News of the day:

The strange case of the man who died after eating too much licorice

By Francesca Giuliani-Hoffman, CNN

It's hard to exercise restraint when eating candy. For licorice lovers, indulging sparingly could actually be lifesaving.

A study published Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine says a 54-year-old man died as a result of eating too much licorice.

The man, a construction worker from Massachusetts, lost consciousness inside a fast-food restaurant and was taken to a hospital, where he died the next day.

Doctors wrote that he had "a poor diet, consisting primarily of several packages of candy daily," and that three weeks before, he switched from eating fruit-flavored soft candy to licorice candy, which contained glycyrrhizic acid.

Glycyrrhizic acid, or glycyrrhizin, a sweetening compound derived from licorice root, can cause a drop in potassium levels in the body, which in turn may cause high blood pressure, swelling, abnormal heart rhythms and even heart failure, according to the FDA.

"While black licorice is safe in small quantities, it can be dangerous when consumed in large amounts or even in more moderate amounts on a regular basis," Dr. Jacqueline Boykin Henson told CNN.

The patient was not suffering from underlying conditions that would have had an impact on what happened to him, Dr. Boykin Henson noted.

"While his diet consisted largely of black licorice, he was active and otherwise generally healthy," she said.

The negative effects of eating too much licorice are reversible, and wane when consumption is interrupted. A return to normal potassium levels may take one to two weeks.

"Individuals who enjoy black licorice should be cognizant of these potential health effects and should be conscious of the amount they are eating and how often," Dr. Boykin Henson said.

*****************************************************Of note, tonight is the first of three debates between Biden and Trump. According to the news this morning, "it’s shaping up to be a historic political donnybrook," (donnybrook- political uproar). What will they talk about? The candidates' records, the Supreme Court, Covid-19, the economy, race and violence, and election integrity.

What makes a good journalist?

Curiosity, critical thinking, a hunger for news, a burning desire to tell a good story, regardless of the medium or platform, and a dedication to accuracy, fairness, balance and media ethics...” (Brewer).

confirmation bias

Please read the following 5 pages carefully, noting the terms

terms 1. stereoptype, 2. prejudice, 3. bias and 4.

discrimination. I scanned the reading in; hence it is smaller than I

would like. You should be able to enlarge your screens for easier

viewing. On Thursday, you will be taking your own self-bias

assessment.

Once you have finished reading, please define each of the above in your own words and share. This is due by noon tomorrow.