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Report: Jeff Flake to compare Trump to Stalin in upcoming speech
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According to CNN, Sen. Jeff Flake will deliver a speech Wednesday in which he will compare President Donald Trump to Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. - photo by Herb Scribner
Herb Scribner
Deseret News special workflow
Published: Jan 17, 2018, 7:09 AM
Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake plans to take a stand against President Donald Trumps views on the media this week.

According to CNN, the Republican senator, who is not running for re-election this year, will deliver a speech Wednesday in which he will compare Trump's thoughts on the press to the late Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

"Mr. President, it is a testament to the condition of our democracy that our own president uses words infamously spoken by Josef Stalin to describe his enemies," reads the excerpt. "It bears noting that so fraught with malice was the phrase 'enemy of the people,' that even Nikita Khrushchev forbade its use, telling the Soviet Communist Party that the phrase had been introduced by Stalin for the purpose of 'annihilating such individuals' who disagreed with the supreme leader."

Flake, who served in the House from 2000 to 2013 and will have served one term in the Senate, also calls Trumps constant attacks on the media "an assault as unprecedented as it is unwarranted, CNN reported.

"The free press is the despot's enemy, which makes the free press the guardian of democracy," Flake's remarks say. "When a figure in power reflexively calls any press that doesn't suit him 'fake news,' it is that person who should be the figure of suspicion, not the press."

Read more at CNN.

Flake and Trump have clashed on other issues over the past year. Most recently, Flake condemned Trumps disparaging remarks about Haiti and African countries, the Deseret News reported.

My ancestors came from countries not nearly as prosperous as the one we live in today. Im glad that they were welcomed here, he tweeted.

Flake said in his retirement speech that he will continue to speak out against Trump.

I have decided that I will be better able to represent the people of Arizona and to better serve my country and my conscience by freeing myself from the political considerations that consume far too much bandwidth and would cause me to compromise far too many principles.

Meanwhile, Trump has tweeted out against Flake before, calling him weak on borders and a non-factor for the Senate, according to the Deseret News. Trump has also endorsed contenders for Flakes Senate seat. Joe Arpaio, one of Trumps allies, plans to run for the position.
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.