How to stop the deadliest drug overdose crisis in American history - Vox

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/8/1/15746780/opioid-epidemic-end

"We have a lot of complex problems in this country," Beletsky said. "Without really addressing all of those physical, emotional, and mental health problems, just focusing on the opioid supply makes no sense — because people still have those problems."

Some places have put such ideas into policy. Iceland built an anti-drug plan that focuses largely on providing kids and adolescents with after-school activities, from music and the arts to sports like soccer and indoor skating to many other clubs and activities. Iceland coupled this approach with other policies — setting drinking and smoking ages, banning alcohol and tobacco advertising, enforcing curfews for teenagers, and getting parents more involved in their kids' schools — to further discourage and fight drug use.

Researcher Harvey Milkman told journalist Emma Young, who profiled Iceland's experiment, that it's "a social movement around natural highs: around people getting high on their own brain chemistry … without the deleterious effects of drugs."

As a result, Iceland, which had one of the worst drug problems in Europe, has seen adolescent consumption fall. The number of 15- and 16-year-olds who got drunk in the previous month fell from 42 percent in 1998 to just 5 percent in 2016, and the number who ever smoked marijuana dropped from 17 percent to 7 percent in the same time frame. In a similar time period, from 1997 to 2012, the percentage of 15- and 16-year-olds who participated in sports at least four times a week almost doubled — from 24 to 42 percent — and the number of kids who said they often or almost always spent time with their parents on weekdays doubled, from 23 to 46 percent.

Electric cars are not the answer to air pollution, says top UK adviser

Electric cars are not the answer to air pollution, says top UK adviser

Desdemona's Blog  /  noreply@blogger.com (Jim)

By Damian Carrington
4 August 2017

(The Guardian) – Cars must be driven out of cities to tackle the UK's air pollution crisis, not just replaced with electric vehicles, according to the UK government's top adviser.

Prof Frank Kelly said that while electric vehicles emit no exhaust fumes, they still produce large amounts of tiny pollution particles from brake and tyre dust, for which the government already accepts there is no safe limit.

Toxic air causes 40,000 early deaths a year in the UK, and the environment secretary, Michael Gove, recently announced that the sale of new diesel and petrol cars will be banned from 2040, with only electric vehicles available after that. But faced with rising anger from some motorists, the plan made the use of charges to deter dirty diesel cars from polluted areas a measure of last resort only.

Kelly's intervention heightens the government's dilemma between protecting public health and avoiding politically difficult charges or bans on urban motorists. "The government's plan does not go nearly far enough," said Kelly, professor of environmental health at King's College London and chair of the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants, official expert advisers to the government. "Our cities need fewer cars, not just cleaner cars."

Ministers were forced to produce an air pollution plan after being sued twice in the courts over illegal levels, but it was criticised as "woefully inadequate" and "lacking urgency" by city leaders and "inexcusable" by leading doctors. The government's own research showed the fastest and most cost-effective measure to cut the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution largely caused by diesel engines is to charge dirty cars to enter urban areas.

Electric vehicles emit no NO2 but do produce small particle pollution from the wear on brake discs and tyres and by throwing up dust from roads. A recent European commission research paper found that about half of all particulate matter comes from these sources. [more]

Electric cars are not the answer to air pollution, says top UK adviser

Original Article: http://www.desdemonadespair.net/2017/08/electric-cars-are-not-answer-to-air.html

"Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay"

Oregon Public Empowerment News (OregonPEN.org)

Help Keep Salem's Finest Cultural Venue Alive and Kicking with a Kickstarter Campaign

Salem Cinema is simply the finest cultural venue in town, offering films of great beauty and power that are simply not available to people in thousands and cities and towns in the US - even those much larger than Salem.  Help out with the digital conversion to keep Salem Cinema alive and kicking for at least another 35 years.

Several months ago, Salem Cinema was forced by the film industry to convert from 35mm film projection to fully digital state-of-the-art equipment in all three of our auditoriums. Studios ceased to strike 35mm film prints and in order to keep our doors open, we had to upgrade. This required a huge investment, part of which was met by taking out a sizable loan totaling almost $150,000 on top of our own nearly $50,000 commitment. While corporate multiplexes were subsidized by studios in their upgrades, requiring them to only cover about 25% of the total cost, this was not the case for small, independent cinemas who had to pay 100% of their total upgrades.

Switch to digital projectors imperils some theaters by Judy Keen, USA TODAY

It's now time for us to reach out to our loyal patrons and film lovers and ask that you please share some of this cost.

It means the world to us to know that your lives have been enriched by Salem Cinema over the years and there is nothing we'd love more than to continue to bring outstanding and unique film to our community. In order to do that, we need your help. We have scrimped and scraped and managed to repay the cost of one of the three projectors, but it's been a long, hard road to reach that point.

We've set our immediate goal for $97,560 which is the combined cost of the other two projectors. With this amount, we would be able to pay off the balance of the loan without accruing more interest. Your contribution won't go unappreciated! Not only will we be able to keep doing what we do best, but we have some remarkable rewards to thank you for your incredibly important and always appreciated support... without you, we are nothing!

While we've set some contribution and reward levels, know that you aren't restricted to those dollar amounts...feel free to give any amount. Please remember that with Kickstarter, it's an all-or-nothing challenge. If we don't reach our goal, we won't see a penny.

Please go to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/salemcinema/salem-cinemas-digital-projection-upgrade-challenge to donate today!

Keep Salem's Finest Cultural Venue Alive and Kicking with Kickstarter

Salem is unimaginably lucky to have the Salem Cinema -- there are thousands and thousands of towns in the US where they simply never have any opportunity to see the films that we here in Salem have come to expect.

Make a gift to yourself and your community by helping Salem Cinema pay off the conversion to digital projection equipment.

Several months ago, Salem Cinema was forced by the film industry to convert from 35mm film projection to fully digital state-of-the-art equipment in all three of our auditoriums. Studios ceased to strike 35mm film prints and in order to keep our doors open, we had to upgrade. This required a huge investment, part of which was met by taking out a sizable loan totaling almost $150,000 on top of our own nearly $50,000 commitment. While corporate multiplexes were subsidized by studios in their upgrades, requiring them to only cover about 25% of the total cost, this was not the case for small, independent cinemas who had to pay 100% of their total upgrades. Switch to digital projectors imperils some theaters by Judy Keen, USA TODAY It's now time for us to reach out to our loyal patrons and film lovers and ask that you please share some of this cost. It means the world to us to know that your lives have been enriched by Salem Cinema over the years and there is nothing we'd love more than to continue to bring outstanding and unique film to our community. In order to do that, we need your help. We have scrimped and scraped and managed to repay the cost of one of the three projectors, but it's been a long, hard road to reach that point. We've set our immediate goal for $97,560 which is the combined cost of the other two projectors. With this amount, we would be able to pay off the balance of the  loan without accruing more interest. Your contribution won't go unappreciated! Not only will we be able to keep doing what we do best, but we have some remarkable rewards to thank you for your incredibly important and always appreciated support... without you, we are nothing!  While we've set some contribution and reward levels, know that you aren't restricted to those dollar amounts...feel free to give any amount. Please remember that with Kickstarter, it's an all-or-nothing challenge. If we don't reach our goal, we won't see a penny. Please go to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/salemcinema/salem-cinemas-digital-projection-upgrade-challenge to donate today! Salem Cinema | 1127 Broadway NE | www.salemcinema.com STAY CONNECTED:

Salem Cinema, 1127 Broadway NE, Salem, OR 97301 Try it free today

Memo to School Districts: You are going to be sued into oblivion if you don't drop football

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/the-latest-brain-study-examined-111-former-nfl-players-only-one-didnt-have-cte/2017/07/25/835b49e4-70bc-11e7-8839-ec48ec4cae25_story.html?utm_term=.b1e44cbc8e67

Andy Slavitt on Twitter: "I want the word freedom back from those who intend to take freedom from those who are old, poor, or sick."

https://twitter.com/ASlavitt/status/888806969875845120

Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay

A Don't Miss Free Event for Your Calendar -- a brilliant thinker visits Salem

Free! Hear Joe Minicozzi -- frequent collaborator with Chuck Marohn and Strong Towns -- here in Salem!

Indeed, Crime DOES Pay

Mitch McConnell's soul makes sewer backups in the meat packing district seem like pure mountain springs

Reforming the Electoral College with National Popular Vote!

If you care about reforming the Electoral College, you can make a real difference with just a few minutes of your time.

Right now the Oregon Legislature is considering HB 2927, a bill to join the National Popular Vote compact, and it's passing depends on whether lawmakers hear from voters like you about how important it is.

Please ask your Oregon lawmakers to support National Popular Vote!

https://secure2.convio.net/comcau/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2146&sp_ref=313357425.214.181571.e.0.2&s_subsrc=taf_email

Let's live on the planet as if we intend to stay