"Four space station astronauts strapped into their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, undocked and took it for a brief spin around the front of the International Space Station Monday, re-docking at a different port to clear the way for arrival of a replacement crew later this month… The move kicks off a record month for the space station program with two launches and two landings by four U.S. and Russian spacecraft, ferrying seven fresh crew members to the station and bringing seven others back to Earth."
"It's become so common, perhaps you've stopped noticing how often your local weather forecast is 'above normal.' It's during extreme heat in the summer. It's when mild temperatures persist through the winter. It's when nights don't cool down like they used to… But on May 4, the hotter Earth will officially become the new normal."
"Brazil is bearing the brunt of an alarming surge in Covid-19 cases, with fatalities reaching more than 4,000 in a single day on Tuesday and hospitals stretched to breaking point… Brazil's overall death toll of 337,000, according to Brazilian Health Ministry data, is surpassed only by the U.S.'s figure of 562,000, according to NBC News' tally." And because denial is all the rage as well, "Despite the recent surge, Brazilian officials are insistent the country can soon return to something resembling business as usual."
"New York, Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania and New Jersey together reported 44% of the nation’s new COVID-19 infections, or nearly 197,500 new cases, in the latest available seven-day period, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Total U.S. infections during the same week numbered more than 452,000." And the argument on whom should get priority on vaccinations. Which is the wrong argument. The decision should be, which economies need to lock down more to increase social distancing and where should we be promoting mask usage. Vaccines have a lag time of about a month and a half. The faster way to control the spread is to increase mask usage and increase social distancing.
"The Ohio House and Ohio Senate have voted to override Gov. Mike DeWine's (R-Ohio) veto of Senate Bill 22. The move can enact a law that weakens the authority of a governor's orders and emergencies… Throughout the past year, Republican leadership in the House and Senate have clashed with DeWine over the health orders he's issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic." Given how few of those assholes are actually wearing masks, I don't think leaving this up to the legislature is a Good Idea. There's a reason we have health offices, and that reason is to take politics out of decisions that need to be made based on science, not politics.
"Eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine has rapidly expanded in recent weeks. In the vast majority of states, all adults are now eligible to get vaccinated. And President Biden is urging the remaining states to open up eligibility by April 19. But how are you supposed to sign up?… The answers vary by place, so NPR created a tool to guide you through the process in your state and connect you with local resources. And we're sharing advice for navigating the system below."
"One in three Covid-19 survivors has suffered a neurological or psychiatric disorder within six months of infection with the virus, an observational study of more than 230,000 patient health records has estimated… The study, published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal on Tuesday, analyzed data from the electronic health records of 236,379 Covid-19 patients from the U.S.-based TriNetX network, which includes more than 81 million people." The most common was anxiety, such as, "Am I going to die from this fucking thing?" Which then also lead to substance misuse disorders.
"Virginia’s Legislature passed a recreational legalization bill in February, becoming the first Southern state to fully embrace weed. Last week, lawmakers in New York and New Mexico legalized weed for adults, after years of failed efforts. New Jersey lawmakers also passed legislation implementing a voter-approved legalization amendment. And more conservative states like Kansas and Alabama are moving medical marijuana legalization bills forward."
Meanwhile, on Bullshit Mountain… "Cities in parts of the U.S. that slashed their police department funding last year, in part as a result of police-involved shootings, have seen an uptick in certain crimes over the past year, according to data analyzed by Fox News." Classic post hoc ergo prompter hoc. I'm sure the economic downturn, which is a more sure predictor of violent crime, has nothing to do with it.
"In his $2 trillion plan to improve America's infrastructure, President Biden is promising to address the racism ingrained in historical transportation and urban planning… Biden's plan includes $20 billion for a program that would 'reconnect neighborhoods cut off by historic investments,' according to the White House. It also looks to target '40 percent of the benefits of climate and clean infrastructure investments to disadvantaged communities.'"
"When President Biden unveiled his major new infrastructure plan last week, the proposal included much more than fixing crumbling bridges. And for those who wish America had a more robust passenger train network, it gave them something new: hope." Say, how much did the Obama stimulus help the rail network? There was a lot of money in there to expand and upgrade as well. I'm not saying it shouldn't be done, I'm saying it's already a deep hole.
"Jamie Dimon, the long-serving JPMorgan Chase CEO and chairman, sees strong growth ahead for the world’s biggest economy, thanks to the U.S. government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic that has left many consumers flush with savings, according to his annual shareholder letter." One, well, fuck Jamie Dimon, just on principle. And two, well duh. And three, that premised on people not learning a lesson and going back to the wild days of spending and borrowing to cover it. Which, let's face it, will probably be what happens, but I like to think we are learning.
"The national debt has long been portrayed as a burden we’re placing on future generations. John Oliver discusses how national debt works, why people are so concerned about it, and why it might be more helpful that you think."
"The San Francisco Board of Education will ultimately keep the names of dozens of public schools in a case of high stakes second thoughts… The Board had moved to forge ahead with a controversial plan to change the names of 44 schools that honor figures linked to historical racism or oppression. But on Tuesday the board voted unanimously to suspend the effort when it approved a resolution saying it 'wishes to avoid the distraction and wasteful expenditure of public funds in frivolous litigation.'"
"The Texas state court system is signaling that it will no longer enforce a federal order aimed at stopping evictions during the coronavirus pandemic. That could clear the way for landlords to push ahead with tens of thousands of eviction cases that have been on hold… The timing could be particularly painful for many families, coming after Congress has approved billions of dollars to help people pay the rent they owe to avoid eviction, but before the vast majority of renters have been able to receive any of that money."
"The Iranian foreign ministry has confirmed that an Iranian cargo ship believed to be covertly deployed for military use off the coast of Yemen has been attacked, in an incident that threatens to inflame a proxy war between Iran and Israel."
"Greenlanders are going to the polls on Tuesday in a crucial election that could determine whether the Arctic island taps its vast deposits of rare-earth minerals to fuel eventual independence from Denmark."
"Arkansas became the first state in the US to prohibit physicians from providing gender-affirming treatment for trans people under age 18 after the state's General Assembly voted Tuesday to override the governor's veto of an anti-trans bill that he called a 'vast government overreach.'" Republicans, coming between you and your doctor since, well, forever.
"More Americans identify as Democrats than Republicans by a margin that hasn't been seen in a decade, according to a report released by Gallup on Wednesday… An average of 49% of adults age 18 and older reported Democratic Party affiliation or said they are independent with Democratic leanings throughout the first quarter of 2021, the pollster reported. The survey was conducted by phone from January-March." The fallout of January 6 continues.
"A dispute over voting laws in Georgia and Colorado reached the White House briefing room Tuesday after Major League Baseball announced a new location for the All-Star Game… Press secretary Jen Psaki was asked about the decision to relocate the Midsummer Classic from Atlanta to Denver as a protest against new voting laws in Georgia that will make it more difficult for many to vote."
"But the move quickly met a new conservative talking point: The states aren't that different, Republican lawmakers claimed. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said on Fox News that the change 'doesn't make a whole lot of sense,' arguing that Colorado has equally restrictive laws." A little fact checking.
"Rep. Matt Gaetz privately sought blanket preemptive pardons for himself and his congressional allies during the final weeks of Donald Trump's presidency, two people familiar with the discussions told The New York Times… The Florida Republican's request was viewed by White House officials as a nonstarter, the people told the Times, and was ultimately never granted."
"'Corporations will invite serious consequences if they become a vehicle for far-left mobs to hijack our country from outside the constitutional order,' warned McConnell, adding: 'Businesses must not use economic blackmail to spread disinformation and push bad ideas that citizens reject at the ballot box.'… But, upon further review, there's actually an explanation for all of this. And, yes, it has everything to do with politics." This is nothing more than McConnell firing a shot across the bow. He's telling corporations that they should only support conservatives, and if not, they'll be punished.
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