And finally a day with a lot of good news, mixed with ‘Post Covid Syndrome,’ calculating (not cowardly) Republicans, veto threats, greenhouse gases, huge food conglomerates, risks of STIs, and hammerhead worms comes to a close:
“I hope Trump’s attempt to overturn the results of an election he lost by 6 million+ popular votes will be the last gasp of a pathetic presidency. But I fear it may represent only a middle chapter in the GOP’s transformation into an authoritarian party.” -- Max Boot
Deaths
US: 263,687 (+991)
World: 1,401,881 (+8310)
Cases
US: 12,777,174 (+188,513)
World: 59,513,265 (+529,734)
Countdown 1: 43 days.
Countdown 2: 58 days.
**Good News (I know! I know! I marked it tonight!)
**3rd major COVID-19 vaccine shown to be effective and cheaper. Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca said Monday that late-stage trials showed its coronavirus vaccine was up to 90% effective, giving public health officials hope they may soon have access to a vaccine that is cheaper and easier to distribute than some of its rivals.
'Close the bars' and open schools, Dr. Fauci says. Evidence strongly indicates that schools are not the sites of significant viral transmission, either between children or between children and adults. That is especially true for younger children, who tend to struggle the most with online learning. The risk appears to increase with age, for reasons that are not yet entirely understood.
There was a 28% increase in child Covid-19 cases over the last two weeks, American Academy of Pediatrics says.
Fauci says some people are experiencing "effects that we're concerned about" after recovering from Covid-19. “But there’s something else that’s going on with Covid-19,” he continued.
**The Trump administration has informed President-elect Joe Biden that they are ready to begin the formal transition process, according to a letter obtained by CNN. The letter signals that Murphy has formally signed off on Biden's victory, a normally perfunctory process known as ascertainment. The move will allow the transition to officially begin, permitting current administration agency officials to coordinate with the incoming Biden team, and providing millions in government funding for the transition.
**President-elect Joe Biden on Monday unveiled a slate of top foreign policy and national security picks, including the first woman to lead the US intelligence community and first Latino to helm the Department of Homeland Security...The choices reflect Biden's desire to construct a diverse Cabinet with experts versed in public policy and deep experience in government.
**Biden Picks Janet Yellen To Be Treasury Secretary.
**Biden signals sharp shift from Trump with Cabinet picks. Biden’s emerging Cabinet marks a return to a more traditional approach to governing, relying on veteran policymakers with deep expertise and strong relationships in Washington and global capitals. And with a roster that includes multiple women and people of color — some of whom are breaking historic barriers in their posts — Biden is fulfilling his campaign promise to lead a team that reflects the diversity of America.
**Michigan's state board certifies Biden's win.
Republicans: Calculating, not Cowards. Cowards want to to do the right thing but are too afraid to do it. I do not believe the Republicans want to do the right thing and I do not believe they are concerned about the damage Trump is doing to our democracy. Ultimately what bothers them about Trump is not that he is a racist authoritarian. It’s that he is a clumsy, incompetent racist authoritarian. The Republican supplication to Trump’s whims — before and after the election — is not cowardice, it’s calculation. Understanding the difference is critical. If we don’t, we will not be prepared for the battles to come nor we will fully comprehend the very dire threat to democracy that the Republican Party poses...The implication is that if things ever got really serious, the Republicans would step in to stop the election theft. I do not believe that. Math — not morals — is why Biden’s election victory is secure...The danger is not that Trump will steal this election. It is that election theft is being normalized as not just acceptable, but as necessary Republican strategy. The next Republican that doesn’t try to steal an election will be branded a RINO and face a primary challenge.
Majority say they want GOP in control of Senate: poll. Fifty-six percent of voters said they want a divided government with Republicans in control of the upper chamber.
A dark money mystery in Florida centers on the campaign of a spoiler candidate who appeared to help a Republican win by 32 votes. A month before Election Day in Florida a mysterious company called Proclivity, Inc. contributed $550,000 to a pair of newly formed political action committees in the state. Two days later, the money flowed from the PACs to an Orlando-area print and advertising firm. Shortly thereafter, came a torrent of nearly identical political fliers seemingly intended to siphon away support from Democratic candidates by tricking voters into casting their ballots for purported spoiler candidates who demonstrated no real interest in getting elected. None, for example, engaged in typical campaigning activities or raised significant funds. In one case, the mailers appear to have helped a Republican—a co-founder of Latinas For Trump—unseat the Democratic incumbent in a state Senate race by a razor-thin margin of just 32 votes. The situation, which has been generating headlines in Florida for weeks, has all the makings of a "dark money" mystery in the Sunshine State.
Trump set on veto of defense bill over renaming bases honoring Confederates. Trump is threatening to veto legislation to fund the military as one of his final acts in office unless a widely supported, bipartisan provision to rename military bases honoring Confederate military leaders is removed, according to White House, defense and congressional sources.
Republican lawmaker calls for Kyle Rittenhouse, who is on trial for murder, to be elected to Congress. Rittenhouse has become a hero among many on the far right of the Republican Party, who opposed the national demonstrations against police violence and support the teenager’s claims he travelled from Illinois to Kenosha in order to protect local businesses there. — There is so much wrong here it hurts the mind.
Protests erupt in Omaha after police fatally shoot Black man during traffic stop. Omaha police killed Kenneth Jones, 35, on Thursday night while responding to a traffic stop.
**Feinstein to step down as top Democrat on Senate Judiciary Committee. -- I don’t know what to make of all this good news today.
Surge in greenhouse gases sustained despite Covid-19 lockdowns, U.N. says. Many scientists expect the biggest annual fall in carbon emissions in generations this year as measures to contain coronavirus have grounded planes, docked ships and kept commuters at home. However, the WMO described the projected 2020 drop as a “tiny blip” and said the resulting impact on the carbon dioxide concentrations that contribute to global warming would be no bigger than normal annual fluctuations.
Biden Would Be a Fool Not to Break Up Huge Food Conglomerates. As Biden forms his cabinet and prepares to govern, a new paper, commissioned by the Family Farm Action Alliance, makes a strong case that Big Ag consolidation actually harms working-class and farmer livelihoods in rural areas...For consumers, this hyper-consolidation means that the array of choices we see at the supermarket is largely an illusion, the paper shows.
People over 45 are at greater risk of STIs, new study finds. Middle-aged adults face a greater risk of catching sexually transmitted infections than ever before -- because society is unwilling to talk about older people having sex, a new study has found...Stigma and shame were identified as the greatest barriers to adults accessing sexual healthcare services, with many participants indicating that they felt that sexual health was a "dirty" term, discouraging people from seeking regular health checks.
**GM drops out of air pollution lawsuit against California, says it's all in on electric cars.
The U.S. is making General Motors recall and repair nearly 6 million big pickup trucks and SUVs equipped with potentially dangerous Takata air bag inflators.
An invasive, snake-like hammerhead worm is popping up in Georgia. The worms produce tetrodotoxin, the same deadly neurotoxin produced by pufferfish, according to a study from Utah State University...While the worms do not appear to secrete enough of the toxin through the skin to be considered dangerous, Murphy says to exercise caution, as tetrodotoxin is very dangerous. -- “Appear.”
Ken Jennings will be first interim 'Jeopardy!' host following death of Alex Trebek.
The first 'Toy Story' movie came out 25 years ago today. -- And it changed movie making.
Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.
Until next time, my friends. Stay safe and stay sane. Good night.
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