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ABC pulls 'Great American Baking Show' after harassment claims against judge
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THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW - Cake and Morning Treats Week - On your marks, get set, bake! As part of 25 Days of Christmas, the most festive and friendliest competition on television is back when season three of The Great American Baking Show (formerly The Great Holiday Baking Show) premieres with slices of cake and delicious morning treats, THURSDAY, DEC. 7 (9:00-11:00 p.m. EST), on The ABC Television Network. (ABC/Mark Bourdillion) BRYAN MCKINNON - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News special workflow
Published: Dec 19, 2017, 8:49 AM
ABC has decided to pull the third season of its hit show The Great American Baking Show after allegations against judge Johnny Iuzzini accuse him of harassment, according to Entertainment Weekly.

In light of allegations that recently came to our attention, ABC has ended its relationship with Johnny Iuzzini and will not be airing the remainder of The Great American Baking Show episodes, said an ABC spokesperson. ABC takes matters such as those described in the allegations very seriously and has come to the conclusion that they violate our standards of conduct. This seasons winner will be announced at a later date. Episodes of The Great Christmas Light Fight and CMA Country Christmas' will take its place this week and next.

Four employees who worked with Iuzzini made sexual harassment allegations against last month. Iuzzini addressed the allegations in an interview with Mic.

I am shattered and heartbroken at the thought that any of my actions left members of my team feeling hurt or degraded. More importantly, I am deeply sorry to those who felt hurt, he said.

The allegations come at a time when powerful men in Hollywood are being outed for sexual assault and harassment allegations. Major names such as Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer and Charlie Rose have been accused of harassment and sexual assault.

"The Great American Baking Show" first returned to ABC on Dec. 7 for a planned three-week run.

The shows first two episodes featured Highland native Bryan McKinnon, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Deseret News reported last week.

McKinnon spoke with judges Paul Hollywood and Iuzzini during the shows first episode, according to the Deseret News.

McKinnon said that being on the show reminded her that as important as her role as a mother is, she also needs an identity apart from her children.

"You chose a great calling, being a moms the best, but youre also a person, too. I wanted to represent that youre not throwing your life away. Its a choice I made and its probably the best choice Ive ever made," she said. I just feel like its so important for moms to know that you need an identity past being a mom. I feel like I want to shout that to the world."
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News
Published: Aug 13, 2018, 1:39 PM
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.