Thursday, November 24, 2022

And another day of survival mode, distinguishing among the illnesses, Covid lockdowns in China, Musk granting ‘amnesty,’ “Three Minutes,” mannequins helping doctors, cracked secret codes, and masturbating at work comes to a close:

“Republicans are easily confused by the difference between recognizing American history as it really occurred, modifying one's behavior to acknowledge that history and feeling ‘ashamed of our country.’ The former does not lead to the latter unless you're simple-minded.” -- Brandon Friedman

Deaths

US: 1,104,602

World: 6,632,629

Cases

US: 100,425,201

World: 644,811,948

Bombed, not beaten: Ukraine’s capital flips to survival mode. Residents of Ukraine’s bombed capital clutched empty bottles in search of water and crowded into cafés for power and warmth Thursday, switching defiantly into survival mode after new Russian missile strikes a day earlier plunged the city and much of the country into the dark. In scenes hard to believe in a sophisticated city of 3 million, some Kyiv residents resorted to collecting rainwater from drainpipes, as repair teams labored to reconnect supplies.

Is it Covid, flu or RSV? A few hallmarks can help distinguish among the illnesses. Covid, flu and RSV can be difficult to distinguish, since they share many common symptoms. But it's useful to know which virus you have, since that determines the treatments you should receive and how long you should isolate. Certain hallmarks — either symptoms or how the illness progresses — can help differentiate each virus. Here are five factors to consider.

China expands lockdowns as COVID-19 cases hit daily record. In the previous 24 hours, the number of new COVID cases rose by 31,444, the National Health Commission said Thursday. That’s the highest daily figure since the coronavirus was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.

Musk says granting ‘amnesty’ to suspended Twitter accounts. New Twitter owner Elon Musk said Thursday that he is granting “amnesty” for suspended accounts, which online safety experts predict will spur a rise in harassment, hate speech and misinformation.

‘A small victory against erasure’: the three minutes that bring an exterminated Jewish past to life. A new documentary extends 200 seconds of home-movie footage shot in Poland in 1938 into a forensic examination of a community obliterated by the Nazis. The people he photographed were Nasielsk’s Jews, who made up nearly half the town’s population, and who, like the rest of Europe’s Jews, would soon be sentenced to death by the Nazis. It means that almost every face you look at – every bearded old man, every mother in a scarf, every daughter in plaits, every woman in a housecoat, and every boy grinning and waving at the camera – is someone who, in the following year, would be shipped out of Nasielsk and confined to a ghetto and then, three years after that, taken from the ghetto to the death camp of Treblinka, where they would be gassed. -- The film is called “Three Minutes: A Lengthening”

Iranian soccer player arrested amid World Cup scrutiny. Iran arrested a prominent former member of its national soccer team on Thursday over his criticism of the government as authorities grapple with nationwide protests that have cast a shadow over its competition at the World Cup.

Lifelike mannequins that moan and groan help doctors learn life-saving emergency skills. Mannequins with a heartbeat that blink, breathe and even scream in pain are helping teach young doctors critical emergency medicine at a regional hospital.

Emperor Charles V's secret code cracked after five centuries. A team of researchers have cracked a five century-old code that reveals a rumoured French plot to kill the Roman emperor and king of Spain Charles V.

Ronaldo becomes 1st male player to score at 5 World Cups. He has now scored in every World Cup since his first in 2006, when he converted a penalty against Iran in the group stage.

Masturbating at Work: Really Working It. Masturbating at work is more common (and healthier) than you think! And going by the numbers, you probably already know how much fun it can be. Masturbating during work hours may sound taboo, but it’s much more common than you might think. In an informal survey conducted by a Time Out New York writer, almost 40% of respondents reported they masturbated on the job. And that was in 2015 -- well before work-from-home made a midday sesh that much more handy.

Webb Telescope Reveals Noxious Atmosphere of a Planet 700 Light-Years Away. WASP-39b is a hot Saturn with some nasty chemicals in its skies.

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

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