Latest news with #SarahMiller
Associated Press
7 days ago
- Health
- Associated Press
New EPA PFAS Standards Aim to Reduce Exposure—But Impact Will Vary by Community
New national PFAS limits mark progress, but Legal Claim Assistant warns that many communities face delays in cleanup and support. 'The EPA's rules are vital, but millions were exposed long before they existed—legal guidance is still essential.'— Sarah Miller, Legal Assistant at Legal Claim Assistant MIAMI, FLORIDA, FL, UNITED STATES, June 3, 2025 / / -- In a landmark move, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized national drinking water standards for six PFAS compounds in April 2024. The regulations mark the first enforceable federal limits for these so-called 'forever chemicals,' and communities across the country are now grappling with what these changes mean in practice. Legal Claim Assistant is tracking the rollout and its implications, especially for individuals already facing health concerns after prolonged PFAS exposure. While the new guidelines represent a major policy shift, advocates caution that implementation timelines, funding challenges, and regional disparities may limit the short-term impact for some communities. 'The new EPA rules are a critical step forward, but real change will depend on how quickly and thoroughly states and utilities act,' says Sarah Miller, Legal Assistant at Legal Claim Assistant. 'For many residents, the damage from years of exposure has already occurred.' What the New Guidelines Include The EPA now limits two well-known PFAS chemicals—PFOA and PFOS—to 4 parts per trillion (ppt) in drinking water. Four additional PFAS compounds are regulated using a Hazard Index, which accounts for cumulative health risks from combined exposure. Water utilities will have until 2029 to comply with these standards, with some early deadlines beginning in 2027 for monitoring and public reporting. The rule is expected to affect thousands of water systems, particularly those near military bases, industrial facilities, and airports where firefighting foam has historically been used. What It Means for Affected Residents Communities with long-standing PFAS contamination may finally see federal support for testing and remediation. However, individuals with serious health diagnoses potentially linked to PFAS—such as kidney cancer, testicular cancer, or thyroid disorders—may still face uncertain futures. 'Even with these new limits, people who were exposed years ago may already be dealing with the consequences,' Miller adds. 'Understanding your rights and legal options remains critical.' Legal Claim Assistant offers resources and legal referral services to help affected residents navigate the complex intersection of public health, environmental regulation, and liability law. Federal vs. Local Response While the EPA has set nationwide limits, the implementation will still rely heavily on state and local coordination. Funding challenges, infrastructure limitations, and ongoing litigation could delay cleanup efforts in certain areas. Legal experts note that the EPA's action may also influence current and future lawsuits by providing a federally recognized threshold for harmful PFAS exposure. About Legal Claim Assistant Legal Claim Assistant is a referral platform that connects individuals exposed to environmental hazards with experienced law firms across the United States. The organization provides informational support, free case evaluations, and guidance to help people understand their legal rights. 📞 Contact: Legal Claim Assistant [email protected] Nicky de Man Legal Claim Assistant Inc +1 888-651-1065 email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
The Guardian
04-05-2025
- General
- The Guardian
The questions behind our social interactions
The unspoken subject of Sarah Miller's piece is empathy (People who don't ask me questions drive me crazy. Why are they like that?, 1 May). In autism studies, researchers have noticed a 'double empathy problem': two people who think and communicate very differently will both struggle to empathise. Ms Miller demonstrates this phenomenon inadvertently but perfectly. She mentions differences in male and female communication. And that some people have anxiety around asking questions or appearing to pry. She acknowledges that not all questions are well-intentioned, but not that the line between acceptable and unacceptable is subjective. She doesn't appear to have wondered if 'non-askers' dislike her questions or if that is why they don't reciprocate. Neurodivergence and cultural differences are considerations too. There are many reasons why some ask fewer questions than others. These are not bad conversationalists. There are many ways to connect, none right or wrong, but many incompatible. You don't have to click with everyone. But if you want to befriend non-askers, pay attention to how others like to communicate and join in. Do they tell jokes, exchange anecdotes, play games? If you want others to socialise like you, it's only fair you and address supplied I'd like to suggest that there might be a cultural element to question asking. As an American who has moved to the UK, question-based conversation was a cultural difference I struggled to understand and enjoy. When I first moved to London people would ask me so many questions and never share anything about themselves. I found it so boring to always be answering questions about myself to the point that I started making things up. When I complained about it to a friend they explained that in the UK it's not really the done thing to talk about yourself unless someone has asked. This felt very different from my American upbringing where it's considered rude to ask questions that might be perceived as prying. Instead there's an expectation that people will share what they want to share when they are ready to do so. After learning that, I started having much better MaleneySheffield Sarah Miller's article is very interesting. There is one answer by Estonian healers and witches to the question she poses: people who ask too many questions are simply frightened. A frightened person always has questions on their lips. There are whole nations who don't ask you questions, like Estonians. There is a KGB occupation time trauma, for example, as they asked far too many questions. As an Estonian in the UK, I have been asked questions relentlessly until I am sick. It was never me waiting, as Miller says, like 'a dog for a treat', but rather not having been taught as a child how to shoot a question back straight away. That only comes with age and wisdom. In my view, not asking back is about peacefulness within yourself and contentment, because we as humans should also dream together and not be constantly intense. More recently, now aged 52, I have started to ask questions back creatively, like who is your favourite composer, your favourite colour, and why, rather than where are you from and what do you do. Because I find that Allik-SchunemannLondon Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
So you think you don't like gin?
There's something I need to get off my chest, OK? Here goes: I have never liked gin. It feels good to admit that, because the assumption is that, being a drinks writer, I should adore any and all forms of inebriation. But I (shock!) have things I loathe just as any other person does, even when it comes to booze. I don't like cardio or jobsworths, either, and that will never change. I do, however, want to change the gin thing. I've abstained from the expansive world of gin with my philistine resistance to garnishes, tonic water and any glass that requires both hands to drink from. So, in a bid to get over my irrational fears, I put out a call for gin experts to prescribe me a failsafe drink. 'If someone says they don't like gin, I ask if it's just London dry gin that they don't like, which tends to be most people's association with the category,' says Alexander Watson, founder of Renais. 'I'd invite them to try something with a softer profile, because there's just so much variety nowadays. With this kind of gin, I'd recommend a dry martini with a twist of lemon, where the heat of the liquid is taken out a little by the temperature of the drink, and there's also a small bit of dilution.' As several gin advocates I've dated have pointed out, it might also be that I just don't like tonic, a point picked up by spirits writer and gin expert Sarah Miller: 'Try different mixers – soda water, lemonade, ginger ale, even cola. And if it's the juniper you don't like, go for less traditional gins that lean towards different flavours.' Damola Timeyin, co-founder of Spearhead Spirits, a premium African spirits company, agrees: 'I'm a sucker for anything sweet, so for me the perfect gin cocktail is a gimlet. We make a palm and pineapple gin that goes great in a gimlet, especially when garnished with a slice of grilled pineapple.' That's probably one to consider when summer finally returns, but what if you want something classic that's not a gin and tonic? 'A Tom Collins made with a good entry-level gin such as Martin Miller's or Hendricks is a good gateway drink,' Sarah Miller tells me. 'Gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup and soda water.' No tonic water? Say no more. I head to the supermarket to gather the ingredients, the result froths in the glass and I feel the cold water of redemption rush over my palate. I need just the one hand to drink it, too (I use the other for crisps). Martin Miller's Gin £30 Waitrose, 40%. A good staple to have in your arsenal. Blended with Icelandic spring water, it's pure but earthy. Bayab African Grown Gin £35.93 (on offer) Master of Malt, 43%. A citrus-focused gin, with flavours from the baobab fruit complemented by African botanicals. Decem Light Spirit £29.95 Berry Bros & Rudd, 10%. If it's the high alcohol level you're avoiding, try this flavourful, traditionally styled blend. Renais Gin £48 Renais, 40%. Inspired by the terroir of Chablis and Burgundy, with a base of salvaged grapes, this is a softer blend. Subtle spice balances citrus and juniper.
The Guardian
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
So you think you don't like gin?
There's something I need to get off my chest, OK? Here goes: I have never liked gin. It feels good to admit that, because the assumption is that, being a drinks writer, I should adore any and all forms of inebriation. But I (shock!) have things I loathe just as any other person does, even when it comes to booze. I don't like cardio or jobsworths, either, and that will never change. I do, however, want to change the gin thing. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. I've abstained from the expansive world of gin with my philistine resistance to garnishes, tonic water and any glass that requires both hands to drink from. So, in a bid to get over my irrational fears, I put out a call for gin experts to prescribe me a failsafe drink. 'If someone says they don't like gin, I ask if it's just London dry gin that they don't like, which tends to be most people's association with the category,' says Alexander Watson, founder of Renais. 'I'd invite them to try something with a softer profile, because there's just so much variety nowadays. With this kind of gin, I'd recommend a dry martini with a twist of lemon, where the heat of the liquid is taken out a little by the temperature of the drink, and there's also a small bit of dilution.' As several gin advocates I've dated have pointed out, it might also be that I just don't like tonic, a point picked up by spirits writer and gin expert Sarah Miller: 'Try different mixers – soda water, lemonade, ginger ale, even cola. And if it's the juniper you don't like, go for less traditional gins that lean towards different flavours.' Damola Timeyin, co-founder of Spearhead Spirits, a premium African spirits company, agrees: 'I'm a sucker for anything sweet, so for me the perfect gin cocktail is a gimlet. We make a palm and pineapple gin that goes great in a gimlet, especially when garnished with a slice of grilled pineapple.' That's probably one to consider when summer finally returns, but what if you want something classic that's not a gin and tonic? 'A Tom Collins made with a good entry-level gin such as Martin Miller's or Hendricks is a good gateway drink,' Sarah Miller tells me. 'Gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup and soda water.' No tonic water? Say no more. I head to the supermarket to gather the ingredients, the result froths in the glass and I feel the cold water of redemption rush over my palate. I need just the one hand to drink it, too (I use the other for crisps). Martin Miller's Gin £30 Waitrose, 40%. A good staple to have in your arsenal. Blended with Icelandic spring water, it's pure but earthy. Bayab African Grown Gin £35.93 (on offer) Master of Malt, 43%. A citrus-focused gin, with flavours from the baobab fruit complemented by African botanicals. Decem Light Spirit £29.95 Berry Bros & Rudd, 10%. If it's the high alcohol level you're avoiding, try this flavourful, traditionally styled blend. Renais Gin £48 Renais, 40%. Inspired by the terroir of Chablis and Burgundy, with a base of salvaged grapes, this is a softer blend. Subtle spice balances citrus and juniper.
