1 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Anny and Samantha. I'm not gonna Stephane 2 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: never told you. Production of I Heart Radio kind of 3 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:22,279 Speaker 1: put a time stamp on this one just because things 4 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 1: might have changed by the time it comes out. Today 5 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: is June two. Uh, Samantha, I want to ask you 6 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 1: in your area, which you're a new area now because 7 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:37,520 Speaker 1: you moved, Um, are you do you see a lot 8 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: of shortages when you go out? Yeah? You know, Honestly, 9 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:44,559 Speaker 1: I don't know if I would have known there are 10 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 1: shortages versus if I just happened to come at a 11 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:50,599 Speaker 1: different time and didn't realize. You know, I'm thinking they're 12 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,599 Speaker 1: just out of stock because you know, it's popular whatnot. Um, 13 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: But then later finding out, oh, literally there's it's not been, 14 00:00:57,880 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: it's not going to be here. I didn't. Oh, I 15 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: didn't know that. Honestly. Since it's a pandemic, I've noticed 16 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 1: it more and more because you know, things like toilet paper, paper, 17 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 1: towels and whites and disinfectant was gone so quickly and 18 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 1: then they'll be like, you can only limited. I didn't know. 19 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: But now that I've become more aware, I have realized. Okay, 20 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: I tried to figure out what it's on the shortage 21 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 1: and try to figure out what is like just out 22 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: of stock for that day. I have noticed the increasinging 23 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:28,759 Speaker 1: of prices for everything and less sales, which I was like, huh, 24 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 1: that's interesting. Mm hmmm. As we said, our office is 25 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: also moving. We went in and they kind of had 26 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: sort of a free for all with like take whatever 27 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 1: you can, and a lot of us took things like 28 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 1: aluminum foil or paper towels or wipes because of the shortages. 29 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 1: And I think I've mentioned before I shop at a 30 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: very small grocery store, and I would say half the time, 31 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: like most of the time I go and they don't 32 00:01:57,760 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: have a third two and a half of the things 33 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: on my list. So I have did a just um, 34 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 1: they are out of stuff all the time if something 35 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 1: is going to be out at a store exactly. Yet 36 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 1: I refused to change my routine. It's left to some 37 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: interesting substitutions. For sure, people are not happy with the 38 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: toilet paper I have right now because it's single apply. 39 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 1: But that's what I should have sent you home with 40 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: a couple of rolls. Okay, I got it. Just funny 41 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 1: I found out they were kind of whispering about it 42 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: by my back. I was like, I'm aware, I'm aware. Okay, 43 00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 1: you know, I think people would be like, you know, 44 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 1: you should get a bid day. You would never have 45 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 1: to deal with that situation's statement. Well, sponsors, if you 46 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:50,920 Speaker 1: were listening, if you want to give us some day, 47 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 1: you know, suh. Yeah. So obviously we wanted to talk 48 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: about some shortages in the supply chain. And you probably 49 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 1: either from the title or from the news, no which 50 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: one is growing to talk about because it's sort of 51 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: it made the news lately that it hadn't made the 52 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:11,959 Speaker 1: news until now that there is a pretty severe shortage 53 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 1: of tampons, right, so, people who men straight are having 54 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 1: trouble finding tampons, and the ones they do find are 55 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: often ridiculously overpriced. I saw, I saw there was like 56 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 1: someone debated as over a hundred dollars for eighteen pack 57 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: I think maybe sixteen pack, but very expensive, very very expensive. 58 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 1: Instacart recently reported that they were have wriking trouble filling 59 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: orders of tampons as well, and kind of the big 60 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: news was that this has been going on for much 61 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 1: longer than a lot of us realize, lasting longer than 62 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 1: shortages of cleaning supplies and toilet paper, and there are 63 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 1: several things going on here, understaffed factories, transportation issues, and 64 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 1: increasing costs of materials. The price of tampons rose ten 65 00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 1: in the last month, and yeah, I've seen like really 66 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: ridiculous markups online, not to mention the gas prices, making 67 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: it so everyone can't afford multiple trips in different stores 68 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: to try to find some because people are like, well, 69 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 1: you could just try different stores, and then other people 70 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: rightfully pointed out, maybe I don't have the money for 71 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 1: the gas. There's an option for me, Maybe there aren't 72 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 1: that many stores in my area those Um. And obviously 73 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: people are already screaming about this and are very upset, 74 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 1: partially because people who manstrate are having to pay for 75 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 1: something like this when people who don't minstrate do not 76 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 1: have to. And it is again the conversation about paink 77 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 1: tax and this is like the bigger issue. And then 78 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 1: they're hiking it up and no one's stopping this type 79 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 1: of inflation when it's unnecessary. Um. Yeah. According to the 80 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: founder of I Support the Girls Data Marlowe, the organization 81 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 1: has seen a large drop in tampon donations this year, 82 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:53,919 Speaker 1: down sixty percent when compared to twenty twenty. Marlow says 83 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: that this shortage and the price hikes mean that people 84 00:04:56,680 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 1: that ministrate are being forced to use unsanitary ID in 85 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 1: their place. And we already know the conversations we've had. 86 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 1: I would love to see the conversation about toxic shock syndrome, 87 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:11,359 Speaker 1: whether that's become more of an issue. What is happening 88 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: as of a problem solver we did, thanks to our 89 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:20,320 Speaker 1: sponsor think get period panties, which is such a nice alternative, 90 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:23,800 Speaker 1: but again it's kind of if you. Our sponsor was 91 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 1: nice enough to get sit it to us and give 92 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: our listeners a discount, but it is fairly expensive, even 93 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 1: though it's more of a durable I guess unless you 94 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:37,479 Speaker 1: don't have access to being able to clean your laundry. Yeah, 95 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:40,720 Speaker 1: there were some heartbreaking quotes included in some of these 96 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,599 Speaker 1: articles from people, especially like younger younger people who just 97 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:47,039 Speaker 1: felt so much shame already around their bodies from having 98 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:50,360 Speaker 1: to use like a dirty rag or something, right, um, 99 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 1: and that only increasing kind of this feeling of feeling 100 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: gross in your own body and being shame feeling shame 101 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: in your own body. While a Proctor and Gambles pokespers 102 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: in and and there. The producer of Tampax has assured 103 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 1: that this shortage is temporary. They've also said that production 104 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 1: quote continues to be costly and highly volatile. When The 105 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: Times reported on this last week, so that'd be two 106 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: weeks ago, I think when I compiled this research, um, 107 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:17,719 Speaker 1: they made the point that a lot of the top 108 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: decision makers in these companies are men and perhaps don't 109 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 1: prioritize things like this, like it doesn't really occurred to them. 110 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:27,280 Speaker 1: They're like whatever. Once again, while we didn't know there 111 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 1: was a shortage, and everybody was just confused, like where's 112 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 1: the tampons? And honestly, I'm like, is this because of 113 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:35,479 Speaker 1: what was happening in Texas and them like stopping any 114 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:39,359 Speaker 1: of the trailers and trucks coming in with the supplies. 115 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 1: What is happening? Yeah? Yeah. And then just to make 116 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:46,279 Speaker 1: this whole thing first, as she always does, Marjorie Taylor 117 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,720 Speaker 1: Green recently spoke out, as you had this accusation, horrific 118 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:52,479 Speaker 1: accusation that the shortage was because of trans people, which 119 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: I'm just trying to figure out how because even then 120 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 1: there was no existence of trans people, that would still 121 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: be the same number of people and strating, I can 122 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 1: someone tell me if I'm vastly wrong in this, because 123 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: I'm like, wait, are you talk about trans men getting tampons, 124 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: because even if they weren't trans, they would still need 125 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 1: fun Yeah, I mean it was obviously she a lot 126 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 1: of her arguments still makes sense. She was saying, it's 127 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 1: because they're printing tampons and men's bathrooms, but it's gross 128 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 1: and ridiculous, and would stop saying stuff like why why 129 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 1: just why why do they exist? And you know what 130 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 1: on that same lines, if they really want to think 131 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: about it. For those of us who choose to have 132 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: I U d s, who choose to be regulated through 133 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 1: birth control, who choose to have his direct mas because 134 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 1: we do not want children, this is a great option 135 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: to help release all of the tampon needs. Yet herbs 136 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 1: probably same argument would be like, yeah, but you don't 137 00:07:54,920 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 1: need there's so many the level of frustration moving on 138 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 1: to things that affect people with uteruses. We are having 139 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 1: that long conversation once again about baby formula, and there's 140 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:24,239 Speaker 1: always been a little bit of controversy back and forth 141 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 1: and back and forth about who those who really think 142 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 1: they know best, who are not the parents typically which 143 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: is really interesting. But analysis have pointed out that this 144 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 1: is another example of the supply chain having a larger 145 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 1: impact on women or those who have uterus ThM who 146 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 1: can have children. One of the most obvious is the 147 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 1: baby formulas shortage, with American mothers struggling to not only 148 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 1: locate baby formula, but to afford it is a financial 149 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 1: burden that is hitting women harder and harder as in fact, 150 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 1: and then we have kind of that same level of 151 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 1: people hoarding it and selling it at very marked up prices. Yeah, 152 00:08:58,760 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 1: and there's there's a lot of nuance in this. This 153 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 1: is uh coming from the Time article as well, and 154 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 1: they were saying like that. As we've discussed, it is 155 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 1: women who do a lot of the shopping, So even 156 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:14,319 Speaker 1: if there are multiple guardians involved, it's usually the woman 157 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: that's doing the shopping and who's sort of handling this 158 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: aspects and who is expected to handle this aspect um 159 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 1: so financially and time wise. It's also that same conversation 160 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: because there's been that argument, constant argument, because of course 161 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:32,079 Speaker 1: has become political, that we'll just breastfeed, which is such 162 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:36,199 Speaker 1: an above privileged, uh, an insensitive remark in general, and 163 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:39,800 Speaker 1: that really should just be just stop talking. Yeah. Yeah. 164 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:43,560 Speaker 1: The article also linked to a Twitter thread that was 165 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 1: a person who was like, it's clear, it's become clear 166 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:49,319 Speaker 1: to me that many men do not understand how breast 167 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: reading works. Let me help, let me tell you about this. Yes, 168 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:58,560 Speaker 1: And the FDA later admitted that they were quote too 169 00:09:58,559 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 1: slow to address the the problem, and many women argued 170 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 1: that if men had to breastfeed, we wouldn't be in 171 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: this situation like we're talking like we airlifted baby formula 172 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 1: from other countries. This was very, very serious and continues 173 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:12,360 Speaker 1: to be a problem. The article also pointed out that 174 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 1: there's a shortage of a menopause dug in the UK, 175 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: and their ultimate point was again, we have men, a 176 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:21,439 Speaker 1: lot of times, men in these positions of power who 177 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 1: are making these decisions and because of that, we're seeing 178 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 1: these impacts on women, primarily uh, financially and um just 179 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 1: like the burden and it's not getting talked about in 180 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 1: the news, right and can we talk about wick and 181 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 1: all of that exists, thank goodness. However, the cost of 182 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 1: formula is extensive. It's high, like if you know much 183 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:47,560 Speaker 1: about it, and then to get the right one with 184 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:50,240 Speaker 1: all of the allergies that typically happened with babies. That 185 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 1: in itself also feels like just kind of an overall 186 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 1: jab at mothers and babies and all of that, but 187 00:10:57,840 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 1: also this conversation that we need to have about the 188 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 1: I think this is technically a pro life issue, and 189 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:06,079 Speaker 1: those who would be screaming the hardest and the most 190 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 1: about pro life are the ones that that you should 191 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:12,200 Speaker 1: just breastfeed instead of having a solution to provide or 192 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,959 Speaker 1: actually talk about why it's necessary to provide and support 193 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: the mothers who are in dire need it. Just it 194 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:23,079 Speaker 1: was very obviously on the nose on on all that conversation. 195 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 1: But I will say when it came to Facebook, I'm 196 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:29,199 Speaker 1: not giving shout out to Facebook, but the communities, in 197 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: the neighborhood communities, there were a lot of people who 198 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 1: were on the lookout and would shout it out and 199 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 1: be like, hey, y'all, there's this amount of formula over 200 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 1: here compared so that community is coming together. Was significantly 201 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: heartening to see that happen. Was nice to see, Yeah, yeah, 202 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 1: it's that's probably been the most still relying side about, 203 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 1: like that woman being like, you don't know what's happening here? 204 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:56,599 Speaker 1: Let me tell you, are these organizations trying to u 205 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:00,640 Speaker 1: domnate tampons and all of that. Yeah, it's heartening, but 206 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 1: it is It's also like we could, we could break 207 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:06,080 Speaker 1: down a lot of these into I mean, the things 208 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:09,800 Speaker 1: we're talking about of like reprojective rights, uh and just 209 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:13,560 Speaker 1: kind of like really conservative and traditionalist understandings of women 210 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 1: and motherhood and women's bodies that are also extremely contradictory. Right, 211 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:19,960 Speaker 1: So there is a lot to be said here. It's 212 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:25,840 Speaker 1: confounding but not surprising, yep. But unfortunately, we'll continue to 213 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 1: keep an eye on these things. Will probably have another 214 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:30,719 Speaker 1: update in the future, but in the meantime, listeners, we 215 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 1: would love to hear from you if you have any 216 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:35,479 Speaker 1: organizations we should shout out. Uh. Any thoughts about shortages 217 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 1: you've noticed that people aren't talking about, or your experiences 218 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 1: with any of this. You can email us at stuff 219 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 1: your Mom, Stuff at ihart me dot com. You can 220 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 1: find it on Twitter at most of podcast or Instagram 221 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 1: and stuff I've Never told you. Thanks as always too, 222 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:49,679 Speaker 1: are super producer Christina. Thank you and thanks to you 223 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 1: for listening stuff on our to inspection I High Radio 224 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 1: for a podcast in my Heart Radio that they I heard. 225 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:56,199 Speaker 1: You have Apple Podcast wherever you listen to your favorite shows.