Here are the items selected for review this year. I could find no justification for this selection other than “The WISeR Model tests the use of enhanced technology to decrease certain wasteful (low-value) services shown to have little to no clinical, evidence-based benefit. Technology companies participating in the model help streamline the review of medical necessity for select items and services earlier in the claims process to: 1) reduce inappropriate utilization, 2) lower spending in Original Medicare, 3) expedite decision making and(4) ease provider administrative burden.”

Who has shown these items to have no clinical, evidence-based benefit? RFK Jr?

1. Arthroscopic Lavage and Arthroscopic Debridement for the Osteoarthritic Knee (NCD 150.9)

2. Induced Lesions of Nerve Tracts (NCD 160.1)

3. Vagus Nerve Stimulation (NCD 160.18)

4. Phrenic Nerve Stimulators (NCD 160.19)

5. Electrical Nerve Stimulators (NCD 160.7)

6. Incontinence Control Devices (NCD 230.10)

7. Sacral Nerve Stimulators for Urinary Incontinence (NCD 230.18)

8. Diagnosis and Treatment of Impotence (NCD 230.4)

9. Percutaneous Vertebral Augmentation for Vertebral Compression Fracture (L34228, L38201, L35130)

10. Epidural Steroid Injections for Pain Management (L39015, L39240, L36920)

11. Cervical Fusion (L39741, L39758, L39793)

12. Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (L38307, L38310, L38385)

13. Application of Bioengineered Skin Substitutes to Lower Extremity Chronic Non-Healing Wounds (L35041) and Wound Application of Cellular and/or Tissue Based Products (CTPs), Lower Extremities (L36690)

14. Deep Brain Stimulation (NCD 160.24) – implementation delayed and will not occur on January 1, 2026; to be re-evaluated for implementation in a future performance year

15. Percutaneous Image-Guided Lumbar Decompression for Spinal Stenosis (NCD 150.13) – implementation delayed and will not occur on January 1, 2026; to be re-evaluated for implementation in a future performance year.

Previously, the oldest known human writing was from Mesopotamia, about 3000 years ago! This is pretty rudimentary writing, but we do copy editing, and you’d be surprised at how rudimentary today’s writing is! We post funny AI mistakes periodically! Watch this space for more!

Andrew Paul

Published Feb 23, 2026 3:00 PM EST

New evidence published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences indicates humans experimented with symbolic writing as much as 40,000 years ago. If true, the discoveries dramatically recontextualize the history of communication, given the earliest known written languages are Mesopotamian proto-cuneiforms dating back to around 3000 BCE.

“The artifacts date back to tens of thousands of years before the first writing systems, to the time when Homo sapiens left Africa, settled in Europe, and encountered Neanderthal,” explained Ewa Dutkiewicz, a study co-author and archaeologist at Berlin’s Museum of Prehistory and Early History.

Dutkiewicz and colleagues have spent years analyzing 260 relics recovered from Stone Age cave sites in the Swabian Jura, a remote mountain range located in southwestern Germany. These include a small mammoth figurine carved from the extinct animal’s tusk along with the Adorant, a famous ivory carving that appears to depict a human-lion figure with outstretched arms. These and many other similar artifacts also feature frequently repeating sequences of lines, crosses, dots, and notches.

The team then entered over 3,000 geometric carvings into a Stone Age sign database, and examined them using various computational analysis tools. They didn’t expect to translate any of the messages, but instead used the analysis to compare and contrast their attributes with writing systems that developed later.

“There are plenty of theories, but until now there has been very little empirical work carried out on the basic, measurable characteristics of the signs,” added Christian Bentz, a study co-author from Germany’s Saarland University.

Bentz explained that using methods like quantitative linguistics and statistical modeling allowed them to compare the symbols found on the Paleolithic artifacts to early cuneiform, as well as modern writing formats. With this approach, they could estimate just how much information could be contained within the carved symbols.

“The human ability to encode information in signs and symbols was developed over many thousands of years. Writing is only one specific form in a long series of sign systems,” he said. “We continue to develop new systems for encoding information. Encoding is also the basis of computer systems.”

The results surprised researchers. Although they initially theorized the proto-cuneiform would share more similarities to present-day writing systems, it seems that the Mesopotamian communication method looks more like its Stone Age ancestors. This means that writing may have changed very little for tens of thousands of years. While the exact meanings of Paleolithic Germany’s artifacts remain a mystery, the team is confident it does not represent any spoken language.

“The signs on the archaeological objects are frequently repeated–cross, cross, cross, line, line, line. This type of repetition is not a feature found in spoken language,” said Bentz.

The team can also now begin narrowing the scope of possible interpretations. The discoveries also highlight that in terms of cognitive capabilities, Stone Age humans had already achieved a similar capacity to the present-day descendents.

“There are many sign sequences to be found on artifacts. We’ve only just scratched the surface,” said Dutkiewicz.

Editor’s note: Think he MEANT that to be a pun?

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Package Description

Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Time: 2-4 p.m. ET
Cost: $49 for members; $79 for nonmembers.

ACES is excited to launch its inaugural Spotlight Series this spring, a recurring virtual educational series focusing on topics that are trending in the editing community. Considering the reach of AI across industries and communities, it may not be surprising that it was selected as this year’s topic.

In the session, a panel of experts will each give a 15-minute lightning talk, followed by a moderated Q&A from the online participants. This, the first session of the new series, focuses on the legalities and ethics of editors using AI in their work. Go to the ACES Spotlight Series page for details.

Three learning objectives:

1. Understand the legalities of using AI when editing.

2. Clarity about the ethics of using AI when editing.

3. Suggestions for best practices around using AI while editing.

Cost: $49 members / $79 nonmembers

Panelists:

• Patricia Loo, licensing and subsidiary rights management
  Rights & Permissions Officer
  International Monetary Fund

• Jasmine McNealy, the legal and policy environment at the intersection of editing and AI
  Professor, Department of Media Production, Management, and Technology
  University of Florida

• Joseph J. Perry, Esq., contracts and intellectual property
  Literary Attorney
  The Law Offices of Joseph J. Perry, Esq.

• Nancy Sims, copyright and licensing
  Director, Copyright and Scholarly Communication, Content, and Collections
  University of Minnesota Libraries

Complete information and panelists’ bios are available on the ACES website.

© 2021 ACES. The American Copy Editors Society is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

ACES: The Society for Editing
180 S. Western Ave. #132
Carpentersville, IL 60110
training@aceseditors.org
www.aceseditors.org

View the video at The Funk Music Hall of Fame & Exhibition Center on YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC2jUqktpZH7x472KoVNNXdQ

Interview with JARA HARRIS and members of the FUNK group, “SLAPBAK” BAND on the Funk Chronicles, with your host, David Webb & Co-host Jasmine Summers “The Super Soul Sister” from the syndicated radio show called “The Dayton Scene Radio Show.” This interview was recorded at DATV Studios in Dayton Ohio on August 20, 2024.

The (“Fearless Leader”) Jara Harris started the Rock/R&B/Funk Band “SLAPBAK” in 1990, when Jara was only 20 years old. In 1991,”TJ” Quake joined the band as a production assistant/roadie, and then in 1995 he joined the band and became the (hype-man) and singing/rapper. In 1997, Jara Harris, John “Fingazz” Stary, and “TJ” QuakeShot wrote the song “Futurevoid” for the band. “SLAPBAK’s” debut album, Fast Food Funkateers, was released in 1992, and they released a follow-up album later that year.

Back in the 1990s When Jara started “SLAPBAK,” everyone thought the name meant the slappin’ of Jara’s thumbs up against his bass strings. Some even thought that it meant slapping’ back against society because he never drank, smoked or tried drugs in his life. Well, years later we discovered that “SLAPBAK” means none of the above, a matter of fact “SLAPBAK” isn’t even a noun.

It’s a verb…. it’s an untouched force of action. This band hates hype, just like their song says “Don’t Talk About It, Be About It” which means they are all about the delivery. This is the reason “SLAPBAK” hates bios or introductions before they hit the stage. The show and the music speaks for itself. They have an undeniable sound that Jara has finely tuned over the years he calls “Urban Crunch.” This is a sound made up of Funk, Rock, Hip Hop & Alternative that is mixed up in his own special way.

Here is some of the things I know for a fact. In the early 1990’s they signed to Warner Brothers and released their debut album “Fast Food Funkateers”. This record included George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Fred Wesley (James Brown), Larry Blackmon (Cameo), Dawn Silva (Brides of Funkenstein). Needless to say this only gave “SLAPBAK” the title “The New Keeper of the Funk” by 92.3 The Beat.

Their single “True Confession” had video rotation on BET and did well with radio. Since then Slapbak has produced 7 more cds. They have toured and performed with artists like Snoop Dogg, Mint Condition, George Clinton & the P-Funk All Stars, Bootsy Collins, Roger Troutman and Zapp, The Time, 2 Live Crew, Fishbone and Digital Underground just to name a few. Then “Shock G” looked up “SLAPBAK” after seeing them 8 years prior and asked Jara Harris of “SLAPBAK” to be Digital’s band as well as an opening act. “SLAPBAK” toured and recorded with them for several years. Shortly after the tour “SLAPBAK” started working with Verdine White from Earth, Wind & Fire.

This has always been a stand alone band. They’ve toured in Europe 3 times and they’re about to go back to support the release of their latest cd “Underground Mayhem. “SLAPBAK’s” music has mutated quite a bit over the years and like the music has, so has the band. Some musicians that came through the Slapbak camp have gone off to play with The Time, Nikka Costa, Erukah Badu, The Gap Band, Good Charolette, Ben Harper, 112, Jordin Sparks to name a few, but the new band is the most interesting combination yet. You have African-American, Caucasion, Mexican and Japanese ages ranging from 20 – 40. This wasn’t planned, this is just the pieces of the puzzle that fit. This band will make you a true believer that music is truly universal!!!!!

“We are keeping Funk alive for the next Generation of children”. Let’s make history together – join us!!!
Funk fans, make a donation and help us build “TheFunkCenter” a 501(c)(3) charitable organization in Dayton, Ohio.

“GET YOUR SWAG ON FUNK FANS.”
The moment you’ve been waiting for, get your Funky Merch Galore right here at TheFunkCenter Gift Store. click on our web store link, at the bottom of the page. “WE ARE KEEPING FUNK ALIVE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.”

https://thefunkcenter.store

For more information visit our website at www.thefunkcenter.org and follow us on Twitter @thefunkcenter. Be sure to like us on Facebook & subscribe to our YouTube channel The Funk Music Hall of Fame & Exhibition Center.

The views and opinions expressed on Funk Chronicles are those of the interviewees/guest and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Funk Music Hall of Fame & Exhibition Center (dba TheFunkCenter). Any content provided by our interviewees/guest are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.

Here’s a link to the YouTube video, while I figure out how to display it here.

https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC2jUqktpZH7x472KoVNNXdQ

I definitely prefer working at home. Despite the arguments that interaction between workers sparks creativity, I find that my staff is so used to working online, that they’re just as creative working on their own computers.

I’ve noticed that when I tell Sam’s or Walmart I’m on my way to pickup my order, they immediately start tracking me. Why do they need to know where I’m coming from?

From Windows Central <windowscentral@smartbrief.com>

By Kevin Okemwa published 2 days ago

A vast majority of users feel like Microsoft Teams’ Wi‑Fi location tracking feature crosses the line between productivity and surveillance.

Last year, I reported on a new Microsoft Teams feature, which raised controversy and privacy concerns among most users. The feature in question automatically updates a user’s work location when their device is connected to an office Wi-Fi network — becoming your boss’s lapdog, by snitching on your live location.

Shortly after the post became viral, Microsoft quietly changed how the feature works, as highlighted below:

“When users connect to their organization’s Wi-Fi, Teams will soon be able to automatically update their work location to reflect the building they’re working from. This feature will be off by default. Tenant admins will decide whether to enable it and require end-users to opt-in.”

“Microsoft is blurring the lines between coworker collaboration and IT oversight.

IT wise, yes the info was always there. But nobody is asking IT to snitch on you. The entire point of this is that your boss just has to click your name on Teams and now they know where you are. No IT requests, no privacy/ethics concerns, no breach of trust. It’s just right there at any time.

What’s the next step? The same tracking but for your phone? Microsoft letting your boss look at your screen? Sending your boss daily reports on click rates, words typed, program usage, etc?”

Interestingly, some users seem unfazed by the change, claiming that most Microsoft products and services already ship with this feature in some shape or form. “Most Microsoft products already meet the criteria for what we’d normally call spyware. What’s another drop in a flooded bucket?” a Reddit user indicated.

Some users came up with some interesting ideas on how to bypass the new Teams feature’s invasive nature, suggesting using a wired connection at the office instead of Wi-Fi. “I just won’t install teams on my phone then, and when I’m working remote they can’t find me anyway they can just message me and I’ll answer from the laptop,” another Reddit user indicated.

On the other hand, some users suggested that Microsoft’s efforts were seemingly misplaced and indicated that it should redirect them to fix some UI and UX elements in its Windows operating system. “God forbid they spend time to make the Windows search actually search my computer again,” a user indicated.

After reviewing hundreds of comments, it’s clear that users either want the feature scrapped entirely or simply don’t care, since many work remotely. “I swear there must be a team at MS that is just tasked with making Teams worse,” a user indicated on Reddit.

From the inimitable Khalil Greene. Find his substack at

History Can’t Hide from Kahlil Greene

I share short “hidden history” lessons about Black, Native, Asian, and Latino American History. Subscribe if you want to know the truth about this country.

Every January, America trots out the same handful of Martin Luther King Jr. quotes. “I have a dream.” “Content of their character.” The safe ones. The non-controversial ones.

But here’s what they don’t show you:

In 1963, King wrote from a Birmingham jail that the “white moderate” was a bigger stumbling block to freedom than the Klan. He said people who preferred “order” over justice were the real enemy of progress.

That’s not in your textbook.

While schools teach that King “hated” violence, they skip the part where he told America: “A riot is the language of the unheard.”

By 1967, King wasn’t just fighting segregation anymore. He was calling out the “triple evils” of racism, extreme materialism, and militarism. He argued for a “radical redistribution of economic power.” He said capitalism itself was built on the exploitation of Black slaves.

He even wrote that a nation that did “something special against” Black people for centuries must now do “something special for” them.

Sound familiar? That’s reparations, in 1967.

This is the King they don’t want you to know.

This shift made him one of the most hated men in America. The FBI labeled him a “traitor” and the “most dangerous Negro in America.” His approval rating cratered to 25%.

And then, after he was killed, they sanitized him. They made his message safe enough for the same people who opposed him to quote him at ceremonies and celebrations.

This is what historical erasure looks like. It’s not always book burnings or dramatic censorship. Just … editing. Trimming the edges until a radical sounds like a moderate.

It’s the same playbook they’re using right now — on Harriet Tubman, on Indigenous history, on anything that makes America uncomfortable.