely and make sure everybody is OK.'”
Brock Peters, 18, has had his pilots license for four months.
KCBS/KCAL/Inland News
He brought the plane down safely and no one was injured.
The FAA and NTSB will investigate.
Peters, who obtained his pilots license four months ago, told KCBS/KCAL that he plans to be back in the cockpit next week.
Jets’ Robert Saleh preaches patience amid Zach Wilson uncertainty ahead final regular season game
January 3, 2023
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The New York Jets have missed the playoffs for the 12th consecutive year and with that, concerns have been raised about quarterback Zach Wilson’s future with the franchise, but head coach Robert Saleh continued to preach about patience ahead their final game of the season.
During a press conference on Monday, Saleh was asked about the quarterback situation heading into the offseason and if he knows “enough about Zach moving forward” after two seasons as starting quarterback — the last of which was highlighted by two benchings.
“That’s the thing, you look at guys like, just go around the League, we’ll use our crosstown partners in the [New York] Giants and congratulations to them, but Daniel Jones goes, this is year four for him, and he’s having a remarkable year and flashing all the things that made him a top five pick,” he said.
JETS HAVE NO PLANS FOR ZACH WILSON TAKING FLIGHT SOMEWHERE ELSE: REPORT
“It takes time, it takes time to get these guys, for them to see the amount of reps they need.”
Saleh continued: “So, could you argue that you haven’t seen enough? It’s not about whether or not you’ve seen enough, it’s about having faith in the person that you evaluated, the person you spoke to, the person that you’ve invested in has the ability to get to where you think he’s capable of getting and so, the easy answer is well I’ll just get rid of him, go get somebody new, the hard part is to stay true to your conviction and continue to develop a young man who you know can be capable of doing anything, but again, that comes with time.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
The playoffs seemed like a legitimate possibility for the Jets, but a five game losing streak, including a 23-6 rout by the Seattle Seahawks in Week 17, ended any chance of breaking their historic playoff drought.
Saleh acknowledged the disappointment but remained optimistic about the road ahead.
“It hurts now, and everything’s cloudy for everybody, which I understand, but when the season’s over, and we can sit down and take a deep breath, and we’ve reflected, I think there’s a lot to be excited about with this organization.”
US Veteran Sleeps Outdoors in Freezing Temperatures to Help Ukraine
January 3, 2023
Published by [email protected] (Nina Vishneva)
USA – Voice of America
U.S. Air Force veteran Mark Lindquist has been sleeping outdoors in Fargo, North Dakota, to bring awareness to the need in Ukraine. He visited the war-torn country earlier this year and has since focused on giving back to the Ukrainian people. Nina Vishneva has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Camera: Natalia Latukhina, Alexander Barash
‘Fight we must’: Ron DeSantis flames Davos ‘jetsetters,’ ‘technocratic elites’ in fiery inauguration speech
January 3, 2023
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Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis used his fiery Tuesday inauguration speech to go after who he referred to as “jetsetters in Davos” and “technocratic elites” acting as a “threat” to freedom.
The rising GOP star and potential presidential candidate made the comments just minutes after being sworn in for a second term as Florida’s governor following his resounding November re-election victory.
“Now, fighting for freedom is not always easy because the threats to freedom are more complex and more widespread than they have been in the past,” DeSantis told the crowd. “The threats can come from entrenched bureaucrats in D.C., jetsetters in Davos, and corporations wielding public power. But fight we must. We embrace our founding creed, that our rights are not granted by the courtesy of the state, but are endowed by the hand of the Almighty.”
“We reject the idea that self-government can be subcontracted out to technocratic elites who reduce human beings to mere data points. We insist on the restoration of time-tested constitutional principles so that government of, by, and for the people shall not perish from this earth,” he added.
DeSantis has long been a critic of the global leaders, or “elites,” participating in the World Economic Forum’s annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland with the purpose of coming up with global solutions to issues facing the planet, including climate change, economic issues and global conflict.
“In Florida, we don’t want the values of Davos, we want the values of Destin, Dunedin and DeFuniak Springs,” he said in an August tweet referencing his opposition to the “woke ideology” of the gathering and its proposed solutions.
In September, DeSantis told the National Conservatism Conference that his state would reject the “corrupt ruling class” and its attempts to influence the way of life in America.
“Where’s all this coming from? Places like Davos. I look at these people at the World Economic Forum, and I’m like, they just view us as a bunch of peasants. I can tell you, things like the World Economic Forum are dead on arrival in the state of Florida,” he said.
DeSantis has remained quiet about his plans for the 2024 presidential election and whether he would make a run for the White House, however his popularity in Florida, made evident by a whopping 19-point victory over his Democratic opponent in November, has excited Republicans across the country in hopes that he’ll eventually toss his hat into the ring.
Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.