Bird flu cases are going undetected, new study suggests. It’s a problem for all of us

A new study lends weight to fears that more livestock workers have gotten the bird flu than has been reported.

“I am very confident there are more people being infected than we know about,” said Gregory Gray, the infectious disease researcher at the University of Texas Medical Branch who led the study, posted online Wednesday and under review to be published in a leading infectious disease journal. “Largely, that’s because our surveillance has been so poor.”

As bird flu cases go underreported, health officials risk being slow to notice if the virus were to become more contagious. A large surge of infections outside of farmworker communities would trigger the government’s flu surveillance system, but by then it might be too late to contain.

Farmworkers are at greatest exposure risk for bird flu, but given few protections

“We need to figure out what we can do to stop this thing,” Gray said. “It is not just going away.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention bases decisions on its surveillance. For example, the agency has bird flu vaccines on hand but has decided against offering them to farmworkers, citing a low number of cases.

But testing for bird flu among farmworkers remains rare, which is why Gray’s research stands out as the first to look for signs of prior, undiagnosed infections in people who had been exposed to sick dairy cattle — and who had become ill and recovered.

Gray’s team detected signs of prior bird flu infections in workers from two dairy farms that had outbreaks in Texas earlier this year. They analyzed blood samples from 14 farmworkers who had not been tested for the virus and found antibodies against it in two. This is a nearly 15% hit rate from only two dairy farms out of more than 170 with bird flu outbreaks in 13 states this year.

"Maybe what we see isn’t exactly the tip of the iceberg, but it’s certainly not the whole story."

One of the workers with antibodies had been taking medicine for a lingering cough when he agreed to allow researchers to analyze his blood in April. The other had recently recovered from a respiratory illness. She didn’t know what had caused it but told researchers that untested farmworkers around her had been sick too.

Richard Webby, director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Influenza at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, said the results confirmed his suspicions that the 13 human bird flu cases reported this year by the CDC were an undercount.

“Maybe what we see isn’t exactly the tip of the iceberg, but it’s certainly not the whole story,” Webby said.

Little Testing of Farmworkers

Although small, the study gives fresh urgency to reports of undiagnosed ailments among farmworkers and veterinarians. The CDC has warned that if people are infected by the seasonal flu and the bird flu simultaneously, the two types of viruses could swap genes in a way that allows the bird flu to spread between people as easily as seasonal varieties.

A researcher draws blood from a farmworker to analyze it for signs of a previous bird flu infection. (KFF News/Thang Nguyen/UTMB)

No evidence suggests that’s happening now. And asymptomatic cases of the bird flu appear to be rare, according to a Michigan antibody study described by the CDC on July 19. Researchers analyzed blood samples from 35 workers from dairy farms that had outbreaks in Michigan, and none showed signs of missed infections. Unlike the study in Texas, these workers hadn’t fallen sick.

“It’s a small study, but a first step,” said Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s chief medical executive. She said that the state was boosting outreach to test farmworkers but its efforts were complicated by systemic issues like precarious employment that renders them vulnerable to getting fired for calling out sick.

Without more assistance for farmworkers, and cooperation between the government and the livestock industry, Gray said, the U.S. risks remaining in the dark about this virus.

“There’s a lot of genomic studies and laboratory work, but farms are where the real action is,” Gray said, “and we’re not watching.”

Communication Breakdown

A dairy worker in Colorado told KFF Health News that he sought medical care about a month ago for eye irritation — a common symptom of the bird flu. The doctor conducted a usual checkup, complete with a urine analysis. But the farmworker hadn’t heard of the bird flu, and the clinician didn’t mention it or test for the virus. “They told me I had nothing,” he said in Spanish, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he feared retaliation from employers.

This dairy worker and two in Texas said their employers have not provided goggles, N95 masks, or aprons to protect them from milk and other fluids that could be contaminated with the virus. Buying their own gear is a tall order because money is tight.

As is going to the doctor. One worker in Texas said he didn’t seek care for piercing headaches and a sore throat because he doesn’t have health insurance and can’t afford the cost. He guessed the symptoms were from laboring long hours in sweltering barns with limited water. “They don’t give you water or anything,” he said. “You bring your own bottles.” But there’s no way to know the cause of symptoms — whether bird flu or something else — without testing.

About a fifth of workers on livestock farms are uninsured, according to a KFF analysis, and a similar share have household incomes of less than $40,000 a year.

The three farmworkers hadn’t heard of the bird flu from their employers or state health officials, never mind offers of tests. The CDC boasted in a recent update that, through its partnership with Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, bird flu posts have flickered across computer and smartphone screens more than 10 million times.

Such outreach is lost on farmworkers who aren’t scrolling, don’t speak English or Spanish, or are without smartphones and internet access, said Bethany Boggess Alcauter, director of research and public health programs at the National Center for Farmworker Health. She and others said that offers of protective gear from health officials weren’t reaching farms.

“We’ve heard that employers have been reticent to take them up on the offer,” said Christine Sauvé, policy and engagement manager at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. “If this starts to transmit more easily person to person, we’re in trouble,” she said, “because farmworker housing units are so crowded and have poor ventilation.”

Clinics might alert health officials if sick farmworkers seek medical care. But many farmworkers don’t because they lack health insurance and could be fired for missing work.

“The biggest fear we hear about is retaliation from employers, or that someone might be blacklisted from other jobs,” Sauvé said.

Flu Surveillance

The CDC assesses the current bird flu situation as a low public health risk because the country’s flu surveillance system hasn’t flagged troubling alerts.

The system scans for abnormal increases in hospital visits. Nothing odd has turned up there. It also analyzes a subset of patient samples for unusual types of flu viruses. Since late February, the agency has assessed about 36,000 samples. No bird flu.

However, Samuel Scarpino, an epidemiologist who specializes in disease surveillance, said this system would miss many emerging health threats because, by definition, they start with a relatively small number of infections. Roughly 200,000 people work on farms with livestock in the United States, according to the CDC. That’s a mere 0.1% of the country’s population.

Scarpino said the CDC’s surveillance would be triggered if people started dying from the bird flu. The 13 known cases have been mild. And the system will probably pick up surges if the virus spreads beyond farmworkers and their closest contacts — but by then it may be too late to contain.

“We don’t want to find ourselves in another covid situation,” Scarpino said, recalling how schools, restaurants, and businesses needed to close because the coronavirus was too widespread to control through testing and targeted, individual isolation. “By the time we were catching cases,” he said, “there were so many that we were only left with bad options.”

Troubling Signs

Researchers warn that the H5N1 bird flu virus has evolved to be more infectious to mammals, including humans, in the past couple of years. This drives home the need to keep an eye on what’s happening as the outbreak spreads to dairy farms across the country.

The bird flu virus appears be spreading mainly through milk and milking equipment. But for the first time, researchers reported in May and July that it spread inefficiently through the air between a few laboratory ferrets kept inches apart. And in cattle experiments, some cows were infected by breathing in virus-laden microscopic droplets — the sort of thing that could happen if an infected cow was coughing in close proximity to another.

Cows do, in fact, cough. The new study from Texas notes that cattle coughed during outbreaks on the farms and showed other signs of respiratory illness.

Other observations were ominous: About half of some 40 cats on one farm died suddenly at the peak of its outbreak, probably from lapping up raw milk suffused with bird flu virus.

Most people diagnosed with the bird flu have been infected from animals. In his new study, Gray saw a hint that the virus may occasionally spread from person to person, but he added that this remains conjecture. One of the two people who had antibodies worked in the farm’s cafeteria adjacent to the milking parlor — alongside farmworkers but not cattle.

“We need to find ways to have better surveillance,” he said, “so we can make informed decisions rather than decisions based on guesswork.”

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

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Federal investigators suspected that Egypt may have bribed Trump with $10 million in cash

In January 2017, a bank manager at the National Bank of Egypt in Cairo received a letter from an organization linked to the Egyptian intelligence service asking them “kindly withdraw” about $10 million in cash from the organization’s account. That took place just five days before Donald Trump became president, The Washington Post reported in an exclusive on Friday, revealing that federal investigators believed the withdrawn cash may have been intended as a bribe for the Republican.

According to bank records, the state-run branch emptied a considerable share of Egypt’s reserve of U.S. currency by filling two large bags with bundles of $100 bills weighing a combined 200 pounds. Later four men arrived to carry away the bags.

This sizable withdrawal caught the attention of federal investigators early in 2019, reviving a secret criminal investigation that had begun two years prior into allegations contained in a classified U.S. intelligence assessment that Egypt's dictator, Abdel Fatah El-Sisi, had agreed to give $10 million to Trump's campaign. In office, Trump repeatedly praised Sisi, his administration releasing hundreds of millions of dollars in aid that had been held up over concern about Egypt's abysmal human rights record.

Candidates for federal office are barred from accepting foreign donations. There is no proof that any money made it to Trump's coffers, but as the Post reported that could in part be due to the fact they were unable to subpoena the former president's bank records for the time he was in office. Trump had, in October 2016, injected $10 million into his own campaign in the form of a loan; this after meeting with Sisi when he was in New York for a trip to the United Nations.

The investigation was closed under former Attorney General William Barr, a Trump loyalist who reportedly questioned whether there was sufficient evidence to continue the probe, which has not been renewed under Attorney General Merrick Garland

Investigators "were blocked from seeking key records to determine if Trump took the money, then the case was shut down,” the Washington Post investigative reporter Carol Leonnig noted on X.

News of the investigation comes after Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., was convicted last month for himself accepting bribes from the Egyptian government.

Kamala Harris raised $310 million in July, more than twice Trump’s fundraising haul

Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign raised an astonishing $310 million in the month of July, Politico reported Friday, with two-thirds of the total raised in a single week.

The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee’s massive fundraising haul is more than double that raised by former President Donald Trump, whose campaign took in just $137 million for July, despite the attempt on his life and his official nomination at the Republican National Convention.

The Harris campaign and committees affiliated with her campaign also reported $377 million cash on hand, compared to Trump’s campaign’s $327 million. The Harris campaign also made history by being the quickest presidential campaign to break the 10-figure mark, the campaign told Politico on Friday.

“The tremendous outpouring of support we’ve seen in just a short time makes clear the Harris coalition is mobilized, growing, and ready to put in the work to defeat Trump this November,” Harris campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a statement, per NPR. “It is the product of a campaign and coalition that knows the hard work and fighting spirit needed to win in November – and when we fight, we win.”

Since Biden’s exit from the race last month, the Democratic ticket has experienced a skyrocketing grassroots support.

The vice president’s campaign broke records when it raised $81 million in donations within 24 hours of announcing her candidacy. In the week of her announcement, a series of Zoom-based fundraisers raised an additional $20 million, Harris' campaign reporting that two-thirds of the donations it received came from first-time donors.

It's a stark contrast with where the race stood when President Joe Biden was still the presumptive nominee. Following his poor debate performance, major donors began holding back about $90 million in pledges; upon Harris’ entry into the race, those same donors are now committing $150 million to a pro-Harris super PAC, Mediaite reported.

Unpacking Trump’s “birther” attack on Kamala Harris: It’s even worse than it looks

Earlier this week, Donald Trump — the man who has been called America’s "first White president," appeared at the Chicago convention of the National Association of Black Journalists for a Q&A session moderated by ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott, Semafor reporter Kadia Goba and Fox News host Harris Faulkner. This event has already become legendary.

The decision by NABJ leadership to host the multiply-convicted and twice-impeached former president was met with great controversy. Conference co-chair Karen Attiah resigned in protest. At MSNBC, Ja'han Jones writes that the group "faced a deluge of denunciations from journalists and activists" for offering a platform to a man "who has denigrated the free press, spread racist propaganda and repeatedly insulted Black journalists." In fact, Jones continues, NABJ has repeatedly denounced "Trump’s illiberal behavior and attacks on its members," yet still hosted an event at which an "audience full of journalists" was not permitted to ask questions.

Almost every day, I become further convinced that the Age of Trump is a simulation run amok, perhaps run by an alien civilization who are fans of Aaron McGruder’s “The Boondocks,” but fail to grasp McGruder’s underlying intelligence and wit.

The NABJ welcomed Trump to insult them and spread lies about Kamala Harris

Trump, unsurprisingly, was more than an hour late for the event. I was reminded of his 2016 no-show rally and near-riot at the University of Illinois at Chicago, an important portent of the way so-called political norms would be shattered during his rise to power.

The NABJ Conference does not carry the same “historic” weight, but it's important for what it signals about how low Donald Trump and his MAGA forces will sink to defeat Vice President Kamala Harris. It also offers further evidence that even nine years after Trump's infamous escalator ride, the mainstream news media is largely incapable of effectively confronting him.

To put it another way, Trump's NABJ appearance was a hot mess.

The first question for Trump was from Rachel Scott, who asked the ex-president why Black voters should trust him considering his repeated use of racist rhetoric: “You have used words like 'animal' and 'rabid' to describe Black district attorneys. You've attacked Black journalists — calling them a loser, saying the questions that they asked are quote, 'stupid' and 'racist.’"

Trump responded in kind. "I don't think I've ever been asked a question in such a horrible manner," he said. "You don't even say, 'Hello, how are you?' I think it's disgraceful … I came here in good spirit. I love the Black population of this country, I've done so much for the Black population of this country.”

In typical fashion, he failed to respond to the “ugly and rude” question, saying he had been invited under false pretenses, complaining that Harris was not present and that the sound system was not working properly. He also didn't respond to direct questions about immigration, the economy, his choice of Sen. JD Vance as running mate and various other things. He Trump complained, lied, obfuscated, made grandiose claims and veered off on irrelevant tangents. He also made the ridiculous claim that he has done at least as much for Black America as Abraham Lincoln, and then defended the Jan. 6 insurrectionists, his 2021 coup attempt and the Big Lie that somehow Joe Biden and the Democrats had stolen the 2020 election.

But it wasn't any of those things, or Trump's claim that he is a protector of "Black jobs," that made headlines. That moment came when Trump, a 78-year-old white man, wondered aloud about whether Kamala Harris counts as a Black American, according to his imagined standards.

Here is the now infamous quotation: “I didn't know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black. So I don't know, is she Indian or is she Black?”

Kamala Harris was born in Oakland, California, to a Black father and an Indian-American mother. She identifies as a Black woman, belongs to a Black sorority and attended Howard University, perhaps the most prestigious of historically Black universities. In the Senate, she belonged to the Congressional Black Caucus. She is the first Black vice president, as well as the first Indian-American and first woman vice president. In short, Trump’s claim is not just a lie. It is a racist, white supremacist lie pulled from the same bucket as his "birther" attacks on Barack Obama.

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A new report from Media Matters documents how the right-wing disinformation machine has attacked Harris’ racial identity as somehow inauthentic for several years. Following Trump’s Wednesday NABJ session, his propagandists and agents were spouting birtherism 2.0 conspiracy theories across right-wing social media.

At a Sigma Gamma Rho sorority event in Houston, Harris responded with dignity, describing Trump's rhetoric as “the same old show, the divisiveness and the disrespect. Let me just say, the American people deserve better. The American people deserve a leader who tells the truth. A leader who does not respond to hostility and anger with confronted with the facts. We deserve a leader who understands that our differences do not divide us. They are an essential source of our strength.”

Trump's racist rhetoric was aimed at his followers and true believers, not the people in that room or the mainstream media — which is now engaged in amateur theater criticism and endless discussion of the "optics."

It's worth adding here that on Tuesday, Trump previewed his racial-authenticity Olympics by agreeing with a right-wing radio host that Doug Emhoff, Harris' husband, was a “horrible Jew.” Trump has refused to reject the repeated claims by MAGA Republicans and the right-wing echo chamber that Harris was a “DEI hire" as vice president. That's the latest racist epithet of the post-civil rights era, along the lines of “quota queen,” “affirmative action hire“ or "unqualified Black," replacing the well-known six-letter word it is no longer acceptable to utter in public.

Does Trump really believe that Kamala Harris (and others who presumably want to become "Black" for unknown reason) have a version of the race-changing machine from George Schuyler's 1931 novel “Black No More”? Of course not. Trump's rhetoric was aimed at his followers and true believers, not the people in that room or the mainstream media — which is now engaged in amateur theater criticism and endless discussion of the "optics" of Trump's remarks. What will this mean, or not mean, in terms of polls, public opinion and the horserace leading to the November election? These are the largely irrelevant or obsolete tools of normal political discourse in a time of existential crisis: Trump has promised to be a dictator and to imprison or persecute his political enemies.

On that stage in Chicago, Rachel Scott and Kadia Goba earnestly tried to achieve the goal of speaking truth to power. They confronted Trump with facts, and tried to get him to make substantive statements about public policy. But that approach simply does not work with demagogues like Trump.

Ultimately, the NABJ conference was just another stage upon which Donald Trump could perform. His real goal at that event was to go into the metaphorical lion's den and demonstrate, to the delight of his MAGA followers, how strong and bold he is.

He largely accomplished that goal. He is a high-dominance leader and aspiring dictator. Trump did not pivot or back down at the NABJ. He was clear, certain and unapologetic in his beliefs. Trump’s MAGA people were likely thrilled by his "transgressive" or “naughty” remarks, and his violation of "woke" norms about race. Whatever one may think about Donald Trump, it is hard to deny that there is a certain honesty and directness to his behavior. For Trump’s followers, his unwillingness to restrain his worst impulses or to self-censor is a principal reason why they adore him.

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As MSNBC host Joy Reid explained the NABJ appearance, Trump wanted "to create clips to play for his very white, very right-wing MAGA fan base of him standing up to the Blacks."

In a post on X/Twitter, Wajahat Ali offered a slightly different and perhaps more optimistic gloss:

Republicans know they're in trouble. Yes, Trump animates his base with the ugly vitriol and cheap shots. They'll love his unhinged performance at #NABJ24. But it doesn't bring in new people. It actively repulses young voters, women, people of color and swing voters. Now you add the human couch known as JD Vance and his zombie charisma and the policies behind Project 2025 and the rogue Supreme Court and the overturning of Roe.

As I watched Donald Trump perform at the NABJ conference and its aftermath, I imagined Trump as a child setting off a box of fireworks in a movie theater or some other crowded place, and enjoying the panic and chaos that then unfolds.

The mainstream media and much of the Democratic Party are now obsessed with Trump's rebooted birtherism — the controversy of the day, feeding the insatiable maw of the news cycle — rather than focusing on his plans to be an American Hitler who rules with an iron fist. His birther attacks on Kamala Harris are an outgrowth of the MAGA movement’s neofascist plans and its hatred of multiracial democracy. They should be discussed in that context.

The mainstream media and much of the Democratic Party are now obsessed with Trump's rebooted birtherism — the controversy of the day — rather than focusing on his plans to be a dictator who rules with an iron fist.

After his performance at the NABJ conference, Donald Trump took a victory lap on his Truth Social disinformation platform: “The questions were Rude and Nasty, often in the form of a statement, but we CRUSHED IT!" Then his campaign issued a menacing official statement, opening with the preposterous claim that, unlike Harris and Biden, Trump is "running to be President for ALL Americans":

Members of the media need to make a decision, and answer if their goal is to unite the Country or further divide us, because based on the unhinged and unprofessional commentary directed toward President Trump today by certain members of the media, many media elites clearly want to see us remain divided. This is unacceptable….

Today’s biased and rude treatment from certain hostile members of the media will backfire massively. You would think that the media would have learned something from their repeat episodes of fake outrage ever since President Trump first came down the escalator in 2015, but some just refuse to “get it.” This will be their undoing in 2024.

Donald Trump, in yet another echo of the Nazi era, has repeatedly attacked the news media as “the enemy of the people” and suggested that freedom of speech is unpatriotic. If he wins the 2024 election and tries to establish America's first true dictatorship, his regime will seek to curtail the Bill of Rights and its protections for freedom of speech and other civil rights and liberties. Trump and his forces are entirely clear in their plans — “hostile members” of the press will see their behavior “backfire massively,” leading to "their undoing." This is a threat to everyone with a public platform who fails to submit to the coming MAGA regime.

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‘Should have done a better job’: Concerns raised over Josh Shapiro’s handling of harassment claims

As Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro steps into the limelight as a potential running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris, his record on handling sexual harassment claims against his aides and political allies is coming under tighter scrutiny. This week, the National Women's Defense League issued a statement warning that Shapiro, whose administration paid $295,000 in taxpayer money to settle a female government employee's complaint against a former aide, had enabled sexual harassment and reflected his office's "failures."

In the May 2023 complaint against former Secretary of Legislative Affairs Mike Vereb, who was accused of making crude and sexually charged remarks, the female employee accused Shapiro's office of pushing her out of a job for coming forward. After the settlement and ensuing non-disclosure agreement, Vereb remained in Shapiro's cabinet until September of that year, when he abruptly resigned as news outlets obtained the public records and prepared to report on the complaint that was filed with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

“Governor Shapiro’s office should have done a better job preventing sexual harassment happening in his own office by former cabinet secretary Mike Vereb, including protecting the survivor who bravely came forward, ensuring that any other potential survivors felt safe in speaking up, and ensuring the harasser didn’t have the opportunity to do further harm after the complaint,” Emma Davidson Tribbs, director of the National Women’s Defense League, said in a statement.

"Giving their lies too much oxygen:" Pa. governor slams CNN for pushing Stephen Miller's criticism

Tribbs urged the Harris campaign and Democrats to "consider the handling of past complaints of sexual harassment inside the Pennsylvania Governor’s office. The American people deserve to know that, if called to a higher office, Governor Shapiro will do more to ensure the safety and dignity of employees, volunteers and constituents in his office.”

Other voices did not shy away from directly endorsing Shapiro's rivals on those grounds, including a Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania Treasurer. "I want a VP pick that's secure enough under a woman, is content to be VP & won't undermine the President to maneuver his own election & doesn't sweep sexual harassment under the rug. I want someone that can speak to rural voters. That is @RoyCooperNC," Erin McClelland wrote in a post on X, referring to the North Carolina governor who has since taken himself out of consideration.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that McClelland was likely referring to the Vereb sexual harassment claim, but she could also have been thinking of another landmine from Shapiro's past. After being elected governor in 2022, Shapiro appointed former Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chairman Marcel Groen to his business development team, to the dismay of Democratic activists who had confronted him over his refusal, in their view, to seriously address sexual harassment complaints against several party officials. In February 2018, then-Gov. Tom Wolf forced Groen to resign from the chairmanship over his inaction. Groen then circulated a letter among Democratic leaders accusing whistleblowers of lying about their experiences of sexual assault to bring him down.

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"When Josh Shapiro brings these sorts of men to his table before even taking office, the message is clear: He believes women’s right to respect is not important," Gwen Snyder, an activist who had alleged sexual harassment against a Democratic delegate — an allegation that Groen dismissed — wrote in a 2022 op-ed. "Any and every gesture toward restoring Groen’s status within the party sends a clarion message that the era of accountability is passed."

"Unfortunately for Shapiro — and fortunately for the rest of us — Democratic women are not about to allow the misogynistic old guard to reassert its hold on the party apparatus. We are not going back," she continued.

Asked to comment on the handling of sexual harassment claims, a Shapiro spokesperson told Salon that his administration "takes take every allegation of discrimination and harassment extremely seriously and have robust procedures in place to thoroughly investigate all reports," adding that he has a track record of “protecting survivors and prosecuting predators" as state attorney general and supports legislation to provide victims of sexual abuse with more legal recourse.

Shapiro is among a group of potential Harris running mates that also includes Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. While Shapiro has received praise for his communication skills and enduring popularity in a pivotal swing state that he won by nearly 15 points in 2022, some have argued that picking Shapiro risks fracturing the Democratic coalition over his support for corporate tax cuts and vouchers, as well as harsh criticism of pro-Palestine protesters and threats to sue companies divesting from illegal Israeli settlements. The re-emerging reports of sexual harassment in Shapiro's orbit are creating an additional problem, potentially hurting him with female voters and, if he joins the ticket, complicating Harris' attacks on Trump's own sordid record with women.

Harris will announce her pick by next Tuesday, when she kicks off a nationwide campaign swing in Philadelphia. Although the starting point kicked off a round of speculation that Shapiro was the choice, the Harris campaign has cautioned against reading too much into the location.

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What does “weird” even mean? Why the vagueness works — and why it’s driving MAGA nuts

Almost as soon as Democrats started circulating the word "weird" as a primary attack on Donald Trump and the MAGA movement, the second-guessing began. Because some progressives can't help but turn to self-parody, we heard concerns that "weird" is a stigmatizing term that could be hurtful to those who "self-identify as weird." Some journalists got fussy about the word weird, because it violates a powerful convention of good writing: Be precise in your word choice. Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post worried that "weird" could "downplay the threat" of Trumpism by "making Trump seem merely daring or irreverent." Historian and blogger Erik Loomis wrote, "It's not so much that Trump is weird … as [that] he is probably the single worst human being in American political history."

As a writer myself, I shared this initial irritation at the word "weird." Yes, I laughed when I read the campaign memo from Vice President Kamala Harris telling reporters that Trump is both "old and quite weird." I snickered at the clip of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a sudden meme-hero, saying, "These are weird people on the other side."

I’m telling you: these guys are weird. pic.twitter.com/fvNRNf7T7T

— Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) July 24, 2024

But I also squirmed for the same reason as a lot of other people: "Weird" is a vague term, almost impossible to define. Like many media folks who have tried to assess the weirdness of MAGA over the years, I've been drawn to more exacting adjectives: Fascistic. Sinister. Sadistic. Unhinged. Sociopathic. But "weird" is undeniably delighting everyday Americans who just find Trump and his movement alien and disgusting. Furthermore, the word puts MAGA on the defensive, to a degree I haven't seen before. Trump booster Vivek Ramaswamy, a 38-year-old man who spends his days tweeting like a 15-year-old edgelord, complained that it's "dumb & juvenile." Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., self-owned in a big way, responding, "They called us weird so I’ll call them weirder. That’s what I used to do back in high school." And this automatic self-refutation occurred on Fox News:

Hannity books Stephen Miller to push back on the weird allegations pic.twitter.com/vqKyFjSPMs

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 30, 2024

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As much as it pains a professional writer to admit this, "weird" works because of its vagueness and ambiguity, not despite it. "Weird" has an array of connotations, possibly dozens or hundreds. It can encompass a staggering number of diverse offenses the MAGA forces commit against decency, democracy, human rights and good taste. "Weird" is big enough to cover everything from Trump's tacky branded sneakers to proposals for genital inspections of student athletes.

And because "weird" can mean so many different things, it baits those who feel attacked into dumb definitional debates. These kinds of arguments over terminology can get ugly quickly, but what's unusual in this case is that they're redounding to the left's benefit. When conservatives attempt to respond with "No, you're the weird ones," gambit, they invariably cite the good kind of "weird," often with fun and life-affirming examples: drag shows, or the way Harris laughs at dopey mom jokes. Right-wing "weird," in contrast, tends to be creepy and obsessive, and centers on things like shaming women for being unmarried and having cats, or on whether Kamala Harris' ancestry fits with Donald Trump's bizarre conceptions of racial purity.

Trump proved how getting defensive over the term "weird" only proves the charge. "Nobody’s ever called me weird. I’m a lot of things, but weird I’m not," he raged in a hilariously weird effort to rebut the insult on Thursday. Politico snidely called this as an attempt "to play an Uno reverse card."

Trump (who is weird): They’re the weird ones! Nobody's ever called me weird. I'm a lot of things, but weird I'm not. And JD Vance is not either pic.twitter.com/R4d8wh3qM9

— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 1, 2024

Trump should know better. Vague accusations or opaque language to draw people into a debate is a highly effective trolling technique, long practiced by MAGA provocateurs. Trump is an ignoramus in most respects, but he's a proven master of this particular strategy. He regularly says things that could have multiple meanings, each with a different implied or possible level of harm, inciting lengthy disagreements about what he "really" meant.

Consider Trump's recent speech at the Turning Point Believers Summit in Florida, where he said that if he's elected, Christians "won’t have to vote anymore," because "it will be fixed." Since this person literally tried to steal the 2020 election, it was reasonable to conclude that he was threatening to end democracy for good. But of course that turned into a massive quibble-fest, with Trump's defenders arguing that he simply meant that he'll fix all the problems in America, and Christians won't have to sully themselves with voting anymore. (No, it doesn't make sense. That's part of the troll.)

Kamala Harris turns the GOP into the gang that couldn’t shoot straight

Trying to parse what a consummate liar like Trump "means" with any given utterance is almost always a waste of time. By being deliberately confusing, he kicked off a round of discourse that benefited his campaign in multiple ways. He managed to both reframe not-voting as a social good and to disavow his obvious anti-democratic views at the same time. He was able to communicate what sounded an awful lot like a promise of fascist revolution while also painting his opponents as "hysterical" for suggesting he would ever do such a thing. Whatever he "really" meant, he got people discussing something that was previously out of bounds in this country, which is whether an aspiring dictator would be doing you a favor by taking away the burden of self-governance.

Just because deliberate ambiguity can be used for evil doesn't mean it can't also be used for good. Progressives shouldn't hesitate to provoke heated discussions about what is or isn't "weird."

Trump uses this technique to normalize previously off-limits ideas all the time. His infamous "very fine people" comment, in response to the 2017 white supremacist riot in Charlottesville, Virginia, is a classic example. Seven years later, people are still arguing over whether he really meant to call violent neo-Nazis "fine people," as if it were a whole lot better if he was just talking about other racists who showed up. His comments this week, accusing Harris of being dishonest about her racial heritage, are playing out the same way. There's been an explosion of chatter about what he was trying to say with the blatantly false claim that "she happened to turn Black." Is he trying to revive 19th-century "race science?" Is he accusing Harris of being a liar? Ultimately, such questions matter a lot less than the impact, which is to revive what should have been a long-settled debate a nonwhite person can be a legitimate presidential candidate.

But just because this kind of deliberate ambiguity can be used for evil doesn't mean it can't also be used for good. Progressives should not hesitate to provoke heated discussions about what is or isn't "weird," whether it's always bad to be "weird" or what the good kinds might be. Those kinds of debates will keep the spotlight on the MAGA-specific behaviors that most Americans consider pretty doggone weird, from the intense obsession with other people's bodies and sex lives to the pod-people cult of the modern-day Republican Party to Trump's old-school racist skull-measuring impulses. Keep on making Republicans deny that they're weird. The longer these battles rage on, the more they'll keep on proving how well it fits.

about Harris, Trump and the "weird" 2024 campaign

Rep. Cori Bush faces media smears, torrent of AIPAC cash, for speaking truth about Gaza

Soon after the Gaza war began 10 months ago, a prominent newspaper columnist denounced Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., under a headline declaring that “anti-Israel comments make her unfit for reelection.” The piece appeared in the newspaper with the second-largest readership in Missouri, the Kansas City Star. Multimillion-dollar attacks on Bush followed.

Bush’s opponent, county prosecutor Wesley Bell, “is now the number-one recipient of AIPAC cash this election cycle,” according to Justice Democrats. Almost two-thirds of Bell's donations have come from AIPAC, which Justice Democrats describes as an "anti-Palestinian, far-right megadonor-funded lobby group.” The Intercept reports that “AIPAC’s super PAC, United Democracy Project, has gone on to spend a total of $7 million so far to oust Bush” in the Aug. 6 Democratic primary in her St. Louis-area district.

“The $2.1 million in ads spent for her campaign is up against $12.2 million spent to attack her or support Bell,” The American Prospect reports. AIPAC “is trying to pull voters away from her without ever saying the words ‘Israel’ or ‘Palestine.’ Instead, their advertising against Bush centers around her record on infrastructure legislation, in a manner that lacks context.”

"You're gonna see millions poured in": After Jamaal Bowman's defeat, AIPAC targets Cori Bush

It's easy to see why AIPAC and allied forces are so eager to defeat Bush. She introduced a ceasefire resolution in the House nine days after the bloodshed began on Oct. 7, calling for “an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine.”

The Kansas City Star article, published shortly after Bush introduced the resolution, was written by former New York Times reporter Melinda Henneberger, now a member of the Star’s editorial board. “A military attack in response to the massacre of civilians by a group committed in writing to ‘carnage, displacement and terror’ for Jews is not my idea of ‘ethnic cleansing,’” she wrote in early November. “But it is Missouri Rep. Cori Bush’s, which is why she deserves to lose her congressional race next year.”

Bush supposedly became unfit to keep her seat in Congress because, after three weeks of methodical killing in Gaza, she tweeted: “We can’t be silent about Israel’s ethnic cleansing campaign. Babies, dead. Pregnant women, dead. Elderly, dead. Generations of families, dead. Millions of people in Gaza with nowhere to go being slaughtered. The U.S. must stop funding these atrocities against Palestinians.”

Henneberger’s response was hit-and-run. She wrote a hit piece. And then she ran.

Ever since late April, I’ve been asking Henneberger just one question, over and over. Every few weeks, I have sent another email directly to her. I also wrote to her care of an editor at the newspaper. I even mailed a certified letter, which the Postal Service delivered to her office in June.

No reply.

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Henneberger’s column had declared that Bush’s tweet was a “projectile spewing of antisemitic comments and disinformation” because it said that Israel was engaged in ethnic cleansing.

So my question, which Henneberger has been refusing to answer for more than three months, is a logical one: “Do you contend that the Israeli government has not engaged in ethnic cleansing?”

If Henneberger were to answer no, the entire premise of her column smearing Bush would collapse.

If Henneberger were to answer yes, her reply would be untenable.

No wonder she has chosen not to answer at all.

The electoral forces against human rights for Palestinians have been armed with huge amounts of cash. AIPAC dumped $15 million into successfully defeating Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York in a primary earlier this summer.

What Israel has been doing in Gaza clearly qualifies as “ethnic cleansing” — which a U.N. commission mandated to investigate alleged war crimes in the former Yugoslavia defined in 1994 as “a purposeful policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the civilian population of another ethnic or religious group from certain geographic areas.”

But denial about Israel’s massive and ongoing crimes against Palestinian people is pervasive — and has often been used to attack progressives who support the rights of Palestinians. And so, two months ago, 35 rabbis in the St. Louis area who support Bell over Bush issued a statement that alleged the congresswoman had “continually fanned the flames with the most outrageous smears of Israel, accusing the Jewish state of ‘ethnic cleansing’ and ‘genocide’ as it has fought to defeat the terrorists.”

The electoral forces against human rights for Palestinians have been armed with huge amounts of cash. AIPAC dumped $15 million into successfully defeating Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a progressive New York Democrat, in a primary earlier this summer. While the spending amount set a record, the approach was far from unprecedented.

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In 2022, AIPAC beat Rep. Andy Levin of Michigan, another Democrat who had expressed support for Palestinian rights. “I’m really Jewish,” Levin said in an interview days before losing the Democratic primary, “but AIPAC can’t stand the idea that I am the clearest, strongest Jewish voice in Congress standing for a simple proposition: that there is no way to have a secure, democratic homeland for the Jewish people unless we achieve the political and human rights of the Palestinian people.”

AIPAC excels at strategic lobbying on Capitol Hill, relentlessly prodding or threatening lawmakers and their staffs to stay on the right side of a Zionist hardline position, always brandishing its proven capacity to launch fierce attacks — while conflating even understated criticism of Israel with antisemitism. The basic formulas are simple: Israel equals Judaism. Opposition to Israel’s lethal violence equals antisemitism.

Such formulaic manipulation has long been fundamental to claims that the Israeli government represents “the Jewish people” and criticisms of its actions are “antisemitic.” That’s what Cori Bush is up against in next week's Democratic primary.

Gaza, Israel and the 2024 election

Trump fires back at “weird” allegations: No, you

Donald Trump shot back against a Democratic messaging strategy that seemingly got under his skin, in an interview with “The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show,” a conservative radio show.

Responding to Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic campaign surrogates labeling the Trump campaign “weird,” garnering instant media attention and massive social media virality, the former president tried to flip the script.

“They’re the weird ones. Nobody’s ever called me weird. I’m a lot of things, but weird I’m not. And I’m upfront. And he’s not either, I will tell you. JD is not at all. They are,” Trump said.

President Trump to @ClayTravis: "No, we're not weird people. We're actually just the opposite. We're right down the middle."

More in the podcast: https://t.co/hGBO5bCsXU pic.twitter.com/eXuaoEiFeU

— The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show (@clayandbuck) August 1, 2024

Trump was calling into the show to react to a so-called “transgender Olympic boxing outrage” that’s seemingly brewing on far-right conspiracy-laden social media – a somewhat weird reaction to have on a major day for American athletes, including gymnastics superstar Simone Biles’ historic gold medal win.

If Trump was trying to beat the “weird” allegations, he picked a tough topic. Extremist rhetoric against trans individuals is offputting to many voters, analysts say, especially against children. Despite that, Trump told Travis that “men will not be playing in women's sports” against his 17-year-old granddaughter in golf games.

The term "weird" picked up steam after Minnesota Governor Tim Walz claimed Democrats were “not afraid of weird people,” pointing to Trump and Vance’s stance on women’s rights, single people, and obsession with kids’ books.

The label, which made its way onto the Harris campaign’s biggest stage yet in an Atlanta rally this week, and gained millions of views on the “Kamala HQ” TikTok account, has been met in similar ways by other Trump campaign surrogates, including Marco Rubio, who simply responded that Democrats were weirder in a Tuesday interview.

Meanwhile, historically unpopular running mate JD Vance, himself associated with some weird conspiracies, gave an instantly memed response when asked about the label coined by Walz, laughing that it “doesn’t hurt my feelings.”

“SNL” cast member Punkie Johnson quits ahead of 50th season

Punkie Johnson will not return to "Saturday Night Live" as it enters its 50th season, capping a four-season run on the late-night sketch show.

In an Instagram post, Johnson — the show's second openly queer Black woman — confirmed reports that she wouldn’t return to the show, after announcing her departure at a live event on Wednesday.

“It’s no bad blood, it’s no bridges burned, it’s no hard feelings,” the comic said. “SNL was a dream I didn’t even know that I could achieve.”

Johnson, who made an appearance in the 2023 film “Bottoms,” worked as a repertory player on the show for the past two seasons, after joining in Season 46.

Audience members present at her “Punkie and Friends” taping in Brooklyn on Wednesday suggested that there was more to the story than Johnson shared on Instagram.

“It definitely wasn't a joke either. Like she's actually gone and she's very happy about it,” one attendee wrote in a post to X. “She also said the issues sort of started when she was told to lose her dreads and stop getting buff."

Johnson, who reportedly got the least screen time of any “SNL” cast members in multiple episodes last season, previously played Vice President Kamala Harris during a sketch in a March episode, before NBC confirmed that Maya Rudolph would return to play the presidential candidate in the upcoming season.

As the Hollywood Reporter noted, NBC does not typically announce departures or casting decisions until closer to the start of the season, which is set to begin on September 28.

Journalists sue to stop Louisiana ban on filming police within 25 feet

A collective of national and local news organizations filed a federal lawsuit after a Louisiana law that bans taking photos or videos of police officers from less than 25 feet away took effect on Thursday.

New Orleans nonprofit paper Verite News, as well as national media players Gannett, Gray, Nexstar, Scripps and Tegna, were named as plaintiffs in the suit to stop the law, which punishes violators with a fine of up to $500 or up to 60 days in jail.

“The Act has grave implications for the ability of reporters and news organizations, including Plaintiffs, to exercise their First Amendment rights,” the suit, filed in the U.S. Middle District Court of Louisiana read, adding that it “grants law enforcement officers limitless, standardless discretion to prevent journalists from approaching near enough to document the way officers perform their duties in public places.”

The controversial law, signed by Republican Governor Jeff Landry in May, would shield officers from disruptive bystanders, police argue. But critics say these protections already exist, questioning why officers would feel threatened by filming alone.

"People need to feel like they can observe and record the state exercising its police power, whether that's on Bourbon Street or the side of the road," Scott Sternberg, a lawyer for the plaintiffs told the Times-Picayune. "There is so much subjectivity in this law, and it is so unbelievably vague."

Journalists and civilian activists alike questioned the purpose of the plan, which made Louisiana the fourth state to enact such legislation. Other bans came in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, which was captured on a cell phone video by Darnella Frazier from less than 10 feet away.

The 25-foot distance is particularly troubling for journalists, who argue that specific details can be obscured on most cameras and microphone devices from so far away.

“You can’t even get an officer’s badge number at 25 feet. So there’s no way to hold anyone accountable,” photojournalist Cherri Foytlin told ProPublica.

“Reporters would not be able to hear at 25 feet whether an officer identified themselves as law enforcement or provided Miranda warnings,” the suit reads.

“Testament to Donald Trump’s strength”: JD Vance credits Trump in Biden hostage deal

Simone Biles wasn't the only American doing gymnastics today: JD Vance jumped through hoops to give his running mate undue credit for President Joe Biden’s deal to release four American hostages held in Russia, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, and journalist Alsu Kurmasheva.

The Ohio Senator and vice presidential candidate, who’s proven to be a liability for Trump since he joined the ticket, was asked about the hostage deal in an interview with CNN in Arizona on Thursday.

“We certainly want these Americans to come back home. It was ridiculous that they were in prison to begin with,” Vance said. “But we have to ask ourselves, why are they coming home?”

The Ohio Senator, who acknowledged that the Biden administration’s successful negotiations were “great news,” then made a bold suggestion that former President Trump should be owed credit.

“I think it’s because bad guys all over the world recognize Donald Trump’s about to be back in office, so they’re cleaning house. That’s a good thing, and I think it’s a testament to Donald Trump’s strength.”

Vance, who also evasively defended Trump’s assertion that Vice President Harris “became” Black, was asked the question at a border wall photo op in Arizona, hours after he skipped a vote to expand child tax credits.

Trump, who immediately took to Truth Social to blast the hostage deal, questioning if the freedom of the four hostages set a “bad precedent for the future,” previously touted that he alone could negotiate Gershkovich’s release with Putin.

“Evan Gershkovich . . . will be released almost immediately after the Election, but definitely before I assume Office,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social in May. “Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, will do that for me, but not for anyone else, and WE WILL BE PAYING NOTHING!”

When President Biden was asked in a press conference about Trump’s assertion that he could free hostages without negotiations, he shot back.

“Why didn't he do it when he was president?” Biden asked.

Reporter: Trump said he could have gotten the hostages out without giving anything in exchange. What do you say to that?

Biden: Why didn't he do it when he was president? pic.twitter.com/VUchStDKJ5

— Acyn (@Acyn) August 1, 2024

Vance dodges vote as Senate GOP kills child tax credit expansion, despite attacks on the childless

The Senate failed to pass a bill to expand tax credits for families with children in a 48-44 vote, largely along party lines, days before the chamber takes its August break.

The package, which would expand tax credits afforded to families with children and grant some business tax cuts, passed in a staggering 357 – 70 bipartisan vote in the House earlier this year.

“The question is, will Senate Republicans join us to give Americans a tax break or will they stand in the way?” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said before the vote, per ABC News.

Across the aisle, Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell blasted the plan, which the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found would lift up to 400,000 kids out of poverty in its first year, as “cash welfare instead of relief for working taxpayers.”

Still, three members of his caucus, Republican Sens. Rick Scott, Josh Hawley and Markwayne Mullin, broke to vote for the proposal, while Democratic-aligned Sens. Sanders and Manchin voted the proposal down.

Not present was Ohio Senator JD Vance, who Majority Leader Schumer referenced on the Senate floor. The vote, which was previously held back due to the bill’s unlikelihood of passing, was seen as an opportunity for Democrats to highlight the GOP’s unwillingness to support the plan to uplift families.

Vance, who last week falsely claimed that Vice President Kamala Harris “is calling for an end to the child tax credit,” couldn’t be bothered to make the vote to expand the tax credit after headlining a lie-filled Arizona rally yesterday

The Republican Party’s position against expanding financial incentives for families may come as a shock, especially given the numerous comments Vice Presidential candidate Vance has made blasting Americans without children, including his claims that “childless cat lady” Democrats were “anti-child.”

McDonald’s attempts to get ahead in the ongoing “value meal wars” with an all-new supersized burger

Amid soaring “fast-flation” and a decrease in consumer demand for fast food, McDonald’s is rethinking its value meal strategy by offering an all-new jumbo-sized burger.

On Monday, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski announced the company’s plans to add the “Big Arch” burger to its lineup. The offering will include two patties, melted cheese, “crispy toppings,” and a “tangy McDonald's sauce,” according to Restaurant Business Magazine.

“It's a quintessential McDonald's burger with a twist on our iconic, familiar flavors,” Kempczinski said.

Kempczinski explained that the burger is currently being tested in three international markets, including Canada and Portugal. If the initial rollout goes well, then the company will decide whether it will offer the burger at other international markets, including the United States.

“In the past, you would have seen us try and get after that opportunity in 20 different markets in 20 different ways,” McDonald's CFO Ian Borden told reporters earlier this year, per Food & Wine. “And then you don’t have the ability to build a global equity that you can drive at scale.”

The McDonald's website in Portugal describes the burger as “Um verdadeiro Épico Mac,” or “a true epic Mac.” It further specifies that the burger includes both fried and fresh onions — the former is placed at the base of the burger while the latter is at the top. The slices of cheese are layered in between the two patties and the “tangy McDonald's sauce” is coated on the top bun.

In addition to the burger, McDonald’s says fans can expect more deals in the future.

Simone Biles pulls historic sixth gold medal, while Suni Lee nabs bronze at the Paris Olympic Games

Simone BiIes is continuing her hot streak at the Paris Olympic Games, winning her second gold medal of the games, this time in the women’s individual all-around competition.

The Thursday win, which brought the United States up to nine gold medals so far, nabbed Biles her ninth Olympic medal, while American gymnast Suni Lee also managed to bring home the bronze. The duo, along with the rest of the American team, won the gold in the team field on Tuesday.

Biles, who’d already claimed the title of the most decorated gymnast in history, made headlines by returning to the games in 2024, recovering from a mental health condition that prompted her to withdraw from multiple events in Tokyo in the 2020 games.

The American gymnast crushed the vault portion of the event, before making up for a wavering beam performance with a stellar floor routine.

Stop what you’re doing right NOW and watch Simone Biles on floor! 🐐 #ParisOlympics

📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/yAKPJ9PVEh

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 1, 2024

Biles, the first American Olympian in more than 120 years to win six gold medals in a gymnastics career, said earlier this week that her accolades are only part of the story for her.

“I don’t keep count, I don’t keep stats,” Biles said at a Tuesday press conference, before her second gold win of the Paris games, per People. “I just go out here and do what I’m supposed to and I’m doing what I love and enjoying it, so that’s really all that matters to me.”

The Olympian, who defended her teammates earlier this week against former Team USA gymnast MyKayla Skinner’s claim that the delegation’s members “don’t have the work ethic” to compete, also became the oldest Olympic women’s gymnastics champion since 1952 at 27 years old.

Biles is up for three more Olympic medal opportunities, including vault, beam, and floor, events in which she’s shattered countless records.

Buca di Beppo abruptly closes 13 underperforming restaurant locations before declaring bankruptcy

Buca di Beppo, the popular Italian-American restaurant chain best known for its family-style dining and eclectic ambiance, has permanently closed several restaurants in the last week.

The closures included 13 underperforming locations in Sacramento, California; Salt Lake City and Midvale, Utah; Livonia and Utica, Michigan; Springs Township, Pennsylvania; and Colonie, New York. Buca di Beppo now has 44 restaurant locations operating nationwide.

Parent company Earl Enterprises said in a statement that the underperforming locations struggled to recover from the pandemic and other market pressures — including rampant food inflation and a decrease in consumer demand. Amid the pandemic, many Buca di Beppo locations transformed into “ghost kitchens” selling delivery-only virtual brands like Virtual Dining Concepts, Pardon My Cheesesteak and other digital restaurant initiatives.

Buca di Beppo joins a list of casual dining chains that abruptly closed their doors due to rising costs. They include Hooters, TGI Fridays, O’Charley’s and Red Lobster.

At its peak, Buca di Beppo touted 95 operating restaurants across the country in 2013. According to data from Technomic, systemwide sales declined 4.7% last year.

On Aug. 4, the restaurant company officially filed for bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas. It cited a decrease in sales, staffing challenges, changes in consumer demands and rising food and labor costs.

Buca di Beppo was founded in Minneapolis in 1993. Many celebrities previously collaborated with the restaurant for a variety of causes and promotional events. In 2009, Sylvester Stallone famously purchased a California restaurant location. In 2013, “Modern Family” star Sofia Vergara partnered with Bucca di Beppo restaurants to raise funds and awareness for St Jude Children's Research Hospital. In 2020, Dorit Kemsley of Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" helped remodel a room at the Encino location of the chain, supposedly inspired by the aesthetics of Capri.

Diet soft drink getting you through the work day? Here’s what that may mean for your health

Many people are drinking less sugary soft drink than in the past. This is a great win for public health, given the recognized risks of diets high in sugar-sweetened drinks.

But over time, intake of diet soft drinks has grown. In fact, it's so high that these products are now regularly detected in wastewater.

So what does the research say about how your health is affected in the long term if you drink them often?

What makes diet soft drinks sweet?

The World Health Organization (WHO) advises people "reduce their daily intake of free sugars to less than 10% of their total energy intake. A further reduction to below 5% or roughly 25 grams (six teaspoons) per day would provide additional health benefits."

But most regular soft drinks contain a lot of sugar. A regular 335 milliliter can of original Coca-Cola contains at least seven teaspoons of added sugar.

Diet soft drinks are designed to taste similar to regular soft drinks but without the sugar. Instead of sugar, diet soft drinks contain artificial or natural sweeteners. The artificial sweeteners include aspartame, saccharin and sucralose. The natural sweeteners include stevia and monk fruit extract, which come from plant sources.

Many artificial sweeteners are much sweeter than sugar so less is needed to provide the same burst of sweetness.

Diet soft drinks are marketed as healthier alternatives to regular soft drinks, particularly for people who want to reduce their sugar intake or manage their weight.

But while surveys of Australian adults and adolescents show most people understand the benefits of reducing their sugar intake, they often aren't as aware about how diet drinks may affect health more broadly.

What does the research say about aspartame?

The artificial sweeteners in soft drinks are considered safe for consumption by food authorities, including in the US and Australia. However, some researchers have raised concern about the long-term risks of consumption.

People who drink diet soft drinks regularly and often are more likely to develop certain metabolic conditions (such as diabetes and heart disease) than those who don't drink diet soft drinks.

The link was found even after accounting for other dietary and lifestyle factors (such as physical activity).

In 2023, the WHO announced reports had found aspartame – the main sweetener used in diet soft drinks – was "possibly carcinogenic to humans" (carcinogenic means cancer-causing).

Importantly though, the report noted there is not enough current scientific evidence to be truly confident aspartame may increase the risk of cancer and emphasized it's safe to consume occasionally.

Will diet soft drinks help manage weight?

Despite the word "diet" in the name, diet soft drinks are not strongly linked with weight management.

In 2022, the WHO conducted a systematic review (where researchers look at all available evidence on a topic) on whether the use of artificial sweeteners is beneficial for weight management.

Overall, the randomized controlled trials they looked at suggested slightly more weight loss in people who used artificial sweeteners.

But the observational studies (where no intervention occurs and participants are monitored over time) found people who consume high amounts of artificial sweeteners tended to have an increased risk of higher body mass index and a 76% increased likelihood of having obesity.

In other words, artificial sweeteners may not directly help manage weight over the long term. This resulted in the WHO advising artificial sweeteners should not be used to manage weight.

Studies in animals have suggested consuming high levels of artificial sweeteners can signal to the brain it is being starved of fuel, which can lead to more eating. However, the evidence for this happening in humans is still unproven.

What about inflammation and dental issues?

There is some early evidence artificial sweeteners may irritate the lining of the digestive system, causing inflammation and increasing the likelihood of diarrhea, constipation, bloating and other symptoms often associated with irritable bowel syndrome. However, this study noted more research is needed.

High amounts of diet soft drinks have also been linked with liver disease, which is based on inflammation.

The consumption of diet soft drinks is also associated with dental erosion.

Many soft drinks contain phosphoric and citric acid, which can damage your tooth enamel and contribute to dental erosion.

Moderation is key

As with many aspects of nutrition, moderation is key with diet soft drinks.

Drinking diet soft drinks occasionally is unlikely to harm your health, but frequent or excessive intake may increase health risks in the longer term.

Plain water, infused water, sparkling water, herbal teas or milks remain the best options for hydration.

Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of Queensland and Emily Burch, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Lecturer, Southern Cross University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

San Francisco targets “price-fixing” rent-setting software

San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors became the first major municipality to vote against landlords’ use of “price-gouging software,” including the popular platform RealPage, which is already facing sprawling antitrust lawsuits backed by the Department of Justice.

The ordinance, which would “prohibit the sale or use of algorithmic devices to set rents or manage occupancy levels,” passed 10-0 in a preliminary hearing on Tuesday.

“This collusive price-fixing, price-gouging software will be determined to be illegal,” board member and mayoral candidate Aaron Peskin said, per Bloomberg. “Meanwhile, we are leading the nation in saying ‘can’t do it here.'"

Artificial intelligence-powered software platforms like RealPage, RENTMaximizer, and others have faced scrutiny from critics, including the Federal Trade Commission, for accelerating price-fixing efforts by landlords around the country.

“You can’t use an algorithm to evade the law banning price-fixing agreements,” FTC officials wrote in a March announcement. “Efforts to fight collusion are even more critical given private equity-backed consolidation among landlords and property management companies.”

Rental management companies have shot back at accusations of price gouging, including RealPage, which denied allegations and claimed it only controlled 10% of the San Francisco rental market.

“While we share the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ goal of helping renters, this ordinance will do nothing to make housing more affordable in the city,” RealPage spokesperson Jennifer Bowcock told Bloomberg. “We encourage the Board of Supervisors to identify real solutions to increase the supply of rental housing and access to affordable housing.”

Per Bloomberg, upwards of 70% of rental properties in the city rely on management platforms that often algorithmically maximize revenue.

The city, one of countless in the country in the grips of a historic housing affordability crisis, has missed key housing construction goals set by the state of California to combat shortages that drive cost surges, prompting the state’s controversial “builder’s remedy” to go into effect last month.

“I don’t want pronouns”: Trump asked if he’s gender-fluid in Fox interview

Former President Donald Trump rejected pronoun labels and expressed his lack of understanding of gender diversity in a bizarre segment with Fox News host Laura Ingraham.

Ingraham asked the former president — who is campaigning on rabid attacks on transgender healthcare protections and gender-affirming care — what his pronouns were, noting that Vice President Kamala Harris had “she/her” pronouns in her X, formerly Twitter, bio.

“I have no . . . I don’t want pronouns. I don’t want pronouns,” the former president said, before Ingraham attempted a joke, asking if Trump was ‘fluid.’

“Nobody even knows what that means. Ask her to describe exactly what that means. Nobody knows what that means,” Trump said, appearing flustered.

Ingraham: What are your pronouns?

Trump: I don’t want pronouns

Ingraham: So, you’re fluid? pic.twitter.com/KjA8tZxpnw

— Acyn (@Acyn) July 30, 2024

The comments weren’t the only time this week that the candidate seemed to fail to understand basic identities, with his comments on Kamala Harris’ Indian heritage making rounds on Wednesday, suggesting he doesn't understand the concept of biracial people.

Later in the interview, Trump managed to bungle a softball question, passing on several opportunities to walk back his ominous claim that Americans “won’t have to vote anymore” after a second Trump term.

“After that [November] you don’t have to worry about voting anymore, I don’t care. The country will be fixed and we won’t even need your vote anymore,” Trump told Ingraham.

Pronouns are often used by individuals with all gender identities to express how to refer to themselves, though the linguistic feature has become a frequent target of conservative crusades.

Right-wingers had already lobbed attacks at Harris and others for sharing their pronouns, most recently circulating and mocking a 2022 event in which the vice president introduced herself with ‘she and her’ pronouns and described her outfit for vision-impaired attendees at a disability rights roundtable.

“Kamala Harris just introduced herself with she/her pronouns at an official event,” far-right Colorado congressperson Lauren Boebert wrote in a 2022 X post. “This is what happens when your speechwriter quits and you hang around with Geriatric Joe too long.”

This Bourbon Iced Tea is the perfect cocktail for summertime “porch sittin’ and afternoon sippin”

I am pretty sure no one needs to be convinced of how important — how much a part of the culture — iced tea, sweet tea specifically, is in the South. Evidence abounds that as a whole southerners zealously love it, and it is ever-present in homes and restaurants throughout all the southern states.

Yes, I know, the South did not invent sweet tea — or big hair or monogramed towels, for that matter — but we have “southernized” it to the point of it being paradigmatic of our culture.

As far as our tea goes, we like it with lots of ice, and we like it teeth-meltingly sweet, or at least that is how our collective reputation precedes us. Exactly what constitutes proper sweetness is debatable, but I can attest that we drink and serve tea with gusto any day of any season and it is on the menu for all occasions. We like it in sickness and in health, no matter rain or shine, and we intend to never part with it. It is our forever and ever and always. (I feel I should add an Amen.)

Craving juicy, tender and flavorful fried chicken? Try using sweet tea in your brine

Sweet tea on a hot, balmy summer day revives and refreshes a body like few other things in this world, and perfectly sweet tea is where this ideal porch sipping cocktail starts.

I can all but promise, one sip will bring you back to the South if you have ever spent time here, and a few more sips might inspire you to pick up that Faulkner novel you never finished. You will fast be dreaming of a cool breeze under a canopy of mossy live oaks and waxing poetic about longleaf southern pines and fragrant magnolias. Bourbon and sweet tea enhanced with a little citrus; you would be hard pressed to find a cocktail more satisfying.

I still make my own tea. It is nostalgic for me and a ritual of sorts: get out tea pitcher, boil water, open tea bags, steep tea, add sugar, remove bags… Maybe you too have a recipe or way of making tea that has been repeated so often over your lifetime that is now muscle memory, no longer requiring thought. Perhaps your method is your grandmother’s or a favorite aunt’s or uncle’s.

If, like me, you still make your own tea, then you and I may be of a dwindling few who have not turned it over to Milo’s or some other bottled tea company. I hear Milo’s, in those lovely plastic gallon milk jugs, is just great. I can hear my tacky-judgy voice as I write that, and I should reign it in. People absolutely love Milo’s tea (and others) and claim it is better than or just as good as any they have ever had. Heck, I have probably had it and not even known it, but I, for one, have not and will not be buying it. I have my principles.

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When you are served a particularly excellent glass of tea and want the specifics from its maker, it can be nearly impossible to pin down. Despite being made nearly daily in many households and being as relied upon as one’s recipe for cornbread or deviled eggs, few can tell you their exact proportions. The conversation will go something like this:

“Well, let’s see. My ice tea pitcher is a half gallon, but of course I don’t fill it up all the way. But for my pitcher, I use one family size tea bag or two normal sized bags [Lipton or Luzianne will be specified]. Now, the sugar scoop in my canister is a half cup, and I use two scoops . . . but not full scoops. My grandmother put two full scoops, but I always “shorted” a bit to make it a little less unhealthy. My husband swears by adding a pinch of baking soda, but I can’t tell the difference one way or the other. He says it improves the ‘tannin and lignin extraction from the tea leaves,’ and I guess his family thought that was important. We never did that.”

Bourbon Iced Tea Slush, as well as pitchers of Bourbon Iced Tea, were summertime staples at family and friends’ river and bay houses. My friends and I would invariably migrate to the sweeping wrap-around, screened-in porches that were common to these pretty homes on the water. Typically, these gatherings occurred when a big Sunday sit-down dinner was planned.

Everyone stayed in their church clothes, or slightly pared down versions, (truth be told: not all of us had even made it to church that morning), and we enjoyed taking it easy, stretching out the last of the weekend, relaxing as the bright glaring afternoon light slowly faded into soft pastel shades that made the colors of the trees even greener. Lots of laughter and both serious and casual conversations, mostly stemming from what had been in the Sunday paper that morning, kept the atmosphere lively, but it was college football, not politics, back then that elicited the most passionate disagreements and verbal assaults.

Of course, not all of us drank bourbon; in fact, as I recall, it was mostly the over-50 crowd and mostly the men. Not all the iced tea was spiked, and not all the tea was even sweet. But as I remember, the “unsweet” was not in one of the pretty pitchers, but rather in plastic pitchers with “UNSWEET” written on a piece of masking tape and affixed to the top, like it was being punished for being so plain.

Those were good days. I loved those days and those beautiful evenings filled with quick wit and sassy banter, and this cocktail tastes just like all of it poured into a glass.

Iced tea and bourbon iced tea

Ingredients

Lipton tea bags

Water

1 cup sugar

2 cups warm water

Ice cubes

Bourbon

Freshly squeezed orange and/or lemon juice

Orange wheels

Maraschino cherries

Directions

My tea recipe: Put a family-sized Lipton tea bag in a small boiler and fill to about 1/4 capacity. Let water boil for a couple minutes, cover and allow to steep 15 to 30 minutes.
In a large pitcher (probably about half-gallon), put a scant 1 cup of sugar and 2 cups warm water. Using a wooden spoon, hold tea bag against the side of the boiler and pour liquid, i.e tea, from the boiler into the pitcher, then press the tea bag against the side as you let all the liquid drain into the pitcher.
Stir until all the sugar is melted.
Serve with or without lemon with lots of ice.
Recipe for a single: Start with iced tea perfectly sweetened to your liking and not weak. Add fresh squeezed lemon and fresh squeezed orange juice. (Begin with one half of each. You can always add the other half. I usually do.)
To that, add 1/2 to 1 shot of your favorite bourbon, well, perhaps not your absolute favorite. You can use a lesser bourbon as you are mixing it with sweet tea, but do opt for something tasty.
Fill a glass with ice and pour over. Garnish with an orange wheel and a maraschino cherry if desired. **You can also use unsweet tea and add lemonade rather than fresh lemon. Or if you prefer a sweeter drink, use sweet tea and lemonade.
Recipe for a pitcher: You can use the proportions above for a single, adding fresh squeezed juice, but if you are making it for a crowd and need a shortcut, you can opt for unsweet tea and make using prepared lemonade and store bought orange juice. It is common to both add bourbon to the pitcher and add bourbon to individual servings.

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Bourbon Ice Tea Slush

Yields

10 to 12 servings

Prep Time

10 minutes (plus overnight freeze)

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

2 cups of very strong tea, made using double your usual tea bags

1.5 quarts water (48 oz)

1.5 to 2 cups bourbon

1 can frozen lemonade

1 can frozen orange juice concentrate

Soda of choice: club soda, ginger ale, or 7-Up

Directions

Sweeten warm tea with 1 cup of sugar.
Stir in water, bourbon, lemonade, and orange juice.
Freeze overnight.
Set out 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
To serve: Scrape into glasses and top with soda.
Garnish with an orange wheel and/or lemon slice.

Cook's Notes

Disclaimer: This is “my” tea recipe, and it contains what some might think are outright blasphemous practices.

It does not include a pinch (1/8 tsp) of baking soda, which will reduce bitterness from overstepped tea.

I DO press the tea bag to extract more "oomph" from it and this is a big no-no for some who believe it will make your tea bitter.

I boil my tea, albeit briefly, still a faux pas to some.

I allow my tea to steep anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes (and I have probably forgotten to get to for even longer). 30 minutes could very well ease into the foul area for some. 30 minutes is generally considered the maximum minutes for steeping.

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“I’m thrilled”: Trump brags about his “No. 1-selling mugshot” and beating Elvis and Frank Sinatra

At Wednesday's rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, former president Donald Trump argued that his mugshot — which he earned in 2023 after being booked at the Fulton Country Jail in Atlanta in a racketeering case filed by District Attorney Fani Willis — was the best-selling mugshot ever and rivaled those of two famous singers.

https://t.co/MlIKklPSJT pic.twitter.com/Mcbf2xozsY

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2023

"I’m being indicted for you," Trump told his supporters. "Did you like my mugshot? Did you like the mugshot? My father’s looking down, my mother and father, they’re looking down because they’re definitely in heaven, they made heaven, they’re great. They’re looking down and saying, 'I can’t believe my son took a mugshot. This is unbelievable.'

"But it’s the No. 1-selling mugshot in history," the ex-president continued. "It beat Elvis! And it beat Frank Sinatra, did you know that? Frank Sinatra had a big one, did you know he got arrested for something? And I think Elvis had a fight at a gas station or something. But Elvis was one, Frank Sinatra was two, and I’m proud to admit and I’m proud to tell you that you have made mine bigger than both of them by a lot. It’s the biggest-selling mugshot ever, and I still haven’t figured out whether or not I’m happy about it. I’m not sure. In one way I’m thrilled, in another way I’m not sure I like it."

Trump made a similar comment last week in Atlanta, where he attended a Black Americans for Trump event and suggested that his indictment and mugshot led to an increase in support from Black and Hispanic communities. "But since this has happened, like the mugshot, the mugshot is the best," he claimed. "It just beat Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra by a lot. By the way, beat it by a lot. But that’s the No. 1 mugshot of all time."

Jamie Lee Curtis apologizes for jab at “bad” Marvel Cinematic Universe

Jamie Lee Curtis apologized for her now-viral jab at Marvel Studios — made during a Comic-Con appearance — and promised to be more careful about her words in the age of internet “mudslinging.”

Curtis, when asked in an MTV interview segment what phase the Marvel Cinematic Universe was currently in after nearly two decades of blockbusters, wryly responded “Bad,” prompting fury from die-hard MCU stans online.

The horror film queen took to X to apologize for the comment, and to fire back at the media ecosystem, which she said was “designed for clicks not content or conversation.”

“My comments about Marvel were stupid and I will do better,” the actress wrote in a post to X. “I've reached out to Kevin Feige and will no longer play in that mud-slinging sandbox of competition we call the internet.”

Curtis, who has a recurring role on Disney-owned FX’s “The Bear,” previously shaded the movie giant during promotions for A24’s “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” which she apologized for in 2022.

Though Marvel broke a year-long string of box office flops with “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which saw the studio’s biggest opening since 2022, Curtis is far from the only voice in Hollywood to point out that the comic empire has lost some steam.

The actress’ one-time costar Jeremy Allen White sent MCU fans into an uproar last year for poking fun at the “Avengers” filmmakers for an unproductive audition process.

Despite the apology, Curtis earned support from some, including “Deadpool” star Ryan Reynolds, who suggested on X that her comments didn’t demand an apology.

Wait, is everyone expected to apologize for slamming Marvel post-Endgame? https://t.co/kRxPmILfXl

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) August 1, 2024

Measles case tracked to LAX, with possible exposures in Southern California

Recent travelers through Southern California are being alerted to possible measles exposure, according to a Thursday report from Los Angeles' KTLA 5 news — and those exposed could be at risk of developing the illness. California health officials have traced the instance to a passenger on Norse Atlantic Airways flight Z0711, which arrived at the Tom Bradley International Terminal of LAX at about 2:15 p.m. on July 26. The Los Angeles Department of Public Health said the person then traveled to Orange County.

“The Orange County Healthcare Agency is investigating additional exposure sites in Orange County,” the department said in a Thursday news release.

Measles cases are sweeping the nation. Even a few cases can be an extreme drain on the public

Health officials told the outlet that travelers who were in either the Tom Bradley International Terminal or Terminal B, between 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. on July 26 are at risk of developing measles. Passengers on the affected flight who may have been exposed will be notified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention via the passengers' local departments of health. Those who believe they may be at risk are advised to confirm their measles vaccination status. Those who have not been vaccinated nor had measles in the past are advised to remain alert for symptoms of infection including rash and fever, and to contact their doctor if signs emerge.

Public health officials said that — among persons who may have been exposed — if no symptoms appear by Aug. 16 (21 days from exposure), the individual is no longer at risk for measles.

about public health

Trump “doesn’t know how to handle Kamala Harris” says “Daily Show,” mocking his racist lies at NABJ

"The Daily Show" tore into Donald Trump after his controversial comments about Vice President Kamala Harris' race during a panel at the National Association for Black Journalists convention on Wednesday.

Senior correspondent Ronny Chieng kicked off Wednesday evening's show saying, "[Trump] was doing really well with Black voters, but he was running against Joe Biden. Probably because Black people don’t f**k with ghosts.”

Chieng continued, "So today, Trump sat down for an interview with the National Association of Black Journalists, and things got off to a rocky start."

The show played a clip of the first question leveled towards Trump by ABC News journalist Rachel Scott, who asked why Black supporters should trust and vote for Trump after his track record of insulting Black journalists and politicians, and using inflammatory language about the Black community.

Trump's response to Scott's question was combative, stating, "I don't think I've ever been asked a question in such a horrible manner, a first question."

Chieng commented, "Not a great start talking to a Black journalist but you can still recover."

The NABJ welcomed Trump to insult them and spread lies about Kamala Harris

Then the show displayed Trump criticizing Scott. He said, "I think it's a very rude introduction . . . You invited me under false pretense. And then you were half an hour late. Just we understand, I have too much respect for you to be late."

Despite interruptions from the crowd and Scott, Trump pushed on and said, "I have been the best president for the Black population since Abraham Lincoln."

Chieng joked, "Wow, Trump was like, ‘Listen up, Black people: you’re always late, your microphones are ghetto, and I’m Abraham Lincoln.’ I mean, I think he just won the Black vote."

However, Trump did not stop there, and Chieng noted that. "For most politicians, or anyone else on Earth, that would have been the low point of the interview. But because it's Donald Trump it somehow got worse," he said.

The host then played another clip of Trump accusing Harris of "turning Black" after years of "only promoting Indian heritage." He stated, "Now she wants to be known as Black. So I don't know, is she Indian or is she Black? I think someone should look into that."

Chieng retorted, "I don’t know what’s worse, that he thinks she turned from Indian to Black, or that he thinks someone should ‘look into that.’ Who should look into that? Does he think the FBI is the Federal Black Investigators?

"She's Indian and Black," he continued. "Like, what does he think happens? When the time is right, Indians go into a cocoon and they play some Drake and they come out Black. It's very clear that Trump doesn't quite know how to handle Kamala Harris right now."

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The comedian noted that Trump is struggling with managing Harris, who is shaping up to be his potential rival in November. In another clip, Trump criticized Harris' age and even claimed that world leaders would “walk all over her” because of her gender.

"He’s like, ‘I don’t want to say why she’d be a bad president, but, you know, the hee-hee and the hoo-hah and the bleh, the fellas get it,'" Chieng joked.

He concluded, “I’m pretty sure Kamala can handle world leaders, OK? I mean, she did just overthrow the president of the United States.”

"The Daily Show" airs Monday through Thursday at 11 p.m. on Comedy Central and streams on Paramount+

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Study: Multiple dark chocolate products contain presence of lead and cadmium

A new study in Frontiers in Nutrition has found the presence of heavy metals in multiple dark chocolate products, specifically referencing lead and cadmium, echoing a separate report from last year.

The study was conducted by researchers at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C., who purchased and analyzed 72 "consumer cocoa-containing products" for "heavy metal contamination" with lead, cadmium and arsenic between 2017 and 2021. According to Michael Sainato with The Guardian, the names of the products or manufacturers were not disclosed in the study, which was conducted in line with California exposure and food safety guidelines.

The report shares that 43% of the products tested contained lead, 35% contained cadmium and 0% contained arsenic.

"This indicates that heavy metal contamination—in more than half of products tested—may not pose any appreciable risk for the average person when consumed as a single serving; however, consuming some of the products tested, or more than one serving per day in combination with non-cocoa derived sources heavy metals, may add up to exposure that would exceed the Prop 65 [maximum allowable dose level]," the study authors wrote, noting that "organic" products were significantly more likely to demonstrate higher levels of both cadmium and lead.