Wednesday, July 28, 2021

And another day of infrastructure bills, declining requests, photographic proof of lies, resentment, mandating vaccinations, ‘whites only’ covenants, 24,000 years in permafrost, and “Tush” comes to a close:

“I said, Lord, take me downtown. I’m just looking for some tush.” -- ZZ Top, written by Frank Beard, Billy Gibbons, Joe Hill. Sung by Dusty Hill.

Deaths

US: 628,098 (+747)

World: 4,203,599 (+40,621)

Cases

US: 35,487,490 (+133,567)

World: 196,692,497 (+712,294)

Infrastructure deal: Senate votes to start work on $1T bill. The Senate voted Wednesday night to begin work on a nearly $1 trillion national infrastructure plan after President Joe Biden and a bipartisan group of senators reached agreement on major provisions of the package that is a key part of his presidential agenda.

The Justice Department has declined a request to defend GOP Rep. Mo Brooks against a civil lawsuit that accuses him of helping incite the mob in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.

Photo emerges of Republican barricading chamber doors during US Capitol attack after he compared rioters to ‘tourists’. A photo has emerged of Andrew Clyde, the Republican congressman who claimed “there was no insurrection” and compared US Capitol rioters to “tourists”, barricading the House chamber during the attack. — The GOP is trying to get you to not believe your eyes.

As Covid cases surge, unvaccinated Americans trigger scorn, resentment from many vaccinated people. The poll also found that among American adults who have not yet received a vaccination, 35 percent say they probably will not, and 45 percent say they definitely will not. Only 3 percent of those who responded say they definitely will get the shots, while another 16 percent say they probably will.

CDC says nearly 67% of U.S. counties have substantial, high COVID-19 transmission.

Number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Florida surpasses peak of second wave.

Google offices to mandate vaccines. Google announced Wednesday it would require all in-office workers and visitors to be vaccinated and that employees could continue working from home through Oct. 18.

Chelsea fans will have to show proof of Covid jabs to go to matches. Fans will have to prove they had their second dose at least 14 days before the match to count as fully vaccinated, while proof of a negative lateral flow test carried out within 48 hours of kick-off time will also be accepted.

The obscene hypocrisy of Republicans blaming everyone but themselves: The COVID edition. They spent so much time owning the libs, they forgot to care about the lives of their constituents.

State lawmakers work to strip old ‘whites only’ covenants. Tucked in a list of rules on the home’s original deed from the developer was a provision that said: “No persons of any race other than the white race shall use or occupy any building or any lot,” with the exception of “domestic servants of a different race.”

Editorial: Rep. Nancy Pelosi is wrong. Her argument regarding student loans and taxes is bullshit. That same “logic” could be applied to everything. I would prefer my tax dollars going to health care, social services, education, and science instead of corporate bailouts and the military. But I don’t get that choice.

Other Olympians are talking about the intense pressures they face at the Games after Simone Biles' withdrawal. "Simone has so many eyes on her," champion swimmer Katie Ledecky said. "Every move you make is being watched and judged."

Washington is currently experiencing a statewide license plate shortage and vehicle owners will not be able to get updated hardware for at least 60 days.

“Arthur" Is Ending After 25 Years And So Many Iconic Memes. Carol Greenwald, one of the show's executive producers, said in a statement that the longest-running kids animated series in history will be remembered for "teaching kindness, empathy, and inclusion through many groundbreaking moments to generations of viewers."

24,000 Years in Permafrost Still Didn’t Kill These Ancient Critters. Rotifers aren’t the only living organisms to emerge from permafrost or ice. The same researchers behind this latest discovery had previously found roughly 40,000-year-old viable roundworms in the region’s permafrost. Ancient moss, seeds, viruses, and bacteria have all shown impressive longevity on ice, prompting legitimate concern about whether any potentially harmful pathogens may also be released as glaciers and permafrost melt.

RIP Dusty Hill. He was 72. 

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

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