Thursday, December 23, 2021

And another day of a 2nd Covid pill, holiday travel, an endemic, guilty of manslaughter, Trump turns to SCOTUS, Amazon settles, urging parents and kids to have straight talk about sex, lectures at 2X speed, tasty TV, and dogs know the laws of physics comes to a close:

“Time after time these hucksters have been exposed as frauds, including by republican officials. And yet the The Big Lie continues to metastasize. Pretty clear that a decent-sized chunk of Americans prefer political tribalism to a functioning democracy.” — Chris Krebs 

“It's almost time to sit in front of a dead tree and eat candy out of socks.” — Hold My PomPoms Bitches

“You need to hang out with people who fit your future, not your history.” -- Sophia A. Nelson

Deaths

US: 834,455 (+1426)

World: 5,400,609 (+7376)

Cases

US: 52,788,451 (+277,473)

World: 278,524,357 (+1,003,824)

US adds Merck pill as 2nd easy-to-use drug against COVID-19. U.S. health regulators on Thursday authorized the second pill against COVID-19, providing another easy-to-use medication to battle the rising tide of omicron infections.

US holiday air travel on Wednesday exceeded 2019 levels.

Kuwait makes Covid-19 booster mandatory for travel abroad.

New Year’s Eve in Times Square still on, with smaller crowd. Revelers will still ring in the new year in New York’s Times Square next week, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio. But because of a spike in COVID-19 cases, fewer people will be there, and they all must show proof of vaccination and wear a mask.

United Airlines announced Thursday that it has canceled more than 100 Christmas Eve flights due to the surge in COVID-19 cases.

Covid is here for good, scientists say. The rest remains unpredictable. Most scientists now expect the virus to circulate indefinitely with lower and more predictable case numbers — a status known as endemicity. That would make the coronavirus like many other viruses that humanity has learned to deal with, such as influenza. It remains unclear, however, whether the coronavirus will remain a greater health risk than other endemic respiratory viruses.

Kim Potter guilty of manslaughter in Daunte Wright’s death. Jurors on Thursday convicted a suburban Minneapolis police officer of two manslaughter charges in the killing of Daunte Wright, a Black motorist she shot during a traffic stop after she said she confused her gun for her Taser.

Trump asks Supreme Court to block release of Jan. 6 records. Former President Donald Trump turned to the Supreme Court on Thursday in a last-ditch effort to keep documents away from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol led by his supporters.

Two Georgia election workers are suing the right-wing cable news channel One America News Network and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani over false claims the workers engaged in ballot fraud during the 2020 election.

Amazon settles with NLRB, helping pave path for union organization. As part of the settlement, Amazon pledges not to retaliate against employees who discuss unionization outside of work facilities and on their own time.

After Billie Eilish talks about porn, experts urge parents and kids to have straight talk about sex. Adolescents who viewed violent, graphic pornography were six times more likely to be sexually aggressive than those who were not exposed, according to a 2011 study cited by a 2012 review of research. Kids aren't only seeing porn at younger ages these days, but they are seeing more porn and more graphic porn than their parents did. Pornography, however, is no substitute for open and honest sex education…Emily Rothman, chair of the department of occupational therapy at Boston University who is also a professor of pediatrics and medicine, said Eilish's comments serve as a wake-up call for parents and other trusted grown-ups to play a more active role in children's lives…Of course, as Rothman suggested, the real issue underlying most conversations about porn is education. Tweens and teens watch the material like Eilish did and think it's real life, laying the groundwork for distorted reality and associated problems down the road, according to David Ley, a clinical psychologist and sex therapist in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ley added that the real disconnect comes with what porn doesn't show. "Healthy sexual interactions require negotiation and consent and honesty and self-control and respect," he said. "Most porn skips over all of this, and without the proper context, kids who are curious and watch it aren't going to understand how important all of these issues are to healthy sexual relationships." Part of the challenge here is educating kids about healthy sexual interactions, Ley noted. While most formal sex education in the United States doesn't start until middle school, many other nations start teaching kids about it at a younger age. Ley said the effects of this early exposure are indisputable: In the Netherlands, where the basics of sex education begin between ages 4 and 6, there are lower rates of teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and sexual assault. "We have this idea and belief that we have if you don't talk about something it won't happen," he said. "The reality is that not talking about it sets up kids for unfortunate lessons."

Good News: Watching Lectures at 2X Speed Might Not Be So Bad After All. Researchers found no major difference in performance between students who watched a lecture at normal speed versus those who watched at 1.5X or 2X speed.

Tasty TV: Japanese professor creates flavourful screen. A Japanese professor has developed a prototype lickable TV screen that can imitate food flavors, another step towards creating a multi-sensory viewing experience. The device, called Taste the TV (TTTV), uses a carousel of 10 flavour canisters that spray in combination to create the taste of a particular food. The flavour sample then rolls on hygienic film over a flat TV screen for the viewer to try.

Dogs notice when computer animations violate Newton’s laws of physics. Dogs seem to understand the basic way objects should behave, and stare for longer if animated balls violate expectations by rolling away for no obvious reason.

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

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

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

And another day of special sessions, a Covid treatment pill, lockdowns, General warnings, standing ovations, hospital charges, the first HIV prevention injection, pausing student loan payments, passport fees, and the ‘Christmas Comet’ comes to a close:

“If you have to deploy the military to support hospitals you may have spent your budget on the wrong part of the system given the challenges we actually face.” -- Alexander Chee

“Republican Strategy: Do everything they can to obstruct and destroy government and then claim that government is ineffective.” -- Teri Kanefield

Deaths

US: 833,029 (+2039)

World: 5,393,233 (+8217)

Cases

US: 52,510,978 (+257,130)

World: 277,520,533 (+930,718)

Omicron less likely to put you in the hospital, studies say. Scientists stress that even if the findings of these early studies hold up, any reductions in severity need to be weighed against the fact omicron spreads much faster than delta and is more able to evade vaccines. Sheer numbers of infections could still overwhelm hospitals.

High court to hold special session on vaccine requirements. The Supreme Court says it will hold a special session in just over two weeks to hear arguments on the Biden administration’s vaccine or testing requirement for large employers and a separate vaccine requirement for healthcare workers, an announcement that comes amid rising coronavirus cases.

Pfizer pill becomes 1st US-authorized home COVID treatment. U.S. health regulators on Wednesday authorized the first pill against COVID-19, a Pfizer drug that Americans will be able to take at home to head off the worst effects of the virus.

China orders lockdown of up to 13 million people in Xi’an. China ordered the lockdown of as many as 13 million people in neighborhoods and workplaces in the northern city of Xi’an following a spike in coronavirus cases, setting off panic buying just weeks before the country hosts the Winter Olympic Games.

Apple closes several stores due to COVID-19 outbreaks, encourages online shopping. Free two-hour shipping is now available in “most metro areas.”

Generals Warn Of Divided Military And Possible Civil War In Next U.S. Coup Attempt. Three retired U.S. generals warned in a chilling column Friday that another coup attempt in America in 2024 could divide the military and plunge an unprepared nation into civil war. “With the country still as divided as ever, we must take steps to prepare for the worst,” wrote former Army Major Gen. Paul Eaton, former Brigadier Gen. Steven Anderson and former Army Major Gen. Antonio Taguba…“Without constant maintenance, the potential for a military breakdown mirroring societal or political breakdown is very real,” the trio noted. A “disturbing number” of veterans and even active-duty military members took part in the attack on the Capitol. The “potential for a total breakdown of the chain of command along partisan lines ... is significant should another insurrection occur,” they added. In a “contested election, with loyalties split,” some might “follow orders from the rightful commander in chief,” while other “rogue units” might “follow the Trumpian loser ... it is not outlandish to say a military breakdown could lead to civil war,” the generals warned.

Conservative event gives Rittenhouse a standing ovation a month after acquittal. Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, praised Rittenhouse, telling him: “You’re a hero to millions, it’s an honor to be able to have you.” — When your hero’s only claim to fame is murdering two people, you get the current version of the Republican Party.

“Cheering for Kyle Rittenhouse makes it abundantly clear that the dream is a world where white men can kill in the streets without consequence.” — Rev. Dr. Jacque Lewis

Protecting people from hate more important than free speech to Brits, eye-opening poll finds. Many of those that decry cancel culture use freedom of speech to back up their argument: That people should be able to say whatever they like, at any cost to others. But the YouGov poll showed that Britons are actually more likely to prioritise protecting others from hate speech (43 per cent), than protecting free speech (38 per cent).

A hospital offered a payment plan for baby's NICU stay — $45,843 a month for a year. AdventHealth Orlando billed $660,553 for Dorian's NICU care. Because of an insurance snafu, the "patient responsibility" portion of the bill sent to the Bennetts was $550,124. They were offered an installment payment plan of $45,843 a month for 12 months. — The American healthcare system needs to change.

FDA approves first HIV prevention injection. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first injectable treatment for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, providing another option to help individuals at-risk avoid sexually transmitted HIV. The drug, called Apretude, will be available to at-risk adults and adolescents who weigh at least 77 pounds and have tested negative for HIV immediately beforehand, the FDA announced on Monday.

Pause on student loan payments is extended through May 1. Under the action, payments on federal student loans will remain paused through May 1. Interest rates will remain at 0% during that period, and debt collection efforts will be suspended. Those measures have been in place since early in the pandemic, but were set to expire Jan. 31.

Fees for US passports are about to pop way up. On December 27, the fee for a US passport book will shoot up by $20 for all customers, the US State Department has announced.

"Christmas Comet" to light up the sky this holiday.

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

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

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

And another day of striking findings, home tests, ‘minor adjustments’ to Moderna vaccine, a single vaccine for all variants, threatening Fauci, no cooperation, student protests about sexual assault, and a perfectly preserved dinosaur embryo comes to a close:

“How many times a day can you ask what is wrong with this country?” — Susan Jenkins

Deaths

US: 830,990 (+2151)

World: 5,385,016 (+8450)

Cases

US: 52,253,848 (+194,181)

World: 276,589,815 (+799,242)

Striking findings from 2021:

1. A growing share of childless Americans say it is unlikely they will ever have children.

2. Around seven-in-ten U.S. adults (72%) said in an August survey that they personally know someone who has been hospitalized or died from COVID-19.

3. Americans voted in record numbers in the 2020 presidential election, as turnout rose in every state.

4. About eight-in-ten Asian Americans say violence against them is increasing in the U.S.

5. Across 16 publics surveyed in spring 2021, a median of just 17% of adults said democracy in the U.S. is a good example for other countries to follow.

6. In just five years, the percentage of Republicans with at least some trust in national news organizations has fallen by half – dropping from 70% in 2016 to 35% this year.

7. Women in the U.S. are now more likely than men to have a four-year college degree.

8. Most Democrats in the U.S. see voting as a fundamental right, while most Republicans view it as a privilege that comes with responsibilities.

9. About three-in-ten Americans are religiously unaffiliated, a 10 percentage point rise from a decade ago.

10. Democrats and Republicans were deeply divided over former President Donald Trump’s role in the events of Jan. 6.

11. For the first time, the number of Americans who identify as non-Hispanic White declined between 2010 and 2020.

12. Only 34% of U.S. adults under the age of 30 now get TV through cable or satellite, down from 65% in 2015.

13. Two-thirds of U.S. adults say extreme weather events across the country have been occurring more often than in the past.

14. A growing share of U.S. adults are neither married nor living with a partner.

15. Around the world, more people mention their family as a source of meaning in their lives than any other factor.

Biden pivots to home tests to confront omicron surge. Fighting the omicron variant surging through the country, President Joe Biden announced the government will provide 500 million free rapid home-testing kits, increase support for hospitals under strain and redouble vaccination and boosting efforts.

Moderna vaccine needs only "minor adjustments" for omicron, CEO says.

US Army Creates Single Vaccine Effective Against All COVID & SARS Variants, Researchers Say. Within weeks, Walter Reed researchers expect to announce that human trials show success against Omicron—and even future strains. The achievement is the result of almost two years of work on the virus. The Army lab received its first DNA sequencing of the COVID-19 virus in early 2020. Very early on, Walter Reed’s infectious diseases branch decided to focus on making a vaccine that would work against not just the existing strain but all of its potential variants as well. -- Let’s hope this comes to be.

First confirmed U.S. Omicron death recorded in Texas. The man who died was in his 50s, unvaccinated and had previously been infected with COVID-19, per a press release.

Spain records its highest daily number of new Covid-19 cases since start of pandemic.

Fauci on Fox's Jesse Watters: He "should be fired on the spot". At an event for the conservative grassroots organization Turning Point USA this week, Jesse Watters, a longtime Fox News personality and current co-host of "The Five," said critics of Fauci should approach him in public and go for "the kill shot" by pressing him about his the veracity of the statements and guidance he has given on coronavirus during the pandemic…Watters comments, which were captured on video, were widely panned on social media by critics who saw them as a potential incitement of violence. — This rhetoric will eventually lead to deaths.

“I’m sorry, but the 2021 Republican Party is batshit crazy.” — Ron Filipowski 

“Anthony Fauci is a living saint. The guy is 80 years old and should be relaxing on a beach. Instead, he's working around the clock to save the lives of anti-science dumb*cks like you. History will treat him very kindly — unlike you and your orange god-emperor.” — P. D. White

Coal miners' union urges Manchin to reconsider opposition to Biden plan. The labor union noted that the bill includes an extension of a fund that provides benefits to coal miners suffering from black lung disease, which expires at the end of the year. The UMWA also touted tax incentives that encourage manufacturers to build facilities in coalfields that would employ thousands of miners who lost their jobs.

Republican Rep. Scott Perry says he won't comply with Jan. 6 panel. Republican Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania said Tuesday that he won't cooperate with the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot, which on Monday requested information about his knowledge of the events surronding the attack.

Michael Flynn sues January 6 committee to block phone records subpoena. His lawsuit marks the eighth court challenge against the ability of the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol to gather evidence on Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election.-- They are all so guilty.

The push to impose voting restrictions at the state level is poised to continue next year as Republicans drive forward with an array of new proposals -- ranging from legislation that would eliminate ballot drop boxes to bills that would establish new ID requirements to vote.

Students are walking out of school to protest districts’ handling of sexual assault allegations. Waves of high school students have rallied, by the dozens and at times by the hundreds, around the country this school year to support sexual abuse victims and protest how their districts handle such allegations...While student demonstrations and walkouts may not be new, the proliferation of such large protests by students against their teachers, principals, school board leaders and other figures of authority in numerous states this year highlights the desire among young people to make themselves heard on a number of social issues...The protests have not always been met with amenable responses from school leaders.

Did Mexico stop the homophobic slur threatening its national soccer team? A homophobic chant shouted for decades in soccer games that had resulted in sanctions, fines and a threat to World Cup participation was not uttered in the last few matches.

First full asteroid return sample confirms early Solar System origins. Scientists have finally studied their first full samples returned from an asteroid in space, and they confirm what you'd expect — while providing some new insights.

Perfectly preserved dinosaur embryo found in China. Researcher Dr Fion Waisum Ma said it is "the best dinosaur embryo ever found in history". The discovery has also given researchers a greater understanding of the link between dinosaurs and modern birds. The fossil shows the embryo was in a curled position known as "tucking", which is a behaviour seen in birds shortly before they hatch. — Freaking cool!

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

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

Monday, December 20, 2021

And another day of weak excuses, a new dominant variant, more covid related news, asking for records, filing lawsuits, Epstein flight logs, school book bans spreads to public libraries, the successor to Hubble, and sexual fluidity comes to a close:

"It's going to be a surge like we haven't seen before." — Andy Slavitt

Deaths

US: 828,836 (+1513)

World: 5,376,566 (+6261)

Cases

US: 52,059,667 (+293,953)

World: 275,790,573 (+779,391)

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., had privately raised concerns in recent months that parents would use their Child Tax Credit payments — a key piece of the Build Back Better legislation — to buy drugs, three sources familiar with the comments said. Manchin relayed these concerns in private conversations to his fellow Democratic senators, the sources said. — Manchin is a total prick. 

“Manchin is apparently worried child tax credits to poor families could go to drugs, and I’m wondering what exactly he thinks rich people do with their money. Other than buying yachts and expensive cars, of course.” — Joshua Potash

“Manchin owns a yacht and drives a Maserati. Anybody who thinks he has any idea how working class West Virginians live is a total sucker.” — Elizabeth Spiers

Omicron variant accounted for 73% of new infections last week, becoming dominant strain in US. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention numbers showed nearly a six-fold increase in omicron's share of infections in only one week. In much of the country, omicron's prevalence is even higher. It's responsible for an estimated 90% of new infections in the New York area, the Southeast, the industrial Midwest and the Pacific Northwest.

Quebec shuts down schools, bars, gyms and more as COVID-19 case counts soar. Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé said in the face of the variant, which appears to be doubling its spread every few days, the government had to take action to prevent the health-care system from being overwhelmed.

South African scientists - hailed for their discovery of Omicron - are investigating the "highly plausible hypothesis" that the emergence globally of dangerous new Covid-19 variants could be linked, in some cases, to extensive mutations taking place inside infected people whose immune systems have already been weakened by other factors, including, though not limited to, untreated HIV.

Pandemic poses short- and long-term risks to babies, especially boys. Stress levels among expectant mothers have soared. Pregnant women with Covid are five times as likely as uninfected pregnant people to require intensive care and 22 times as likely to die. Infected moms are four times as likely to have a stillborn child. Yet some of the pandemic’s greatest threats to infants’ health may not be apparent for years or even decades.

Boston to require proof of vaccines at restaurants, gyms. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced Monday that the city will require COVID-19 vaccinations to enter most indoor spaces starting on Jan. 15, as part of a campaign to increase vaccinations called "B Together." Additionally, Wu announced that those working in the listed indoor facilities will also be required to be fully vaccinated.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has pledged to take his fight against a federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for large businesses to the Supreme Court.

Harvard University has joined a growing number of schools and colleges across the U.S. returning to remote learning as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 spreads at a rapid rate.

NIH director says Trump, Republicans pressured him to back unproven COVID-19 remedies. On his last day as director of the National Institute of Health (NIH), Francis Collins spoke on how former President Trump pressured him to endorse unproven medical treatments for COVID-19, such as "hydroxychloroquine and blood plasma." — Republicans literally tried to kill you, and they continue to do so.

The committee has asked for records from Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry. The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack is seeking information from Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pennsylvania, a leader of the House Freedom Caucus who communicated with former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows ahead of the attack. This letter is the committee's first known request to a sitting GOP lawmaker.

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones is suing the Jan. 6 select committee to block them from obtaining his phone records and compelling his testimony at a deposition next month.

Trump sues NY attorney general, seeking to halt civil probe. Former President Donald Trump sued New York Attorney General Letitia James on Monday, resorting to a familiar but seldom successful strategy as he seeks to end a yearslong civil investigation into his business practices that he alleges is purely political.

Maxwell case logs show how frequently Trump flew on Epstein jets; Bill Clinton, too. Donald Trump appears to have flown on Jeffrey Epstein’s private jets six more times than was previously known, according to flight logs released as evidence in Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial…Decades before he became president, Trump flew four times in 1993, once in 1994 and once in 1995, in addition to a flight in 1997 that had been documented in portions of the flight log previously released…That’s still fewer than former President Bill Clinton, who flew on Epstein’s jets on at least nine different dates according to the flight records released as evidence, and reportedly far more times than that. The extent of Clinton’s travel on Epstein flights was already reported, however.

Pentagon issues rules aimed at stopping rise of extremism. Warning that extremism in the ranks is increasing, Pentagon officials issued detailed new rules Monday prohibiting service members from actively engaging in extremist activities. The new guidelines come nearly a year after some current and former service members participated in the riot at the U.S. Capitol, triggering a broad department review.

The push to ban books in Texas schools spreads to public libraries. Garvel, who describes herself as a conservative and has a 9-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter, said she’s been very careful about what content they consume. — But she doesn’t want any children to consume any material she herself deems inappropriate. This is such bullshit. Fight against book banning. 

Republicans view Reagan, Trump as best recent presidents. About four-in-ten Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (42%) say Reagan has done the best job as president over the past 40 years, while slightly fewer (37%) say Trump has done the best job. — Seriously? A B-movie actor and a con-man? But when the other options are two Bushes…well…not much of a choice now is it? 

Tensions rising between U.S. and Iran, New Year’s seen as potential flashpoint. The growing confrontation with Iran has prompted a debate inside the administration about how to respond to attacks and provocative acts by Iran and its proxies in the region, current and former U.S. officials said.

Food suppliers blame inflation for price hikes. Lawmakers say they're padding the bill. Some companies "appear to be passing costs on to consumers" and "taking advantage of inflation to add greater burdens,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren said.

Study Estimates That More Than Half of U.S. Hospitals Not in Compliance With New Pricing Disclosure Rules in First Five Months. At least 75 percent of hospitals were compliant in the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Indiana, and Michigan. In contrast, at most, 25 percent of hospitals were compliant in Delaware, Maryland, Washington, and Louisiana…The Hospital Price Transparency Rule—managed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services—requires individual hospitals to provide clear pricing information online about the services they provide. The information must be posted in a file format that can be imported or read into a computer system, also known as a machine-readable file. Hospitals must also include standard pricing for at least 300 services, ranging from colonoscopies to CAT scans. Hospitals are not required to disclose prices for emergency services under the new rule.

Straight people often more sexually fluid than they think, study suggests. A study has found that straight people’s perceptions of their own sexualities can become more fluid when they are exposed to different theories of sexuality.

Procter & Gamble has issued a recall for 32 aerosol dry conditioner spray and dry shampoo spray products under popular brand names that may contain a known cancer-causing agent, the company announced.

Lorne Michaels Considering ‘SNL’ Retirement: “A Really Good Time to Leave”. The 'Saturday Night Live' boss says the show's upcoming 50th anniversary could very well be the right time to exit.

Hubble telescope’s bigger, more powerful successor to soar. The Hubble Space Telescope’s successor is a time-traveling wonder capable of peering back to within a hair’s breadth of the dawn of the universe. And it’s finally on the brink of flight.

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

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