Thursday, March 3, 2022

And another day of bombing nuclear plants, ‘criminal conspiracies,’ easing White Power into the GOP, FL moves closer to 15-week abortion ban, ditching masks, an ex-officer cleared in shooting, payroll increases, Lake Powell level moves toward ‘critical,’ and insulin for $30 a vial comes to a close:

"The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” — George Orwell, 1984

Deaths

US: 981,729 (+4327 over two day)

World: 6,001,818 (+18,004 over two days)

Cases

US: 80,843,570 (+145,646 over two days)

World: 442,405,434 )+3,590,882 over two days)

Russians begin shelling Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. The plant is in Enerhodar, a city on the Dnieper River that accounts for one-quarter of the country’s power generation. A spokesman for the plant said the shelling began early Friday.

Fire breaks out at nuclear plant in Ukraine after Russia attacks facility. "If there is an explosion it is the end for all of us," he said. "The end of Europe. "

Takeaways as Jan. 6 panel eyes Trump ‘criminal conspiracy’. The House panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol has previewed some of its findings in a federal court filing, and investigators for the first time said they have enough evidence to suggest then-President Donald Trump committed crimes...In the 221-page filing, the panel said it has evidence that the defeated Republican president and his associates engaged in a “criminal conspiracy” to prevent Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory.

How Marjorie Taylor Greene and Nick Fuentes Are Easing White Power into the GOP Mainstream. The America First Political Action Conference featured brazen and open rhetoric. Amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and with the event happening late on Friday night, Fuentes’s gathering flew somewhat under the radar, despite the potential and dark direction it augurs for right politics in the U.S.—one even more rife with racist thought and rhetoric. — Many Republicans no longer try to hide their white supremacy beliefs. Fuck you if you still support them. 

Texas’s most progressive and most conservative candidates thrived in the 2022 primaries. The success of opposing wings of both parties reflect just how polarized newly drawn Texas electoral maps are — and that’s by Republican design. Some blue districts have become bluer, but mostly in the service of simultaneously making safe Republican districts even safer.

Florida legislature passes 15-week abortion ban, DeSantis expected to approve legislation. The legislation contains several exceptions to the ban, including cases in which a fatal abnormality is found on a fetus or an abortion is needed to save the life or prevent serious injury to the pregnant person, according to The Associated Press. There are no exceptions in the case of incest, human trafficking or rape.

Rep. Madison Cawthorn is a fucking idiot. No, really. He’s as dumb as a fence post. The only difference is that a fence post is useful. 

CDC numbers show that more than 90 percent of people in U.S. can ditch masks. The updated data, which shows that nearly everyone in the country lives in an area with low to medium risk for Covid, was released days after the agency released new guidance that tweaked how it measured that risk. Instead of relying on case rates, the CDC now considers hospitalizations and hospital capacity a key metric.

Washington hospital leaders recommend masking indoors despite lifting mandates. Until we have a few months of really low cases and things are more certain, we ask that this practice be continued in a pragmatic way,” she continued. “It’s an easy and it’s a compassionate thing to do for those in our community who are immunocompromised or have other health conditions that make them more vulnerable.” — Many people have shown they are incapable of human compassion.

Washington's health department is now encouraging people to stock their medicine cabinets with COVID-19 tests. The focus is now shifting to testing to prevent the spread of the virus.

U.S. private payrolls increase in February; January revised sharply higher. Private payrolls increased by 475,000 jobs last month, the ADP National Employment Report showed on Wednesday. Employers added 509,000 jobs in January rather than laying off 301,000 workers as was initially reported. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast private payrolls would increase by 388,000 jobs.

Ex-officer cleared in shooting during Breonna Taylor raid. A Kentucky jury on Thursday cleared a former police officer of charges that he endangered neighbors when he fired shots into an apartment during the 2020 drug raid that ended with Breonna Taylor’s death.

Lake Powell is about to drop below a critical level never reached before, as drought rages on. The US Bureau of Reclamation told CNN it is currently anticipating water levels in Lake Powell to reach a significant elevation of 3,525 feet above sea level sometime between March 10 and 16. Drought contingency plans define the 3,525-foot mark as a significant "target elevation" for the reservoir, under which the situation becomes dire. As of Thursday, Lake Powell had fallen to just over 3,526 feet in elevation, which is just over 24% of capacity and less than two feet away from the critical level.

CA’s governor wants mental health courts for homeless people. California’s governor unveiled a plan Thursday to create mental health courts in every county, allowing treatment for more homeless people with severe mental health and addiction disorders but also compelling some of them into care, a move that many advocates of homeless people oppose as a violation of civil rights.

Overruling scientists, UK relaxes ban on pesticide toxic to bees. An insecticide banned due to its harm to bees will be used on sugar beet in Britain this year after ministers authorized an emergency exemption. The government overruled its own scientific advisers and the decision was called “scandalous” by campaigners.

Facial recognition system shunned by IRS moves ahead in Washington state. Human rights activists and some federal lawmakers are asking state government officials, including in Washington, to ban the system. Amid the outcry, Washington’s Employment Security Department says it doesn’t use ID.me to verify the identities of people claiming jobless benefits — but plans to start doing so in June…Recently, ID.me’s facial recognition technology has come under fire for the amount of information it collects from applicants, which opponents of the system worry could be misused, resold or stolen. Critics also say the system creates barriers that prevent people from accessing unemployment aid. The tech is not accessible to people who don’t have smartphones, computers or internet access. Facial recognition technology, they contend, also perpetuates racial biases.

Non-profit drug maker will provide insulin for no more than $30 a vial. Civica Rx, a non-profit generic drug maker backed by hospitals, insurers and philanthropies, announced Thursday that it plans to manufacture and sell insulin for no more than $30 a vial. It is expected to be available as soon as early 2024, pending federal approval.

Fitbit is recalling 1.7 million smartwatches that pose a burn hazard because the lithium-ion battery inside can overheat.

RIP Alan Ladd Jr. He was 84.

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

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