Delivering Smiles
Megan was trafficked for a year. After the FBI rescued her, she found refuge at Covenant House New Orleans
12.03.20
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This year, we've all experienced a little more stress and anxiety. This is especially true for youth facing homelessness, like Megan and Lionel. Enter Covenant House, an international organization that helps transform and save the lives of more than a million homeless, runaway, and trafficked young people.
Watch the full story:
Amazon is Delivering Smiles this holiday season by donating essential items and fulfilling AmazonSmile Charity Lists for organizations, like Covenant House, that have been impacted this year more than ever. Visit AmazonSmile Charity Lists to donate directly to a charity of your choice or simply shop smile.amazon.com and Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price of eligible products to your selected charity.
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Why seeing Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton get the COVID-19 vaccine on live TV matters
12.03.20
With vaccine rollouts for the novel coronavirus on the horizon, humanity is getting its first ray of hope for a return to normalcy in 2021. That normalcy, however, will depend on enough people's willingness to get the vaccine to achieve some level of herd immunity. While some people are ready to jump in line immediately for the vaccine, others are reticent to get the shots.
Hesitancy runs the gamut from outright anti-vaxxers to people who trust the time-tested vaccines we already have but are unsure about these new ones. Scientists have tried to educate the public about the development of the new mRNA vaccines and why they feel confident in their safety, but getting that information through the noise of hot takes and misinformation is tricky.
To help increase the public's confidence in taking the vaccine, three former presidents have volunteered to get their shots on camera. President George W. Bush initially reached out to Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx to ask how he could help promote a vaccine once it's approved. Presidents Obama and Bill Clinton have both stated that they will take the vaccine if it is approved and will do so publicly if it will help more people feel comfortable taking it. CNN says it has also reached out to President Jimmy Carter to see if he is on board with the idea as well.
A big part of responsible leadership is setting an example. Though these presidents are no longer in the position of power they once held, they are in a position of influence and have offered to use that influence for the greater good.
<div id="19988" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="01f0e735ce01bbcb9c4cd27baace4159"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1334357980343640066" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Former Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton volunteer to get coronavirus vaccine publicly to prove it's safe… https://t.co/CpHCplFTZb</div> — Eyewitness News (@Eyewitness News)<a href="https://twitter.com/ABC7NY/statuses/1334357980343640066">1606970708.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Of course, some will call the former presidents Deep State actors, or puppets for <a data-linked-post="2647077554" href="https://www.upworthy.com/child-sex-trafficking-organizations-debunk-qanon-conspiracies" target="_blank">the pedophile cabal</a>, or co-conspirators in Bill Gates' and George Soros' evil plot to destroy humanity, or or some other paranoid, tinfoil hat goofiness. But for the folks living in normal reality, such bipartisan examples of leadership and solidarity with the American people will be appreciated.</p><p>And for those who doubt that it will make a difference, remember that Princess Diana's simple act of <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/av/magazine-39490507" target="_blank">hugging a child with AIDS </a>sparked a sea change in public perception of people who were HIV-positive. Seeing her fearless compassion, even for a photo op, made a difference in the way society viewed HIV and AIDS. </p><p>Vaccine reticence isn't new, and some of it is understandable. In 1976, a new strain of H1N1 (swine flu) prompted President Gerald Ford to push a mass vaccination program <a href="https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/the-public-health-legacy-of-the-1976-swine-flu-outbreak" target="_blank">that was halted</a> after it was discovered that the vaccine was associated with a small increase in Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Of the 45 million Americans who received the vaccine, 450 developed the syndrome—a tiny percentage, but enough to undermine public trust.</p><p>As Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of WHO's emergencies program, pointed out early in the pandemic, the only thing worse than a pandemic would be a bad vaccine. But the accelerated development and trialing of the vaccines that are currently being evaluated does not mean they have been rushed or are unsafe. Obviously, scientists have wanted to get a vaccine made and distributed as quickly as possible—but also as safely as possible. And while it's tempting to assume that a vaccine being rolled out in a little less than a year means it's risky, since the process usually takes much longer, that really is just an assumption.</p><p>The reality is that the virus itself is risky, both in the potential for death as well as long-term health impacts. And while impressively quick, the vaccines we're seeing will have gone through sufficient trials to put most people's fears to rest. While people fret about not knowing the long-term effects of the vaccine, Dr. Fauci stated <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULCM5kYuFAw" target="_blank">in an interview with the Washington Post</a> that in 90 to 95 percent of the vaccines we already have, long-term adverse effects have revealed themselves in the first 30 to 45 days. While vaccines will continue to be monitored for a year or two to see if anything unexpected pops up, Fauci says he feels confident in recommending everyone get the vaccine once it's approved by the FDA.</p><p>"The speed was based on very exquisite, scientific advances and an enormous amount of resources that were put into Operation Warp Speed to make this happen," Fauci said. "There was no compromise of safety, nor was there compromise of scientific integrity."</p><p>"I can tell you when my turn comes up and the FDA says that this is safe and effective, I, myself, will get vaccinated and I will recommend that my family gets vaccinated," he added.</p><p>Our understanding of science, immunology, and vaccine development has improved greatly in the past 50 years. So have the protocols, regulations, and approval processes for safety and efficacy. The whole point of having institutions and independent monitoring boards and transparency is to make sure things are being done as safely as possible. </p><p>Hopefully, our trust in science, understanding of the risks of COVID-19, and example set by leadership in our country will prompt enough people to get vaccinated so we can finally make our way to the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. </p><p><br></p>
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Delivering Smiles
Megan was trafficked for a year. After the FBI rescued her, she found refuge at Covenant House New Orleans
12.03.20
True
This year, we've all experienced a little more stress and anxiety. This is especially true for youth facing homelessness, like Megan and Lionel. Enter Covenant House, an international organization that helps transform and save the lives of more than a million homeless, runaway, and trafficked young people.
Watch the full story:
Amazon is Delivering Smiles this holiday season by donating essential items and fulfilling AmazonSmile Charity Lists for organizations, like Covenant House, that have been impacted this year more than ever. Visit AmazonSmile Charity Lists to donate directly to a charity of your choice or simply shop smile.amazon.com and Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price of eligible products to your selected charity.
From Your Site Articles
- This toddler with Down Syndrome is the star of this Amazon ... ›
- 8 affordable and stress-reducing products you need for your home ... ›
- Amazon is donating $690,000 to Australia's fire recovery. Does Jeff ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Let's Do More Together
Madeline Swegle breaks 110-year record and becomes the Navy’s first Black female fighter pilot
11.11.20
Anne Owens and Luke Redito / Wikimedia Commons
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When Madeline Swegle was a little girl growing up in Burke, VA, she loved watching the Blue Angels zip through the sky. Her family went to see the display every time it was in town, and it was her parents' encouragement to pursue her dreams that led her to the U.S. Naval Academy in 2017.
Before beginning the intense three-year training required to become a tactical air (TACAIR) pilot, Swegle had never been in an aircraft before; piloting was simply something she was interested in. It turns out she's got a gift for it—and not only is she skilled, she finds the "exhilaration to be unmatched."
"I'm excited to have this opportunity to work harder and fly high performance jet aircraft in the fleet," Swegle said in a statement released by the Navy. "It would've been nice to see someone who looked like me in this role; I never intended to be the first. I hope it's encouraging to other people."
As Swegle's story shows, representation and equality matter. And the responsibility to advance equality for all people - especially Black Americans facing racism - falls on individuals, organizations, businesses, and governmental leadership. This clear need for equality is why P&G established the Take On Race Fund to fight for justice, advance economic opportunity, enable greater access to education and health care, and make our communities more equitable. The funds raised go directly into organizations like NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, YWCA Stand Against Racism and the United Negro College Fund, helping to level the playing field.
<div class="rm-embed embed-media"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">MAKING HISTORY! <a href="https://t.co/jKJONHvL7S">https://t.co/jKJONHvL7S</a><br>— U.S. Navy (@USNavy) <a href="https://twitter.com/USNavy/status/1281362500978716673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><p>According to the <u><a href="https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/demographics-us-military" target="_blank">Council on Foreign Relations</a></u>, the U.S. military has taken significant steps over the past decade to build a more diverse and inclusive force that attracts the country's top talent. However, women and racial and ethnic minorities remain underrepresented in parts of the military, particularly at the highest levels of leadership. A<a href="https://fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R44321.pdf" target="_blank">ccording to</a> the Congressional Research Service, in the enlisted realm, 63% of senior enlisted troops are white, while 19% are Black; and only eight out of every 100 senior officers are Black. Women represent 16 percent of the enlisted forces and 19 percent of the officer corps.<br></p><p>Lieutenant Commander Joseph Thompson, an officer serving in the Navy's Dental Corps, knows how it feels to be a minority in the military.</p><p>"As a fellow Naval Officer of African descent, I am extremely proud of Lt Swegle's accomplishments. I know the standards of excellence required to be a naval fighter pilot are extremely high. In a historically white male dominated sector of the Navy for her to break through the glass ceiling, not only as a female, but as one of African descent is nothing short of phenomenal...her accomplishments have not only made me proud, but have also motivated me to keep pushing forward in pursuit of my own goals."</p><p><strong><u><a href="https://www.pggoodeveryday.com/impact/" target="_blank">Join P&G Good Everyday</a></u> to take simple, everyday actions to help create conversation and meaningful change in support of <u><a href="https://www.pggoodeveryday.com/impact/take-on-race/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Take on Race</a></u>.</strong></p>
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The delightful—and timely—story of how 'A Spoonful of Sugar' ended up in 'Mary Poppins'
12.02.20
Just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down...in the most delightful way.
There are certain songs from kids' movies that most of us can sing along to, but we often don't know how they originated. Now we have a timely insight into one such song—"A Spoonful of Sugar" from "Mary Poppins."
It's common for parents to try all kinds of tricks to get kids to take medications they don't want to take, but the inspiration for "A Spoonful of Sugar" was much more specific. Jeffrey Sherman, the son and nephew of the Sherman Brothers—the musical duo responsible not just for "Mary Poppins," but a host of Disney films including "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," "The Jungle Book," "The Aristocats," as well as the song "It's a Small World After All"—told the story of how "A Spoonful of Sugar" came about on Facebook.
He wrote:
<p><em>"When I was a kid, they rolled out a vaccine for polio. We were given it at school on a sugar cube. I went home and my dad, who was working on Mary Poppins, asked how my day was.</em></p><p><em>What I didn't know was that Julie Andrews who was hired to play Mary had not really liked the song my dad and uncle had written -'Through the Eyes of Love' - and it was rejected. It was their favorite song for the movie.</em></p><p><em>Walt asked the Sherman Brothers to come up with a new song that would be in line with Mary's //Julie's philosophy.</em></p><p><em>Dad asked me how my day was and I told him about getting the polio vaccine at school.</em></p><p><em>I was known for rejecting the booster shots at my doctors' office and running away.</em></p><p><em>He said, 'Didn't it hurt?'</em></p><p><em>I told him they put it on a sugar cube and you just ate it.</em></p><p><em>He stared at me, then went to the phone and called my uncle Dick.</em></p><p><em>They went back to the office and wrote -'A Spoonful of Sugar' ('Helps the Medicine Go Down.')</em></p><p><em>It's my little corner of film music history I suppose. Inadvertently."</em></p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b65d2fa4b3225694afdb9024b6ac9e62"><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/575926263/posts/10159442152231264"></div></div>
<p>Sherman added a timely note about our current circumstances as well:</p><p><em>"For anyone I know here on FB, trust the doctors. When the vaccine for Covid comes out, get it.</em></p><p><em>We are all codependent on each other in this pandemic. Trust science and doctors and epidemiologists.</em></p><p><em>We are a small world and we will beat this enemy if we listen to those who know.</em></p><p><em>Be safe. Wear a mask. Be kind and thoughtful and considerate to your fellow man and woman.</em></p><p><em>We will beat this."</em></p><p>It's good to recall how devastating diseases like polio and smallpox have effectively been eradicated through widespread vaccinations. Most of us aren't old enough to remember when polio was around in the U.S. (we haven't seen it here since 1979), but talk to older folks who lived through people being disabled by it and they'll tell you it wasn't fun. It's easy to take for granted the fact that we don't have to worry about our kids contracting polio, but that's not something that just miraculously happened. Smallpox and polio vaccines are great success stories of modern medicine. Time will tell, but the COVID-19 vaccine may end go down in history as one of humanity's most impressive scientific achievements as well.</p><p>Unfortunately, a spoonful of sugar won't help make the COVID-19 vaccine. But if we're able to safely return to normal life in the near future, the outcome will be sweet indeed.</p>
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