"After raising alarms for much of the Southeast coast, Hurricane Dorian finally made landfall Friday morning, its eye passing over Cape Hatteras, N.C. at 8:35 a.m. ET, the National Hurricane Center says. Its maximum sustained winds were near 90 mph — making Dorian a Category 1 storm when it hit." Well, landfall in the continental US that is.
"For the first time, scientists have identified the genetic differences associated with left-handedness, a trait found in 10% of the human population." Again, small study, and their conclusions of lefties having better verbal skills is just the old "left brain right brain" fallacies being brought up again.
Another aspect of climate change… "Keeping cool in the summer months isn't just a matter of comfort, says Churchill. It helps her manage the symptoms of her bipolar disorder. Churchill says if she doesn't keep her house cool enough to sleep through the night, she can spiral into a manic episode with fits of rapid talking, irrational purchases, or even suicidal thoughts."
"The numbers of low-income people turning to food pantries for help are climbing. And with signs of trouble for the economy on the horizon, advocates at Ohio's 12 regional foodbanks and the hundreds of food pantries and soup kitchens that they serve are worried." Best economy my ass.
"More than a million Americans have donated genetic information and medical data for research projects. But how that information gets used varies a lot, depending on the philosophy of the organizations that have gathered the data."
"There's mounting evidence that when a person is infected with measles, the virus also wipes out the immune system's memory of how to fight off all sorts of other life-threatening infections – ranging from gastro-intestinal bugs that cause diarrhea to respiratory viruses that trigger pneumonia." Ta-da!
"The World Health Organization is partnering with Facebook to stop the spread of inaccurate information about vaccines, which the WHO calls 'a major threat to global health that could reverse decades of progress made in tackling preventable diseases.'" Now do climate change, evolution, and politics.
"Since (Ohio) passed a medical marijuana law in 2016, not many growing sites, processing facilities and dispensaries have been approved by the state. This delay is slowing down the expansion of the cannabis industry." Shocked, shocked I am that the program initiated by conservative state legislators is poorly written, poorly executed, and poorly managed.
"Last week, a team of researchers at the University of Pittsburgh announced the latest tool to detect THC — delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive component in pot — in breath." Uh, sure, but, "Is there a ratio that links the amount of THC in someone's breath to the amount in the person's blood — and then to exactly how stoned that person is?" Nope.
"It's still a mystery — what's causing the cluster of severe respiratory illnesses among people who've used e-cigarettes? The FDA says there have been at least 215 reported cases in 25 states… Nearly three dozen of those cases are in New York state, and investigators there say they are now zeroing in on vitamin E as a possible culprit." But not all of the pods (off those affected) have tested positive for Vit. E.
"FirstEnergy Solutions, the owner of Ohio's two nuclear plants, is asking the Ohio Supreme Court to stop a potential referendum on next year's ballot. That initiative would hold a referendum on HB6 which bails out FirstEnergy Solutions' two nuclear power plants… The legal challenge from FirstEnergy Solutions argues that those increased charges should be considered tax increases, which cannot be challenged by a referendum." In an odd way, I hope they win. Because this is some libertarian junior-league lawyering. If that "fee" is actually a tax, then PUCO has been illegally approving taxes (and First Energy and AEP have been illegally collecting taxes) for decades. If it is a tax, Democrats can charge that conservatives raised Ohioans' taxes for the lower-classes while giving the 1% huge breaks. Also, First Energy is not a tax collection agency, so paying them would be illegal. But let's say they jigger in some mumbly, mumbly, sales/point-of-consumption tax language in the verdict. Then First Energy must submit that money to the State, and then the legislature would have to appropriate the money back to First Energy, in every budget. This argument is a fucking nightmare for the company making the argument. In Ohio, they've been working overtime to save this law. Including saying that the Chinese are behind the referendum, and changing the rules to get the referendum approved for the ballot.
"Angela Turner Wilson, an opera singer, is the latest alleged victim to come forward with sexual harassment allegations against iconic tenor Placido Domingo."
And they will know we are Christians by the six-story steel cross we'll erect where you can't avoid seeing it. I'm sure he was totally unbiased with the kids he used to teach.
"Robert Mugabe, the Zimbabwean independence icon turned authoritarian leader, has died aged 95."
How goes Brexit? "Northern Irish farmers who have built lucrative cross-border trade with the Irish Republic are especially worried… Thirty-five percent of Northern Irish milk is sold to Ireland." Without an open border, this could be very bad news.
How go the Trade Wars? "China’s People’s Bank of China (PBOC) announced Friday that it was reducing the amount of funds that banks have to hold in reserve in an effort to further stimulate its economy." Loans for everybody. Say, didn't we try that once?
"U.S. employers added a modest 130,000 jobs in August, a sign that hiring in the United States has slowed but remains durable in the face of global economic weakness and President Donald Trump’s trade war with China… The job gain was boosted by the temporary hiring of 25,000 government workers for the 2020 Census. Excluding all government hiring, the economy added just 96,000 jobs in August, the fewest since May." Whispers, I'm old enough to remember when 120,000 jobs was considered anemic.
"Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that he recently offered US President Donald Trump the chance to purchase some of Russia's new weapons, including hypersonic missiles, purportedly to prevent an arms race." The media just accepts this stupid gambit. And a new front opens on the disinformation campaign. And our president responds like the French/Italian knight in Monty Python's Holy Grail, "I told him we already had one." Oh yes, itsa very nice.
"The Air Force is investigating after a jet accidentally fired a rocket into the desert about halfway between Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, on Thursday." Oopsie. What I want to know is since they were flying a training mission in a range not designated for live fire, why did they have live ammo racked?
"China's Premier Li Keqiang has said Beijing supports the Hong Kong government 'to end the violence and chaos'… He is the most senior Chinese official to comment on the unrest which has rocked Hong Kong for months." Functionary of autocratic government supports power structures in "semi-autonomous" province. Thanks, Capt. Obvious.
"Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued eight executive orders Thursday that aim to stop potential mass shooters by strengthening reporting techniques, although he conceded in a release that 'legislative action' is still needed. Abbott's orders come as the Lone Star State reels from two mass shootings in August that left 29 people dead." Action without impact, or he had to make it appear that he was doing something.
"CVS and Walgreens joined the growing list of retailers asking shoppers to not bring guns into stores." We shall bathe in conservative tears.
"A top government watchdog says the Trump administration violated the law when it used funds taken from park entrance fees to keep national parks open during this year's partial government shutdown." And nothing will happen. (Grokked from Jim Wright)
"Now the Trump administration says it wants to make Fannie and Freddie private companies again, make changes to the backstop they provide to the mortgage market, and introduce more competition from other private companies as well." Many of the things they want to do would require Congressional approval (and legislation). Considering the Obama Administration couldn't get some of these changes done (like recapitalize and re-privatize the companies) it's doubtful these will go anywhere.
"Missteps during Mike Pence’s visit to Ireland that included controversial praise of the British prime minister, Boris Johnson, have led to accusations of betrayal and 'humiliation'." I miss having smart people in positions of power.
"Vice President Mike Pence's stay at a property in Ireland owned by the president's company has prompted a Senate Democrat to question if the taxpayer-funded visit was cost effective and to label it an 'apparent conflict of interest.'" Seriously miss smart people in government.
"As Pence told Johnson that the US was ready to negotiate a free-trade agreement with the UK, the prime minister responded with enthusiasm but also said he wanted to ensure any deal was one that works for 'all sides.'… Before launching into his joke about chickens, Johnson then added that the UK would not accept any deal that could weaken the state-funded National Health Service." That last part is a major concern for the British public. So, to any conservative who wants to tell you how much the British (or Canadians) hate their health system, just keep this in mind, by no means do they want anything to do with the American system (with some exceptions for rich people wanting elective procedures done quickly).
"Fox News senior White House correspondent John Roberts had just finished his 3 p.m. live shot on Thursday when President Donald Trump beckoned him into the Oval Office." Let it go.
"Four states are poised to cancel their 2020 GOP presidential primaries and caucuses, a move that would cut off oxygen to Donald Trump’s long-shot primary challengers." There's a lot sturm and drang about the DNC winnowing the next debate field to just 10 candidates (and the 2016 primaries being "rigged" for Hillary), but so far hardly anything about this.
"So far, 15 House GOP lawmakers have announced they will not run for re-election… On the Democratic side, three members have said they will not run, and Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luján has decided to run for Senate in New Mexico instead of for his House seat."
"Anti-government protesters in Russia are increasingly relying on an encrypted and officially banned messaging app to pass on information in critical situations, from dodging riot police to giving those arrested a line to the outside." Waves to my Russian friends.
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