Thursday, July 16, 2020

And another day where “The science should not stand in the way of this” comes to a close: (yes, she literally said the quiet part out loud)

“The most important qualifications for service in the senior ranks of the Trump administration are a total lack of self-awareness, utter shamelessness and a cynical contempt for the truth.” — Max Boot

Deaths

US: 141,118 (+978)

World: 592,677 (+5856)

Cases

US: 3,695,025

World: 13,946,637

Countdown: 110 days.

This is no longer a choice between Trump and Biden. This is a choice between Trump and your child.

Anyone can tell you the controversies of today: masks, schools, bars & what to leave open. But we haven’t seen anything yet. What about the controversies of tomorrow?

“The president has said unmistakably that he wants schools to open… And when he says open, he means open in full, kids being able to attend each and every day at their school,” McEnany said, “The science should not stand in the way of this.”

Nearly one-third of children tested for COVID in Florida are positive. Palm Beach County’s health director warns of risk of long-term damage.

By three to one, Americans reject Trump’s push to reopen schools despite COVID-19 risk. A full 63 percent of Americans say Trump should not be pressuring schools to reopen. Only 25 percent say he should continue his push. At the same time, a mere 30 percent of Americans believe the Trump Administration is doing everything it can to stop the coronavirus. — Those people in the latter group have drunk the Kool Aid.

In separate rallies, Utahns protest mask mandate and demand in-person classes. -- Wow. What some people think. Just wow. There could be an argument made that this is comparable to child abuse.

U.S. coronavirus cases rise by at least 75,000, the highest single-day increase since pandemic began.

Refrigerated trucks requested in Texas and Arizona as morgues fill up due to coronavirus deaths.

Hydroxychloroquine ineffective against mild COVID-19, U.S. study shows.

Britain, the U.S. and Canada say Russia is trying to steal information from researchers seeking a COVID-19 vaccine. The three nations alleged that hacking group APT29, also known as Cozy Bear, is attacking academic and pharmaceutical research institutions.

Georgia Gov. Kemp issues an executive order Wednesday banning more than a dozen local governments in his state from mandating masks be worn in public.

Arkansas issues statewide face mask mandate as coronavirus cases surge.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announces a new order that requires restaurants and bars to close after receiving three citations for failing to enforce safety measures such as face coverings and social distancing.

Gov. Inslee has revised the number of people who can gather together, an effort to tame a resurging COVID-19.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp sues Atlanta over the city's requirement to wear masks in public, other COVID-19 restrictions.

Face mask requirements stop coronavirus from spreading. Hoping people trust science doesn't. Mask wearing has become the new vaccine debate, one that is visceral and not rooted in science, but with high potential to lead to preventable infections and deaths. But, like the anti-vaccine debate, it cannot simply be combatted by lobbing science at skeptics because the science, which is rooted in a strong body of evidence, is not the only influence on decision-making. People who don’t believe in vaccines, similar to those who do not believe that masks protect against COVID-19, grasp onto misinformation that confirms their skepticism and breeds their overconfidence that the experts are wrong. Anti-maskers, like anti-vaxxers, don’t trust science alone.

A recent study suggests that for people admitted to intensive care units for severe COVID-19 infection, the rate of death has declined by about one-third since the start of the pandemic.

An Arizona man in a coma from coronavirus woke up paralyzed.

President Donald Trump warned again Thursday that Democrats want to destroy American suburbs -- a blatant attempt to sway white suburban voters while stoking racial divisions...In his remarks, Trump harkened back to old arguments against integrating neighborhoods, saying the rules put a damper on property values and cause crime rates to increase. "Your home will go down in value and crime rates will rapidly rise," he said. "Joe Biden and his bosses from the radical left want to significantly multiply what they're doing now and what will be the end result is you will totally destroy the beautiful suburbs. Suburbia will be no longer as we know it." — His racism is on full display. 

The Trump campaign app is tapping a "gold mine" of data about Americans. President Trump's campaign app is targeted to his most fervent supporters, but it is able to collect data about a swath of the American public far larger than his base...Download either "The Official Trump 2020 App" or the "Team Joe App,"and you are quickly asked to provide the campaigns with access to your contacts. You don't have to click "OK," but if you do, the campaigns know the name and number of everyone whose information you have stored. At no point do the campaigns ask those contacts for permission to have that information, and they are not legally required to...The Trump campaign app doesn't just ask for access to your friends' contacts. The app seeks permission to access a far more extensive list of data than Biden's, including: — Did we learn nothing from the Cambridge Analytica scandal? Oh wait! The Trump campaign did. It’s information you should know if you’re using these apps.

The Republican National Committee is sharply restricting attendance on three of four nights of its convention in Jacksonville, Florida, as coronavirus cases are spiking in the state. Only about 2,500 regular delegates will be permitted to attend.

Mary Trump on if she ever heard the president use racial slur: 'Of course I did'. “And I don't think that should surprise anybody given how virulently racist he is today.” 

The Supreme Court has ruled that Florida can enforce a law barring ex-felons from voting if they still owe court fines or fees that they are unable to pay associated with their convictions. — aka, a poll tax. 

Why do we have different blood types — and do they make us more vulnerable to Covid-19? Ordinarily, your blood type makes very little difference in your daily life except if you need to have a blood transfusion. However, people with Type A may have a higher risk of catching Covid-19 and of developing severe symptoms, recent research has suggested, while people with Type O blood have a lower risk. These study results follow evidence from past research that certain blood groups are more vulnerable to other diseases like cancer.

The NFL Players Association revealed that 72 players in the league have already tested positive for COVID-19 as of July 10.

Over a dozen women have accused several former members of the Washington Redskins’ staff of sexual harassment, according to a report. The allegations run from 2006 to 2019, spanning most of owner Dan Snyder’s tenure with the team. Most of the allegations include unwelcome comments or gestures of sexual nature and requests for the women to wear revealing clothing and flirt with clients for sales deals.

Betsy Devos' refusal to honor student loan forgiveness shows her disrespect for the law.

China becomes first economy to grow since virus pandemic.

Apple and Google are not secretly installing contact-tracing apps on our devices as claimed by various Facebook posts.

U.S. completes second execution in a week, dividing judges and victims' families.

FCC unanimously approves 988 as new three-digit suicide prevention hotline.

Top House Republican threatens to cut funding to states, cities that don't protect statues.

"Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek says his cancer treatments are "paying off".

Bacteria that eats metal accidentally discovered by scientists.

The African continent is very slowly peeling apart. Scientists say a new ocean is being born.

Scientists unravel secrets of ultra-black fish swimming the deepest depths.

There is good in the world. Never forget that.

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

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