Monday, July 27, 2020

And another day of voter suppression, zero murders, the biggest terrorist threat, lots of cases, neurological problems, hygiene theater, virus-linked hunger, the global climate fight, legal assaults, and military recruitment in schools comes to a close:

“In the morning a man walks with his whole body; in the evening, only with his legs.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Deaths

US: 150,444 (+595)

World: 656,545 (+4488)

Cases

US: 4,433,410 (+61,571)

World: 16,643,498 (+229,544)

Countdown: 99 days.

Activists working in John Lewis' shadow warn about voter suppression ahead of November vote. Conversations with a range of voting rights activists and scholars suggest that the foundational core of American democratic values —  the expression of individual freedom through the ballot box — is at an unprecedented crossroads...And in Texas, handgun license holders are cleared to vote but not those with a student ID from a state university. More than 80% of Texas handgun licenses went to white people in 2018, and more than half the students in the University of Texas system are people of color,the Brennan Center revealed.

Anti-fascists linked to zero murders in the US in 25 years. Donald Trump has made warnings about the threat of antifa and “far-left fascism” a central part of his re-election campaign. But in reality leftwing attacks have left far fewer people dead than violence by rightwing extremists, new research indicates, and antifa activists have not been linked to a single murder in decades...’Leftwing violence has not been a major terrorism threat.’ — I know you all found that shocking.

Jihadist plots used to be U.S. and Europe's biggest terrorist threat. Now it's the far right. Jones defined right-wing extremists as "sub-national or non-state entities" with goals that could include ethnic or racial supremacy. They can also be marked by anger against specific policies like abortion rights and government authority, as well as hatred toward women, or they may be members of the "involuntary celibate," or "incel," movement.

Officer challenges account of violent clearing of protesters. The U.S. Park Police and Secret Service violently routed protesters from Lafayette Square last month without apparent provocation or adequate warning, immediately after Attorney General William Barr spoke with Park Police leaders, according to an Army National Guard officer who was there.

Democrats seek to limit federal patrols in cities through coronavirus relief bill, Schumer says.

US Attorney: Feds will stay in Portland until attacks end.

We Thought It Was Just a Respiratory Virus. We were wrong.

Robert O'Brien, Donald Trump's national security adviser, tests positive for COVID-19.

The World Recorded 1 Million New Coronavirus Cases In Just Four Days. New hotspots are raging, but experts are also concerned about spikes in countries that appeared to have the virus under control.

Over half of coronavirus patients in Spain have developed neurological problems. The range of symptoms does not end there. In a small but significant percentage of cases (between 1% and 5%), neurologists also detected myopathy (neuromuscular disease), dysautonomia (a dysfunction that affects the autonomic nervous system) and cerebrovascular diseases such as stroke. In less than 1% of cases, the researchers also observed convulsions, movement disorders and encephalitis in patients. In a dozen cases, the patient went into a coma. What’s more, neurological complications were the main cause of death in 4% of coronavirus victims, according to the study. — Reasons to severely decrease the number of cases. 

Hygiene Theater Is a Huge Waste of Time. COVID-19 has reawakened America’s spirit of misdirected anxiety, inspiring businesses and families to obsess over risk-reduction rituals that make us feel safer but don’t actually do much to reduce risk—even as more dangerous activities are still allowed. This is hygiene theater...But in the past few months, scientists have converged on a theory of how this disease travels: via air.

WHO says keeping borders shut to thwart COVID-19 not "sustainable". “What we're going to have to figure out... is what our new normal looks like?"

Senate Republicans are moving to cut the expiring $600 weekly federal unemployment bonus to $200 per week in a new coronavirus aid package, according to 3 senior GOP aides familiar with the details.

Germany has rejected Trump's bid to bring Russia back into the G7. Heiko Maas, Germany's foreign secretary, said there was no prospect of re-admitting Russia until it had resolved the situation in eastern Ukraine and Crimea.

Record number of Black women set to run for U.S. Congress.

After a party, 17 anesthesiologist residents at UF hospital system diagnosed with COVID.

Miami Marlins postpone game as coronavirus spreads. Eight more players and two coaches with the Marlins have tested positive for the coronavirus, as an outbreak has spread throughout their clubhouse and brought the total cases in recent days to at least 14, sources familiar with the situation told ESPN. — Like no one saw this coming.

Gold prices surge to record high amid coronavirus worries, U.S.-China tensions.

Virus-linked hunger tied to 10,000 child deaths each month. Further, more than 550,000 additional children each month are being struck by what is called wasting, according to the U.N. — malnutrition that manifests in spindly limbs and distended bellies. Over a year, that’s up 6.7 million from last year’s total of 47 million. Wasting and stunting can permanently damage children physically and mentally, transforming individual tragedies into a generational catastrophe.

How the global climate fight could be lost if Trump is re-elected. “The choice of Biden or Trump in the White House is huge, not just for the US but for the world generally to deal with climate change,” said Stern. “If Biden wins, November 4 is a blip, like a bad dream is over. If Trump wins, he seals the deal. The US becomes a non-player and the goals of Paris become very, very difficult. Without the US in the long term, they certainly aren’t realistic.”

Trump lawyers renew legal assault on tax records subpoena. President Donald Trump’s lawyers filed fresh arguments Monday to try to block a criminal subpoena for his tax records, saying it was issued in bad faith, might have been politically motivated and calling it a harassment of the president.

Ocasio-Cortez calls for end to federal funding for military recruitment in schools. In a statement to The New York Times, the first-term lawmaker explained that the amendments are intended to curb a trend of military recruiters targeting low-income students...The armed forces, she told the Times, “can for some provide a rewarding career,” but recruitment should not be targeted to poorer students while “low-income Americans are not being given anywhere near the same information or access to trade schools, college or other post graduate opportunities."

The FDA expands its list of potentially deadly hand sanitizer products, warning a Mexican-based company about selling products that contain methanol, a dangerous form of alcohol.

Google to Keep Employees Home Until Summer 2021 Amid Coronavirus Pandemic.

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Stay safe and stay sane. Good night.