Latest news with #LadyLiberty
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Faith Salie offers her two cents on the end of the penny
What is worthless, but priceless? Overlooked, but treasured? Ubiquitous, but ephemeral? What makes us stop in the street to transcend our pride and stoop to pick it up? It's the humble, shiny, tiny penny. The Treasury announced it will cease making new pennies by early next year. Will they disappear immediately? No. But like so many things in our lives – reliably snowy winters, face-to-face conversations, books whose pages we can turn – pennies are fading away. Before you shrug me off as a sentimental fool old enough to remember visiting the penny candy store on Cape Cod, I do understand that pennies are "outdated" and "inefficient." The government spends about 3.7 cents to make 1 penny. That's a loss of $85 million last year alone. And around half of us don't even carry cash anymore. I don't think the Tooth Fairy believes in pennies nowadays. So, canceling them makes "cents." But in a world where it seems like everyone's looking down, a penny can remind us things might be looking up ... you know, pennies from heaven? You know who was on the first penny in 1792? A woman! It was deemed un-American back then to depict a ruler on a coin, so pennies featured Lady Liberty. It wasn't until 1909 that President Lincoln's face graced the coin. His iconic profile was designed by a Lithuanian-born Jewish immigrant, Victor David Brenner, who created what's thought to be the most reproduced piece of art in history. 1943 pennies were made of zinc-coated steel, because copper was needed for World War II. Should we just throw that history away? Well, yes! As long as we imbue each toss with our wishes. "A penny for your thoughts" was coined nearly 500 years ago by Sir Thomas More, back when offering someone a penny meant their musings were really worth something. These are just my two cents, but ... nobody throws a bitcoin into a fountain. Call me a numismatic nostalgic, but in a world full of crypto and virtuality, I'll keep my eyes peeled for the tarnished, tangible, inefficient promise of luck. For more info: Story produced by Liza Monasebian. Editor: Ed Givnish. See also: Face value: Portraits on money ("Sunday Morning")Moneymakers: Artists at the U.S. Mint ("Sunday Morning") Almanac: "In God We Trust" ("Sunday Morning") The history of the penny ("Sunday Morning") The wonderfully weird world of artist Luigi Serafini Fans turn out for estate sale at home of Tom Petty Trump says Musk is "not really leaving" as DOGE savings lag behind projections
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Faith Salie offers her two cents on the end of the penny
Faith Salie offers her two cents on the end of the penny Faith Salie offers her two cents on the end of the penny Faith Salie offers her two cents on the end of the penny What is worthless, but priceless? Overlooked, but treasured? Ubiquitous, but ephemeral? What makes us stop in the street to transcend our pride and stoop to pick it up? It's the humble, shiny, tiny penny. The Treasury announced it will cease making new pennies by early next year. Will they disappear immediately? No. But like so many things in our lives – reliably snowy winters, face-to-face conversations, books whose pages we can turn – pennies are fading away. Before you shrug me off as a sentimental fool old enough to remember visiting the penny candy store on Cape Cod, I do understand that pennies are "outdated" and "inefficient." The government spends about 3.7 cents to make 1 penny. That's a loss of $85 million last year alone. And around half of us don't even carry cash anymore. I don't think the Tooth Fairy believes in pennies nowadays. So, canceling them makes "cents." But in a world where it seems like everyone's looking down, a penny can remind us things might be looking up ... you know, pennies from heaven? You know who was on the first penny in 1792? A woman! It was deemed un-American back then to depict a ruler on a coin, so pennies featured Lady Liberty. A 1793 "flowing hair" penny with Lady Liberty. U.S. Mint It wasn't until 1909 that President Lincoln's face graced the coin. His iconic profile was designed by a Lithuanian-born Jewish immigrant, Victor David Brenner, who created what's thought to be the most reproduced piece of art in history. 1943 pennies were made of zinc-coated steel, because copper was needed for World War II. Should we just throw that history away? Well, yes! As long as we imbue each toss with our wishes. "A penny for your thoughts" was coined nearly 500 years ago by Sir Thomas More, back when offering someone a penny meant their musings were really worth something. These are just my two cents, but ... nobody throws a bitcoin into a fountain. Call me a numismatic nostalgic, but in a world full of crypto and virtuality, I'll keep my eyes peeled for the tarnished, tangible, inefficient promise of luck. For more info: Story produced by Liza Monasebian. Editor: Ed Givnish. See also:
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Vimergy Launches the "Mouth of America" - Exposing a System That Profits When We Stay Sick
New National Campaign Confronts the Healthcare Industry's Perverse Incentives and Sparks a Movement for Preventive Wellness NEW YORK, May 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Vimergy, the premium supplement company helping people reclaim their health with pure, potent, and timeless products, today launched the "Mouth of America" – an immersive national campaign debuting a large-scale art installation in New York City. Designed to provoke and inspire, the campaign calls attention to America's real health crisis: chronic, system-driven illness fueled by a healthcare model that profits when we stay sick. This problem shows no sign of abating: In 2024, Americans collectively took 215 billion doses of prescription medication. At the heart of the campaign is a striking public sculpture: Lady Liberty's Mouth of America. In this provocative installation, the face of the Statue of Liberty appears to ingest hundreds of giant pills scattered across the pavement. A universal symbol of freedom and hope, Lady Liberty now stands as a powerful metaphor for a nation drowning in chronic illness, overmedication, and growing distrust in the institutions meant to protect us. "This installation challenges the narrative we've long been sold – that our system is built to keep us healthy," said Phil Jacobson, Chief Brand and Marketing Officer of Vimergy. "But the truth is, the sicker we are, the more the system profits. Lady Liberty has become a patient herself – and she's not alone." The "Mouth of America" reflects the fact that in 2022, there were 6.7 billion total annual prescriptions in the U.S. alone. With this level of overprescription and still so much chronic illness, we have to ask: Who's really benefiting from keeping us sick? By grounding abstract data in something so innately representative of America, the installation reminds us that well-being doesn't start in a lab or a pharmacy. It starts with our choices. Today, Vimergy also launched a new campaign website that features a short film produced in partnership with Uncommon Creative Studio, a national survey of health and wellness consumers conducted by Talker Research, and educational materials about root-cause issues and health sovereignty. "The name says it all – we can save ourselves," added Dani Frese, Vimergy Wellness Consultant. "Americans are ready to break free from a system that treats symptoms, not people. This campaign is a rallying cry." The campaign sets the tone for the company's broader movement and its hopeful call to reclaim health on our own terms, one drop, one dose, one decision at a time. Vimergy was born out of its founders' personal journeys to resist chronic illness and reclaim vitality through nutrition, supplementation, and self-advocacy. Today, Vimergy products are trusted by health seekers in over 60 countries. You will soon be able to find Lady Liberty in a city near you. For updates, locations, and video content, visit About VimergyVimergy is a premium supplement company offering pure, potent, and timeless products to help people reclaim their health and future. Our supplements are consciously crafted to empower people to feel better, think clearer, and be at their best. All Vimergy products are Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, and Paleo Friendly. Vimergy is also a leader in the liquid vitamins space, providing people with a fast-acting, gut-friendly option for supplementing their diet without resorting to more pills. In an era of symptom-chasing and overprescription, we are empowering people to feel their best on their terms – one drop, one dose, one decision at a time. CONTACT INFO:press@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Vimergy Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Japan Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
U.S. citizenship could soon look very different
Nearly four months into his second term, it's becoming clear that President Donald Trump's xenophobic views on immigration are reshaping what it means to become a U.S. citizen. His vision tilts heavily toward the wealthy and well-to-do, with special shortcuts for them and barriers to entry for the rest — particularly the world's refugees and asylum seekers. There's Trump's proposal for $5 million "gold visa' cards, the prototype of which is literally Trump's visage and Lady Liberty emblazoned on a golden rectangle. The cards would allow, in Trump's words, "very high-level people' a "route to citizenship.' One goal of the gold card is to cut years off the typical vetting process, producing residency in as little as two weeks. Then there are the hefty deterrents for everyone else. New and escalating fees, proposed in the Republican Party's House budget bill, would quickly diminish the chances of entry for lower-income immigrants or refugees. A $3,500 fee would be slapped on unaccompanied minors. Anyone seeking a work permit would have to pay $550. And asylum applications, previously free, would cost $1,000 each. Most refugees and asylum seekers arrive in the U.S. with few possessions and even less cash. Until now, those with valid claims have depended heavily on modest federal resettlement stipends to ease their transition. And while it remains a long shot, Trump's challenge to the Constitution's promise of birthright citizenship is an important declaration by this administration that it wants to determine who can become a citizen. Trump would deny citizenship to children born to parents who are undocumented or who are here lawfully but on a temporary student or work visa. Some 2 million foreign nationals are here on such visas. Trump's case was before the Supreme Court at the time of this writing, and depending on the outcome, a new subclass of Americans could be created — born here, but never fully belonging. Finally, there was this little-noticed move amid a flurry of other executive orders: Trump in January rebooted efforts dedicated to stripping immigrants of their U.S. citizenship. Such cases, the department has said, would have no statute of limitations. There are more than 24 million naturalized citizens in the U.S., all of whom have traveled a long path through the immigration bureaucracy to get where they are. This project follows up on some of Trump's first-term efforts, when his Justice Department ordered investigations of 700,000 naturalized citizens for possible infractions (few of which were ever completed). Later in his term, Trump created an Office of Denaturalization. In 2023, Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff to the president, said that under a second term, denaturalization efforts would be "turbocharged.' Fernando de Brito, originally from Cape Verde, takes the Oath of Citizenship during a naturalization ceremony to make him a U.S. citizen in Boston on March 11. | REUTERS Taken together, these new polices would create a more mutable type of citizenship, no longer rooted in birthplace or in the arduous and lengthy task of proving one's worth. It is a dramatic turn for a nation that, nearly since its inception, has welcomed immigrants and is now home to one-fifth of the world's international migrants. Such a shift would hurt this country. Running immigrants through a wealth filter would cost us the drive, persistence and ingenuity that newcomers have brought to this country throughout its history. There is no filter for such intangibles. Offering the super-rich a fast-track to citizenship would also shorten the vetting process which is, after all, an important security measure. When Trump was asked about whether Russian oligarchs or other unsavory types might take advantage of his gold card, Trump replied, "Possibly,' adding, "Hey, I know some Russian oligarchs that are nice people.' And it would diminish the U.S. itself. For nearly 250 years this country has stood as a beacon of freedom and hope — and has reaped the rewards. The stories of impoverished refugees and immigrants who go on to contribute to the nation's well-being are legion. Trump's vision of U.S. citizenship seem to grow out of his views on immigration more broadly. But it should alarm all Americans, even the many who support his more popular efforts, such as securing a border that had become too porous under President Joe Biden; arresting and deporting criminals; and focusing on the human and drug trafficking that makes insecure borders so dangerous. Anti-immigrant sentiment has run like a bright thread through Trump's public life since he started his first campaign for president. In his first term, he cracked down on legal immigration far more than illegal, sending the number of green cards and temporary visas (known formally as nonimmigrant visas) plummeting. In a meeting midway through his first term, Trump famously inquired why the country should admit immigrants from "all these (expletive) countries,' such as Haiti, El Salvador and African nations. He suggested more immigrants from countries such as Norway or Asian countries that he believed helped the U.S. economically. There have long been signs that Trump's goal is to rid this country of those he considers undesirable. For now, that would seem to turn on one's wealth — or lack of it. Soon it could be whatever else Trump finds objectionable. Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish student at Tufts University, has been imprisoned for over five weeks since masked ICE agents arrested her in Somerville, Massachusetts. Her only infraction was co-writing a student op-ed for the school newspaper that was at odds with the Trump administration's support of Israel's war in Gaza. Mohsen Mahdawi, a permanent resident, attended what he thought was a naturalization interview in April and was promptly arrested for his political views on the Israel-Hamas war. A judge freed him from federal custody just recently, but he still faces possible deportation. In an op-ed for the New York Times, Mahdawi said that "When they look at my case, all Americans should ask themselves: what is left of our democracy and who will be targeted next?' Remarkably, Mahdawi said he still wants to become a citizen. "I believe in a system of democracy and I have faith in the justice system here.' Faith like that has fueled this country for 250 years. In comparison, Trump's obsession with wealth and loyalty is far too puny a way to measure what makes a good American. Patricia Lopez is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering politics and policy.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Gun-toting Aussie's wild plan to overhaul new firearm laws - and the very BIZARRE threat facing the country
A Texas-based Aussie woman advocating for gun rights has built a 'war chest' of hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight strict firearm legislation. On March 31, Western Australia 's government introduced laws limiting how many guns people can own to the horror of 'shooters'. The legal change set out mandatory offences and orders, compulsory safety training, health assessments and new storage requirements. But Kate Fantinel, a former WA senate candidate and podcaster about gun rights under 'Lady Liberty', launched a grassroots campaign to oppose the 'fascist' laws. Her GoFundMe, which has raised $174,000 since January, was set up to cover the costs for a law firm to produce a letter outlining the issues with the legislation. On Tuesday, she updated her followers on the legal case while sitting in front of an American flag which quoted the Second Amendment 'right to bear arms'. In the video shared to YouTube, Ms Fantinel said her team in WA was working on a 'Letter of Opinion' and assured viewers the donations had not been 'gambled' away. 'It turns out that the wheels of justice (do) turn slowly,' she said, describing the lengthy process as a 'baptism of fire'. 'This is a high profile, politically-charged, sensitive case. We are talking about challenging gun laws in Australia. Of course, it was going to be toxic. 'Of course there were going to be people with the knives out as soon as they got any chance so I didn't realise (the timeline) would be as bad as it was.' Ms Fantinel apologised for the slow movement but confirmed the Letter of Opinion, which expresses legal conclusions on a matter, would be coming soon. She said she is considering using the excess money from her campaign to hire a lawyer to fight against firearm laws after the letter is produced. Having moved to Texas earlier this year, she regularly joins the podcast of her employer Dan Behrman, an activist and former 2020 US presidential candidate. Behrman, who legally changed his middle name to All-Tax-Is-Theft, has previously told Ms Fantinel that the WA gun laws put Australia at risk of invasion from the Indian Ocean, The West Australian reported. 'It's only one ocean so you could imagine the Somali pirates could by all means come and invade mainland Australia if you get rid of all your guns,' he said. Ms Fantinel moved to Texas earlier this year and told her followers in an emotional YouTube video that she had fled Australia the way her grandfather fled fascist Italy. 'My grandfather migrated from Italy after the fascist destroyed his country. I feel like I am going through a similar thing,' she said. 'And yes, it's not been as explicit as what happened in Italy, but fascism is in Australia and that's what's happening in WA.' Ms Fantinel unsuccessfully ran as a senate candidate for Perth in the 2022 federal election as a member of a 'version of the libertarian party'. She said she ran a 'pro-gun campaign' after WA Police released street maps which showed a heavy concentration of gun ownership in metropolitan areas. The activist claimed this was a form of 'doxing' gun owners, publicly sharing personally identifiable information of a person or group without their consent.
