Ben Bova, and so it goes.
NPR's 2020 Book Concierge.
"A huge, already damaged radio telescope in Puerto Rico that has played a key role in astronomical discoveries for more than half a century completely collapsed on Tuesday… The telescope’s 900-ton receiver platform fell onto the reflector dish more than 400 feet below." Fuck.
"The researchers surveyed 600 people aged 27 to 45 who were already factoring climate concerns into their reproductive choices and found 96% were very or extremely concerned about the wellbeing of their potential future children in a climate-changed world." Or, ya know, you could fight like hell to give the kids a chance.
"An inside look at how coronavirus vaccines will be distributed." Lotsa dry ice.
"The coronavirus was present in the U.S. weeks earlier than scientists and public health officials previously thought, and before cases in China were publicly identified, according to a new government study published Monday." Jazz hands.
"California hospitals are in a new surge of COVID-19 cases, and if trends continue, state intensive care units could be overwhelmed by Christmas Eve."
"A controversial coronavirus adviser to the president, Dr. Scott Atlas, resigned Monday, a White House official told NPR." Get the fuck outa here. No, really, get the fuck out of here. Don't let the door… never mind. Someone slam the door on that guy's ass.
"Health care workers are expected to be first in line to be offered a COVID-19 vaccine when one is available… But the speed of COVID-19 vaccine development, along with concerns about political interference with the process, has left some health care workers on the fence about COVID-19 vaccines." Besides the speed of development, we also know how to read reports. Also, this may come as a shock to many people, healthcare workers are not the most well informed or situationally aware group of people. Just last night, in a workroom of 5, only 2 of us had heard of "covid toes." Also, in the past, there was a large contingency of people who wouldn't get the flu vaccine (this was the first year it was mandatory in the system I work for).
"Despite the repeated warnings of public health experts and officials, millions of people traveled for Thanksgiving… So what should you do now to keep from creating the "surge upon a surge" of coronavirus cases that Dr. Anthony Fauci is warning the U.S. could soon face?… Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House's coronavirus task force, has this advice: Assume you picked up the virus."
How go the Trade Wars? "China has introduced tough new laws which restrict the export of 'controlled items'… The export controls are widely believed to be in response to similar actions by the US." It's the potential impact of rare earth elements that will be most damaging.
"Dozens of armed individuals invaded a city in southern Brazil overnight, taking control of the streets as they launched an assault against a (bank) branch, according to local reports on Tuesday… The audacious heist reportedly injured two people and left banknotes strewn across the ground in the city of Criciúma."
"At least two people have been killed and several injured in Germany after a car was driven into a pedestrian zone in the town of Trier, according to the local police force."
"When Chirag Bhakta saw a headline recently that said tech workers were fleeing San Francisco, he had a quick reaction: 'Good riddance.'"
"With their savings running out, many Americans are being forced to use credit cards to pay for bills they can't afford — even their rent. Housing experts and economists say this is a blinking-red warning light that without more relief from Congress, the economy is headed for even more serious trouble." That's not just a blinking red light, that should be sounding klaxons.
"While there's support from both Republicans and Democrats for sending out another round of payments, it's unlikely Americans will get a second round of stimulus checks before the end of the year -- and lawmakers have been unable to come to any agreement on a broader economic aid package." Of course they haven't.
"Bipartisan lawmakers plan to unveil a coronavirus stimulus package Tuesday after months of congressional inaction on curbing the economic damage from the outbreak." Nods, sure, sure.
"Right now, Newsmax TV is trying to outfox Fox News… No media outlet has done more to bolster President Trump over the past four years than Fox News. Yet the acknowledgment by Fox's reporters, anchors and even many opinion hosts that Democratic nominee Joe Biden won the election has provided an opening for the network's much smaller rival to peel off Trump's fans."
"At the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, the justices expressed doubts about a plan to exclude undocumented immigrants from a key census count — the first time unauthorized immigrants would not be counted for purposes of drawing new congressional districts."
"President Donald Trump and his political operation have raised more than $170 million since Election Day, a person familiar with the matter said -- a massive fundraising haul fueled by Trump's baseless allegations that the election was rigged." Remember when Trump said he wouldn't have to raise any money because he was rich? The idea has already been floated that he (or Junior) will announce for 2024 on January 21st. No money like free money from suckers and there's one born every minute.
"Officials in Arizona and Wisconsin have certified their states' presidential election results, affirming President-elect Joe Biden's razor-thin victories over President Trump in the two key swing states." Spoiler, Biden wins again.
"Have Trump Republican leaders no sense of decency?" And opinion piece I only include here to just say, no. No they don't. And they haven't for many decades.
"A former head of US election security who said Donald Trump’s defeat by Joe Biden was not subject to voter fraud should be “taken out at dawn and shot”, a Trump campaign lawyer said… Condemnation of Joe DiGenova’s remark about Chris Krebs was swift, including calls for his disbarment and the charge that he was behaving like a 'mob attorney'." As they say, stupid is as stupid does.
"Christopher Krebs, who led the federal government's efforts to secure the 2020 election, was fired by President Trump last month for saying the election went smoothly and with no signs of cheating or interference… In reflecting on whether that was the right decision, considering how such a statement would contradict Trump's baseless claims of fraud and hacking, Krebs told NPR he has no regrets."
"It was part of a long tradition of former presidents being consulted about, and granted access to, some of the nation's secrets… Priess and other former intelligence officials say Joe Biden would be wise not to let that tradition continue in the case of Donald Trump."
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