Mediaboss Marketing

By Robin Lehman

The Republicans have gone back to the 1950s and the red scare. It seems that everything they disagree with is socialist or communist. Democrats, meanwhile, have to defend themselves against that nasty accusation. We Reds are going to put all of you capitalist Americans in gulags. Whether its Critical Race Theory, Black Lives Matter, Build Back Better or The Squad, its Marxist communism.

Of course, this sound bite argument is meant to scare and divert the conversation from trying to figure out our history and how to change to make our country better. But until we admit to the structural oppression and make a concerted effort to overcome it, we will remain a divided, unequal and undemocratic society.

Africans were kidnapped, enslaved and forced to work: Indians had their lands and cultures stolen. This is undeniable.

I believe this is the inevitable result of capitalism.

This is what our national hero Martin Luther King Jr. had to say about socialism:

It is worth noting that Abraham Lincoln warmly recognized the support of Karl Marx during the civil war and corresponded with him freely. Our irrational, obsessive, anti-communism has led us into too many quagmires to be retained as if it was a model of scientific thinking.

Martin Luther King is saying that we have to have this conversation: socialism or capitalism? Abraham Lincoln understood that socialism and capitalism needed to be discussed and debated.

Come on! We cant come together without discussing capitalism versus socialism. This has to happen.

So why do yall keep saying communist as the N-word? If you want to discuss reality you have to confront the fact that millions of our fellow Americans are socialist. Were not scary. We just believe that social love means that nobody should be homeless or hungry or unclothed (or unloved?)

That should be the priority, not individual wealth. Socialists believe that we are all responsible for each other. If you work you shouldnt be worried about your next billing.

Work with us. We want to work with you. We know we have to. You are in the majority.

Why are you afraid of us? Everybody in power is against us: both Trump and Biden: both Fox news and NPR: both Republicans and Democrats. So, dont worry about us trying to overthrow the government/deep state/corporate status quo.

All Im saying here is that we want to be included in the conversation and we wont go back into the closet.

Robin Lehman, Warren.

Read more here:
'Want to be included in the conversation' - The Valley Reporter

MELBOURNE, Australia When Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia opened his public WeChat account in 2019, it was during the lead-up to a federal election. He said it would allow him to directly communicate with Chinese-Australians and better understand the issues that concerned them.

On Monday, reports emerged that not only had Mr. Morrison been frozen out of his account on the hugely popular Chinese messaging app since last year, but his photo had also been removed and the account was now in the control of a Chinese company under a new name.

Mr. Morrisons posts are still present, as are his 76,000 followers. But the episode, initially reported by The Daily Telegraph in Australia, set off a furious response from members of Mr. Morrisons conservative party, with some calling the loss of the WeChat account a hijacking.

Other conservative politicians accused the Chinese social media platform of trying to interfere with Australias upcoming federal election by suppressing free speech presumably Mr. Morrisons. The episode also stirred debate about whether lawmakers should even be using WeChat to communicate with the countrys 1.2 million residents with Chinese ancestry. A spokeswoman for Mr. Morrison declined to comment.

It all added up to another tense chapter in the fraying diplomatic ties between Australia and China.

James Paterson, a senator from the prime ministers conservative Liberal Party and chairman of the powerful Joint Intelligence and Security Committee, said in a statement that the seizure of Mr. Morrisons account had been an effort by the Chinese Communist Party at interference in our democracy and silence our free speech.

He noted that the opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, still had his WeChat account.

We cannot allow a foreign authoritarian government to interfere in our democracy and set the terms of public debate in Australia, Mr. Paterson said.

For his part, Mr. Albanese said the news of his rivals WeChat problems was of real concern, but he stopped short of promising to boycott the platform.

There is no direct evidence that the Communist Party had a hand in the loss of Mr. Morrisons account. Typically, when top Chinese officials run afoul of Beijing, their social media accounts disappear, with censors wiping any references to them or their posts.

WeChat is owned by the Chinese tech giant Tencent. The app, with 1.26 billion users worldwide, is popular with residents in China and members of the Chinese diaspora, who use it to chat with family and friends, read the news, make payments and more. It has been used for spreading misinformation and Chinese government propaganda, and is known to censor content. President Donald J. Trump tried to ban WeChat, along with the Chinese-owned TikTok, from operating in the United States, saying it was a national security threat. A federal judge later issued an injunction.

In a statement confirming the changes to Mr. Morrisons account, Tencent said: There is no evidence of any hacking or third-party intrusion. This appears to be a dispute over account ownership.

But much remained unknown about how the transfer had occurred. For a public WeChat account to change hands, the original owner must fill out a paper form, have it notarized and upload it to WeChat, according to Tencents website.

Chinas Cyberspace Administration, which is in charge of the countrys internet affairs, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Zhao Lijian, spokesman for Chinas foreign ministry, said at a regular news conference on Monday evening that he was not aware of the specifics of Mr. Morrisons account, but added: The accusation of China interference is nothing but unfounded denigration and smear. We do not and have no interest in interfering in other countries.

Mr. Paterson said that Mr. Morrisons team began having trouble logging into the account in mid-2021. The government wrote to WeChat asking the social media platform to restore the account, but to no avail, according to Mr. Paterson. Mr. Morrisons last post was in July 2021, when he outlined economic support for residents who had lost work because of pandemic lockdowns.

Because of WeChats rules that public accounts must be registered by a Chinese national, Mr. Morrison had registered his account through a Chinese intermediary.

The name of the account suddenly changed in October 2021 from ScottMorrison2019 to Aus-Chinese New Living, according to publicly viewable information. In November, Tencent verified Fuzhou 985 Information Technology, a computer software and information technology company based in Fujian Province, as the new commercial owner of the account, according to the viewable information. The account now says it provides information to Chinese abroad about living in Australia.

The demographic crisis. The birthrate in China plummeted for a fifth straight yearin 2021, moving the worlds most populous country closer to the moment when its population will begin to shrink, threatening the nations economic and political stability.

Tencent confirmed the transfer. The account in question was originally registered by a P.R.C. individual and was subsequently transferred to its current operator, a technology services company, it said in its statement, using the initials for the Peoples Republic of China.

Huang Aipeng, a legal representative for Fuzhou 985, said in a phone interview that the company was now, indeed, the owner of the WeChat account. But he insisted he had no idea its previous owner had been the leader of Australia.

We didnt know what this public account was used for, Mr. Huang said.

He explained that he had bought the account legitimately because the company needed a public WeChat account that already had followers (a common practice in China). He declined to say whom he had bought the account from.

This is not the first time that Mr. Morrison has clashed with the Chinese social media giant. In 2020, a WeChat post by the prime minister criticized a doctored image, posted on Twitter by the spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, that showed an Australian soldier holding a knife to the throat of an Afghan child. WeChat censored the prime ministers post, saying it violated its guidelines.

More broadly, Canberra has long accused Beijing of meddling in Australias affairs. The relationship hit a new low in 2020, when Australia called for an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus and China imposed tariffs on Australian goods, including wine and barley. Australia has also spoken out about the crackdown on ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and joined the diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing to protest Chinas human rights record.

With the loss of Mr. Morrisons account, some Australian officials vowed to dump WeChat. The Hong Kong-born parliamentarian Gladys Liu, whose electoral district includes constituents with Chinese heritage, was among them.

In an election year especially, this sort of interference in our political processes is unacceptable, and this matter should be taken extremely seriously by all Australian politicians, she said in a statement. Because of these concerns, I will no longer be using my official or personal WeChat accounts to communicate until the platform explains itself.

Alex Hawke, the immigration minister, has not used his WeChat account since 2019. But he, too, said he had no intention to use it in the near future.

Yan Zhuang reported from Melbourne, Australia, and John Liu from Taipei, Taiwan.

Original post:
How Scott Morrison Lost Control of His WeChat Account - The New York Times

Rather Outdoors announced that industry veteranZack Swansonwould join its North American operation on February 1, 2022, to lead Lews, Strike King, Zebco, and Quantum as its SVP brand management.

Swanson joins the company following a career spanning two decades at Rapala VMC Corp. as VP sales and general manager. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors for the American Sportfishing Association, which he has held since 2016.

Rocky Kalsow, President of North America for Rather Outdoors, sees the appointment of Zack Swanson as an important step forward for its brands. Lews has been home to true American innovation since 1949, the same year the very first spin cast reel rolled off the production line at a company that would later become known as Zebco. Both Strike King and Quantum have been creating groundbreaking tackle for nearly half a century, Kalsow said. At Rather Outdoors, our brands have solidified themselves as legendary names, and they have a rich legacy of being built and guided by true giants of this industry. We continue this tradition by having Zack at the helm.

I could not be more excited to be a part of this family. The leadership of Rather has worked tirelessly to build an environment where innovation and progress are celebrated, said Swanson. There is a deep history here at Rather that we will continue to honor and draw strength from, but make no mistake, there are exciting days ahead, and anglers who love these brands will want to pay attention.

See the rest here:
Rather Outdoors Hires SVP Brand Management - SGB Media

Joovy introduces the RooLoop, a clinically endorsed product for expectant and new parents to promote skin-to-skin contact with newborns. This patented design, used in hospitals, NICU, and operating rooms worldwide, is now available to pregnant and postpartum parents for a supportive and natural way to secure a newborn baby while enjoying the benefits of skin-to-skin contact.

Loss of control is how the RooLoop came to be after Hayley Mullins dropped her two-week-old infant while practicing skin-to-skin contact. She took her hands away for only two seconds, but the baby fell to the floor. The shock and devastation motivated this new mom to find a solution that would give parents the confidence to practice skin-to-skin safely. Mullins, Ashley Wade, and Sarah Cox make up the founding team that brought Joeyband (formerly Sleepbelt) to market, quickly receiving support from La Leche League International and becoming a staple product in leading hospitals and clinics worldwide.

Mullinss honest story gives pause, but the truth is that babies are dropped by parents every day. The silver lining is that out of her despair, there is now a safe way to practice this beneficial skin-to-skin contact in the comfort of your own home.

The RooLoop, as marketed in the states for consumers, can be used prenatally for belly support during the third trimester and after the baby arrives to gently secure the infant to the mothers chest or breast. The RooLoop gives mom confidence that baby is snug and secure and aids the overall skin-to-skin experience.

Clinicians point out many benefits of skin-to-skin contact with infants. The Cleveland Clinic recommends skin-to-skin care to stabilize the babys heartbeat, breathing pattern, and oxygen saturation levels. Additionally, skin-to-skin contact can aid in sleep time, weight gain, breastfeeding success. Parents benefit from bonding, increased breastmilk supply, confidence in overall care, and a sense of control.

We are thrilled to partner with Joovy to bring this important product to parents everywhere, says Mullins. As a parent who has experienced an infant fall, I know how quickly they can happen, and how scary they can be. Knowing that we can continue to make change in hospitals, while Joovy makes RooLoop accessible directly to families, means together we can improve health outcomes and drive real change in the way families experience the fourth trimester.

Skin-to-skin contact, also recognized as kangaroo care, was first reported in Bogota, Colombia, in the 1970s to treat premature babies whose survival rates were extremely low. Using skin-to-skin techniques helped these babies not only survive but thrive after being held close to their mothers bodies.

Important benefits of skin-to-skin contact include reduction in crying, improvement in breathing regulation, a calming effect in both you and baby and so much more. The practice is recommended for full-term babies, and all parents can benefit from it. And theres more good news to share: moms arent the only ones who benefit from kangaroo care. Dads are getting in on the bonding and enjoy nuzzling their infants too. The process works for twins and multiple infants, and the RooLoop can accommodate all.

See more here:
Joovy Introduces RooLoop to Give Parents Confidence and Control While Practicing Skin-to-Skin Contact - aNb Media

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Opinion: While hoping COVID can be managed in the future much like the flu, it will remain dangerous for certain people, health officer says

Publishing date:

VICTORIA After two years and more than 250 pandemic media briefings, Dr. Bonnie Henry is still capable of shaking up the narrative.

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I absolutely recognize this is a shift, the provincial health office said Friday in laying out a self-management approach to dealing with the latest wave of COVID-19.

The Omicron variant spreads so quickly, contact tracing is no longer viable.The surge in cases means that testing has to be reserved for health care workers and those at high risk of serious illness.

That leaves the rest of us responsible for monitoring our own health and, if necessary, managing our own symptoms.

With the level of transmission in our communities, we all need to assume that we have been in contact with somebody with the virus, said Henry.So at this time, everyone, all of us, needs to routinely check ourselves every day. We absolutely need to pay attention to how we are feeling.

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As long as were feeling well, we can and must continue going to work, going to school, and socializing safety in our small groups.

If you have a fever, or even a mild illness like a sore throat or the sniffles, you need to stay at home and stay away from others, she said.If you feel better the next day, then you can go back to school or work or child care. This applies to children in daycare or in school as well as with adults.

However Henry said this does not mean public health officials have given up trying to contain Omicron and decided to let it rip, so to speak.

There is a narrative that we should just abandon all restrictions, we should not be doing anything, we should just let it go because its mild and who cares, she admitted.I do not subscribe to that narrative.

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Rather, with hospitals strained by COVID-19 cases and health care workers themselves booking off sick, she was trying to conserve scarce resources for those who need them most.

Its important to recognize that there are some people who are at higher risk, she said, citing those with compromised immune systems and those over the age of 70.

Granted, the new variant is not causing as much severe illness, particularly among the vaccinated and those whove had booster shots.

But it is not an innocuous illness, she emphasized. It is making people feel very unwell, some of them for a longer period of time.

As a measure of the stresses on the system, she was asked about a leaked memo from Fraser Health, saying that patients who are fully vaccinated but uninfected with the virus could find themselves in a hospital room alongside someone with COVID-19.

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It was about maximizing our ability to provide care maximizing the use of space if needed, with additional precautions in place, said Henry.

At that point Health Minister Adrian Dix weighed in to note that Fraser Health had been struggling with 500 COVID-19 cases in hospital and almost 2,500 health care workers booked off sick.

When you have a lot of people in the hospital, said Dix, you have to manage within the space you have and ensure that infection control stays high.

For some time, Henry has been saying that well have to learn to live with this virus as weve learned to manage annual outbreaks of the flu.

She was asked Friday whether the self-management regimen was her way of preparing British Columbians for how we are going to live with COVID-19 for the long term.

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At first she said no: I dont think that this is how were going to live with it in the long term.

But then she corrected herself, telling the reporter you are right, were preparing for how we live with this when we no longer have those restrictions that we have in place now.

What was happening now including the drive to increase vaccinations and boosters as the best protection against serious cases and hospitalizations is going to help prepare us for whatever comes next.

Because there will be something next, added Henry, lest anyone assume that Omicron is the end of the story.

Because of the amount of transmission weve seen and the amount of immunity that weve developed from vaccination and from the transmission of omicron, were probably going to have a much more gentle summer than weve had for the last two years. Then well have to prepare ourselves for whatever comes next in the fall.

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She hopes that future waves will unfold in smaller and smaller oscillations.

Hope is not a strategy, she conceded. But I do hope that we will end up with another coronavirus that causes mostly mild illness.

Even in that best case scenario, people who dont have as strong an immune system will still be at risk of having more severe illness.

We see that with other respiratory viruses that cause infections, she continued.Influenza being classic: People who are older, people who have immune-compromising conditions and the very young tend to be the most at risk, and I expect that that is likely to continue for some time.

In short, as Henry has said more than once over the past two years, there are no no-risk scenarios in the pandemic.

Nor, judging from Fridays briefing, is the end in sight.

vpalmer@postmedia.com

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Vaughn Palmer: Dr. Henry pivots to self-management of COVID, but hasn't given up the fight - Vancouver Sun