Supreme Court rules Concord man can’t trademark ‘Trump too small’

• June 13, 2024

By MARK SHERMAN | Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously ruled against a man who wants to trademark the suggestive phrase “Trump too small.”

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The justices upheld the government’s decision to deny a trademark to Steve Elster, an attorney from Concord, Calif., who sought exclusive use of the phrase on T-shirts and potentially other merchandise.

Government officials said the phrase “Trump too small” could still be used, just not trademarked because Trump had not consented to its use. Indeed, “Trump too small” T-shirts can already be purchased online.

Elster’s lawyers had argued that the decision violated his free speech rights, and a federal appeals court agreed.

At arguments, Chief Justice John Roberts said that if Elster were to win, people would race to trademark “Trump too this, Trump too that.”

Although all nine justices agreed in rejecting Elster’s First Amendment claim, they used differing rationales that stretched over 53 pages of opinions.

Twice in the past six years, the justices have struck down provisions of federal law denying trademarks seen as scandalous or immoral in one case and disparaging in another.

Elster’s case dealt with another measure calling for a trademark request to be refused if it involves a name, portrait or signature “identifying a particular living individual” unless the person has given “written consent.”

The phrase at the heart of the case is a reference to an exchange Trump had during the 2016 presidential campaign with Sen. Marco Rubio, who was then also running for the Republican presidential nomination.

Rubio began the verbal jousting when he told supporters at a rally that Trump was always calling him “little Marco” but that Trump — who says he is 6-foot-3 — has disproportionately small hands. “Have you seen his hands? … And you know what they say about men with small hands,” Rubio said. “You can’t trust them.”

Trump then brought up the comment at a televised debate on March 3, 2016.

“Look at those hands. Are they small hands? And he referred to my hands — if they’re small, something else must be small. I guarantee you there’s no problem. I guarantee you,” he said.

It is one of several cases at the court relating to former President Donald Trump, including major cases related to the violent attack on the Capitol in 2021. Earlier this term, the court laid out standards for when public officials can be sued for blocking critics from their social media accounts. These cases were also related to Trump.

​ Orange County Register 

Las Vegas mainstay Tom Jones making Strip return

• June 13, 2024

John Katsilometes | (TNS) Las Vegas Review-Journal

LAS VEGAS — A legendary showman who dates to the Strip’s golden era and been the subject of millions of panties-throwing fans, is coming back to Las Vegas.

Tom Jones is headlining two shows at Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas on Sept. 28-29. Jones’ shows were confirmed Wednesday by AEG Presents, which books the venue. An announcement and ticket information are forthcoming next week.

These are Jones’ first shows in Las Vegas since he debuted at Encore Theater in October 2022. He turned 84 last week.

Jones has headlined Las Vegas since premiering at the Flamingo in 1967. He’s starred every year at the International Hotel/Las Vegas Hilton (where he became friends with Elvis Presley), and later MGM Grand’s Hollywood Theatre before it was renamed for David Copperfield. But he had not performed in Vegas for a dozen years prior to his 2022 appearance at Encore Theater.

Jones has sold more than 100 million records, topped by “It’s Not Unusual,” “Kiss,” “Delilah” and “What’s New Pussycat.” His latest album, “Surrounded by Time,” was issued in 2021.

The Welsh sensation was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006, received BRIT Awards for best male and outstanding contribution to music, a Silver Clef Award for lifetime achievement, the Hitmaker Award from the U.S. Songwriters Hall of Fame, GQ Man of the Year and the prestigious U.K. Music Industry Trust Award.

Jones has had both hips replaced (his left in in 2017 and his right in 2022), moving with a cane and sitting during his 2022 shows in Vegas. But he has been back on his feet in more recent shows and is still in fine voice.

A review from the Guardian from Jones’ show at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena allowed the superstar “was visibly not as nimble” as in years past “but that rich, full-bodied baritone is as stunning an instrument as ever.”

©2024 Las Vegas Review-Journal. Visit reviewjournal.com.. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Huntington Beach High Graduation 2024: Our best photos of the ceremony

• June 13, 2024

Huntington Beach Union High School District’s Huntington Beach High handed diplomas to the members of its graduating Class of 2024 on Wednesday, June 12.

A commencement ceremony at the campus stadium drew families and friends who cheered as the graduates walked across the stage, marking the end of their high school careers and the beginning of their bright futures.

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Gross-tasting medications can be a barrier to treatment. Philly researchers developed a ‘bitter blocker’ to help.

• June 13, 2024

Aubrey Whelan | (TNS) The Philadelphia Inquirer

Peihua Jiang knows how difficult it can be to convince a child to take a sip of a bitter liquid medication.

When they were young, his kids sometimes balked at taking medicines because they didn’t like how they tasted. And as a neurobiologist, Jiang knew the medical issues at stake went beyond a minor inconvenience.

Swallowing pills can be difficult for many young children and elderly people. Liquid medications are easier to consume, but their taste is often so off-putting that some patients will avoid them entirely — a significant barrier to good health for those who need to take lifesaving medications.

“My kids would refuse to take medicine when they were young,” he said, laughing. “It’s evolution; it makes perfect sense. A bitter taste is a sign you’re not supposed to eat something. But with medicine, it’s a different story.”

That’s why Jiang and his colleagues at Philadelphia’s Monell Chemical Senses Center, have spent years taking on what they describe as one of the most enduring challenges in medicine ― finding a “bitter blocker” substance that can prevent a patient from tasting anything bitter.

This month, Jiang and several colleagues announced a breakthrough: They identified a nerve inhibitor in liquid form that temporarily blocks all taste entirely. The center says it’s the first temporary taste blocker that works universally in humans, and a game-changer in a yearslong research journey.

“We are very pumped,” said Carol Christensen, a consultant to the director at Monell and a coauthor with Jiang of a paper on the compound recently published in British Journal of Pharmacology.

How bitter medication hurts health outcomes

Researchers at Monell, an independent research institution devoted to studying the senses of taste and smell, first began developing a bitter blocker in 2016 with a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The foundation was concerned about bitter tastes preventing the uptake of medications in developing countries, where many people need to take regular medication for serious chronic illnesses like HIV and tuberculosis.

Ninety percent of U.S. pediatricians cited “a drug’s taste and palatability” as the biggest barrier to getting their patients to complete a course of medication, according to a 2013 review of existing research on bitter medications for children.

The paper noted it’s also hard for young children to swallow pills, even in small sizes, and that people of all ages, especially elderly adults, can have issues taking pills.

And what one might call the Mary Poppins method — a spoonful of sugar to make the medicine go down — comes with its own risks. Adding sweeteners to medications can cause cavities or damage tooth enamel.

For patients with serious conditions that require a long course of treatment, such as HIV, avoiding bitter medications can be dangerous.

“Many, many children, especially in developing countries, are not taking medicines and are dying,” said Linda Flammer, a senior research associate at Monell and the lead author on the new paper. “Simply giving them medication they can tolerate will save their lives.”

‘It’s actually really wonderful’

At first, Monell researchers hoped to develop a bitter blocker by targeting the taste receptors on the tongue that handle bitter sensations. But that’s more complicated than it seems.

Sweet tastes are easier to block, because they affect only two taste receptors on the tongue. But at least 25 taste receptors are devoted to detecting bitter tastes. And a person’s reaction to a bitter taste can vary depending on their genetics.

“Some may have a strong response to one bitter receptor. Some people may not have any response at all,” Flammer said.

So the researchers pivoted to target the nerve receptor that receives signals from the taste buds, Jiang said. In their search, they identified clinical trials for medications that targeted the same nerve receptor to treat various health conditions.

In trials for one of those medications, designed to treat chronic cough, the researchers noticed a curious side effect. “People were taking these medications for chronic cough, but they were saying, ‘It messed up my taste,’” Jiang said. They theorized they might be able to adapt a nerve inhibitor used in the medication to intentionally target a person’s sense of taste.

They discovered that the compound in liquid form, swished around the mouth for less than a minute, blocks all taste for about an hour and a half. Then, taste returns to normal, allowing a patient to go about their daily lives without a bitter taste lingering in their mouths.

The researchers tested it on adult humans and on mice, and found that the inhibitor only blocks taste — not any other sensations in the mouth, like temperature or even the tingling felt from a sip of a carbonated beverage.

“It’s actually really wonderful. We’ve never seen that before,” Jiang said.

Getting the treatment to patients

The bitter blocker is a long way from seeing practical applications in medicine, the researchers said. In general, between further research and safety testing, it can take years for a scientific discovery to roll out to the general public. But drug manufacturers could one day deliver the drug through lollipops, popsicles, or other kid-friendly forms to help young children feel more confident about taking their medications, Jiang said.

“We just hope now that we can take this very exciting finding and then find the right partners and the next funding to really make it happen,” said his colleague, Christensen.

Jiang is also hoping to continue studies on other bitter blockers, including ones that specifically target taste buds.

“We tried to provide a toolbox for blocking bitterness,” he said.

___

©2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Visit at inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

​ Orange County Register 

Ocean View’s Isis Salazar is the Orange County Girls Outstanding Competitor

• June 13, 2024

ORANGE COUNTY GIRLS OUTSTANDING COMPETITOR 2023-24

This award recognizes an Orange County athlete who was a standout in multiple sports, a team leader and someone who also excelled in areas outside of sports.

Orange County girls Competitor of the Year Isis Salazar of Ocean View in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. Salazar, a five-sport athlete who competed in flag football, tackle football, soccer, softball and track and field. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Name: Isis Salazar

School: Ocean View

Year: Senior

Sports: Football, flag football, soccer, softball, track and field

Notable highlights: Isis Salazar considers herself open minded when it comes to trying new sports. But what happens when she lets that curiosity run free?

The senior answered that question by becoming one of the most accomplished athletes in Ocean View history.

Salazar played a mind-boggling five sports this school year and earned Orange County female athlete of the year from county athletic directors.

“I can’t recall having a five-sporter,” Ocean View athletic director Tim Walsh said of Salazar, who also maintained a 3.5 grade-pointer average. “But as far as the impact she’s made in so many of them, it’s unbelievable.”

Salazar said she was introduced to different sports as a freshman at Ocean View. Her curiosity and athleticism guided her from there.

Inspired by a desire to have no regrets about her pursuits, Salazar competed in football, flag football, soccer, track and field and softball in 2023-24.

“I have an open mind,” she said of playing multiple sports. “I had so much fun. The girls made it fun. I loved all my coaches I had.”

Salazar’s best sport is soccer. The Cal State Bakersfield-bound forward scored 31 goals in the winter to lead the Seahawks to the Golden West League title. She was selected first-team All-County, Golden West League MVP and finished with a school-record 129 career goals.

In the fall, Salazar played football for the third consecutive year and joined flag football for its inaugural season in the Southern Section. She was a kicker in football and a two-way standout in flag football before an injury cut her season short.

As a sophomore in 2021, Salazar became the second Orange County girl to score a touchdown in a varsity game.

This spring, she participated in track and field for the fourth year. In the high jump, she won the Golden West League title, placed second at CIF-SS Masters with a clearance of 5 feet, 6 inches and qualified for the CIF State championships. She was chosen second-team All-County.

Salazar had never played softball before but joined the Seahawks as a pinch runner.

“She’s fearless,” her mother Norma said. “That’s who she is.”

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8 years later, Orlando remembers 49 victims of Pulse mass shooting

• June 13, 2024

Eight years after one of the deadliest shootings on U.S. soil struck Pulse nightclub in Orlando, keeping memories of the 49 killed that night alive was the focus of families and survivors gathered Wednesday evening.

Siclaly Santiago-Leon said their memory was most important. She’s the cousin of Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, who was slain in the attack on the LGBTQ safe haven.

“One of the greatest heartaches for a grieving person can be the fear that their loved ones will be forgotten,” Santiago-Leon said. “As family members of the 49 angels, we have vowed to never let that happen.”

The Pulse Remembrance Ceremony at Steinmetz Hall capped a day of events ranging from Greenwood Cemetery to the ringing of the church bells at First United Methodist Church downtown.

Osceola unveils images of colorful sculpture for tribute to 49 Pulse victims on 8th anniversary

It came as city officials hope to kickstart efforts to build a permanent memorial at the nightclub site — amid some distrust in the latest effort following a failed try by the onePulse Foundation.

“I understand that all that has transpired over the last year has been especially difficult for some families and survivors … And while I know that a renewed effort to create a memorial won’t necessarily make those feelings go away, or erase the pain that the tragedy left behind, my hope is that we can work together to finally turn the desire for a permanent memorial at the Pulse site into a reality,” Mayor Buddy Dyer said.

“My hope is that together we can create a memorial where we can grieve, where we can reflect and most importantly, where we can honor the 49 angels and survivors each and every day.”

Last week, applications opened to join an advisory board that will meet monthly starting in July in hopes of ironing out a design for the memorial — which Dyer hopes will be built by the end of his mayoral term at the end of 2027.

The application will be available until June 23 at pulseorlando.org/committee.

Dancers perform an interpretative dance with electric candles during the remembrance ceremony honoring those killed in the Pulse massacre eight years ago, at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Wednesday, June 12, 2024. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

The now-dissolved nonprofit, formed by owner of the nightclub Barbara Poma, had extravagant plans to construct a memorial and museum, though ultimately it wasn’t able to fundraise close to the amount of money needed to do so.

Last year, the city purchased the nightclub from the Poma family for $2 million and formally took over memorial efforts — and has said it won’t pursue the museum.

In remembering the victims Wednesday afternoon, about 80 gathered at First United Methodist Church for the reading of the victims’ names — and rang church bells in their honor.

The evening ceremony included prayer, a video presentation dedicated to the victims, as well as performances by the Orlando Gay Chorus.

In a prayer shared by the Rev. José Rodriguez, of the Episcopal Churches of Christ the King and Jesus de Nazaret, he noted the 49 were reflective of the city where they danced eight years prior.

“We honor the daughters and sons of Borinquen, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Africa and Europe,” he said. “Each person, touched by Light and Life, the source of love, courage and resilience.”

President Joe Biden acknowledged the solemn date in a tweet Wednesday evening.

“Eight years since the shooting at Pulse, I mourn the 49 souls stolen from us in the deadliest attack on the LGBTQI+ community in our history. It’s on us to create a world where LGBTQI+ folks are safe — and where we do more than just remember the victims of gun violence, but act,” his account said.

rygillespie@orlandosentinel.com

​ Orange County Register 

Mortgage rates stay just below 7%

• June 13, 2024

Mortgage rates eased again this week, though the latest pullback leaves the average rate on a 30-year home loan at close to 7%, where it’s been much of this year.

The rate fell to 6.95% from 6.99% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.69%.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also eased this week, lowering the average rate to 6.17% from 6.29% last week. A year ago, it averaged 6.10%, Freddie Mac said.

“Mortgage rates continued to fall back this week as incoming data suggests the economy is cooling to a more sustainable level of growth,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.

Home loan rates are influenced by several factors, including how the bond market reacts to the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy and the moves in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.

Yields have eased recently following some economic data showing slower growth. On Thursday, a report showed inflation at the wholesale level fell from April into May. That followed a surprisingly encouraging update on inflation at the consumer level a day earlier.

Signs that the economy is cooling can drive inflation lower, which could persuade the Fed to lower its short-term interest rate from its highest level in more than two decades.

Federal Reserve officials said Wednesday that inflation has fallen further toward their target level of 2% in recent months but signaled that they expect to cut their benchmark interest rate just once this year. That’s down from their previous projection of three cuts.

Until the Fed begins lowering its short-term rate, long-term mortgage rates are unlikely to ease significantly, economists say.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage remains near a two-decade high, adding hundreds of dollars a month in costs on a home loan, limiting homebuyers’ purchasing options.

Elevated mortgage rates dampened home sales this spring homebuying season. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in March and April as home shoppers contended with rising borrowing costs and prices.

The recent pullback in mortgage rates has spurred a pickup in home loan applications, which jumped nearly 16% last week from a week earlier, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

“A further decline in mortgage rates, coupled with reports of rising inventory levels in markets across the country, is good news for prospective homebuyers this summer,” said MBA CEO Bob Broeksmit.

​ Orange County Register 

6 summer cocktail recipes to soothe the Southern California heat

• June 13, 2024

Grab your bathing suits, blenders and cocktail shakers.

We reached out to some Southern California-area mixologists, both professional and amateur, and asked them to send us their favorite summer cocktail recipes — and these drinks don’t disappoint.

Whether you’re lounging by the pool, hosting a dinner party or relaxing under the stars, these refreshing summer cocktails offer immaculate seasonal vibes and aren’t too difficult to whip up.

Cheers!

Austin Buscher, bar manager at Walter’s in Claremont, says the Pepper Daisy is the perfect summer cocktail. (Courtesy of Austin Buscher)

Pepper Daisy

Daisies are always a great summer go-to because the orange liqueur and citrus are iconic hot-weather flavors. The habanero vodka in this drink brings a spice note that rounds out the herbal and honey notes of the Strega. — Austin Buscher, Bar Manager (a.k.a. Duke of Spirits) at Walter’s in Claremont

Ingredients: 2 ounces Habanero Vodka, 1 ounce Orange Liqueur, 1/4 ounce Strega Liqueur, 3/4 ounce lemon juice. Throw it in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake it up, pour into coupe and garnish with a pretty flower.

Writer and bartender Emma Schuler from Los Angeles says the best way to beat the summer heat is to curl up on a patio with a Modified Cynar Spritz. (Courtesy of Emma Schuler)

Modified Cynar Spritz 

As soon as the weather starts warming up, my entire hierarchy of needs is replaced by a singular drive: sit on a patio and drink a spritz. There’s no amaro (an Italian liqueur flavored with herbs) that I would scoff at mixing into a refreshing spritz, but one of my favorites is this juiced-up version of a Cynar spritz. It’s got all the depth and richness of Cynar (an artichoke amaro that’s of the more subtle and sweet variety), punched up and given a summery twist by the fruity zest of Chinola Passionfruit Liqueur. — Emma Schuler, Writer and Bartender at Accomplice Bar in Mar Vista, Los Angeles 

In a wine glass, add: 1.5 oz Cynar, .75 oz Chinola, Fill glass with ice, give a gentle stir and top with equal parts dry sparkling wine and soda water. Garnish with grapefruit zest.

For scientist Thomas Upton from Huntington Beach, it’s just not summertime if there’s not a freshly blended Mezcalito within reach. (Photo credit: Emily St. Martin)

Fresh Mango Mezcalito

Mangoes are in peak form during the summer, and fresh, flavorful fruit is always best for blended cocktails. A blended Mezcalito is perfect for summer days by the pool, with a slab of Picanha on the smoker and friends around the backyard tiki bar. Feel free to swap out the mezcal for tequila if you prefer. — Thomas Upton, Scientist, amateur mixologist, member of the of the Traeger Nation for a decade, residing in Huntington Beach

To make 2 Mezcalitos add to a blender: 1 fresh mango, 2 shots Mezcal, a generous splash of orange juice,juice from 1 lime, raw agave syrup to taste, ice, garnish the rim with Chamoy or Tajin for savory, or Miguelito for sweet and sour.

Writer and Southern California News Group contributor Hoda Mallone prefers summer nights to summer days, and her cocktail of choice is the Charmcraft Negroni. (Courtesy of Hoda Mallone)

Charmcraft Negroni

With the Summer Solstice upon us, the duality of Gemini is on full display in this cocktail’s bittersweet and herbal notes, which pair perfectly with the bittersweet tones of the Tarot. Some live for summer days, but to me, the perfect summer night is sipping a Charmcraft Negroni and pulling major arcana under the stars. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll get a visit from the High Priestess. — Hoda Mallone, Writer from Manhattan Beach

Ingredients: 1 ounce gin, 1 ounce sweet vermouth, 1 ounce Campari (I prefer to up the gin and lower the Campari slightly, but to each their own.) Garnish with an orange peel and pour over ice.

Giuseppe “Joey” Mancuso, owner of Barcuso in Downtown Upland says Old Blues Eyes, named after Frank Sinatra, is the perfect seasonal cocktail. (Photo credit: Emily St. Martin)

Old Blue Eyes

Named after Frank Sinatra himself, this cocktail will have you back on top in June! Enjoy this cocktail my way, alongside a fresh pizza drizzled with hot honey or next to a firepit with some jukebox tunes and a cigar. — Giuseppe “Joey” Mancuso, owner of Barcuso in Downtown Upland

In a cocktail shaker add: 2 ounces Empress Gin, 1 ounce Lemon Juice, 1 tablespoon of Blueberry Purée, add ice to shaker and shake, strain over ice, top off with sprite and add 2 blueberries for garnish.

Rebecca Lucas, an audiobook narrator from Pasadena, loves to relax in the summer with a classic cocktail, the Bee’s Knees. (Courtesy of Rebecca Lucas)

Bee’s Knees

The Bee’s Knees is my go-to summer drink. There’s a reason it’s a classic: it’s simple and easy to make, crisp and refreshing like a grown-up lemonade. It’s also a cocktail that’s fun to riff on, like adding lavender or thyme to the honey syrup or just swapping out the honey syrup for bärenjäger (a spiced honey-flavored liqueur made in Germany). — Rebecca Lucas, audiobook narrator from Pasadena and this reporter’s personal bartender (and sister)

Ingredients: 2 ounces gin, 3/4 ounce Lemon Juice,1/2 ounce Honey. Mix ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake it up, pour into coupe and garnish with lemon.

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