Sorry for the lateness and absence. On Wednesday I had a medical proceedure as a followup to my SVT in December. And today was business catch up day for the design job.
"NASA is naming landmarks and geological features on Mars in the Navajo language… The Perseverance rover's team, in collaboration with the Navajo Nation, has been naming features of scientific interest with words in the language, according to NASA. And it includes a rock named 'Máaz,' the Navajo word for 'Mars.'"
Just what is an NFT?
"'From March to early June, Republican-led states had lower Covid-19 incidence rates compared with Democratic-led states. On June 3, the association reversed, and Republican-led states had higher incidence,' the study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Medical University of South Carolina showed… 'For death rates, Republican-led states had lower rates early in the pandemic, but higher rates from July 4 through mid-December,' the study found." While their reasoning is sound (Democrats controller states that have our main ports of entry, so also vectors for international pandemics), the miss that Democrats are also in control of the most populous states (and the states were wealth is concentrated, as a result of the previous two factors).
"The coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford has now been suspended in a number of countries across Europe and Asia, following reports of blood clots in some vaccinated people. Many other nations, however, have defended their use of the shot and said they will continue their respective inoculation campaigns."
"President Biden is aiming for the country to begin to find a degree of normalcy and begin to move on from the coronavirus pandemic by the July Fourth holiday, Biden announced in his first prime-time address Thursday night from the White House on the one-year anniversary of the pandemic."
"When the pandemic hit, visits to hospital emergency departments plummeted by more than 40%. People were scared of catching the coronavirus… But Kristin Holland, a researcher at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found patients experiencing drug-related crises needed help so desperately they kept coming."
"A Des Moines Register reporter has been found not guilty by an Iowa jury of failing to disperse and interfering with official acts. She was arrested by police last summer as she was covering a Black Lives Matter protest last summer… Andrea Sahouri's case has drawn international concerns over its implications for press freedom amid what First Amendment advocates have said is a sharp increase in recent arrests of journalists in the U.S."
"The city of Minneapolis on Friday agreed to pay $27 million to settle a civil lawsuit from George Floyd’s family over the Black man’s death in police custody, as jury selection continued in a former officer’s murder trial."
"That's where the CASE Act comes in. When Congress passed the massive stimulus bill in late December, it was — like lots of legislation — packed to the gills with stuff that had nothing to do with government funding. Tucked among tax breaks for various industries were a few provisions intended to counter online piracy, including the CASE Act, standing for Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement."
"The Interior Department said on Monday it had completed its environmental review for a massive wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts, a key step toward final approval of the long-stalled project that will play a prominent role in President Joe Biden's effort to expand renewable energy in the U.S."
"Holding hands in the parking lot, Tavia and I swore a quiet oath: we would not do this to anyone. We would not leave the contents of our lives for someone else to sort through, because who would that mythical sorter be, anyway? My stepchildren? Her niece? Neither of us had children of our own. Could we assume that our husbands would make order out of what we left behind? According to the actuarial tables, we would outlive them." On downsizing and growing older. Thoughts that haven't been far out of my mind as well. (Grokked from Gwenda Bond)
"British police confirmed Friday that they had identified the body of 33-year-old Sarah Everard, whose disappearance while walking home in London sparked an outpouring across social media from women sharing their own experiences of sexual assault and harassment."
"Dozens of students were reportedly kidnapped from their school in northwestern Nigeria during the early morning hours on Friday… Around 30 students were taken from Federal College Of Forestry Mechanization, which sits just outside Kaduna city. The incident marks at least the fourth kidnapping of students in the country since December."
"President Joe Biden is taking part in the first leaders' summit of the informal international alliance known as the 'Quad' as his administration steps up efforts to deal with China's growing influence… The group, which also includes India, Japan and Australia, is meeting virtually due to coronavirus restrictions."
"The Biden administration on Thursday took the final step to end the controversial Trump-era rule that makes it more difficult for immigrants to obtain legal status if they use certain public benefits, such as Medicaid, food stamps and housing vouchers… Earlier this week, the Supreme Court dismissed a case concerning the 'public charge' rule and the Department of Homeland Security determined that continuing to defend the rule was 'neither in the public interest nor an efficient use of limited government resources.'"
"Senior military leaders have condemned viral comments made by Tucker Carlson on his show about women in uniform. Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said on Thursday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin shares the "revulsion" many senior leaders have expressed about the monologue… Carlson said during his show on Tuesday that new grooming standards and inclusive military uniforms for women were making a mockery of the U.S. military. In a monologue, Carlson said China's military has become 'more masculine,' while 'our military needs to become, as Joe Biden says, more feminine.'" Note that Mr. Carlson never served in uniform. Tucker is nothing more than a troll who has been given a platform on a Trolling Network. Apparently his ratings, and sponsorships, were hurting and he decided he needed more attention. And hate is good enough for him.
"GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia was offered cookies and a geography lesson by leaders in Guam after she falsely suggested the US territory is a foreign country that didn't deserve aid." Ignorance is the GOP Brand.
"One of those is the Southern Baptist Convention, where Beth Moore, one of its most prominent women, this week left the church, having declared that she is 'no longer a Southern Baptist.'" Schisms continue as "evangelical" takes a decidedly non-Christian bent.
"The former president is dialing up GOP senators to back their campaigns and talk strategy, weighing how to approach primaries in critical open seats and making sure he leaves an imprint on the midterm elections. Trump’s involvement, revealed in interviews with a dozen GOP senators, shows how far the 50-member conference has come two months after they weighed a clean break with the former president following the insurrection at the Capitol by his supporters."
"In a newly revealed phone call, President Donald Trump asked a Georgia law enforcement official to find evidence of fraud with absentee-by-mail ballots, the latest revelation in his unsuccessful attempt to overturn the state's election results."
Friday, March 12, 2021
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Linkee-poo too much going down today, just can't take it in, too much running around today, can't tell you where I've been
"NASA's Perseverance rover, which touched down inside the 28-mile-wide (45 kilometers) Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, captured some nice shots of its own shadow over the weekend with its hazard-avoidance cameras." Which means six more weeks of winter.
"Abusive relationships are disturbingly common. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in three U.S. women has experience experienced rape, physical violence and/or stalking by a partner, and one in four men has. Chances are we all know someone who has, is or will experience this form of violence… Here are some ways to help a friend or loved one."
"A safer future is just a few months away, but it's crucial that Americans keep practicing Covid-19 safety precautions and heeding health officials' advice as the country works to vaccinate more people, one expert told CNN on Monday."
"A Florida hospital diverted vaccines from the general public to an ultra-wealthy community where its CEO and Republican donors lived… Gov. Ron DeSantis insists 'the state was not involved' in helping to vaccinate 1,200 residents of the wealthy Ocean Reef community in January, but a spokeswoman for Baptist Health Systems, which administered the doses, told Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald that state officials did intervene." (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)
"They're not alone in making big moves during the pandemic. With millions of Americans suddenly working remotely, some took the unprecedented opportunity to shift their lives in a new direction — crossing their fingers that when it's safe to go back to the office, they won't have to." I love that many of the people interviewed didn't want their full name used to protect their employment, but then give enough personal details that their employers could probably identify them (I'm guessing their protecting "future" employment opportunities).
"Abortion is illegal in Nigeria except to save a woman's life and carries a heavy jail sentence for both the provider and the patient. But post-abortion care is a form of emergency medicine that all countries have pledged to provide to women with complications of a miscarriage or an induced abortion, irrespective of the legal status of the latter. And many do so with the technical and financial support of the United States."
"Blackouts are becoming increasingly common as extreme weather causes electricity demand to skyrocket, while simultaneously damaging the aging electric grid. Climate change-driven disasters, like more intense storms and hurricanes, only increase that risk… So, some communities are looking for new ways to ensure that vulnerable people and infrastructure can withstand power outages. They're installing solar panels and large batteries to create tiny "microgrids" that continue working when the larger grid goes dark."
"The Biden administration said Monday that it will allow many Venezuelans who are already in the country illegally to remain because of the humanitarian and economic crisis in the socialist South American nation that is an adversary of the U.S.… Carrying out a promise President Biden made on the campaign trail, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas granted Temporary Protected Status to an estimated 320,000 Venezuelans."
"A post-coup crackdown by Myanmar's military appeared to intensify Monday as security forces revoked the licenses of five independent media companies before a late-night standoff that saw hundreds of young protesters trapped in Yangon."
"Myanmar's military - the Tatmadaw - began its involvement in business after the socialist coup of Ne Win in 1962… For years, military battalions were required to be self-sufficient and encouraged to develop stakes in local enterprises to fund their operations… While this practice has been phased out, two military-run conglomerates were established in the 1990s as the government began privatising state industries." Unfortunately there are many militaries across the world that function like this.
"The European Parliament has voted to waive the immunity of former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and two other Catalan separatist MEPs… The politicians left Spain in 2017 following a failed independence referendum, which Madrid said was illegal… The vote left the country facing its deepest political crisis in decades." Someone's going to jail.
"Newsom’s popularity has fallen significantly after reaching record highs at the start of the pandemic and he’s likely to face a recall election later this year driven by critics of his stewardship during the crisis. That makes Tuesday’s State of the State a critical step for keeping voters on his side."
"The Senate passed its version of the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill on Saturday, paving the way for the plan to be taken up by the House on Tuesday or Wednesday before heading to President Biden's desk for his signature. The colossal package known as the American Rescue Plan allocates money for vaccines, schools, small businesses and anti-poverty programs such as an expanded child tax credit that would mean new monthly payments to many parents."
"Monday, the South Dakota state Senate passed a bill that restricts transgender women athletes from competing on high school and college girls' and women's teams. The measure now goes to Republican Gov. Kristi Noem who has said she is excited to sign the bill into law." Because Republicans are all about big government when it comes to their social conservative ideology.
"The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday sided with a former Georgia college student who sued his school after it prevented him from expressing religious views in a free-speech zone on campus… The 8-1 decision, authored by Justice Clarence Thomas, said that Chike Uzuegbunam -- who was silenced by Georgia Gwinnett College officials even after he had obtained a permit to proselytize and handout religious literature -- can seek nominal damages despite the fact that the school ultimately changed course and Uzuegbunam subsequently graduated."
"For the first time in his nearly 16 years on the Supreme Court, Chief Justice John Roberts has filed a solo dissent. In it, he bluntly accused his colleagues of a 'radical expansion' of the court's jurisdiction."
"Twitter has filed a lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, claiming the Republican used his office to retaliate against it for banning the account of former President Donald Trump following the riot at the U.S. Capitol." Here we go.
"The spear-wielding self-described shaman who stormed the Senate chamber on Jan. 6 will remain behind bars pending trial, a federal judge ruled on Monday… '[D]efendant’s statements after January 6 indicate that he does not fully appreciate the severity of the charges brought against him,' Lamberth wrote in a 32-page opinion. 'If defendant does not understand the severity of the allegations against him, the Court finds no reason to believe he would not commit the same or similar actions again.'" So he failed the first test of trying to test his case in public.
"Federal prosecutors late Monday alleged that the leader of the Oath Keepers encouraged followers to come to Washington, DC, on Jan. 6 armed with less-than-lethal weapons and later stood outside the Capitol during the insurrection directing them toward a potential entry point… Just after 2 p.m. on Jan. 6, according to prosecutors in a new court filing, Stewart Rhodes sent a message on the encrypted Signal app to several of his followers saying: 'Come to the South Side of the Capitol on steps.' At 2:41 p.m., Rhodes, who is referred to in court filings as Person One, posted a photograph of the Capitol with the caption: 'South side of US Capitol. Patriots pounding on doors.'" Where the people who cheered for more government ability to surveil its citizens suddenly realize those tools can be used against them.
"Prosecutors say Minuta, who recently moved to Texas, is linked to the right-wing Oath Keepers militia, and was seen with Republican operative Roger Stone on the morning of the riot; Stone told a Tennessee newspaper last month that he needed to hire private security while in Washington, and did not personally know the men protecting him."
"The battle over voting rights in the US is a drama that's playing out concurrently in the Congress and state legislatures across the country… On one side are Republicans in state capitols, intent on passing laws curtailing when and where their citizens can vote - citing allegations of voting fraud repeatedly made by Donald Trump in the months after his presidential defeat to Joe Biden… On the other are Democrats in Washington, DC, who are pushing legislation to take those decisions out of the hands of state politicians by setting federal rules for conducting elections."
"Sterling, a Republican who is now the chief operating officer for the Georgia secretary of state's office, says some of the measures backed by Republican Georgia state lawmakers go too far… But he argues that many of the proposals could end up helping elections administrators."v
"Abusive relationships are disturbingly common. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in three U.S. women has experience experienced rape, physical violence and/or stalking by a partner, and one in four men has. Chances are we all know someone who has, is or will experience this form of violence… Here are some ways to help a friend or loved one."
"A safer future is just a few months away, but it's crucial that Americans keep practicing Covid-19 safety precautions and heeding health officials' advice as the country works to vaccinate more people, one expert told CNN on Monday."
"A Florida hospital diverted vaccines from the general public to an ultra-wealthy community where its CEO and Republican donors lived… Gov. Ron DeSantis insists 'the state was not involved' in helping to vaccinate 1,200 residents of the wealthy Ocean Reef community in January, but a spokeswoman for Baptist Health Systems, which administered the doses, told Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald that state officials did intervene." (Grokked from Chuck Wendig)
"They're not alone in making big moves during the pandemic. With millions of Americans suddenly working remotely, some took the unprecedented opportunity to shift their lives in a new direction — crossing their fingers that when it's safe to go back to the office, they won't have to." I love that many of the people interviewed didn't want their full name used to protect their employment, but then give enough personal details that their employers could probably identify them (I'm guessing their protecting "future" employment opportunities).
"Abortion is illegal in Nigeria except to save a woman's life and carries a heavy jail sentence for both the provider and the patient. But post-abortion care is a form of emergency medicine that all countries have pledged to provide to women with complications of a miscarriage or an induced abortion, irrespective of the legal status of the latter. And many do so with the technical and financial support of the United States."
"Blackouts are becoming increasingly common as extreme weather causes electricity demand to skyrocket, while simultaneously damaging the aging electric grid. Climate change-driven disasters, like more intense storms and hurricanes, only increase that risk… So, some communities are looking for new ways to ensure that vulnerable people and infrastructure can withstand power outages. They're installing solar panels and large batteries to create tiny "microgrids" that continue working when the larger grid goes dark."
"The Biden administration said Monday that it will allow many Venezuelans who are already in the country illegally to remain because of the humanitarian and economic crisis in the socialist South American nation that is an adversary of the U.S.… Carrying out a promise President Biden made on the campaign trail, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas granted Temporary Protected Status to an estimated 320,000 Venezuelans."
"A post-coup crackdown by Myanmar's military appeared to intensify Monday as security forces revoked the licenses of five independent media companies before a late-night standoff that saw hundreds of young protesters trapped in Yangon."
"Myanmar's military - the Tatmadaw - began its involvement in business after the socialist coup of Ne Win in 1962… For years, military battalions were required to be self-sufficient and encouraged to develop stakes in local enterprises to fund their operations… While this practice has been phased out, two military-run conglomerates were established in the 1990s as the government began privatising state industries." Unfortunately there are many militaries across the world that function like this.
"The European Parliament has voted to waive the immunity of former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and two other Catalan separatist MEPs… The politicians left Spain in 2017 following a failed independence referendum, which Madrid said was illegal… The vote left the country facing its deepest political crisis in decades." Someone's going to jail.
"Newsom’s popularity has fallen significantly after reaching record highs at the start of the pandemic and he’s likely to face a recall election later this year driven by critics of his stewardship during the crisis. That makes Tuesday’s State of the State a critical step for keeping voters on his side."
"The Senate passed its version of the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill on Saturday, paving the way for the plan to be taken up by the House on Tuesday or Wednesday before heading to President Biden's desk for his signature. The colossal package known as the American Rescue Plan allocates money for vaccines, schools, small businesses and anti-poverty programs such as an expanded child tax credit that would mean new monthly payments to many parents."
"Monday, the South Dakota state Senate passed a bill that restricts transgender women athletes from competing on high school and college girls' and women's teams. The measure now goes to Republican Gov. Kristi Noem who has said she is excited to sign the bill into law." Because Republicans are all about big government when it comes to their social conservative ideology.
"The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday sided with a former Georgia college student who sued his school after it prevented him from expressing religious views in a free-speech zone on campus… The 8-1 decision, authored by Justice Clarence Thomas, said that Chike Uzuegbunam -- who was silenced by Georgia Gwinnett College officials even after he had obtained a permit to proselytize and handout religious literature -- can seek nominal damages despite the fact that the school ultimately changed course and Uzuegbunam subsequently graduated."
"For the first time in his nearly 16 years on the Supreme Court, Chief Justice John Roberts has filed a solo dissent. In it, he bluntly accused his colleagues of a 'radical expansion' of the court's jurisdiction."
"Twitter has filed a lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, claiming the Republican used his office to retaliate against it for banning the account of former President Donald Trump following the riot at the U.S. Capitol." Here we go.
"The spear-wielding self-described shaman who stormed the Senate chamber on Jan. 6 will remain behind bars pending trial, a federal judge ruled on Monday… '[D]efendant’s statements after January 6 indicate that he does not fully appreciate the severity of the charges brought against him,' Lamberth wrote in a 32-page opinion. 'If defendant does not understand the severity of the allegations against him, the Court finds no reason to believe he would not commit the same or similar actions again.'" So he failed the first test of trying to test his case in public.
"Federal prosecutors late Monday alleged that the leader of the Oath Keepers encouraged followers to come to Washington, DC, on Jan. 6 armed with less-than-lethal weapons and later stood outside the Capitol during the insurrection directing them toward a potential entry point… Just after 2 p.m. on Jan. 6, according to prosecutors in a new court filing, Stewart Rhodes sent a message on the encrypted Signal app to several of his followers saying: 'Come to the South Side of the Capitol on steps.' At 2:41 p.m., Rhodes, who is referred to in court filings as Person One, posted a photograph of the Capitol with the caption: 'South side of US Capitol. Patriots pounding on doors.'" Where the people who cheered for more government ability to surveil its citizens suddenly realize those tools can be used against them.
"Prosecutors say Minuta, who recently moved to Texas, is linked to the right-wing Oath Keepers militia, and was seen with Republican operative Roger Stone on the morning of the riot; Stone told a Tennessee newspaper last month that he needed to hire private security while in Washington, and did not personally know the men protecting him."
"The battle over voting rights in the US is a drama that's playing out concurrently in the Congress and state legislatures across the country… On one side are Republicans in state capitols, intent on passing laws curtailing when and where their citizens can vote - citing allegations of voting fraud repeatedly made by Donald Trump in the months after his presidential defeat to Joe Biden… On the other are Democrats in Washington, DC, who are pushing legislation to take those decisions out of the hands of state politicians by setting federal rules for conducting elections."
"Sterling, a Republican who is now the chief operating officer for the Georgia secretary of state's office, says some of the measures backed by Republican Georgia state lawmakers go too far… But he argues that many of the proposals could end up helping elections administrators."v
Monday, March 8, 2021
Linkee-poo was born an original sinner
Michael Stanley, and so it goes.
"The effect is an example of an optical illusion known as a superior mirage. Such illusions are reasonably common in the Arctic but can also happen in UK winters when the atmospheric conditions are right, though they are very rare." (Grokked from Dr. Caitlin Green)
"Here are five reasons why experts say you should wear a face mask, even if your state doesn't require it:"
"But now case declines have stopped and infection numbers plateaued at very high levels -- with the US averaging roughly 60,000 new cases daily in the past week. Multiple governors have eased Covid-19 safety measures despite health officials' warnings. Spring break events are kicking off across the country, threatening the potential for further spread of the virus." Just a comparison, our "plateau" level is about the same as last Summer's "spike" high.
"Chardon Schools staff received the COVID-19 vaccine at a mass vaccination site on Saturday… There are too many staff absences after the vaccinations to hold class Monday." Yet other school systems did the same thing, but they don't have the absences.
"The United States has identified three online publications directed by Russia’s intelligence services that it says are seeking to undermine Covid-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna, a State Department spokeswoman said on Sunday."
"According to the monthly jobs report released on Friday, more than 4 million people had been unemployed for six months or more in February, a surge of 3 million over the past year… Those who are long-term unemployed accounted for 41% of all unemployed people in the United States — levels not seen since the height of the Great Recession."
"That's because for a period of 32 hours during the deepest freeze of February's winter storm, power companies were paying $9 per kilowatt-hour for electricity — about 75 times higher than the state's average winter costs. Companies passed those costs on to consumers… Texans facing those unexpected bills were hoping that Texas' utility regulator would retroactively reduce the electricity market prices. But on Friday, Public Utility Commission of Texas chose to let the charges stand." Welcome to the free fucking market. The house always wins.
"President Joe Biden on Monday ordered his administration to review Trump administration rules around campus sexual assaults that bolstered the rights of the accused and narrowed the scope of cases colleges must address." Good.
"The United States and South Korea have reached agreement in principle on a new arrangement for sharing the cost of the American troop presence, which is intended as a bulwark against the threat of North Korean aggression, both countries announced."
"President Biden will mark International Women's Day on Monday by signing two executive orders geared toward promoting gender equity, both in the United States and around the world."
"The Supreme Court is reviving a lawsuit brought by a Georgia college student who sued school officials after being prevented from distributing Christian literature on campus, but was only seeking $1."
"The Republican Party is showing signs of softening its trademark fiscal conservative brand in favor of a new populist approach, a potentially seminal shift as the party becomes more reliant on blue-collar white voters after Donald Trump's presidency." Going all in on social conservatism by walking away from fiscal conservatism. And it's only a small step, note all the "OMG, the relief bill spends So Much Money" pearl clutching on Sunday's talking head shows.
"Punchbowl News' John Bresnahn explained that during a vote for HR 1280: The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) cast a vote for the bill. His Republican colleagues freaked out, saying that it needed to be changed. Three of them protested, attempting to change the vote in with the Tally Clerk."
"The Democratic-controlled Senate Saturday overcame Republican roadblocks and a debate that lasted beyond 24 hours to pass President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package which would provide millions of Americans with $1,400 direct payments, billions of dollars for vaccine distribution, and funds to help reopen schools and colleges."
"West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin stressed Sunday that he wants to keep the procedural hurdle known as the filibuster, saying major legislation should always have significant input from the minority party. But he noted there are other ways to change the rules that now effectively require 60 votes for most legislation. One example: the 'talking filibuster,' which requires senators to slow a bill by holding the floor, but then grants an 'up or down' simple majority vote if they give up."
"But it wasn't just one day of high engagement. A new study from Cybersecurity For Democracy found that far-right accounts known for spreading misinformation are not only thriving on Facebook, they're actually more successful than other kinds of accounts at getting likes, shares and other forms of user engagement… It wasn't a small edge, either."
"A prominent family in Georgia has sued their local grocery clerk for defamation after she made allegations on social media about their involvement in the Capitol insurrection, according to the Washington Post."
"Mail-in voting did not significantly increase turnout nor did it benefit Democrats in the 2020 election, a new study has found, undermining the talking point, advanced by Donald Trump and others, that mail-in ballots cost him the election… States that required an excuse to vote by mail saw increases in turnout similar to those that did not, the researchers from Stanford found. In Texas, where only voters ages 65 and up can vote by mail without an excuse, Democratic turnout did not “substantially increase” relative to Republican turnout."
"The effect is an example of an optical illusion known as a superior mirage. Such illusions are reasonably common in the Arctic but can also happen in UK winters when the atmospheric conditions are right, though they are very rare." (Grokked from Dr. Caitlin Green)
"Here are five reasons why experts say you should wear a face mask, even if your state doesn't require it:"
"But now case declines have stopped and infection numbers plateaued at very high levels -- with the US averaging roughly 60,000 new cases daily in the past week. Multiple governors have eased Covid-19 safety measures despite health officials' warnings. Spring break events are kicking off across the country, threatening the potential for further spread of the virus." Just a comparison, our "plateau" level is about the same as last Summer's "spike" high.
"Chardon Schools staff received the COVID-19 vaccine at a mass vaccination site on Saturday… There are too many staff absences after the vaccinations to hold class Monday." Yet other school systems did the same thing, but they don't have the absences.
"The United States has identified three online publications directed by Russia’s intelligence services that it says are seeking to undermine Covid-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna, a State Department spokeswoman said on Sunday."
"According to the monthly jobs report released on Friday, more than 4 million people had been unemployed for six months or more in February, a surge of 3 million over the past year… Those who are long-term unemployed accounted for 41% of all unemployed people in the United States — levels not seen since the height of the Great Recession."
"That's because for a period of 32 hours during the deepest freeze of February's winter storm, power companies were paying $9 per kilowatt-hour for electricity — about 75 times higher than the state's average winter costs. Companies passed those costs on to consumers… Texans facing those unexpected bills were hoping that Texas' utility regulator would retroactively reduce the electricity market prices. But on Friday, Public Utility Commission of Texas chose to let the charges stand." Welcome to the free fucking market. The house always wins.
"President Joe Biden on Monday ordered his administration to review Trump administration rules around campus sexual assaults that bolstered the rights of the accused and narrowed the scope of cases colleges must address." Good.
"The United States and South Korea have reached agreement in principle on a new arrangement for sharing the cost of the American troop presence, which is intended as a bulwark against the threat of North Korean aggression, both countries announced."
"President Biden will mark International Women's Day on Monday by signing two executive orders geared toward promoting gender equity, both in the United States and around the world."
"The Supreme Court is reviving a lawsuit brought by a Georgia college student who sued school officials after being prevented from distributing Christian literature on campus, but was only seeking $1."
"The Republican Party is showing signs of softening its trademark fiscal conservative brand in favor of a new populist approach, a potentially seminal shift as the party becomes more reliant on blue-collar white voters after Donald Trump's presidency." Going all in on social conservatism by walking away from fiscal conservatism. And it's only a small step, note all the "OMG, the relief bill spends So Much Money" pearl clutching on Sunday's talking head shows.
"Punchbowl News' John Bresnahn explained that during a vote for HR 1280: The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) cast a vote for the bill. His Republican colleagues freaked out, saying that it needed to be changed. Three of them protested, attempting to change the vote in with the Tally Clerk."
"The Democratic-controlled Senate Saturday overcame Republican roadblocks and a debate that lasted beyond 24 hours to pass President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package which would provide millions of Americans with $1,400 direct payments, billions of dollars for vaccine distribution, and funds to help reopen schools and colleges."
"West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin stressed Sunday that he wants to keep the procedural hurdle known as the filibuster, saying major legislation should always have significant input from the minority party. But he noted there are other ways to change the rules that now effectively require 60 votes for most legislation. One example: the 'talking filibuster,' which requires senators to slow a bill by holding the floor, but then grants an 'up or down' simple majority vote if they give up."
"But it wasn't just one day of high engagement. A new study from Cybersecurity For Democracy found that far-right accounts known for spreading misinformation are not only thriving on Facebook, they're actually more successful than other kinds of accounts at getting likes, shares and other forms of user engagement… It wasn't a small edge, either."
"A prominent family in Georgia has sued their local grocery clerk for defamation after she made allegations on social media about their involvement in the Capitol insurrection, according to the Washington Post."
"Mail-in voting did not significantly increase turnout nor did it benefit Democrats in the 2020 election, a new study has found, undermining the talking point, advanced by Donald Trump and others, that mail-in ballots cost him the election… States that required an excuse to vote by mail saw increases in turnout similar to those that did not, the researchers from Stanford found. In Texas, where only voters ages 65 and up can vote by mail without an excuse, Democratic turnout did not “substantially increase” relative to Republican turnout."
Friday, March 5, 2021
Linkee-poo walks along the city streets, so dark with rage and fear
"As head of the country’s flagship public health agency, (Director Rochelle Walensky) must find a way to convince Americans to stay vigilant after a year of masks and social distancing — and sift through rapidly changing science to guide policies aimed at saving lives. That alone is a round-the-clock job. But Walensky also faces the task of rebuilding trust and morale within the CDC after the agency was demoted and bypassed under the Trump administration." I also like the tone of, "Biden hasn't interfered with or overrode the CDC decision making process, but we all know he will in the future." The damage Trump did to our democracy and institutions will live on for a long time in this weird form of PTSD.
"Italy invoked European Union powers to block the export of 250,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses to Australia on Thursday, in a dramatic escalation of a dispute between the EU and drug giant AstraZeneca… Prime Minister Mario Draghi's spokesperson Paola Ansuini confirmed the move to CNN, adding that Italy and the European Commission had agreed on the action. This is the first time that such EU measures have been used for vaccines."
"Tens of millions of Americans experienced at least a day last year shrouded in wildfire smoke. Entire cities were blanketed, in some cases for weeks, as unprecedented wildfires tore across the Western U.S., causing increases in hospitalizations for respiratory emergencies and concerns about people's longer-term health… A new study finds those concerns are well founded."
"The San Diego Zoo has vaccinated nine great apes for the coronavirus after a troop of gorillas in its Safari Park became infected, officials said Thursday."
"The White House has defended Joe Biden’s criticism of the Republican governors of Texas and Mississippi, after the president called their decisions to end mask mandates 'Neanderthal thinking'." And so begins the traditional week of "pearl clutching" by conservatives.
"When Humbelina Gonzales heard Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was lifting the state's mask mandate next week, her first reaction was, 'It's too soon for it.'" Well of course it is.
"'The oil and gas industry is calibrating itself to what has become the new benchmark — net zero carbon by 2050. There’s a lot of variation in strategies and thinking about what will be the new map to get there,' said Yergin. 'But the big cross-cutting themes that jump out this week are hydrogen, carbon capture, innovation — and the need for large companies with engineering capabilities that can operate at scale — which is where the oil and gas industry happens to be.'" Oh, is it time for Clean Coal again? Fossil fuels can never be carbon neutral. Can you cook the books to make it look that way? Sure. But note they're mostly focused on the extraction of fossil fuels become carbon neutral. That's a nice slight of hand attempt.
"Several Dr. Seuss books have risen to the top of Amazon's bestseller list just days after the author's estate said it would stop publishing six books that contained racist or offensive imagery." But none were the books removed by Dr Suess Enterprises. However, prices of those on Ebay now have a premium attached.
"A high-profile universal basic income experiment in Stockton, Calif., which gave randomly selected residents $500 per month for two years with no strings attached, measurably improved participants' job prospects, financial stability and overall well-being, according to a newly released study of the program's first year." Shocked, shocked conservatives will be to find that "full-time employment rose among those who received the guaranteed income and that their financial, physical and emotional health improved."
"US stocks tumbled Thursday after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell predicted an increase in consumer prices this summer — something investors fear will force interest rates up sooner than expected… Powell, speaking at a conference Thursday, predicted strong job growth and increases in consumer prices as the vaccine rollout allows the economy to reopen fully. But he cautioned the Fed does not think the economy is at risk of overheating."
"The U.S. economy added 379,000 jobs in February, roundly beating economists’ estimates of 210,000, and indicating that one year into the pandemic, the labor market is finally showing signs of recovery… In the first full monthly employment report under President Joe Biden, the unemployment rate fell to 6.2 percent,from 6.3 percent in January, according to data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics." While good news for Biden, note that number is about half last week's new jobless claims.
"China will increase its spending on research and development over the next five years in a push to make 'major breakthroughs' in technology, Premier Li Keqiang said on Friday… The comments came during a speech at China’s annual parliamentary 'Two Sessions' meeting as Beijing lays out its priorities for the coming years."
"Pope Francis landed in Iraq on Friday for a historic tour of the war-ravaged nation, where he is meeting with members of the country's dwindling Christian community, aiming to draw attention to their plight."
"President Joe Biden has agreed to a compromise with moderate Democrats to narrow the income eligibility for the next round of $1,400 stimulus checks that are included in a bill the Senate is expected to take up this week, a Democratic source told CNN Wednesday." The best part of this story which is not in this article is that Senate Republicans demanded that the entire bill be read to the chamber, which finished up late last night. This was an attempt to delay its final passing. However, when the reading came to an end, Sen Van Hollen rose and asked for unanimous consent for debate to be limited to 3 hours instead of 20. Since no Republicans actually attended the reading, and so were not in the chamber, the resolution passed without objection. So the bill will move even faster now.
"Last summer, an appointee of former President Donald Trump was irate because he could not simply fire top executives who had warned him that some of his plans might be illegal… Michael Pack, who was CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media that oversees Voice of America, in August suspended those top executives. He also immediately ordered up an investigation to determine what wrongdoing the executives might have committed… Instead of turning to inspectors general or civil servants to investigate, Pack personally signed a no-bid contract to hire a high-profile law firm with strong Republican ties."
"The man who was seen putting his feet up on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot had an outburst in federal court Thursday over his continued detainment… Richard Barnett, reportedly screamed at Judge Christopher R. Cooper during a virtual hearing where it was determined he would remain detained until at least his next hearing in May. He yelled at Cooper that it was 'not fair' that he remained in jail as others were released, according to NBC Washington’s Scott MacFarlane." I know, it's like he isn't even white anymore.
"Rep. Eric Swalwell, who served as a House manager in Donald Trump’s last impeachment, filed a lawsuit Friday against the former president, his son, lawyer and a Republican congressman whose actions he charges led to January’s insurrection." I wonder if they'll qualify for a class action suit?
"Italy invoked European Union powers to block the export of 250,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses to Australia on Thursday, in a dramatic escalation of a dispute between the EU and drug giant AstraZeneca… Prime Minister Mario Draghi's spokesperson Paola Ansuini confirmed the move to CNN, adding that Italy and the European Commission had agreed on the action. This is the first time that such EU measures have been used for vaccines."
"Tens of millions of Americans experienced at least a day last year shrouded in wildfire smoke. Entire cities were blanketed, in some cases for weeks, as unprecedented wildfires tore across the Western U.S., causing increases in hospitalizations for respiratory emergencies and concerns about people's longer-term health… A new study finds those concerns are well founded."
"The San Diego Zoo has vaccinated nine great apes for the coronavirus after a troop of gorillas in its Safari Park became infected, officials said Thursday."
"The White House has defended Joe Biden’s criticism of the Republican governors of Texas and Mississippi, after the president called their decisions to end mask mandates 'Neanderthal thinking'." And so begins the traditional week of "pearl clutching" by conservatives.
"When Humbelina Gonzales heard Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was lifting the state's mask mandate next week, her first reaction was, 'It's too soon for it.'" Well of course it is.
"'The oil and gas industry is calibrating itself to what has become the new benchmark — net zero carbon by 2050. There’s a lot of variation in strategies and thinking about what will be the new map to get there,' said Yergin. 'But the big cross-cutting themes that jump out this week are hydrogen, carbon capture, innovation — and the need for large companies with engineering capabilities that can operate at scale — which is where the oil and gas industry happens to be.'" Oh, is it time for Clean Coal again? Fossil fuels can never be carbon neutral. Can you cook the books to make it look that way? Sure. But note they're mostly focused on the extraction of fossil fuels become carbon neutral. That's a nice slight of hand attempt.
"Several Dr. Seuss books have risen to the top of Amazon's bestseller list just days after the author's estate said it would stop publishing six books that contained racist or offensive imagery." But none were the books removed by Dr Suess Enterprises. However, prices of those on Ebay now have a premium attached.
"A high-profile universal basic income experiment in Stockton, Calif., which gave randomly selected residents $500 per month for two years with no strings attached, measurably improved participants' job prospects, financial stability and overall well-being, according to a newly released study of the program's first year." Shocked, shocked conservatives will be to find that "full-time employment rose among those who received the guaranteed income and that their financial, physical and emotional health improved."
"US stocks tumbled Thursday after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell predicted an increase in consumer prices this summer — something investors fear will force interest rates up sooner than expected… Powell, speaking at a conference Thursday, predicted strong job growth and increases in consumer prices as the vaccine rollout allows the economy to reopen fully. But he cautioned the Fed does not think the economy is at risk of overheating."
"The U.S. economy added 379,000 jobs in February, roundly beating economists’ estimates of 210,000, and indicating that one year into the pandemic, the labor market is finally showing signs of recovery… In the first full monthly employment report under President Joe Biden, the unemployment rate fell to 6.2 percent,from 6.3 percent in January, according to data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics." While good news for Biden, note that number is about half last week's new jobless claims.
"China will increase its spending on research and development over the next five years in a push to make 'major breakthroughs' in technology, Premier Li Keqiang said on Friday… The comments came during a speech at China’s annual parliamentary 'Two Sessions' meeting as Beijing lays out its priorities for the coming years."
"Pope Francis landed in Iraq on Friday for a historic tour of the war-ravaged nation, where he is meeting with members of the country's dwindling Christian community, aiming to draw attention to their plight."
"President Joe Biden has agreed to a compromise with moderate Democrats to narrow the income eligibility for the next round of $1,400 stimulus checks that are included in a bill the Senate is expected to take up this week, a Democratic source told CNN Wednesday." The best part of this story which is not in this article is that Senate Republicans demanded that the entire bill be read to the chamber, which finished up late last night. This was an attempt to delay its final passing. However, when the reading came to an end, Sen Van Hollen rose and asked for unanimous consent for debate to be limited to 3 hours instead of 20. Since no Republicans actually attended the reading, and so were not in the chamber, the resolution passed without objection. So the bill will move even faster now.
"Last summer, an appointee of former President Donald Trump was irate because he could not simply fire top executives who had warned him that some of his plans might be illegal… Michael Pack, who was CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media that oversees Voice of America, in August suspended those top executives. He also immediately ordered up an investigation to determine what wrongdoing the executives might have committed… Instead of turning to inspectors general or civil servants to investigate, Pack personally signed a no-bid contract to hire a high-profile law firm with strong Republican ties."
"The man who was seen putting his feet up on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's desk during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot had an outburst in federal court Thursday over his continued detainment… Richard Barnett, reportedly screamed at Judge Christopher R. Cooper during a virtual hearing where it was determined he would remain detained until at least his next hearing in May. He yelled at Cooper that it was 'not fair' that he remained in jail as others were released, according to NBC Washington’s Scott MacFarlane." I know, it's like he isn't even white anymore.
"Rep. Eric Swalwell, who served as a House manager in Donald Trump’s last impeachment, filed a lawsuit Friday against the former president, his son, lawyer and a Republican congressman whose actions he charges led to January’s insurrection." I wonder if they'll qualify for a class action suit?
Thursday, March 4, 2021
Linkee-poo Thursday March 4
"The U.S. Capitol Police says that it is aware of a threat by an unidentified militia group to breach the Capitol complex on Thursday… March 4 is a significant date for far-right conspiracy theorists who believe former President Donald Trump will return to power then. That was the original date for presidential inaugurations until 1937, after the adoption of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution." Next it'll be the 15th, the Ides of March.
"Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday criticized President Joe Biden for calling his decisions to lift Covid-19 restrictions and mask mandates earlier this week 'Neanderthal thinking' and blamed the state’s ongoing outbreak on undocumented immigrants." Totally not a racist party, except for all the racism.
"Some of Texas’ top doctors warned Wednesday that Gov. Greg Abbott’s sudden decision to ditch the mask mandate and lift coronavirus restrictions could result in a new surge of Covid-19 infections and deaths… And while they now have enough masks, ventilators and emergency room space to treat a new wave of patients, they say there is an acute shortage of staffers who aren’t already stressed out and exhausted from battling the pandemic for more than a year."
"The U.S. has a long way to go with its coronavirus vaccine distribution, but it's way ahead of most other countries. That includes Germany, where many have chosen to wait for one vaccine over another, instead of just getting the shot that is most available."
"Many residents of Jackson, Miss., remain without running water three weeks after a winter storm hit the city… The water outages in Jackson began Feb. 15 as a winter storm swept across the state. The storm brought devastating, bitter cold to the South and hit the region's critical infrastructure hard--highlighting major vulnerabilities in the area's power grid and water system." Our systems aren't ready for what's coming.
"General Motors is looking at building a second plant in the U.S. to produce battery cells for electric vehicles through a joint venture with LG Chem… The automaker confirmed the plans Thursday morning after The Wall Street Journal reported the companies were close to a decision to locate the plant in Tennessee, but a final selection hadn’t been made. GM said it hopes 'to have a decision on the potential project' by June." Stares into the camera from just north of Lordstown.
"Unexpectedly strong demand for furniture, appliances and other manufactured goods is providing a windfall to many of the country's industries… But as factory gears spin faster to meet the surging demand, a big headache is emerging: Supply chains are getting stretched more than ever, and critical components are proving a lot harder to procure."
"Weekly jobless claims edged higher last week but rose less than expected for an economy struggling to shake off impacts from a pandemic that has been around now for nearly a year… The Labor Department on Thursday reported that first-time filings for unemployment insurance in the week ended Feb. 27 totaled a seasonally adjusted 745,000, a touch below the Dow Jones estimate of 750,000. The total was a slight uptick from the previous week’s upwardly revised 736,000."
"The year of the pandemic was also the year of the gun. Shootings took off in almost every city, large and small. New York saw shootings double, and nationally, non-suicide gun deaths jumped about 25%, according to the independent Gun Violence Archive… At the same time, gun sales were up, too. In fact, 2020 marked the best year for gun sales — ever."
Kids are going back to school… "A 15-year-old boy who was shot Monday morning at Watson Chapel Junior High School in Arkansas has died, Pulaski County Coroner's Office said, according to CBS affiliate KTHV-TV. The Watson Chapel School District also announced the death of the student, citing his mother's Facebook page."
"In her time as former President Donald Trump's transportation secretary, Elaine Chao repeatedly used her position and agency staff to help family members who run a shipping business with ties to China, in potential violation of federal ethics laws, according to an Office of Inspector General report… The findings were uncovered in the Transportation Department's inspector general report released Wednesday that detailed the office's investigation into Chao's dealings as secretary." And now you know one of the things Trump had on McConnell.
"House Democrats late Wednesday approved a momentous overhaul of American policing, responding to decades of frustration over racial injustice in law enforcement. But their plan is headed for a roadblock: the U.S. Senate."
"The power struggle that led to conservative social media site Parler abruptly firing its founder and CEO John Matze last month became so acrimonious that when Matze was sacked, he was also involuntarily stripped of his entire stake in the company, according to people familiar with Matze's exit." Eating their own and playing the victim.
"New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that he won't resign from office amid growing calls for him to step down over sexual harassment allegations. After a third woman came forward to allege inappropriate conduct, the governor said during a press conference he felt 'embarrassed' for the 'pain I've caused' and pledged to cooperate with an investigation led by the state attorney general." I give him two to four weeks. However there is a complication, there are rumors that people friendly to Trump are going to run for governor, mostly to pardon Trump and protect him from state level charges and that this is a part of their strategy. Doesn't mean he's not guilty as hell.
"In the nearly two months since the attack, cross party tensions in Congress have intensified in floor debate, in committee hearings, and in personal relationships. At an Oversight Committee hearing last week on the postal service, Rep. Gerry Connolly. D-Va., snapped at Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, one of former President Donald Trump's most vocal allies in the House, after Jordan accused Democrats of politicizing the postal service to hurt Trump in the election. 'I didn't vote to overturn an election. And I will not be lectured by people who did about partisanship,' Connolly responded." The article is written in a way that "blames" Democrats for the final breakdowns. However, at least IMHO, they have cause not to trust their Republican colleagues.
"The commanding general of the Washington, DC, National Guard testified Wednesday that he did not need authorization from Pentagon leaders before deploying troops in response to protests at the nation's capital last summer but that changed in the days before the January 6 insurrection… The shift in guidance, according to DC National Guard Commanding Maj. Gen. William Walker, was communicated in a January 5 memo that stated he was required to seek approval from the Secretary of the Army and Defense before preparing troops to respond to a civil disturbance." Why it's almost like the Trump Administration was in on the whole thing.
"New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith has asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to investigate after at least 30 New Jersey National Guard members allegedly got sick over the last month from eating the food they were provided while deployed to protect the U.S. Capitol."
"Germany's domestic intelligence agency has put the country's largest opposition party under surveillance as a potential threat to the country's constitution, according to public broadcaster ARD and other media outlets. The move affects dozens of lawmakers who are in the right-wing Alternative for Germany, or AfD, party." Looks meaningfully into the camera.
"A document filed in federal court on Monday sheds new light on the Proud Boys' tactical preparation for and movements during the Jan. 6 insurrection… It alleges that a Washington state-based member of the far-right group was internally nominated to have "war powers" and assume "ultimate leadership" of the group's activities that day. Thirty-year-old Ethan Nordean allegedly helped coordinate members' storming of the Capitol in an effort to interrupt the Electoral College certification of President Biden's victory."
"Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday criticized President Joe Biden for calling his decisions to lift Covid-19 restrictions and mask mandates earlier this week 'Neanderthal thinking' and blamed the state’s ongoing outbreak on undocumented immigrants." Totally not a racist party, except for all the racism.
"Some of Texas’ top doctors warned Wednesday that Gov. Greg Abbott’s sudden decision to ditch the mask mandate and lift coronavirus restrictions could result in a new surge of Covid-19 infections and deaths… And while they now have enough masks, ventilators and emergency room space to treat a new wave of patients, they say there is an acute shortage of staffers who aren’t already stressed out and exhausted from battling the pandemic for more than a year."
"The U.S. has a long way to go with its coronavirus vaccine distribution, but it's way ahead of most other countries. That includes Germany, where many have chosen to wait for one vaccine over another, instead of just getting the shot that is most available."
"Many residents of Jackson, Miss., remain without running water three weeks after a winter storm hit the city… The water outages in Jackson began Feb. 15 as a winter storm swept across the state. The storm brought devastating, bitter cold to the South and hit the region's critical infrastructure hard--highlighting major vulnerabilities in the area's power grid and water system." Our systems aren't ready for what's coming.
"General Motors is looking at building a second plant in the U.S. to produce battery cells for electric vehicles through a joint venture with LG Chem… The automaker confirmed the plans Thursday morning after The Wall Street Journal reported the companies were close to a decision to locate the plant in Tennessee, but a final selection hadn’t been made. GM said it hopes 'to have a decision on the potential project' by June." Stares into the camera from just north of Lordstown.
"Unexpectedly strong demand for furniture, appliances and other manufactured goods is providing a windfall to many of the country's industries… But as factory gears spin faster to meet the surging demand, a big headache is emerging: Supply chains are getting stretched more than ever, and critical components are proving a lot harder to procure."
"Weekly jobless claims edged higher last week but rose less than expected for an economy struggling to shake off impacts from a pandemic that has been around now for nearly a year… The Labor Department on Thursday reported that first-time filings for unemployment insurance in the week ended Feb. 27 totaled a seasonally adjusted 745,000, a touch below the Dow Jones estimate of 750,000. The total was a slight uptick from the previous week’s upwardly revised 736,000."
"The year of the pandemic was also the year of the gun. Shootings took off in almost every city, large and small. New York saw shootings double, and nationally, non-suicide gun deaths jumped about 25%, according to the independent Gun Violence Archive… At the same time, gun sales were up, too. In fact, 2020 marked the best year for gun sales — ever."
Kids are going back to school… "A 15-year-old boy who was shot Monday morning at Watson Chapel Junior High School in Arkansas has died, Pulaski County Coroner's Office said, according to CBS affiliate KTHV-TV. The Watson Chapel School District also announced the death of the student, citing his mother's Facebook page."
"In her time as former President Donald Trump's transportation secretary, Elaine Chao repeatedly used her position and agency staff to help family members who run a shipping business with ties to China, in potential violation of federal ethics laws, according to an Office of Inspector General report… The findings were uncovered in the Transportation Department's inspector general report released Wednesday that detailed the office's investigation into Chao's dealings as secretary." And now you know one of the things Trump had on McConnell.
"House Democrats late Wednesday approved a momentous overhaul of American policing, responding to decades of frustration over racial injustice in law enforcement. But their plan is headed for a roadblock: the U.S. Senate."
"The power struggle that led to conservative social media site Parler abruptly firing its founder and CEO John Matze last month became so acrimonious that when Matze was sacked, he was also involuntarily stripped of his entire stake in the company, according to people familiar with Matze's exit." Eating their own and playing the victim.
"New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that he won't resign from office amid growing calls for him to step down over sexual harassment allegations. After a third woman came forward to allege inappropriate conduct, the governor said during a press conference he felt 'embarrassed' for the 'pain I've caused' and pledged to cooperate with an investigation led by the state attorney general." I give him two to four weeks. However there is a complication, there are rumors that people friendly to Trump are going to run for governor, mostly to pardon Trump and protect him from state level charges and that this is a part of their strategy. Doesn't mean he's not guilty as hell.
"In the nearly two months since the attack, cross party tensions in Congress have intensified in floor debate, in committee hearings, and in personal relationships. At an Oversight Committee hearing last week on the postal service, Rep. Gerry Connolly. D-Va., snapped at Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, one of former President Donald Trump's most vocal allies in the House, after Jordan accused Democrats of politicizing the postal service to hurt Trump in the election. 'I didn't vote to overturn an election. And I will not be lectured by people who did about partisanship,' Connolly responded." The article is written in a way that "blames" Democrats for the final breakdowns. However, at least IMHO, they have cause not to trust their Republican colleagues.
"The commanding general of the Washington, DC, National Guard testified Wednesday that he did not need authorization from Pentagon leaders before deploying troops in response to protests at the nation's capital last summer but that changed in the days before the January 6 insurrection… The shift in guidance, according to DC National Guard Commanding Maj. Gen. William Walker, was communicated in a January 5 memo that stated he was required to seek approval from the Secretary of the Army and Defense before preparing troops to respond to a civil disturbance." Why it's almost like the Trump Administration was in on the whole thing.
"New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith has asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to investigate after at least 30 New Jersey National Guard members allegedly got sick over the last month from eating the food they were provided while deployed to protect the U.S. Capitol."
"Germany's domestic intelligence agency has put the country's largest opposition party under surveillance as a potential threat to the country's constitution, according to public broadcaster ARD and other media outlets. The move affects dozens of lawmakers who are in the right-wing Alternative for Germany, or AfD, party." Looks meaningfully into the camera.
"A document filed in federal court on Monday sheds new light on the Proud Boys' tactical preparation for and movements during the Jan. 6 insurrection… It alleges that a Washington state-based member of the far-right group was internally nominated to have "war powers" and assume "ultimate leadership" of the group's activities that day. Thirty-year-old Ethan Nordean allegedly helped coordinate members' storming of the Capitol in an effort to interrupt the Electoral College certification of President Biden's victory."
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
Linkee-poo just had to get a prescription from the vet to order cat food
"A new test of cephalopod smarts has reinforced how important it is for us humans to not underestimate animal intelligence… Cuttlefish have been put to a new version of the marshmallow test, and the results appear to demonstrate that there's more going on in their strange little brains than we knew." (Grokked from Dan)
"Henrik Fisker has abandoned his electric vehicle startup’s effort to create a solid-state battery, the Fisker Inc. founder told The Verge in a recent interview." A little insight on the corporate wars to develop better battery technology and the "startup" culture.
"On Tuesday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that state Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud had signed a revised health order, expanding capacity for mass gatherings within the state… According to the governor's office, the first order--which originally prohibited mass gatherings--will now allow for events to go forward, so long as COVID-19 protocols are still followed. This includes wedding receptions, funeral repasts, proms, and other major gatherings." What's the worst that could happen? (Don't answer that).
"Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday he's lifting the mask mandate in Texas, even as health officials warn not to ease safety restrictions… Abbott made the announcement during a Lubbock Chamber of Commerce event where he issued an executive order rescinding most of his earlier executive orders like the mask mandate… Abbott said businesses of any type will be allowed to open 100% beginning March 10." Texas, what doesn't kill you probably won't win a majority in the legislature.
"Less than a year ago, Dolly Parton donated $1 million to help her friend, Dr. Naji Abumrad, develop the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at Vanderbuilt University. On Tuesday, the country music legend told the world she 'got a shot of her own medicine,' as Abumrad gave Parton her first dose of the vaccine." When I was a young person had you told me Dolly Parton would emerge as a cultural hero and power mover I probably would have laughed at you.
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is finalizing guidance aimed at clarifying what Americans who have received COVID-19 vaccines should and shouldn't do, according to two sources at the agency familiar with its drafting… The upcoming guidance, first reported by Politico, is expected to include that fully vaccinated individuals should be able to gather in small groups with other people who have also been vaccinated. The CDC currently does not recommend in-person gatherings with the general public, saying 'gathering virtually or with the people you live with is the safest choice.'" I am not a virologist, but here's how I understand it; vaccines don't really prevent you from contracting the virus or bacteria in the way a wall prevents you from moving about, but they kickstart your immune system to defeat the virus/bacteria before it can cause the disease associated with the infectious agent. So, you can still get inoculated with SARS-CoV2, and can possibly give it to others (in the short term, such as the virus gets on your skin from someone else, and then another person touches you and then rubs their eyes), but you won't develop COVID-19 symptoms or be a long term reservoir for the virus or danger to others. So wear the damn mask.
"Billionaire Leon Cooperman told CNBC on Wednesday he believes rich people would find ways to avoid paying Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s wealth tax if it were to become law. He also argued there are better mechanisms to raise federal government revenue." Note to rich person, they already do.
"Google is clarifying its plans for targeted advertising as it phases out the use of browser cookies, saying in a new blog post Wednesday that it won’t use other ways to 'track' users around the internet after it ends support for cookies in Chrome."Bette Sure. I believe that. (Serious side-eye)
How goes Brexit? "British Finance Minister Rishi Sunak announced Wednesday that U.K. corporation tax will increase to 25% in April 2023 as the government looks to restore public finances in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic… In his Budget statement Wednesday, Sunak said the changes would take effect after the Office for Budget Responsibility, a public body that provides independent forecasts, expects the economy to have returned to its pre-Covid level."
"France has admitted that a prominent Algerian nationalist was tortured and murdered by its army more than 60 years ago… Ali Boumendjel was arrested during the Algerian War of Independence in 1957, and his death shortly after was covered-up as a suicide."
"At least 10 rockets targeted a military base in western Iraq that hosts about 2,000 U.S. troops on Wednesday, American and Iraqi military officials said. A U.S. defense official told CBS News national security correspondent David Martin there were no reported casualties among U.S. or coalition troops, but a civilian contractor of died of a heart attack during the rocket strike. The contractor's nationality was not immediately clear."
"Pope Francis and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani are to meet on Saturday for at most 40 minutes, part of the time alone except for interpreters, in the Shiite cleric’s modest home in the city of Najaf. Every detail was scrutinized ahead of time in painstaking, behind-the-scenes preparations that touched on everything from shoes to seating arrangements."
"Barely a mile from where an SUV packed with 25 people struck a tractor-trailer — killing 13 inside — a cemetery with unmarked bricks is a burial ground for migrants who died crossing the border from Mexico to remote California desert." Uh, I think you got that mixed up on who struck whom. The SUV may have been at fault, but I'm pretty sure the truck struck the SUV.
"President Joe Biden is waking up to a haunting new reality that will test his determination to pass his legislative agenda, as progressives in the Democratic Party say prospects for bipartisanship are bleak and instead agitate to end Republicans' power to block bills." It's time to end the filibuster (or, in reality, the rule that allows a Senator to declare they'll filibuster, and then the Senate needs 60 votes for cloture, they can still stand and control the floor for as long as they can hold it).
"Eleven Senate Democrats are pushing President Joe Biden to put recurring direct payments and enhanced jobless benefits in the economic recovery and infrastructure plan he will try to pass this year." It has no chance.
"As a House panel is set to meet on new spending to ramp up Capitol security, military and federal officials will testify in a Senate hearing that is part of several congressional probes into what fueled the deadly Jan. 6 riot."
"A screaming man with his fist raised, a Byzantine cross emblazoned in red on his T-shirt. A white flag with a lone green pine tree and the words 'An Appeal to Heaven' fluttering over the angry crowd. The Christian flag whipping in the wind from a parked pickup… Those images on display at the Jan. 5-6 rally and riot in Washington, D.C., have raised concerns that some of former President Donald Trump's most ardent and dangerous supporters, including groups such as the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, QAnon, 3 Percenters and America Firsters, are cloaking themselves in biblical language to justify their actions." A "concern"? Seriously, do you need to have that flag be used as a spear against you before you get it that they've been doing this all along.
"A prosecutor declined to file charges Tuesday against a suburban Detroit man who displayed a Ku Klux Klan flag in his window next to the home of a Black family, saying the 'horrible conduct' doesn’t violate Michigan law… An ethnic intimidation charge would require physical contact, property damage or threats of such activity, said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy." They didn't have the money for curtains, but they had a KKK flag handy.
"Today's Republican Party did not slip and accidentally fall into neofascism and racial authoritarianism. Rather, it willingly leapt into that cesspool. CPAC has devolved into a "safe space" where such vile ideas are cultivated and normalized."
"Republicans are determined to blame Black Lives Matter and antifa for the Capitol Hill riot. But after Tuesday’s Senate hearing on the insurrection, there’s no doubt that white supremacy was the real culprit… FBI Director Christopher Wray confirmed what many of us already knew — that white supremacy is thriving in America. The sentiment that has been brewing for several years reached a pinnacle when an angry mob stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6."
"South Carolinian William Robert Norwood III is facing federal charges after allegedly telling a family member he assaulted and stole gear from police officers during the Capitol riot… 'I'm dressing in all black,' Norwood wrote under the name 'Robbie' on January 5, the day before the riot and insurrection, according to text messages cited in an FBI affidavit. 'I'll look just like ANTIFA. I'll get away with anything.'" Apparently he isn't getting away with it.
"Henrik Fisker has abandoned his electric vehicle startup’s effort to create a solid-state battery, the Fisker Inc. founder told The Verge in a recent interview." A little insight on the corporate wars to develop better battery technology and the "startup" culture.
"On Tuesday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that state Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud had signed a revised health order, expanding capacity for mass gatherings within the state… According to the governor's office, the first order--which originally prohibited mass gatherings--will now allow for events to go forward, so long as COVID-19 protocols are still followed. This includes wedding receptions, funeral repasts, proms, and other major gatherings." What's the worst that could happen? (Don't answer that).
"Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday he's lifting the mask mandate in Texas, even as health officials warn not to ease safety restrictions… Abbott made the announcement during a Lubbock Chamber of Commerce event where he issued an executive order rescinding most of his earlier executive orders like the mask mandate… Abbott said businesses of any type will be allowed to open 100% beginning March 10." Texas, what doesn't kill you probably won't win a majority in the legislature.
"Less than a year ago, Dolly Parton donated $1 million to help her friend, Dr. Naji Abumrad, develop the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at Vanderbuilt University. On Tuesday, the country music legend told the world she 'got a shot of her own medicine,' as Abumrad gave Parton her first dose of the vaccine." When I was a young person had you told me Dolly Parton would emerge as a cultural hero and power mover I probably would have laughed at you.
"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is finalizing guidance aimed at clarifying what Americans who have received COVID-19 vaccines should and shouldn't do, according to two sources at the agency familiar with its drafting… The upcoming guidance, first reported by Politico, is expected to include that fully vaccinated individuals should be able to gather in small groups with other people who have also been vaccinated. The CDC currently does not recommend in-person gatherings with the general public, saying 'gathering virtually or with the people you live with is the safest choice.'" I am not a virologist, but here's how I understand it; vaccines don't really prevent you from contracting the virus or bacteria in the way a wall prevents you from moving about, but they kickstart your immune system to defeat the virus/bacteria before it can cause the disease associated with the infectious agent. So, you can still get inoculated with SARS-CoV2, and can possibly give it to others (in the short term, such as the virus gets on your skin from someone else, and then another person touches you and then rubs their eyes), but you won't develop COVID-19 symptoms or be a long term reservoir for the virus or danger to others. So wear the damn mask.
"Billionaire Leon Cooperman told CNBC on Wednesday he believes rich people would find ways to avoid paying Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s wealth tax if it were to become law. He also argued there are better mechanisms to raise federal government revenue." Note to rich person, they already do.
"Google is clarifying its plans for targeted advertising as it phases out the use of browser cookies, saying in a new blog post Wednesday that it won’t use other ways to 'track' users around the internet after it ends support for cookies in Chrome."Bette Sure. I believe that. (Serious side-eye)
How goes Brexit? "British Finance Minister Rishi Sunak announced Wednesday that U.K. corporation tax will increase to 25% in April 2023 as the government looks to restore public finances in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic… In his Budget statement Wednesday, Sunak said the changes would take effect after the Office for Budget Responsibility, a public body that provides independent forecasts, expects the economy to have returned to its pre-Covid level."
"France has admitted that a prominent Algerian nationalist was tortured and murdered by its army more than 60 years ago… Ali Boumendjel was arrested during the Algerian War of Independence in 1957, and his death shortly after was covered-up as a suicide."
"At least 10 rockets targeted a military base in western Iraq that hosts about 2,000 U.S. troops on Wednesday, American and Iraqi military officials said. A U.S. defense official told CBS News national security correspondent David Martin there were no reported casualties among U.S. or coalition troops, but a civilian contractor of died of a heart attack during the rocket strike. The contractor's nationality was not immediately clear."
"Pope Francis and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani are to meet on Saturday for at most 40 minutes, part of the time alone except for interpreters, in the Shiite cleric’s modest home in the city of Najaf. Every detail was scrutinized ahead of time in painstaking, behind-the-scenes preparations that touched on everything from shoes to seating arrangements."
"Barely a mile from where an SUV packed with 25 people struck a tractor-trailer — killing 13 inside — a cemetery with unmarked bricks is a burial ground for migrants who died crossing the border from Mexico to remote California desert." Uh, I think you got that mixed up on who struck whom. The SUV may have been at fault, but I'm pretty sure the truck struck the SUV.
"President Joe Biden is waking up to a haunting new reality that will test his determination to pass his legislative agenda, as progressives in the Democratic Party say prospects for bipartisanship are bleak and instead agitate to end Republicans' power to block bills." It's time to end the filibuster (or, in reality, the rule that allows a Senator to declare they'll filibuster, and then the Senate needs 60 votes for cloture, they can still stand and control the floor for as long as they can hold it).
"Eleven Senate Democrats are pushing President Joe Biden to put recurring direct payments and enhanced jobless benefits in the economic recovery and infrastructure plan he will try to pass this year." It has no chance.
"As a House panel is set to meet on new spending to ramp up Capitol security, military and federal officials will testify in a Senate hearing that is part of several congressional probes into what fueled the deadly Jan. 6 riot."
"A screaming man with his fist raised, a Byzantine cross emblazoned in red on his T-shirt. A white flag with a lone green pine tree and the words 'An Appeal to Heaven' fluttering over the angry crowd. The Christian flag whipping in the wind from a parked pickup… Those images on display at the Jan. 5-6 rally and riot in Washington, D.C., have raised concerns that some of former President Donald Trump's most ardent and dangerous supporters, including groups such as the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, QAnon, 3 Percenters and America Firsters, are cloaking themselves in biblical language to justify their actions." A "concern"? Seriously, do you need to have that flag be used as a spear against you before you get it that they've been doing this all along.
"A prosecutor declined to file charges Tuesday against a suburban Detroit man who displayed a Ku Klux Klan flag in his window next to the home of a Black family, saying the 'horrible conduct' doesn’t violate Michigan law… An ethnic intimidation charge would require physical contact, property damage or threats of such activity, said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy." They didn't have the money for curtains, but they had a KKK flag handy.
"Today's Republican Party did not slip and accidentally fall into neofascism and racial authoritarianism. Rather, it willingly leapt into that cesspool. CPAC has devolved into a "safe space" where such vile ideas are cultivated and normalized."
"Republicans are determined to blame Black Lives Matter and antifa for the Capitol Hill riot. But after Tuesday’s Senate hearing on the insurrection, there’s no doubt that white supremacy was the real culprit… FBI Director Christopher Wray confirmed what many of us already knew — that white supremacy is thriving in America. The sentiment that has been brewing for several years reached a pinnacle when an angry mob stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6."
"South Carolinian William Robert Norwood III is facing federal charges after allegedly telling a family member he assaulted and stole gear from police officers during the Capitol riot… 'I'm dressing in all black,' Norwood wrote under the name 'Robbie' on January 5, the day before the riot and insurrection, according to text messages cited in an FBI affidavit. 'I'll look just like ANTIFA. I'll get away with anything.'" Apparently he isn't getting away with it.
Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Linkee-poo tell me where did you sleep last night
"Monday marks the start of National Reading Month – with celebrations across the nation planned for Read Across America Day on Tuesday… The day will look a little different this year as many students learn virtually amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But the National Education Association has planned a variety of virtual events – not just in March but all year – to mark the occasion… That's not the only difference: The NEA has pivoted from popular children's author Dr. Seuss to a focus on diverse children's books, a decision that has generated controversy on social media."
"Dr. Seuss Enterprises will cease publishing six of the author's books — including And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street and If I Ran the Zoo — saying they 'portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.' The books have been criticized for how they depict Asian and Black people." Waits for the inevitable "they're destroying my childhood" cries.
"An unopened letter that was mailed back in 1697 but never delivered has been read by researchers who have developed a way to virtually 'unfold' sealed letter packets without having to actually break the seal." Letter locking, a device I was looking for.
"Officials at the Pompeii archaeological site in Italy announced Saturday the discovery of an intact ceremonial chariot, one of several important discoveries made in the same area outside the park near Naples following an investigation into an illegal dig." And the meter was still running.
"Hydroxychloroquine should not be used to prevent or treat COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) advised this week. The anti-inflammatory drug was once touted by former President Donald Trump, who said he was taking the treatment to prevent contracting coronavirus last spring." It didn't help him, it won't help you.
"Despite the progress, Covid-19 numbers in the US are still alarmingly high. And they could quickly climb even higher if Americans let up now, one expert told CNN on Monday." Wear the goddamn mask.
"I checked in with leading physicians and put together this list of five key types of in-person medical appointments you should be sure not to skip right now."
"Many members of racial and ethnic minority groups say they face extra barriers when seeking care for a friend or family member with Alzheimer's disease… Black, Hispanic, Asian and Native American caregivers were far more likely than whites to encounter discrimination, language barriers and providers who lack cultural competence, according to a report released Tuesday by the Alzheimer's Association." Best system in the world, if you're rich and white.
"U.S. Treasury yields fell on Tuesday morning, with investors expected to be watching for comments on the economy in key speeches later in the day… The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.419% shortly after 10:00 a.m. ET. The yield on the 30-year Treasury bond climbed to 2.206%. Yields move inversely to prices." Yields move in opposition to how much money is flowing in.
"Texas energy companies failed to pay another $345 million for electricity and other services incurred during last month’s cold snap, the operator of the state’s grid said on Monday… The state’s deregulated electricity market was thrown into turmoil last month as 48% of its generating plants went offline, fueling up to $9,000 per megawatt hour (mwh) spot rates and $25,000 per mwh service fees. Those charges drove one provider into bankruptcy on Monday."
"Hundreds of Nigerian girls abducted last week from a boarding school in the country’s northwest have been released, a state governor said Tuesday, as the West African nation faces a spate of school kidnappings."
"Millions more, like Sanap, watch from afar with admiration but even more anxiety, that their local concerns may be lost in a movement dominated by northern Indian grain growers and championed by activists from abroad. The protests have devolved into political bickering over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, overshadowing the original debate over how to improve the way Indian crops are bought and sold."
"The Biden administration announced new penalties on Russia on Tuesday in response to the poisoning and jailing of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, in President Joe Biden’s first major step in holding Moscow accountable for human rights abuses."
"As the coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc on the economy and disproportionately affects lower-income Americans, the super-rich have seen their wealth increase. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, who has long called for a wealth tax, unveiled legislation Monday that would tax the super-rich on their net worth."
"An NPR/Ipsos poll in December found that a significant number of Americans believe disinformation about the coronavirus and about settled historical facts. The findings underscore the enduring nature of unfounded conspiracies at a time when experts say disinformation is being spread on an unprecedented scale." Tell them they're number one and they'll believe anything.
"Dr. Seuss Enterprises will cease publishing six of the author's books — including And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street and If I Ran the Zoo — saying they 'portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.' The books have been criticized for how they depict Asian and Black people." Waits for the inevitable "they're destroying my childhood" cries.
"An unopened letter that was mailed back in 1697 but never delivered has been read by researchers who have developed a way to virtually 'unfold' sealed letter packets without having to actually break the seal." Letter locking, a device I was looking for.
"Officials at the Pompeii archaeological site in Italy announced Saturday the discovery of an intact ceremonial chariot, one of several important discoveries made in the same area outside the park near Naples following an investigation into an illegal dig." And the meter was still running.
"Hydroxychloroquine should not be used to prevent or treat COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) advised this week. The anti-inflammatory drug was once touted by former President Donald Trump, who said he was taking the treatment to prevent contracting coronavirus last spring." It didn't help him, it won't help you.
"Despite the progress, Covid-19 numbers in the US are still alarmingly high. And they could quickly climb even higher if Americans let up now, one expert told CNN on Monday." Wear the goddamn mask.
"I checked in with leading physicians and put together this list of five key types of in-person medical appointments you should be sure not to skip right now."
"Many members of racial and ethnic minority groups say they face extra barriers when seeking care for a friend or family member with Alzheimer's disease… Black, Hispanic, Asian and Native American caregivers were far more likely than whites to encounter discrimination, language barriers and providers who lack cultural competence, according to a report released Tuesday by the Alzheimer's Association." Best system in the world, if you're rich and white.
"U.S. Treasury yields fell on Tuesday morning, with investors expected to be watching for comments on the economy in key speeches later in the day… The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.419% shortly after 10:00 a.m. ET. The yield on the 30-year Treasury bond climbed to 2.206%. Yields move inversely to prices." Yields move in opposition to how much money is flowing in.
"Texas energy companies failed to pay another $345 million for electricity and other services incurred during last month’s cold snap, the operator of the state’s grid said on Monday… The state’s deregulated electricity market was thrown into turmoil last month as 48% of its generating plants went offline, fueling up to $9,000 per megawatt hour (mwh) spot rates and $25,000 per mwh service fees. Those charges drove one provider into bankruptcy on Monday."
"Hundreds of Nigerian girls abducted last week from a boarding school in the country’s northwest have been released, a state governor said Tuesday, as the West African nation faces a spate of school kidnappings."
"Millions more, like Sanap, watch from afar with admiration but even more anxiety, that their local concerns may be lost in a movement dominated by northern Indian grain growers and championed by activists from abroad. The protests have devolved into political bickering over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, overshadowing the original debate over how to improve the way Indian crops are bought and sold."
"The Biden administration announced new penalties on Russia on Tuesday in response to the poisoning and jailing of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, in President Joe Biden’s first major step in holding Moscow accountable for human rights abuses."
"As the coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc on the economy and disproportionately affects lower-income Americans, the super-rich have seen their wealth increase. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, who has long called for a wealth tax, unveiled legislation Monday that would tax the super-rich on their net worth."
"An NPR/Ipsos poll in December found that a significant number of Americans believe disinformation about the coronavirus and about settled historical facts. The findings underscore the enduring nature of unfounded conspiracies at a time when experts say disinformation is being spread on an unprecedented scale." Tell them they're number one and they'll believe anything.
Monday, March 1, 2021
Linkee-poo Monday March 1
"In separate experiments, scientists in the U.S., France, Germany and the Netherlands asked people simple questions while they slept. Sleepers would respond by moving their eyes or twitching their faces in a certain way to indicate their answers." This seems a little tea-leaf reading, but…
"The Demise and Potential Revival of the American Chestnut." Chestnuts are amazing trees and the wood is hella fabulous. As long as the nuts are not toxic, I support this GMO use. In all my hiking when I was younger (and which I miss), I've only encountered one adult chestnut tree (maybe 15-20 years old). It's not hard to find, but no, I'm not telling where it is (it's been over a decade since I saw it last).
What's old is new again. "It was the early 1900s, and the driver of this particular car was Thomas Edison. While electric cars weren't a novelty in the neighborhood, most of them relied on heavy and cumbersome lead-acid batteries. Edison had outfitted his car with a new type of battery that he hoped would soon be powering vehicles throughout the country: a nickel-iron battery. Building on the work of the Swedish inventor Ernst Waldemar Jungner, who first patented a nickel-iron battery in 1899, Edison sought to refine the battery for use in automobiles."
"As the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. appears to be turning a corner, another health crisis is brewing: Covid-19 survivors struggling to bounce back to their former selves… Of the more than 28 million Americans diagnosed with Covid-19, an estimated 10 to 30 percent — possibly as many as 8.4 million people — fall into the category commonly known as 'long-haulers.'" For one person I know, we've been discussing if they can get permanent disability.
"Minneapolis authorities are investing in six social media influencers, with a large local following, to help push their message and prevent riots during the murder trial of a fired police officer. On Friday, the Minneapolis City Council approved $1,181,500 for communication with the community during the trial." Imagine how much city governments could save if they just got rid of the "bad apple" officers.
"Senate Democrats will abandon plans to help raise workers’ pay through tax penalties and other economic incentives that some lawmakers had considered as an alternative for hiking the federal minimum wage, according to a person familiar with the matter… A handful of lawmakers last week floated a 'plan B' in President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion Covid-19 stimulus bill that would have punished corporations that paid workers below a certain threshold." Yeah, that was a bad idea. I know It probably will not be passed this way, but you've gotta write a clean bill, set the minimum wage high ($15/hr is a rock bottom base here), and tag it to inflation. And then put on a full court press. Sell it hard to the public as, "This is necessary to pull people out of poverty." Come armed with the studies and examples that show it's not a business killer. Explain where the economy is right now (that most people who earn minimum wage are adults trying to raise families). And fight hard for it. Paint conservatives into a corner. Fight for it. You can generate political capital as you expend it for this.
"Amazon warehouse workers in Alabama voting to unionize won the backing of an important executive… Without naming the massive e-commerce company specifically, President Joe Biden said in a video posted late Sunday that he supports the organizing drive in Bessemer, Ala."
"Prince Philip was transferred Monday to a specialized London heart hospital to undergo testing and observation for a pre-existing heart condition as he continues treatment for an unspecified infection, Buckingham Palace said."
"A Paris court on Monday found French former President Nicolas Sarkozy guilty of corruption and influence peddling and sentenced him to one year in prison and a two-year suspended sentence."
"A massive prison break in Haiti has resulted in the escape of hundreds of inmates and the deaths of at least 25 people, including the prison's director and a notorious Haitian gang leader named Arnel Joseph… The prison break occurred Thursday at the Croix-des-Bouquets Civil Prison in the capital of Port-au-Prince. As of late Friday, authorities had recaptured about 60 inmates and were still actively searching for more than 200 others, according to Haiti's secretary of state for communication, Frantz Exantus."
"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday accused Iran of attacking an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman last week, a mysterious explosion that further spiked security concerns in the region."
"Dozens of students abducted from a school in northwest Nigeria last week have been rescued, the state government announced Saturday… Gov. Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger state said that 38 abductees, including several staff members, were rescued around 4 a.m. Bello met with the victims, all of whom were present at a press conference Saturday afternoon, except for one who was being treated at a local hospital for exhaustion."
"The release of a U.S. intelligence report finding that Saudi Arabia's crown prince had approved the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi is prompting calls for penalties against the man next in line to the Saudi throne."
"Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, who survived a chemical poisoning last year that he called a Kremlin attempt to kill him, has begun serving his two-and-a-half-year sentence at a notorious penal camp… Navalny, who was removed from his Moscow jail cell Thursday, is being held at a detention facility in the prison in the Vladimir region, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of the Russian capital, Alexey Melnikov, secretary of the civil oversight commission of Moscow, told Bloomberg."
"The largest power cooperative in Texas filed for bankruptcy protection Monday, citing a massive bill from the state's electricity grid operator following last month's winter storm that left millions of residents without power for days… Brazos Electric Power Cooperative Inc. filed for Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, according to court documents reviewed by NPR."
"A six-month delay holding up the data that states use to draw their legislative districts is mangling plans for the 2022 elections, as states discuss postponing primaries and navigating legal deadlines for redistricting that some are now almost certain to miss… The Census Bureau announced in mid-February that redistricting data — the granular, block-level population counts that are used to draw equal-population political boundaries for state legislatures and the House of Representatives — would be released by Sept. 30 this year, well past the usual delivery date of March 31."
"An estimated 5.6 percent of Americans identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, according to a new Gallup report. That’s up from 4.5 percent in 2017, the last year polling on the issue was conducted by the organization." You mean as it becomes less and less of a stigma, and it's discussed in public, people are feeling less repressed in their social lives? Shocked, shocked I am… Yeah, there are a lot of closets where people hide themselves, or part of themselves.
"Facing mounting political pressure over allegations of sexual harassment, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Sunday that he would support the appointment of an independent special investigator to examine the claims against him. Cuomo also issued a number of statements on Sunday, including one in the evening apologizing and saying he 'never intended to offend anyone or cause any harm.'"
"The FBI said it is targeting a single assailant as it continues to investigate the death of U.S. Capitol police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died from injuries sustained in the Jan. 6 riot… A federal law enforcement source and another close to the investigation confirmed the news on Saturday."
"A State Department official for several years has been publicly calling for the establishment of Christian nation-states, warning that white people face 'elimination' and railing against Jews as well as Black Lives Matter and other social movements… Fritz Berggren, a mid-ranking Foreign Service officer, openly uses his name and image as he espouses these and other controversial views, according to a review of his online postings. Current and former State Department officials noted the connection to POLITICO in recent days." Sounds like someone is ready for retirement. Maybe a nice, padded cell.
"The Justice Department has charged a Texas man who was allegedly caught on video attacking a dozen police officers with a chemical spray during the Capitol insurrection, according to court records… Federal prosecutors say Daniel Caldwell, 49, used a chemical spray against a line of officers that were blocking rioters from entering the Capitol. It happened amid a massive melee with police, who used batons and pepper spray to fend off the crowd, according to footage of the incident that was cited in court filings."
"The Supreme Court takes up a court fight Tuesday over voting rights in the battleground state of Arizona, and the outcome may affect how the nation's courts resolve clashes over election laws in dozens of other states… The case also will be a test of one of the most important civil rights laws — the Voting Rights Act, which the Supreme Court significantly scaled back in 2013."
"Sen. Rick Scott on Sunday declined to call the GOP the party of former President Donald Trump and acknowledged President Joe Biden was 'absolutely' the legitimate winner of the 2020 White House race… In an interview on 'Fox News Sunday,' Scott (R-Fla.) — the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee — reiterated his message that 'the Republican civil war is canceled.'" Sounds like someone is still struggling with reality.
"With the first full day of the Conservative Political Action Conference underway, there's already an indisputable star: an outrageously golden statue of Donald Trump wearing shorts and flip-flops." Exodus 32.
"In a sprawling hour and a half keynote address closing out the Conservative Political Action Conference Sunday night, former President Donald Trump delivered a speech filled with many of the same false election fraud claims that he has repeated since losing the election to President Joe Biden in November… His false claims that the election was 'rigged' is what Democrats and many others have said led to the deadly Capitol attack carried out by his supporters not even two months ago, which led to his second impeachment."
"The Demise and Potential Revival of the American Chestnut." Chestnuts are amazing trees and the wood is hella fabulous. As long as the nuts are not toxic, I support this GMO use. In all my hiking when I was younger (and which I miss), I've only encountered one adult chestnut tree (maybe 15-20 years old). It's not hard to find, but no, I'm not telling where it is (it's been over a decade since I saw it last).
What's old is new again. "It was the early 1900s, and the driver of this particular car was Thomas Edison. While electric cars weren't a novelty in the neighborhood, most of them relied on heavy and cumbersome lead-acid batteries. Edison had outfitted his car with a new type of battery that he hoped would soon be powering vehicles throughout the country: a nickel-iron battery. Building on the work of the Swedish inventor Ernst Waldemar Jungner, who first patented a nickel-iron battery in 1899, Edison sought to refine the battery for use in automobiles."
"As the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. appears to be turning a corner, another health crisis is brewing: Covid-19 survivors struggling to bounce back to their former selves… Of the more than 28 million Americans diagnosed with Covid-19, an estimated 10 to 30 percent — possibly as many as 8.4 million people — fall into the category commonly known as 'long-haulers.'" For one person I know, we've been discussing if they can get permanent disability.
"Minneapolis authorities are investing in six social media influencers, with a large local following, to help push their message and prevent riots during the murder trial of a fired police officer. On Friday, the Minneapolis City Council approved $1,181,500 for communication with the community during the trial." Imagine how much city governments could save if they just got rid of the "bad apple" officers.
"Senate Democrats will abandon plans to help raise workers’ pay through tax penalties and other economic incentives that some lawmakers had considered as an alternative for hiking the federal minimum wage, according to a person familiar with the matter… A handful of lawmakers last week floated a 'plan B' in President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion Covid-19 stimulus bill that would have punished corporations that paid workers below a certain threshold." Yeah, that was a bad idea. I know It probably will not be passed this way, but you've gotta write a clean bill, set the minimum wage high ($15/hr is a rock bottom base here), and tag it to inflation. And then put on a full court press. Sell it hard to the public as, "This is necessary to pull people out of poverty." Come armed with the studies and examples that show it's not a business killer. Explain where the economy is right now (that most people who earn minimum wage are adults trying to raise families). And fight hard for it. Paint conservatives into a corner. Fight for it. You can generate political capital as you expend it for this.
"Amazon warehouse workers in Alabama voting to unionize won the backing of an important executive… Without naming the massive e-commerce company specifically, President Joe Biden said in a video posted late Sunday that he supports the organizing drive in Bessemer, Ala."
"Prince Philip was transferred Monday to a specialized London heart hospital to undergo testing and observation for a pre-existing heart condition as he continues treatment for an unspecified infection, Buckingham Palace said."
"A Paris court on Monday found French former President Nicolas Sarkozy guilty of corruption and influence peddling and sentenced him to one year in prison and a two-year suspended sentence."
"A massive prison break in Haiti has resulted in the escape of hundreds of inmates and the deaths of at least 25 people, including the prison's director and a notorious Haitian gang leader named Arnel Joseph… The prison break occurred Thursday at the Croix-des-Bouquets Civil Prison in the capital of Port-au-Prince. As of late Friday, authorities had recaptured about 60 inmates and were still actively searching for more than 200 others, according to Haiti's secretary of state for communication, Frantz Exantus."
"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday accused Iran of attacking an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman last week, a mysterious explosion that further spiked security concerns in the region."
"Dozens of students abducted from a school in northwest Nigeria last week have been rescued, the state government announced Saturday… Gov. Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger state said that 38 abductees, including several staff members, were rescued around 4 a.m. Bello met with the victims, all of whom were present at a press conference Saturday afternoon, except for one who was being treated at a local hospital for exhaustion."
"The release of a U.S. intelligence report finding that Saudi Arabia's crown prince had approved the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi is prompting calls for penalties against the man next in line to the Saudi throne."
"Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, who survived a chemical poisoning last year that he called a Kremlin attempt to kill him, has begun serving his two-and-a-half-year sentence at a notorious penal camp… Navalny, who was removed from his Moscow jail cell Thursday, is being held at a detention facility in the prison in the Vladimir region, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of the Russian capital, Alexey Melnikov, secretary of the civil oversight commission of Moscow, told Bloomberg."
"The largest power cooperative in Texas filed for bankruptcy protection Monday, citing a massive bill from the state's electricity grid operator following last month's winter storm that left millions of residents without power for days… Brazos Electric Power Cooperative Inc. filed for Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, according to court documents reviewed by NPR."
"A six-month delay holding up the data that states use to draw their legislative districts is mangling plans for the 2022 elections, as states discuss postponing primaries and navigating legal deadlines for redistricting that some are now almost certain to miss… The Census Bureau announced in mid-February that redistricting data — the granular, block-level population counts that are used to draw equal-population political boundaries for state legislatures and the House of Representatives — would be released by Sept. 30 this year, well past the usual delivery date of March 31."
"An estimated 5.6 percent of Americans identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, according to a new Gallup report. That’s up from 4.5 percent in 2017, the last year polling on the issue was conducted by the organization." You mean as it becomes less and less of a stigma, and it's discussed in public, people are feeling less repressed in their social lives? Shocked, shocked I am… Yeah, there are a lot of closets where people hide themselves, or part of themselves.
"Facing mounting political pressure over allegations of sexual harassment, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Sunday that he would support the appointment of an independent special investigator to examine the claims against him. Cuomo also issued a number of statements on Sunday, including one in the evening apologizing and saying he 'never intended to offend anyone or cause any harm.'"
"The FBI said it is targeting a single assailant as it continues to investigate the death of U.S. Capitol police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died from injuries sustained in the Jan. 6 riot… A federal law enforcement source and another close to the investigation confirmed the news on Saturday."
"A State Department official for several years has been publicly calling for the establishment of Christian nation-states, warning that white people face 'elimination' and railing against Jews as well as Black Lives Matter and other social movements… Fritz Berggren, a mid-ranking Foreign Service officer, openly uses his name and image as he espouses these and other controversial views, according to a review of his online postings. Current and former State Department officials noted the connection to POLITICO in recent days." Sounds like someone is ready for retirement. Maybe a nice, padded cell.
"The Justice Department has charged a Texas man who was allegedly caught on video attacking a dozen police officers with a chemical spray during the Capitol insurrection, according to court records… Federal prosecutors say Daniel Caldwell, 49, used a chemical spray against a line of officers that were blocking rioters from entering the Capitol. It happened amid a massive melee with police, who used batons and pepper spray to fend off the crowd, according to footage of the incident that was cited in court filings."
"The Supreme Court takes up a court fight Tuesday over voting rights in the battleground state of Arizona, and the outcome may affect how the nation's courts resolve clashes over election laws in dozens of other states… The case also will be a test of one of the most important civil rights laws — the Voting Rights Act, which the Supreme Court significantly scaled back in 2013."
"Sen. Rick Scott on Sunday declined to call the GOP the party of former President Donald Trump and acknowledged President Joe Biden was 'absolutely' the legitimate winner of the 2020 White House race… In an interview on 'Fox News Sunday,' Scott (R-Fla.) — the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee — reiterated his message that 'the Republican civil war is canceled.'" Sounds like someone is still struggling with reality.
"With the first full day of the Conservative Political Action Conference underway, there's already an indisputable star: an outrageously golden statue of Donald Trump wearing shorts and flip-flops." Exodus 32.
"In a sprawling hour and a half keynote address closing out the Conservative Political Action Conference Sunday night, former President Donald Trump delivered a speech filled with many of the same false election fraud claims that he has repeated since losing the election to President Joe Biden in November… His false claims that the election was 'rigged' is what Democrats and many others have said led to the deadly Capitol attack carried out by his supporters not even two months ago, which led to his second impeachment."
Friday, February 26, 2021
Linkee-poo Friday Feb 26
The symbolism on Perseverance. Design is communication. (Grokked from Steve Popernack)
"An influential current system in the Atlantic Ocean, which plays a vital role in redistributing heat throughout our planet's climate system, is now moving more slowly than it has in at least 1,600 years. That's the conclusion of a new study published in the journal Nature Geoscience from some of the world's leading experts in this field." We're boned.
"North Dakota has lots of coal. It also has strong and consistent winds. It might be the perfect spot to showcase the long-awaited "energy transition" from climate-warming fossil fuels to climate-saving renewables… Yet that transition has hit a snag. Two counties in the state have enacted drastic restrictions on new wind projects in an attempt to save coal mining jobs, despite protests from landowners who'd like to rent their land to wind energy companies. It's a sign of how difficult that transition can be for communities that depend on coal for jobs and tax revenue. The economic benefits of wind power, even though substantial, often flow to different people." Those good old conservative values at play.
"Costco plans to edge up its starting wage to $16 an hour starting next week, CEO W. Craig Jelinek said on Thursday… Costco raised its starting pay to $15 per hour in 2019. More than half of Costco's hourly workers in the U.S. are paid above $25… 'I want to note this isn't altruism,' Jelinek said. 'At Costco we know that paying employees good wages ... makes sense for our business and constitutes a significant competitive advantage for us. It helps us in the long run by minimizing turnover and maximizing employee productivity.'"
"One of the key aims of President Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill is to send money to people who were already at risk of falling behind on bills or slipping into poverty… Democrats say the relief bill set to pass the House Friday includes several new programs intended to create a new social safety net that some in the party are comparing to a new, smaller version of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal."
"Eight employees of Russia's Embassy in Pyongyang and their families spent more than 34 hours trying to leave North Korea this week, a grueling trip that ended with at least one diplomat pushing his luggage and young children on a railway trolley into Russian territory."
"The UK Supreme Court ruled Friday that "ISIS bride" Shamima Begum cannot return to the United Kingdom to appeal the revocation of her UK citizenship… The President of the Supreme Court, Lord Robert Reed, said that the UK Court of Appeal made four errors last year when it ruled that Begum should be allowed to return to the UK to carry out her appeal."
"Late Wednesday, President Biden revoked a controversial executive order that then-President Donald Trump signed in December called 'Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture.' The announcement from the White House was included in an executive order that revokes a number of Trump's actions as president." Good.
"The Biden administration is facing growing criticism for failing to lift US sanctions imposed last year on war crimes prosecutors at the international criminal court, at the same time as Israel is lobbying to keep the punitive measures in place… The sanctions, targeting officials in the ICC prosecutors and their families were imposed by the Trump administration in September in retaliation for launching investigations into the Afghan and the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts."
Good news, everybody! "Mass shootings jumped nearly 50% in 2020, due in large part to a pandemic year rife with crippling unemployment, violent protests and idle youth… With COVID-19 cases falling and vaccines rolling out, some criminologists hope a rebounding economy and reopened schools will drive down those numbers in 2021… Early results are promising, says Mark Bryant, founder of the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive, which tracks gun incident trends. In the first seven weeks of this year, there have been 63 mass shootings — defined as four or more people injured or killed in one incident —which if continued would show a drop from 2020, he said."
"Office of Management and Budget director nominee Neera Tanden previously sent a tweet taking issue with the salary of former CEO of pharmaceutical company Mylan, Heather Bresch, who is the daughter of Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV)… Tanden's confirmation has been cast into doubt due to opposition from lawmakers, including Manchin." So was it a mean tweet? If you're Heather Bresch or family, yes. But it was a true tweet about rapacious capitalism.
"The head of the state's power grid operator on Thursday defended the group’s decision to order widespread blackouts during last week's winter storm, telling state lawmakers that doing so helped prevent a larger disaster… Last week’s freezing weather led to skyrocketing demand and unprecedented strain on the power grid, forcing the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to enact sustained outages across the state to keep its grid from collapsing."
"The U.S. launched airstrikes in Syria on Thursday targeting Iranian-backed militia groups in the first known offensive military operation carried out by the Biden administration… The Department of Defense said the strikes are a response to recent rocket attacks against Americans in Iraq, including one in which a civilian contractor working with American forces was killed and several U.S. service members were injured. Officials believe the Feb. 15 attack in Erbil, Iraq, was conducted by Shia militants."
"Acting U.S. Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman, testifying remotely through a video link, told a House committee that her agency head had requested military backup about a half-dozen times in the first hour after the Capitol complex was breached on Jan. 6, the day of the insurrection."
"One of the rioters accused of storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was turned in by his ex-girlfriend after sending her several videos and texts from the scene, including one calling her a 'moron,' court documents show." Who's the moron now, asshole.
"Republican legislators around the country are moving aggressively to strip governors and other officials of their power to change election rules -- after states made it easier to vote last year during the coronavirus pandemic and turnout surged to record levels… The measures have been introduced in at least eight states with Republican-controlled legislatures -- including the key battlegrounds of Georgia and Arizona. Some bills would give more authority to lawmakers to establish the ground rules for voting, in an escalation of the already bitter partisan fights that have erupted following the 2020 presidential contest."
"Nearly eight years after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a key provision of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act, Democrats in Virginia are poised to enact state-level legislation they say would boost voter protections."
"The agenda for the Conservative Political Action Conference, the influential right-wing summit best known as CPAC taking place in Florida this weekend, provides attendees multiple forums that appear to perpetuate conservative mythmaking around the 2020 election as well as ways to discuss the new wave of voting restrictions pushed by the Republican Party. The featured speaker is the former president himself on Sunday." Russian propaganda continues to find a home in the conservative mind.
"An influential current system in the Atlantic Ocean, which plays a vital role in redistributing heat throughout our planet's climate system, is now moving more slowly than it has in at least 1,600 years. That's the conclusion of a new study published in the journal Nature Geoscience from some of the world's leading experts in this field." We're boned.
"North Dakota has lots of coal. It also has strong and consistent winds. It might be the perfect spot to showcase the long-awaited "energy transition" from climate-warming fossil fuels to climate-saving renewables… Yet that transition has hit a snag. Two counties in the state have enacted drastic restrictions on new wind projects in an attempt to save coal mining jobs, despite protests from landowners who'd like to rent their land to wind energy companies. It's a sign of how difficult that transition can be for communities that depend on coal for jobs and tax revenue. The economic benefits of wind power, even though substantial, often flow to different people." Those good old conservative values at play.
"Costco plans to edge up its starting wage to $16 an hour starting next week, CEO W. Craig Jelinek said on Thursday… Costco raised its starting pay to $15 per hour in 2019. More than half of Costco's hourly workers in the U.S. are paid above $25… 'I want to note this isn't altruism,' Jelinek said. 'At Costco we know that paying employees good wages ... makes sense for our business and constitutes a significant competitive advantage for us. It helps us in the long run by minimizing turnover and maximizing employee productivity.'"
"One of the key aims of President Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill is to send money to people who were already at risk of falling behind on bills or slipping into poverty… Democrats say the relief bill set to pass the House Friday includes several new programs intended to create a new social safety net that some in the party are comparing to a new, smaller version of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal."
"Eight employees of Russia's Embassy in Pyongyang and their families spent more than 34 hours trying to leave North Korea this week, a grueling trip that ended with at least one diplomat pushing his luggage and young children on a railway trolley into Russian territory."
"The UK Supreme Court ruled Friday that "ISIS bride" Shamima Begum cannot return to the United Kingdom to appeal the revocation of her UK citizenship… The President of the Supreme Court, Lord Robert Reed, said that the UK Court of Appeal made four errors last year when it ruled that Begum should be allowed to return to the UK to carry out her appeal."
"Late Wednesday, President Biden revoked a controversial executive order that then-President Donald Trump signed in December called 'Promoting Beautiful Federal Civic Architecture.' The announcement from the White House was included in an executive order that revokes a number of Trump's actions as president." Good.
"The Biden administration is facing growing criticism for failing to lift US sanctions imposed last year on war crimes prosecutors at the international criminal court, at the same time as Israel is lobbying to keep the punitive measures in place… The sanctions, targeting officials in the ICC prosecutors and their families were imposed by the Trump administration in September in retaliation for launching investigations into the Afghan and the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts."
Good news, everybody! "Mass shootings jumped nearly 50% in 2020, due in large part to a pandemic year rife with crippling unemployment, violent protests and idle youth… With COVID-19 cases falling and vaccines rolling out, some criminologists hope a rebounding economy and reopened schools will drive down those numbers in 2021… Early results are promising, says Mark Bryant, founder of the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive, which tracks gun incident trends. In the first seven weeks of this year, there have been 63 mass shootings — defined as four or more people injured or killed in one incident —which if continued would show a drop from 2020, he said."
"Office of Management and Budget director nominee Neera Tanden previously sent a tweet taking issue with the salary of former CEO of pharmaceutical company Mylan, Heather Bresch, who is the daughter of Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV)… Tanden's confirmation has been cast into doubt due to opposition from lawmakers, including Manchin." So was it a mean tweet? If you're Heather Bresch or family, yes. But it was a true tweet about rapacious capitalism.
"The head of the state's power grid operator on Thursday defended the group’s decision to order widespread blackouts during last week's winter storm, telling state lawmakers that doing so helped prevent a larger disaster… Last week’s freezing weather led to skyrocketing demand and unprecedented strain on the power grid, forcing the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to enact sustained outages across the state to keep its grid from collapsing."
"The U.S. launched airstrikes in Syria on Thursday targeting Iranian-backed militia groups in the first known offensive military operation carried out by the Biden administration… The Department of Defense said the strikes are a response to recent rocket attacks against Americans in Iraq, including one in which a civilian contractor working with American forces was killed and several U.S. service members were injured. Officials believe the Feb. 15 attack in Erbil, Iraq, was conducted by Shia militants."
"Acting U.S. Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman, testifying remotely through a video link, told a House committee that her agency head had requested military backup about a half-dozen times in the first hour after the Capitol complex was breached on Jan. 6, the day of the insurrection."
"One of the rioters accused of storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was turned in by his ex-girlfriend after sending her several videos and texts from the scene, including one calling her a 'moron,' court documents show." Who's the moron now, asshole.
"Republican legislators around the country are moving aggressively to strip governors and other officials of their power to change election rules -- after states made it easier to vote last year during the coronavirus pandemic and turnout surged to record levels… The measures have been introduced in at least eight states with Republican-controlled legislatures -- including the key battlegrounds of Georgia and Arizona. Some bills would give more authority to lawmakers to establish the ground rules for voting, in an escalation of the already bitter partisan fights that have erupted following the 2020 presidential contest."
"Nearly eight years after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a key provision of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act, Democrats in Virginia are poised to enact state-level legislation they say would boost voter protections."
"The agenda for the Conservative Political Action Conference, the influential right-wing summit best known as CPAC taking place in Florida this weekend, provides attendees multiple forums that appear to perpetuate conservative mythmaking around the 2020 election as well as ways to discuss the new wave of voting restrictions pushed by the Republican Party. The featured speaker is the former president himself on Sunday." Russian propaganda continues to find a home in the conservative mind.
Thursday, February 25, 2021
Linkee-poo Thursday Feb 25
It appears as if my Italian and Russian readers are back. Welcome back, fellas. Missed you. Make sure you get paid upfront, okay.
"Five basic principles of graphic design."
"The car-sized Perseverance captured a gorgeous 360-degree panorama of its surroundings on the floor of Jezero Crater, which harbored a lake and a river delta billions of years ago." And in high-def.
"Despite the 95 percent effectiveness at preventing coronavirus infection after two doses of its vaccine, Pfizer is now seeing what a third dose might do… The company announced Thursday that a booster dose is being studied among people who received their first doses of the vaccine more than six months ago." See, once everyone is inoculated and SARS-CoV2 drops off the map, there's little money to be made for all that went into the research of the vaccine (don't forget, you've already paid for that research with your tax dollars). Also note the "softening the ground" for the concept of a yearly booster, like the flu shot.
"Dr. Anthony Fauci on Sunday warned Americans to steel themselves against a sense of Covid-19 complacency even as coronavirus infections plummet and some scientists predict that herd immunity is just around the corner." Yes the news has all been about the "plummet" in infections. But we still are above the daily infection rates of the infection spike last July. Remember last July?
"Israel’s defense minister on Thursday called for an immediate halt in plans to ship surplus coronavirus vaccines to a group of allied nations, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of acting without oversight or transparency."
"A group of economists, ecologists and anthropologists is seeking to challenge a central plank of global economic policy — that more is better… The 'degrowth' movement has received renewed attention in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic after the spread of the virus last year coincided with the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s… Yet, as policymakers prioritize an economic rebound, scholars are backing an idea that pushes social and ecological wellbeing over a system that pursues relentless economic growth."
"Jobless claims fell sharply last week despite brutal winter storms that swept across Texas and other parts of the South, the Labor Department reported Thursday… First-time filings for unemployment insurance totaled 730,000 for the week ended Feb. 20, well below the Dow Jones estimate of 845,000… That total represented a substantial decrease from the 841,000 the previous week, a number that was revised lower by 20,000." A "sharp" drop of 90,000, or 10%. Note most claims are submitted electronically these days, and if you don't have any electricity, that makes it kinda hard to submit a claim.
"A former top aide to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has accused him of intimidation and sexual harassment, expanding on allegations she first made in December. In an essay posted to Medium on Wednesday, the former staffer accused the governor of going 'out of his way' to touch her 'lower back, arms and legs,' and kissing her during a one-on-one meeting."
"In a tweet voicing his opposition to raising the national minimum wage to $15 an hour, Republican South Dakota Senator John Thune said he made $6 an hour working at a restaurant as a "kid." Adjusted for modern inflation, that would be $24 an hour today." You can do your own calculations here at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics calculator.
"GameStop shares climbed rapidly and were halted twice for volatility ahead of the closing bell Wednesday. The gaming retailer's stock was priced at $91.71 at market close, up nearly 104% from the previous day." AMC also had a bump yesterday. You know what that means? (Pops your speculation bubble) It means the short contracts that traders entered as those stocks skyrocketed in January are coming due, so there has to be some hearty buying going on as those investors close out their shorts.
"Tattoo artists in Europe are fighting a new ban on two commonly-used green and blue pigments, saying that losing these ink ingredients would be a disaster for their industry and their art… Meanwhile, in the United States, where about a third of Americans have a tattoo, tattoo ink is almost completely unregulated and there's little known about what's in tattoo ink."
"There's something off about the butter in Canada that's left many flustered residents looking for answers… For weeks, Canadians have increasingly churned up debate on social media with anecdotes about 'hard' butter that fails to spread as easily as it once did." Yesterday was "what have we done to animals", today is "what have we done to food."
"The militaries of India and Pakistan said in a rare joint statement on Thursday that they had agreed to observe a ceasefire along the disputed border in Kashmir, having exchanged fire hundreds of times in recent months." I give it three months.
"The Biden administration will release an intelligence report Thursday that concludes that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, three U.S. officials familiar with the matter said."
"Myanmar’s military has been banned from using Facebook and Instagram with immediate effect, Facebook said in a blog post on Thursday."
"Amnesty International says it no longer considers jailed Russian anti-Kremlin activist Alexei Navalny a 'prisoner of conscience,' citing past comments he's made that 'reach the threshold of advocacy of hatred.'" Half a point to Putin.
"President Biden on Wednesday revoked a Trump-era suspension of certain immigrant visas that had dramatically cut legal immigration to the U.S. during the coronavirus pandemic."
"Now, Republican politicians across the country are moving to stop the road-blocking maneuver, proposing increased penalties for demonstrators who run onto highways and legal immunity for drivers who hit them. The bills are among dozens introduced in Legislatures aimed at cracking down on demonstrations."
"If your mail has not been showing up some days or you're getting second notices on the bills you thought you'd paid, you're not alone. The U.S. Postal Service has been beset by continuing delays in delivering the mail… Postmaster General Louis DeJoy apologized for those delays in testimony before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday but warned that the postal system is 'in a death spiral' and needs legislation to help restore it to financial stability… (DeJoy) said the current three- to five-day standard for delivering first-class mail has not been met 'for years.'" Well certainly it's felt like "years" since last May, but nope.
"As President Joe Biden works to overhaul U.S. health care policy, few challenges will loom larger for his health secretary than restoring access to family planning while parrying legal challenges to abortion proliferating across the country… Physicians, clinics and women's health advocates are looking to Xavier Becerra, Biden's nominee to run the Department of Health and Human Services, to help swiftly unwind Trump-era funding cuts and rules that have decimated the nation's network of reproductive health providers over the past four years."
Rumor tweet with receipts: "So it turns out Neera Tanden criticized @Sen_JoeManchin's daughter for her extraordinary pay increases, after she raised the price of the Epi-Pen from $100 to $600 and moved Mylan's HQ to the Netherlands to reduce taxes." Kinda hurts when people call out your baby for fleecing the public.
"'Once we see something that prioritizes the security and accessibility of elections, we’ll throw in support,' (Georgia Secretary of State Brad) Raffensperger tweeted on Wednesday. He added that many of the bills, which would directly impact state elections, are 'reactionary to a three month disinformation campaign' that he said could have been prevented." No no, Brad. See, it's because too many of the "wrong people" voted last time. These are bills to secure the elections from their interference by electing Democrats. This is about making sure only Republicans win elections in Georgia.
"A close ally of Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene took part in the January 6 mob at the Capitol and said he was among those who eventually made their way into the building… Greene, a freshman congresswoman with a history of promoting dangerous and violent conspiracies and comments, encouraged the big lie that the election was stolen from former President Donald Trump by voting to object to the election certification and fanned the flames of the insurrection by telling her supporters to 'fight for Trump.'"
"Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., placed a sign outside her office Wednesday mocking Democratic Rep. Marie Newman, whose office sits across the hall, after Newman hung a transgender pride flag next to her door in protest over Greene's opposition to a LGBTQ rights bill." Haters gonna hate. And I love how the anti-trans people try to claim "science." Science tells us the exact opposite, that gender is fluid, in humans it's a social construct, and we are not binary.
"When the annual Conservative Political Action Conference — CPAC for short — kicks off Thursday in Orlando, Fla., it might as well be called TPAC… That's because this year, it is all about Trump."
"Newly disclosed documents from inside the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan capture a sense of panic and dread among prosecutors and their supervisors as one of their cases collapsed last year amid allegations of government misconduct… The materials include a rare look at sensitive emails and text messages between junior prosecutors and their overseers after a federal judge began to inquire about lapses that ultimately led the Justice Department to abandon a conviction in a case it had already won." Say, isn't Trump being investigated by the that office? I'm sure this has nothing to do with that.
"Five basic principles of graphic design."
"The car-sized Perseverance captured a gorgeous 360-degree panorama of its surroundings on the floor of Jezero Crater, which harbored a lake and a river delta billions of years ago." And in high-def.
"Despite the 95 percent effectiveness at preventing coronavirus infection after two doses of its vaccine, Pfizer is now seeing what a third dose might do… The company announced Thursday that a booster dose is being studied among people who received their first doses of the vaccine more than six months ago." See, once everyone is inoculated and SARS-CoV2 drops off the map, there's little money to be made for all that went into the research of the vaccine (don't forget, you've already paid for that research with your tax dollars). Also note the "softening the ground" for the concept of a yearly booster, like the flu shot.
"Dr. Anthony Fauci on Sunday warned Americans to steel themselves against a sense of Covid-19 complacency even as coronavirus infections plummet and some scientists predict that herd immunity is just around the corner." Yes the news has all been about the "plummet" in infections. But we still are above the daily infection rates of the infection spike last July. Remember last July?
"Israel’s defense minister on Thursday called for an immediate halt in plans to ship surplus coronavirus vaccines to a group of allied nations, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of acting without oversight or transparency."
"A group of economists, ecologists and anthropologists is seeking to challenge a central plank of global economic policy — that more is better… The 'degrowth' movement has received renewed attention in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic after the spread of the virus last year coincided with the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s… Yet, as policymakers prioritize an economic rebound, scholars are backing an idea that pushes social and ecological wellbeing over a system that pursues relentless economic growth."
"Jobless claims fell sharply last week despite brutal winter storms that swept across Texas and other parts of the South, the Labor Department reported Thursday… First-time filings for unemployment insurance totaled 730,000 for the week ended Feb. 20, well below the Dow Jones estimate of 845,000… That total represented a substantial decrease from the 841,000 the previous week, a number that was revised lower by 20,000." A "sharp" drop of 90,000, or 10%. Note most claims are submitted electronically these days, and if you don't have any electricity, that makes it kinda hard to submit a claim.
"A former top aide to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has accused him of intimidation and sexual harassment, expanding on allegations she first made in December. In an essay posted to Medium on Wednesday, the former staffer accused the governor of going 'out of his way' to touch her 'lower back, arms and legs,' and kissing her during a one-on-one meeting."
"In a tweet voicing his opposition to raising the national minimum wage to $15 an hour, Republican South Dakota Senator John Thune said he made $6 an hour working at a restaurant as a "kid." Adjusted for modern inflation, that would be $24 an hour today." You can do your own calculations here at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics calculator.
"GameStop shares climbed rapidly and were halted twice for volatility ahead of the closing bell Wednesday. The gaming retailer's stock was priced at $91.71 at market close, up nearly 104% from the previous day." AMC also had a bump yesterday. You know what that means? (Pops your speculation bubble) It means the short contracts that traders entered as those stocks skyrocketed in January are coming due, so there has to be some hearty buying going on as those investors close out their shorts.
"Tattoo artists in Europe are fighting a new ban on two commonly-used green and blue pigments, saying that losing these ink ingredients would be a disaster for their industry and their art… Meanwhile, in the United States, where about a third of Americans have a tattoo, tattoo ink is almost completely unregulated and there's little known about what's in tattoo ink."
"There's something off about the butter in Canada that's left many flustered residents looking for answers… For weeks, Canadians have increasingly churned up debate on social media with anecdotes about 'hard' butter that fails to spread as easily as it once did." Yesterday was "what have we done to animals", today is "what have we done to food."
"The militaries of India and Pakistan said in a rare joint statement on Thursday that they had agreed to observe a ceasefire along the disputed border in Kashmir, having exchanged fire hundreds of times in recent months." I give it three months.
"The Biden administration will release an intelligence report Thursday that concludes that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, three U.S. officials familiar with the matter said."
"Myanmar’s military has been banned from using Facebook and Instagram with immediate effect, Facebook said in a blog post on Thursday."
"Amnesty International says it no longer considers jailed Russian anti-Kremlin activist Alexei Navalny a 'prisoner of conscience,' citing past comments he's made that 'reach the threshold of advocacy of hatred.'" Half a point to Putin.
"President Biden on Wednesday revoked a Trump-era suspension of certain immigrant visas that had dramatically cut legal immigration to the U.S. during the coronavirus pandemic."
"Now, Republican politicians across the country are moving to stop the road-blocking maneuver, proposing increased penalties for demonstrators who run onto highways and legal immunity for drivers who hit them. The bills are among dozens introduced in Legislatures aimed at cracking down on demonstrations."
"If your mail has not been showing up some days or you're getting second notices on the bills you thought you'd paid, you're not alone. The U.S. Postal Service has been beset by continuing delays in delivering the mail… Postmaster General Louis DeJoy apologized for those delays in testimony before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday but warned that the postal system is 'in a death spiral' and needs legislation to help restore it to financial stability… (DeJoy) said the current three- to five-day standard for delivering first-class mail has not been met 'for years.'" Well certainly it's felt like "years" since last May, but nope.
"As President Joe Biden works to overhaul U.S. health care policy, few challenges will loom larger for his health secretary than restoring access to family planning while parrying legal challenges to abortion proliferating across the country… Physicians, clinics and women's health advocates are looking to Xavier Becerra, Biden's nominee to run the Department of Health and Human Services, to help swiftly unwind Trump-era funding cuts and rules that have decimated the nation's network of reproductive health providers over the past four years."
Rumor tweet with receipts: "So it turns out Neera Tanden criticized @Sen_JoeManchin's daughter for her extraordinary pay increases, after she raised the price of the Epi-Pen from $100 to $600 and moved Mylan's HQ to the Netherlands to reduce taxes." Kinda hurts when people call out your baby for fleecing the public.
"'Once we see something that prioritizes the security and accessibility of elections, we’ll throw in support,' (Georgia Secretary of State Brad) Raffensperger tweeted on Wednesday. He added that many of the bills, which would directly impact state elections, are 'reactionary to a three month disinformation campaign' that he said could have been prevented." No no, Brad. See, it's because too many of the "wrong people" voted last time. These are bills to secure the elections from their interference by electing Democrats. This is about making sure only Republicans win elections in Georgia.
"A close ally of Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene took part in the January 6 mob at the Capitol and said he was among those who eventually made their way into the building… Greene, a freshman congresswoman with a history of promoting dangerous and violent conspiracies and comments, encouraged the big lie that the election was stolen from former President Donald Trump by voting to object to the election certification and fanned the flames of the insurrection by telling her supporters to 'fight for Trump.'"
"Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., placed a sign outside her office Wednesday mocking Democratic Rep. Marie Newman, whose office sits across the hall, after Newman hung a transgender pride flag next to her door in protest over Greene's opposition to a LGBTQ rights bill." Haters gonna hate. And I love how the anti-trans people try to claim "science." Science tells us the exact opposite, that gender is fluid, in humans it's a social construct, and we are not binary.
"When the annual Conservative Political Action Conference — CPAC for short — kicks off Thursday in Orlando, Fla., it might as well be called TPAC… That's because this year, it is all about Trump."
"Newly disclosed documents from inside the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan capture a sense of panic and dread among prosecutors and their supervisors as one of their cases collapsed last year amid allegations of government misconduct… The materials include a rare look at sensitive emails and text messages between junior prosecutors and their overseers after a federal judge began to inquire about lapses that ultimately led the Justice Department to abandon a conviction in a case it had already won." Say, isn't Trump being investigated by the that office? I'm sure this has nothing to do with that.
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