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The Aztec Eagles: Mexico and the Second World War

Si bien el país nunca envió tropas a luchar en tierra, la fuerza aérea de México se desempeñó con valentía en la lucha contra Japón, gracias a las acciones heroicas (y sacrificios) de los pilotos voluntarios. -- While the country never sent troops to fight on the ground, Mexico's air force performed bravely in the fight against Japan, thanks to the heroic actions - and sacrifices - of volunteer pilots. (NuevoPeru/Reddit)

by Bob Pateman

When war broke out in Europe in 1939, it seemed a distant event for Mexico. In many ways, it even proved beneficial. Mexican raw goods were in greater demand than ever, and Washington became easier to deal with. The Americans wanted Mexican oil and — should the Panama Canal ever be threatened — access to Mexican airfields and harbors. The prospect of Mexico entering WWII seemed so distant, that it is unlikely that many Mexicans ever seriously contemplated the fact.

From December 1940, Mexico had a new president, with Manuel Ávila Camacho favoring a more aggressive anti-fascist policy. However, it was not an easy election, and rebellions were still simmering in remote regions. Ávila Camacho would have to tread carefully when dealing with the United States for fear of losing domestic support. One step he could take was to seize the Italian and German ships already interned in Mexican harbors. Most notably, the Italian tanker Lucifero was renamed the Potrero del Llano and put into service carrying Mexican oil to the U.S..

Prelude to war

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor. This drew attention to the Baja peninsula: 1,200 kilometers of isolated coastline that might offer a clandestine shelter for Japanese submarines. Placing American troops on Mexican soil was unacceptable, but the Mexicans themselves saw the danger, and soldiers were rushed north. The air force quickly followed the first planes arriving on December 15. These largely obsolete biplanes flew coastal patrols to monitor ship movements and hunted for submarines.

Pearl Harbor brought sympathy for the U.S., giving President Camacho more freedom to act. A joint Mexican-United States Defence Commission was established and six Vought OS2U Kingfishers were offered to the Mexican air force. After maintenance in Mexico City, including the painting of Mexican colors, the planes were flown to Baja California. The Kingfisher was designed for unglamorous patrol work over oceans and it did this well.

Aircrews posted to Baja worked in an isolated environment, in very basic conditions. Ground crews improvised canvas shelters to keep the planes out of the damaging sun. There were regular sea patrols, and always the possibility of an emergency call-out, so pilots on duty stayed close to aircraft that were fueled, armed, and ready to fly.

There were two incidents that March. Firstly, local fishermen reported seeing a submarine close to land, the crew possibly looking to refresh their water supply. Mexican planes searched for three days but without a sighting. Allegedly, a Mexican plane also used its machine gun to attack a surfaced submarine. This story is much repeated but so poorly documented that it has to be questioned.

The provocation that actually brought Mexico into the war came not from Japan, but Germany. In May 1942, the Potrero del Llano was sailing to New York with a consignment of oil when she was spotted by a German submarine. There was, as is often the case in battle, a moment of farce. Frigate Captain Reinhard Suhren mistook the Mexican flag painted on her side for the Italian tricolor. However, reasoning that no Italian ship could be in these waters, the German sub torpedoed the Potrero del Llano, killing 13 of her crew. One week later, the tanker Faja de Oro was attacked and sunk by another German U-boat off Key West. Mexico declared war on the Axis powers the next day.

Mexico joins the struggle

As Japan was first stopped and then pushed back, the Mexican government recognized that their efforts were more likely to bring rewards if they undertook some combat role. The forming of the 201st Fighter Squadron may have been less about defeating the Axis and more about establishing Mexico’s position in the post-war world.

With the support of American Ambassador George S. Messersmith, the idea was sold to Washington and the search started to identify Mexico’s best pilots. These would be trained and equipped in the States. Once in the U.S. the 36 selected pilots and the large supporting crew faced a difficult time. Few of the Mexicans spoke good English and many, particularly those based in Texas, came up against racism.  One shop owner was visited by American Air Force officers who suggested they take down the ‘No Dogs or Mexicans’ sign. For the Mexicans, life tended to center around their own quarters, which helped bond the squadron into a close team. They named themselves the Aguilas Aztecas — Aztec Eagles — and adopted Walt Disney’s gun-toting Mexican rooster Panchito Pistolas as their mascot.

November 1944 saw the arrival of the squadron’s P-47s, the famous Thunderbolt. It was a heavyweight, tough aircraft that could hold its own in a dogfight but also carry a powerful bomb load. As the German and Japanese air forces disintegrated, the versatile Thunderbolt would find plenty of work as a ground attack fighter.

The Mexican pilots were proving themselves no better or worse than any other group of young men starting flight training. Their reports show high scores in areas such as technique, take-off, landings and general performance. If they lacked anything it was discipline: one young pilot, Reynaldo Gallardo, was lucky not to be sent home after flying dangerously low over the center of Greenville. At home, President Ávila Camacho was navigating the political hoops required to send Mexican combat troops overseas for the first time. As their training was extended into February of 1945 there was a growing concern that the war might be over before the Mexicans could reach the front.

March 1945 saw the squadron finally board a military transporter. With the dangers of submarines not totally eliminated, it took 33 days to zig-zag across the Pacific to the Philippines. Manilla had been secured but thousands of Japanese troops were still holed up in the forests and caves of the island of Luzon and these would have to be flushed out of their hiding places. It was perfect work for the Thunderbolt.

The Aztec Eagles in the Pacific

The Mexicans saw their first combat patrol on May 17. At this stage they were flying alongside more experienced American pilots in borrowed planes. By the time their own Thunderbolts arrived in late May, they were ready to undertake all-Mexican patrols.

June 1 stands out. The target was an ammunition storage dump on the east coast of the island that was protected by cliffs on three sides. The Mexicans were granted permission to attempt a risky dive bombing attack. The planes came in over the sea and went into a steep dive towards the target. Bombs were released late and the pilots experienced a momentary black-out as they attempted to climb to safety. The second pilot to attempt the attack, Fausto Vega, crashed into the sea. Whether he was hit by ground fire or the dive had been too much for pilot or machine was never determined. Two days later José Fuentes was killed testing a recently repaired plane.

After four years of fighting there were no Japanese aircraft to worry about over the Philippines, but ground fire was always a danger and on June 14 two planes returned with damage. On June 20, José Luis Pratt Ramos’s plane was also hit by anti-aircraft fire but kept flying. War movies have led us to believe that every plane returned from every mission with a smiling pilot and wings full of holes. Combat was not like that. Feeling your plane hit was a relatively rare and frightening experience.

As the allies slowly secured the Philippines, the squadron took on longer patrols, flying over Formosa and on towards Okinawa, distances that would test the Thunderbolts to the limit of their range. Other flights involved taking worn-out Thunderbolts to New Guinea and bringing back replacement aircraft. This brought different dangers. Mechanical failure, adverse weather, a small mistake in navigation, and the plane might run out of fuel over the ocean. On July 16 Captain Espinoza Galván was flying to Biak when he suffered a fuel leak. His plane hit the sea and sank with the pilot inside. On July 19, two planes flying back to the Philippines were lost in a storm. Lieutenant Guillermo Garcia Ramos landed near an island and was rescued the next day. Captain Pablo Rivas Martínez was never found.

The 201st Squadron comes home

By mid-July, the continuous missions were taking their toll. The squadron was down to 23 active pilots and with the death of some of the more experienced pilots, the squadron lacked leadership. The Aztec Eagles were withdrawn from combat and played no part in the invasion of Okinawa.

In early September, the men were watching a movie. Captain Radamés Gaxiola stopped the projector. The Japanese, he informed the men, had surrendered. The Aztec Eagles had been in combat for a month. They had flown 57 missions, clocked two thousand hours of combat and dropped 1,457 bombs.

The men of the 201st Fighter Squadron returned to Mexico City in November 1945 and were honored with a military parade in the Zócalo. Today, there are no living veterans of the squadron; the expeditionary force’s last living member, Sgt. Horacio Castilleja Albarrán, died in December 2022. Time passes and people forget, but there are monuments to the memory of these soldiers: there’s a whole neighborhood and accompanying Metro station named for them in the capital’s borough of Iztapalapa, and the Tribuna Monumental, which pays homage to fallen Mexican soldiers in Chapultepec Park, was rededicated to them in 1990. The Aztec Eagles played only a small part in a mammoth war, but in the words of 201st Squadron veteran Héctor Porfirio Tello, they fulfilled duty “with bravery and discipline for the freedom of Mexico and the whole world.”

Bob Pateman is a Mexico-based historian, librarian and a life term hasher. He is editor of On On Magazine, the international history magazine of hashing.

The Supreme Court took powers away from federal regulators. Do California rules offer a backstop?

In three rulings the U.S. Supreme Court dealt a body blow to the federal bureaucracy. From healthcare to climate to workers’ rights, California’s rules often go farther

by Ben Christopher

But as the state discovered then, there is a limit to how far California can go its own way. Many federal statutes explicitly prohibit states from overriding them. Such federal preemption has been decreed by the courts in other cases.

“Sometimes yes, California can go on its own,” said Ashutosh Bhagwat, an administrative law professor at UC Davis. “Sometimes it absolutely can’t, and sometimes it’s complicated.”

Three rulings against the bureaucracy

In what may be the most consequential of the session’s three regulatory rulings, the court’s conservative majority swept aside a 40-year-old judicial rule of thumb, known as “Chevron deference.”

The concept, named for the 1984 case that spawned it, required judges to defer to a federal regulator’s interpretation of how to implement a Congressional statute. In a high school civics class version of government, Congress passes the laws and the executive branch, with the President sitting at the top, simply enforces them. But enforcement is rarely simple. Congressional laws can be vague or fail to anticipate every eventuality, technological development or unforeseen problem. Since the New Deal, the federal government’s powers and responsibilities have expanded and grown more complex.

Chevron deference is the notion that if a statute is ambiguous and an agency’s interpretation is reasonable on its face, courts should let the bureaucracy call the shots.

No more.

In his opinion, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that courts may “respect” federal agency expertise, but cannot automatically defer to it. “Agencies have no special competence in resolving statutory ambiguities. Courts do,” he wrote. The upshot: Regulated industries now have a better shot at successfully challenging the federal rules that govern them.

Building on the theme of putting a leash on federal bureaucrats, the majority also ruled against the Securities and Exchange Commission and put new limits on when agencies can use in-house administrative courts to levy fines, instead requiring agencies to take alleged rulebreakers to court.

In a third opinion, the Supreme Court ruled that the six-year statute of limitations for when an aggrieved business can challenge a federal regulation starts ticking whenever that suing party is first affected by the rule. Financial regulators in that case had argued that the shot clock starts when the rule itself is enacted, giving regulations a degree of finality once that time expires.

All three rulings were decided 6-3, with the court’s conservatives in the majority.

Climate change regulations especially vulnerable

In her dissent in the statute of limitations case, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, a Biden appointee, warned that together with the end of Chevron deference, the court’s rulings would unleash a “tsunami of lawsuits against agencies” with the “potential to devastate the functioning of the Federal Government.”

Legal experts are still debating just how consequential these rulings will be. Granting less flexibility to federal regulators and opening them up to the threat of indefinite legal challenge from regulated industries implicates an unknowably vast universe of rules. But no one knows which rules are most vulnerable until they wind up in court.

“We’ll probably see now a wave of litigation challenging regulations that many had thought of as being long-settled, and how that shakes out in terms of its application to California businesses and California residents and consumers, we just don’t know,” said Julia Stein, an environmental law professor at UCLA.

Climate change regulations may be especially ripe for challenge. Lacking much actual legislation on the subject from Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency has resorted to creative interpretations of old environmental statutes, like the 1970 Clean Air Act, to justify its rules governing greenhouse gas emissions.

Such creativity may no longer fly, at least with conservative judges.

Federal regulators are “kind of hamstrung in the ability to take innovative approaches,” Stein said, now that the Chevron decision is history. “States, like California, are going to try to make up for that on the back end through their own authority and regulatory power, but it won’t be nearly as effective as if both those entities were working together.”

When a state can set its own rules isn’t always clear. Almost 60 years ago, Congress granted California the authority to set its own emission standards for vehicles. But a California mandate requiring major truck manufacturers to ramp up the sale of zero-emission vehicles might be an early test case, since experts are divided as to whether an interpretation of the Clean Air Act properly allows for such a law.

California, above and beyond

There are areas of the regulatory universe where California law clearly can, and often does, go far above what the feds require.

Labor law is one example.

Most California workplace laws are more protective of employees than federal rules. Not only is the state’s $16 minimum wage more than double that required nationwide, the state also maintains and enforces its own rules on overtime pay, independent contractor status, workplace discrimination and workplace safety.

Most recently, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposed a rule requiring employers to protect workers from heat illness. California’s own workplace safety agency has had such a rule in place since 2005 for outdoor workers and is expanding it to those working indoors this year.

Those rules will stand regardless of legal challenges at the federal level.

Such challenges are already on the way elsewhere. The same day the high court snagged final say over rulemaking from federal agencies, a Texas judge cited the Chevron-ending decision in putting a new Biden administration overtime rule on hold for state employees.

A long established stereotype of California would suggest that lawmakers here are already ideologically predisposed to out-red tape Washington. But many of California’s supercharged state rules are of recent vintage, born out of resistance to the Trump administration.

In 2019, then-California state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson authored a handful of laws to put the federal rules that govern gender discrimination in schools and universities into state statute. That was in anticipation of controversial changes to Title IX, a 1972 civil rights law, proposed by the Trump administration.

Federal education regulators have mined Title IX’s mere 37 words to justify regulations on everything from school sports to sexual assault reporting standards to scholarships.

Protections for wetlands and migratory birds and bans of certain pesticides were also ratcheted up in California during the Trump era.

But that blue state playbook didn’t always go as planned.

In 2019, San Diego Sen. Toni Atkins, then the top Democrat in the state Senate, authored a bill to anti-Trump “backstop, essentially copy-and-pasting the more stringent federal ​​environmental and workplace rules from the Obama era onto the state’s books. Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed that bill, calling it “a solution in search of a problem.”

California: A vision of life after Chevron?

The raft of rulings were momentous, but not especially surprising to many court watchers. The Supreme Court had been either ignoring or actively chipping away at Chevron deference for years.

That has some legal experts, even self-described liberals, skeptical that the final effect will be as dramatic as the Supreme Court’s liberal dissenters and many alarmed commentators have suggested.

“The major clean water and clean air acts were passed in the ‘70s, long before Chevron,” said Bhagwat at UC Davis. “There was administrative law before that. So, the idea that you can’t have administrative law without Chevron is stupid.”

Ironically, anyone looking to see what a post-Chevron world might look like could turn to California. State courts never adopted a Chevron-like rule in reviewing regulations. Instead, they’ve taken a more holistic approach, in which agency interpretations might be granted more weight when they’ve been consistent over time and are based on its own area of expertise. That, in effect, is pretty similar to the new rules of the federal road laid out last month by the U.S. Supreme Court.

“So when people say, ‘Oh, this is kind of the end of the world, abolishing Chevron,’ it’s like, well, it hasn’t been the end of the world in California,” said Keith Bishop, a partner with the law firm Allen Matkins who used to work as a California state financial regulator. “At least, not yet.”

Still, there are reasons to believe that certain courts outside of California will be keener to uproot regulations than they have been in California. That isn’t a result of differences in legal doctrine between courts, but of political philosophy, said David Carpenter, an appellate lawyer and partner at the law firm Sidley.

“In California, there would be a view that courts are going to be relatively more inclined to abide by or to follow or consider or give weight or respect to agency interpretations,” he said. “Depending on what jurisdiction the challenge is raised in, you might expect more hostility between the federal court and whichever administration is in power.”

Bhagwat shares the view that the outcome of a regulatory challenge will depend largely on the ideology of a given judge or court. That has led him to offer a less dramatic forecast of the law after this year’s spate of anti-regulatory rulings. “They were ignoring Chevron anyway,” he said. But it has led him to a much more dramatic and darker view of the law in general.

“We’re seeing the judiciary starting to reflect the polarization generally in American society,” he said. “There’s this sort of brutal reality on the ground, which is that the law doesn’t matter that much anymore.”

Rachel Becker and Jeanne Kuang contributed reporting to this story.

Here’s what you need to know to avoid becoming a victim as scammers target PG&E customers

Customers report more than $334,000 in losses during 2024

Corporate news

OAKLAND, Calif. — Utility scams have continued at an alarming rate throughout 2024, with Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) customers reporting more than $334,000 in losses to scammers. To stop this trend, PG&E is committed to helping customers recognize the signs of a scam and avoid becoming a victim.

A typical sign of a scam targeting a utility customer may be a caller claiming to be from PG&E and threatening to disconnect service if immediate payment is not made via a prepaid debit card, digital payment mobile app, or other money transfer methods. As a reminder, PG&E will never send a customer a notification within one hour of a service interruption and will never ask a customer to make a payment using a prepaid debit card, gift card, any form of cryptocurrency, or instant mobile payment apps like Zelle® or Venmo.

“Scammers seek to create a sense of panic, threatening utility disconnection if an immediate payment is not made,” said Matt Foley, PG&E’s lead customer scam investigator. “If a phone call, home visit, or email doesn’t feel right, don’t be fooled. Delete it, close your door, or hang up. Remember, PG&E will never ask for your financial information over the phone or email, nor will we request payments via prepaid debit cards or other money transfer methods including mobile apps.

During 2024, PG&E has received nearly 15,000 reports of scams targeting residential and business customers, with customers reporting losses of more than $334,000. The average scam victim lost more than $600, and more than 500 customers have reported falling victim. However, this number is likely just the tip of the iceberg as many scams go unreported.

Business customers are also not immune to scam attempts. In fact, PG&E has received 528 reports of scams targeting small and medium-sized businesses this year. These attempts frequently occur during busy business hours, when scammers hope to catch unsuspecting victims while they are distracted or stressed.

Another recent scam trend involves scammers creating fake websites that provide a fraudulent phone number when you search for PGE-related services, such as “bill payment” or “start/stop” service. These sites and phone numbers often appear when using a handheld device to search for and contact PGE. As a reminder, customers who wish to contact PG&E should call our customer service number 800-743-5000 or log into their account at www.pge.com.

Scammers can be persuasive, and they often target those most vulnerable, such as seniors or low-income individuals. They also try to scam small business owners during peak customer hours. However, with the right information, customers can learn to spot and report these predatory scams by visiting www.pge.com/scams or calling 1-833-500-SCAM.

Current Perspective on the Status of Medi-Cal Service in California

The California Department of Health Care Services, together with Enhanced Care Management and Community Supports, works to transform the delivery of health services in California and ensure that vulnerable populations access the medical services that will help them live lives healthier

by Xochitl TC

Since the beginning of 2024, Medi-Cal does not require verification of assets, such as cars or bank accounts – among others -, eliminating the asset limit so that elderly or disabled people can be considered as candidates for the health service. . Therefore, people with complex health situations who manage to access the program will be able to receive the necessary medical care. In addition, Enhanced Care Management (ECM) will provide them with personalized attention in the 14 services provided by the care plans provided by the health program.

Sandy Clore, Director of California Health Services, who was present at the sixth virtual meeting held last Wednesday, July 10, stated that “Medi-Cal is transforming the delivery of health services in California and DHCS is working to achieve “so that Californians have the services they need to live healthier lives.”

For her part, Dana Durham, representative of the DHCS Division of Care Monitoring and Control, said that the most important task of her department is to guarantee that preventive health services are affordable for Medication candidates. Cal Service. She also stated that the institution is working on the innovation of more culturally inclusive and less restrictive medical services by evaluating social factors such as place of origin, residence, work, among others; as well as through the study of risk factors, such as the spaces where they live and the impact on health that these represent.

ECM and Community Support seek to bring Medi-Cal to communities

Starting in 2022, DHCS Enhanced Care Management (ECM) and Community Support maintain coordinated medical prevention actions to provide improved, focused and equitable care to the most vulnerable members to prevent them from attending emergency rooms for health complications.

Medi-Cal is also aimed at seniors who have complex health situations or disabilities. Each member has a personal advisor who helps them navigate the System and provides management support during the evaluation process of each candidate. In this way, the advisors follow up on each individual. In the event that medically needy people do not have a home, advisors will go to where they require them. For this reason, managers not only monitor the medical needs of each candidate, but also the social needs, among which are monitoring access to safe housing, healthy meals and recovery from illnesses to prevent the beneficiary requires a more expensive level of care.

MediCare and Medi-Cal Figures

“Medi-Cal is one of the most complete California State Health Systems and is aimed at low-income Californians,” this is how Anastasia Dodson, Deputy Director of the California Department of Health Care Services, began her participation. After that, she added that “in California there are about 6.6 million people who benefit from Medicare, and of these, 1.6 million Californians have both programs,” which make it easier for them to cover medical expenses in complex health situations.

However, Dodson highlighted that part of the California population is unaware that they can have access to both health programs. She explained in this sense that to achieve this they only have to verify the minimum salary income that Medi-Cal requires, which currently corresponds to $1,732 dollars per month if it is a single person; or $2,351 per month if Medi-Cal coverage as a couple is required.

They invite you to apply for health programs

The Deputy Director of the California Department of Health Care Services emphasized that people should apply to health programs to take advantage of their benefits, as they provide an affordable, efficient, expanded and transformed health care system for the benefit of all. community.

Regarding Californians who have not yet been candidates to access Medi-Cal, Dodson indicated that they seek to have a better implementation from a social perspective through the participants of the different associations in the state and also pursue real recognition of the promotion of well-being with the inclusion of health promoters.

The Deputy Director of the Department of Health Care Services concluded by stating that collaboration between providers, health managers and beneficiaries is essential to reduce the deficiencies and social gaps that may be generated when trying to receive a health service in this state.

CalAIM Programs and the Institute of Aging provide community support

Jenna LaPlante, Senior Director of CalAIM Programs, indicated that “it is always important to have a team willing to intervene efficiently to reach the beneficiary of the service.” In that sense, goals must be set based on inclusion, empathy and clarity that contribute to specifying the work plan, she said.

He also pointed out that people can contact the Institute of Aging to ask questions about how to be beneficiaries of Medi-Cal, which is present in nine counties: San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Alameda, Riverside , San Bernardino and Merced.

The Institute of Aging works together to serve the older adult communities of California and has capable and culturally adapted bilingual staff who act in coordination with the different institutions to provide support, finance adaptation and mobility improvements; in addition to exercising its intervention in the payment of assistance and health services in general for the elderly population of the golden state.

Medi-Cal is present in 12 California counties

Although members of both programs can combine medical benefits, Medi-Cal has coverage for: doctor visits, prescription drugs, vaccines, mental health services, substance use treatment, vision care/glasses, dental care, hearing aids, transportation, home support services, long-term care, emergency services, consultations with specialists, among others, says the DHCS website.

Medi-Cal is currently present in Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Orange Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Tulare counties and is expected to be implemented nationwide by 2026. Golden State.

The application processes can be initiated by telephone, by email, or in person at one of the Medi-Cal offices. To find out the nearest headquarters you can visit https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/.

Trump removed from stage by Secret Service after loud noises startles former president, crowd

BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA – 13 DE JULIO: El candidato presidencial republicano, el ex presidente Donald Trump, es sacado del escenario durante un mitin el 13 de julio de 2024 en Butler, Pensilvania. -- BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is rushed offstage during a rally on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Former President Donald Trump was rushed off stage after loud popping sounds rang out as he was speaking to supporters at Butler, Pa., near Pittsburgh.

Trump was removed from the site by Secret Service, with his fist raised, after the noises.

Trump reached for his ear when the noises happened. He appeared to have blood on his ear and cheek as he left the stage.

People began screaming as agents pushed Trump to the ground.

Secret Service removed reporters from the site, calling it “an  active crime scene.”

The crowd is currently being evacuated.

President Joe Biden, who is in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, said, “No, when asked by reporters as he left church if he had been briefed by about the shooting at the Trump rally.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump removed from stage in rally; cause unknown

Dynamic duo: Why TURMERIC and BLACK PEPPER are a powerful combination

by Olivia Cook

04/25/2024 – Turmeric and black pepper are noteworthy for their stand-alone health benefits. But when combined, this dynamic duo becomes a powerhouse of healing.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) has substantial amounts of the plant compound curcumin. This phytochemical is a strong antioxidant that also boasts of being able to fight inflammation, bacteria and fungi. But this bright yellow spice has one drawback – the body cannot absorb it well, with most amounts of curcumin being eliminated.

Meanwhile, black pepper (Piper nigrum) is rich in piperine, a bioactive compound that gives this spice its signature pungency. Piperine is similar to the alkaloid capsaicin, which is present in chili powder and cayenne pepper. This phytochemical has been shown to help address nausea, headaches, poor digestion and inflammation.

But piperine’s most notable quality lies in its ability to enhance the body’s absorption of curcumin. Adding black pepper to turmeric can mitigate the poor absorption of curcumin into the bloodstream. According to research, supplementing C. longa with P. nigrum significantly improves the body’s curcumin uptake by a huge degree.

A study published in the Planta Medica journal expounded on this. Researchers from India examined how curcumin alone and piperine-curcumin in tandem was absorbed in both animal and human models. According to the study, adding 20 milligrams of piperine to two grams of curcumin notably increased the latter’s absorption.

In rats given both piperine and curcumin, the bioavailability of the latter increased by as much as 154 percent. Meanwhile, the bioavailability of curcumin in human participants increased by 2,000 percent when supplemented with piperine.

There are two prevailing theories explaining this phenomenon, as outlined by two separate studies. The first theory was outlined in a study published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine. According to the paper, piperine may facilitate the passage of curcumin through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream.

Meanwhile, a February 1986 study in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics suggested that piperine might inhibit the liver’s breakdown of curcumin. This, in turn, elevates the amount of curcumin entering the bloodstream, translating to health benefits.

How to best enjoy the incredible health benefits of turmeric and black pepper

Here are some examples of how you can combine turmeric and black pepper:

– Brew a tea by simmering turmeric powder and black pepper in water for about 10 minutes. – You can enhance its flavor by adding a dash of honey or lemon.

– Create a paste by mixing turmeric powder with a small amount of black pepper and water or oil to form a thick consistency. Apply this paste topically to areas experiencing pain, such as joints or muscles and gently massage it into the skin. Leave it on for some time before rinsing off.

– Look for supplements that contain both turmeric extract (curcumin) and black pepper extract (piperine).

It’s important to note that while turmeric and black pepper have been studied for their potential anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, individual responses may vary. It’s always a good idea to consult with a natural health practitioner before starting any new supplement regimen, especially if you have underlying health conditions or are taking medications.

How to take action and help protect older adults from scams

Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Anyone can be a victim of scams. They happen when scammers go after individuals of all ages, using tactics like phone calls, emails and messages to reel in unsuspecting victims to get to their money and personal information.

Older adults are often key targets, it is important to stay alert to common scams and financial abuse signs that can help protect older loved ones from becoming a victim.

Know the signs of a scam

Father and daughter shopping online in living room

Scammers have grown very convincing.  They often can impersonate companies or organizations and make you believe the urgency or need behind their attempts. If you encounter the following signs, you’re likely dealing with a scammer.

  1. Urgent demands to take action, send money and personal information requests.An imposter may demand quick action, claim that you will lose money, and push for access to your personal account information, passwords or confirmation codes. Remember: neither banks nor the government will threaten you or demand money to protect your accounts. If you receive a call from your bank that you are unsure about, hang up and call the number on the back of your credit or debit card.
  2. New relationships that take an interest in their money. Financial abuse often happens from persons known to the victim, like a caretaker or a new acquaintance. Be wary of any new friends approaching you with investment “opportunities” or who take an interest in your financial information.
  3. Unexpected contact from “loved ones.” Scammers can use artificial intelligence (AI) to replicate familiar voices, posing as friends or family. They’ll call you on the phone sounding like a loved one in danger and demanding that you send money. Hang up and contact your loved one directly to confirm it’s really them.
  4. Unusual financial activity. Scammers could be accessing your account if you see withdrawals or changes to your accounts, such as new authorized users or missed bill payments. Also, be sure to keep your checkbook safe and keep an eye on check activity. Automate all the payments you can and discuss who are trusted contacts to support money decisions if you ever need help.
  5. Changes in ownership and responsibility. If you notice changes to wills, power of attorneys or any other financial plans, it could be a sign of financial abuse.

Take action to avoid scams

You and your loved ones don’t have to be victims. These steps can help reduce the chance of falling for a scam:

  • Ignore and block calls and messages from numbers you don’t recognize and don’t trust caller ID alone. When in doubt, hang up and contact the company, bank or loved one directly to ask if there is a problem.
  • Throw away unsolicited mail and be careful with suspicious emails or messages on social media. Don’t answer questions about personal finances.
  • Keep your personal information, account details and passwords safe so you don’t give scammers access to your money and identity.
  • Be cautious when using checks. Digital payment methods or your bank’s online bill payment feature can help you get money to your intended recipient while eliminating paper checks that can be stolen and altered.
  • Enable online alerts to be aware of large purchases. You can act quickly if you see fraudulent charges.
  • Shred bank statements, receipts, unused checks and credit cards before throwing them away.

If you’re an older adult, have conversations with trusted family members about how they can support your money needs as you age, which can help protect you from being exposed to fraud and financial exploitation. For those with older loved ones, start the conversation now and use digital tools to help alert you to possible scams.

Remember that financial scams can happen to anyone. If you feel you’ve been scammed, contact your bank to verify recent transactions to ensure there is no unusual activity on your account. Don’t feel embarrassed if you become a victim, share your experience with friends and family and ask for help.

You can learn more about ways to detect financial abuse and to protect loved ones at chase.com/financialabuse.

+++

For informational/educational purposes only: Views and strategies described may not be appropriate for everyone and are not intended as specific advice/recommendation for any individual. Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its affiliates and/or subsidiaries do not warrant its completeness or accuracy.

Voices of imprisonment to hear the voices of former Alcatraz prisoners

Bailarinas del Festival Internacional de Bachata. -

by Magdy Zara

As part of the Voices of Incarceration program, hosted by the San Francisco Public Library, the story of Andrew Winn, a prominent leader at the intersection of environmental and criminal justice, who currently serves as Executive Director of the Insight Garden Program, will soon be featured.

This program, called Dialogue: Voices of Incarceration, is based on listening to released people who share their first-hand experiences of incarceration.

Andrew Winn, as a former prisoner, brings a unique perspective to his work, emphasizing the transformative power of horticultural therapy in correctional settings and comprehensive reintegration support. Andrew is recognized for his expertise in addressing the challenges faced by people affected by the criminal justice system and for actively contributing to significant policy changes.

To be part of this experience you just have to go to the main library, located at 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco this Saturday, July 13, starting at 2 p.m.

Dance Classes at the San José Museum of Contemporary Art

Under the name CityDance San José, the Museum of Contemporary Art holds a day of socialization, music and dancing outdoors at the Circle of Palms, which also has live bands and a professional dance instructor, with whom you can perfect your dancing or learning skills.

During the dance classes, attendees can take a break and visit the different galleries and their respective exhibitions.

The CityDance for the month of July will be next Thursday the 18th starting at 6 p.m., at the Circle of Palms and the San José Museum of Art. Tickets are completely free and can be requested through their website https://sjmusart.org/event/citydance-jul-2024

SF headquarters of the XVI International Bachata Festival

The SFIBF is the perfect event for bachata and salsa lovers. Not only is it the first bachata festival in the US, but it also offers a wide range of over 70 workshops designed for dancers of all levels, from beginner to advanced.

The show lasts three days, during which you can choose which of the styles is your preference, including traditional bachata, modern bachata, sensual bachata, salsa, mambo and much more.

This festival will take place at Allegro Ballroom 12012 San Pablo Ave, Richmond; It will be open to people of all ages and will take place from July 19 to the 21st of the same month, at 12 p.m.

 

The Paax GNP Festival cancels its functions due to the passage of Hurricane Beryl

Natalia Lafourcade

by Zurellys Villegas

Due to the passage of Hurricane “Beryl”, the organizers of the Paax GNP 2024 Festival, which was taking place in the Mexican Caribbean, were forced to cancel the functions and activities scheduled starting last Thursday, July 4, four days earlier than planned.

“We deeply regret to inform you that due to the Beryl weather phenomenon and the possible effects it could cause, the Paax GNP 2024 Festival is canceled starting Thursday, July 4,” director Alondra de la Parra announced in a statement.

In the text, the organization stated that the safety of attendees, artists and collaborators is its “top priority,” and at the same time explained that this decision to cancel cultural activities has been made based on information from the corresponding authorities.

“Our entire team and I are very grateful that you are here, that you have decided to come spend this moment with us, these days. Thank you to everyone who has been here. Really for us, artists, having an audience like you has been a privilege “said the director after the presentation of shows that included Natalia Lafourcade and the gala “An afternoon of ballet with soloists.”

De la Parra also thanked her work team and event organizers. “I am very grateful to all the musicians of the Impossible Orchestra, to my extraordinary team,” she expressed.

“We deeply regret any inconvenience this situation may cause and appreciate your understanding and support. We also express all our solidarity with the people of the Riviera Maya and Yucatán who may be affected by this phenomenon,” the organizers conclude.

They invite you to reschedule the experience

In this sense, the Xcaret Arte hotel, headquarters of the festival, invited all its guests and visitors to Paax GNP 2024 to schedule their departure in advance.

The organization offered various options to those who could not enjoy the purchased packages. For those who purchased packages between July 3 and 7, they offer to reschedule for the fourth edition of the festival that will take place from June 19 to 29, 2025. Another alternative is to reschedule the nights at the host hotel before July 6 of next year. anus.

On the other hand, for people who purchased the Flamingos and Coral packages, which are dated between July 4 and 7, 2024, the festival gives the possibility of rescheduling for the dates of the next edition.

In the statement that the organization posted on its social networks, it states that it will not be possible to change names nor to assign dates at the hotel for high seasons such as Christmas, New Year’s and Easter.

Impossible Orchestra

Since last June 26, Paax GNP 2024 offered a series of cultural activities that include the presentation of internationally renowned soloists such as the winner of the Grammy for best Latin album, Natalia Lafourcade. Also music shows and a ballet gala with dance stars and distinguished choreographers such as Christopher Wheeldon.

Another of the shows since the beginning of this festival is the presentation of the Impossible Orchestra, directed by the baton of Alondra de la Parra, who in turn serves as director of the festival.

With Danzón No. 2, one of the most recognized Mexican symphonic works, the musical show of the orchestra began, which is made up of contemporary musicians of some 14 nationalities such as Maxim Vengerov, Guy Braunstein, Nemanja Radulović, Aleksey Igudesman and Rolando Fernández, among others.

Advocates for detained immigrants decry loss of free phone calls

por Suzanne Potter

Groups advocating for people detained in immigration facilities are calling for the reinstatement of a program which allowed 500 free minutes of phone calls per month.

In recent weeks, Immigration and Customs Enforcement cut off the free domestic and international calls, telling advocates pandemic-era funding has run out.

Rosa Santana, interim co-executive director of the Envision Freedom Fund, said families of the detainees often struggle to afford the calls, which can cost up to $3 for 15 minutes.

“Usually the person who is in detention is the breadwinner and now families have to be able to figure out how they could bring food and everything that the breadwinner used to bring, pay rent,” Santana pointed out. “And on top of that now, it’s having to pay for phone calls.”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not respond to a request for comment. People in at least 16 ICE detention centers across the country have reported losing access to the free calls, including three sites in California: Golden State Annex, Mesa Verde Processing Center and Otay Mesa Detention Center.

“Absent the phones, how would we know that rights are being violated?” Golding asked. “How would we know if nobody has the ability to communicate?”

People in detention do still have access to work programs where they can earn about $1 for eight hours of work to spend on calls or items at the commissary.

Latino environmental groups push for greater access to public lands

Conservation groups are circulating a petition asking the feds to give “America the Beautiful National Parks and Recreation Lands” passes to new citizens at their naturalization ceremony. Members of the group GreenLatinos have met with multiple federal agencies to pitch the idea.

The pass normally costs $80 per year and gets one car with up to four adults into all national parks and monuments. Last year, more than 878,000 people became U.S. citizens.

The group also wants to start holding naturalization ceremonies at sites on public lands. And they’d like to reverse the trend of national parks going “cashless,” as they have at Yosemite and Death Valley.

The petition currently sports more than 900 signatures and is available on the GreenLatinos website.

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